Fiction – A Fantasy Interlude

Long time, no post, but I have been thinking about it, but failing to summon up the energy to do anything about it.

To make up, here are some stray Fantasy & Science Fiction books, which were hiding in the general books collection.

For a start, this Dover edition of Jurgen by James Branch Cabell with fantastical illustrations and decorations by Frank C Papé.

Joy Chant was the author of the highly regarded young adult fantasy Red Moon and Black Mountain which was included in the Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series. The Grey Mane of Morning is a sequel to the aforementioned book.

Another author who was featured in the Ballantine series was Lord Dunsany. He also made it to the spin off fantasy series, The Newcastle Forgotten Fantasy Library of which series I have a few, including The Food of Death.

A couple more in the Newcastle series… The Haunted Woman by David Lindsay of Voyage to Arcturus fame, Aladore by Henry Newbolt, The Glittering Plain and Golden Wings by William Morris.

And to finish this post a rare David Lindsay, The Violet Apple & The Witch, published by Chicago Review Press in 1976.

A few more Fantasy novels will follow shortly.

Fantasy - James Branch Cabell & Oddities

I realise I've been dreadfully remiss in posting new items on this blog, but I've finally got a bit time to scan book covers, so here is more bookish eye candy for your delectation.

The long promised covers from James Branch Cabell paperbacks...

James Branch Cabell was an American writer famous for his witty satiric fantasies.

I have a small collection of his books, some of which I've already displayed in the Ballantine Adult Fantasy posts.

Here are several others, mostly published by Del Ray in the 1970's:

Also included in this post are several unusual chapbooks. also collected in the 1970s.

First there is Ursula Le Guin's From Elfland to Poughkeepsie, an essay on modern fantasy.

Peter Beagle's Lila The Werewolf

And finally, a facsimile edition of Christina Rosetti's strange poem, Goblin Market, illustrated by Laurence Housman and published by Green Tiger Press in 1973

Decorative envelope	The book

Next - fantasy collections

Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series - Part 4

I'm drawing to an end with my collection of the Ballantine Fantasy Series, so this will be the second last entry on the topic.

Katherine Kurtz first Deryni Series was published by Ballantine from 1971 to 1973. Camber of Culdi is not strictly speaking part of the Adult Fantasy series, but I'll put the cover up anyway to balance the display. I can't remember much about this series other than they had some pretty good battles of magic.

Also Ballantine published several books by James Branch Cabell. I remember loving the urbane witty and irreverent prose of Cabell. I really must read them again. I have two Ballantine editions of his books, but I have more in Del Ray editions which I'll get to later.

And finally for this entry, two fantasy novels by George Macdonald. His books, though of a Christian bent, are quite weird nonetheless.

Next- the remainder of my BAF collection ...