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The worm Ouroboros
First published 1926 · 544 pages
A lavish, archaic dreamscape of eternal war and heroic glory that demands to be savored rather than rushed.
What it feels like
Reading this foundational fantasy epic feels like stepping into a magnificent, slightly faded tapestry. The pace is decidedly leisurely, demanding that you slow down and let the extravagantly ornate, Elizabethan-style prose wash over you. It is a book of lavish descriptions, where every jewel, sword hilt, and mountain peak is painted with theatrical grandeur. The mood is mythic and dreamlike, steeped in a melancholic reverence for martial glory and heroic idealism. It is not a book for those seeking brisk, modern plotting; rather, it delights readers who want to be entirely submerged in a strange, decadent world. If you love the dense mythmaking of early Tolkien or the gothic majesty of Mervyn Peake, this cyclical tale of eternal rivalry offers a rare, intoxicating feast for the senses.
- Mood
- mythic
- lavish
- dreamlike
- melancholic
- Tone
- epic
- grandiose
- archaic
- theatrical
- earnest
- Pace
- leisurely
- Themes
- the glory of battle · cyclical nature of conflict · heroic idealism · decadent beauty · honor and rivalry
- The writing
- Extravagantly ornate, deliberately archaic, and densely poetic, echoing Elizabethan and Jacobean literature.
- The arc
- Begins in a dreamlike state of wonder, swells into epic heights of martial glory, and concludes with a melancholic but triumphant return to the eternal cycle.
- Who it's for
- Readers who savor dense, historical-sounding prose and prioritize atmosphere, world-building, and epic grandeur over modern pacing.
Content notes
- fantasy violence
- archaic language and attitudes
About the book
A unique work of 20th Century prose following the epic power struggle and conflict between two peoples, the Demons and the Witches. Pre-dating the much better known works of Tolkein, it involves quests and battles on land and sea, heroic acts and deceits, love, lust and infidelity; all in settings so lavishly and extravagantly described as to stretch even the most vivid imagination. Although this work has been described as 'flawed' by many critics, because of a few minor glitches, if read with an open mind, and heart, it will transport the reader to realms of delight of a kind few authors are able to engender in these modern, almost monosyllabic times. To try it is most adviseable, to ignore it is to miss out on a rare treat.
Description from Open Library.
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