Rereading: THE GHOSTS OF THE HEAVISIDE LAYER AND OTHER FANTASMS by Lord Dunsany

Cover and illustrations by Tim Kirk

This 1980 posthumous collection from Owlswick Press is nicely packaged, but the contents are quite a mixed bag. First there are a number of short ghost stories, the kind you might enjoy on a quiet evening by the fireside with a glass of something. Several are told by Jorkens, Dunsany’s pub tale spinner. I enjoyed these, but found none very memorable. Next there are quite a few essays, mostly short, in which the author rails against things he dislikes, celebrates nature, and talks about his hobbies and occupations, including play writing. The best of these is a memorial to his illustrator Sidney Sime, but many I found dull and only skimmed. Finally there are two plays, a very short humorous one, and the longer “Lord Adrian,” which at least has the trappings of fantasy, and touches on some of the same elements as his novel “The Blessing of Pan.” I enjoyed that.

In all, the writing is mildly recommended, though the illustrations by Tim Kirk are excellent.

Ghosts of the Heaviside Layer by Lord Dunsany

The post Rereading: THE GHOSTS OF THE HEAVISIDE LAYER AND OTHER FANTASMS by Lord Dunsany appeared first on Todd's Blog.