Olympian Nights

by John Kendrick Bangs, 1st World Library (Editor)

While travelling through the classic realms of Greece some years ago, sincerely desirous of discovering the lurking-place of a certain war which the newspapers of my own country were describing with some vividness, I chanced upon the base of the far-famed Mount Olympus. Night was coming on apace and I was tired, having been led during the day upon a wild-goose chase by my guide, who had assured me that he had definitely located the scene of hostilities between the Greeks and the Turks. He had promised that for a consideration I should witness a conflict between the contending armies which in its sanguinary aspects should surpass anything the world had yet known. Whether or not it so happened that the armies had been booked for a public exhibition elsewhere, unknown to the talented bandit who was acting as my courier, I am not aware, but, as the event transpired, the search was futile, and another day was wasted.

120 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1902

About the author

John Kendrick Bangs was an American author and satirist, and the creator of modern Bangsian fantasy, the school of fantasy writing that sets the plot wholly or partially in the afterlife.

Reviews

[Perry Whitford · Rating 2 out of 5]

Flimsy satirical fantasy in which an American in Greece discovers that the ancient gods still inhabit Mount Olympus, which is much like a rich man's holiday resort.

The gods amuse themselves playing golf on Mars, visiting the zoo to see the Trojan Horse, and generally doing whatever they fancy. Some of them still have to work though. Cupid is the elevator boy and Phaeton taxis them around.

The best line came when we are first introduced to Zeus: 'a divine atmosphere followed in his wake. It suggested the most brilliant of brilliantine.'

I insist in calling him Zeus anyhow; Bangs refers to him as Jupiter. I'm not entirely sure why the Greek gods would refer to themselves in their Latinised namesbut, there you go.

I actually own a first edition of one of Bang's novels for what it's worth, A House-Boat on the Styx. It's very much in the same whimsical vein. It amused me enough to read something else of his.


Olympian Nights reads like it was knocked out in an afternoon, ending so abruptly Bangs must have been called to dinner and had no intention of letting his food grow cold.