The Collected Jorkens, Volume 1

Jorkens #1-2

by Lord Dunsany

The first in a three-volume set collecting all of Lord Dunsany's club stories, as told by Jorkens. Long unavailable, and essential reading for all fans of classic fantasy. Introduction by Sir Arthur C. Clarke.

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Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Fiction, Classics, Speculative Fiction

334 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1947

About the author

Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, eighteenth baron of Dunsany, was an Anglo-Irish writer and dramatist, notable for his work in fantasy published under the name Lord Dunsany. More than eighty books of his work were published, and his oeuvre includes hundreds of short stories, as well as successful plays, novels and essays. Born to one of the oldest titles in the Irish peerage, he lived much of his life at perhaps Ireland's longest-inhabited home, Dunsany Castle near Tara, received an honourary doctorate from Trinity College, and died in Dublin.

Reviews

[Bruce Nordstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars is just not enough. These stories are some great reading, and I loved every minute I was doing it.

I've been a Dunsany fan for about 30 years, and this is the first time I've read any of his Jorkens tales. Very glad to find this series has finally gathered all these stories into one place.

The setting for these short stories is simple. We're down at the Club, just after the Queen's passing, in London. And we always tell stories of our adventures. Of course it's bad form to ever doubt the authentiy of another fellow's story. But old Jorkens tells the best stories. You just have to buy his a whiskey and soda first. And you should never believe everything Jorkens says.

Jorkens' stories range from airplane flight to the moon, encounters with mermaids, lost treasure(s), discovery.

I discovered very quickly that once you begin reading these stories, you must finish them. I have never read another author who can tell a story as well as Dunsany. In my opion he is very overlooked in the field of English literature.

This book is a must read, and I am trying to get my hands on the further volumes of the series.

[Mohammed Abdikhader Firdhiye · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was full of wonderful,bizarre,sad,thought-provoking,funny stories.

Lord Dunsany shows amazing fertile imagination, he wrote so many types of stories. From fantastical magical stories,to horrific stories,SF stories like Wells but his style. Even Lord Dunsany with less stylised prose write more beautiful than most other writers. Also he can tell a quality stories in 10-20 pages that even quality novellas cant.

Joseph Jorken was a compelling character, you can see why he wrote 137 stories about him it.

I rate it 4/5 only because its not his finest work, it doesn't mean it isn't an amazing read.

[Christiane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read about this book in "On Conan Doyle" by Michael Dirda and was at first a little skeptical as I’d barely made it through Lord Dunsany’s “The King of Elfland’s Daughter”. However, this was much more fun. It is a marvelous collection of tales narrated by the well-traveled and adventurous Mr. Jorkens to the fellow members of his gentleman's club in return for an occasional large whiskey. Whatever you do, do not doubt the absolute truthfulness of Mr. Jorkens accounts, as every single story (mermaids, ghosts, and unicorns included) actually happened!

[Preston Fordstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find these extraordinary stories comforting. In fact, I wish I was at the club right now listening to Jorkens...

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lord Dunsany wrote a lot of fantasy in the elves and faeries category, but this is less irritating. It uses a literary device where a freeloading windbag named Jorkens tells fantastical tales in exchange for free whiskies. Unlike any conceivable real life scenario, however, Jorkens' tales are actually interesting.