The Collected Jorkens, Volume I (Lord Dunsany)
Fantastic tall-tales with low-key humor told by Jorkens at the Billiards Club. The old man's wistful remembrances of unusual adventures at the edge of the world in the 1920s and 1930s are quite amusing. They include a story about a mermaid, adventures in Africa, and trees that are alive. Jorkens recounts his adventures for club members in return for a whiskey, and you're never quite sure how truthful he's being. This first collection by Nightshade of a planned three books includes tales originally published as The Travel Tales of Joseph Jorkens (1931) and Jorkens Remembers Africa (1934).

I love the atmosphere of these stories. Dunsany knew how to grab readers at the start:

The talk had veered round to runes and curses and witches, one bleak December evening where a few of us sat warm in easy chairs round the cheery fire of the Billiards Club. "Do you believe in witches?" one of us said to Jorkens. "It isn't what I believe in that matters so much" said Jorkens, "only what I've seen."

How can you not read further after this beginning? I quite enjoyed this collection of stories; however, I would hesitate to ever recommend this since I think a lot of people may not enjoy this type of thing. If you like old ghost stories or Sherlock Holmes, you may enjoy Jorkens. Rating: B+.
- posted by Brad @ 10/31/2004 11:09:00 AM