First published in 1905, Lord Dunsany’s The Gods of Pegāna is one of the most important and influential works of modern fantasy literature. The book is a series of short stories linked by Dunsany’s invented pantheon of deities who dwell in Pegāna. It was followed by a further collection, Time and the Gods, some stories in The Sword of Welleran and Other Stories, and Tales of Three Hemispheres. The groundbreaking, imaginative novel introduced readers to a pantheon of unforgettable gods and a rich new mythology that would inspire HP Lovecraft, J.R.R Tolkien, Ursula K Leguin, and generations of fantasy and science-fiction creators. Now Denver’s Wig Shop, a prestige publisher of independent comics and art books, is collaborating with artist Dustin Holland on a hallucinatory visualization of Dunsany’s kaleidoscopic cosmic fancies featuring full-color paintings on every page. The deluxe paperback is coming soon to Kickstarter.
“There are islands in the Central Sea whose waters are bounded by no shore and where no ships come—this is the faith of their people.” From there, Dunsany introduces readers to a phenomenal cast of gods, monsters and prophets who bear witness to the beginning—and the end—of the universe. A literary experiment decades ahead of its time, the book lays the groundwork for metatextual works of horror and fantasy, like Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos, while delivering a nuanced exploration of faith, religion and mortality. 120 years after its first publication, Dunsany’s epic still stands as a singular and fascinating work of literature.
Drawing inspiration from medieval illuminated manuscripts, the work of Leonora Carrington, Max Ernst, The Fleischer Brothers and cartoonists like Gary Panter, Marc Bell and Julie Doucet, Holland vividly illustrates all 130+ pages of this classic tome with a contemporary outsider art flair. Each chapter features a full-page painting, and every page features painted borders that are as decorative as they are illustrative.
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