The Book of Wonder (version 2)


Read by Sandra Cullum

(4.7 stars; 26 reviews)

The Book of Wonder (1912) is an amazing collection of fourteen tales by one of the pioneers and masters of the fantasy genre Lord Dunsany. Strangeness and humor abound in these delightful stories that were influential to many writers including H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith and Fritz Leiber among others.-Erik (2 hr 46 min)

Chapters

Preface and the Bride of the Man Horse 13:42 Read by Sandra Cullum
Distressing Tale of Thangobrind the Jeweller 11:25 Read by Sandra Cullum
The House of the Sphinx 7:34 Read by Sandra Cullum
Probable Adventure of the Three Literary Men 11:17 Read by Sandra Cullum
The Injudicious Prayers of Pombo the Idolator 10:27 Read by Sandra Cullum
The Loot of Bombasharna 12:01 Read by Sandra Cullum
Miss Cubbidge and the Dragon of Romance 8:32 Read by Sandra Cullum
The Quest of the Queen's Tears 14:11 Read by Sandra Cullum
The Hoard of the Gibbelins 12:00 Read by Sandra Cullum
How Nuth would have Practised his Art Upon the Gnoles 13:42 Read by Sandra Cullum
How One Came, as Was Foretold, to the City of Never 13:04 Read by Sandra Cullum
The Coronation of Mr. Thomas Shap 12:57 Read by Sandra Cullum
Chu-Bu and Sheemish 11:30 Read by Sandra Cullum
The Wonderful Window and Epilogue 14:24 Read by Sandra Cullum

Reviews

storyteller’s fantasy


(5 stars)

Loved the readers voice, diction and pace. I’ll be looking for more read by Sandra Cullum. Thank you Sandra. I’m a fan of Lord Dunsany. These stories were new to me. Full of fantasy perfect for relaxing and listening to multiple times as different images emerged with each listening. Favorite story, the last one, The Wonderful Window. Though that may change the next time I listen.

Loved it


(4 stars)

Narration: Completely excellent. Stories: Mostly very good. There were a couple that I didn't care for. Many if these tales reminded me of the same kind of tone found in the Conan stories by Robert E. Howard. Simplistic, old-fashioned, but still quite fun. My favorite story was "The Injudicious Prayers of Pombo the Idolater"

Superior recording


(5 stars)

Of the 2 recordings currently available on Librivox, this one is the superior. The reader has a thoughtful cadence, emphasizing the words and phrases as if addressing an audience, instead of droning from the text. There are also none of the wet popping mouth sounds in the other recording.

Well read and unique.


(5 stars)

Beautifully read and definitely unique stories. I had never known about Lord Dunsany until coming across this recording. Some of his work is a little too strange and dark for me, but on the whole, I enjoyed this very much.

Classic


(4 stars)

These stories are mostly simple and predictable. yet I sense in them an important flavor which must have been the precursor to our modern fantasy genre. There were a few I was less interested in, but most kept me engaged enough.


(3 stars)

the reading was excellent, but the stories some were a little boring

weird but wonderful


(5 stars)

weird but wonderful tales. excellent reader.