Don Rodriguez: Chronicles of Shadow Valley

By Lord Dunsany

Book Overview

Baron Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett Dunsany was Irish royalty, but he's best known for writing fantasy books during the early 20th century, many of which are still read today. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345022440
• ISBN13: 9780345022448
• Release Date: April 1971
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 274 Pages
• Weight: 0.38 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Rich writing and swashbuckling plot

This is the first novel by Lord Dunsany (aka Edward JMD Plunkett), a turn of the 19th/20th century author who was a pioneer in what was to become the genre of "Fantasy". His writing is some of the richest, most beautiful English I've ever read and his novels are a treasure for that reason alone. He also has an insight and storytelling skill that rates his writing as "literature" - much more so than all but the best fantasy authors (such as Ursula LeGuin). That being said, this novel is notable for being a little more "fun" than his high fantasy that follows - it has a lot of humor and derring-do in it and is somewhat reminiscent of Dumas's "Three Musketeers" in that element. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard while reading such excellent prose! The plot revolves around the adventures of a young Spanish gentleman, who not being the eldest son will not inherit his father's property must seek his own fortune. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys Dumas, Stevenson, "The Princess Bride", or Zorro!