Review: THE WOOD BEYOND THE WORLD by William Morris

This is one of those books that seems to have been foundational for an entire genre, but which is hardly ever read anymore. It was one of the first modern fantasy novels, predating the works of both Lord Dunsany and Arthur Machen.

At first it also seems to be unnecessarily archaic,which I just assumed was an affliction shared by Victorian writers, until I learned that he meant to write like that. The entire book was written in conscious imitation of an author from centuries before.

Whatever the reason for the style, there's no doubt that it makes things more difficult for the reader now. It takes some work, but it's worth it, and I recommend this book.