The Worm Ouroboros
#1943 of 2,654 all-time
The Worm Ouroboros
E. R. Eddison
4 people recommended it in 2 threads, 2011–2025.
3 of those were in the last year.
What people on Hacker News said
If Christoper Marlowe had invented the fantasy novel genre, this is what he would have written. The prose makes modern fantasy look like milquetoast.
Of these I've only read The Worm Ouroboros, and I cannot recommend it enough. The structure is a bit weird at first—you gotta get past the first chapter—but after that it settles and is astounding.
If you have any passing interest in Lord of the Rings, you'll likely love it.
The worm Ouroboros" was better, with a very unusual epic style, both in writing style and in the story.
Where it comes up
- My favorite cult sci-fi and fantasy books you may not have heard of before 2025 · 3 recommendations
- Ask HN: What is the greatest book you've ever read? 2011 · 1 recommendation