The Worm Ouroboros

The Worm Ouroboros is a heroic  high fantasy novel by English writer E.R. Eddison. First published in 1922, the book describes the long war between King Gorice of Witchland and the Lords of Demonland. 

It is set in an imaginary world that appears medieval and reminiscent of Norse sagas. The work is slightly related to Eddison's later Zimiamvian Trilogy, and collectively they are sometimes called the Zimiamvian series.

The book was illustrated by Keith Henderson, who also illustrated books by Geoffrey Chaucer and  W.H. Hudson.

The work is described as fantasy because it is not an attempt to imagine the future (as does much science fiction) but instead presents an imagined world, rather as does The Lord of the Rings.

Publication history
 1922: Original publication in London by Jonathan Cape with illustrations by Keith Henderson
 1924: "New and Cheaper Edition", Jonathan Cape (actually the remaindered copies of the first edition with an inserted cancel page which lists the publishing details of this 'edition')
 1926: American hardcover issued by Albert & Charles Boni
 1952: Hardcover publication from E. P. Dutton, featuring illustrations by Keith Henderson and an introduction by Orville Prescott
 1962: Trade paperback publication in the Xanadu Fantasy Library
 1967: Paperback edition from Ballantine Books (following the success of The Lord of the Rings), with several printings in different years (incorporated into the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series)
 1999: Paperback reissue in Replica Books of Bridgewater, New Jersey
 2000: A UK paperback edition in the Fantasy Masterworks series
 2006: American trade softcover edition by Barnes & Noble, .
 2008: A new edition by Forgotten Books and on Amazon's Kindle

 References 

Category:1920s books
Category:English novels
Category:British fantasy books