THE RETURN OF FURSEY

London: The Pilot Press Ltd, 1948. Octavo, pp. [1-2] [1] 2-234, illustrations by John Parsons, original blue cloth, spine panel stamped in black. First edition. Sequel to THE UNFORTUNATE FURSEY (1946), a fine satire in which the Devil selects a tenth-century Irish monk as his "bridgehead." "A landmark book in the history of fantasy." - Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1648. "Various haunters plaguing an Irish monastery attach themselves to a luckless lay brother, who is consequently thrown out into the wicked world. He has magic powers foisted upon him by a witch and seems doomed, but for the fact that Satan has found a soft spot for him. A beautifully polished comedy with a healthy dose of sentimentality and some very pointed satirical comment on Irish Catholicism. A work almost on a par with France's REVOLT OF THE ANGELS (1914). Fursey falls prey to Machiavellian exploitation by an English king and is sufficiently disenchanted to sell his soul to the only real friend he has ever had. But Satan too is in reduced circumstances, and Fursey's loyalty to the cause of evil is sorely tested when he falls in with Vikings bent on sacking his old monastery. Slightly more maudlin than its predecessor, but still a fine exercise in bitter sweet philosophical romance." - Barron (ed), Fantasy and Horror (1999) 5-303. A new character in this sequel is George, a lonely vampire with a weakness for adventure. Barron (ed), Fantasy Literature 3-355. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1649. A nearly fine copy in very good or better dust jacket with light edge wear and light rubbing. A scarce book in jacket. (#84602) (Inventory #: 84602)