Rating: 
Summary: An interesting historical artifact
Review: It's pretty obvious that almost all fantasy written today owes a fundamental debt to J.R.R. Tolkien's "Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings." This is not just because Tolkien "got there first," because Eddison was Tolkien's friend and contemporary. It's just that Tolkien was a better writer by far, and his world was much better realized and much more rigorously designed. Tolkien's biggest complaint about Eddison's writing was that his anthropology was suspect (i.e. he didn't do the homework and design labor that Tolkien did) - as a minor example, Eddison just tosses off character names that have no etymologic depth ("Goldry Bluszco," "Fax Fay Faz," and "Brandoch Daha" being some examples from "Worm...") The prose is, as the previous reviewer suggested, also suspect. On the other hand, I disagree with the same reviewer about the Lessingham dream device. In context, it makes sense - because Eddison knew that one way to make the readers of his time (remember, Worm was printed before "The Fellowship of the Ring") relate to the otherworldliness of his story was to put it on a kind of stage. The dream is one way of doing this. It's just a wonder that Eddison didn't bracket this dream at the end. Then again, if you see Olivier's film of "Henry V," he does the same thing (only with much better results). Lessingham is interesting because he shows up in a later trilogy, "Zimiavia," which is Eddison's pale answer to "Lord of the Rings." "Fish Dinner in Memison" is actually the second book in the series, so had the previous reviewer grabbed that one, he would have been confused, and probably disappointed. One way of looking at Eddison is that he had an obsession with Vikings and Icelandic heroism. I gather he translated one of the Sagas (Egil's I think) before he ever started "Worm," so in many ways, "Worm" can be read as a variation on that theme... Overall, a ponderous, weird book with flashes of brilliance, and an historical oddity - a false start towards a large strand of modern writing.
Rating: 
Summary: Tolkien loved this book and so will you
Review: J.R.R. Tolkien wrote that this was the greatest heroic fantasy novel ever written. It's not -- Eddison's own Zimiamvia trilogy is better -- but Tolkien wasn't far off the mark. It's like a collaboration by Shakespeare, Ariosto, and Homer. Awesome stuff. The language sometimes gets in the way -- Eddison knew more words than most people and wasn't afraid to use 'em -- and in a couple of places the sheer weight of descriptive prose (of palaces and such) bogs down the action. But wow, this is amazing work.
Rating: 
Summary: Quintessential fantasy adventure
Review: Leave behind your preconceived notions of science (i.e.: the fact that Mercury is, in fact, hardly a habitable planet), ignore the early awkward inconsistencies (where the heck does Lessingham go after the third chapter?) and simply enjoy this book! This is a truly entrancing and magical fantasy the likes of which I haven't seen since...well, since Eddison tripped off this mortal coil. The faux-Elizabethan prose is more than a bit pretentious, admittedly, but I think it adds a wonderful burst of colour to proceedings. And while the pro-war sentiment dates this a good deal, it's still a wild ride. But, as a result, the lords of Demonland (supposedly the "good guys") don't seem appreciably more or less morally virtuous than those of Witchland. In fact, the lords of Witchland come across as a bit more sympathetic mainly because they are more interesting (i.e.: more developed) characters. Whatever. It's far from perfect, but it's still a damn fine read.
Rating:
Summary: The Worm Ouroboros is a wonder; a charm; rich with delight
Review: Mr. E.R.Eddison's master-work, the Worm Ouroboros, is without peer; but the heady and voluptuous beauty of his rich prose, alas, shall find few readers able to admire it. In a word, this book is for the few to whom fantasy means phantasmagorical, noble, ornamental, awe-striking, wondrous. His book is all this, and is like no other. The main action of the book takes place on Mercury, where and Earthly visitor, in a dream, witnesses the titanic war between two mighty kingdoms of that planet. There were never villains so black and pure of quill as the tyrannous King Gorice XII of Carce and his crew. Lord Gro, his henchman, cannot rest from intrigue and treason; the Lords Corsus, Corund and Corinius are tipplers, drunks, gamblers, leachers, and yet stern fighting-men and deadly both on battle-field and sea-fight. In constrast, the Lords Juss, Spitfire, Gouldry Blazsco and Brandoch Daha are great and noble in a way never seen these days, and rarely seen erenow. They are men of honor, bold in emprise, valiant and fierce as hawks, but well-spoken, gentlemen first and last. To climb the unclimbed mountain at the end of the world, or to wrestle unto death a King for possession of a kingdom, or to rescue a brother from the pale regions of the dead, were all one matter to them; they flinch at nothing. Great wars, opulant prose, women of beauty without compare, bold princes, splendour, horrors stirred up from the pit by unlawful grammery, treasons, escapes, sword-fights, beauties to peirce the heart, all are here in this book: but this book is not meant for all.
Rating:
Summary: A fantasy novel of epic proportions.
Review: On far off Mercury, there lie many nations. Paramount among these is the kingdom of Witchland, which is ruled by the terrible King Gorice. Standing proud against Witchland is Demonland, wherein lives a race of heroes. Among their leaders are the lords Juss, Spitfire, Goldry Bluszco, and Brandoch Daha. With great valor, these Demons wage a war of heroic proportions against Gorice, a war equal to that the Greeks fought at Troy. This is a story of dark magic and great valor. This was a rather flowery summation for me, but this book rather brought it out in me. The book is written using archaic words and phrases, which means that it is not for the faint of heart, but the gist of the meaning is always easy to determine. The use of the man Lessingham in the first few chapters is poorly done, but is quickly forgotten in the reading of the book. Overall, let me say that this book does not read like any other fantasy book I have ever read, not even Lord of the Rings. The author's use of the language, combined with style of telling, gives the story the feel of an epic, such as the Iliad. This book is quite rightly considered one of the classics of fantasy literature, and it is something that every fantasy-lover should read.
Rating:
Summary: The evolution of fiction is rarely punctuated by such writ.
Review: Our story begins unlike any other, so indulged in detail and the color of inventivness. The WORM wound me ever further, page by page, until my thoughts reverberated with images of newness and celestial kind. It would be interesting if someone were to compose a systematic review of his works, similar to the products recently seen in print like "The Wheel Of Time" series and past and present reiteration of The Lord of the Rings. Specifically, a more detailed seach and composition dealing with some of the mythology and character profile used by Eddison is his inventive world. One nice example of this was "Tree and Leaf" by Nigel, on the subject of the historical lore of Fairae etal [composers of such]. Thankyou Eddison for allowing a dedicated fantasy [dragons and the lot] reader to look to Mercury, to, for a brief moment, imagine a world bound of the wings of cosmic travel, without having to navigate the perilous world of science fiction that borrows more from old gnostic writ an hidden apocalyptic literature {hidden since these writers think only big shots ever get into this stuff} than needed. I like fantasy... imagination is a powerful tool {see Einstein). IE> The WORM renued old interests for me in the rhelm of Egyptology, specifically the HOUSE of LIFE, and the encircling worm seen near the navel {universal center} of world, on HORUS. The cosmic genius Hugh Nibley is the one to refer to here, and for those of you who have never heard of Master Nibley, ....get a life, love, peace, and pleanty...
Rating:
Summary: A Giant among Giants
Review: Some books are optional. "The Worm Ouroboros", by E. R. Eddison, is not. It is more than just the birth of high fantasy writing as we know it. It is a tale that connects with imagination and wonder in a way that books today simply don't do. When you read "The Worm Ouroboros" you'll realize that modern writers produce stories, but they don't tell Stories.
Since the English language fails to provide me with adequate superlatives for this review, I'll just have to present samples of Eddison's writing:
"But a great wonder of this chamber, and a marvel to behold, was how the capital of every one of the four-and-twenty pillars was hewn from a single precious stone, carved by the hand of some sculptor of long ago into the living form of a monster: here was a harpy with a screaming mouth, so wonderously cut in ochre-tinted jade it was a marvel to hear no scream from her: here in wine-yellow topaz a flying fire-drake: there a cockatrice made of a single ruby: there a star sapphire the colour of moonlight, cut for a cyclops, so that the rays of the star trembled from his single eye: leviathans, all hewn from faultless gems, thrice the bulk of a big man's body, velvet-dark sapphires, crystolite, beryl, amethyst, and the yellow zircon that is like transparent gold." (7)
Everyone can write description, but only Eddison could write description like this. He makes the colors shine brighter and the shapes of the "monsters" stick out in your mind. And even though you may not know what a crystolite looks like, you agree that it fits perfectly into this paragraph. Eddison realized that you can't a world that mirrors the heroic past if you get stuck in the decidedly un-heroic language of modern times.
"Now had they for three days or four a devious journey through the foot-hills, and thereafter made their dwelling for forty days' space in the Zia valley, above the gorges. Here the valley widens to a flat-floored amphitheatre, and lean limestone crags tower heavenward on every side. High in the south , couched above great gray moraines, the Zia glacier, wrinkle-backed like some dragon survived out of the elder chaos, thrusts his snout into the valley. Here out of his caves of ice the young river thunders, casting up a spray where rainbows hover in bright weather. The air blows sharp from the glacier, and alpine flowers and shrubs feed on the sunlight." (153)
Perhaps it's because I'm a mountain-climber myself, but I found Juss and Brandoch Daha's assault on Koshtra Pivrarcha to be the most memorable chapter in a book built out of unforgettable chapters. In real life no two mountain ranges are alike, yet most fantasy authors write only staid standard-issue descriptions when they make mountains. Eddison understood that for us to see the glaciers, feel the biting cold winds, and experience the exhilaration of reaching the summit with the heroes, he needs to give his mountains some real personality. These samples, of course, only scratch the surface of Eddison's brilliant mix of visceral detail and towering metaphor; he maintains this level, never flagging, for all two hundred thousand words.
But of course "The Worm Ouroboros" could hardly have claimed such a lofty space in the pantheon of imaginative fiction without a plot and character worthy of this lavish writing. On one side King Gorice XII of Witchland sends his warriors out to crush all opposition and subjugate the entire world to his will. Opposing him are the adventure-loving lords of Demonland, lead by the magnificent Lord Juss and his family. The ensuing conflict will rage on land and sea, across continents and mountain ranges. And without any doubt Eddison crafts his dialogue with the same mastery he displays in his narration:
"La Fireez," said Juss, "we weigh not so lightly our obligation unto thee. Yet must I hold my course; having sworn a strong oath that I would turn aside neither to the right nor to the left until I had delivered my dear brother goldry out of bondage. So sware I or ever went that ill journey to Carce and was closed in prison fast and by thee delivered. Nor shall blame of friends nor wrongful misprison nor any power that is shake me in this determination. But when that is done, no rest remaineth unto us till we win back for thee thy rightful realm of Pixyland, and many good things besides to be a token of our love."
Said the Prince, "Thou doest right. If thou didst other thou'dst have my blame."
"And mine thereto," said Gaslark. "Do not I grieve, think'st thou, to see the Princess Armelline, my sweet young cousin, grow every day more wan o' the cheek and pale? And all for sorrow and teen for her own true love, the Lord Goldry Bluszco. And she so carefully brought up by her mother as nothing was too dear or hard to be bought to pass for her desire, thinking that a creature so noble and perfect could not be trained up too delicately. I deem to-day better than to-morrow, and to-morrow better than his morrow, to set sail for wide-fronted Impland." (315)
One of the most commonly used review terms is larger than life. "The Worm Ouroboros" is larger than larger than life. Indeed, after finishing you may wonder whether it would be more appropriate to refer to real life as "smaller than Eddison".
Rating:
Summary: Well Worth The Effort of Reading
Review: Some may find this book hard going at first, but it's well worth sticking with the somewhat turgid prose to get to the heart of what quickly develops into a classic epic fantasy with complex characters, huge battle scenes, and an ending that is original, appropriate, and unexpected. Although the phrase "middle earth" is mentioned several times, the book is far more similar to the works of Michael Moorcock and his contemporaries than the works of Tolkien et al. An unexpected delight, all the more so because the long-winded style initially lulls you into thinking that the book is going to be heavy going.
Rating:
Summary: The Epic Worm
Review: The casual reader is bound to be put off by the richness of Eric Rucker Eddison's prose. But for those of us who relish the sensual and literary richness of his style, The Worm is an enthralling tale unlike anything written in the last century. Combining the imaginative opulence (and verbosity!) of Sir. John Mandeville and the almost sing-song quality of the Norse Sagas, Eddison's style is litterally Epic. The Worm is not Fantasy, it is an Epic (in the tradition of Homer and Milton) based on a personal mythology. Read in the context of the Zimiamvian Trillogy, The Worm becomes a part of the Phillosophical and Religious (pagan/eros oriented) theory Eddison proposes as his world-view. For more context, check out his translations out of Icelandic (which he taught himself while still in school). Can you tell it's my favorite book?
Rating:
Summary: A world to return to again and again.
Review: The Lord of the Rings was my favorite heroic fantasy novel for many years... indeed, few other fantasys written in the succeeding years came close to holding my interest. The Worm Ouroboros did that and more... it became my favorite, even over LotR. I now own several original editions of the book which was written a decade before Lord of the Rings, and return to it often, reliving the amazing adventures and keeping company with the marvelous characters. The writing is dense, poetic and sometimes anachronistic, but that adds to the unique spell that the story casts. Every lover of heroic adventure should own this book.
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