I had never heard of James Branch Cabell until several months ago, and after a little preliminary investigation I decided to purchase Figures of Earth as my initiatory Cabell novel. Technically Figures of Earth is the second in an enormous and eclectic series, the Biography of Manuel, but as the first volume is apparently an essay on writing from my understanding, I decided to start with the first novel in the series. I began unimpressed and became progressively both more engaged and more irritated with the novel, finishing on a perplexed and slightly appreciative note; I suspect this reaction would have amused the author immensely.

Cabell’s imagination is boundless, as he is a man who “follows after his own thinking and his own desire”, like his main character, the rascally swineherd Manuel. His writing style is quite unusual, plot-focused but filled with philosophical musings, every other sentence serving as an ironical elbow-jab to the reader. Cabell delights in asides that he steadfastly refuses to elaborate upon and says a great deal by employing phrases that force readers to do the imagination, such as “things not to be spoken of” or “did what was requisite”. I knew that he was the focus of an obscenity trial for a previous work, and suspect that certain characters or regions in the novel were likely caricatures of his foes in that ordeal. His sense of humour is quite cutting and often somewhat misogynistic, and he is quite irreverent in matters of religion, which would certainly appeal to some audiences more than others.

Some have accused Cabell of being escapist, but in this novel at least, such a characterization is extremely wide of the mark. Rather, Cabell is a man who delights in the trappings of escapism because he is sure there is no escape from the misery and unloveliness of the world as it is. The subtitle, “A Comedy of Appearances”, is fitting, for Cabell is determined to unmask any behaviour, maxim, or custom that smacks, however faintly or obliquely, of hypocrisy; the pseudo-medieval, fantastically pagan landscape of the fictional French county of Poictesme is especially suited to this mission. Manuel’s knightly motto is Mundus vult decipi, “the world wishes to be deceived”; Cabell emphatically believes this and, using a variety of mouthpieces including direct narratorial address, mocks the world for its wish.

The publisher of this volume, Forgotten Books, is a reprint press, but before you run away screaming with your hands in the air, let me say that they are an EXCELLENT reprint press. The covers, while the same for each FB printing, are pleasant, and while there were occasional irregularities relating to page sizing, nothing was omitted or blurry. The original book was an old library copy and in a quite readable and aesthetically pleasing font that added to my enjoyment of the work. I would not hesitate to recommend Forgotten Books more generally; they are head and shoulders above their competitors as reprint presses go.

If you enjoy a wry and ironic tone, rambling and occasionally disconcerting scenes of fantasy and adventure, and a protagonist who is a bit difficult to love, you will doubtless enjoy this work. Fans of fantasy in general, American post-WWI literature, and readers concerned with unmasking the falsehoods of day-to-day society would also do well to give Cabell and Figures of Earth a try.

No issue with the delivery, or anything else.

But, the print is small and hard to read, which does not make it an easy book to relax into.

I will be ordering a normal copy from another seller.

I've already got this book, a worthwhile companion to Jurgen and the Silver Stallion, but I wanted Pape's illustrations and I'm glad it came so cheap.