The Gods of Pegana This instant

This was Lord Dunsany's first published novel; it was also, I believe, the first completely invented mythology in the English language, pre-dating even Tolkien's Silmarillion by about a decade. Dunsany's influence on later fantasy has been incalculable, and this is the place to start.

The style is very elevated and high biblical / "mythic", -- far closer to Kahlil Gibran than modern fantasy -- and the intent more literary. High Art fantasy, not low art. The stories are very short, but very powerful and somewhat haunting. The best way to explain the book may simply be to give a sample, as Dunsany's style (though oft imitated) is so unique.

----
"And Limpang-Tung said: "The ways of the gods are strange. The flower groweth up and the flower fadeth away. This may be very clever of the gods. Man groweth from his infancy, and in a while he dieth. This may be very clever too.

"But the gods play with a strange scheme.

"I will send jests into the world and a little mirth. And while Death seems to thee as far away as the purple rim of hills; or sorrow as far off as rain in the blue days of summer, then pray to Limpang-Tung. But when thou growest old, or ere thou diest, pray not to Limpang-Tung, for thou becomest part of a scheme that he doth not understand.

"Go out into the starry night, and Limpang-Tung will dance with thee who danced since the gods were young, the god of mirth and of melodious minstrels. Or offer up a jest to Limpang-Tung; only pray not in thy sorrow to Limpang-Tung, for he saith of sorrow: 'It may be very clever of the gods, but he doth not understand.'"
-------

If you're interested in fantasy, you should read this, especially since it's free; Dunsany's influenced everyone from Lovecraft and Howard to Gaiman and Zelazny, and if you want to be familiar with the fantasy genre, he should be part of your bookshelf. It's a little tough going due to the style, but it's still very much worth reading.

The complete list of stories herein is as follows (remember, each of these is fairly short):

"Preface"
"The Gods of Pegna"
"Of Skarl the Drummer"
"Of the Making of the Worlds"
"Of the Game of the Gods"
"The Chaunt of the Gods"
"The Sayings of Kib"
"Concerning Sish"
"The Sayings of Slid"
"The Deeds of Mung"
"The Chaunt of the Priests"
"The Sayings of Limpang-Tung"
"Of Yoharneth-Lahai"
"Of Roon, the God of Going"
"The Revolt of the Home Gods"
"Of Dorozhand"
"The Eye in the Waste"
"Of the Thing That Is Neither God Nor Beast"
"Yonath the Prophet"
"Yug the Prophet"
"Alhireth-Hotep the Prophet"
"Kabok the Prophet"
"Of the Calamity That Befel Yn-Ilra by the Sea, and of the Building of the Tower of the Ending of Days"
"Of How the Gods Whelmed Sidith"
"Of How Imbaun Became High Prophet in Aradec of All the Gods Save One"
"Of How Imbaun Met Zodrak"
"Pegna"
"The Sayings of Imbaun"
"Of How Imbaun Spake of Death to the King"
"Of Ood"
"The River"
"The Bird of Doom and the End"Get more detail about The Gods of Pegana.