The Circus of Dr. Lao [Hardcover]

Charles G. Finney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1997

Abalone, Arizona, is a sleepy southwestern town whose chief concerns are boredom and surviving the Great Depression. That is, until the circus of Dr. Lao arrives and immensely and irrevocably changes the lives of everyone drawn to its tents.

 

Expecting a sideshow spectacle, the citizens of Abalone instead confront and learn profound lessons from the mythical made real--a chimera, a Medusa, a talking sphinx, a sea serpent, witches, the Hound of the Hedges, a werewolf, a mermaid, an ancient god, and the elusive, ever-changing Dr. Lao. The circus unfolds, spinning magical, dark strands that ensnare the town's populace: the sea serpent's tale shatters love's illusions; the fortune-teller's shocking pronouncements toll the tedium and secret dread of every person's life; sensual undercurrents pour forth for men and women alike; and the dead walk again.

 

Dazzling and macabre, literary and philosophical, The Circus of Dr. Lao has been acclaimed as a masterpiece of speculative fiction and influenced such writers as Ray Bradbury. This Bison Frontiers of Imagination edition features a new introduction by noted fantasy writer John Marco and striking illustrations by Boris Artzybasheff from the first edition.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The Circus of Dr. Lao is a fascinating work: a labyrinth of meanings and images that sucks in the imagination, teases it and impishly plays with it. It gives nothing away, but offers much sustenance to those willing to take the risk of stepping into the tents housing its bizarre attractions.”—Locus Online

(Locus Online ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Charles G. Finney (1905–84) was a newspaperman and a writer based in Arizona. John Marco is the author of the Tyrants and Kings series, whose books include The Jackal of Nar, The Grand Design, and The Saints of the Sword.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Buccaneer Books (May 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0899684025
• ISBN-13: 978-0899684024
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,654,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly bitter, cynical, and sardonic - I loved it!, March 31, 2003

By 

Mark Shanks (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Circus of Dr. Lao (Bison Frontiers of Imagination) (Paperback)

Finney writes as though he had been possessed by the spirit of Ambrose Bierce, and to me, that's a GOOD thing. More of a short story than a novel (I last read it in the space of a single afternoon), "The Circus" shines light in many directions and is best appreciated after more than a single reading. Frankly, I'm astonished that it got published in the first place, and even more surprised that it here receives what amounts to a "Criterion Collection" sort of treatment, including reproductions of the illustrations by Boris Artzybasheff from the first edition.

The citizens of Abalone (plus a few visitors) are scathingly protrayed in amazingly understated passages. Presented with actual unicorns, satyrs, sea serpents, mermaids, and other "fabulous" creatures and miracles, hardly any of the townspeople can muster more than a yawn and a shrug. The ultimate spectacle, the sacrifice of a virgin to the giant bronze god of the rotten-to-the-core city of Woldercan, is absolutely a gem.

The use of several racial epithets does nothing to reflect on Finney - it doesn't take a super-astute reader to understand Finney is reflecting on his *characters*, yes, even in 1935.

As most reviewers have noted - this is NOT a children's book. And while the Tony Randall film of 1960 has some of its own charm (thank you, Barbara Eden!!), it is a kiddy-fied, watered-down version of this story. It was probably Finney's experience as a newspaperman that soured him on human nature - it must be an occpational hazard, since he shares that experience with the afore-mentioned Bierce as well as with another arch-cynic, Cyril Kornbluth of "Marching Morons" fame. The writing style varies (intentionally) from pulp to inspired to crisp and concise, sometimes all on a single page. Obviously not a book for everyone, but I find it refreshing, enlightening, and supremely entertaining.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece of sardonic fantasy, November 25, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Circus of Dr. Lao (Hardcover)

Into the drab, sleepy world of Abalone Arizona, where each resident thinks he's seen it all, comes a circus run by a "Chinaman" featuring, not elephants and bears, but the mermaid, the roc, the Hound of the Hedges and the ancient city of Woldercan. This astonishing short novel's narrative ranges from rustic yarn to elegant scientific speculation to bizarre flights of fancy. Added fun comes in the index featuring commentary on every human, animal and morsel of food mentioned in the story. Ignore the Tony Randall movie; the book beats it by miles.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars so very lovely!!, August 10, 2003

By 

Triona Terry (Galena IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Circus of Dr. Lao (Bison Frontiers of Imagination) (Paperback)

the seven faces of doctor Lao was a favorite movie of mine as a child and i was very happy to see that the book far outshone the movie. it was a beautifully rendered snapshot of the most unusual circus on earth. Finney creates for us a place we would like to visit while giving us local characters who manage to be both satiric and realistic. I was sad to see that a few readers found the book to be inadequate....but it's bound to happen...due to the media of the day people can no longer understand anything that isn't spelled out for them and then cleanly ended, people don't want to have to think about what they've read or make even the smallest attempt at pondering it.
and a note on the derogatory or racist terms used in the book for anyone who was upset by them....notice that they are not often used by the author but by the inhabitants of the town during a time when many people were very much against foreigners of any kind....they speak in a racist manner because a lot of people were that racist....we can't pretend they were all well bred and politically correct . it would be a lie.