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Episode 8 - The Legend of Sir Dinar

Back of the Bookshelf

Release Date: 12/01/2018

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The city of Paris has captured the imagination of many writers over the years, so it was perhaps inevitable that we would end up journeying back there for another of our adaptations. This one is The Adventure of Prince Florizel and a Detective by Robert Louis Stevenson, originally published in London Magazine in October 1878. The story is part of The Rajah's Diamond cycle and is about a mysterious diamond which was stolen from an Indian ruler and is thought to bring misfortune to people who come in contact with it. The eponymous Prince Florizel of Bohemia was given the diamond in another...

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Don your armour and saddle your horse, because in episode eight we're journeying back to the age of chivalry courtesy of Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch's classic Arthurian fantasy, The Legend of Sir Dinar.  The story was originally published in The Speaker in 1891 under Quiller-Couch's pseudonym of Q. It is about the quest for the Holy Grail, but focuses on a lesser known knight called Sir Dinar, who is left at Camelot because of his inexperience. Sir Dinar is not happy about being excluded, and hoping to make a name for himself, sets out to join the search with a few close friends. Needless to say, things do not go smoothly. With it's fairy-tale sensibility and succinct prose, the story is a testament to Quiller-Couch's writing prowess. He is nowhere near as well known as he should be, though his work does appear in anthologies from time to time, so was an ideal candidate for the Back the Bookshelf treatment. C.J. Carter-Stephenson narrates the episode with music by Kevin MacLeod and the usual immersive soundscape. We hope you enjoy it.