The Princess and the Goblin, first published in 1872, might be the first true example of the fantasy genre. Both C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkein were influenced by the book, and descriptions of the goblins are so similar to Tolkein’s creatures that the book seems set in Tolkein’s fantasy world of Middle Earth, though it preceded it.
The original 1872 edition of the book featured engravings by the Pre-Raphaelite artist Arthur Hughes, but the artist was uncredited in the first edition. A 1911 edition featured both the engravings of Arthur Hughes as well as full color paintings by Helen Stratton. Both artists were uncredited in the 1911 edition. A 1920 version of the book even had the editor rewriting the story, adding the character of a child being read to that kept interrupting the story itself, at one point the child character even celebrates the hard work of the editor.
This edition of the Princess and the Goblin is a restoration of the 1911 edition and follows the original interior layout of that book. It features both the engravings of Arthur Hughes as well as the illustrations of Helen Stratton. The cover artwork is an illustration reminiscent of the paintings of Arthur Hughes. It will feature an introduction with a little information about the original artists as well as the legacy of the book as the first fantasy novel.