The Circus of Dr. Lao
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| 1983 paperback edition | |
| Author | Charles G. Finney |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Viking Press |
| Released | 1935 |
| Media Type | Print (Hardback) |
| ISBN | NA |
The Circus of Dr. Lao is a 1935 novel written by Arizona newspaperman Charles G. Finney, and illustrated by Boris Artzybasheff. (Many later editions omit these illustrations.)
[edit] Plot summary
Set in the fictional town of Abalone, Arizona, it satirizes the mindset of ordinary Americans when confronted by examples of magic. A circus owned by a Chinaman named Dr. Lao pulls into town one day, carrying legendary creatures from all areas of mythology and legend, among them, a sea serpent, Appolonius of Tyana, a medusa, a satyr, and others.
The tale ends with the town becoming the site of a ritual to a pagan god whimsically given the name "Yottle", possibly an allusion to the Mesoamerican god Yaotl, whose name means "the enemy". The ritual ends in death and confusion, scattering the townsfolk to the winds. A "Catalogue" (similar to an appendix), notes all the people, places, items and mythological beings mentioned in the novel, summing up the characters pithily and sardonically, revealing the various fates of the townsfolk and listing a number of plot holes and unanswered questions not addressed in the book.
The novel was later adapted by Charles Beaumont into the script for an effects-filled 1964 movie 7 Faces of Dr. Lao.
