The Book Of Wonder

Lord Dunsany was the fantasy writer's fantasy writer. From Tolkien to Gaiman, from Le Guin to Moorcock, his heroes and strange situations inspired an entire genre of modern dark fantasy.
Come now to discover the secrets of strange islands, the fate of thieves who dare to steal from gods, encounters with the Sphinx and the Dragon of Romance in suburbia, and the desperate quest to make a Queen cry. Along the way, you'll meet characters like the centaur that travelled from one edge of the world to another, and monsters that sit on their hoard of rubies, or giant diamonds, or even on treasures beyond value, waiting for daring and foolish adventurers. Also includes the first adventure of the magnificent Captain Shard.
The Book of Wonder is one of the most important books in the lineage of fantasy fiction. It introduced themes that Lord Dunsany worked with for the rest of his career, which created tropes that you'll recognise as if you've read and loved this book many times before.