ThistitlecomeswithanintroductionbyCraigRaine.ThreeshortnovelsshowGoldingathisplayful,ironicandmysteriousbest.InTheScorpionGodweseetheworldofancientEgyptatthetimeoftheearliestpharaohs.ClonkClonkisagraphicaccountofacrippledyouth'striumphoverhistormentorsinaprimitivematriarchalsociety.AndEnvoyExtraordinaryisataleofImperialRomewheretheemperorloveshisillegitimategrandsonmorethanhisownarrogant,loutishheir."Thewritingisbrilliant,sofluentandstylishthatthestoriesreadthemselveslikeadream."(DailyTelegraph)."AsambitiousandasengrossingasthebestofGolding."(FinancialTimes).