The Reign of Law

James Lane Allen (1849-1925) was one of the first best-selling novelists to come from Kentucky. His works were very popular, particularly in the U.S. and in England, throughout the nineteenth and twentieth century.

His style was one of "local colour," which sought to combine romantic themes with an inherent verisimilitude in the setting, invoked particularly through the use of local speech patterns in the text.

His works often reflected the social unrest in the southern United States following the Civil War, which is the case in this work, The Reign of Law. Further tension arises in the work from the confrontation between science and religion, as the protagonist's beliefs come up against the realities of developments in science and industry at the time.

This volume is in fair condition. There is wear and bumping to the fabric covering the boards and the corners and edges of the spine.

There is some tearing around the front hinge, and on the front paste down, and the front hinge is somewhat loose. However the binding in general appears to be tight.

There are also some notes on the first flyleaf.

The cover features a green and white design of a hemp plant in flower, with the title and author name in gold gilt.