The Circus of Dr. Lao
#6373.79 adjusted 3.86 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Complete 1935 Reading commitment Low Charles G. Finney Last reviewed 2026-09-27
Overview
Charles G. Finney's 1935 novel, one of the four inaugural National Book Award winners, brings a shabby three-wagon circus to the sleepy Depression-era town of Abalone, Arizona. Its proprietor, the ancient and elusive Dr. Lao, exhibits marvels that turn out to be real: a sphinx, a chimera, a medusa, a sea serpent, a satyr, a werewolf and the hound of the hedges. Told in three tiers, the town, the parade and the encounters between beasts and townsfolk, and closing with a mock catalogue of its own cast, it is a foundational work of American weird fantasy and an acknowledged influence on Ray Bradbury.
Dark fantasy, Comic fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
The Circus of Dr. Lao (1935) core · 3.79 (1,514 ratings); First published by the Viking Press, July 1935, illustrated by Boris Artzybasheff. Filmed as 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964).
Quick answers
- How many books are in The Circus of Dr. Lao? The Circus of Dr. Lao's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is The Circus of Dr. Lao finished? Complete (1935).
- How much reading does The Circus of Dr. Lao take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book · ~154 pages).
- How is The Circus of Dr. Lao ranked? #637 in this site's official ranking, based on 1,514 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #637?
Ranked #637 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.79 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (1,514 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- 0.04 behind #636, The Poison Wars.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
- A single standalone novel: ranked on that one book alone.
Why explore this universe?
Rated · 1 book · Complete · 2k ratings · Ranks #637 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment dark fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
A single Core Canon work: no sequencing question to resolve.
Awards (verified)
- National Book Award (Most Original Book), 1935: won: The Circus of Dr. Lao; One of the four inaugural National Book Awards, presented in 1936 for 1935; the category was discontinued a few years later.
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Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.79 across 1,514 ratings on 1 Core Canon book. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon extension: The Circus of Dr. Lao (Charles G. Finney) accepted 2026-09-27
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Wikipedia Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-09-27
Rule: Core Canon = The Circus of Dr. Lao (1935) only, standalone.