The last of Andrew Lang's twelve famous Fairy Books, The Lilac Fairy Book features thirty-three stories from all over the world, including Portuguese, Scottish, Norwegian, and Swahili fairy tales, amongst many others. Lang's collections are notable for their graphic and often violent story elements, as well as for the beautiful original plates that are included as illustrations. His Fairy Books have been cited as literary influences by many writers, including Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkein.