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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 5, 2024 20:29:25 GMT -5
the 3 that I have all have a standard trade dress with 'The worlds of A. Merritt' on the top with pretty decent art. I could see how its a harder sell since it's not a series like Tarzan or Conan but rather all single stories.
I've liked both so far.. I'll definitely read the last one soon.
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Post by berkley on Jun 5, 2024 22:56:01 GMT -5
the 3 that I have all have a standard trade dress with 'The worlds of A. Merritt' on the top with pretty decent art. I could see how its a harder sell since it's not a series like Tarzan or Conan but rather all single stories. I've liked both so far.. I'll definitely read the last one soon.
Yes, I like those, but I think the cover art is from the 50s or earlier, isn't it? Possibly that's just the way it looks to me. Actually, though, I do have a copy of Ship of Ishtar with a newer cover by, I think it's Steve Fabian, so maybe the other novels were given updated covers as well and I just haven't seen them. I was thinking of how the Frazetta covers revitalised ERB for many young readers like myself in the 70s and helped gain a new audience for his books. I don't think that's happened for Merritt's equally deserving adventure stories, but as you say, maybe the lack of reappearing characters is a hindrance.
What's your last or rather next Merritt title?
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 6, 2024 8:30:11 GMT -5
the 'last' one (from my stash) is 'Dwellers in the Mirage'. I looked up the covers.. They are by Doug Rosa. The internet tells me he also did Doc Savage covers. While he's not Frazetta, they are pretty striking, and they definitely scream 'classic adventure' to me. I wouldn't mind pick up others if I come across them for sure. Today's book: Epidemic Center: Aralon (Perry Rhodan #37)
by Clark Darlton  You wouldn't think a trip to the hospital would make for a good sci fi story... but this was one of the better ones in a while. It serves to move the story forward quite a bit... establishing Perry as a troubleshooter for the Arkon empire, which will allow a greater range of stories in the future It also added some depth to the Springers.. they are not just consciousless traders but in fact some are more noble than others... again, an avenue for future stories. The 'shock shorts' were not the best in this one.. the last one was amusing, but mostly nothing to write home about... I honestly would prefer two Perry chapters per book than the attempt at simulating a magazine, but I get what they were going for. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 9, 2024 16:04:00 GMT -5
The Railway Viaduct
by Edward Marston
It doesn't bode super well for the series that in this, just the 3rd book, there is already a clear plot formula. This book goes back to the method of the first book, where the reader is treated to scenes of the criminals plotting, rather than figuring out the case with the detective.
It think with this series that works better, since really the fun part is not who the criminal is but how the detective is going to manage to use the rail system to solve it. As with the previous two books, we have the grumpy superintendent maligning methods that of course work eventually, a female witness that gives the excuse to get the detective's lady love involved a bit, and of course a train ride to apprehend the criminal in the nick of time (though the ending here was definitely a surprise)
That said, it's hard not to like train based historical mysteries... it might be a formula but it's a GOOD formula. I noted that the next book has a connection to horse racing too, which puts me in mind of Dick Francis, who somehow wrote like a million mysteries about a very narrow topic, but yet any of the ones I read will all good.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,202 
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Post by Confessor on Jun 10, 2024 5:01:01 GMT -5
Beren and Lúthien by J. R. R. Tolkien (edited by Christopher Tolkien).  I'm a big fan of J. R. R. Tolkien's two main works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but I've always struggled with the, frankly, almost completely impenetrable The Silmarillion. An exception to that would be a chapter in The Silmarillion titled "Of Beren and Lúthien", which tells the epic love story of an immortal elven princess and a mortal man who triumph over incredible odds, only for the tale to end in tragedy. This chapter is one of the most readable parts of the book and it was also a story that was particularly close to its author's heart, due to it having been partly inspired by his love for his wife Edith and their own romance. Unfortunately, this stand-alone, full-length book version of Beren and Lúthien from 2017 isn't quite what I was expecting it to be. I thought it was going to be an attempt on Christopher Tolkien's part to incorporate as much of his father's relevant writings as possible into a cohesive novel-length re-telling. Instead, we have multiple versions of the tale in varying states accompanied by an in-depth analysis of how the story evolved over a span of 50 odd years in the author's life. While it's certainly interesting to see how the tale of Beren and Lúthien changed over time – and Christopher Tolkien's commentary between the different versions is very readable – I ultimately found this to be a little too scholarly for my tastes. I do have a passing interest in how Tolkien's key works changed and evolved prior to their publications, of course, but to me these early versions of his stories are not the "proper" versions and therefore aren't Middle-earth canon. It's why the multi-volume History of Middle-earth series, which examines the development of Tolkien's fictional realm and its key work, The Lord of the Rings, has never appealed. Furthermore, an awful lot of Beren and Lúthien is taken up with the sprawling poem, The Lay of Leithian, which I found a total slog to get through. I guess I'm just not terribly interested in the minutia of the evolution of Tolkien's works and would rather enjoy the stories as originally published. That said, I am glad that I read this once because "Of Beren and Lúthien" is one of my favourite Tolkien stories, but this isn't a book that I can imagine myself reading again and, as a result, I'm likely to donate it to a charity shop. Your mileage may vary, of course.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 12, 2024 10:51:47 GMT -5
 Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch
Constable Peter Grant is back and he's still an apprentice wizard and a policeman covering the secret magical beat in London. This time around he is investigating the magic related deaths of a number of jazz musicians. As Grant would put it...there are jazz vampires afoot in London. Of course DCI Nightingale returns, recovering from his shooting in the first novel, as well as Lesley May and Dr. Wahlil. And really that's where this book shines, in giving us more background and insight in to the characters and the world that Aaronovitch is building. The mystery is no great shakes at all. The antagonist is blatantly obvious to everyone reading the book almost immediately. So, of course, it takes Grant forever to figure it out. But that really doesn't matter because we get to learn a lot more about Grant, his parents, Nightingale, and Lesley. In particular, we get a strong look inside Grant's family. And a deeper dive in to Nightingale and the world of magic that formed him and that he thought had faded away. There's also a pretty deep dive in to the world of British jazz, really from World War II to the publication of the novel (2011). And that's all to the good. I'm not as big a jazz nut as I was in the past, but it was fun to find a world of jazz musicians of whom I had little to no knowledge. Of course that ties in to Grant's father being a jazzman, so it wasn't just out of left field. Plot-wise this was not remotely on par with the first book. But the world-building and the character-building more than made up for it. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 12, 2024 11:09:59 GMT -5
 Marvel Value Stamps: A Visual History by Roy Thomas
I mostly missed "Series A" of the Marvel Value Stamps. They had run their course by the time I started buying comics. I did see them in back issues that I got at yard sales and other points, but the first set wasn't a thing that I grew up with. I do remember Series B, as I had started buying comics by then. But Series B was the red-headed stepchild compared to the brilliant Series A. Not that I ever promoted cutting bits of your funnybooks...but it was still a cool thing. This book is mostly a visual history of the two Series', with a bit about the predecessor that ran in the Marvel UK books (who knew?). Roy gives a history of the development of the idea and its execution in what is really an extended essay. And then it's turned over to glorious artwork. The stamps...the source of the stamps (be it a cover, interior illo, etc.) and a reproduction of one of the letter pages in which the stamp originally appeared. It's just a fun look at the kind of bronze-age fluff that made Marvel seem special. It's probably better browsed through over time than read cover-to-cover, but it's a nice bit of nostalgia, even for those of us who were just a bit too young to experience it full-force. |
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Post by EdoBosnar on Jun 12, 2024 14:07:02 GMT -5
Little ScarletWalter Mosley, 2004  Finally getting back to some Easy Rawlins books – can’t believe it’s been about a year and a half since I read the last one, the short story collection Six Easy Pieces ( reviewed here). And among (many) other things, a loose end that was left hanging in the last story in that preceding book is tied up here. It’s now August 1965, a few days after the Watts riots in LA. The cops, specifically a white detective named Suggs, come knocking on Easy’s door – but instead of the trouble he’s expecting, they need his help. A young Black woman with reddish hair, who’s known to her friends and loved ones as Lil’ Scarlet, was strangled and then shot in the head in her apartment while the riots raged all around. Her aunt, crazed with grief, was committed to a psychiatric ward in a local hospital because she insists that a white man had done the deed. The LAPD, specifically its deputy commissioner, want to keep a lid on it because they’re afraid of a new round of rioting if the aunt’s claims turn out to be true, and they want Easy to conduct the investigation because he’ll have a much easier time asking questions when the situation is so tense. The deputy police commissioner even gives him a letter that notifies any cops he may encounter to fully cooperate with him. Mosley’s Easy Rawlins books always contain about as much social commentary as they do an intriguing mystery, and that’s particularly true here, as the story very frankly deals not only with race relations and policing, as one would expect, but also the treatment of Black women in particular, both by society at large and within their own community. And even though Easy pretty much figures out who the likely killer is rather quickly (about halfway through), the story still throws a few surprises as he searches for his man.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 13, 2024 8:34:33 GMT -5
Recall not Earth C.C. MacApp  It's definitely not a new concept when we have overwhelmingly powerful aliens destroy Earth... this book does a pretty decent job with the concept. The author sets up the galactic situation well in a short time and the plot is pretty engaging (even if there a a fair number of holes). There's not a whole lot of characters.. really just a couple and they are not very complex, but that's the trade off when you do this sort of story in a 200 page novel instead of an epic saga (like David Weber's Safehold). I'm not really familiar with the author at all... looks like he had a few novels and short stories in the mid 60s. I'd read another one if I came across it.
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Post by EdoBosnar on Jun 16, 2024 13:55:29 GMT -5
Cinnamon KissWalter Mosley, 2005  The tenth Easy Rawlins book; it's now mid-1966 and Easy’s adopted daughter Feather is deathly ill with some type of blood infection. Her best hope for pulling through is a clinic in Switzerland, which means he needs a lot of money, fast. One option floated by friend is participating in an armored car heist, an idea that does not please him for many reasons. Another opportunity is offered by fellow PI Saul Lynx, who recommended him to an occasional associate, a high-powered San Francisco-based investigator named Robert E. Lee (yes, there is apparently some relation). The assignment is to find a woman named Philomena ‘Cinnamon’ Cargill, the assistant and apparent lover of a local attorney, who has also gone missing with some documents that are quite vital to Lee’s client. Cinnamon has apparently absconded with said documents and is hiding out somewhere in LA. As Easy begins poking around, first in the Bay Area and then in LA, he finds – as usual – that there is much more going on than anyone involved is telling him, which includes collaboration with Nazis during WW2, and someone has apparently even put a professional assassin on his tail. Another rather gripping thriller perfectly blended with outstanding character moments – the developments in Easy’s home life suck the reader in as much as the mystery. And there are also some rather amusing bits when Easy gets his first glimpse of hippies in Berkeley and then San Francisco, leading to this conclusion on his part: “I knew that if I had been twenty years younger, I would have been a hippie too.”
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 16, 2024 17:18:35 GMT -5
Death and Glory
Will Thomas
I was a bit torn when I realized I was about current with this series... one the one hand, I was pretty excited to read this one based on the blurb... I thought surely the dangling plot of Barker's brother would be resolved, and I love me a good Civil War conspiracy.
But, reading this essentially as soon as it is out means next time I'm in the mood for a Barker and Llewelyn novel, I will have to wait, as they are fresh out.
While I was disappointed in the lack of Caleb Barker in the book (he gets a bit of a mention and delivers a letter, but was never 'on camera', there was no shortage of fun Civil War conspiracies!
This was a quick, fun read (as most of the series is) and it perhaps moved the general life and history Mr. Llewelyn forward a bit... maybe. I thought that was the case before when he got married and that was not really the case. Maybe this time. If there is another book, that is, since clearly this is (current) last one. I would hope so though.. while there's no specific cliff hanger going on, I definitely am not done with these two yet!
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Post by Rob Allen on Jun 17, 2024 18:43:20 GMT -5
For those who read books on a screen: These two sites both offer a wide range of books for free download. There's plenty of Burroughs, Howard, etc., as well as non-fiction and other books of every conceivable variety. This site says their books are all public domain: www.globalgreyebooks.com/index.htmlThis one says they have copyrighted stuff but says that the law "provides for making 'fair use' copies of copyrighted materials under certain conditions, including that that the reproduction is not to be used commercially or 'for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.' By accessing files linked to this site you are agreeing to abide by these restrictions. If you do not agree, do not download." www.luminist.org/archives/* cross-posted to the Bargain Hunters thread on the Classics board * |
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Post by EdoBosnar on Jun 18, 2024 1:45:58 GMT -5
I've had the Luminist Archives bookmarked - and have made copious use of it - for quite some time now. The periodicals section there ( www.luminist.org/archives/periodicals_index.htm) is also well worth visiting, as it has tons of SF, fantasy and pulp magazines as well as comics (some of which are public domain, some not). Thanks for the link to Global Grey, though. I'll be spending some time there now... |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 20, 2024 12:50:49 GMT -5
 A Hell of a Woman by Jim Thompson
Frank "Dolly" Dillon works door-to-door sales and collections for Pay-E-Zee Stores. He hates his job. He hates his wife Joyce (she's number three...or maybe four). He's been borrowing from the money he gets for sales and collections in order to make the bills, but he just gets further in the hole. So when Dolly meets young, lovely Mona Farrell, who has been turned in to a sex slave by her old Aunt you now that stuff is going to go down. And when a whole passel of money comes in to the picture then it's Noir time. While this is one of Thompson's better reviewed novels, I didn't love it. It's not bad, but it just never really drew me in. Dillon is...well he's dumb. He's also a whiner. The problems in his life are all someone else's fault. His poor childhood. His terrible bosses over the years. The awful women he keeps marrying. And, as is frequently the case with Thompson's protagonists his reliability as a narrator is very questionable. That becomes increasingly evident as Dillon's grasp on reality clearly starts to slip. As is frequently the case in Thompson's work, this is all on Dillon. Mona is not a femme fatale. In fact, she's really a plot device, window-dressing devoid of any real personality or agency. This isn't a bad book. But it's top tier Thompson. It's maybe not even second-tier Thompson...at least not to me. This novel was originally published by Lion Books, which was Martin Goodman's paperback publishing arm. Lion Books was definitely a step down from Fawcett Gold Medal, which published Thompson's magnum opus, The Killer Inside of Me, as well as Pop. 1280, which was also one of his very best. There's probably a reason for the discount publisher. |
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Post by MRPs_Missives on Jun 20, 2024 23:35:20 GMT -5
Had been struggling with prose fiction, both in short and long form, so decided to read something even more dense, and borrowed a volume of Robert E> Howard's Letters from ILL.  The book is essentially in the format of a school composition book, about 80 pages in length and the typeface is about 6 point font, so not the easiest reading experiences. Letters are to various people, earlier letters to friends of Howard's like Tevis Clyde Smith and other folks from his area, mixed in with correspondence form the Lovecraft circle including (but not limited to) Lovecraft himself, August Derleth and Clark Ashton Smith. It's edited by Glenn Lord and there are dense footnotes (in even smaller font) throughout. Some letters are short, some are long (particularly those to HPL-including a few that ran 12-14 pages of that 6 point font). Shorter ones seemed to have been typed in one sitting by REH, longer ones composed over a matter of days, sometimes weeks. The contents fo some of the letters can be problematic to modern sensibilities but it is an interesting insight into the things REH was interested in enough to discuss with his peers and contemporaries. Very little has to do with the stories he wrote, except to note publication or sales of stories, or to thank folks for their comments on them or support of them via letters to the editor of the various publications. Reading some of the later letters, REH's untimely demise becomes a lot less shocking. There is definitely a struggle with mental health issues taking place between the lines, and the weight of what he was dealing with is apparent. I haven't read the first volume, so it's hard to judge if this was something that developed in the '31-'35 period or was present earlier. It is also odd at times reading only one half of the conversations taking place via these letters, especially with HPL as you only get one side of the story so to speak, kind of like listening to only one half of a phone conversation. There are volumes out there that contain the correspondence between HPL and REH, but none are available locally or through the ILL partners our system has, and they're a little pricier than I want to spend to buy them for what they are, so this sampling may due for me for a while. -M -M |
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