FANI TASY i\EVI Ivv Yol. f, No. tl SIXPENCE AUG.-SEP. 1947 AN END TO BANALITY It's Curtains for Space Opera FROM FORREST J. ACIiI'R]TTAN

Jull' and August issues of Writer's Digest l eatured ariicles by Margaret St. Clair, science nction wrirel', sulvey- ing the f,eld from the viewpoint oI the newcomet' who rvants io bleak lnto it and detailing tlle individua] requirements of the magazines. The second article gives namcs and addresses ol lan clubs and therl pul-llications, so that rvri;els may "catch the spirit of what reader's rvanl and get the mood of the fan scated in his orvu armchair." The July articlc adf ised nerv authors to pa}- llalticular atlention to f an letters in the magazines. 'T'he typicai science fic.ioD ian is ]'oung, male (though there ale some de- voted feninine ones), literate, quite iutelligent. ir-iterested in ideas. His mental horizon is broader tlxan that of the average cil,izen. He is strorrgll' arvare of what his likes and dislikes are, and the rvriter $'ho succeeds in pleasing him will hear of il. In my belief thc science fi.ctioi1 fan is a def,niteh' supelior type, but I ma1. be prejudiced." Dealing r',.ith cunent trends in the medium. i\,Irs. St. Clail sa]'s: "Ccrtairrly the present trend is dead e\\'al.' ilom the aptl}*-named 'space opera.' Blood and thund-er is more or lcss on its rval' out, ihough I suppose we shall never get rid of it c'rtilely . . . Of late, Astounding Scicnce-Fiction has been gcing in rather heevilj' for stories alrout the post- atorllic bornl) rvorlci. TheY take but a dirn vierv of ti-te future urhich is probable iol humanity, and on lhis poinb all tirink- ing persons must aglee wit.h them. But clesolation and death, no natter- hon iike)5', ofler unsustailling Fubje,lt matter for an extended pr:ogramme of fiction. "What will the future be ]ikc? No one can see verv lar into it. It mav be that at first $,e shall have a considerable euichmenl, in material things. Science flction might, then, devole itself at least partiallv to an imaginative depiction of the impact of this euicllment on humanity, \'ith increased enlphasis on humour, on character, on human interest. The iife anci social sciences will receive more stress. I believe we shalt have more domestic interiors and fewer space-ships, mote people arld fewer robots and captured suns. Anyhow, it's mole darned fun to write." fPlease tuln to Page 181 FANTASY The Lovecraft Cult

Bv-T ARTH U R F. HILLMAN Tf is irrst icn vents since Howard now familiar to a much larger public. Phillips Lovec|aft, American writer ol than he himself ever visualised. weird taies, di€d at the age of 47, to be These trvo fine books are not oniy out mourned by a few devoted friends and of priut but such copies as do exist will the comparatively limited cilcle of nevel come your way except at prices readers rvho knerv anci valued his wlit- tirat may sulprise and even shock you. ings. To those rvho regretted his de- But if you have not read Lovecraft. or mise it is some consolation that his have onll' a clim memorv of him from fame and influence have grown, slowly Weird Tates and rvant to read him but steadily, through the years. Despite again, you cannot do better than seek the condescending attitude which some out a copy of the Tor,ver Books collec- rvere p)eased to adopt towards bhis self- tion of his "Best Supernatural Stories." confessed literary "amateur" and the In this book are twelve of LovecrafL's humble origins of his work, its under- most popular pieces which appeared in Iying brilliance is nor,v widely recog- Weird Tales between 1924 and ,39. in- nised. cluding "?he Haunter of the Dark," Of the score of anthologies of horror "The Call of Cthulhu" and ,,The. tales which har€ appeared in America Whispeler in Darkness," togethel. with of recent date, there are few that have the memorable "Colour Oui of Space," not included at least one of Lovecraft's. which is said to have been published in. Since August Derleth and Donald Amazing Stories twenty years ago only Wandrei, among his oldest and most because it was submitted ttrere bv acci-. ardent admirers, prepared those two dent. Also included are "The Drinwich magnificent collections of his stories, Horror" and "The Thing on the Door- "The Outsider and Othels" and "Be- step," which, with the remarkable. yond the Wail of Sleep," oihers have Astounding Stories serial, ',The Shadow seized eagerly on his work, which is Out of Time," were presented in a Bart House Mystery pocket-book at about the same time. An earlier book in the. same series, which you may still be a le FANTASY REVIEW to procure, comprised "The ll9eird (Incorporating: SCIENTII1ICTION Shadov/ Over Innsmouth," "T?re Whis- and TO-MORROW-Magazine of perer in Darkness," and three short. the Future) pieces including "The Outsider.', "The Dunwich Horror" has seen print A Journal for lleaders, Writers and ,'Avon Collectors of Imaginative Fiction yet again, more recently, in the Ghost Reader." "T'he Haunter of the. BI-MONTHLY: SIXPENCE Dark" also makes another appearance Pub- Editorial, Advertising and in the latest Avon pocket-book of super- lishing Ofrce: 15 Shere Road, natural stories titled "Terror at Night.'" Ilford, Essex. The current hard-cover anthologies Subscription rates: In Great Knocks?" (except "Who and "The Night Side" Britain and Dominions both contain Lovecraft stories. But if,. Canada) 3/6 per year. Sing]e cop- iest 7d., post free. In Canada and in spite of all this, his work stiil eludes U.S.A., 75c. per year. Single copies, you, don't despair. Later in the year 15c., post free. Avon will publish a new pocket-book collection of his tales titled "The Lurk- VoI. I, No. 4 Aug.-Sept. 1947 ing Fear and Other Stories," and you. Editor: Walter Gillings. can rely on it that the new Fantasy Associate Editors: John Carnell, Reader J. Michael Rosenblum, D. R. Smith, rvill feature him fairly regularly- Arthur F. Hillman, Ft€d C. Brown, With this increasing recognition of Nigel Lindsay, Il. George Medhurst. Lovecraft's work over the past decade John C. Craig. has emerged a groriling interest in the A meri c a n Correspondents: man himself, amounting to a verilable David Kishi (New York), Forrest cult. For this narrabor of weird and J. Ackerman (Hollywood). horriflc stories had facets to his char- acter almost as strange as the bizarre REVIEW 3 channels into which his loving imagina- revolved alound hinr. T'he casual tion delved. His secluded life and yet lcader', clipp;ng into it, ,na) be some- tremendous erudition; his absorption wilat nonpiussed by ihe peculiar variety with things of the 18th century and his of its contents and Lhe nalrorvness of affectations of the Geo|gian period; his ils subject-m.itter; f or it is primalily abnormal sensitivity to extl'emes of a selecL excursion into the realm of weather: the inherent reserve that H.P.L. and his satelii'ies, and the in- made it practically impossible for him expe|t tlaveller may \\'ell regt'et th€ ab- to cope with the realities of a cruel, sence of a guide-book. workaday world-glimpses of ali these Typifying the spirit that marked Lhe peculiar features of his personality initial lalrnching of its pr"rlrlishers, ib were always to be had from his storles. plesents for Lhe connoisseul a fascinat- But of his charm of manner, his in- lng melange oi lesser-knorvn stories, flnite patience and kindly humour, his essaJ's and olher pieces written by Love- gentleness, one could gather little apat't claft, or rc-rvritten by him fronr the from one testimony: the devotion that material of otirer writers he beiriended. prompted his small circle of friends to aDd covel ing the whole period oI his ensure that his name and his work wliting life. The rest of lhe book oon- should become more than a fading sists oI triblrtes in prose and verse by memoly. members of his circle, including such August Derleth's biographical appre- well-known fantasy wliters as Henly ciation of "H.P.L." is of absorbing in- Kuttner, Clark Ashton Smith and terest to those who have been caught up f'l'ank Bclknap Long, besides Wandrei in the web of fascination that has been and Der]eth. weaved aboul the recluse of Providence, There are several photoglaphs and Rhode Island. The profound effect on Crawings which are of equai fan-in- this sensitive writer of the Lovecraf'u terest as the "Notes on the Writing of influence is apparent throughout; yet, Weird Fiction" and "Some Notes on discounting the aura of semi-divinity Inteiplanetary I'iction" must be to thab his earnest disciple has naturaliy those who ate concerned rvith these as- fabricated around him, it enables us to pects of the faniasy f,eld. And even if penetraie further into the fascinating one is not a convelt to the Lovecraft enlgma of his personality. cult, the philosoplrical depth of the We Iearn how, in the years of his essays, the marked beauty of the lan- childhood, he was shielded frorn the guage in which they are written; and outside world by the solicitude of his the intriguing sidelights they tlu'ow on aunts and the ancient tomes witich the rvhole Lovecraft tladition, render were his companions. Lafer, his entry the book appealing. Tlre initiate may into the field of amateur journalism Ied not catch the enthusiasm displayed so to the gradual amassing of corre- vehementiy b1' his followers, but al spondents and interests that dlew him ieast he may glimpse the reasons for partly out of his shell of resel've. Then such venclation. followed the writing of his flrst stories, Of more general interest to the welrd the opening of a market for them in fi.ction reader, apal't {rom those who YYeird Tales' and the acquisition of a cherish all his nritings, is Lhe Love- follorving of enthusiastic readers. There craft essay, "SLrpe lnirtural Horror in is an elaboration of thc Cthulhu Mythos Litelatulc," which has been leplinLed aronnd which he ft'amed some of his lrom "The Outsidel and Othels" and greatest tales, and a penetrating analy- wirich oliginally appcarcd twenty years sis of the leasons and motives for his ago i1l an a;nateur magazine called work. To those who have read and ad- The Recluse. A comprehensive survey mired his writings, and who have felt of the \l'hole range of rveird fiction, it a burning curiosiLy concerning the half- traces its earlies-i, beginnings from the legendary flgure of their author, this ancient legends of folklore croaked at little book will reveat much that is illu- the hearthside by toothless beldam€s, minating and conductive to a befter up through the brooding Gothic understanding of his most bewildeling romances of the 17th century, to the cr€ations. liferarS' masterpieces of modeln writels "Marginalia," on the other hand, is such as Algel'non Black$.'ood, Arthur essentially a book for the Lovecraft fan, Machen, 1\4. Ii. James and Dunsany. already familiar with most if not all Blit althougir one admiles the dili of his work and with at least a general gent lesealches that w€nt into bhe com- knowledge of the literary circle which pilation of this now classic monograph, { FANTASY ono rjL'Lls clcfinite signs 01 part,iality in doos nol, sh:rrc all Lhe euthusiasms of tire cliticisms it plesents. For the Sage such a labid bibliopl-riie as Loveclaft, cf Providence had ernphalic views on lris anllysrs of ih,e iield as it has been tire pattern of the perfect weird tale. dcvcioped is ta.c.rrating leading; for He consideled that it should take a much of the chat m of the essav iies in serjes of steps towards a hideous de- the wondelful language he used so nouement, each rvith its quota of cryp- aptly and eflortlessl]'. lic alinsions u'lrich slorvly br-rild up the The beginninB and the ending, par- cumulatlve force of the whole. and he Licularly, are clothed in words of rich gave perhaps an undue impoltance to bealtt5; and lvrical effect such as are those tales which fulfllied these lalely encounLered ilr this mechanistic mechanics. His thesis, while con- age. To those who appreciate literary tlibuting immensely to the student's craftsmanship and who have a special knowledge of supernatural flction, thus intelest in the emotional powet' of the artfrilly contlives aiso to propagandise supernaiural story, we can doubly the ideas which he upheld and tulned recommend this book. to such notable account in his own wlitings. Best Supernatural Stories of H, P. The modern school of blisk, staccato Lovecraft, edited with an introduc- wliting has lately invaded the weird tion by August Der'Ieth. World Pub. field, perhaps one of the last refuges of Cc., New York, 60c. good English; and one is certain that Fl,F.L.; A Memoir, by Ar-rgr-rst Derleth. I-'oveclafi rvould b.e pained to see how Ab1'amson, Irie*' York, ti2.50. h.is beloved medir.rm has been mal- I\4arginalia, b)'H. F. Loveclaft. Col- treated. On the other hand. several of lccted by August Derleth and the old Gothic tales over rvhich he en- Donaid Wandrei. Arkham House, thused have little now to recommend Sauk City, 93.00. tlrem aparL from their style of writing, Supernatural Horror in Literature, by and ale stilted by the prevailing artl- H. P. Lovecraft. Abramson, New flciallties of their age. But even if one York. $2.50.

TO DEVOTEES OF LOVECRAFT we recommend these titles, v,'hich \\'e can still supply lo those rvho order without delay. BEST SUPERNATUR,AL STORIES OF rI. P. LOVECRA!'T, Editcd and with aD Inlroduction b\. August Dcrleth. Tower Books Edition.-3l6. THE DUNMCH HORROR. By H. P. Lovecraft, u'ith ,,The Shadow Out oI Tllne" and "The Thing on the Doorstep." A BaIt House Mvstery Book. t-. -D THE IVEIIiD SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH, and other Storics of ilre Supernalural. Bl' H. P. Lovecraft. Including "The Whispercr ir-r Dark- ness.'-5l-. TIIE LURI(EIi AT THE THRESHOLD. B-v H. P. Lovecraft and August Derleth. An Arkham House Production.-l2l6. H.F.L.: A IIIEMOIR. B)'August Derleth. The Life and Work of Lovecraft, wilh a Bibliograph]'. Published bv Abramson.-l316. G. KEN CHAPMAN (British Sales Representative, lrkham House: Publishers) 23 FARNLEY ROAD, SOUTH NORWOOD, LONDON, S.E.25 nEvlEw Among the Magazines The Birth Of NEW YYORLDS By JOHI{ CARNELL Although Britain's first post-war science fictlon magazine, "New Worlds,', was launched only a year ago, it has a story behind it which goes back several years, Editor John Carnell, who has long been associated with the efrorts to establish such a magazine in this coun- try, here tells the story of its inception and its progress up to the present, The seeds of the present New Worlds were sown back in 1939 when, as editor of the Journal of the Science Fiction JOHN CAR,NELL Association, I used the title for an American science fiction circles. I ex- amateur magazine which published pected oul main difficulty to be short- short stories and controversial articles age of stories, buf within Lwo weeks I on science-fantasy. That magazine ran was snowed under by manuscripts to three issues before the war compelled totalling more than half a miilion the stafi to abandon the duplicator and words. It seemed everyone had been take to the shelters. busy writing science fiction during the A few months later I iniroduced the war years, and with a dwindling Am.eri- title to a London publisher who rras in- can market MSS. had piled up unsold. terested in launching a science fiction- From the deiuge I selected a possibte magazine, preliminary 100,000 for which the words to start the magazine-the lun- work was under way by January '40. ning. Admittedly, most of srories T'he framework of three issues was com- did not conform to the requirements I pleted when the publisher decided to had in mind, but they were something liquidate his business-and we went to get along with, and considerations of back to the shelters again. But although editorial policy were sacrificed until the magazine did not materialise and Iater when the magazine had been aU my ideas went back in my fiIes for established. The main problem. then, another six years, the effort wasn't turned oul to be flndlng a sLriiablc wasted. I had established lasting artist. None of the known British friendships with many British and altists were available, and new men American fantasy authors, and the con- had only a vague idea of the specialised tacts stood me in good stead when, in background rvhich fantasy illustrating January '46, F"rank Edward Arnold in- entaiis. Probably no magazine has com- iroduced me to the directors of Pendu- menc€d publication with such a handi- lum Publicaiions and the New Worlds cap as the first cover illustration project was revived. New Worlds presented; though it was At that time there were rumours of ruin€d not so muctr by the altist as the more than one science fiction publica- medium he had to work in and bv other tion being prepared for the home mar- factors which wel'e beyond our Controt, ket, and we decided to get the flrst and which also made the interior iilus- issue out without delay. For that rea- trations Iess effective than fhey might son, no advance notification was given have been. in this country, though a certain The readels' reaction to the fi.rst amount of anticipation was rife in issue, which appeared in JuIy last year, 6 FA NTASY was negligible. The second issue, fol- 1ou'ing three months later, was practic- ally a sell-out. Between those two ./n l/rc Nc,r-t 1.s.s'rrc datcs an intense sal€s dlive was organ- ised to introduce the magazine to a LITTLE SUPERMAN, WHAT wholesale trade which does not always NOIV ? take kindly to new publications-especi- by W. S. Baring-Gould aily one devoted to a type of fiction the public knows very little about. But a An Interview with sales check in London showed 2 se1l_out A. E. VAN VOGT \\'ithin two days on most bookstalls which placed copies on view, and its readers have left, no doubt in our minds new material by both old and new that the magazine is more than wei- wrlters. come. Tn tha qrt u urPor.lonqrrmahr rrrrLrru, rho rrorrrvr,.y The long delay which has ensued noticeable pl'omised improvement has bcen the since the thil'd issue was has subject of much cornment. The cover been due to an almost disastrous prin- of the current issu€, while it has its series of setbacks involving two. fauits, ls in my view a very commend- tels, the power shut-down, blockmaking able piece of artwork, and I believe difficulties, and obhel unavoidable hold- S]ack u'ill rmprove vastly with experi- ups. So much for our hopes of regu- ence. Dennis has a backgl'ound of man-v laf qualterly, if not bi-monthly, ap- fantasy readlng knows must !'eal's of and pearance! But although readers cJntemporai'y art; he will improve, too. have begun to despair', as we did, our I hope to brlng our old friend Harly patience wll1 soon be rewarded. Then it Tulner back to the fleld shortly, which rrili remain to be seen if the hoodoo of should give us a useful art team to rely ilrrcc is blckcn this time. on until there is scope for more illus- This issue apploaches the policy I ulators. start but which I had in mind at the Looking into the future still further, could not irnmediately institute, though publishers is lack of space stories to bal- I can say that the are so there a gratifled with the general reaction that ance the more down-to-earth type. In plans my pursuit of an "advanced" stol'y they have to build around the policy, I have contrived to indulge in a nucleus of New Worlds, as soon as con- good deal of exPerimentation with ditions permit, a regular series of fan- thesc three issues; and in spite of tasy novels. Those titles which have first alread)' been promised in the our slo',v progresis and the faults which "Popular" exPerienced Spacc-Time and Fantasy Series have mlNt be evid€nt to the held pre- rcader', the reaction has been gratifying been up indefinitely owing to constructive. veiling conditions in the publishing rnd the criticism mainly be in- So, if rve can keep our Patience and trade, but will ahnost certainly impl'ove on corporated in the projected P.endulum vour interest, we hope to year. each issue until we have made New books towalds the end of this I'eally ltniqtle in Thq/ are, however, entit'e1y subservient Worlds in1,o something receivc science flction fleld. to l!{ew Worlds. rvhich will thc pliolity attention for the time being. Among the slot'ies accepfed for fLltul'e issues is a sequel to "Dragon's Teeth"' As to the gcneral outlook for science hv John Aiken, which we think far fiction in this conntr5', I believe therc sirpcrior to his initial stoly. John Brod-rr is room for iwo ol three pulrlications srrbmittcd an atornic story titled "World plovided they are dlrected by people in SiraCow" which cf ied out for a rviro know the field, and that competi- scqu.el, too-and then turned in "The tion can only stimulate sales. I'or yeal's Da$'n B|eaks Red"; both these are there has been a struggle to interest llcvelett,es. Maurice G. Hugi's last piece British publishers in this type of fiction, Lrefolc he died was a 10,000-word col- and it wotrld seem they have become l1bo1'ation rvilh E. L. Willis entitled reaily interested at a time when it is "llreak into Time," q'hich will appcar most difficult to put lt on the market. rrrrdcr the name of Michael Lisle. Jack Bllt plovidinB we get tht'or.lgh the lean Chandler: bas also given us a Martian years satisfactotily, science - fantasy stolv rvhich is certaln to prove popular'. should bc firnrly estabU.shed by lhe time The- short stories are too numerous to there is an aklundance of paper and mention, btlt represent a fair balance of plintels are no longer overworked. REVI EW THREE NEW MAGS. COMING By FORREST J, ACKERMAN Three new American fantasy maga- ventule and the excitement of new zines are projected for publication in q'orlds." The usual popular themes will the near future. Two are b€ing pre- be used in thei| most accepted styles, pared by Donald A. Wollheim, ediLor with action and tension the main con- Fantasy Reader, for Avon Publications sideration. Though the contents will be of New York. primarily science flction, a certain The flrst of th€se, having the work- amount of weird and fantastic IlcLion ing title of Literary Fantasy project, rvill be featrtred, including spooky will be a magazine diflering in appear- or wacky tal€s of supernatural beings. ance and make-up from the usual fi.c- rnd off-trail ideJ stories. tion pulp. It wiII feature all types of Robert Bloch and Cal'] Jacobi are two fantastic flction: pure fantasy, "wacky" wl'iters who have aileady had stories fantasy, weird storles, tales of cosmic accepted for one or other of these horror, science flction of the better magazines, and fantasy fan-artist Roy type, and atomic age stories of prog- Hunt will be among f)re illustrators. nostication. The mag. wiII be slanted The third magazine, planned for towards the more adult reader; em- pocket-sized format, will be called Fan- phasis wiil be on literary quality with tasy Book and is expected to be background colour, characLerisation launched before the end of the year'. and mood uppe|most. Among material secured for the flrst Says the editor: "We would like to two issu,es (some of which has alreadv make this the sort of magazine one been published in English magazines would expect to f,nd Merritt, Lovecraft Tales of Wonder and New Worlds), are and Weinbaum writing for if they were pieces by A. E. van Vogt, Robert Bloch, alive to-day." Bryce Walton, Weaver Wright, Stan- The other Avon magazine, tempor- ton A. Cobientz, Festus Pragnell and arily known as the Popular I'antasy Maurice G. Hugi. Project, is described as "a standald The new artist discover)', NeiI Austin, type pulp featuring good science fiction will illustrate Fantasy Book, which wiil and fantasy stories with stress on ad- llublish in Los Angeles. AMERICANS GO FOR 'FANTASY' By NIGEL LINDSAY I hear that letters received from manner while still typically Coblent- American readers of our British Fan- zian. There is an unusual story by the tasy, of which No. 3 has just appeared, new writer F. G. Rayer, "Basic Funda- are even more enthusiastic than those mental," and other pieces by three which have come from nearer home. more new names-Norman C. Pallant, Some of onr Transatlantic friends, it Charles Alban Crouch and E. G. seems, actually prefer it to their own O'Brien. Anofher article bv Editor Gil- magazines. Which must b€ very en- lings, "Ale You Thele, Mars?" deals couraging to Editot' Walter Giuings; with the possibility of interplanetary tlrough to be restricted to publication communication n'ith the development three times a year is enough to drive of radar techniques. The flrst of the any editor frantic. Yet there is no pfomised series of "Famous Fantasies', hope of more frequent appearance with aiso appears: "Menace from the Moon," the paper situation getting worse by Bohun Lynch, a condensed version rather than better. of the book published in 1924. The latest issne features s, long nove- The cover, this time, is much better, lette. ' Time T|ap," by Stanton A. Cob- but it stiLl seems as if the artist isn't lentz, which is reminiscent of his "T'he quite sure ',vhat he is trying to convey. Man from Tomolrow', which appeared However, as many readers would ap- in Amazing Quarterly many years ago, pear to approve of the nysterv man's but has been specially written for the rvolk as dislike it, and the intet.iors magazine and is mole in the modern are, on the whole, quite up to the B FANTASY standald of the stories they illustrate. shocking words (I quote!) that wiil But who does them we are still not shake you to your soul. toId. August Astounding sees the come- Should editors write for their own back of L. Ron Hubbard and the start magazines-under their own nam€s of his new serial, applopriately titled that is? Gillings evidently thinks so, "The End is Not Yet." This, in Editor though he sticks to articles. So do€s Campbell's own words, is "a revised and Donald A. Wollheim, who has a story of enlarged edition" of "Final Blackout," his own in the third Avon Fantasy Hubbard's novel of seven years ago Reader, now to hand. It's a short piece which 5oughl to predict the aftermath called "Mimic," for which he says he of World War IL I can still remember need make no apology. There is also it now, and in many respects it wasn't a new story by Mr. Derleth's protege, far out-or it may not be. Stephen Grendon, titled "Bishop's Rogers does the covel and interiors Gambit," a replint of Lovecraft's "Tbe for the serial. f'or the September issu€, Silver Key," and others of v/hich I Alejandro has done a cover which gave details last time. Campbell describes as "symbolic rather The Reader will henceforth appear than pictorial." I suppose you might bi-monthly. And in the latest Amazing say that ot Fantasy's . . . And did you Editol' Palmer announces that the re- notice the wash iilustrations by Tim- sponse to the Shaver Summation Issue mins in the July numb€r? Peculiarly was so terriflc that the publishers have efi€ctive, I thought. decided to go monthly with its sister The current Startling features an mag., Fantastic Adventures, at the sac- "outer menace" novel by George O. riflce of one of their detective story Smith, "The Kingdom of the Blind," pulps. In the September Fantastic, one wiih short stories by Iluttner', Hamil- Kari fazler von Cosel is doing a Shaver ton, Keller, Binder, and the newly- on us with "The Secret of Elena's arrived, much-discussed Margaret St. Tomb." Remember the headlines in '40? Clair. Next (Sept.) issue brings l{eith No? Nor do f. But the secret of how Hammond's "Lord of the Storm," which the German scientist brought beautiful postulates scientiflc rain-making as a Elena Hoyos Mesa back to life is re- future weapon. A change from atomic vealed by von Cosel himself, in 50,000 bombs. at least

Brandt and appointed him a literaxy C. A. BRANDT editor of his new magazine soon after its launching in 1926. He introduced him as "the greatest living expert on DEAD scientifiction," and it was Brandt who Perhaps the greatest authority on selected much of the leprint material science fiction in all languag€s, C. A. used in the early issues, including Brandt, who had been associated with translations of the works of foreign its development in the American maga- writers. As the magazine progressed, zines since the early days of Amazing hs was also responsible for introducing Stories, has died in New York at the many new writers who became big age of 68. names in the fleld. Born in Germany and educated at He left the stafi of Amazlng at the Heidelberg University, Brandt became end of '31 to b€come Literary Editor of interested in science fi.ction when, as a Wonder Stories and its Quartorly, youth, he acquired a sef of Jules which Gernsback had founded on leav- Verne's works and began to study the ing Experimenfer Publications to form writings of other Continental authors a new publishing company. But it was in the same tradition. Later, havlng not long before Brandt returned to settled in America, he amassed a unique Amazing to work as assistant to Editor collection of science-fantas.y in the Eng- Dr. T. O'Conor Sloane and to resume lish. French. German and Scandinavian his book reviews which were a popular languages, and in his search for more feature of the magazine. On its acquisi- rare volumes frequented a New York tion by the Zif-Davis company in '38, bookshop which rvas patronised by he retired from the publishing field to Hrrgo Gernsbacl<, founder-editol of engage in the wine business, but con- Amazing. tinued his interest in science fiction as Learning of his extensive knowledge a relaxation and was recently planning 6f the fleld. Gelnsback contacted to launch a new magazire, REVIEW IValter Gilling:s' BANTASIA Amclica siill discovelirrg larrtasJ . . . Science Fiction-Morc Fact Thalt Ficrion," by Millon Cronenbetg, gave f,eld yeb another boost in Canada's Magazine Digest. As usual, Astounding got most of the kudos on strength of atomic predictions: "HiIo- shima made s-f lespcctable. l,{agazines in this field now have about 1,000,000 readers a month, the majority going to Astounding. Nerv issues are snapped up within a ferv days. 'Oh, if we could only get mole paper!'sighs Editor Campbell." Gernsback, Heinlein, de Camp, "Sk}'lalk" Smith, van Vogt and Willy Ley also mcntioned. Fandom too, ol course ADd "Scicnce Fiction-A Cult," book page article in Newark Sunday News by Literary Edilor Max J. Herzberg, dealr parlicularlv with van Vogt's "Slan," fan organisations. ''It is a movement onlf in part literarl-; it is also scientific, technological, cultural and even spiritual Their eagerness, fanaticism and olten prolourrd krowledge their deep devorion lo rheil cull are likel) ro astound the uniniliated bj'stander and awaken his admiration" Popuiar Publications, publishers of Famous Fantastic l}lysteries, hope to put wartime mags. Super-Science and Astonishing Stories back in circulation $'hen paper ch^rraoa ah.ra ^il^ Binder, of the.,Eando" (8. and O.) brother dt-lo, reappears in Startling Stonies after flve ]'caIS ol rvritir-rg "Captain l{arvel" comic strip tales ilius'lrated by thild brother', Jack . . . Dr. E. E. Smith $'ill writc "The First Lensman" to conrrec[ "Triplanetarl ' $irh rho 'Lensman" scries. a]l cf rilrich ma]' appear in book form from Fantasv Press . . . Omnibus of A. Merrilt tales. "The Worlds Outslde," promised b] Ai-kham House, rvhich has arranged for A. E. van Vogt's "World of Nu]]-A" lo be published by Simon & Schusler as flrst of a projected s-f novel series . . . SPACE-TRAVEL THINI{ETI, BIS Councillor Arthur C. Clal'ke's "The Challenge of the Spaceship" reprinted under "Astronautics" in "British Thought, 1947r'(Gresham, New YoIk: $3.75), also containing contribution.s by Julian Huxley on Biologlr and Renee llaynes on Occultism. Another Clarke piece on Lunar prospects coming up in Everywoman G. Edward Pendray article on space-travel in American '47 . . . "Base on the Moon," by Johu W. Campbell Jnr.. in Pic, illustrated by Chesley Bonestell. Says Campbell: "Some nation will get to the I{ooD tithin five 1'ears. . . and the Moon is the key to the control of Earth-and the rvhole Soler St-stem!". .. Willy Le-v's "Rockets and Space Travei" u'i]l be published here bI. Hutchinson, after his "The Lungfish and the Unicorn," all about evolution Space Trails, miniature "Magazine of the Future" issued by Pegasus Publications, Nerv York. devoted first issue to reprint of 'Plison Planet," b,{ Wilson Tucker. flom Planet Stories . , . Sam Merwin Junr., Thrilling lVonder editor, disappointed by entries fol his nerv fan-writers' contest, told querists Science Fiction League was dropped because "lt seemed to be a pretty shado\ryy and unrewarding organisation for fan and editor alike" Charles D. Hornig, formerly of Gernsback's Wontler, selling out his collection of magazines . John Russell Fearn's "Liners of Time" (see book teviews, this issue) dedicated to G. I{en Chapman "in friendship" William F. Temp]e's "The Four-Sided Triangle." r'"'ith fantastic slant on eternal ditto, to be published by John Long Ray Bradbury's "Dark Carnival" (revie{'ed this issue) will be givcn British edltion b1'Hamish Hamilton . . . .'AMATEUIiISH" WEINBAUM Unpublished nove], "The Mad Brain," among earliest work of the late Stanley G. Weinbaurn, being considered by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach for Fantasy Press publica- tion; though Sam Mosko$'itz, rvriting in Fantasy Commentator, says he found it "amateurish," very inferior to Weinbaum's later masterpieces, onll' worth publishing as collector's piece, if at all il,Iark Schorer, one-time coilaborator of August Derleth. is author of "Witllam Blake: The Politics of Vision" (Holt, Ne$r York: $5.00), concerning famous imaginative poet Stanton A. Coblentz's latest poctry volume is "The X4ountain of the Sleeping Maiden" (Wings Press: $1.75)' His Amazing classic, "The Sunken World," will be republished by a new fantasy book concern as their iniiial volume . . . Weird Tales will celebrate its 25th anniversary next March . . lContinued on Page 19 10 FANTASY Booh Reviews Staggering Through Time LINERS OF TIME, by John Russell Planet Brain of the distant fufure that Fearn. World's WoIk, Kingswood, they are able eventually to waylay the villain, Master of the impenetrable Age Reviewed by Thomas Sheridan of Problems, whose aim to stagger his sru'plus popuiation through the eons is When Mr. Weils wrote "The Time a lrrenace to the smooth workings of the Machine" sixty years ago, it probably time-Iine. never occurred to him, much iess to his Knorving Mr. Fearn's partiality for ',vondering readers, that in due course such sinister characters, we were hardly ofhers r.vould write stories of super- sulprised to flnd that Elnek Jelfel was time-nrarhines transporting passengers as loathsome a creature as his name im- throrlgh the centuries on a luxury liner plied: "a damnable, crawling, fi.Ithy basis. But we've come a long way since Jovian" masquerading in human guise. then: and Mr. Fearn. of all our modern Nor even that the rascal's ultimate ob- science flctionists, was never one to do jective was the wholesale vivisection of things by halves. Indeed, in this the specimens inhabiting the planet "Master Thriller Science f iction Novel," he had invaded; especially after he had as the dust-jacket prociaims it, he does been so callous as to resolve the heroine practically everything his predecessors to her constituent atoms and project and contemporaries ever did prior to her down the time-line at the speed of 1935, when he wrote it as an Amazing iight, a pfocess that somehow reminded Stories serial and was busily producing us of the bustled lady tied to the iruzz- even more astounding pieces-in the saw. fashion of the day-for ottrer maga- But, as in all the best melodramas, zines. Squire JeIfeI com€s to a sticky end after Presenting it now to "the growing an encounter in which brain is not army of science fi.ction readers," the allowed to displace brawn entirely. And publishers drop us a cautionary hint to add to the fun and the confusion of that it is all very super-super and melo- our enemies, in the end Jupiter is dramatic. But we old sweats wtro know hurled into the Sun, with the rest of the the reputation he has fo| the audacious- outer planets for good measure. Nor ness of his ideas and the nltmber of his is this all. By the wayside, as it were, contlibutions to the field scarcely need we have such miraculous devices as the any forewarning of v,'hat we may ex- Gro\ rth Determinator, the Emanation rrect of Mr. I'earn, even if we happen Detector, the Atom-and-Time Dissem- to have passed up this particular one bler and the LighLWave Tlap, to say when it arlpesl'ed in his he5der-. As we. nothing of radio hypnotism, wheeled in fact, did: and readinq it norv. we cities, invisibility, and the resurrection cannot recall if the omission was by of the heroine after we had thought her accident or design. Though it is likely dead as a doornail. we may, at the time, have taken it in Yet we have an enormous admiration oul stride-as we imagine Mr. Fearn for Mr. Fearn, if not for much of his mav have done. $'o|k. For he never once forgets that Perhaps we have g1'osrr conservative, he is v'riting science flction, and the if not more discerning, but to-day we sincele determination with which he feet the need of seven-league boots to tries to interpret his most bewildering stay the distance with him. Not only ideas in scientiflc terms is only too do his time-liners shuttle back and evident throughoub this ambitious piece. forth over a stretch of ten million years, That we found it difficult always to ap- but his hero and heroine make rings preciate his similes may be our fault as round Wells' time-traveller by ru-qhing much as his, since we have not his back into the primordial or forward illimitable imagination. And as long as into infinitv s'ith what seems an inotr his Planet Brain is human enough to dlnate facillty. Though they do not provide chicken and champagne for his rl$rrvs mansge it of their own free will; wearv tirne-travellers, what cause have for it is only rvith the aid of the gaseotts we to complain that he doesn't think of Martians of Earth's beginning or the evcrything? REVIEW 11 Williamson's Magic Lamp THE LEGION OF SPACE, by Jack the yeals, commencing with "The Metal Williamson. Fantasy Press, Read- Man" and including such brilliantly ing, Pa., $3.00. imaginative pieces as "The Stone from Reviewed by John Carnell the Green Star," "Afte| World's End" and "The Legion of Time." All in all, While enjoying the results of his in- one and a half million words of science genuity and industry as a writer, we and weird flction have appealed under have always had some difficulty in his neme jn lalious magazines since reconciling the work of Williamson 1928; and there ale few of his tales thar with the environment in which he be- have not enhanced the reputation he gan to produce his wondrons tales of quickly made as an original thinker in strange planets and even stranger civil- the medium. isations. It is a far cry from roping Ir is to be expected. thetefore, that steers and bucking broncos in the dusty some of his best work should be in- fastnesses of New Mexico to battling cluded among the current spate of 1'e- with allen beings somewhere in the far print volumes, to which those of tran- reaches of galactic space, and the writ- lasy Pless are a welcome addition, since ing of futuristic flction would seem to they zrre collectors' items in every sense demand something more inspirational of the word. This is a beautiful volume. than the smoky fumes of a kerosene handsomely printed and bound, with la.mp. Unless it were a magic lamp. fouf illustl'ations by A. J. Donnell. And Yet it was in this rugged atmosphere, the contents ar"e quite deserving of more likely to lend itsell to cowboy their attractive presentation. stories, that the 18-year-old son of a "The Legion of Space" was the first Texas rancher launched himself on hls of a series of three connected stories literary career. He was born in a raw which appealed in Astounding, where mining community of Arizona, and his Williamson naturally gravitated when earliest memories are of a palm- it took the lead over Lhe pioneer maga- thatched hacienda nestling in a Mexi- zines to which he had pleviously con. can canyon, of hostile country full of tlibuted. It was published as a serial mounfain lions and deadly scorpions in '34, being sandrviched in the same and renegade Apache fndians. When issues as Dr. Smith's "Skylark of he was only seven, he crossed ttre Valclon," and even against that heavy prairie in a covered ',\'agon, mile after competition it soon gained "classic" mile, to settle in the ranching territory stat,.is. Twelve yeals have passed since of New Mexico. There there was we fll's| read it; J'et we found it com- drought, dust-storms and disaster. pletely fresh, and were soon lost in the But he wasn't cut out to be a, cow- enthrailing exploits of that lovable puncher. His most pleasant youthful bunch of characters, John Star, HaI memories are of unearthing some old Samdu, Jay Kaiam and the immortal texLbooks of science belonging to his Giles Habibula, in their fi.ght to rescue ex-school teacher father, and of mak- the f air Aladoree and irer mystic ing some m€chanical gadgets out of weapon AKKA which alone can save odds and ends of scrap. To such an in- Earth from the power of the Meduse. ventive mind, science flction made an Since his early life was a continual irrestistible appeal when he discovered sti'ugqle against nature and the ele- Amazing Stories in the days of "fhe ments. it is understandable that so Green Splotches" and "The Moon manv Willi'rmson sNolies should depict, Pool"-the influence of Melritt was and so vividly, Man's struggle to sur- evident in his early work. Instead of vive in the face of insuperable ob- b€coming a scientist, he decided to stacles. This one takes us forward to write the foiklore of the new world of the thirtieth century, when two rival science (as he himself has put it), even political groups are striving to control before he had contrived to get to col- Earth. The "Pul'ples" m.ake an allia,nce lege to augment the little learning he rvith the ancient du'ellers of a dying had gained from a musty encyclopadia. planet, oniy to be doublecrossed them- So, with an antique Lypewriter, in selv'es; and whiie Earth lies helpless the light of that magical oil-lamp, he beneath bombardment from the Moon, started to write the stories of.which he oul. four hel'oic Legionnailes battle out has kept up a steady stream through the issue on a faraway world, the home t2 FANTASY of the unea|thly MedusE. original to bring it into Iine with Re-reading the story after aII this pr.esent. techniques, and it is every bit tim.e, we found that we had entirely as fascinating as the latest exarirples lorgotten the plot, and the only fault lhe field has to offer. I hope we si-rall that appeared was the over-dramatising sro rhc rest of this tt'iology, '.The Com- of the many climaxes. Still, it does not eteers" and "One Againsb the Legion,', roaci like a space opera: the author has between hard covers in the not-too-dis_ obviously made some alterations to the tant future. Mr. Derleth Goes Astray Tt{E NIGHT SIDE: Masterpieces of the distant tocsin of alalm in the reader's Strange and Terrible, edited with mind; and having once caught these rn intloduclion by ALrgust Det'lcth. notes, \Yhat glutton for punishment Rinehalt, New York, 93.10. could ask for more? Their implicationg R,eviewed by ale mofe gruesome than a multitude of Arthur F, Hillman gory teuot's. Tbis third in bhe series of honor Tlrer.e is aiso p. ,.The anliiologies H. Lovecl'aft's edited by Mr. Derleth has Colour Out of Space," which needs no riii lhe admilalrle qualities of "Sleep apology for its reappearance. probably No Nlore" and "Who Knocks?" includ- the best of his mecljumlength t-ales. the ir-rg the illustlations of Lee Brown Coye. cert'f uI attention to atmospher.e and Yet thele is a difference. which to me is Iocale enables this narrative to pt.oceecl lr,ther disconcertlng. For here Mr. Der- rvith d|eadful exactitude to t1s pl'edes- IeLh has strayed from the narrow tlvi- tined hcights 'lirhl..rnve crrmrrlal-ive of ho|ror.. It is a- model nf horror into of story-te1ling by one who took inflnite the bt'oader meadow of fantasy, and I pains with all his work. arn not sure his inducements are snffi- pieces cient to entice me out rvith him. Other which are noteworthv ale Robelt B.loch s 'Enoch," rvhich has Fof example, there is that much- a ghastly tht'ead of macabre humour vaunted piece of science flction by running thlough it; Alan Nelson's Henly l{uttner', "Mimsy Were the Bolo- "Prof€sso| Pfaff's Last Recital," a groves," rvhich is indeed excellent in its modern tale r,vith all the savagery of orvn sphere, but which seems somervlrab Poe: and Ray Bradbrlry's "The Smiling self-conscious in its modernity ch,eek- People," developed in his enchanting by-jowl with other tales of vintage style. Concel'ning this last, I cannot weird tradition. I do not consider it understand why Der'leth expurgated weird, but ii is certainly novel and parts of it (compare it with the or'lginal tholtgh.l-plovoking. The same remalks in "Dark Ca|nival"): rather than a rr:r)lv fn lfn'vr.rd Wrnd:eiS "The Eeri0 pruned version for a h5'persensitive Mr. Murphy" and Henry A. Norton's public, I wcr"tld have preferred another "Sammy Calls a Noobus." These tales selection from this brilliant young Irave a scintiilating polish that disarms rvriter's fascinating melange of stories. criticisin, but their glitter does not hide I was prepared, too, for the inclusion the fact that their kinship wlth the of C. L. Moore's "Shambleau,', that hollor stoly per se, iike that of an an- snperb taie of a ghastly yet beautiful cestral lineage, has become remote with monstrosity, prssing yeafs. Martian which was thc of tho p|omised in the announcements of the But ?rllhough Mr. Derleth has book's preparation. I must deplore its widencd his horizon. so that the thrills absence, and trust that time and cir- and chills of his once narrow pel'spec- cumstances will yet bring about its re- tive have become submerged. thele is publicatlon. However', in spite of omis- still in this collecbion of 23 Lales a num- sions, there is a f€ast of fantasy fare in ber that will make the horror'-hardened this antholog5', which like Mr. Derleth's rerdor sif. rrn. Amons them are Lwo earlier collections can avoid the charge justly-famed piece5 from Welrd Tales of duplication attributable to so many of a decade ago, the era of Farnsworth others; for the greater part of the con- Wright and his biilliant editing. These tents has never appealed between stiff afe "The Night Wire," by H. F. Arnold, covers hithelto. Thns the enthusiast and "The Thi'ee Marked Pennies," by should not hesitate to add it to his Maiy E. Counselman. Both have subtle hoard, especially since some of the gems lrndorstones of menace that sound a within may not appear in print agaln, REVI EW 13 Phenomenal Bradbury DARK CARNIVAL, by Ray Bradbury. modern mould: theil very foundations Arkham House, Sauk City, $3.00. are laid in the minute now passing. The just Reviewed by Arthur F. Hillman sparkling prose is not an outward facade; it is the very bricks and mortar In this collection of 2? tales Ray ol each streamlined edifice in this book. Bradbury has achieved something re- markable in the supernatural field. He Here w€ flnd "The Wind," the story of a monstrous persecution by the ele- has successfully discarded the tradi- "The tional habitat of the weird tale. with lnents: Emissa|y,' a LaIe of a dog its sombre, neo-Gothic setting, and r€- that brought back bones, rvet leaves, placed it by one-I was going to say of and flnally-horror. There is "The C|o\\.d," that sinister group that some- the twentieth century, but the twenty- gathers first would be more apt. So far ahead how ahva;is round a street acci- are his conceptions, his style and his dent viclim. In "The Jar" is not only brilliant expressions. an ingenious idea but a vivid portrayal Other writers have given their im- of American snielltown life. And "The petus to the somewhat staid pace of Handler" tells of an undertaker with a this type of story. Robert Bloch, Henry peculiar intelest in his cnstomers; the primarily ghouiish humour is iittle short of dia- Iluttner, Nelson S. Bond come yet quite to mind as protagonisLs of the macabre bolical, delicions. in modern vein; our own John Colller One might continue to point to each has also produced several exe,ellent un- storv, indicating its perfections. Enough conventional pieces. But there is an air to sa5, that each is a model for novelty of the self-conscious in the modernity of nlnt ennnnmr- nf nalrative and of these writers; they seem to be striv- superb sty1e. The connoisseur fi.nds ing for efiect, to assert even aggr€s- here, not only a new writer, but new sively that the weird tale can be lvriting, and in fhe narrow field of the modern. Bradbury's tales, on the other weird such an e'rent is a phenomenon hand, are not simpl;r patterned in a and a vitrl slop folward. shasta, publishers announce completion of their flrst major project of interest to collectors: THE CHECKTTST of Fantastic Literature After seven years of research and preparation, this important manuscript is now reaciy for publication, OVER, 5,OOO FANTASY BOOI( TITLES ;lc Complete library information. :* Double-indexed-b-., title and author. :* Printed, permanently bound in modern, con\'€nient size. * Definitive-cornpiled from the world's Iargest fantasy collections. * Accurate-prepared u'ith the assistance of the Library of Congress and the Blitish Museum. LIMITED This reference guiric will be an indispensable aid to the book-hunter EDITION in determining whether litlcs on dealers' shelves are considered Fantastic Literature. SPECIAL OFFER, This limited edition of 1.000 $rill be sold to libraries and TO COLLECTORS booksellers. A small number of copies ri'i]l be made available to private collectors. Pre-publica.tion price: 251- Earliest order,s will reccive picfcrence. Send cash, (30/-after Sept.20th) cheque or Monev Order. SHASTA PUBLISHERS, CHICAGO E, ,J. CARNELL (Sole British Representative) 17 BURWASH ROAD, PLUMSTEAD, LONDON, S.E,18 a?1n FANTASY Book Reviews America, Beware! WORLD AFLAME, by Leonard Engel and scarlet fever epidemics, paralysis- and Emanuel S. Pil]er. Dial. New they have aptly term€d it a "pandora Yolk, $2.00. Box of Terror," out of which comes at Reviewed by John Garnell length the inevitabie radioactive dust. But they seem to have entirely over- The recent political events which looked-or deliberately ignored -the have ploduced such headlines as "|lhe factor of radiation at'eas around atonric Frightened Men in Washington and bomb hits, except for' a brief paragraph the Kremlin" lvould seem to ofler a por- at the end of the book when the hide- Lenrous preface to this book, whose sub- ous possibility of mutations becomes title is "The Russian-American War of apparent. And at the end, the war is 1950." In its treatment, it is entirely still raging; there is nothing to offer non-political, thorlgh subconsciously it but struggle and sweat and tears. scr.eams anli - Russian propaganda. To us who have a daily reminder of While piously hoping that their story the last war in the gouged-out vacant w.ili never be truly prophetic, the sites in our cities, the warning this auLhols have plnmped for Russia as (and book represents may not be v€ry neces- the obvious enemy of America a saly, though it makes the menace of coalition bloc of allies including the the atomic bomb m€rcilessly ciear. To Blitish Empire) ln any such "disastrous fhe Americans, whose cities stand adventure," and hal'e painted a highly proudly unharmed, it must seem a very sirlister picture of what the invention grim picture indeed, and so it is prob- of atomic war is llkely to lead the world ably inLended. The danger is only that into. it may prove so glim to them as to The story opens with the war flve seem an impossible speculation. years old and still going strong, not- wibhstanding that 35 million Amelicans have been blasted by atomic bombs. The leasoning for this assumption is quite f easible; ind.eed, the reader is N BOO KS compeiled to appreciate the somewhat EW unpieasant fact that Man may still sur- vive an atomic war in spite of the holo-. Now ovoiloble caust. The book takes the style of an Liners Of official Go.relnment document prepared by a no\\'spaper : eporter, specially World Aflame*Engel & Piller: 11/- assigned to the task of summarising for Atomic Story-Campbell: 15/- people the American the events ol those Legion Of Space-Williamson: flrst flve y€ars of hell on Eal'th. 15/- IVlislaid Charm-Phillips: 10/6 So, in that world of If, we see the encircllng of R,rlssla, the early invasion Doppelgangers-Heard: 1?/6 successes of the American and Allied The Night Side-weird anthology: folces, fhe anticipation of a quick vic- 16/ 6 tory gained with atomic bombs alone. Then the setbacks: the annihilation of Supernatural Horror in Literature the flower of Brilain's armies in a major -Lovecraft: 13/6 attack on Murmansk, the h€fvy Ameri- and other titles can losses in Asia, the leprisal raids by Flussia, the rviping out of Britain by a terriflc concentration of rockets, and * our final sutrenCer. And then-germ \\'arf are ! E. J. CARNELL Of this rhe authors give us a far more 17 Burwash Road, Plumstead terr"if,ving pictule than the destruction of whoie cities by atomic flre. The in- London, S.E.18 sidiorts d(,struction of cIops, pneumonia REV I EW 15 . Fort Without nerrgroustr l. rantasyf- WAR lN HEAVEN, by Charles Wll- fheories Iiams. Faber, London, 7/6. FORGOTTEN MYSTERIES, by R,. Reviewed by Alan Devereux DeWitt Miller. Cloud, Chicago, I'irst in a new seri.es of reprints of s2.50. this writer's work, this particular piecc Reviewed by Geoffrey Giles is unusual in combining the elements You may recall that the authol of of a "whodunit" thriller and a relisious this book was a contributor to Astound- fantasy. The rheme is the stluggl; for ing ten years ago. The stories he has possession of the Holy GIaaI and the assembled here are astounding, too, but soul of a child between the forces of they are not flctionat. For Mr. Miller is good and evil. There is Satanism and rnole intel'ested, these days, in fantastic black magic on the one side and eso- facts-in collecting and collating them teric Christianity on the other, upheld and presenting them in mystifying by a young publisher, a bland but guile- arlay, much as Mr. Fort used to do. He ful archdeacon and a Roman Catholic is, in fact, a Fortean, and has been duke. Tlrere is also a mysterious deus dogging the Great Doubter's footsteps ex machina who calls himself Prestel' for 15 years or mor€, accumulating a John and who saves the situation in rnass of pallid data on such things as the nick of time. the Devil's Footprints, death fogs, sea This curious mixture stal'ts off with serpents and lnissing ships. a murder in a pubiisher's office and Br-rt, whereas Charles Fort ofiered his ends with a display of emotional pyro- own possible but very improbable ex- technics in a village church, the whole planations for the "enolmities and pre- being leavened by a lather thin hu- posterousnesses" he spent his whole life mour which occuls in unexpected tabulating so as to tantalise or.thodox places and gives a Chestertonian fla- science, Mr. Miller declines to put for- vour. The writing is of a good literary wald any theories io accoxnt for his standard, yet the nalrative is exciting oddities. He merely records them, here, and well-knit, and it should appeal as a series of disconnected incidents, all strongly to those fantasy lovers who of which he is satisfied have actuallv can digest a certain amount of rellgious happened bul have been conveniently hugaboo and who like their horrors to folgotten-because they could not b€ lre hinted at rather than detailed. explained away as easily as the recent riot of "flying saucel's." Though a few of his taies have been Masterly Menace told before, and some he has previousty NORDENHOLT'S MILLION, by J. J. recounted in his Coronet magazine fea- Connington. Penguin, Harmonds- ture of some yeals ago, most of them worth, 1/-. ar,e new to me and all are thought-pro- vol:ing. They are a mixed assortment, Reviowed by John K. Aiken ranging in subject from ghostly haunt- There is a touch of tragic injustice in ings to talking and thinking animals; the fact that Pt'ofessor A. W. Sfewart, and hls chapters on Enigmas Out of as weil known to connoisseurs of tllc Space, Vanished Continents, misplace- scientific detective story as "J. J. Con- 1ncn1.s in Time and forgotten experi- nington" as to his academic colleagues ments cannot fail to rouse the fantasy as a distinguished chemist, should havc fan's natural interest. failed by a few short weeks to live to Th'e only criticism I might venture, see the republication of this, his re- indeed, is that the book contains too markable novel. First published in many cases for its rather limited dimen- 1923 and long out of print, it is an out- sions: the treatment is therefore in- standing scientific fantasy, more than clined to be cursory. I agree with Mr. able to hold its own with the best of Miller that "you cannot pack the mar- Wells and Stapledon. It suffers neither vcls of cleation into theories with the from the frustrated Utopianism of titc same nicety that you pack sardines into one nor lhe pirilosophical naivet6 of cans," but I would have preferred to the othel l noi' is it that anathema of linger longer over a few of his baffiing the lrue enthuslast, a satire or tract mysteries than that he should have masquerading under a thin sugar-coat- accomplished as much with his facts. ing of . fantasy-though it has its 16 FA NTASY lrioasanlly saLirical toLrcLes. and the lonely chemisl in his deserted To the lead.el of to-day the most irnivclsity Iaboratory, living on syn- stliking feature will be lhe detailed and thelic pl'oteins and d€sperately racing inlelligent anticipation, by some twenty against starvation to compleLe the alka- years, of the coming of atomic power'. loid slrucbure which had been his re- But no less fascinating iir conception seaIch.. and cievelopment rs the miclobiological To the aforesaid addict among cataslrophe with rvhich the stor;,' opens. rvhose numbers the r'€viewer hastens- to And even the most sulfeited addict of include hlmself the author's scope magazine science {iciion, comptr3te with must seem vely- limited; earthbound, everything in the Cosmos except hurnan haldly ventuling outside the British beings ar.rd human behaviour', cannot Isles. But his imaginative resource, irut be moved b) the vignettes oI his sense of proportion and characfer- famine-stricken London, thc shockingly isalion, make "Nordenholt's Million" a vivid description of the cannibal packs, lvork on the largest scale. DOOR TO THE FUTURE These books are the keys to tomorrow. Some of them a.re for the Scientist, some for the Engineer, some for the Rocket experimenter and some for bhe Dreamer! Taken al1 together, you might make a door out of them; hang'the door on the hinges oI possibiliry and probability, sel it, in the solid wall of inertia and ridicule. Then open these books-and peer into the Futurel Rockets, by Robert H. Goddard $3.50 TIle two famous Goddard papers in one binding, Atomic Energy for Illilitary Purposes, by Henry D. Smyih 2.00 The primer of atomic energy. Should be read by every taxpaying citizen, The "Particles" of Modern Physics, by J. D. Stranathan, Ph.D...... , . 5.00 Whai the student and engineer wants to know about the atom. Applied Nuclear Physics, by E. Pollard and W. L. Davidson, Jr...... ,. 3.50 Melhods of accelerating particles, and applicable tables, charts and formuie for experimentation. The Modern Gas Turbine, by R. Tom Sawyer 2.00 What the engineer wants to know about the gas turbine. Ilockets, by Willy Ley (Third Edition) 3.?5 Stili the best all-round book on rockets. Rocket liesearch, by Constantin Lent 4.00 A rocket primer and a "musl" for your iibra,ry. Rockets, Dynamotors, Jet Motors, by A. L. Murphy .....,. 2.26 A fine book for the experimenter. "Wege Zur Raumschiffahrt," by Hermann Oberth 8.00 cerman Rocket classic by the man who made r,he V2s. Collectors' item. "E,aketenflugtechnik," by Eugen Sanger . 4.00 German rocket caiculations. Collectors"rtem. 'Ihc Coming Age of Rocket Power, by G. Edv"r. Pendray 3.00 A rocket prophet speaks. I'he Charles Fort Omnibus, by Charles Fort . . 4.50 "The Book of the Damned," "Lo!" "Wil.d Talents" and "New Lsnds." The four books of Charles Fort. The gold mine of sciencencbion and reading to give you a new slant on :lifel Recommended. The Best of Science Fiction, edited by Groff Conklin 3.00 Folty science flclion classics. Ail these books are obtainable tl.rrough the UMTED STATES ROCI(ET SOCIETY, INC. Prt ces are based on market and availability. AII books sent prepaid. Make cheque or Money Order payable to: ROCKET ASS,OCIATES, I N C. Box 29, Glen, Ellyn, lllinois, U.S,A. BEVIEW 77 Geoffrey Giles writes ABOtiT BOOIrc Ne\l's of Alnelican productiolx in the Evei:tt F. Bleiier. With its adveilt, fan- Ianl,as5' fleld must take plecedence tasr' litclatule and fantasy book col- this time, iI lve zr,re to enable our col- lecting will be transformed froln a hap- lcctor frlends to keep cope with all lrazald business of hit-or-miss methods that is coming flon the other side of to all olganisecl science of ciasslflcatlon bhe Big Pond--ol what the)' may flsh aDd reliablc infolmiltion. for in the hope of landing the best of the shoal. To gather in everything that FIRST "MENACE''? is, or will be, available is more than the Speirking ol resedt'ch into t'arities, mosi enelgeLic enlhusiast can tnanage, especially thele's a story behiud the flrst book in the face of t,he dollar' plesentaiion of "Edison's Conquest of shorfage. But if you splead your nets ride, Mars," the Prof. Set'viss classic which \ you may catch more than you is now available bargaln for. fronl Cal'cosa House, Los Angeles. It ofiginally appeared as AID TO BOOK-HUNTERS a selral in a New Yolk evening paper- long srnce defunct of the 90's; and as Thc late..t publishing ser-up, direc- the publishers say, it might weli heve ted by people who really know the been ihe soru'ce book for a good deal of medium, is Shasia Publishel's of the Inagazine science flction bhat has Chicago. T'heir laudable aim is to pro- Iollowed ilr lhe past half-century. It duce "books aboul books'; bibiio- actually sarv print in '98. graphical and re{erence wolks especi- ally for the fantasy collector, wlrose Tllough ii may perhaps have been interests have never boen adequately inspifcd by Wells' "War of the Worlds," catercd fo| in this respect. And with which appeared selially in the Strand so rnany new volurnes appearing and the plevious year, it is more ambitious old ones being unearthed, experi guid- in scope; a full-blooded bale of a ance in pursuing his hobby is becoming second Martian invasion and of a an ut'gent need. counter-attack launched by Earlh, €nd- ing in the f,nal triumph of her inter- Who, for' lnstance. has not wished planetary sqlladrons. And to get it info fol a, really comp|ehensive biblioglaphy booli form aftel all this time involved of lantasy to aid hiln in his sealch for making photostat copies of the 26 selial books he has heard of only vaguely or instalments, dug out of the newspaper lrot at all? Frefelably one he could fl]e in the Washington Litllary of lote around wilh him on his blor,vsings s - Congress-u'hich wele found to contain through liblaries and bookshops, in- sorne of Lhe most striking illustra,tions stead of a laboriously compiled list of researchers had ever encountered. "$'ants" seerns glow the wtuch neve| to Twelve of these a Ie's:;, and which on comparison with modern.arlisb tras Ic- anoLher fan's notebook always seems to drawn lor the pur'- omit the most desirable items? Shasta's pose book, filst ploduction this most im- of thc will flIl which will include a por LlrnL wnnLs. of all oul bibiiography of Scr'- In a week or trrro will be availab]e viss' works, of whicll "The Chechlist of !'anfastic Litera- you should at leasl ture," listing over 5,000 book titles and be familiar witl] ploviding all the rnfol'mation you need "The Second to tlack dorvn each item-if it is within De]uge," twice re- youl leach. The voiume, rvhich will be plinted loy Amazlng conveniently poltabie, has been in- Sam D, Russell Stories, dexc'd two $'ays, by titles and authors. As i.Ls second production, due in a taking due regard for pseudonyms so monih or so, Cafcosa promises "Enter that you can't possibly go wrong. This Ghost: A Study in Weird Fiction,', by invaluable leference book is the lesult PauI Skeeters and Sarnuel D. Russell, of tholough research by some flfty fan- t$'o expert fantastistes who have been tas), colleclols, British and Arnerican, to gleat, pains to compile the mosL wlrose data has been assembled by compl€te bibliography of supernatural 18 FANTASY fiction in all its phases, to augment Iull-iength novel and sight short stories their complehensive sulvcy of the by the good Doctor, all hifherto un- nold Il'om its very bcginnings. published. It wiil be in the same dis- tinctive format as the Group's two pre- BOOK CLUB STARTS vious selections, which are quite un- News of a I'antasy Book Club, of usual in appearance. which there have been many hintings, president A fourth volume is also scheduled: comes from Paul oloonnor, "The Outlawed World," by Neil R. of the New Collectors' Group, which Jones, which is described int€r- a as an recently issued as its first volume planetary fantasy novel-not science novel completed by Hannes Bok from fictron in the strict sense-and the best an unfinished manuscript of A. Mer'- work Jones has ever done. The Group's ritt's. This is to be followed soon by general policy is to publish only another Merritt-Bok collaboration, "The original works by weil-known authors, Black Wheel," which will again be illus- presented in a way that will make trated by Bok. It is the story of the re- them genuine collectors' items. And incarnation of an old clipper and its since they will never appear in any original clew, and has been flnished other form, they are "musts" for all from Merritt's own notes-and with eager fans, who will have little chance the guiclance of his widow, \trho is satis- acquire publication planned. to bhem after their fied that it is exactly as he except as members of the Ciub-unless Both these volumes a1'e available to they are prepared to pay the piper. subscfibers to the Club at the original Addr€ss: New Collectors' Group, 425 price of .$3.00 ($3.18 to British sub- Central Park West, New York City,25. scriber's); though the first is now changing hands at $10.00, thanks to NEW STAPLEDON speculators who bought up the balance Just one British production we musf of the limited printing of 1,000 copies-- flnd room to mention . . . Secker & and who wiII prokrably do likewise with Walburg have Iisted "The Flames," the second. A third volume, to be pub- by Olaf Stapledon, which will be avail- blished shortly, rvill be "The Eternal able shortly at 6l-. By all accounts, it Conflict and Othel Weird Tales," bY will be in the best Stapledon tradition, David H. Keller; this will comprise a and should be worth waiting for. A1{ END T0 BANALITf-Gontinued from page I In the same issue $'as a letter from primitive adventure arena of the pulps to Paul L. Payne, Planet Stories editor, the pseudo-intellectual level of the slicks. giving his ideas on future trends, which We shali see, I believe, the progtressing are of striking interest in view of the relinquishing of the stereotyped character type oI materia] habitually featured by and the banal plot. We may also see the tlris magazine. x[r. Payne says: introduction of non-fiction; is not Mr. Ley already established? science "Psychoanalytically speaking, "Space-travel, symbolically, represents flclion iiteraLure must be vierved in the the proietarian escapist overlay in the science flction same contexl as that oI the or reader's mind. If the prognosis as to protesl iiteraturc. 'Ihe latter splings flom realism is corect, thls sbould yield to the sclence certain mass frustrations. The time - travel - on - Earth motif. Planet fiction fan completes the subconscious past Stories, for exampie, is experiencing conversion from rcmenblance of the growing difficulty in rejecting time-travel presenl to through observation of the pieces, which as a matter of policy were contemplation oI the future-nostalgia, considered outside our scope; material protest, wish. Served in an €scapist man- on that theme has been of compelling ner, it is not escapism. It is essentially quality. One senses a developing pre- projection and concretisation. occupabion with a not too remote future "HcDce, we rnay cxpec' the incrcasitlg of Earth. enlistment of tile more cercbral writers "We are, in my opinion, on the verge and lvork more shalply correlated with of a wave of popular interest in science reality, such as Huxley and his 'Brave flction, comparable to the recent ascen- Nerv Wor]d' or Hicks and 'The Fil'st to dancy of the historical novel, Y€s, we Awaken.' Witness the ascenb (if we may shall see novels! The real writing of call it that) of this ]iterature from the science flction has just begun." REVIEW 19

Walter Gillings' FANTASTA -continuetr *om Pase s "The Green Man: A Visitor from Space," by Hallold I{. Sherman, cuiled from Amazing's recent files, reprinted as 25c. pocket-book by Centur.-7 Publications, Chicago . Latest Bur:roughs book is "Tatza\ and the Foreign Legion':; uext fllrn of the series, "Tarzan and the Mermaids" . . . Merian ("King Kongr') Cooper planning a new Monster epic; "Moonride," set in 1973, "The PresideDt's Husband" and "Cagliostro" also scheduled for Holly$'ood production . Another fantasy f,lm will be based on Arthur Machen's "The Terror" . . . PTIOPHET CAMPBELL John W. Campbell Jnr. gave radio talk on atomic erlergl,' . . . cerald Weildt, re- viewing "The Atomic Story" in New York Herald-Tribune, said nice things about him and his book, while describing Astounding as "rather juvenile':: "He i.s the plophet of the 21sl cenLury, as Buck Rogers is its symbol . , He emerges as a skilled expositor. a born teacher . , . The'thousands who tried to understand the Smyth Report would do well to starb again rvith this excellent primer for the Atomic Age" Tifiany Thayer, editor Doubt, says slogan "Still alive-and KICKING!" will be officially adopted by Fortean Society "as expressing the spirib of Forteanism briefly and eternally" Fantasy Foundaiion's library, to lvhich C. A. Brandt bequeathed his unique collection, now has 1,500 volumes . . . J. B. Priestley's "T'hree Time Plays" together in current Pan Book . . . "Berkeley Square," fanous play with time-travel theme, on radio recently; "The Man Who Was Thursday," too . "The Earth Has Bubbles," supernatu.ral story by R. G. Dixon, in Sumrner Occult Eeview . 'The Brass Ring," by Letvis Padgett, voted one of best who-dun-its of '46 by Mystery Wdters of America, published here by Sampson Low . . .

THE ATLANTIS BOOKSHOP SMALT ADVERTS (M. HOUGHTON) Special Rate to Collectors:2d. per word (5c. C^nad.a a^nd U.S.A.); mini- 49a mum 12 words. To Traders and others: MUSEUM STREET, 3d. per word (7c. in Canada and U.S.A.). LONDON, W.C,l AII advertisements in this section must b€ prepairl. Box numbers 6d. (15c.) extra. We are specialists in books on TO U.S. CoLLECTOR,S, Wanted: "A Ilusband for Kutani," "Madam Wu- Occultisur and kindred subjects such Chinese Courtezan" (Ftank Owen); as Astrology, Magic, Rosicrusianism. Weinbaum Memorial Volume; first two Lovecraft Volumes. Wiii tra,de flrst Yoga, Alchemy, etc., etc. We shall edition Dunsanys or any new Engiish be pleased to advise you books. A. HilIman, 100 Corporation on any of noad, Newport,- Mon. these subjects. We buy books on the WANTED TO PURCHASD: "Evening Standard't Book of Strange Stories; above. Catalogue on application. Second "Evening Standard" Book of Phone: IIOLBORN 2120. Strange Stories; "Not at Night" Omni- bus; collected Works of Oliver Onions.- Paul O'Connor, 425 Central Park West, New York, 25, U.S.A. FOR, EXCIIANGE ONLY: Curnmings' SCIENCE AND INVENTION: old 'Wylie's"Girl in the Golden Atom," Balmer & copies wanted, any condition.-Box 105, "When Worlds Collide," Black- Fant'asy Review. wood's "Fbuitstoners," Sherrifi's "Hop- WILL EXCHANGE "Moon Pool," "Ship kins Manuscript," Ertz's "Woman Alive," of Ishtax," "Between Worlds," for Quer- Merriit's "Seven Footprints to Satan." terlies or Amazing Monthlies; also pur- What can you offer?-Box 106, Fantasy chase.-E. H. Smith, 1 Boswells Drive, Review. Chelrnsford. REQUIRED books on handwriting, Wrr.r, EXCHANGE copies American autographs, graphology, etc. British and f&ntasy mags. (Astounding, Amazing, American. State titles, authors, pnces.- Thrtlling Y9onder, Startling, Weird, Box 103, Fantasy Revlew. Planet, etc.), '45-? issues, for current or FOR SAlE-Scientltrc I)otective old issuas British science flction.-Lucille Monthly and Arnszing Detective Tales, Bmda, 823 Hunts Point Avenue, New ,an.-Oct. '30, ten issues, good condition. York, 59, U.S.A. What ofiers?-Box 104, Fantasy Reviev. We Hunt Magazines BOOKS and Books Llke Sherlock Holmes we spe- cialise in the pursuit of the elusive. of Science.Fiotion We invite lo corunission us )ou The Weird The Unknown in the search 1or your second- - hand fantas-rr book rvants, whether 101- Sample Packet 10/- it be a single vol.ume or many. We CATALOGUE FR,EE. make no rash prornises, but aI1 in- quiries receive our prompt atten- SelI or Exchange Your Collection of clients tion without incurring our Science-Fiction. in any obligation, and every con- sideration is given to their in- Direct Mail Subscriptions to all dividual interests. U.S.A. Science-Fiction Magazines

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DOUBT is not for hard-faced men full of business ability and bisurated magnesia DOtlBT is not for blustering bishops, complaining canons or any other holy varmints DOttBT is not for Fleet street-walkers who sell their souls for a ribald song .. DOUBT is not for the cost-plus fortune- ma.kers of Worid Fraud II . . . nor the gravy-snatchers of World Fraud III, if any . DOUBf is not for penicillin- squirters or streptomycin-mongers or fingerprinters or manu- facturers of bolonium-bombs . DOLTBT is not for high- ranking brass-hats, their sons, daughters or favourite barmen .. .ltt tl 87'is not for anyone but.. . Little children to bear,the excruciating agony of thought ! m$fiHs"r llf agl:r,zine of, the Fortean Soeiety ll- post lree THE FORTEAN SOCIETY, 44 Orrell Road, Orrell, Liverpool, 20

Ripley Printing Sot-'iety Ltd., Rrpley, Derbys. This version of the rnagazine was assembled by Farrago & Farrago using a copy from the collection of the late Harry Turner, who created the cover artwork for the early issues of Fantasy Review.

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