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Post by blackmonk on May 31, 2011 15:33:46 GMT
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Post by killercrab on May 31, 2011 18:54:00 GMT
Great find! The Nace mystery continues ...
KC
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Post by kooshmeister on Jun 5, 2011 6:02:32 GMT
More like a how-to guide. As if people over forty don't know how to properly have sex.  |
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Post by andydecker on May 21, 2012 16:20:56 GMT
For those who are interested, Phantom of Pulp really likes this novel and has written again about it. Interesting blog, even if I can´t share his fascination for more extreme japanese s/m horror. Are Giant Prey Mantises Part of Your World? |
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Post by erebus on Mar 27, 2014 16:29:57 GMT
Think I'm the only member who has not added his thoughts on this novel here. Well Preposterous springs to mind. Of course I've read books equally as gory and violent, but the way this is shoveled upon you is just plain ridiculous, the guy doesn't come up for air. Its not distressing or vomit inducing its just plain bananas. After the hundreth description of an Arm tore away, or a head bashed against a rock, or marrow drank from bones and so on. These descriptions are told for every victim in the book and when we get to the back end of the story with the four villains getting slain it just becomes too repetetive. I had to stop reading after a few or so chapters to face palm myself. Some gems here that had me was the way he concocts a potion out of Sugary water and flower petals to lure rodents and creatures to Slayers ( him naming the bloody thing got me to ) cage so he can have a feast whilst Dyke our main character nips out for a bit.
Or what about the concoction he makes to prevent the mantises from eating him out dog repellent, plant juice, skunk spray and poison. And even though he names him Slayer and paints his head bright red I was stunned into admission when he asks Slayer to ride up front shotgun in his truck when hes out on his revenge spree.. REALLY !
A member above suggested having something else to read on the go whilst on this to bring back a little bit of normality. I did the same. Three chapters of this and then onto the Lovecraft book I'm on. Although I did get brave and read the last six chapters all in one sitting through.
This main fellow Dyke is inhuman by the way. Not only is he cut to ribbons and has his plonker lopped off... which brings the question why would a bunch of blokes want go and hold somebody elses nads and saw em off. I think thats the last place they would want to touch, anyway he survives this, no bleeding to death etc. Later on his dog repellent potion gets washed off round his legs and he looses his calf to Slayer. Now wouldn't that just leave the tibia to support his weight ? Never fear a well wrapped ligature will suffice, next day hes scaling walls and running through peoples back gardens like it was all a bad dream.
And what of Slayer. Why you can safely say hes a boob Man.......tis I mean the randy sod tears of all the clothes from the women and goes straight for the knockers, as this little description validates
Immediatly they were taken over by Slayer. One by one he threw women to the ground and tore off their sweet tasting breasts. After sucking a few mouthfuls of each females blood he tossed her aside and seized a new woman who could give him more soft round parts. In only a few minutes he had cut the lovely breasts of every woman who was still untouched, or who had been claimed by another mantis but had not yet had the twin pendants ripped off her body.
Brilliant, a mantis after my own heart. But its this one that got me.
Before the mantis rent the organs from the chest and stomach cavities, he bent low over the girl and filled his great maw with all that stamped the body as female. Watching, Dyke thought God, I think I could eat that part myself. I could never touch a womans privacy otherwise, Perhaps sometimes I can share a part with one of the beasts when he eats it. He continued to gaze upon the fascinating picture of the one giant insect eating out the inside of the girl while the others pushed close enough to devour her outside.
DID I JUST READ THAT Mantis porn.
This book is a goldmine for bad taste.
Other logical lapses include The villagers who speak perfect English, better than me, but call the Mantis Green things. And also wouldn't the plural of Mantis be Mantis ? I'm not sure but they are constantly called Mantises in this. And some of the best bits of Dyke ordering the creatures to lay low whilst he confronts his enemies only for him to shout out Slayer and his gang in who fan out into the garden from the hedges. And the part where he knocks at the guys door and hes stood there when he opens it with a nine foot preying Mantis beside him. And Slayer the gaffer of the giant Mantis taking up the rear as the group stroll upon the next unsuspecting victims, his job to tap on the shoulders or pull any absconders who may want to make a break from it. Obedient Mantis is Slayer.
I know its sounds like I'm bashing it. This is not the case, its and acid trip of a book thats so far out there and ridiculous it just charms you. You know when your reading any horror novel and that person always comes up to you and says ..why do you read this crap ? ...and you go defensive and back it and yourself up ? Well this is one that if you got caught with it they would be bang to rights and you could'nt put up a suitable alibi.
That all said its a sure fire cult pulp classic and is without a doubt the best flesh eating giant mantis owned bu a eunuch book I have ever read.
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Post by Jojo Lapin X on Mar 27, 2014 16:41:29 GMT
Think I'm the only member who has not added his thoughts on this novel here. No, you are not the only one. I own it, of course, but I have not read it. |
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Post by erebus on Mar 27, 2014 16:43:55 GMT
Go on.... I dare you.
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Post by andydecker on Nov 8, 2015 21:02:55 GMT
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droogie
Devils Coach Horse
Posts: 101
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Post by droogie on Nov 8, 2015 23:10:02 GMT
The original cover art for the NEL edition was done by Tim White, though it was heavily cropped for the final printed version. The actual full (version of the) painting is incredible.
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Post by kooshmeister on Apr 15, 2016 21:07:06 GMT
Is there anywhere it can be viewed? I'd love to see it.
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droogie
Devils Coach Horse
Posts: 101
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Post by droogie on Apr 16, 2016 13:01:38 GMT
Hello Koosh,
I bought the original painting from the previous owner (who got it from Tim directly)and that's how I found out its origin. He did not sign it. Apparently he was very angry at the the final treatment of it (i.e. the cropping for the book cover by the publisher), but whether or not it has to do with him not signing it cannot be verified. Put it this way : If he were to publish every painting he ever did somewhere, I think this one would be left off of the list intentionally.
Now, to answer your question: I'm not sure if I am allowed to post the photo of it, as whenever I buy paintings, the artist always want permission for it to be re-used somewhere. In this case, I don't think there would be a problem since it is not signed...so let me think about it for a bit...unless someone out there knows Tim and can ask him. I've written to him a couple of times over the years & have never gotten a reply.
Thanks!
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Post by dem on Aug 7, 2016 20:46:24 GMT
It's most likely an American author - Manor books first published it according to the preface. I too doubt it was Scott Gronmark but we'd need an expert in Manor's publications to see if anyone wrote in a similar style - if EAT THEM ALIVE! has a style! There was a American author called Evelyn Pierce Nace who wrote true life detective stories and pulp stuff - but she was productive in the 1940's/50's ( maybe later too) and seems unlikely considering the subject and frankly I think a man is responsible! This is about as far as I got in attempting to identify the author too. Evelyn Pierce Nace intrigues me, even if she may seem like an unlikely candidate. Here's what I dug up; Born 1908(?) In 1937, Evelyn Pierce marries Delmar Otis Nace, chartered life underwriter and member of the Mystic Masonic Lodge, in Minneapolis. They later move to Pampa, Texas. In the forties, Evelyn joins writing group, the Panhandle Professional Writers. Their website has this to say; "a most prolific member..., published more than 50 novels and more than 300 fact-crime articles, love-pulp stories, detective fiction, and confession stories. She also wrote a column, 'Mending Mature Marriages', for the Amarillo Daily News." The FictionMags Index lists only 5 of her short stories; "Knock-Out Lady", Romantic Love, 1939 "Star-Dust", Ideal Love, 1942 "Taxi Fare - One Heart", Gay Love Stories, 1943 "Gobs of Glamour", Golden Love Tales, 1946 "Big Steal", Famous Detective Stories, 1956 ("Gobs of Glamour"?) Died 23rd January 1983. Not a bad life by the sound of it but, apart from the 'true crime' and the detective stories, there doesn't seem to be much to suggest that she was the writer of Eat Them Alive. Personally though, I'd like to think she did. It just seems even better somehow if this "new peak in horror" was the work of a woman approaching her seventieth birthday, who'd previously contributed to Gay Love Stories and Golden Love Tales. But let's assume, for now, that she wasn't responsible. As Ade says, we're probably looking for an American pulp hack, possibly one who was producing other stuff for Manor Books around the same time. Manor Books published some great stuff, as you might expect from the people who brought us Eat Them Alive, and when I've got more time I'll post some scans and blurbs here at Vault (if you haven't seen any other Manor titles, trust me... they belong here). No shortage of names - known (Gary Brandner for one), unknown and pseudonymous - but was there anyone churning out anything similar in the mid '70s? Anything, say, with bugs eating people alive..? Well, oddly enough;  Manor Books, 1974(I'm not saying long-time Vault favourite, Donald F. Glut is the man behind the mantis but I thought it was interesting he should turn up)  Pampa Daily News, Sunday March 7, 1976. Latest development in the who wrote Eat Them Alive saga. Johnny Mains has unearthed a wealth of information re Evelyn Pierce Nace, including the above article, and it looks like she could be our girl after all! See Plugged Into The Mains: Pierce Nace Uncovered for full story. Well, if any book deserved to cause an uproar amongst the Panhandle Penwomen’s Writers organization it is Eat Them Alive. |
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Post by Johnlprobert on Sept 15, 2016 13:34:04 GMT
I hope fans of Eat Them Alive will be delighted to learn that Arrow's new Blu-ray of the film SLUGS features a commentary track by Mr Shaun Hutson in which he mentions that novel that is dear / close /repelled by all our hearts!
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Post by andydecker on Sept 15, 2016 17:12:44 GMT
Damn. Commentary by Hutson? Now I have to hear this  |
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Post by johnnymains on Aug 20, 2017 19:06:57 GMT
Since my blog has died on it's arse - I'm re-writing the Pierce Nace article for STORGY. And if more evidence was needed here is an early article stating why she went down the Pierce Nace route:  and photos of her again:   |
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