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Post by Calenture on Nov 26, 2007 10:32:01 GMT
The 17th Pan Book Of Horror Stories ed. Herbert Van Thal (1976) Monica Lee - The Remains of Reindeer Harry Turner - The Hypnotist Elleston Trevor - They’re Making a Mistake Barbara J. Eyre - Poor Rosie Alex White - To Fatima Jack Shackleford - Thy Intention Turn … Maureen O’Hara - Nobody’s Child Myc Harrison - Needle and Thread Dawn Muscillo - Sister Coxall’s Revenge Jonathan Cruise - The Claygo Worm Myc Harrison - The Abscess Norman P. Kaufman - An Opportunity in Local Government Roger F Dunkley - The Man Called James Charles Black wrote: I won't reveal which one, Dem, but one of these would go in your necrophillia themed anthology.I'm a bit suspicious of the Elleston Trevor story. The Chicken-Switch SF story in the 16th Pan was quite out of place. I think he's better known as 'Adam Hall' who wrote the Quiller spy stories - and I have a Boy's Own type racing story by him, too. I think I know the necrophilia story that Charles mentions. And if I remember right, Needle and Thread is a revenge story of a Jewish concentration camp survivor... And The Remains of Reindeer was grotesque and stylish and very weird! Of course it's a long time since I read them. The Remains of Reindeer by Monica Lee: In life, Melissa Weldon was not beautiful; but her hands are of a rare elegance and beauty, and they catch the attention of painter Henry Eyewetts. He paints many studies of Melissa’s hands, cleverly placing them to the foreground of his paintings, while, in the pictures, the rest of Melissa becomes diffuse or cloudy. So begins the cult of Melissa’s hands. And when she dies, the old family doctor carries out her wishes, and amputates and embalms them. Her brother Hubert thinks this thoughtful of her. He is going to be alone in the huge house apart from the staff. But now, with Melissa’s hands placed in a glass case, surrounded by white lilies, adorned with her favourite rings, it’s as if she is still here with him. It is not possible to keep the hands secret from the staff, and inevitably word reaches the world outside the house. The scandal causes Hubert, already reclusive, to shut himself off completely, retaining only Alfred Stubbs the butler as live-in help. And with the shutting off of the world, Hubert, already clearly bordering on the autistic, attempts to bring his sister more surely back into the world to fill his empty life. The title of the story refers to an article Hubert once wrote which explained how the people of Lapland use every part of the deer to live; the story itself – which is almost fifty pages long – is something of a tour de force, moving tirelessly from incident to disaster to yet more incidents, with more than a hint of both The Beast With Five Fingers and The Loved Dead. Hubert wrote: The Abscess is a great story, just don't read it when you have a toothache or right before you go to the (you've guessed it) dentist. I'd love to summarize it, but don't want to give the plot away. Seek it out and read it, all of you!
Poor Rosie and The man called James are fondly remembered here as well. The remains of reindeer is overlong and imho not really a horror story.Charles Black wrote: Agreed about The Abcess. My other favourites in this one are The Claygo Worm, and Thy Intention Turn, by our old friend, Jack Shackleford.What amazed me about Lee's story was how it was spun out to such a length without (in my opinion) becoming at all boring! I thought it was very stylish and entertaining. But I agree about The Abcess - Lovecraft goes to the dentist! Brilliant! ;D Bushwick wrote: SPOILER ALERT...(I SUPPOSE) This is a cracking Pan...haven't got that far into it, but The Remains Of Reindeer is excellent, gothic and nasty, that upper-class antiquated English grue that these books do so well. The Alex White story is great, very direct and brutal as you'd expect. A couple of lines really made me laugh despite myself during my lunch break today. This is not an adverse comment on the writing, more just me being a nasty juvenile bugger. Good straightforward murder descriptions that made me chuckle. And is this the only Alex White where the murderous protagonist actually gets his come-uppance? Alex White is the Lucio Fulci of the page. I love you Alex! Poor Rosie was alright but a bit throwaway. Same with They're Making A Mistake...didn't really 'get it'...inconsequential methinks... Shit, how could I forget The Hypnotist? Brilliant. Jason King-style hero, camp as a row of tents, interesting premise and a decent villian. Some outlandish descriptions of gore too. Bit of a daft ending but the story was tongue-in-cheek to begin with.
Will report back when I've read some more. So much bloody stuff to read. Must keep off internet. Plus I'm constantly downloading all these interesting films (LEGALLY OF COURSE DISCLAIMER AHEM AHEM) and never get time to watch them. Plus I've got to finish my new story Human Cancer Cannon. So little time![/color] Nightreader wrote: ]It's about 20 years since I read this one, but your comments make me want to re-read The Hypnotist. I found the most memorable story to be An Opportunity in Local Government - a bit more effective, 'punchy' (sorry) and nasty than NPK's other efforts, which were all pretty conte cruel-ish Demonik wrote: Perhaps if we keep going on about how great Alex White is, the forgotten Goddess of horror will get in contact with us. From beyond the grave, if necessary: I'm easy with that.
I remember the super-spiteful Sister Coxall's Revenge from Cuddon's Penguin Book of Horror Stories.
One top review, Bushwick, but excuse me if I don't like you just this second.
Bushwick wrote: Quick update: Nobody's Child is a superb little tale. The casual political incorrectness, brutality and sexual violence, and the old-fashioned dialogue are classic Pan. This one 'kind of' has a happy ending, I suppose. It's one of those stories where you work out what you THINK is going to happen about halfway through, then the author flips it around. Very impressed. Has Maureen O'Hara written much more? Was it her who did Under The Flagstone? It was wasn't it? What is it with these incredibly nasty female authors? Growing up in the prim and proper England of yesteryear must have created a lot of unbridled violence and emotion just waiting to creatively pour out...
Thy Intention Turn was alright, scene set nicely but a disappointing ending I thought.
More as I work through it.Demonik wrote: It was Morag Greer, and I've just found two stories of hers I don't think I've read before in Van Thals Bedside Book Of Strange Stories #1 and 2. I hope to get around to them this weekend. Maureen O'Hara had On the Eve of the Wedding in #16 and The Atheist in my least favourite, # 18, if that means anything to you? I must admit, it doesn't to me offhand though I'm certain I've commented on at least one of them.
Sister Coxall's Revenge always puts me in mind of the framing story in the Amicus anthology Asylum though it's a sight grimmer. J. A. Cuddon was impressed with it enough to include it in The Penguin Book of Horror Stories, the only original story from the Pan's to make the cut though a number of reprints made it in there too.Demonik wrote: I finally have a copy of this. Pretty obvious what story I'd read first: Alex White - To Fatima: Charts the progress of James from acts of sadism versus pets in childhood, through opportunist murder and a lengthy stint as a corpse-raping strangler in maturity to his downfall when he meets Fatima, the beautiful sister of a wealthy Arab and the only woman he ever loved. When Fatima insists on going through with her arranged marriage to Feisal, James falls back into his old ways. But Fatima's brother and Feisal are more than his match in dishing out suffering and his protracted torture at their hands, boots, whips and irons is hideous. Alex White is something of a Vault favourite and this is typically nasty if not in quite the same league as Never Talk To Strangers or her masterpiece The Clinic. Barbara Jane Eyre - Poor Rosie: Mentally unbalanced serial killers do not make the best mothers. Dead baby fun. Roger F. Dunkley - The Man Called James: A police helicopter hovers overhead and wheelchair-bound Maud finds a young man in her garden. A very personable fellow but he just can't endure suffering in his fellow creatures. When her cat lashes out at a dove he destroys the bird with his bare hands and tosses it away. Then he notices Maud's tablets ... Harry E. Turner - The Hypnotist: The under-rated Turner continues his tradition of reworking unpretentious twenties and thirties horror plots as ace reporter Stew McAlpine travels to Montreaux to interview master mesmerist Count Vladimir Von Beck. "All poppycock" reckons McAlpine until he meets with the happy clappy zombies on whom the Count conducts his experiments and, finally, experiences the man's uncanny abilities for himself. Plenty of gory surgical moments and much nastiness down in the cellar.
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Post by sean on Nov 26, 2007 11:35:13 GMT
I'm a bit suspicious of the Elleston Trevor story. The Chicken-Switch SF story in the 16th Pan was quite out of place. I think he's better known as 'Adam Hall' who wrote the Quiller spy stories - and I have a Boy's Own type racing story by him, too. Elleston Trevor also wrote The Flight of the Phoenix which was a pretty good novel, or so I remember it. You've probably all seen the film - plane crashes in desert, survivors build a new plane out of the wreckage etc etc. He also wrote a novel about an arsonist called (I think) The Fire Starter.
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Post by dem bones on Apr 28, 2008 20:34:20 GMT
Jack Shackleford - Thy Intention Turn ....: Jermyn Street. 24 year old Alexandra German has taken the job of secretary to Damon Selby, an authority on all things folklore, occult and witchy. Selby has incurred the wrath of a Black Magician he inadvisedly dismissed in print as a charlatan and this man has vowed to destroy him. Alexandra volunteers to assist Selby in raising a demon to reverse the spell but ... it doesn't go too well. This would have been right at home in one of Michel Parry's Mayflower Book Of Black Magic's and Shackleford even manages to smuggle in some comment on the contemporary witchcraft/ BM scene with a dig at (I assume) Alex Sanders? "There is a man who will perform rites - for a suitable fee - in other people's homes, as a sort of cabaret act for parties, or even on the stages of local cinemas and theatres - but one could never take such a man seriously. He is, at best, a harmless pretender, at worst a fool."I've a clipping of Sanders performing a Black Mass or some-such exciting ritual at the Hendon Classic ( Church Slams Black Magic Show, News Of The World, Jan. 24th 1971). *God, but so tempted to put together something about the NOTW-fuelled Witch-sploitation craze of the early 'seventies and all the laugh-out-loud exposes* thingHi mate, Sorry it took me a while to get to this - not been on this forum for an age. Just going through a list of bookmarks to see what's still active landed me here and your last entry. In essence, yes, the reference you make is pretty much correct to the best of my knowledge. Though in fairness I don't think the dig was 'exactly' aimed at Alex Sanders but more at folks like him who would, I believe, 'initiate' nearly anyone for a fee. Dad isn't particularly tolerant of 'new age' Magick (sic) or such things. He's a traditionalist for want of a better word. Greg **** Elleston Trevor - They’re Making a Mistake: Recently released from the Asylum and full of the joys of sanity, all he wants is to do somebody a good turn. Opportunity arises when he chances upon a young woman who appears as if she's about to throw herself off the bridge .... It's OK, but not really horrific enough for this series. Norman P. Kaufman - An Opportunity in Local Government: Retiring child welfare officer Mrs. Latimer is furious that parents who abuse their infants are treated with such leniency by the Courts. She's a stickler for the punishment fitting the crime and malodorous twenty-somethings Jamie and Merill Henry have cause to regret every bruise and fracture they've inflicted on their son. As ever, an excuse for Kaufman to indulge his penchant for gory torture and entirely devoid of redeeming features. You can't help but admire him. Maureen O’Hara - Nobody’s Child: Jenny, fourteen, is jealous of Simon, her elder, mongol brother because father showers him with love and affection while all she gets is brutality and loathing. It wasn't always that way. Indeed, he doted on her until her twelfth birthday, which, coincidentally, was also the day her mother disappeared for good. When, at last, she bravely confronts him, father tells all. "The milkman was your mother's lover and you are the milkman's child. That's why I treat you like a bastard, Jenny. You are one!" Well, it's good to get things out in the open, and now at least Jenny can understand and even sympathise with him, but, as she explains, she really should be with her parents. He agrees to take her to them, but he wants a shag first. Most unpleasant!
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Post by Johnlprobert on Apr 29, 2008 10:33:57 GMT
Back when I was 'making sure my collection was complete' (long before the internet) this was the one I had the most trouble finding. It's not a particularly memorable volume but I did like Mr Kaufman's slice of nastiness.
I don't remember The Hypnotist story but it reminds me that Harry E Turner wrote some story about a 'Mad Jack' McAlpine crash landing his aeroplane in a jungle full of sex-mad Amazon ladies. Maybe in a Frighteners volume?
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Post by dem bones on May 2, 2008 19:41:17 GMT
I don't remember The Hypnotist story but it reminds me that Harry E Turner wrote some story about a 'Mad Jack' McAlpine crash landing his aeroplane in a jungle full of sex-mad Amazon ladies. Maybe in a Frighteners volume? That's going to drive me mad until someone tells us what it is! Must admit, I've thoroughly enjoyed #17 - thanks, Rog - which is varied, consistently ghastly and full of memorable stories. Myc Harrison - Needle and Thread: Elderly tailor Karl Rantz is tired of being bullied and blackmailed by unnamed fat slob over some unspecified dark deed during the war. He devises a torture straight out of the Norman Kaufman school of subtlety. Dawn Muscillo - Sister Coxall’s Revenge: "You know, Sister, a person working with the mentally ill for any length of time without a change, is in great danger of illness herself". Is that so, thinks Sister Coxall. She's run Violet Ward for over a decade and no wet behind the ears university graduate is going to usurp her without a fight! Myc Harrison - The Abscess: Charming adventure of Brian Taylor whose monstrously face requires the urgent attention of a dentist. After a squirm-inducing wrestle with a rotten stump, narrator Robert's dad finally gets to investigate what lurks inside the gum. Jonathan Cruise - The Claygo Worm: Set in the 1930's which is usually a good sign as far as I'm concerned. The young curate is assigned the tiny parish of Stumber in the shadow of the Mendips and soon finds himself in conflict with the immoral Squire Aigur Gondercrest of Claygo Hall, loathed and feared by the superstitious community on account of the legendary Claygo worm over which he is said to have control. The curate is determined to rid his congregation of their morbid fears but after the churchwarden's daughter Alice is molested by the Squire, he finds it less easy to disprove the existence of Gondercrest's squirming monstrosity. I'll have to come back to Monica Lee's (brilliant) Remains Of Reindeer after I've had a long lie down because .... it's a very busy story, ain't it?
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Post by allthingshorror on May 2, 2008 20:04:33 GMT
I've got a small lead - tiny lead - but could be a promising one on Alex White that I'm following. Will keep you posted if I find out anything.
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Post by dem bones on May 2, 2008 20:17:17 GMT
Well done Johnny! She's one of the most loved and little known authors we've mentioned on here judging by the response over the years. Another who's proved very popular: have you any info on Vernon The Black Creator Routh from the mighty Pan Horror #2?
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Post by Johnlprobert on May 3, 2008 8:48:41 GMT
Found that Harry E Turner story!
It's called 'Love Bites' and it's in Pan 22
Enjoy!
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Post by dem bones on May 3, 2008 9:50:27 GMT
OK, John I'm onto it. Just shifted the Pan #22 thread from the old place, and Harry E. Turner's Carry On Up The Jungle set aside for next read!
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Post by thecoffinflies on Jun 16, 2008 18:48:14 GMT
The Remains of Reindeer is a terrible story! Sprawling, tedious, unfunny, and incompetent. It makes no sense, doesn't engage me, and takes half the damn book not to go anywhere but to a lame joke finale, that would have been funny if only Fredric Brown had condensed the entire story to four paragraphs. Godawful crap. People like it? People recommend it?? Sorry, I know I'm new here. But really...Gimme "The Abscess", any day of the week.
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Post by noose on Mar 4, 2012 10:54:58 GMT
And the artist of this book is... Alan Lee
Only found this out in the last week - it's so his style I can't believe I hadn't sussed it out before.
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Post by dem bones on Mar 4, 2012 20:28:58 GMT
it's weird. all the right ingredients and yet somehow it's my least favourite of his horror/ supernatural paintings, those i know of, anyhow. But, you are right, Johnny. Once you're told it's one of his, "of course, why didn't i think of that!"
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Post by noose on Mar 4, 2012 20:32:18 GMT
I'd go out on a limb and say 16 could be attributed to him as well - will find out in due course - 15 I'm still not too sure on...
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Post by dem bones on Mar 4, 2012 21:15:33 GMT
yeah, i can see your reasoning there. it has a Fontana Ghost feel to it. certainly prefer it to #17 and, indeed, #15 which, however skilfully executed, always struck me as deathly dull.
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Post by charliegrenville on Jul 16, 2014 12:40:21 GMT
Revisiting this one at the mo. Some stories like THEY'RE MAKING A MISTAKE and SISTER COXALL'S REVENGE are old, long-forgotten favourites and reviving teenage memories. I'm also halfway through NEEDLE AND THREAD and it's starting to ring all sorts of bells...shades of films like THE BESPOKE OVERCOAT and ASYLUM in there too.
I always loved AN OPPORTUNITY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT too- one of Kaufman's best, and in the third person for a change. The new ones on me yesterday were POOR ROSIE- which particularly invokes all sorts of "yick" for me, as one of my best mates, who is a sparky, often tells the story at parties of when he and his mates found a dead baby in a house they were wiring in Watford- and THY INTENTION TURN. Obviously based on the idea of Gerald Gardner and Alex Sanders having a "magick-off", ala Corman's THE RAVEN, that too would provoke much amusement among certain friends of mine who practice the esoteric arts.
Also couldn't resist NOBODY'S CHILD, as my Dad used to sing the song of that title continuously when I was a boy. Dont know why though- he's not a country lover, he's a jazz fan...
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