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Post by Johnlprobert on Mar 3, 2010 7:38:51 GMT
The Room in Le Dragon Volant As mentioned above, this is a locked room mystery and a pretty good one. It's odd (to me anyway) that by far the longest story in the book should be the one that isn't really horror at all, but it's briskly written, far from dull, and is frequently humorous. Over the years several people have disappeared mysteriously from the room of the title, and (hint hint) all their money has gone missing as well! Enter Richard Beckett with his intention to win in the casinos of Paris with his revolutionary technique and thirty grand to do it with. The rest of the story basically details the machinations of a bunch of ne'er-do-wells who try to get it off him. Even a jaded cynic like myself relished LeFanu's careful structuring of the plot, filled with characters who aren't for one second who they claim to be. The only place it falls down is at the end. Written in the first person, our hero eventually gets to the point where he can narrate no further and so we switch to third person, but that's a minor quibble. That and the rather forced 'happy ending'. Otherwise this is an entertaining way to spend an afternoon & I thought it made very easy and pleasurable reading indeed.
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Post by dem bones on Mar 3, 2010 13:35:44 GMT
i don't mind telling you i spent the night in a state of pulse-freezing suspense wondering if you'd bomb past Room in Le Dragon Volant and straight onto the delights of Carmilla! i've had a dip into Madam Crowl's Ghost, but it's best i hold back until we've given mischievous Mircalla a seeing to, so to speak.
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Post by Johnlprobert on Mar 3, 2010 13:57:01 GMT
Well I like to think I'm made of sterner stuff, I'm getting into Carmilla now and while I try and think of another double entendre I'm surprised how similar it is to the opening of The Vampire Lovers.
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Post by Johnlprobert on Mar 4, 2010 13:25:22 GMT
Carmilla And so In A Glass Darkly is rounded off with this terrific vampire story. As I kind of mentioned above, I was actually surprised at how closely the screenplay of Hammer's The Vampire Lovers follows the plot. But LeFanu's story is so much better, and the ending is an absolute belter - far gorier than Hammer and more in keeping with some of the Euro-horror versions, with the gorgeous young Countess discovered in her coffin submerged in blood before she gets staked and beheaded. The atmosphere built up in the ruined town of Karnstein is smashing. I loved it, and I may venture to suggest it's a better vampire tale than Bram Stoker's
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Post by Dr Strange on Mar 4, 2010 14:01:40 GMT
Carmilla - I may venture to suggest it's a better vampire tale than Bram Stoker's I wouldn't argue with that - it's a pity more people haven't read and appreciated Le Fanu, and so don't realise just how much of the "groundwork" he appears to have done for Stoker's famous novel.
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Post by andydecker on Mar 5, 2010 20:22:38 GMT
It´s funny, I read almost all classics, even some obscure ones, but I never read Le Fanu. Guess I have remedy that.
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Post by cw67q on Mar 5, 2010 21:41:32 GMT
The Dover "Best Ghost Stories of" is probably the single best Le Fanu collection. It contains the supernatural stories from "Within a Glass Darkly" (i.e. everything except Dragon V) as well as plenty other top class stories.
Look out in particular for the short novel the Haunted Baronet, Squire Toby's Will (which is included in Madam Crowl's) and Schalken the Painter.
Most of the other ghost tales are in the second Dover collection Ghost Stories and Mysteries alongside some non-supernatural tales like Dragon V. This is a good companion volume, but not as strong as "Best GS". Although I think The Child That went with the Fairies is one of his strongest stories, easily the best of the folkier tales and I wish it has been chosen rather than White Cat or Tiled House for the first book.
There are at least two good tales that were discovered after the dover though, Spalatro and Borrhomeo the Astrologer that I think were first published by Sarob. The shorter tale B the A made it into a recentish Joshi edited Dover anthology. Don't know if the longer (excellent) Spalatro has been anthologised. Both these stories made it into the Ash-Tree books which have very well written and extensive introductions by Jim Rockhill.
One of the curious things about Le Fanu is how modern he feels, despite writing in the early Victorian era he sits very well beside e.g. aickman and has dated much bettre than many of the more straightforward and formulaic later Victorians (IMHO).
- Chris
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Post by dem bones on Mar 6, 2010 8:23:23 GMT
Never really been tempted to try his novels, though that might change now this pair are available from Wordsworth. J Sheridan Le Fanu - Uncle Silas (Wordsworth Editions, 2009) Blurb: Introduction by Kathryn White. "I thought I saw a human face, about the most terrible my fancy could have called up, looking fixedly into the room. The face gazed towards the bed, and in the imperfect light looked like a livid mask, with chalky eyes."
Master of the ghost story genre M.R. James commented that the, final terrific murder-scene and escape can hardly be forgotten by those who have read Uncle Silas. Neither does the opening disappoint. As the November winds wail in ivied chimneys we are drawn into a Victorian Gothic atmosphere of menacing, sombre gloom and ebony shadows. Sheridan Le Fanu leaves us in no doubt that we are in for a feast of exciting drama, luring us into the intensely claustrophobic world of the nineteenth century sensational novel. Le Fanu is amongst the top-notch exponents of the creepy, the criminal and the oppressive. In this tale of the orphaned teenage heiress Maud Ruthyn, fearing for her life at the hands of her sinister uncle, he has created a rattling good plot with the depth of a social novel and the power of high romance. J Sheridan Le Fanu - The House By The Churchyard (Wordsworth Editions, 2007) Blurb: Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu is best known today as one of the Victorian period's leading exponents of supernatural fiction, and was described by M.R. James as standing absolutely in the first rank as a writer of ghost stories. The House by the Churchyard is perhaps his best novel in this genre. Set in the village of Chapelizod, near Dublin, in the 1760s the story opens with the accidental disinterment of an old skull in the churchyard, and an eerie late-night funeral. This discovery relates to murders, both recent and historical whose repercussions disrupt the complacent pace of village affairs and change the lives of many of its notable characters forever. Charm and chilling darkness abound in equal measure in one of the greatest novels of a Victorian master of mystery. Includes the much anthologised, self-contained story Narrative Of The Ghost Of A Hand (Bleiler reproduces it in slightly extended form as Ghost Stories Of The Tiled House). Dublin, late eighteenth century. The Prosser household are besieged by the pudgy, toad-like spectral hand which tricks its way inside the Tiled House, frightens the servants and makes an attempt on Mrs. Prosser's life. But it saves its worst for the infant son. Good fun while you're reading it but a little more mindless violence wouldn't have gone amiss if you ask me. agree with Chris that the Dover Best Ghost Stories is a top selection, but Madam Crowl's Ghost isn't bad either! M. R. James had to get into some serious detective work to compile it as so much of Le Fanu's work was published anonymously. .
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Post by cw67q on Mar 6, 2010 11:39:39 GMT
There is a (very) minor difference in the text of different printings of Madan Crowl's Ghost. In some verions Crowl refers to the girl child as a "lamb" and in other printings as a "limb" (ie by implication of satan). There I told you it was minor :-) But both readings are nice. I can't remember which versions occur in which books, but the difference came up in an earlier concvesation on another discussion group with Jim Rockhill.
of the two novels, I really liked the House by the Churchyard but it is only a ghostly novel in the passing. There are violent crimes at the heart of the novel, but don't go into it thinking it is a horror novel. It is a wonderful sprawling rambling mass of a book though an a recommended read. There are some very funny scenes in the first half of the novel which caught me completely cold footed.
I found uncle silas a bit of a let down given its repuation. I found the situation difficult to take seriously and a bit of a chore to read through. On the whole i prefered Checkmate another thriller/mystery novel which doesn't seem to be as highly rated (another example of my poor taste, more than likely) . The ending of this completely blind sided me given when it was composed. It must have been a shocker at the time.
I'm afraid I gave up on the Wyvern Mystery as overly padded but I'd like to tackle it again some day. the BBC (?) adpatation a few years back was rather enjoyable. The basic story behind the Wyvern M is preented in an earlier novella version in Ghost Stories and Mysteries, but I've forgotten the title. As someone else remarked earlier, le Fanu did not shrink from recuclying plots.
- chris
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Post by ripper on Mar 6, 2010 15:35:44 GMT
In the Wordsworth edition of Madame Crowl's Ghost that I have, the girl is called a "limb."
I think that my favourite Le Fanu yarn is Aungier Street. It always sends a chill up my spine when I read it, particularly those footsteps coming down the stairs. I am also struck by the similarities between Aungier Street and Stoker's The Judge's House.
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Post by Dr Strange on Mar 8, 2010 16:14:15 GMT
I think I will have to read these stories again shortly - but I wonder if the purpose of framing them as Dr H's "case studies" was to make them more ambivalent (in terms of whether they "really" involved supernatural events or not). If I remember right, Dr H isn't telling us about his own first-hand experiences - he's reporting, at second-hand, what others have told him - and it is up to the reader whether he accepts these reports at face value, or find some other explanation for the experiences (like insanity).
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Post by Johnlprobert on Mar 8, 2010 16:49:25 GMT
Good point, and the only good reason I've heard for framing the stories like that.
Another couple of observations about Carmilla while I'm here. First, it's interesting that bats aren't mentioned, but the likeness of the vampire to other animals is. Carmilla is likened to a leech at one point - a black shape that swells on the bed, and I thought the whole idea of her being dropped into a healthy family so she can destroy it from within reminiscent of the vampire as cuckoo.
I'd certainly agree with that, in fact I've been surprised at how readable he is. I can't wait to get to grips with more of his short fiction.
PS Dem - are we going to give Madam Crowl's Ghost its own thread? Otherwise I'll never find it when I come to wanting to post comments
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Post by cw67q on Mar 8, 2010 22:05:25 GMT
In the Wordsworth edition of Madame Crowl's Ghost that I have, the girl is called a "limb." I think that my favourite Le Fanu yarn is Aungier Street. It always sends a chill up my spine when I read it, particularly those footsteps coming down the stairs. I am also struck by the similarities between Aungier Street and Stoker's The Judge's House. Thanks Ripper - chris
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Post by Steve on Mar 10, 2010 20:27:34 GMT
While I'm at it, here's the old Wordsworth Classics cover for In a Glass Darkly. Not entirely sold on this one (the cover, I mean) - though having said that, I did buy it at the time - but it's better than the owls surely? Incidentally, there's an artist called Jonathan Barry who's done a lot of illustrations based on various works of fantastic literature, including some Dracula and Gothic-type stuff Curiously enough, I've just noticed that the cover for the Wordsworth Mystery & the Supernatural edition of Le Fanu's The House By The Churchyard is a Jonathan Barry painting - for "Carmilla"! Why didn't Wordsworth use that for In a Glass Darkly I wonder?
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Post by dem bones on Mar 16, 2010 18:56:41 GMT
Not entirely sold on this one (the cover, I mean) - though having said that, I did buy it at the time - but it's better than the owls surely? i'm not a big fan of the cartoonish owl but i think the more recent edition is an improvement and the Uncle Silas is lovely. anyway, can't miss up the opportunity to post some Carmilla covers. J Sheridan Le Fanu – The Best Horror Stories (Sphere, 1970) Alexis Lykiard – Introduction
Shalken The Painter Green Tea The Familiar Carmillaand, of course; Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu - The Vampire Lovers And Other Stories (Fontana, 1970) Vampire Lovers (Carmilla) Shalken The Painter Sir Dominick’s Bargain Narrative Of the Ghost Of a Hand Green Tea An Account Of Some Strange Disturbances In Aungier Street The Fortunes Of Sir Robert Ardaghused to have another one called The Vampire Lovers, possibly Fontana, and very slim, perhaps just a stand alone Carmilla. all i remember about it is the cover artwork, two very hippy haired girls, struck me as a bit, er, 'unaccomplished, at the time, though i'm sure i'd love it now. the way i remember it, the background was pale blue and i'm thinking there was a lot of yellow in there too, probably block-painting one (or both) girls' hair. ring any bells?
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