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Post by erebus on Jun 16, 2012 18:22:48 GMT
Don't believe we have a thread for this one. Always liked the Steve Crisp artwork for this one. The fly faced frenzy. Recall first seeing it in WH SMITHS way back in 1985 as a 12/13 year old sprog it fascinated me. Anyway whats inside.
The River Bed : B Seshadri Mandragora :Rosematy Timperley The Chatterbox : Alex White Special Reserves 75 : Harry E Turner Fire Trap : Rosemary Timperley Flies : John H Snellings Masks : J J Combey The Bath : Justin Fortune Time To Get Up : Nicholas Royle The Immaculate Conception :B Seshradi Death of a Council Worker : Ian C Strachan Micro-Process :Ralph Norton Noyes The Loft : John H Snellings No Mark of Respect : Oscar Holmes Firework Night : St John Bird Silent War :Jessica Amanda Salmonson Henry and the Beautiful People : Alan Temperley
Quite a few double efforts by the writers here. Also notable that most of the stories are very short. In fact it can be basically read in a sitting.
THE RIVER BED. A young mother with her newborn suckling child are struggling to cope with the intense heat and searing hot desert sands. It takes its toll when the woman looses all control and uses a disturbing method of easing the pain on her blistered feet.
MANDRAGORA. A young man becomes fixated on a lifesize dummy/model of a woman in an old bric a brac shop. The owner lets him have it. We later learn its not a dummy but in fact the shop owners stuffed wife who died a while back. But will she stay that way ?
CHATTERBOX . A wealthy Arab entices a good looking woman to become his latest mistress. But why has he had so many ? And why call her Chatterbox ? and to add to that what are all those boxes for down in the basement ? Its Alex White so expect some form of human suffering.
SPECIAL RESERVE 75. Two Brothers share a successful vineyard. One handsome and well to do. The other hunchbacked and ugly. Seemes a bit of revengeful retribution for the constant bullying is in order. And that huge grape press could be very usefull
FLIES : Poor old Katherine is always being bullied by slob husband Charles. Shes forever wasting his money. Especially on those bloody daft jars she keeps buying. But thats the least of his worries. Three flies have entered the room and he is petrified of the loathsome things, a fact bullied Katherine knows only to well.
MASKS : Serial Killer picks up some hooker in a bar. Only this gal isnt what see makes out to be. Short but very effective little story.
THE BATH : Melita is delighted when she heres hubby James enter the house, so much she jumps straight out the bath to meet him. But James is not his usual happy self. With this she gets back into the tub to ponder on his dilema. She finds out when he opens the door to the bathroom , naked with a wild stare on his face.
TIME TO GET UP : Brian hates getting up for work. But what he hates most of all is the noise that rouses him from his sleep each day from his alarm clock. He can't help but attack and smash them to bits. A trip to the pub one night results in him picking up a young lady, she stays the night with him. But its a work night and the next morning he's woken by her shaking and yelling for him to go to work, Bet you know where this is going.
AN IMMACULATE CONCEPTION : Basic tale of Hindu Religion a Father in Laws outrage of his Son's wife forthcoming pregnancy. Poor Tale and thus far the worse story in the book.
DEATH OF A COUNCIL WORKER : Poor Raymond. Seems that stupid new computor system at work has screwed up and issued him four times the amount of work. Its exhausting him. His luck goes from bad to worse when he is evicted from home due to more computor errors. Homeless he decides to bed down each night in the Cemetary which also houses a crematorium. Hope he doesn't go out and get pissed up because when your heads spinning you just bed down anywhere. And a crematorium isnt the best place to sleep.
Ok six more stories to go. Ive read them but I'm off to watch the footy. I'll write em up tomorrow/later.
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Post by erebus on Jun 17, 2012 13:34:56 GMT
MICRO PROCESS : Bailey lives alone, he needs help with the keeping of his place. His friend Delgado insists he gets from him one of his special male servant helpers called a Model 12. It should be fine as it only runs off electricity. But it needs occasional disc updates. And what exactly does the update routine seven exactly entail ?
THE LOFT : Gary is eager to meet up with young Linda for a night of passion. Its going to be her first time too. But why does she go and have to ruin things by telling him shes moving away. Ah well suppose he'll have to take her to the loft in the old barn.
NO MARK OF RESPECT : Celia Black gets lonely when he very rich husband is away all the time on business. Never mind theres always his co worker Mike to keep her company. Although Mike is very vain and modest about his appearance. Husband Joe knows of this little affair, and above all of Mikes vanity. Should come in useful for the revenge he has planned.
FIREWORK NIGHT : Constable Wallace makes a terrible mistake when he tells the local kids that the barn they are stealing wood from belongs to a witch. What with Guy Fawkes night around the corner the kids find a perfect opportunity to get themselves a new Guy.
SILENT WAR : Two Vietnam vets are interupted one night at home by a knock at the door by a vicious silent psycho killer. Brother Teddy is gutted and left in a heap. The other brother has to fight it out, thing is he only has one arm and NO legs.
HENRY AND THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE : Poor old Henry, apart from having a claw for a hand he has just been told he has weeks to live. Divorced and alone he has no one but an old friend whom he bumps into years called Bert. Henry works for as a porter in a Office Block for theatrical and model agencies. His boss Mrs Reinhart is a cruel woman and the beautiful models there always tease and look down on Henry in disgust. But a trip to his friend Bert's lab gives him an idea for revenge. And his upcoming leaving party in the office is the perfect chance to enact it.
As noted before the books stories are very very short. And before you know it you've read through the thing quickly. Also as they are short tales describing the plot is a bit tricky without spilling the beans. Firework Night being a prime example. I cannot really find a poor story in this. All are entertaining, perhaps the two B Seshadri stories are the poorest. The Alan Temperley , Henry and the Beautiful People has always been a fave of mine and is perhaps a standout. And the others deliver a good dose of blood and gore.
The 26th is a Good Pan. Ive always liked it. But it has to be said this coming after the 25th which is without a doubt in my opinion the poorest volume ( Although I have'nt read the 30th ) . The 28th was also a stinker of a volume. I cannot recall 27 . Maybe I should read that one through again.
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Post by erebus on Jun 17, 2012 13:39:14 GMT
Why Do I always forget one FIRE TRAP : A mere two and a quarter pages in length. Whilst walking home one night a young woman sees a factory suddenly burst into flames. From within she hears the tortured screams of people being burned alive. Afetr the Firemen have finished shelearns not a soul was inside the building. But who was screaming then ? The Factory owner turns up and we find out what was stored within.
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Post by jayaprakash on Nov 5, 2012 6:11:21 GMT
I picked this up last week and finished it in two sittings - mainly because the stories, as the original poster notes, are very short. However, my impressions are a little different! I thought a lot of the stories were fairly trite variations on some sort of serial killer theme with gratuituous sex elements. Seshadri's stories stood out for their atmosphere and the first one was very effective - the second had some very interesting elements but could have done with some honing. I also enjoyed Timperly's stories although in both I felt that her concepts, effective in themselves, could have been framed a little more effectively. Just a little more foreshadowing and background could have made either of them a minor classic. 'Death of a council worker' had a certain absurd, pathetic charm. 'Firework Night' was a tight little chiller, the sort of thing that would be great for a session of tall tales between friends late at night. 'Silent War' had original elements, compared to the squalid sex-and-slash that dominates this collection, but the apparently motiveless sadist killer was a weak element. 'Henry and the beautiful people' is a nasty, elaborate revenge tale, a bit better than some of the others here, but weakened by the unnecessary misogynist elements. 'Micro-Process' was an interesting story, but the horrific-ness of it entirely depends on how intrinsically icky you think buggery is. 'The Bath' is the worst story here, little more than an excuse to bump off a bird in a bath. 'Special Reserves' is the sort of story that I would love to have heard Vincent Price narrating and 'Time to get up', although it is yet another story that culminates in the gratuituous murder of a woman someone has just had sex with, has a zany internal (il)logic that is pretty effective. Not as bad as I'd feared for a later Pan, but by no means what I'd specifically describe as good - although it does do what it sets out to do.
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Post by H_P_Saucecraft on Nov 5, 2012 13:27:36 GMT
I really liked 'Death of A Council Worker', couldn't remember the title until now. For some reason I think of the Character as Peter Cushing's Grimsdyke from 'Tales From The Crypt'.
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Post by jayaprakash on Nov 6, 2012 5:58:23 GMT
^ Oh that's perfect, the visual image really makes this story work even better for me!
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Post by Nightmare on Jan 3, 2013 22:39:49 GMT
I forgot to review this book. I really enjoyed this one minus a few stories.
1. The River Bed - I loved the descriptions, but the ending was a bit too predictable. I also thought the story could have been a bit shorter.
2. Mandragora - I don't remember it very well.
3. Chatterbox - The ending was predictable, but still a good story. (What is it with women and having bad things happen to their mouths in Pan stories??)
4. Special Reserve 75 - I don't recall it.
5. Fire Trap - The story was good.
6. Flies - Ehhhh. Flies never scared me.
7. Masks - Decent story.
8. Time To Get Up - Another decent tale.
9. An Immaculate Conception - Not bad, but it seemed a little cliched to me.
10. Death of a Council Worker - I don't remember it.
11. Micro process - Another story I would have to read again.
12. The Loft - Not a bad story.
13. No Mark of Respect - IIRC - a man was tattooed against his will.
14. Firework Night - I tried to like this story, but it didn't appeal to me.
15. Silent War - I'll have to read it again.
16. Henry and the Beautiful People - Good story, but I thought it could have been shorter. I loved the revenge idea, but shouldn't the ''beautiful'' people have been shown suffering?
17. The Bath - I thought it was a bit dull until the ending.
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Post by dem bones on May 9, 2014 7:19:51 GMT
Clarence Paget (ed) – 26th Pan Book of Horror Stories (1985) Steve Crisp (?) B. Seshadri – The River Bed Rosemary Timperley – Mandragora Alex White – Chatterbox Harry E. Turner – Special Reserve ’75 Rosemary Timperley – Fire Trap John H. Snellings – Flies J. J. Cromby – Masks Trustin Fortune – The Bath Nicholas Royle – Time To Get Up B. Seshadri – An Immaculate Conception Ian C. Strachan – Death Of A Council Worker Ralph Norton Noyes – Micro-Process John H. Snellings – The Loft Oscar Holmes – No Mark Of Respect St. John Bird – Firework Night Jessica Amanda Salmonson – Silent War Alan Temperley – Henry And The Beautiful PeopleDon't think I ever read this one before, even as a library loan. Between them erebus, jaya, saucy & nightmare have done such a job on reviewing #26, am struggling for anything remotely original to say, not that it's ever stopped me before. I like that many of the short, sharp shocks dispense with the concept of the twist ending. You are pretty sure what is going to happen to this or that cipher from the first paragraph and it usually does. St. John Bird – Firework Night: "Arrest her? She might turn the police car into a frog or something." Local kids are stripping the derelict barn of wood for their bonfire party. Trouble is, the barn is sited in a dotty old dear's back garden and the noise is getting too much for her. Crafty P.C. Wallace uses scare tactics to drive them away. Trouble is, the public-spirited youngsters take Wallace at his word. Come November 5th, they are ready to do their bit for the community. Harry E. Turner – Special Reserve ’75: Meet Gaston Sallebert, a deformed hunchback with an eye for the ladies. His domineering brother Charles, who manages the family vineyard, takes exception to wretched little pervert having any fun whatsoever, and after one beating too many, Gaston vows to get even. Poetic justice ensues. Rosemary Timperley – Fire Trap: Poor Mrs. Challoner loses her precious doll museum in a house fire. The lonely old widow has grown so attached to her brood, it is like she has been robbed of ten score children. Some of Mrs Timperley's Pan contributions give (me) the impression they were written on autopilot, but not this three pager. It's class. Trustin Fortune – The Bath: Melita can't figure what has gotten into husband James tonight, but she doesn't care one bit for this new him. I mean, a spot of role play is one thing, but Jim's eye-rolling mad slasher routine is taking things too far. John H. Snellings – Flies: Another overbearing alpha male is hamburgered by his pet fear. Probable inspiration for the cover painting. Van Thal had already included Flies in 1975's Second Bedside Book Of Strange Stories, and Paget did well in providing it a wider audience.
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Post by dem bones on May 10, 2014 10:21:16 GMT
I really liked 'Death of A Council Worker', couldn't remember the title until now. For some reason I think of the Character as Peter Cushing's Grimsdyke from 'Tales From The Crypt'. ^ Oh that's perfect, the visual image really makes this story work even better for me! Can only agree with Mr. Saucecraft's astute observation. Story would have made for a very tidy if unusually morose Tales From The Crypt episode, too. Ian C. Strachan – Death Of A Council Worker: Luckless fifty-something Raymond Bedford of the Ministerton Parks & Highways department falls foul of indifferent Town Hall counter staff and their negligible computer skills (although in mitigation, they're road-testing Windows ME at the time). Destitute through no fault of his own, Raymond gets drunk and dosses down in the Crematorium at Roselea where at least he'll be dry for the night. So where's your smug "fortune favours the resourceful" now? Alex White - Chatterbox: The 'Alex White' of immortal The Clinic repute being otherwise engaged, Paget evidently commissioned another of the Pan regulars to write him a Never Talk To Strangers II: Bluebeard's Castle. Merilee, recently divorced from philandering husband, Charles, takes up residence in Chelsea and makes a play for a mysterious Arab multi-Billionaire. Mr Abn-bin-Said is not only minted, he's devilishly handsome, hot stuff in bed, very possessive - she likes that in a man - and criminally insane. J. J. Cromby - Masks: Woman-hating torture fiend waylays very tarty prostitute. Before he gets down to business our man wants to know why she does what she does? Painted lady can only shrug a lame "a girl has to eat" by way of reply. Oh baby, you are so dead! Clarence Paget's doing bloody well so far.
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Post by dem bones on May 12, 2014 15:52:24 GMT
Three short-shorts. The Rosemary Timperley is a gem.
B. Seshadri - The River Bed: An apocalyptic vision of a heatwave in South East India. Thargi carries her infant baby son six miles through the sweltering countryside and across the scorched sand of the dry river-bad. The sun can do terrible things to the human mind ...
Rosemary Timperley - Mandragora: Michael meets the girl of his dreams in a bric-a-brac shop. The beautiful, life-size doll is so convincing he even takes her for real. The aged proprietor explains that Mandragora was his wife. She died young of pernicious anaemia, and, rather than say goodbye, he brought her home from the cemetery and stuffed her. Michael rather fancies some of that and promises to devote his life to her. He's as good as his word.
Nicholas Royle- Time To Get Up: Brian Farquhar is not at his best first thing in the morning and has the shattered alarm clocks and smashed cassette radios to prove it. Last night's bedmate, Sarah, makes the fatal mistake of nudging him awake.
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Post by dem bones on May 14, 2014 6:57:09 GMT
Jessica Amanda Salmonson - Silent War: A calm, ruthlessly efficient sadist versus Joe, gloomy 'nam vet with no legs and just the one arm. On the face of it, a cruel mismatch - the intruder has already made short work of Joe's able-bodied brother - but our human torso is not one to give up without a fight! John H. Snellings - The Loft: Midnight. It's pissing down with rain, and Craig Langran, the most handsome guy in High School, is fretting seventeen-year-old Linda has stood him up. No, here she is! Snog. Gary suggests they make for the derelict Williams barn. Linda reluctantly agrees. All is well until she says the wrong thing, setting us up for a nasty and most satisfying ending. That's two good 'uns from the unheralded Mr. Snellings.
Oscar Holmes - No Mark Of Respect: Celia Black has been carrying on with God's gift to women behind the back of her fabulously wealthy and well-connected husband, Joe. Joe Black didn't get where he is today by ignoring a slight. He dispatches God's gift to Cornwall on a special assignment. What follows is certainly not lacking in suspense, but the final revelation is a little disappointing.
Ralph Norton Noyes - Micro-Process: Meet model 12 - a.k.a. 'Adam' - a state-of-the-art humanoid robot, the answer to all your domestic needs. Bailey doesn't like other people, so Adam is certainly worth the expense, and now his house is spick and span. Just the one quibble. The manufacturers have not included the software to initiate routine seven. More SF sex-farce than horror story, but a lot of fun. As with No Mark Of Respect, it's unlikely a 2014 audience would find the climax especially shocking.
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Post by dem bones on May 15, 2014 14:09:03 GMT
B. Seshadri – An Immaculate Conception: Hindu Horror! Now that he's exhausted her dowry on gambling and visits to the pleasure house, Bansilal can't see much point to his daughter-in-law who is so insignificant she doesn't even warrant a name. It's now been two years, and still no grandchild1 Bansilal calls on God, and, more significantly, bribes a local hag midwife to resolve the "problem.* His son, who is a bit of a drip, trusts that Father knows best. Poor daughter in law doesn't stand a chance. Very cruel.
Alan Temperley - Henry And The Beautiful People: Deliberately left this one til last on the basis that, if the collection went tits up there was still have an old reliable to look forward to. Terminally ill Henry Coker determines to get even with his despised boss, her equally obnoxious secretary, and the entire pampered, preening clientèle of Greens, a thriving West End model and theatrical agency. Said boss, Mrs. Beverley Reinhart, a power-dressed and power-crazed Aussie, despises the fetch-and-carry man for his withered, claw-like hand, and is not the least dismayed when he hands in his notice. A chance meeting with an old pal at the Hospital proves pivotal to Henry's revenge. Bert is a Medical research technician specialising in Tropical diseases. Look at all those lovely Petri dishes, test tubes, culture trays ...
Henry has given the agency a lifetime's loyal service, so even Mrs. Reinhart can't find it in her to deny him a token leaving happy half hour. He adds a little something to the punchbowl to ensure everyone enjoys the occasion as much as he has.
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Post by charliegrenville on Jun 18, 2014 1:52:15 GMT
To be honest, Pan 26 isn't one of my favourites. It has its moments: I loved the pure undulating squelchy (literally) sickness of THE RIVER BED, thought Rosie Timperley's contributions (some of her last before her death) were superb as usual, and found MASKS entertaining if predictable, but generally found a lot of the stories to be retreads.
Then again, that's just me: some people have said Pan 28 was atrocious, and I have always been rather fond of it.
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