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Post by andydecker on Mar 28, 2023 8:37:28 GMT
On to Pan 20, published in 1979. By this time Herbert‘s The Rats was already becoming a classic, Guy N. Smith was publishing ever more books, and there was Stephen King becoming the publishing juggernaut he still is. His collection Night Shift sold a lot. In other words, Herbert van Thal had become a smaller fish in a larger pond.
Carolyn L. Bird – The Leather Ottoman OTT and as much fun as it was nonsense. The clothes of Casanova and Don Juan as lovers? Talk about weird sex toys. At least it was original with its not very well known murderer at the end. Still a strange opener. I would have chosen Arthur.
A. G. J. Rough – The Materialist Not what I expected after that title. The ending was sadly telegraphed too early, but the intense writing and the good characterisation made it entertaining. Never piss off magicians, even those in back-rooms. Especially not those in back rooms.
Edwin Brown – Round every corner This is a well-written and terse story. At first I thought this could have easily been published in Ellery Queen‘s or Hitchcock‘s, but the ending put it on track. The plot is rather slight, but it is suspenseful, tight down to the EC ending.
Rosemary Timperley – Hell on both sides of the Gate This had all the Pan elements for once - considering Ms Timperley's track record - a nasty family, incest, a gruesome ending. In many regards this reads like a blueprint for something van Thal would buy. I guess I have read too much of this stuff, but from the third page it was clear that this just could end in two ways. And when it was variant 1, I just rolled my eyes. I really have to get one or two of Ms Timperley's ghost stories. This didn't work well. Again.
John Arthur – Don‘t go down in the woods After a story with a homicidal maniac there is a story about a homicidal maniac. But it is a well-done story with a for the time rather graphic approach to sex. I loved the red herrings and the reversal of the usual clichés. If you read too many Pan's, you'd think the ugly duckling would be the murderess and so on. And of course the nutcase out of the clinic. But no. A female serial-killer decades before they became fashionable. Nice one.
Alan Temperley – The Victorian conservatory Satan worshipping killer orchids with their own Renfield in a Victorian conservatory. What‘s not to like? In every Pan there is at least one story which reads like a movie treatment. This would have made a great little horror movie. When I checked, I discovered that the writer only wrote horror for Pan till the end of the line and then seemingly never again. But he got successful in YA. Weird. I liked his first one in #18, but seems he gets better. Can't wait for Kowlongo Plaything in #23.
Harry E. Turner – The lion‘s cradle And another winner. #20 is shaping up to be better than #19. Taking a page out of the suave suspense thrillers of the time, this copies unashamedly from the James Bond of writing school with it cat-burglar, luxury hotels, glamour sex, champagne and Rolls Royce. The sadistic ending with its vengeful Arabs is nothing new for a Pan Book, it isn't even the most complicated death-trap ever featured in its pages. But it is well written and a lot of fun. That Eddie was such a well-rounded and sympathetic character made it even worse. Poor Eddie.
Francis King – School crossing Fourth great story in a row. It got mixed reviews here, but I thought it creepy and relatable. As traffic gets ever more complicated and stressful as one gets older – blink and you miss the bicycle coming silently on your side while opening the door - , this could have been written today. I liked that it wasn't over-explained, and while you could see ending, it was a uncomfortable story.
Norman P. Kaufman – Contents Norman, the king of torture porn before there was torture porn. While I normally like Kaufman's work a lot, this seemed a bit forced. Also Seabury Quinn already did it. Or maybe I am just jaded. Kaufman is another of those Pan only writers. Sometimes the series is like an ensemble play. But without the regulars it is not the same.
TBC
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Post by helrunar on Mar 28, 2023 12:20:37 GMT
Thanks for those fun notes. Unexpectedly, I looked on an online used book vendor site and spotted a copy of this one for the very reasonable sum of ten bucks. So I ordered it. Usually these Pans are pricey over here, when found.
cheers, Steve
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Post by helrunar on Apr 8, 2023 4:38:30 GMT
The book arrived a couple of days ago. Thus far, I have enjoyed Carolyn L. Bird's perverted little yarn (shades of Tanith Lee), as well as that story about the demonic Victorian hothouse (clarification: the orchids are Pan-worshipping, not Satanic) by the obscure Alan Temperley (who received some kind of grant from a Scottish arts council of some sort to write this precious bit of crumpet), and Harry Turner's sadistic evocation of that rare bibelot, the Lion's Cradle.
According to the flyleaf blurb, Herbert van Thal wrote an autobiography which must make for something rather sensational to read on the train. Has anyone ever seen a copy?
I'm not reading these tales in order, just jumping along and falling about as one does.
H.
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Post by humgoo on Apr 8, 2023 7:08:00 GMT
I'm not reading these tales in order, just jumping along and falling about as one does. There's a MRJ rip-off among them and it's a cracker!
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Post by andydecker on Apr 8, 2023 9:07:10 GMT
that story about the demonic Victorian hothouse (clarification: the orchids are Pan-worshipping, not Satanic) H. Tell that fine difference Dennis Wheatley
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Post by helrunar on Apr 8, 2023 13:43:11 GMT
Cheong, I just read Thomas Muirson's "A Country Tale," which includes a definite nod to "Count Magnus." Really nice little tale. Thomas Muirson is only recorded on the ISFDB as having published one other tale, and that was in Pan 21--I will probably be checking Abe. That volume also features two stories by Stevie King who usually induces at most a shrug and a faint grunt from this reader.
cheers, Hel.
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Post by helrunar on Apr 8, 2023 13:46:28 GMT
Aaaand... copies of Pan 21 start at around $120 on Abe. This is why Pan 20 is the first of these I've ever been able to read. I bought it from a UK dealer--even paying the $12 or whatever in shipping, it was far cheaper than I would have paid from any US vendor.
cheers, Hel.
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Post by dem bones on Apr 8, 2023 18:22:02 GMT
Cheong, I just read Thomas Muirson's "A Country Tale," which includes a definite nod to "Count Magnus." Really nice little tale. Thomas Muirson is only recorded on the ISFDB as having published one other tale, and that was in Pan 21--I will probably be checking Abe. That volume also features two stories by Stevie King who usually induces at most a shrug and a faint grunt from this reader. cheers, Hel. Back in 2007, Ian C. Strachan admitted to being 'Thomas Muirson', 'Carl Shiffman' and 'Curt Pater' (Pan Horror #25) when interviewed by Charles Black in Filthy Creations #2
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Post by helrunar on Apr 8, 2023 19:00:41 GMT
Thanks, Dem. I looked Ian Strachan up on isfdb and another alias cited for him is Maria Palmer. And if you click on Maria's page on that site, there are no entries, but the compiler notes that this author name used by the following litany of scribblers: Herbie Brennan, Theresa Breslin, Paul Cornell, Terrance Dicks, Anthony Masters, Dave Morris, Alick Rowe, Ian C. Strachan, Lisa Tuttle.
Impressive. Perhaps "Maria Palmer" was the "Alan Smithee" of 1970s and 1980s Britpulp publication?
cheers, Hel.
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Post by helrunar on Apr 10, 2023 13:23:54 GMT
John Arthur - "Don't go down in the woods" provided the kind of narrative I had expected from discussions of this series I've perused in my years reading along in the Vault. Although I knew where it was going after the first couple of pages, it was very effectively written with just the right dash of sensationalism in how the story was told. I also wondered if "John Arthur" was another pseudonym for one of the regulars.
I think Franklin Marsh referred years ago in this thread to EC Comics in alluding to the final image of Edwin Brown's "Round every corner" (clever little title) and the same thought occurred to me as I finished reading the tale. Though short, it packed quite a punch.
Rosemary Timperley - "Hell on both sides of the Gate" seemed an odd duck to find swimming through this particular pond. It was written almost like a dark fairy tale. The ending finished things off with an ugly little afterword. Quite clear that the family line had no danger of failing to carrying things on as expected.
Both John Arthur and Rosemary Timperley's stories featured killers who had been released from prison because of the misguided recommendations of medical prison authorities. A bit of social commentary there from Pan Horror.
H.
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Post by andydecker on Apr 14, 2023 8:10:13 GMT
And now the conclusion:
Carl Schiffman – A Smell of Fresh Paint The dangers of under-priced property. I loved it. Kind of the old Pan staple 'Kill the Wife – The next Generation'. Such a well done build up, never saw the cat dinner coming and neither the end. Thomas Muirson – A Country TaleA traditional and honoured setting – the country pub. Can't imagine such a thing happening in today's soulless chain-gastronomy. Again a well done tale about a haunted wood again with an unforseen twist. Personal taste aside, this is a good Pan. More good to impressive tales than bland ones, nothing too short or too long. Maybe a bit more mellow than in the past, still a well rounded variety of topics on the whole. One word on nostalgia. The book-order page which I loved at the time – so many possibilities - has listed novels like Colin Dexter's The Dead of Jericho, Dick Francis Whip Hand and le Carré's Smiley's People among others. 44 years later Dexter is still remembered for his Morse, thanks to TV, and Le Carré also. Dick Francis with his crime novels about horse racing and such not so much.
Let's see how Pan 21 is.
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Post by helrunar on Apr 14, 2023 17:13:38 GMT
I thought the Victorian conservatory tale could have benefited from some judicious editing. I have enjoyed most of the stories. "Contents" didn't do much for me; I guess I'm not that big a fan of contes cruels and torture porn. (The fate meted out to the ghastly "Doctor" did seem entirely justified, however.)
I still have the one about the Materialist to read, and then the book will most likely go off to a friend who will enjoy it. This particular copy was, it would seem very widely loved and read; the cover is quite creased and I like to think it passed through many different hands prior to visiting my home.
H.
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Post by helrunar on Apr 15, 2023 4:17:09 GMT
A. G. J. Rough (another pseudonym perhaps?) wove a surprisingly captivating little tale in "The Materialist." It made me think of the kind of thing that featured in Rod Serling's Night Gallery series back in the day. One of the better entries in this volume, for this reader. Glad I saved it for the end.
H.
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