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Post by andydecker on Jun 14, 2012 21:07:04 GMT
I focused my reading on the Weird Tales era, plus the big names from the Poe-to-WT era. Gradually, I've found myself working forward in time (but not backward to the Gothics, at least not yet). Tonight, for example, I plan to start reading Robert Lory's Dracula Returns, the first NEL novel I've ever bought and something that I never would have come across without the Vault. I am seriously interested how you liked this or hated it. I am quite fond of it myself, but not because of its sheer pulpishness, but because I think that Lory captures the spirit and character of Dracula better then most. This series is such an odd mixture.
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Post by Knygathin on Jun 14, 2012 21:37:31 GMT
Tonight, for example, I plan to start reading Robert Lory's Dracula Returns, the first NEL novel I've ever bought and something that I never would have come across without the Vault. Nice cover art. I have never heard of it before. I hope it's better than it sounds, so your time will be rewarded.
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Post by Knygathin on Jun 14, 2012 21:50:39 GMT
Robert Lory's Dracula Returns, the first NEL novel. That's the Dracula artwork on the Vault homepage banner. What's that other creature on the banner? A ghoul? The "little people"?
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Post by cauldronbrewer on Jun 14, 2012 22:54:43 GMT
Tonight, for example, I plan to start reading Robert Lory's Dracula Returns, the first NEL novel I've ever bought and something that I never would have come across without the Vault. I am seriously interested how you liked this or hated it. I am quite fond of it myself, but not because of its sheer pulpishness, but because I think that Lory captures the spirit and character of Dracula better then most. This series is such an odd mixture. When I finish it, I'll be sure to post my thoughts in the Lory thread. I'm curious myself. Many Vault regulars seem to like it a good deal. On the other hand, Brian Frost calls it "banal" and "juvenile" in his The Monster with a Thousand Faces, which I recently read. In any event, I'm committed to seeing it through and reading the sequel, The Hand of Dracula (which is sitting on my shelf next to Dracula Returns!). Nice cover art. I have never heard of it before. I hope it's better than it sounds, so your time will be rewarded. Well, I'm a fast and none-too-fussy reader, so I'll be fine either way. Anyhow, it's only 124 pages. I like the cover, but I like the sequel's cover even more. In fact, the NEL cover of The Hand of Dracula is what inspired me to start reading the series.
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Post by killercrab on Jun 15, 2012 2:22:31 GMT
What's that other creature on the banner? A ghoul? The "little people"?
It's from the cover of NIGHT OF THE WARLOCK by Raymond Giles , published by Nel.
KC ( With Lory's DRACULA'S DRUMS and BROTHERS on the to read pile).
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Post by dem bones on Jun 15, 2012 7:08:22 GMT
In all its glory Cover artwork, Richard Clifton-Day (?) Appropriate that Dracula Returns and Night Of The Warlock should appear on this thread, as both are excellent examples of 'What this board is all about', or at least, the books that fired franklin, ripper and me to start a message bore and see what happened. Receiving an email from Mr. Lory - who, up until then was still widely believed to be a house name - and Justin's subsequent lengthy and utterly fascinating . interview with this pulp legend in Dracula Returns and Paperback Fanatic - are among the fondest memories i will take from this strange adventure. CB, of the two i prefer Hand Of Dracula (Greg Cox thinks its disgusting) over the series opener, but that's not to say i don't love Dracula Returns, and they're best read in order. Good or bad, i'm looking forward to hearing what you make of them.
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Post by andydecker on Jun 15, 2012 8:19:04 GMT
In all its glory CB, of the two i prefer Hand Of Dracula (Greg Cox thinks its disgusting) Because Lory had a unique voice which a lot of novelization writers never could achieve? It is a tie between Hand and Drums for a favorite. But I have to confess, I am very biased on that topic. I remember I had to do a school project in my last year at school, a literary report or something like that. Must have been 1975, I guess. I choose Dracula as the topic. I was a rabid fan of Stoker´s novel and of Marvel´s Tomb of Dracula which was published at the time in a german edition and which I perceived as "complex" writing compared to your average Batman of the time. (Ah, the naivety of youth). So I wrote it up. And I think I also included Lory´s Drums, as parts of the series were published in a sanitized form as a Vampir Horror paperback and which I read as the first one. Old loves rarely die
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Post by cauldronbrewer on Jun 16, 2012 1:49:08 GMT
Appropriate that Dracula Returns and Night Of The Warlock should appear on this thread, as both are excellent examples of 'What this board is all about', or at least, the books that fired franklin, ripper and me to start a message bore and see what happened. Receiving an email from Mr. Lory - who, up until then was still widely believed to be a house name - and Justin's subsequent lengthy and utterly fascinating . interview with this pulp legend in Dracula Returns and Paperback Fanatic - are among the fondest memories i will take from this strange adventure. The discussion of Mr. Lory in that thread--plus my curiosity about all of the 1970s horror novels discussed on the Vault--was another big factor in influencing me to look into the series (along with the covers). I was thinking about making the first installment of Guy N. Smith's "Crabs" series my next foray into 1970s horror, but now I'm considering a go at Night of the Warlock instead. I was a rabid fan of Stoker´s novel and of Marvel´s Tomb of Dracula which was published at the time in a german edition and which I perceived as "complex" writing compared to your average Batman of the time. (Ah, the naivety of youth). I'm still a Tomb of Dracula fan, too, and so far I'm definitely seeing the parallel. I've just reached the point where Harmon and Cam find the coffin in Castle Dracula . . .
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Post by monker on Jun 17, 2012 6:32:35 GMT
In all its glory Cover artwork, Richard Clifton-Day (?) Cover art by Bruce Pennington. Anyway, cauldronbrewer, I like to voraciously seek new authors too, but for me it's not a case of moving forward or back but sideways. If I ever think I have exhausted that, then I'll move on to something else. I just happen to think that older authors suit my sensibilities better (apart from their preoccupation with bloodsports ) and there is a certain glamour about delving into literature (or anything, really) that comes from a perceived 'golden age'. I'm also kind of obsessed with parallel comparisons, I don't know why.
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Post by Knygathin on Jul 2, 2012 1:28:36 GMT
Pardon me, I have not quite understood the essence of this board, (beginning to now I think), and am afraid I may unintentionally have spammed it. My interests are tangent to, and partly overlap the Vault's. I have been helped with lots of authors and books here, but also have a blind spot to much of what's going on. I am afraid I don't share the fetish for "cheap" literature. I seek refined literature, as much as possible. Although, I do enjoy many of the illustrated and colorful pulp covers.
If I post a book cover again, I will try to make sure it is British paperback. I was about to edit my last one to the Coronet edition, but on the other hand the Coronet wasn't very exciting or outrageous, so I thought it pointless.
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Post by andydecker on Jul 2, 2012 8:28:25 GMT
I am afraid I don't share the fetish for "cheap" literature. I seek refined literature, as much as possible. Although, I do enjoy many of the illustrated and colorful pulp covers. If I post a book cover again, I will try to make sure it is British paperback. I was about to edit my last one to the Coronet edition, but on the other hand the Coronet wasn't very exciting or outrageous, so I thought it pointless. One of the good things of the Vault is imho that it covers a really broad spectrum. From Pierce Narce to M.R.James. One of the joys in this field is to discover new (old) writers one either never heard about or dismissed outright for whatever reasons. If not for the Vault I would never have discovered a writer like Reggie Oliver for instance, for me actually the biggest discovery in the last two years, or things like the Black Book of Horror. On the other hand it also introduced me to the field of Shudder Pulps. As for the covers, I posted covers from a few countries. It is not about showing which is more outrageous. This is a fun aside, sure. But one of the really interesting things of the Vault has become the documentation of books fated to vanish into obscurity. I don´t want to know how many not registered collectors use our bibliographies before buying stuff. This is information you can´t find anywhere else.
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Post by Knygathin on Jul 2, 2012 9:54:29 GMT
. . . One of the joys in this field is to discover new (old) writers one either never heard about or dismissed outright for whatever reasons. . . . I have been pleasantly surprized several times. New worlds have opened up. And my prejudices of "some stuffy old writers", and newer ones also, have been put to shame.
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Post by cauldronbrewer on Jul 2, 2012 20:25:12 GMT
One of the joys in this field is to discover new (old) writers one either never heard about or dismissed outright for whatever reasons. If not for the Vault I would never have discovered a writer like Reggie Oliver for instance, for me actually the biggest discovery in the last two years, or things like the Black Book of Horror. On the other hand it also introduced me to the field of Shudder Pulps. Today I received three books that I'd recently ordered: a Mary Danby anthology ( Nightmares), an Alison Prince collection ( Haunted Children), and a Robert Lory novel ( Dracula's Brothers). If not for the Vault, I would never have come across any of the three. But one of the really interesting things of the Vault has become the documentation of books fated to vanish into obscurity. I don´t want to know how many not registered collectors use our bibliographies before buying stuff. I did just that for several years before I registered as a member.
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Post by dem bones on Jul 2, 2012 23:39:55 GMT
mr. knygathin, you are no spammer and having interests which are "tangent to, and partly overlap the Vault's" is neither sin nor crime!
Andy and CB. It is very much the same for me. It's a rare day goes by when i've not learned something new or been turned on to a book/ story/ mag/ painting/ blog by our contributors. Both of you gents do more than your bit in that department and you have my heartfelt thanks for it.
There's a positive aspect to the cover scanning in that so few of the artist ever received credit. Thankfully, this forum is far from unique in attempting to put that right.
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Post by Knygathin on Jul 16, 2012 13:59:58 GMT
One of the joys in this field is to discover new (old) writers one either never heard about or dismissed outright for whatever reasons. . . . Agreed. When one believes one has control, overview, and know all the greats there are, . . . one has settled back, contented, like in old retirement. And then, all of a sudden, unexpectedly, another discovery. . . . one more author, . . . who is not mediocre, but profound. . . . That is quite delicious. Another aspect I really enjoy, is the sport of trusting one's judgment and instincts as to what authors and books to choose. You can't read all available books, so you must make selections. My youth was wasted on too much garbage. Time is limited, you want to taste the best. A real challenge. It's a combination of reading criticisms with discrimination, weeding it out - and also being open-minded to new sensibilities, . . . and listening to one's deeper emotions as to what the aura of the author is about, and if it pertains to you. I like the weeding, it gives a sense of freedom. It's a sport . . . similar to skiing downhill, off-piste in a wood at reckless speed, seeking the best paths, while trying to steer clear of the tree boles and twigs. Naturally, in the rush of the process, you're bound to miss a few good bits. But my discernment has improved, and most of the books and stories I have read over the last years, have been towering, and have overwhelmed me to think of one after another as "the best I've ever read". . . No bunks have come my way at all - I have steered clear.
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