Cover or story?

[franklinmarsh]

The perils of Ebay! I've been a little embarrassed that, as one of the champions of Pierce Nace's Eat Them Alive as the worst book ever written, and forevering tainting the good burghers of the Vault as being wild-eyed drooling sadists (and proud of it!), I really should own a copy. One came up on eEbay recently and I got it for less than 3 quid. A package arrived yesterday and I thought Huh? That's a bit big. Turned out it was the NEL doublebill with Fleshbait. So although I have received an extra book with my purchase, I feel strangely cheated of that glorious cover.

[dem]

i reckon you've come out of it real well! don't think any of us knew of that smashing double-header until Steve bagged a copy recently. *ahem* any chance of another terrifying FM cover scan?

May 4, 2009 19:21:46 GMT franklinmarsh said:

[franklinmarsh]

What, this one?

Or this one?

[dem]

Thanks FM. Of course, now i've seen it again, i remember Steve scanned the cover of that masterly double-header not so long ago. i still think it's an inspired idea republishing them in the one volume and its a shame the idea didn't catch on. And have you noticed how, when the self-appointed taste police sneer that the NEL/ Hamlyn 'nasties' authors don't measure up to James, Eliot and Milton, they conveniently overlook Pierce Nace?

[franklinmarsh]

Yeah! We've mentioned it before, but it was a bizarre NEL tactic, perhaps they saw big fat books coming in. They did the Guy N Smith triple bill, and combined 3 Edge and Adam Steele novels in one.
When George Marshall reprinted the Richard Allens, he had to put 3 in one volume, and Creation put all four of Mick Norman's Hells Angels series into one handy tome.

Not only am I missing the Eat Them Alive mantis drooling haemoglobin all over the place, but I seem to remember that the original cover of Fleshbait was far better than the book itself. Moan, moan, moan.

[dem]

ah, i still don't have a copy of Fleshbait, but i've heard great things about it, most notably from Sev, i.e. "Just finished this, and if anyone hasn't yet read this, or is thinking of doing so soon - don't bother, it's lousy, uninspired, one-dimensional and is several hours of reading time that I'd like back!!" Hopefully he'll see this and transfer the full review across from Vault MK I

Had a big 'cover or story?' moment on Thursday at Spitalfields market when, down to my last fiver, i had the choice between Mary Rose-Hayes' The Neighbours with the evil hag witch photo cover, or Julian Franklyn's Death By Enchantment, #30 in the Dennis Wheatley Library of the Occult. Bearing in mind i already have a copy of The Neighbours (it's a terrific novel; one of my favourite NEL's) but i don't have Death By Enchantment and have been trying to collect all the DWLOTO books for ages, which one do you reckon i went for?

[Dr Strange]

You are going to love "Death By Enchantment". Even Wheatley (in the introduction) seems to suspect that the author may be a bit on the gullible side. But the bit that will either have you pissing you pants in laughter or flushing the pages (used) down the toilet is when the author explains how "modern witches" (who seem to be exclusively female) trap innocent men in loveless marriages and turn them into soul-less, gut-less husks of their former noble selves. I think this guy had some real problems...

[dem]

Oct 24, 2009 9:30:12 GMT Dr Strange said:

You are going to love "Death By Enchantment".

well, i probably would except that was the one i passed on! but i'm stepping up my efforts having read your rave endorsement and hope to land a copy soon. Those Wheatley intro's are a joy! it's been mentioned before, but his preface to Peter Saxon's Dark Ways To Death always does it for me.

“I have rarely read a novel, the first chapter of which was more colourless, impersonal and lacking in inducement to continue. But don’t be put off by that …”

So it isn't always as simple as 'Cover or Story' by any means. In Wheatley's case, for me it's cover, blurb, intro and even on occasion, the novel itself.

[Dr Strange]

Oct 24, 2009 12:04:29 GMT dem said:

Oct 24, 2009 9:30:12 GMT Dr Strange said:

You are going to love "Death By Enchantment".

well, i probably would except that was the one i passed on!

Ah... I think that's whats called "buying the dummy" (I am referring to me assuming you bought the Wheatley, of course, not your actual purchase). I picked up a copy of "Death By Enchantment" at a charity shop a month or two ago. Not my usual sort of purchase at all, just a kind of impulse buy when I couldn't see anything else I wanted. I did read it, but it then went straight back to the shop. Entertaining (in a very cringey sort of way), but very unlikely that I would ever think it worth reading again.

[dem]

sounds right up my street! one emergency email later, and the dealer in question kindly set aside the copy so should be able to supply some kind of illiterate, ill-judged verdict in the not too distant. By chance, i also grabbed a copy of W. Howard Blake's The Fugitive (cover played its part), an expanded reworking of his Frightened Lady which introduced "probably the most controversial figure ever to appear in the Sexton Blake Library", Blake's blonde Girl Friday, Paula Dane. According to the blurb writer (who seems to be enjoying him or her - what am i saying? - himself), the advent of Paula divided the readership and "launched a thousand Blakian polemics." They were worried she was going to usurp the stout-hearted Tinker as Blake's best buddy because ... well, that's what they do, isn't it?

[franklinmarsh]

Oct 24, 2009 9:30:12 GMT Dr Strange said:

But the bit that will either have you pissing you pants in laughter or flushing the pages (used) down the toilet is when

One of the greatest endorsements for a novel ever.....

[Dr Strange]

Oct 25, 2009 15:19:32 GMT franklinmarsh said:

Oct 24, 2009 9:30:12 GMT Dr Strange said:

But the bit that will either have you pissing you pants in laughter or flushing the pages (used) down the toilet is when

One of the greatest endorsements for a novel ever.....

Thanks, I am sure my old English teachers would be proud of me. Unfortunately though, "Death By Enchantment" is (supposed to be) a work of non-fiction. Having built it up to the extent that Dem is going to shell out good money for a copy, I don't want to spoil it - but the last couple of chapters (if I remember right) are the ones that left that lasting impression on me. The author discusses a number of "case studies" (from his personal files, of course) detailing how "witches" prey on vulnerable men... I have successfully erased most of the details from memory, but one involved a young bride who didn't like her new husband spending all his spare time playing with train sets. Obviously, she was a witch.

[dem]

Oct 26, 2009 9:12:02 GMT Dr Strange said:

The author discusses a number of "case studies" (from his personal files, of course) detailing how "witches" prey on vulnerable men... I have successfully erased most of the details from memory, but one involved a young bride who didn't like her new husband spending all his spare time playing with train sets. Obviously, she was a witch.

Curse their bewitching beauty! Curse the evil hour i first fell under their damnable spell!

Ah, the more of Dr. Strange's revelations, the more i suspect the mischievous hand of Michel Parry had no small part to play in Death By Enchantment's inclusion in DW's Occult Library. Could be wrong, but it sounds like the type of affair he'd take delight in recommending.

[dem]

so much for my uncanny powers of lit detection.

I can't remember all the titles I suggested for the Dennis Wheatley Library .... but I think I can confidently say that Dennis Wheatley himself must have chosen 'Death by Enchantment'. I was more interested in fiction titles while he was keen on publishing 'factual' occult titles he had read when young, or which he had consulted in his research for his novels or for his 'Devil and All His Works' non-fiction book.

I unreservedly apologise to the editor of Devil's Kisses, Strange Ecstacies, Sex In The 21st Century and six volumes of Black Magic for even entertaining the idea that he'd be in any ways mixed up in this scandalous Death By Enchantment unpleasantness.