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Post by Calenture on Oct 29, 2007 23:57:48 GMT
Cover painting, Harvest Moon by Christiana Angelini (contemporary artist)Aylmer Vance: Ghost-Seer by Alice and Claude AskewWordsworth Editions, 2006 The Invader The Stranger Lady Green-Sleeves The Fire Unquenchable The Vampire The Boy of Blackstock The Indissoluble Bond The Fear A collection of eight stories first published in The Weekly Tale-Teller in 1914, these were first collected in a limited edition of 500 copies by Ash-Tree Press in 1998, and now are available for the first time in a cheap edition from Wordsworth Editions, as Duke told us in his post here. I've already decided that this little volume is a perfect companion for a chilly winter evening. From the cover: The Aylmer Vance stories date from the Edwardian period, and there are echoes in them of the Sherlock Holmes adventures which had proved so popular in the proceeding decade.
The friendship between Aylmer Vance and Dexter is not unlike that between Sherlock Holmes and Watson, and the two investigators approach the world of the supernatural in the same fearless and enquiring spirit in which Conan Doyle’s heroes approach the world of crime. The parallel is not exact: Dexter, with his clairvoyant powers, is a more useful (and intelligent) ally than Watson, and Vance does not ‘solve’ mysteries the way Holmes does. What we get instead is a loosely-connected series of stories in which surprise is the major element, a world where not all ghosts are bad, where it is not always clear whether they are ghosts, and where being dead may for some be better than being alive. The Invader is the story where Aylmer Vance and his amanuensis Dexter first meet. Dexter knows Vance’s reputation as an investigator of psychic phenomena, and when the two find themselves fellow guests at a little inn in Surrey, he asks to hear some of Vance's adventures. Aylmer tells the story of George and Annie Sinclair, who had been married a few years when George begins to excavate a Bronze Age barrow on his property. George unearths some heavy gold armlets and takes them to a medium, who tells him that they once belonged to “a princess… a jealous, black-hearted woman” who had been murdered by her lover. The medium goes on to tell George that he himself possesses psychic powers, and that his wife would make “a fine trance subject.” It’s not long before the spirit of the long-dead British princess begins to speak through Annie. George learns that she is an “earth-bound spirit… all her desires are material;” and she tells George that she has fallen in love with him and wants to take complete possession of Annie’s body and take her place as his wife! The séances begin to take their toll of Annie’s health, but she agrees to just one last session. But when she comes around afterwards, it’s obvious that the princess has taken control. This results in the following ordeal for George: [He] declared that Annie’s face changed before his eyes – that a devilish expression came into it, and to add to the sickening horror of the whole scene, the woman who called herself his wife began to make violent love to him – fierce, unrestrained love, and he had to suffer her hot, burning kisses; he couldn’t tear himself away from her arms, and presently the woman demanded food and drink and ate ravenously, and then she began to croon and sing to herself, and George swore that he seemed to hear people singing outside the house, answering her – the low murmur of innumerable voices. It was like a nightmare – an awful nightmare.How could he bear it? Aside from this lapse into risibility, the story is a well-told and enjoyable introduction to a pair of ghost-hunters that really should have been better known in the anthologies. Colin wrote: Reminds me of what happened after I helped dig up a Bronze Age barrow outside of Chelmsford back in 1987. Those Bronze Age Princesses can be very demanding....won't take no for an answer.... Colin PS Or was it all a dream?Colin, you know that your dreams will be kept in strictest confidence by this site's 141 members... ;D Here's another one of these... unfortunately rather gentle, little tales: The Stranger: Any similarities between Aylmer Vance and Sherlock Holmes are now being revealed as superficial. Aylmer is a romantic. “I don’t mind telling you my tales,” he says to his companion, Dexter, “for you’ve a spark of romance in your heart. You’re a dreamer as well as a shrewd barrister; but I wonder what you will make of Daphne Darrell’s story? Anyway, the poetry of it will appeal to you – it must.” Aylmer is guardian of 16-year-old Daphne Darrell, who breaks a dozen hearts when she becomes engaged to Tony Halbert. Tony is an intelligent boy, and Vance approves of the match; but Daphne refuses to wear an engagement ring. Her thoughts are of "a beautiful stranger" that she used to meet in the woods when she was a child. And, she says, she meets him still. It is possible that this strange figure is only a hallucination; but if so, it seems, she prefers the illusion to her reality, and Aylmer is deeply concerned. Demonik wrote: Huh, pay no attention to what the stats say because we sure as Hell don't have 141 members. In case you've ever wondered why sometimes the 'Newest members' names appear in bold (i.e., GreenGray), it's because they've used known bulk-spam email addresses and I've promptly banned them. Unfortunately, when I try the 'recount members' function, it doesn't alter anything. I'd put the number of parasites I've got rid of at around the twenty mark. Also, there are tons of people who, for reasons best known to themselves, join but then never post a word. I've no problem with that, but I kind of wonder why they go to the trouble. I don't see them as 'members'.
So the reality of it is, at a conservative estimate, VOE consists of about three people and a diminutive monkey.
And we're still the bollocks!
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Post by carandini on Oct 14, 2010 10:16:12 GMT
Finished this collection not too long ago and have to say it was very entertaining. A wonderful example of good old fashioned ghost stories. I agree, Aylmer Vance should really be a bit better known. He's certainly more enjoyable than that annoying little Frenchman Jules de Grandin.
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Post by Dr Strange on Oct 14, 2010 12:59:25 GMT
Actually, I thought this collection was rather poor - my copy went straight to the charity shop after I'd finished it. Too genteel for me, I think.
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Post by dem bones on Jan 6, 2011 23:12:37 GMT
Actually, I thought this collection was rather poor - my copy went straight to the charity shop after I'd finished it. Too genteel for me, I think. Up until last night, the only Aylmer Vance adventure I'd read was The Vampire from Richard Dalby's Dracula's Brood, and that so long ago it's not even a blur. The Vance adventures originally appeared in the Weekly Tale-Teller over consecutive issues from July 4th to August 22nd 1914 (famous contributors included A.M. Burrage, Jessie Douglas Kerruish, M.P. Shiel and Edgar Wallace). Two stories down and already, after a promising start, am beginning to share Dr. Strange's misgivings about good old Aylmer's "investigations" which, to date, ain't exactly hands on, and he was absolutely rubbish in the face of Annie Sinclair's exciting "demonic possession"! The Invader Finding themselves guests at Surrey's The Magpie Inn, Dexter, a clairvoyant barrister, and Vance, famed for his investigations on behalf of the Ghost Circle, strike up the beginnings of a friendship. Dexter wishes to know more about Vance's adventures, and the psychic sleuth obliges with the horrible one he still refers to as "the Sinclair tragedy". Cal has provided such copious notes [above, 1st post] that it's pointless my rehashing the plot, but it's suspenseful enough in its own frightfully polite way and I like that it builds to such a grim resolution, with lots of cute household pets copping it before George Sinclair does the manly thing. But here's something odd. Despite regularly breaking off from his narrative to turn a ghastly pale yellow at the terrible memory of it all, Vance is little more than a peripheral figure in this particular case and misses the all-important climax on Dartmoor altogether. It's the young man himself who does for the gold armlets of gloom and their barbaric owner, Princess Nasty, albeit by adopting the most drastic measures. At the stories conclusion, Vance promises Dexter a nicer story tomorrow night, his first-hand experience of the "dear ghost" he calls Lady Green-Sleeves. This one sounds ominously twee and worse is to follow when, come the hour, he first insists on making him sit through the slushy (if, admittedly, cute) The Stranger. Daphne Darrell inherited a love of the great outdoors from the parents she lost in infancy. Between them, a doting maiden aunt and Vance care for the girl, spoiling her something rotten. Not for Daphne any boring school lessons when she can be gallivanting in the wood, rolling over in grass and generally doing nature girl things. By the time she reaches eighteen, every boy in Hampshire has a crush on her, but it's handsome Tony Halbert who wins her as his bride. Yet on the eve of the wedding, Daphne confides to Vance that she can never love Tony, as her heart belongs to the beautiful stranger she's played hide and seek with in the woods since childhood. Vance reckons she really should have got past the imaginary friend stage by now, and what's her devoted husband going to think, playing second fiddle to a phantom lover? That night during a thunderstorm, Daphne takes off into the trees with Vance in silent pursuit. He hears a flute playing up ahead and just as Daphne prostrates herself before her spectral stranger, a bolt of lightening rends the skies and it's Almer Vance 0 Supernatural Forces 2. It's not such a humiliating defeat this time as Daphne wouldn't have wanted it any way and, everyone agrees, she makes for a lovely corpse. For reasons I can't explain, I'm actually hooked now .....
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Post by dem bones on Jan 7, 2011 19:21:20 GMT
Must be getting soft in my dotage as, against all odds, I thought this next was lovely. Lady Green-Sleeves: Vance is invited to Mrs. Latham's fancy dress ball at Arden Hall, Yorkshire. From the first moment he sets eyes on her bending over the balcony, he's captivated by the beauty of the seventeen-year-old in the silken frock and saucy cap, but why aren't the other men falling over themselves to dance with her? He requests that Mrs. Latham introduce him, but the hostess is as blind to her presence as the rest. Then she catches sight of the girl - goodness, she looks just like her tragic ancestress, whose portrait hangs in the long gallery! Vance eventually catches up with the elusive creature, who invites him to her boudoir for a crafty tête-à-tête. She states outright that a ghost - "I thought you knew" - but Vance laughs this off as Lady Green-Sleeves's curious take on flirtation. Midnight falls ....
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Post by cauldronbrewer on Mar 23, 2012 11:29:45 GMT
Two stories down and already, after a promising start, i'm beginning to share Dr. Strange's misgivings about good old Aylmer's "investigations" which, to date, ain't exactly hands on, and he was absolutely rubbish in the face of Annie Sinclair's exciting "demonic possession"! for reasons i can't explain, i'm actually hooked now ..... I'm enjoying this collection more than I should. The stories aren't terribly original, the prose goes deep purple in places, and more often than not Vance isn't much help. Yet I find the stories strangely relaxing after a busy day's work. The excellent blog Skulls in the Stars includes Vance in a review of psychic detectives: skullsinthestars.com/2008/02/28/who-ya-gonna-call-ghost-doctor-ghost-finder-or-ghost-seer/The verdict: "His failure rate is simply appalling . . . Don’t hire Aylmer unless you cannot afford any of the better investigators." I've made it through the first five stories, and "The Vampire" is the first one in which Vance actually saves someone (even then, another key character would have died if not for the fortuitous intervention of his clairvoyant sidekick Dexter). Still, I'm looking forward to the final three tales. Part of me is also hoping against hope that Vance and Dexter make out at the end of the last story. Vance does seem to have an eye for the ladies--especially if they're dead or about to be--but Dexter shows every sign of having it bad for Vance.
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Post by cauldronbrewer on Mar 24, 2012 11:54:15 GMT
The final score:
The Invader The supernatural manifestation: Possession by an ancient Druid priestess Does Vance save the day? No Death toll: Two Vance speaks: “I ought to have gone straight back to Grey Towers on receipt of that letter, Dexter—hurried to my poor friend at once—but I didn’t—I just didn’t.”
The Stranger The supernatural manifestation: An amorous Greek god Does Vance save the day? No Death toll: One Vance speaks: “There was nothing really tragic about Daphne Darrell’s death. It was the fate she would have chosen, I have no doubt.”
Lady Green-Sleeves The supernatural manifestation: A pretty ghost Does Vance save the day? Nobody needs saving this time Death toll: Only Vance’s heart Vance speaks: “Still, for me Lady Green-sleeves still exists—will always exist.”
The Fire Unquenchable The supernatural manifestation: A ghost that literally burns with frustrated inspiration Does Vance save the day? Not the girl, but he does save the ghost’s poetry Death toll: One Vance speaks: “And look, Dexter, there is the house. Thank heaven that seems to have been spared.”
The Boy of Blackstock The supernatural manifestation: A poltergeist Does Vance save the day? No, but the poltergeist sort of does Death toll: One Vance speaks: No comment
The Indissoluble Bond The supernatural manifestation: Music played by a dying organ player who seeks to claim his soul-mate Does Vance save the day? No Death toll: One, not counting the organ player Vance speaks: “We do not know that it was really an evil thing. Is it not possible that, in our ignorance, we appraise far too highly these poor bodies of ours?”
The Fear The supernatural manifestation: A fear-inducing ghost Does Vance save the day? No Death toll: Zero Vance speaks: “And that’s the worst of this hobby of ours . . . for people come to us, as Mr. Belliston did, begging for our assistance, and thinking that by some strange mysterious power we can lay the ghosts, or what they are pleased to call the ghosts. But that’s just what we can’t do.”
Now if only Wordsworth would bring out a collection of the Flaxman Low stories . . .
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Post by dem bones on Mar 24, 2012 20:04:04 GMT
Ah, thanks for guiding us through it, CB! Seems I wasn't quite as fatally hooked as first feared because I completely forgot the book's existence until you posted about it. "This hobby of ours" (my italics)? Small wonder he's so rubbish at being a psychic investigator if he can't take the job seriously. Really must finish Ghost Seer. The stories might not offer much in the way of chills, but one thing they share in abundance is charm. A Flaxman Low collection was suggested as a potential by Wordsworth themselves when they conducted a poll here a few years back, but it wouldn't do any harm were you to drop derek a line. Which reminds me; this is available as of tomorrow!
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Post by cauldronbrewer on Mar 24, 2012 22:58:27 GMT
"This hobby of ours" (my italics)? Small wonder he's so rubbish at being a psychic investigator if he can't take the job seriously. i really must finish Ghost Seer. The stories might not offer much in the way of chills, but one thing they share in abundance is charm. a Flaxman Low collection was suggested as a potential by Wordsworth themselves when they conducted a poll here a few years back, but it wouldn't do any harm were you to drop derek a line. Not only does Vance see it as a "hobby," he's positively offended by being called a professional: "There is nothing that my friend dislikes more," says Dexter. "He is a dilettante in every sense of the word." I saw that Flaxman Low did poorly in the poll, but maybe I'll try the direct appeal.
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