Peter Saxon - The Curse of Rathlaw

[severance]

The Curse of Rathlaw by Peter Saxon (house name used here by Martin Thomas) - Howard Baker, 1969.



This is the third novel I've read chronicling the supernatural investigations of the team known as The Guardians, and although still a cracking good read, it doesn't quite reach the heights of the previous two. There wasn't a lot more that could have been improved about the mysterious village of Tregonnec and the sea-vampires of The Vampires of Finistere, equally the psychic duel in the Australian outback of The Killing Bone was superb, but this one seemed, to me, as if the pacing was off.

There were some excellent atmospheric leisurely paced scenes, like Sir Alistair Rathlaw's arrival and admittance to the Start Passage office of The Guardians. And then there are potentially great scenes where everything seems to get swept under the carpet rather too quickly. For instance: While Steven Kane is watching the house of Cosmo Trayle, he is attacked by an incredibly strong dwarf, the Su-Dith of Scottish Highland history, and the chapter ends with him choking just seconds from death. The next chapter he calmly informs Lionel Marks, another operative, that he had to use the Polynesian Vagus Coup, which is fatal apparently! What!! This could have been an great action sequence, and yet its totally wasted. The ending is similarly rushed, though the thought of ectoplasm exiting Fergus Trayle's mouth is suitably demonic.

For once The Guardians actually act in concert as a team, Vampires of Finistere being a virtual Steven Kane solo adventure, and The Killing Bone largely centred on Father John Dyball. The sole female member of the team, Anne Ashby, gets more page time here especially, yet still retains her edge of mystery and remoteness. I still particularly like the implications that there is an underlying distrust between members of the team, yet they in no way allow that to interfere in the missions. Between Steven and Anne this manifests itself as an equal attraction and repulsion which they are both apparent of, but content to leave between them, with her connection to the mysterious unseen founder, Gideon Cross, always in Steven's thoughts.

If you haven't yet sampled the delights of The Guardians - why not?? Curt has done a far better job than I can of reviewing this episode, as well as the rest of the series at his always entertaining groovy age of horror - check the books out now, I promise you'll not regret it.

[pulphack]

contrast this with the SBL title in this section - now that's pulp versatility for you!

[killercrab]

Sev - I've purposely only read so far into your review ( still reading the book) - I think I might be enjoying it a tad more but I can't argue with your comments. I love the cover you've included - something raw and 1960's about it - lovely!

KC

[andydecker]

Peter Saxon (Martin Thomas) - The Curse of Rathlaw (Lancer Books, 1968, this edition Magnum Books, 1968)

Cover by Jeffrey Catherine Jones

This may be the last one of the Guardians published.