|
|
Post by ripper on Aug 13, 2014 7:48:00 GMT
Picked up the Pulp Fiction Megapack (Kindle) on Amazon, which contains 25 stories from the pulp magazines so popular during the pre-WWII period. I have read a few of the stories before but most are new to me. The contents list is as follows:
BLOOD FOR THE VAMPIRE DEAD, by Robert Leslie Bellem
MISTRESS OF SNARLING DEATH, by Paul Chadwick
FIANCES FOR THE DEVIL’S DAUGHTER, by Russell Gray
THE SHRIEKING POOL, by G. T. Fleming-Roberts
DEATH MATES FOR THE LUST-LOST, by Hugh J. Gallagher
THE DOGS OF PURGATORY, by Hugh Pendexter
WHEN MANHATTAN SANK, by George S. Brooks
BRIDE OF THE APE, by Harold Ward
BLOOD-BAIT FOR HUNGRY MERMAIDS, by John Wallace
SHIP OF THE GOLDEN GHOUL, by Lazar Levi
BLACK POOL FOR HELL MAIDENS, by Hal K. Wells
DEATH FLIGHT, by Robert Wallace
THE SCALPEL OF DOOM, by Ray Cummings
SATAN DRIVES THE BUS, by Wyatt Blassingame
SERVANT OF THE BEAST, by L. Patrick Greene
THE DEAD BOOK, by Howard Hersey
WHEN SUPER-APES PLOT, by Anthony Wilder
THE YELLOW CURSE, by Lars Anderson
THE BRAIN OF MANY BODIES, by E. A. Grosser
TONG TORTURE, by Emile C. Tepperman
THE RAY OF MADNESS, by Captain S. P. Meek
THE TERRIBLE TENTACLES OF L-472, by Sewell Peaslee Wright
THE APE-MEN OF XLOTLI, by David R. Sparks
THE FLOATING ISLAND OF MADNESS, by Jason Kirby
THE CORPSE ON THE GRATING, by Hugh B. Cave
|
|
|
|
Post by jamesdoig on Aug 13, 2014 8:00:18 GMT
Picked up the Pulp Fiction Megapack (Kindle) on Amazon, which contains 25 stories from the pulp magazines so popular during the pre-WWII period. I have read a few of the stories before but most are new to me. I'm getting that just for the ape stories. |
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Aug 13, 2014 8:19:11 GMT
Do Wildside publish paperback editions of these are are they e-book specific? It's a great shudder pulp collection, we've even run a few of the more notorious titles on various Vault advent calendars.
|
|
|
|
Post by ripper on Aug 13, 2014 18:10:42 GMT
I've not come across any paperback versions, Dem. They seem to publish further volumes in a series if, I suppose, the first sells well, for example there are multiple volumes of sci-fi stories, so I am hoping there might be another volume of pulp stories sometime in the future.
|
|
|
|
Post by ripper on Aug 14, 2014 15:48:00 GMT
I also have picked up the Occult Detective Megapack, from the same publishers as the Pulp Fiction Megapack. This time there are 29 stories included, some of which I have read before, but I particularly wanted to read the Seabury Quinn and Robert E. Howard stories. The contents are:
THE POT OF TULIPS, by Fitz-James O'Brien
WHAT WAS IT? by Fitz-James O'Brien
THE HAUNTED SHANTY, by Bayard Taylor
Dr. Martin Hesselius in "GREEN TEA," by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
MR JUSTICE HARBOTTLE, by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
THE UNINHABITED HOUSE, by Mrs. J. H. Riddell
THE PHANTOM HEARSE, by Mary Fortune
AYLMER VANCE AND THE VAMPIRE, by Alice and Claude Askew
THE DOOR INTO INFINITY, by Edmond Hamilton
Carnacki in "THE GATEWAY OF THE MONSTER," by William Hope Hodgson
Carnacki in "THE HOUSE AMONG THE LAURELS," by William Hope Hodgson
Carnacki in "THE WHISTLING ROOM," by William Hope Hodgson
Carnacki in "THE HORSE OF THE INVISIBLE," by William Hope Hodgson
Carnacki in "THE SEARCHER OF THE END HOUSE," by William Hope Hodgson
Carnacki in "THE THING INVISIBLE," by William Hope Hodgson
Flaxman Low in "THE STORY OF SADDLER'S CROFT," by E. and H. Heron
Flaxman Low in "THE STORY OF BAELBROW," by E. and H. Heron
Flaxman Low in "THE STORY OF YAND MANOR HOUSE," by E. and H. Heron
Flaxman Low in "THE STORY OF KONNOR OLD HOUSE," by E. and H. Heron
Flaxman Low in "THE STORY OF THE SPANIARDS, HAMMERSMITH," by E. and H. Heron
Flaxman Low in "THE STORY OF SEVENS HALL," by E. and H. Heron
Steve Harrison in "FANGS OF GOLD," by Robert E. Howard
Steve Harrison in "THE TOMB'S SECRET," by Robert E. Howard
Steve Harrison in "NAMES IN THE BLACK BOOK," by Robert E. Howard
Steve Harrison in "GRAVEYARD RATS," by Robert E. Howard
THE HALF-HAUNTED, by Manly Wade Wellman
Jules de Grandin in "THE JEST OF WARBURG TANTAVUL," by Seabury Quinn
Jules de Grandin in "PLEDGED TO THE DEAD," by Seabury Quinn
Jules de Grandin in "INCENSE OF ABOMINATION," by Seabury Quinn
|
|
|
|
Post by andydecker on Aug 14, 2014 18:00:39 GMT
I also bought a couple of these kitchen sink digital editions. I would name them a cash-grab as a lot of them - especially the sf-novels - consists of mostly (?) public domain works, thrown together. But they are so cheap that one wonders why they even bother.
Still, the Cthulhu Mythos Megapack was a pleasant surprise. A lot of stories I didn't knew. (And I hope, the writers were paid.)
"At the Mountains of Madness," by H. P. Lovecraft
"The Events at Poroth Farm," by T.E.D. Klein
"The Return of the Sorcerer," by Clark Ashton Smith
"Worms of the Earth," by Robert E. Howard
"Envy, the Gardens of Ynath, and the Sin of Cain," by Darrell Schweitzer
"Drawn from Life," by John Glasby
"In the Haunted Darkness," by Michael R. Collings
"The Innsmouth Heritage," by Brian Stableford
"The Doom That Came to Innsmouth," by Brian McNaughton
"The Shadow Over Innsmouth," by H. P. Lovecraft
"The Nameless Offspring," by Clark Ashton Smith
"The Hounds of Tindalos," by Frank Belknap Long
"The Faceless God," by Robert Bloch
"The Children of Burma," by Stephen Mark Rainey
"The Call of Cthulhu," by H.P. Lovecraft
"The Old One," by John Glasby
"The Holiness of Azédarac," by Clark Ashton Smith
"Those of the Air," by Darrell Schweitzer and Jason Van Hollander
"The Graveyard Rats," by Henry Kuttner
"Toadface," by Mark McLaughlin
"The Whisperer in Darkness," by H. P. Lovecraft
"The Eater of Hours," by Darrell Schweitzer
"Ubbo-Sathla," by Clark Ashton Smith
"The Space-Eaters," by Frank Belknap Long
"The Fire of Asshurbanipal," by Robert E. Howard
"Beyond the Wall of Sleep," by H.P. Lovecraft
"Something in the Moonlight," by Lin Carter
"The Salem Horror," by Henry Kuttner
"Down in Limbo," by Robert M. Price
"The Dweller in the Gulf," by Clark Ashton Smith
"Azathoth," by H.P. Lovecraft
"Pickman’s Modem," by Lawrence Watt-Evans
"The Hunters from Beyond," by Clark Ashton Smith
"Ghoulmaster," by Brian McNaughton
"The Spawn of Dagon," by Henry Kuttner
"Dark Destroyer," by Adrian Cole
"The Dunwich Horror," by H. P. Lovecraft
"The Dark Boatman," by John Glasby
"Dagon and Jill," by John P. McCann
I have never seen a paperback edition of any ot these books. |
|
|
|
Post by ripper on Aug 14, 2014 19:37:35 GMT
They're very cheap--less than 40p each for the pair that I bought. As you say, Andy, a substantial amount of content is in the public domain, with a smaller amount being more recent, and I presume, not PD. At the prices they are charging, I am more willing to take a chance on buying a collection even if I am not sure I will really enjoy it. There is a collection of Charlie Chan novels and a Girl Detectives Megapack that I will probably get sometime soon.
|
|
|
|
Post by jamesdoig on Aug 14, 2014 21:47:24 GMT
They're very cheap--less than 40p each for the pair that I bought. I think those megapacks have been quite successful for Wildside Press (John Betancourt's imprint) - they contain around 25 stories and are only available in electronic form. They pay the editor US$200 (from memory) for each megapack - if you contact Wildside they might be open to megapack proposals. Rob Reginald had done a few before he died (Wildside had been publishing his Borgo Press for a long time). |
|
Evil Scientist
Crab On The Rampage
answering the call of the Weird
Posts: 18 
|
Post by Evil Scientist on Sept 15, 2014 15:01:08 GMT
I've only recently acquired a Kindle, so I picked up a few of these megapacks, thanks for the recommendation.
Pulp Fiction, Occult Detective, Cthulhu Mythos (has some I haven't read, pretty convenient), and also two Macabre Megapacks (loads of authors I'm unfamiliar with). There are loads of other packs as well (Ghost stories, etc), but this is plenty for now.
|
|
|
|
Post by mattofthespurs on Sept 16, 2014 10:19:55 GMT
I bought a couple of these mega packs for my Ipad awhile back.
Nothing wrong with them but I just can't get into reading on an electronic device.
Too 'old school' I'm afraid.
|
|
Evil Scientist
Crab On The Rampage
answering the call of the Weird
Posts: 18
|
Post by Evil Scientist on Sept 16, 2014 10:42:57 GMT
Designated e-book readers with proper e-ink displays help... Your eyes don't tire, it's almost identical to paper. Portability & the chance to carry around a 100 books is a big plus. There are a lot of books I don't want to buy because I'd only read them once and I don't have the storage place (also, sometimes e-books are easier to obtain than volumes can't buy at your local store and you have to order by post). Certain devices have extra handy options: e.g., built-in dictionaries (very useful for reading in foreign languages).
Yet, there are a few things that bother me. Most of all, layouts, wrapping and pagination. Nothing can compare to professionally type-set text layouts. E-books (even when they are specially formatted for your device, etc) are always somewhat off. Abrupt endings, lots of widows and orphans. Usually the same font for all books.
Of course, e-books won't replace printed pages for me. But they are quite convenient.
|
|
|
|
Post by mattofthespurs on Sept 16, 2014 11:07:50 GMT
I used to have a Kindle too but I have donated that to my Wife. She gets along with it famously and swears she will never go back to printed paper. I'm just old fashioned (at the stately age of 46!) and like a full library of spines looking out at me. I like the musty smell of an old book, or the acidic smell of a new one. I like lurid covers and even more lurid back cover blurbs. I like discovering old names and addresses in second hand books and sometimes the odd cryptic message. I like the crackle of the pages as you turn them and the heft of a decent volume. Knowing how long it will take you to read it just by weight alone. I like piles of books scattered around the house. A long forgotten volume catching the eye and an afternoon disappearing in a wink of the same eye whilst I lose myself in it. I like remembering where I bought a book and reminiscing in those days and ages gone by. I like browsing second hand bookshops. The creak of old floorboards, the warmth that paper gives off, discovering the book I've been on the hunt for for years at a bargain 20 pence. I like bookmarks. Tickets of long forgotten football matches wedged between pages. A cinema stub, photographs, and telephone numbers of pretty young ladies now long forgotten. Actually, I don't like these things (and about a million more) about books. I love them. And no E reader, no matter how costly or how shiny it maybe, can offer the things I love about books. Told you I was old fashioned  |
|
|
|
Post by Craig Herbertson on Sept 16, 2014 11:38:26 GMT
I used to have a Kindle too but I have donated that to my Wife. She gets along with it famously and swears she will never go back to printed paper. I'm just old fashioned (at the stately age of 46!) and like a full library of spines looking out at me. I like the musty smell of an old book, or the acidic smell of a new one. I like lurid covers and even more lurid back cover blurbs. I like discovering old names and addresses in second hand books and sometimes the odd cryptic message. I like the crackle of the pages as you turn them and the heft of a decent volume. Knowing how long it will take you to read it just by weight alone. I like piles of books scattered around the house. A long forgotten volume catching the eye and an afternoon disappearing in a wink of the same eye whilst I lose myself in it. I like remembering where I bought a book and reminiscing in those days and ages gone by. I like browsing second hand bookshops. The creak of old floorboards, the warmth that paper gives off, discovering the book I've been on the hunt for for years at a bargain 20 pence. I like bookmarks. Tickets of long forgotten football matches wedged between pages. A cinema stub, photographs, and telephone numbers of pretty young ladies now long forgotten. Actually, I don't like these things (and about a million more) about books. I love them. And no E reader, no matter how costly or how shiny it maybe, can offer the things I love about books. Told you I was old fashioned you are me! |
|
|
|
Post by markewest on Sept 16, 2014 11:51:38 GMT
That's fantastic!
|
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Sept 16, 2014 16:01:33 GMT
Very eloquently put, Mr. Ofthespurs. Kindles & Co. are great, but I just don't enjoy reading from a screen. I love physical books for the look, feel, smell and history of the things, the memory of finding this or that treasured collection in this or that bookshop, or market stall, car boot, etc. Chatting to booksellers, some of whom are incredibly sneery about the junk I just bought, others who are even drunker than me, a few who've gone on to become trusted friends and confidantes.
|
|
