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Post by helrunar on Apr 26, 2017 3:28:27 GMT
I am very fortunate to be employed by a major University library that holds a circulating copy of the Ash-Tree Press edition of Frederick Cowles The Night Wind Howls: Complete Supernatural Fiction (1999). This book begins with a foreword by the author's son, Michael Cowles, and an introduction by Hugh Lamb, who brought Cowles' work back into print and recognition some quarter of a century after his untimely death in May 1948.
This work comprises what were originally three separate collections of tales, the third of which had never been published before the advent of this collection. The titles of the original books are The Horror of Abbot's Grange (1936), The Night Wind Howls (1938), and Fear Walks the Night, first published 1993. The last named work bears an affectionate dedication to Naomi "Nickie" Jacobs dated 1947.
"The Vampire of Kaldenstein" in The Night Wind Howls is a pastiche not only of Bram Stoker, but also evidently of Lugosi's legendary performance in Dracula (the 1931 film); the Count at one point is given that well-remembered line, "I never drink wine." The parish priest warns the absurdly obtuse English hero:
Much is possible to those who serve the devil... Always throughout the history of the world evil has warred with good, and often triumphed. Kaldenstein Castle is the haunt of terrible, unnatural wickedness...
This story at times reads like a treatment for one of the 1960s Hammer studios films--Brides of Dracula or Kiss of the Vampire, in particular. All that is missing is a heaving-bosomed actress for that "Phwoar" factor. (His widow confided to Hugh Lamb about the author: "He disliked 'salacious' books and the cheapening of sex. His hair would have stood on end nowadays...")
In "Princess of Darkness," from the final collection Fear Walks the Night, we may have a tribute to the performance of Gloria Holden in the 1936 film Dracula's Daughter. The narrator is sent from England to Budapest on a mission to meet the mysterious Princess Bessenyei, suspected of being a spy. His friend Istvan attempts to warn him: Certainly she is lovely ... . But I do not like her kind of beauty. A snake is a splendid thing--to those who like snakes. ... For myself I think that if she is a spy, the government for which she works is ruled over by a gentleman with horns on his head.
True to form, the stolidly, stubbornly oh-it's-just-all-silly-mediaeval-superstition narrator meets and is beguiled by the Princess. In a sudden clinch in a cab:
... she pressed herself against me, lifting her face with such obvious invitation in her eyes that I bent over and kissed her red lips. Her mouth opened and I felt her sharp teeth pierce my lower lip. It all happened in a moment and, just as quickly, she drew away from me with a long, satisfied sigh. Then she laughed softly. It was an unpleasant sound with no humour in it, and I felt she was secretly gloating over gaining some purpose of her own.
The Princess informs the hapless young man that he now belongs to her. And that night, as she predicts:
I thought a ray of dull green light suddenly shone through the window and upon it, floating into the room, came the Princess Bessenyei. She was dressed in a long white robe, her teeth appeared abnormally long, and her eyes blazed like cold emeralds. I was powerless to stir or utter one word, although I knew that those teeth would soon be fixed upon my throat. Closer she came, her mouth dripping with saliva in a most repulsive manner. She lifted the bedclothes and then, like a snake darting upon its victim, she bent down to my neck.
Cowles had at least one personal meeting with M. R. James, and although he cites several other of the classic authors, including Stoker, Sheridan Le Fanu, and Algernon Blackwood as sources of inspiration, James is often cited as the model he adopted in his approach to the genre. I personally find, in what I have read thus far, a stronger resemblance to other writers, such as Walter de la Mare and some of the writers assembled by the incomparable Christine Campbell Thomson, whose Not at Night books were such a significant feature of British horror in the 1930s. There can be no doubt that Cowles had his own way of crafting a tale, and I feel very fortunate to be able to enjoy the comforting firelight (he usually wrote by the fireside) of his tales in this less than comfortable year of 2017.
H.
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Post by Swampirella on Apr 26, 2017 10:31:05 GMT
I am very fortunate to be employed by a major University library that holds a circulating copy of the Ash-Tree Press edition of Frederick Cowles The Night Wind Howls: Complete Supernatural Fiction (1999). This book begins with a foreword by the author's son, Michael Cowles, and an introduction by Hugh Lamb, who brought Cowles' work back into print and recognition some quarter of a century after his untimely death in May 1948. This work comprises what were originally three separate collections of tales, the third of which had never been published before the advent of this collection. The titles of the original books are The Horror of Abbot's Grange (1936), The Night Wind Howls (1938), and Fear Walks the Night, first published 1993. The last named work bears an affectionate dedication to Naomi "Nickie" Jacobs dated 1947. "The Vampire of Kaldenstein" in The Night Wind Howls is a pastiche not only of Bram Stoker, but also evidently of Lugosi's legendary performance in Dracula (the 1931 film); the Count at one point is given that well-remembered line, "I never drink wine." The parish priest warns the absurdly obtuse English hero: Much is possible to those who serve the devil... Always throughout the history of the world evil has warred with good, and often triumphed. Kaldenstein Castle is the haunt of terrible, unnatural wickedness...This story at times reads like a treatment for one of the 1960s Hammer studios films-- Brides of Dracula or Kiss of the Vampire, in particular. All that is missing is a heaving-bosomed actress for that "Phwoar" factor. (His widow confided to Hugh Lamb about the author: "He disliked 'salacious' books and the cheapening of sex. His hair would have stood on end nowadays...") In "Princess of Darkness," from the final collection Fear Walks the Night, we may have a tribute to the performance of Gloria Holden in the 1936 film Dracula's Daughter. The narrator is sent from England to Budapest on a mission to meet the mysterious Princess Bessenyei, suspected of being a spy. His friend Istvan attempts to warn him: Certainly she is lovely ... . But I do not like her kind of beauty. A snake is a splendid thing--to those who like snakes. ... For myself I think that if she is a spy, the government for which she works is ruled over by a gentleman with horns on his head.True to form, the stolidly, stubbornly oh-it's-just-all-silly-mediaeval-superstition narrator meets and is beguiled by the Princess. In a sudden clinch in a cab: ... she pressed herself against me, lifting her face with such obvious invitation in her eyes that I bent over and kissed her red lips. Her mouth opened and I felt her sharp teeth pierce my lower lip. It all happened in a moment and, just as quickly, she drew away from me with a long, satisfied sigh. Then she laughed softly. It was an unpleasant sound with no humour in it, and I felt she was secretly gloating over gaining some purpose of her own.
The Princess informs the hapless young man that he now belongs to her. And that night, as she predicts: I thought a ray of dull green light suddenly shone through the window and upon it, floating into the room, came the Princess Bessenyei. She was dressed in a long white robe, her teeth appeared abnormally long, and her eyes blazed like cold emeralds. I was powerless to stir or utter one word, although I knew that those teeth would soon be fixed upon my throat. Closer she came, her mouth dripping with saliva in a most repulsive manner. She lifted the bedclothes and then, like a snake darting upon its victim, she bent down to my neck. Cowles had at least one personal meeting with M. R. James, and although he cites several other of the classic authors, including Stoker, Sheridan Le Fanu, and Algernon Blackwood as sources of inspiration, James is often cited as the model he adopted in his approach to the genre. I personally find, in what I have read thus far, a stronger resemblance to other writers, such as Walter de la Mare and some of the writers assembled by the incomparable Christine Campbell Thomson, whose Not at Night books were such a significant feature of British horror in the 1930s. There can be no doubt that Cowles had his own way of crafting a tale, and I feel very fortunate to be able to enjoy the comforting firelight (he usually wrote by the fireside) of his tales in this less than comfortable year of 2017. H. I'm so glad you're enjoying the book, H.! Thanks for the synopsis as well. |
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Post by Michael Connolly on Apr 26, 2017 12:15:36 GMT
I am very fortunate to be employed by a major University library that holds a circulating copy of the Ash-Tree Press edition of Frederick Cowles The Night Wind Howls: Complete Supernatural Fiction (1999). This book begins with a foreword by the author's son, Michael Cowles, and an introduction by Hugh Lamb, who brought Cowles' work back into print and recognition some quarter of a century after his untimely death in May 1948. This work comprises what were originally three separate collections of tales, the third of which had never been published before the advent of this collection. The titles of the original books are The Horror of Abbot's Grange (1936), The Night Wind Howls (1938), and Fear Walks the Night, first published 1993. The last named work bears an affectionate dedication to Naomi "Nickie" Jacobs dated 1947. "The Vampire of Kaldenstein" in The Night Wind Howls is a pastiche not only of Bram Stoker, but also evidently of Lugosi's legendary performance in Dracula (the 1931 film); the Count at one point is given that well-remembered line, "I never drink wine." The parish priest warns the absurdly obtuse English hero: Much is possible to those who serve the devil... Always throughout the history of the world evil has warred with good, and often triumphed. Kaldenstein Castle is the haunt of terrible, unnatural wickedness...This story at times reads like a treatment for one of the 1960s Hammer studios films-- Brides of Dracula or Kiss of the Vampire, in particular. All that is missing is a heaving-bosomed actress for that "Phwoar" factor. (His widow confided to Hugh Lamb about the author: "He disliked 'salacious' books and the cheapening of sex. His hair would have stood on end nowadays...") In "Princess of Darkness," from the final collection Fear Walks the Night, we may have a tribute to the performance of Gloria Holden in the 1936 film Dracula's Daughter. The narrator is sent from England to Budapest on a mission to meet the mysterious Princess Bessenyei, suspected of being a spy. His friend Istvan attempts to warn him: Certainly she is lovely ... . But I do not like her kind of beauty. A snake is a splendid thing--to those who like snakes. ... For myself I think that if she is a spy, the government for which she works is ruled over by a gentleman with horns on his head.True to form, the stolidly, stubbornly oh-it's-just-all-silly-mediaeval-superstition narrator meets and is beguiled by the Princess. In a sudden clinch in a cab: ... she pressed herself against me, lifting her face with such obvious invitation in her eyes that I bent over and kissed her red lips. Her mouth opened and I felt her sharp teeth pierce my lower lip. It all happened in a moment and, just as quickly, she drew away from me with a long, satisfied sigh. Then she laughed softly. It was an unpleasant sound with no humour in it, and I felt she was secretly gloating over gaining some purpose of her own.
The Princess informs the hapless young man that he now belongs to her. And that night, as she predicts: I thought a ray of dull green light suddenly shone through the window and upon it, floating into the room, came the Princess Bessenyei. She was dressed in a long white robe, her teeth appeared abnormally long, and her eyes blazed like cold emeralds. I was powerless to stir or utter one word, although I knew that those teeth would soon be fixed upon my throat. Closer she came, her mouth dripping with saliva in a most repulsive manner. She lifted the bedclothes and then, like a snake darting upon its victim, she bent down to my neck. Cowles had at least one personal meeting with M. R. James, and although he cites several other of the classic authors, including Stoker, Sheridan Le Fanu, and Algernon Blackwood as sources of inspiration, James is often cited as the model he adopted in his approach to the genre. I personally find, in what I have read thus far, a stronger resemblance to other writers, such as Walter de la Mare and some of the writers assembled by the incomparable Christine Campbell Thomson, whose Not at Night books were such a significant feature of British horror in the 1930s. There can be no doubt that Cowles had his own way of crafting a tale, and I feel very fortunate to be able to enjoy the comforting firelight (he usually wrote by the fireside) of his tales in this less than comfortable year of 2017. H. I'm so glad you're enjoying the book, H.! Thanks for the synopsis as well. I always thought that "The Vampire of Kaldenstein" read like a Hammer film too. |
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Post by helrunar on Apr 28, 2017 19:47:23 GMT
"The Bell," one of the stories in The Night Wind Howls, is worthy of mention. It has a few features that are reminiscent of Dr James' manner of constructing a horror yarn, but with what I'm coming to understand to be Cowles' own particular touch.
John Landon, archaeologist of repute, seeks a quiet holiday with some rounds on the golf-links and quiet evenings of relaxation. Simpson, the classical man, helpfully suggests the village of Pastwick on the Norfolk coast. Remote, equipped with a friendly inn and a nearby golf course, the isolated village also proves to be the site of a mysterious ruined monastery. And the ancient keep just happens to have been founded by a renegade 14th century religious order which was ultimately exposed as a den of secret Satanists. In classic busman's holiday fashion, the vacationing digger can't resist having a go at the rubble burying an altar in the ruined chapel. A hideous discovery awaits...
This one had a brisk narrative style and a few good chills, including one moment I thought worthy of his favored exemplar. Recommended--for those with strong nerves.
H.
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Post by Michael Connolly on Dec 10, 2018 15:33:59 GMT
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Post by Swampirella on Dec 10, 2018 15:51:18 GMT
Great news for those who haven't had the chance to get a copy yet, thanks to the loss of Ash-Tree.... |
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Post by ripper on Dec 10, 2018 17:43:11 GMT
I was lucky enough to obtain a copy of the Ash-Tree edition while it was still in print. Prices for it today would be way out of what I could justify paying, so it is nice to hear that a new edition is being published for fans of Mr Cowles' stories.
The Bell has been mentioned previously and I agree that it is quite an eerie little tale.
Overall, the collection is very easy to dip into. Many of the tales are quite short, particularly the earlier ones, so they rarely, if ever, outstay their welcome.
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Post by mrhappy on Dec 11, 2018 16:52:06 GMT
This title is still available as an eBook for those of you who just want to read it and don't mind the lack of a physical copy. As far as the Sundial Press edition you might have a little bit of a wait - they frequently list their upcoming titles WAAAAAYYY in advance of their actual publication. Sometimes years. That F.M. Mayor collection listed there has been "coming next month" since 2014. I love Frank and he produces some wonderful books (and their customer service is outstanding) but he isn't the quickest when it comes to releases. Mr Happy |
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elricc
Devils Coach Horse
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Post by elricc on Dec 11, 2018 17:18:59 GMT
I agree, I've been waiting patiently for the Flora Mayor for years, it's become a bit of a joke in our house. A metaphor for something that may never happen!
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Post by helrunar on Dec 11, 2018 18:35:25 GMT
Interesting about that press. Another of what I call the "boutique" presses, Three Hands Press, has so many books on their "to be released" list that just take years to come out. At least one of their authors told me he's moving his book. This one book was supposed to come out in the autumn of 2016 and it's become ridiculous because they keep setting a new release date, then missing the date. And that book is the work of the owner of the press. Who can figure.
That particular book has become a running joke in the Pagan community and the press has also pretty much become a joke.
cheers, H.
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Post by Michael Connolly on Dec 12, 2018 13:20:50 GMT
This title is still available as an eBook for those of you who just want to read it and don't mind the lack of a physical copy. As far as the Sundial Press edition you might have a little bit of a wait - they frequently list their upcoming titles WAAAAAYYY in advance of their actual publication. Sometimes years. That F.M. Mayor collection listed there has been "coming next month" since 2014. I love Frank and he produces some wonderful books (and their customer service is outstanding) but he isn't the quickest when it comes to releases. Mr Happy As it's actually the title of the second of his three collections, its possible that the upcoming version of The Night Wind Howls by Frederick Cowles (look, it's a poem!) could be an omnibus. |
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Post by Michael Connolly on Dec 13, 2018 15:04:45 GMT
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Post by mrhappy on Jun 23, 2019 5:08:24 GMT
I agree, I've been waiting patiently for the Flora Mayor for years, it's become a bit of a joke in our house. A metaphor for something that may never happen! This from the Sundial Press website: "Although one might assume the works of Flora Mayor are in the public domain, as we had, a literary agency is claiming copyright representation for their client which we are disputing. Until this issue has been satisfactorily resolved we have no option but to defer publication." Finally the reasons for the delays are starting to become clearer. This is unfortunate as these things can drag on for years. Mr. Happy |
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Post by Shrink Proof on Jun 23, 2019 6:17:04 GMT
This from the Sundial Press website: "Although one might assume the works of Flora Mayor are in the public domain, as we had, a literary agency is claiming copyright representation for their client which we are disputing. Until this issue has been satisfactorily resolved we have no option but to defer publication." Finally the reasons for the delays are starting to become clearer. This is unfortunate as these things can drag on for years. Mr. Happy Ah yes, once m'learned friends become involved it all slows to a glacial pace. Shades of Jarndyce & Jarndyce. As they say in legal circles, a bad lawyer can drag a case out for years. But a good one can drag a case out for decades... |
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elricc
Devils Coach Horse
Posts: 100
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Post by elricc on Jun 23, 2019 8:21:44 GMT
Thank you for posting, I's stopped looking!
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