This topic is currently marked as "dormant"—the last message is more than 90 days old. You can revive it by posting a reply.
1cosmicdolphin
Any opinions on the best 'Weird Tales Magazine' Anthologies published over the years. I'm currently reading The Adventures of Jules De Grandin by Seabury Quinn, and Lonely Vigils (John Thunstone) by Manly Wade Wellman. Which are pushing me in the direction of Weird Tales stuff published in 20s/30s/40s.
2gwendetenebre
Lonely Vigils is a great collection. Playboy occult investigator Thunstone might surprise those readers who are only familiar with Wellman via the Appalachia-bound "John the Balladeer" tales.
As for WT anthologies, I recommend Weird Tales: 32 Unearthed Terrors, which covers the 1930's to 1950's period pretty well. Also, there was a series of Weird Tales paperbacks released by Zebra in the early1980's, edited by Lin Cater. These were a mostly satisfying mix of old and new writers. Here is an example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weird_Tales_4
The WT period from roughly 1988 - 1991 represents a quality pinnacle for the magazine. I think you can get those original issues relatively cheaply out there on the interwebs. Not sure if that period has ever been anthologized.
As for WT anthologies, I recommend Weird Tales: 32 Unearthed Terrors, which covers the 1930's to 1950's period pretty well. Also, there was a series of Weird Tales paperbacks released by Zebra in the early1980's, edited by Lin Cater. These were a mostly satisfying mix of old and new writers. Here is an example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weird_Tales_4
The WT period from roughly 1988 - 1991 represents a quality pinnacle for the magazine. I think you can get those original issues relatively cheaply out there on the interwebs. Not sure if that period has ever been anthologized.
3artturnerjr
I'll second Kenton's recommendation of Weird Tales: 32 Unearthed Terrors. What I like about that one is that the editors limited themselves to one tale per writer, as opposed to the usual thing where it's all Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, and Clark Ashton Smith stories, with a couple tales by other writers tacked on just so they could say they included them.
A "warts and all" style WT anthology that's worth a look is one Barnes & Noble put out a few years back called 100 Wild Little Weird Tales, although its inclusiveness necessarily makes it inferior to 32 Unearthed Terrors overall.
A "warts and all" style WT anthology that's worth a look is one Barnes & Noble put out a few years back called 100 Wild Little Weird Tales, although its inclusiveness necessarily makes it inferior to 32 Unearthed Terrors overall.
4cosmicdolphin
I ordered Weird Tales: 32 Unearthed Terrors along with Weird Tales: 1923 which focuses on just that year. I will probably order a couple more titles. Although my next paycheck is almost all sepnt ;-)
5gwendetenebre
>4 cosmicdolphin:
Hope you like "32"! The other title you ordered sounds like a very interesting idea. That it is edited by Marvin Kaye and John Betancourt is promising. Let us know your impressions later on after you've finished it.
Kaye just took over as editor of the new incarnation of Weird Tales as detailed in this thread:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/141809
Hope you like "32"! The other title you ordered sounds like a very interesting idea. That it is edited by Marvin Kaye and John Betancourt is promising. Let us know your impressions later on after you've finished it.
Kaye just took over as editor of the new incarnation of Weird Tales as detailed in this thread:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/141809
6cosmicdolphin
> 2 Kentonsem:
The John Thunstone stories are going to be republished by Haffner Press. I spoke with Haffner at Worldcon, the release is delayed until December to allow for both a Ltd numbered edition, and a Lettered Edition. So 3 editions in all including the original trade hardcover. All three versions include the short stories and the two novels. The two more expensive versions will be prettier (with a Chapbook?). The original Carcosa Press art from Lonely Vigils is available for them to use. And there was something about unused signed bookplates culled from another release. Worldcon was such a blur (we were book dealers this time) that I only remember bits of what he told me.
The delay in the release is what triggered my purchase of Lonely Vigils. I have also ordered the two novels in addition School of Darkness and What Dreams May Come (Sorry bad touchstone). Other Wellman acquired over the last few days Sin's Doorway and Other Ominous Entrances , Fearful Rock and Other Precarious Locales, Strangers on the Heights all published by Nightshade Books. Battle in the Dawn Published by Planet stories.
I have two more Jules De Grandin collections on the way The Hellfire Files of Jules De Grandin and The Skeleton Closet of Jules De Grandin. Sadly the Popular Library Mass Market Paperbacks are a bit on the costly side.
The John Thunstone stories are going to be republished by Haffner Press. I spoke with Haffner at Worldcon, the release is delayed until December to allow for both a Ltd numbered edition, and a Lettered Edition. So 3 editions in all including the original trade hardcover. All three versions include the short stories and the two novels. The two more expensive versions will be prettier (with a Chapbook?). The original Carcosa Press art from Lonely Vigils is available for them to use. And there was something about unused signed bookplates culled from another release. Worldcon was such a blur (we were book dealers this time) that I only remember bits of what he told me.
The delay in the release is what triggered my purchase of Lonely Vigils. I have also ordered the two novels in addition School of Darkness and What Dreams May Come (Sorry bad touchstone). Other Wellman acquired over the last few days Sin's Doorway and Other Ominous Entrances , Fearful Rock and Other Precarious Locales, Strangers on the Heights all published by Nightshade Books. Battle in the Dawn Published by Planet stories.
I have two more Jules De Grandin collections on the way The Hellfire Files of Jules De Grandin and The Skeleton Closet of Jules De Grandin. Sadly the Popular Library Mass Market Paperbacks are a bit on the costly side.
7gwendetenebre
>6 cosmicdolphin:
Thanks for the heads-up on Haffner Press! I will investigate immediately. You can sometimes find those signed bookplates relatively inexpensively on eBay. I don't have one for Lonely Vigils, but I do have one signed by Wellman and Lee Brown Coye happily residing in my Carcosa edition of Worse Things Waiting.
I have the set of five NSB Wellman volumes (not counting "Strangers"). I might have a custom slipcase made for it one of these days.
Thanks for the heads-up on Haffner Press! I will investigate immediately. You can sometimes find those signed bookplates relatively inexpensively on eBay. I don't have one for Lonely Vigils, but I do have one signed by Wellman and Lee Brown Coye happily residing in my Carcosa edition of Worse Things Waiting.
I have the set of five NSB Wellman volumes (not counting "Strangers"). I might have a custom slipcase made for it one of these days.
8cosmicdolphin
I will pick up the other Carcosa Press volumes as and when Finance and Opportunity present. I believe each of the print runs was about 2000 copies with around 5-600 of each run being subscriber copies (with the signed bookplates).
I haven't bothered with the Night Shade editions of Third Cry of Legba and Other Invocations or Owls Hoot in the Daytime and Other Omens as yet because I have the stories elsewhere, so less of a hurry. The Devil is Not Mocked and other Warnings I would like, but the $100 price tag is prohibiting it for now. Night shade also had one further volume I don't have Giants From Eternity which is on my wishlist.
I figure on heading into the fall reading a mixture of Wellman, Quinn, and other Weird Tales stories. A Perfect match for the dark nights of Autumn and Winter.
Update: Just ordered Weird Tales: The Magazine that Never Dies edited by Marvin Kaye.
And one last one before I hide the credit card.. The Rivals of Weird Tales edited by Martin H. Greenberg etc.
I haven't bothered with the Night Shade editions of Third Cry of Legba and Other Invocations or Owls Hoot in the Daytime and Other Omens as yet because I have the stories elsewhere, so less of a hurry. The Devil is Not Mocked and other Warnings I would like, but the $100 price tag is prohibiting it for now. Night shade also had one further volume I don't have Giants From Eternity which is on my wishlist.
I figure on heading into the fall reading a mixture of Wellman, Quinn, and other Weird Tales stories. A Perfect match for the dark nights of Autumn and Winter.
Update: Just ordered Weird Tales: The Magazine that Never Dies edited by Marvin Kaye.
And one last one before I hide the credit card.. The Rivals of Weird Tales edited by Martin H. Greenberg etc.
9gwendetenebre
>6 cosmicdolphin:
I ordered the Thunstone edition from Haffner. Can't wait until it comes out! Just realized that I have the first volume of Kuttner from Haffner Press, so I know they do good work!
I ordered the Thunstone edition from Haffner. Can't wait until it comes out! Just realized that I have the first volume of Kuttner from Haffner Press, so I know they do good work!
10cosmicdolphin
>9 gwendetenebre:
Great. Haffner does good work.
Since I got paid I ordered a few more anthologies:
Weird Tales edited by Peter Haining
Weird Tales 3 edited by Lin Carter
100 Wild Little Weird Tales edited by Robert Weinberg etc
Weird Vampire Tales edited by Martin H. Greenberg etc
Weird Tales: seven decades of terror edited by John Betancourt
Weird Tales edited by Leo Margulies (touchstone not working)
Worlds of Weird edited by Leo Margulies
I finished reading The Best of Weird Tales: 1923 which is a mixed bag, Kaye is constantly annotating how weak the first year of publication was. I can't disagree. I did enjoy the Lovecraft tale which was 'Dagon'. 'Beyond the Door' by J. Paul Suter was a strong story. 'The Man Who Owned the World' by Frank Owen was interesting. The collection though is interesting from a historical perspective.
The physical quality of the book is typical Wildside (on demand paperback). Also typos all over the place. At only 130 pages it isn't a long anthology.
Short weird tales are suiting my reading habits right now.
Great. Haffner does good work.
Since I got paid I ordered a few more anthologies:
Weird Tales edited by Peter Haining
Weird Tales 3 edited by Lin Carter
100 Wild Little Weird Tales edited by Robert Weinberg etc
Weird Vampire Tales edited by Martin H. Greenberg etc
Weird Tales: seven decades of terror edited by John Betancourt
Weird Tales edited by Leo Margulies (touchstone not working)
Worlds of Weird edited by Leo Margulies
I finished reading The Best of Weird Tales: 1923 which is a mixed bag, Kaye is constantly annotating how weak the first year of publication was. I can't disagree. I did enjoy the Lovecraft tale which was 'Dagon'. 'Beyond the Door' by J. Paul Suter was a strong story. 'The Man Who Owned the World' by Frank Owen was interesting. The collection though is interesting from a historical perspective.
The physical quality of the book is typical Wildside (on demand paperback). Also typos all over the place. At only 130 pages it isn't a long anthology.
Short weird tales are suiting my reading habits right now.
11cosmicdolphin
God Bless Robert Weinberg. The man has sneaked as many old Weird Tales stories into whatever anthologies he got paid to edit:
100 Creepy Little Creature Stories edited By Weinberg/Greenberg/Dziemianowicz
100 Ghastly Little Ghost Stories edited By Weinberg/Greenberg/Dziemianowicz
100 Tiny Tales of Terror edited By Weinberg/Greenberg/Dziemianowicz
All contain classic Weird Tales stuff. I picked up The Eighth Green Man also edited by Weinberg. Sea-Cursed edited by Greenberg/Dziemianowicz/McDonald, also sits happily with the rest although less in the way of actual Weird Tales published stories. Most of the above were published by Barnes & Noble, and good on them for making the material available.
One last anthology I sourced is Rainbow Fantasia edited by Forest J Ackerman. Color themed stories from the pulps. An odd theme, but it does deliver many Weird Tales stories I did not have collected elsewhere.
100 Creepy Little Creature Stories edited By Weinberg/Greenberg/Dziemianowicz
100 Ghastly Little Ghost Stories edited By Weinberg/Greenberg/Dziemianowicz
100 Tiny Tales of Terror edited By Weinberg/Greenberg/Dziemianowicz
All contain classic Weird Tales stuff. I picked up The Eighth Green Man also edited by Weinberg. Sea-Cursed edited by Greenberg/Dziemianowicz/McDonald, also sits happily with the rest although less in the way of actual Weird Tales published stories. Most of the above were published by Barnes & Noble, and good on them for making the material available.
One last anthology I sourced is Rainbow Fantasia edited by Forest J Ackerman. Color themed stories from the pulps. An odd theme, but it does deliver many Weird Tales stories I did not have collected elsewhere.
12prosfilaes
#11: God Bless Robert Weinberg. The man has sneaked as many old Weird Tales stories into whatever anthologies he got paid to edit:
Snuck? I suspect that applies to the works they had to pay royalties on, not the public domain stories the publishers wanted the 100 ... Stories books to be filled with.
Snuck? I suspect that applies to the works they had to pay royalties on, not the public domain stories the publishers wanted the 100 ... Stories books to be filled with.
13alaudacorax
Can anyone tell me exactly what the relationships--if any--are between Peter Haining's Weird Tales : a selection in facsimile, of the best from the world's most famous fantasy magazine, his Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 1, his Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 2 and his More Weird Tales?
14alaudacorax
>13 alaudacorax:
What I particularly mean is, are any of them different editions of the same collection?
What I particularly mean is, are any of them different editions of the same collection?
15housefulofpaper
>13 alaudacorax:
I hovered my mouse over the titles and images of the covers appeared. As if by magic! Never noticed that feature before.
The images were of two sphere paperbacks from the '70s that I found in the Oxfam bookshop.They're not facsimiles of the magazine by any stretch of the imagination. But Haining was such a prolific anthologiser and editor I imagine there are several volumes with the same or similar names. I will try to investigate further.
I hovered my mouse over the titles and images of the covers appeared. As if by magic! Never noticed that feature before.
The images were of two sphere paperbacks from the '70s that I found in the Oxfam bookshop.They're not facsimiles of the magazine by any stretch of the imagination. But Haining was such a prolific anthologiser and editor I imagine there are several volumes with the same or similar names. I will try to investigate further.
16AndreasJ
>15 housefulofpaper:
You've never noticed it before because it's quite new. See this thread:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/310208
You've never noticed it before because it's quite new. See this thread:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/310208
17housefulofpaper
>16 AndreasJ:
I prefer to think of it as magic!
>14 alaudacorax:
I found a recent blog that explains all! It has pictures too - but in summary - the Haining volume in it's various incarnations is just one book: a hardback from British hardcover publisher Neville Spearman (the one that reprinted a number of Arkham house books in the 1970s). This does indeed reprint the stories direct from Weird Tales and retains original artwork etc. There was a 2-volume reprint from UK paperback publisher Sphere - just the text re-set for a paperback format. Finally reprints of the hardback one both sides of the Atlantic in 1990.
https://www.blackgate.com/2019/06/03/vintage-treasures-the-weird-tales-anthologi...
Before finding this blog I looked on the Vaults of Evil message boards. There's a thread devoted to those of Peter Haining's anthologies that draw on Weird Tales.
I prefer to think of it as magic!
>14 alaudacorax:
I found a recent blog that explains all! It has pictures too - but in summary - the Haining volume in it's various incarnations is just one book: a hardback from British hardcover publisher Neville Spearman (the one that reprinted a number of Arkham house books in the 1970s). This does indeed reprint the stories direct from Weird Tales and retains original artwork etc. There was a 2-volume reprint from UK paperback publisher Sphere - just the text re-set for a paperback format. Finally reprints of the hardback one both sides of the Atlantic in 1990.
https://www.blackgate.com/2019/06/03/vintage-treasures-the-weird-tales-anthologi...
Before finding this blog I looked on the Vaults of Evil message boards. There's a thread devoted to those of Peter Haining's anthologies that draw on Weird Tales.
18alaudacorax
>17 housefulofpaper:
Many thanks, Andrew. That has everything I wanted to know. I don't know why that webpage didn't show up yesterday as I spent quite a lot of time googling, and it's quite a new webpage. I'm sure googling isn't what it used to be ...
>16 AndreasJ:, >17 housefulofpaper:
Love that new feature. I remember spotting it a few days ago and wondering, somewhat worriedly, "Has that always been there without me noticing?" Then I got distracted by whatever I was doing and forgot about it until reading the above!
Many thanks, Andrew. That has everything I wanted to know. I don't know why that webpage didn't show up yesterday as I spent quite a lot of time googling, and it's quite a new webpage. I'm sure googling isn't what it used to be ...
>16 AndreasJ:, >17 housefulofpaper:
Love that new feature. I remember spotting it a few days ago and wondering, somewhat worriedly, "Has that always been there without me noticing?" Then I got distracted by whatever I was doing and forgot about it until reading the above!
19alaudacorax
>18 alaudacorax:
Actually, no, I'm still not clear on these editions.
I see Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 1 and Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 2 all over the web, including on LibraryThing, but wherever covers are shown they are always the covers of Haining's Weird Tales and More Weird Tales and, as Andrew says, these are not facsimile editions. At the same time, I can't find any images of covers that actually have the words 'Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 1' or 'Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 2' written on them.
From what I've been able to find out so far, it seems to me that something has gone seriously wrong in the webiverse and that 'Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 1' and 'Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 2' simply don't exist, and that a lot of sellers out there are, intentionally or not, guilty of misleading advertising. Have I got this wrong?
ETA - Sod it! I'm buying the hardcover--it's not as if I can't afford it ...
Actually, no, I'm still not clear on these editions.
I see Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 1 and Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 2 all over the web, including on LibraryThing, but wherever covers are shown they are always the covers of Haining's Weird Tales and More Weird Tales and, as Andrew says, these are not facsimile editions. At the same time, I can't find any images of covers that actually have the words 'Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 1' or 'Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 2' written on them.
From what I've been able to find out so far, it seems to me that something has gone seriously wrong in the webiverse and that 'Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 1' and 'Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 2' simply don't exist, and that a lot of sellers out there are, intentionally or not, guilty of misleading advertising. Have I got this wrong?
ETA - Sod it! I'm buying the hardcover--it's not as if I can't afford it ...
20prosfilaes
>19 alaudacorax: Yes, I think a lot of sellers are guilty of misleading advertising. I bought a copy of Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine: v. 1 and got a non-facsimile paperback.
21alaudacorax
>20 prosfilaes:
Thanks for confirming that. As it happens, I've just ordered a copy of the hardback Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine--I know that one is the facsimile. I simply want to get some flavour of the original reading experience.
Thanks for confirming that. As it happens, I've just ordered a copy of the hardback Weird Tales: A Facsimile of the World's Most Famous Fantasy Magazine--I know that one is the facsimile. I simply want to get some flavour of the original reading experience.
22alaudacorax
>21 alaudacorax:
Also, I'm getting to look worryingly like the chap on the cover--really must trim my whiskers ...
Also, I'm getting to look worryingly like the chap on the cover--really must trim my whiskers ...
23alaudacorax
>21 alaudacorax:
The postie just brought my copy. Well, I wanted something of the original magazine-readers' exerience. Very first page the book fell open at, 'Black Hound of Death'! I could almost hear dramatic music in the background--"Dum-dum-DUMMMM!!!". Lots of racy drawings and there are adverts for false teeth and flea powder and 'A Revolutionary New Home Spot Remover', not to mention 'A Secret Method for the Mastery of Life'. Wonderful! Like a kid with a new toy. Happy as a sandbag!
The postie just brought my copy. Well, I wanted something of the original magazine-readers' exerience. Very first page the book fell open at, 'Black Hound of Death'! I could almost hear dramatic music in the background--"Dum-dum-DUMMMM!!!". Lots of racy drawings and there are adverts for false teeth and flea powder and 'A Revolutionary New Home Spot Remover', not to mention 'A Secret Method for the Mastery of Life'. Wonderful! Like a kid with a new toy. Happy as a sandbag!
