I must admit I'm frightened and more than a little weirded out by the new blogger thing. I'll try to get the hang of it, but no promises.
- Aaron
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
The Dark Eidolon by Clark Ashton Smith
* The Dark Eidolon first appeared in Weird Tales Magazine in 1935 *
“The Dark Eidolon” (1935) is a classic sword and sorcery tale of revenge, black magic, and unimaginable evil. It is also classic Clark Ashton Smith and quite a return to form for the man after the last few tales of his we’ve discussed here. It seems in recent weeks that every story of Smith’s I write about I invariably end up complaining about or casting aspersions on which is more than a little disconcerting as I count Smith as one of the finest writers ever and easily the equal of Lovecraft, Howard, Quinn, Bloch, Le Fanu, Machen, James, etc. and am loathe to ever suggest that his work is ever unworthy, let alone “bad”. Luckily “The Dark Eidolon” more than erases any ill feelings the likes of “The Dweller in the Gulf” may have left behind.
The basic story concerns the necromancer Namirrha as he rises to power and sees his evil eclipse all of Zothique, though never forgets the slight he suffered at the hands of Zotulla, the future Emperor of the land. When he was a child (Narthos), Namirrha was run down by the cruel Emperor’s horses and left for dead. Of course he escaped the city and rose to power and the story picks up – after some exposition – as he seeks to undo the now emperor. Naturally things do not play out quite as planned when evil men battle under the eyes of demonic gods.
“The Dark Eidolon” is a strange story in that all of the characters could easily be the antagonists of other tales and, honestly enough, the only character that shows any sort of redeeming or sympathetic qualities is the evil god Thasaidon himself (also the titular eidolon, or statue). That said the story more than benefits from all of its characters being some malevolent as, were the wizard or the emperor any sort of heroic characters, “The Dark Eidolon” would have little to separate it from dozens of other sword and sorcery stories than Smith’s excellent prose and brilliant descriptions of the lands, their people, and the myriad monstrosities that serve the necromancer as soldiers and slaves.
Beyond the narrative itself there is a lot to recommend in “Eidolon”. Smith’s Zothique is further explored, there is mention of the dreaded “Isle of the Torturers” and its twisted ways, and – perhaps best of all – the mythos of Zothique’s gods and demons are further explored and, in a way, humanized as they commune with the human characters and take part in the story itself (a refreshing change from most of the other weird gods who either never show up or take no interest whatsoever in the narrative of their stories).
Is there anything negative here? Not especially. The story itself, while original because of the characters and their motivations, isn’t especially interesting when compared to some of Smith’s others and, honestly, would be quite mundane were its players not so interesting. Smith’s prose is, as usual, fantastic and almost fable-like when compared to the other weird writers of the era which can be off-putting to some I know, so it is worth mentioning, but for my money this does more to help the story than hinder it.
At any rate the story is more than worth reading even if you are not a fan of Smith’s mythology or the land of Zothique and its strange peoples and customs as Smith totally forgoes any sort of hero despite his pulp stylings and has the nerve to make the sole “decent” character the god of evil and death. Ideas like that, and an execution like Smith delivers here, are further proof that the pulps will never die.
- Aaron
“The Dark Eidolon” (1935) is a classic sword and sorcery tale of revenge, black magic, and unimaginable evil. It is also classic Clark Ashton Smith and quite a return to form for the man after the last few tales of his we’ve discussed here. It seems in recent weeks that every story of Smith’s I write about I invariably end up complaining about or casting aspersions on which is more than a little disconcerting as I count Smith as one of the finest writers ever and easily the equal of Lovecraft, Howard, Quinn, Bloch, Le Fanu, Machen, James, etc. and am loathe to ever suggest that his work is ever unworthy, let alone “bad”. Luckily “The Dark Eidolon” more than erases any ill feelings the likes of “The Dweller in the Gulf” may have left behind.
The basic story concerns the necromancer Namirrha as he rises to power and sees his evil eclipse all of Zothique, though never forgets the slight he suffered at the hands of Zotulla, the future Emperor of the land. When he was a child (Narthos), Namirrha was run down by the cruel Emperor’s horses and left for dead. Of course he escaped the city and rose to power and the story picks up – after some exposition – as he seeks to undo the now emperor. Naturally things do not play out quite as planned when evil men battle under the eyes of demonic gods.
“The Dark Eidolon” is a strange story in that all of the characters could easily be the antagonists of other tales and, honestly enough, the only character that shows any sort of redeeming or sympathetic qualities is the evil god Thasaidon himself (also the titular eidolon, or statue). That said the story more than benefits from all of its characters being some malevolent as, were the wizard or the emperor any sort of heroic characters, “The Dark Eidolon” would have little to separate it from dozens of other sword and sorcery stories than Smith’s excellent prose and brilliant descriptions of the lands, their people, and the myriad monstrosities that serve the necromancer as soldiers and slaves.
Beyond the narrative itself there is a lot to recommend in “Eidolon”. Smith’s Zothique is further explored, there is mention of the dreaded “Isle of the Torturers” and its twisted ways, and – perhaps best of all – the mythos of Zothique’s gods and demons are further explored and, in a way, humanized as they commune with the human characters and take part in the story itself (a refreshing change from most of the other weird gods who either never show up or take no interest whatsoever in the narrative of their stories).
Is there anything negative here? Not especially. The story itself, while original because of the characters and their motivations, isn’t especially interesting when compared to some of Smith’s others and, honestly, would be quite mundane were its players not so interesting. Smith’s prose is, as usual, fantastic and almost fable-like when compared to the other weird writers of the era which can be off-putting to some I know, so it is worth mentioning, but for my money this does more to help the story than hinder it.
At any rate the story is more than worth reading even if you are not a fan of Smith’s mythology or the land of Zothique and its strange peoples and customs as Smith totally forgoes any sort of hero despite his pulp stylings and has the nerve to make the sole “decent” character the god of evil and death. Ideas like that, and an execution like Smith delivers here, are further proof that the pulps will never die.
- Aaron
Brotherhood...
Been thinking about lycanthropes a lot lately. I honestly don't remember if Monica Bellucci was one in "Brotherhood of the Wolf" or not but, well, does it really matter?
- Aaron
- Aaron
Sunday, April 15, 2012
The Judge's House by Bram Stoker
Stoker returns to three of his favorite tropes in “The Judge’s House” (1891) - swarming rats, unaware or unbelieving academic youth, and the vengeful dead. The result is somewhat less famous and a whole lot less effective than his other use of those ideas (obviously this goes without saying), but like much of the author’s horror work the tale is none-the-less effective, readable, and enjoyable if somewhat limited in its scope and, honestly, not all that memorable beyond the initial reading.
The story deals with a youth traveling to an out-of-the-way town to further his mathematical studies. When he arrives he seeks out the furthest removed house he can, a dilapidated old place on the outskirts of town, so he can have solitude to study. Quite naturally the old place has a bad reputation with the locals but he’ll hear nothing of superstition and moves in regardless. Before long he notices the place is overrun by rats, including a huge one that sits and stares malevolently at him until he’s forced to chase it. This happens a number of times, there’s a huge storm, and the spirit of the titular judge shows up and finishes the story on a high note.
As I said, not the best narrative and one fraught with repetition and events that make no real sense – particularly and most detrimentally to the story the sudden and unexplained appearance of the ghostly judge who, while foreshadowed and suggested to be the “master rat”, really has no part in the story beyond the sudden “shock” of his appearance. Granted you know that he will eventually show up, but a better explanation than “it’s time to kill off the main character” for his arrival would have made the story much better.
Beyond that issue there is also the repetition of events which goes on from the time the character first enters the house to the time he dies. He studies, he drinks tea, he hears rats, he sees rats, he chases rats, he goes to sleep – this is repeated three times over the dozen or so pages of the story and becomes somewhat grating as the reader waits for some culmination of those events but rather ends up with the aforementioned sudden supernatural angle.
So after all that I suppose the question is “is the story worth reading?”. Honestly it isn’t much, not compared to Stoker’s other stories or those of other weird writers of the time. There are a few interesting ideas and Stoker’s again using rats and the undead is interesting, but this same theme has been handled far better in the likes of “The Rats in the Walls” (Lovecraft - 1923) making “The Judge’s House” notable for little more than its author and his better, more famous works.
Is it worth reading? Possibly. If you’re a big Stoker fan then the answer is obvious. If you want something quick and mildly entertaining it might also be worth a shot, but for my money there just isn’t enough to recommend the story on.
- Aaron
The story deals with a youth traveling to an out-of-the-way town to further his mathematical studies. When he arrives he seeks out the furthest removed house he can, a dilapidated old place on the outskirts of town, so he can have solitude to study. Quite naturally the old place has a bad reputation with the locals but he’ll hear nothing of superstition and moves in regardless. Before long he notices the place is overrun by rats, including a huge one that sits and stares malevolently at him until he’s forced to chase it. This happens a number of times, there’s a huge storm, and the spirit of the titular judge shows up and finishes the story on a high note.
As I said, not the best narrative and one fraught with repetition and events that make no real sense – particularly and most detrimentally to the story the sudden and unexplained appearance of the ghostly judge who, while foreshadowed and suggested to be the “master rat”, really has no part in the story beyond the sudden “shock” of his appearance. Granted you know that he will eventually show up, but a better explanation than “it’s time to kill off the main character” for his arrival would have made the story much better.
Beyond that issue there is also the repetition of events which goes on from the time the character first enters the house to the time he dies. He studies, he drinks tea, he hears rats, he sees rats, he chases rats, he goes to sleep – this is repeated three times over the dozen or so pages of the story and becomes somewhat grating as the reader waits for some culmination of those events but rather ends up with the aforementioned sudden supernatural angle.
So after all that I suppose the question is “is the story worth reading?”. Honestly it isn’t much, not compared to Stoker’s other stories or those of other weird writers of the time. There are a few interesting ideas and Stoker’s again using rats and the undead is interesting, but this same theme has been handled far better in the likes of “The Rats in the Walls” (Lovecraft - 1923) making “The Judge’s House” notable for little more than its author and his better, more famous works.
Is it worth reading? Possibly. If you’re a big Stoker fan then the answer is obvious. If you want something quick and mildly entertaining it might also be worth a shot, but for my money there just isn’t enough to recommend the story on.
- Aaron
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Jessica Van Helsing...
Stephanie Beacham as the best looking of the Van Helsing clan in Hammer's "Dracula AD 1972"...
- Aaron
- Aaron
A few thoughts on Dracula AD 1972
The legendary Hammer Horror Studios did themselves no favors when they modernized the Count in “Dracula AD 1972”. Sure they still cast Christopher Lee as the undead Count Dracula and Peter Cushing as his arch-nemesis Van Helsing, and their casting of the lovely Stephanie Beacham as Van Helsing’s granddaughter did nothing but help the production, but leaving behind the villages and castles of the Stoker tale for the hippies, clubs, and city streets of 70s London is easily one of the most foolish things that’s ever been done with the license. Well, maybe not one of the most foolish given some of the garbage that’s been filmed and written using Stoker’s immortal tale as an influence, but it did nothing to help a movie that’s otherwise quite good.The story maintains the status quo minus the new setting and time. A devil worshiper holds a magic ritual and resurrects the Count who, with memories of his previous demise at the hands of Van Helsing (still Cushing) fresh in his mind, sets out to undo the family line starting with the youngest (and most beautiful) member of the clan. Naturally things spiral out of control, the vampire “cult” apes any number of Satanist/Manson-esque types as it does his dirty work, and the young lady must (again) be saved from the clutches of the evil Count Dracula.
So yeah, so far as that goes it’s basically the same Dracula movie Hammer made over and over, its just the time-frame and the setting that have changed and, well, that’s more than disconcerting and, as I mentioned earlier, does little but detract from the movie. Sure one can easily see the reasoning, as Hammer was obviously trying to appeal to the younger set, but it horribly dates the whole thing and makes certain scenes – most notably an otherwise excellent demonic ritual – lose some of their impact.
That said there is still plenty to recommend the movie one. Lee and Cushing’s immortal feud is as good as ever and the two men play perfectly off each other and continue to be the best Dracula and Van Helsing ever filmed. Beacham is gorgeous and a more than welcome addition to the bevy of Hammer beauties that have graced the screen since the studio first re-launched the old Universal stable, and the presentation of Dracula himself – suggested through dialogue to be more than a vampire, but rather a devil – is extremely well done, though Dracula is, as always in these films, a little too easily vanquished.
Honestly the only negative thing one can say about “Dracula AD 1972” is the idea Hammer had to modernize it. Beyond that it’s easily the equal of the studio’s other Dracula efforts and, in some ways, even better than many. Without a doubt the whole thing would have been better served had Hammer stuck to the traditional setting of Dracula, but beyond that the film is excellent and highly recommended for any fan of Hammer and their style of horror.
- Aaron
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Canon Alberic's Scrap-book by M.R. James
Originally written in 1893 and largely believed to be James’ first “ghost” story, "Canon Alberic's Scrap-book" once again proves that, when handled by the right author, the ghost need not be the typical chain-rattler, shadow haunter, or mere gaunt face in the window. When handled by the right author – and I now staunchly believe that, when it comes to spectres and the like, James is not only the right author, but quite possibly the best – the “ghost” can be a very real threat…a dire being that, no longer content with merely scaring the victim, can wreak far more ghastly havoc.
Such is the case, once again, with "Canon Alberic's Scrap-book".
The story begins typically enough – both for James and traditional Gothic ghost fare – with a man researching a strange old church in a quiet little town. While there he discovers the caretaker is an odd little man who seems fearful all the time and is constantly checking behind himself, as though he was being pursued. There is also an odd sense of menace about the place and, more than once, both men here whispering laughter and noise in the far reaches of the old church. Eventually this gets to be a little too much – notably as night falls – and the man persuades him to come back to his home to view an old book that might be of interest to a historian. Naturally the Englishman bites and is soon in possession of the old tome…and something more.
Of course there is more to the old book than just paper and soon the protagonist finds himself in the same nervous state as he is dogged by something far worse than a spectral moan or clinking chain.
In the case of this story James suggests that the haunter of the book is something more than what weird fans would typically consider a ghost. He calls it a demon a number of times – both in the story and in reference to the thing via Latin scripts – and describes it – through a painting in the book – as a monstrous being, perhaps more at home in the Solomon Kane adventures of Robert E Howard than in a straight “ghost” story. For my money this works much better than what one would expect, though I can see some fans crying foul at a supposed ghost story featuring such a monstrosity.
Regardless though "Canon Alberic's Scrap-book" is a fine story and James does an excellent job building the mood and a mounting sense of dread over the few pages the tale occupies. I’m not certain I’d call it one of his best but for a first story it is beyond excellent and, as we’ve already been through, his idea of ghosts is far and away my favorite of any weird author’s. Without a doubt recommended.
-Aaron
Such is the case, once again, with "Canon Alberic's Scrap-book".
The story begins typically enough – both for James and traditional Gothic ghost fare – with a man researching a strange old church in a quiet little town. While there he discovers the caretaker is an odd little man who seems fearful all the time and is constantly checking behind himself, as though he was being pursued. There is also an odd sense of menace about the place and, more than once, both men here whispering laughter and noise in the far reaches of the old church. Eventually this gets to be a little too much – notably as night falls – and the man persuades him to come back to his home to view an old book that might be of interest to a historian. Naturally the Englishman bites and is soon in possession of the old tome…and something more.
Of course there is more to the old book than just paper and soon the protagonist finds himself in the same nervous state as he is dogged by something far worse than a spectral moan or clinking chain.
In the case of this story James suggests that the haunter of the book is something more than what weird fans would typically consider a ghost. He calls it a demon a number of times – both in the story and in reference to the thing via Latin scripts – and describes it – through a painting in the book – as a monstrous being, perhaps more at home in the Solomon Kane adventures of Robert E Howard than in a straight “ghost” story. For my money this works much better than what one would expect, though I can see some fans crying foul at a supposed ghost story featuring such a monstrosity.
Regardless though "Canon Alberic's Scrap-book" is a fine story and James does an excellent job building the mood and a mounting sense of dread over the few pages the tale occupies. I’m not certain I’d call it one of his best but for a first story it is beyond excellent and, as we’ve already been through, his idea of ghosts is far and away my favorite of any weird author’s. Without a doubt recommended.
-Aaron
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Happy Easter
Be it a religious holiday or just a day to eat candy, turkey, and surround yourself with loved ones, Happy Easter blog friends. Looks like the Bunny left something cool here at Dread Carcosa...
- Aaron
- Aaron
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