Category Archives: Weird fiction

Bertram Mitford’s Renshaw Fanning’s Quest

Posted on April 6, 2009 by skullsinthestars

Bertram Mitford (1855-1914) could be said to have been the darker cousin to H. Rider Haggard (1856-1925).  Both authors wrote adventure novels set in the perilous wilds of Africa, but Mitford seems to have used that setting, and his own … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure fiction | 9 Comments

A. Merritt’s The Face in the Abyss

Posted on March 22, 2009 by skullsinthestars

I’ve been continuing my reading of the works of A. Merritt (1884-1943), which began with his first serial novel The Moon Pool (1919), continued to his masterful The Metal Monster (1920) and most recently visited The Dwellers in the Mirage … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure fiction | 3 Comments

A. Merritt’s Dwellers in the Mirage

Posted on February 22, 2009 by skullsinthestars

Abraham Merritt (1888-1943) was one of the greats of pulp fiction, although up until recently his work was largely forgotten.  Recently, two of his novels were reprinted, The Moon Pool (1919) and The Metal Monster (1920), both of which I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure fiction, Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Weird fiction | 7 Comments

Evolution’s influence in pulp fiction!

Posted on February 9, 2009 by skullsinthestars

This February 12th will be the 200th anniversary of the birthday of Charles Darwin, father of the theory of evolution which forms the cornerstone of modern biology.  Being that this birthday coincides nicely with the February 15th deadline of The … Continue reading →

Posted in History of science, Weird fiction | 1 Comment

A. Merritt’s The Metal Monster

Posted on February 2, 2009 by skullsinthestars

Last week I discussed A. Merritt’s book The Moon Pool (1919), an adventure/horror novel showing genuine flashes of weird brilliance but marred by some rather stereotypical pulp conventions.  Merritt’s next novel, The Metal Monster (1920), is something else entirely!  Perhaps … Continue reading →

Posted in Horror, Lovecraft, Weird fiction | 5 Comments

A. Merritt’s The Moon Pool

Posted on January 21, 2009 by skullsinthestars

Occasionally my random impulse buys at the bookstore turn out to be unusually fruitful!  After Christmas, I was looking to spend some of my gift card money and happened across a copy of A. Merritt’s The Moon Pool (1919): I … Continue reading →

Posted in Horror, Lovecraft, Weird fiction | 6 Comments

Thomas M. Disch’s The Prisoner

Posted on January 9, 2009 by skullsinthestars

Recently I started investigating the works of author Thomas M. Disch, a well-known horror author and generally remarkable fellow who committed suicide in 2008.  His book The M.D.: A Horror Story was one of the books I read in my … Continue reading →

Posted in Mystery/thriller, Weird fiction | 3 Comments

The Crystal World, by J.G. Ballard

Posted on December 31, 2008 by skullsinthestars

I’ve been slowly working my way through a huge collection of apocalyptic novels in preparation for another major blog post.  Amazon has clued in to my bleak, weird taste in books and recommended The Crystal World (1966), by J.G. Ballard: … Continue reading →

Posted in Horror, Weird fiction | 2 Comments

Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s The Coming Race

Posted on December 15, 2008 by skullsinthestars

I’ve described the work of  Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873) before.  He was a highly prolific author who was highly influential in a number of fields, although his overly romantic prose is often ridiculed these days.  Nevertheless, Bulwer-Lytton’s work survives to this … Continue reading →

Posted in Weird fiction | 3 Comments

Get your ass to… Venus?

Posted on December 8, 2008 by skullsinthestars

Some time ago, I did a post about the sword-and-planet stories centered on the planet Mars, such as Burroughs’ classic John Carter of Mars series.  Earth’s other neighbor has also been the inspiration for a significant amount of fantastic fiction, … Continue reading →

Posted in Weird fiction | 6 Comments