Tagged: review

Review: The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, adapted by Seymour Chwast

Review: The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, adapted by Seymour Chwast

Yes, that credit does have the faint whiff of “by William Shakespeare, additional dialogue by Sam Taylor” to it, but it can’t be helped. Anything needs to be adapted if it’s going to work in another medium — which is a big “if” — and having it done by one person, who then lays out and draws the thing himself, is about as pure an auteur case as you can get.

And it’s not as if most people encounter The Canterbury Tales in their pure form, anyway — when I read them, way back in college years, my class was atypical in using an edition with Chaucer’s original spelling and grammar, but even we read an abridged version. The full-on Early Modern English Canterbury Tales has been primarily for scholars for generations now, so any time it comes close to a mass audience — which is not that often — you’re looking at an adaptation.

Chwast does Chaucer well with his adaptation of The Canterbury Tales — he does have them riding motorcycles, but otherwise doesn’t modernize the occupations or the world — these stories are still told by a Pardoner and a Franklin, a Clerk and a Reeve and a Manciple, and take place in their own times and places. Chwast does use modern spelling, and clearly uses only a fraction of Chaucer’s text, but he keeps enough to give the sense of Chaucer’s world, obsessed with religion almost as much as sex or honor. (Maybe it’s not all that different from our own, after all?)

Chwast came to graphic novels late — this is his second, after an adaptation of Dante’s Divine Comedy — after a long career as a noted graphic designer and illustrator. And his Canterbury Tales is well-designed, but not as overly designed as I was worried it would be. Chwast’s line is stiff and illustrative, giving all of his pages the look of bas-reliefs; his panels aren’t windows into a world of story but clearly pictures, drawn and placed just so.

This is admittedly an odd book — an adaptation of a classic most readers never think about, into a format most serious readers still scorn. It’s certainly quixotic, but admirably so — Chwast clearly enjoys Chaucer, and wants to share his love with the rest of us.

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AMAZING STORIES TO RELAUNCH JULY 1

AMAZING STORIES TO RELAUNCH JULY 1

  • News
  • June 30, 2012

For Immediate Release

AMAZING STORIES Relaunch Prelaunch Launches July 1, 2012.
Hillsboro, NH

Amazing Stories, the world’s first science fiction magazine, will begin its return to regular publication this July 1st with Volume 0, Number 1, the Relaunch Prelaunch issue.

All kinds of wonderful things have been happening at Amazing Stories over the past several months and some of them have prompted a change to the overall plan for Amazing Stories return.

As some of you may recall, I was planning on beginning the funding effort following the presidential elections in November. I’d originally wanted to go for the whole enchilada all at once and scale back from there as necessary.

Recent developments have caused me to accelerate certain aspects of the plan and to modify my approach to launching.

Now the plan is to break the project up into smaller pieces and fund those individually. Instead of scaling back, we’ll be building up.

This change has been engendered by a very exciting recent development that will both strengthen Amazing’s brand and create a revenue stream. The details of this development will be announced the weekend of July 14-15. The announcement will take place at the San Diego Comic Con (CA) and Readercon (MA) conventions.

I felt that it would be foolish to waste such an opportunity and decided to create the Relaunch Prelaunch issue of Amazing Stories so that there would be somewhere to go and something to look at when the announcement was made,

Since I had already gathered a fair amount of material for the blog, I decided to put it all together and create an issue of the magazine with it. The content ranges from reminisces on Amazing from Robert Silverberg, Barry Malzberg and Patrick L Price, to fiction by Jack Clemons (all of which is being reprinted from earlier renditions of the magazine) to an extensive series of round-robin interviews with 13 of the Book View Cafe authors – Maya Bohnhoff, Brenda Clough, Chris Dolley, katharine E. Kimbriel, Sue Lange, Vonda McIntyre, Linda Nagata, Pati Nagle, Phyllis Radford, Deborah J. Ross, Sarah Smith, Jennifer Stevenson, Judith Tarr and Dave Trowbridge and some (short) editorializing from me.

I think there’s plenty of good stuff there that will be released throughout the course of the month. Anyone who hears about Amazing Stories from the announcements (I’ll be sending it out to you all as well) will find several pieces to read when they visit and the promise of more to keep them coming back. And this will not be the last Relaunch Prelaunch issue; I’ve already started getting stuff in for the next one (an essay on Tarzan & Burroughs from John M Whalen) and more on the way (though I am not anywhere close to the three-months-out I ought to be). Hold on to your fiction, but if you’ve got an interesting article, interview, review, feel free to send it inI. I’m not paying and I can’t promise I’ll use it, but….

It now seems that the time to pull out all of the stops has arrived a few months earlier than I had originally anticipated. I am now putting together the outline of a Kickstarter (or similar) crowd-funding plan and presentation that will be released in the next couple of months.

In order to make it all work I will need everyone’s help.

So what can you do?

Nothing if you’d prefer. Or you could:

Visit the site. Share it with your friends. Comment on something you find here. Link to it. Sign up on the Facebook page. Sign up here.

Say nice things and think good thoughts.

The more Amazing Stories resembles a going concern, the easier it will be to obtain the funding and the closer we will all be to seeing what we want to see, the return of Amazing Stories!

The website and blog can be found here: http://www.amazingstoriesmag.com/
The Facebook Page is here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amazing-Stories/267141773319031

I have plenty of space on the site to help promote and publicize fellow travelers. If getting a spot up on Amazing’s site will help you promote the magazine, please send your artwork and link or get in touch so we can put a plan together. I’m happy to do what I can in return for your support.

And finally

Thank You All for your support, your kind words and your good wishes.

Steve Davidson

The Aldrich Family, The Spider, Pulp Art by Joe DeVito and MORE from Radio Archives!

  • News
  • June 29, 2012

RadioArchives.com Newsletter

 
June 29, 2012
 

 
Hen-reeee!, Henry Aldrich!
 
Comedy is taking something mundane and ordinary and turning it into a masterpiece of hilarity and humor. No classic radio show did this as well as one centered on the daily chaos surrounding teenager Henry Aldrich! Henry and an entire cast of characters bring laughter to everyday life once more in The Aldrich Family, a collection from Radio Archives!
 
“The Aldrich Family” spotlighted the adolescent escapades of young Henry and the hijinks that ensued from simple things like a bicycle’s flat tire or an overdue library book. The show also features one of the best-remembered openings from classic radio – Alice, Henry’s stalwart mother summons her son by yelling “Hen-reeee! Henry Aldrich!” And Henry responds with a voice riddled with the crackle of puberty, “Coming, Mother!” The show’s opening salvo had such an impact that some play on it still crops up occasionally in modern entertainment.
 
The Aldrich Family features as rich and colorful a cast as any show could. From Alice to Sam, Henry’s father to Homer Brown, Henry’s usual partner in confusion right through to Kathleen Anderson, Henry’s sweetheart, and his arch nemesis George Bigelow. Each character was distinct and had a life beyond the gags and jokes, making this show both real and larger than life at the same time.
 
Restored to sparkling audio quality, The Aldrich Family is a great set for both golden age comedy and characters so believable you can’t help but relate to and laugh with them. Available now from Radio Archives for only $26.98.

 
Rapid Fire Radio
A Column by Tommy Hancock

 

Reviews!
The Kraft Music Hall Starring Al Jolson – Very few entertainers have as complete a package of talent, personality, and sheer staying power as Al Jolson had. This collection proves that, spotlighting Jolson as the lead on The Kraft Music Hall in 1947-48. Jolson parlayed the success of a movie based on his life into a comeback and this show was one of the results. Not only is Jolson at the top of his game, but the sarcastic wit of Oscar Levant and the tuneful stylings of Lou Bring and his orchestra make this an enjoyable peek into the career of a true entertainer! Available now for $14.98 from Radio Archives!
Calling All Cars, Volume 1 – Although most people would rightfully call Dragnet the best of the police procedural radio shows, one that set the stage for it and all other comers is an excellent example of the genre! Calling All Cars, a show sponsored by Rio Grande Oil Company, featured true to life cases of all sorts and highlighted the hard work, dedication, car chases, and gunfights policemen got into to solve them! Fantastic pacing and great performances make this a stand out show and it’s only $29.98 from Radio Archives!
 
One Man’s Family, Volume 1 – Rarely does a show come along that is equal part family drama, soap opera, and slice of life, but in so many ways Carlton E. Morse achieved this with One Man’s Family. Centered on the Barbour Family, this program gave listeners something radio often did not. People written so well they might live down the street from you. And they were people that grew, changed, lived, aged, and died. Truly a classic of modern entertainment, One Man’s Family is a great addition to any fan’s collection. Only $17.98 at Radio Archives!

 

Character Spotlight!
Cut from the same cloth as any cowboy played by John Wayne, Luke Slaughter of Tombstone stands out as a classic character from a fantastic show. A rancher bound and determined to protect what is his, Slaughter is the epitome of a frontier hero slow to talk, quick to defend himself and others, and determined to leave his brand on the West! Performed to near perfection by Sam Buffington, Luke Slaughter is must listen for fans of Western Adventure and is only $23.98 from Radio Archives!
 
Hancock’s Favorite Episodes!
The Unexpected, Volume 1 “The Cripple” starring Marjorie Riordan.
With a program title like The Unexpected, one can expect something different, a twist or turn to set the whole episode on its ear. “The Cripple” is an eerie episode that does this best. A tale of a woman desperate to be with her true love forever but saddled with the care of her paraplegic sister, this show makes my skin crawl every time I hear it. Marjorie Riordan is deliciously evil as the lead character, going to deadly lengths to get the life she feels entitled to and is well deserving of how it all turns out! Definitely top notch acting and writing in this one! You can hear “The Cripple” and more fantastic episodes of The Unexpected, Volume 1 for only $14.98 from Radio Archives!

 
 

The Spider Battles Lightning Itself In New Audiobook
 
Devastating lightning, aimed at the highest buildings and critical public facilities of the city. Targeted with precise malevolence by a Man from Mars – with the flowing mane and deadly claws of the king of beasts.  The Lion Man!  The Flame Master!
 
In one of Norvell Page’s wildest Spider adventures, Richard Wentworth battles not one outrageous foe, but two. The Lion Man, who can rip a man’s flesh with deadly claws and unleash lightning with devastating results at any target he chooses. And a mysterious munitions master, whose allegiance can be bought by the highest bidder.
 
Electric Audio Adventure
“The Flame Master” is the newest Spider audiobook from RadioArchives.com, continuing the fantastic adventures of one of the 1930s’ most relentless avengers. This audio adventure once again features stage and screen actors Nick Santa Maria and Robin Riker as Richard Wentworth, alias The Spider, Master of Men … and Nita Van Sloan, his daring companion who battles at his side despite unspeakable danger.
 
The Spider faces Aronk Dong, the self-proclaimed Man from Mars, who unleashes the wrath of the heavens to subjugate Earth. But what is his real purpose? And hiding behind his deadly French Apaches is Toussaints Louvaine, a mysterious dealer in death who may be on Wentworth’s side … or may not.
 
“In this incredible adventure, no one is who they seem, and everyone has a private agenda,” says director Roger Rittner.  “Nick and Robin are at their best, portraying all the characters in this lightning-charged adventure.”
 
A Unique Listening Experience
“The Flame Master”, like its predecessors “Prince of the Red Looters” and “Wings of the Black Death”, is enhanced with extensive sound effects and period music score.
 
For a sample of the excitement, listen to a preview:

“The Flame Master” is available now at just $19.95 in a deluxe six-CD set. The first two Spider audiobooks, “Prince of the Red Looters” and “Wings of the Black Death” are still available at RadioArchives.com.
 
The Voice of the Spider! Nick Santa Maria
 
I always enjoyed voice work. When I was a kid, I’d improvise crazy comedies into an audio cassette recorder with my friends. During those days, I would try to voice as many different characters as I could as we struggled to make each other laugh. Little did I know how valuable that experience came to be.
 
Eventually, after becoming a professional actor, I was hired to do a great many radio commercials, utilizing some of the very same voices I’d created in my youth. Eventually I got away from voice work to concentrate on other areas of performance. But my heart still belonged in the sound studio.
 
Fast forward quite a number of years. One day I got a call from a friend who asked if I would take part in a radio musical comedy. I took on the task happily. It was only when I arrived that I found I was to play opposite that legendary vocal artist, June Foray.
 
The writer/producer/director of the project was the very talented Roger Rittner. Roger seemed to like my work, because soon afterward came a phone call that would change my life and get me happily back into the sound booth.
 
It turns out that Roger wanted me to be the voice of The Spider. I’d heard of the Shadow, Doc Savage, and a few other pulp novel characters. But the Spider had eluded me.
 
At lunch one day, Roger handed me a box containing the script for the first book I was to tackle, “Prince of the Red Looters”. After reading it, I was hooked. Being a vintage movie fanatic, I could only see an old serial excitingly playing out in my mind’s eye. The characters were rich and full, the writing was vibrant and thrilling, and Roger’s adaptation was brilliantly done. This was not to be a typical audio book; it played out like a radio adventure, complete with sound effects, music, and atmosphere.
 
I found that I would not only be narrating the story, but enacting all of the male characters – with Nita Van Sloan and the other female characters portrayed by the incredible Robin Riker. It was a veritable feast for an old ham like me, as I fully embraced the characters of Richard Wentworth, Police Commissioner Kirkpatrick, and especially the villains.
 
I’m now a veteran of four Spider adventures and look forward to many more. I certainly hope you enjoy what we’ve done with these classic stories, and that the characters are as vivid and enjoyable as they were for readers back in the 1930s.
 

 

The best of timeless Pulp now available as cutting edge Ebooks! Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings the greatest heroes, awesome action, and two fisted thrills to your E-Reader! Presenting Pulp Icons such as the Spider and Operator 5 as well as wonderfully obscure characters like Doctor Death and more, Will Murray’s Pulp Classics brings you the best of yesterday’s Pulp today!
 
Five new golden age Pulp tales exquisitely reformatted into visually stunning E-books!

 

In that single, unguarded moment while he played his precious Stradivarius, the combined forces of the Mayor of Hell — the crooked Law and the vengeful Underworld — besieged Richard Wentworth, otherwise known as the Spider, nemesis of criminals! Mourned as dead, the Spider must start life anew, without friends or funds or hidden refuge, so that the Mayor of Hell’s bloody-handed henchmen — who judge no deed too base, who respect neither man nor God — may find their just reward — in death! Another epic exploit of America’s best-loved pulp-fiction character of the 1930s and 1940s: The Spider — Master of Men! As a special Bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction: “Meet the Spider” especially for this series of eBooks.
 
Note: #29 is the sequel to #28 The Mayor of Hell.
America faces certain doom as its citizens fall in screaming thousands before the noxious death vapors loosed upon them by the Green Hand. How can the Spider, harried and threatened by a hundred new and deadly perils, check the rising power of the next Dictator — and lay bare the scheming, criminal mind which seeks to enslave the nation? Another epic exploit of America’s best-loved pulp-fiction character of the 1930s and 1940s: The Spider — Master of Men! As a special Bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction: “Meet the Spider” especially for this series of eBooks.
 

Speeding through the silent blackness of the night, a long freight-train was laden with a cargo more precious than fine gold — wheat! Then suddenly, the hirelings of Apocryphos unleashed red destruction, and the great machine lay wrecked, its cars of priceless grain afire… Another blow in the ruthless campaign that was driving a proud people, whimpering, to slavery — overwhelmed by the cruel pangs of hunger! The four horsemen of the Apocalypse, thundered sharp-hoofed over the sterile reaches of a famine-wasted continent, while only one man — Operator 5 — realized the ghastly extent of the diabolical plot. And only he — America’s undercover ace — could hope to bring the canny schemer to the justice he deserved — death!
 
Jimmy Christopher, clean-cut, square-jawed and clear-eyed, was the star of the most audacious pulp magazines ever conceived — Operator #5. Savage would-be conquerors, creepy cults, weird weather-controllers and famine-creating menaces to our mid-western breadbasket… these were but a few of the fiendish horrors that Jimmy Christopher was forced to confront. Operator #5 returns in vintage pulp tales, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format. As a special Bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction especially for this series of Operator #5 eBooks.

 
Carried far outside the solar system, and wrecked on a volcanic planetoid in company with a shipload of condemned criminals, Captain Future faces the supreme test of his courage! Captain Future… the Ace of Space! Born and raised on the moon, Curt Newton survived the murder of his scientist parents to become the protector of the galaxy known as Captain Future. With his Futuremen, Grag the giant robot, Otho, the shape-shifting android and Simon Wright, the Living Brain, he patrols the solar system in the fastest space ship ever constructed, the Comet, pursuing human monsters and alien threats to Earth and her neighbor planets.

 

Captain Future and his valiant aides speed to the rescue of the Sagittarian system — ready to lock in mortal combat with deadly enemies from another dimension! Captain Future… the Ace of Space! Born and raised on the moon, Curt Newton survived the murder of his scientist parents to become the protector of the galaxy known as Captain Future. With his Futuremen, Grag the giant robot, Otho, the shape-shifting android and Simon Wright, the Living Brain, he patrols the solar system in the fastest space ship ever constructed, the Comet, pursuing human monsters and alien threats to Earth and her neighbor planets.
 

When you purchase these beautifully reformatted eBooks from RadioArchives.com you receive all three formats in one ZIP file: PDF for PC or Mac computer; Mobi for Kindle and ePub for iPad/IPhone, Android, Sony eReader, and Nook. When you upgrade to a new eReader, you can transfer your eBook novels to your new device without the need to purchase anything new.
 
Find these legendary Pulp tales and more in Will Murray’s Pulp Classics, now available in the Kindle store and the Barnes and Noble Nook store! The best Pulp eBooks now available for only $2.99 each from Radio Archives!
 
1 cent Spider eBook!

 
For a limited time you can now download an exciting original Spider adventure for just one thin penny! Part of the Will Murray Pulp Classics line, The Spider #11, Prince of the Red Looters first saw print in 1934 and features his momentous battle with The Fly and his armies of crazed criminal killers. Their motto? Why “KILL THE SPIDER!” of course.
 
For those who have been unsure about digging into the wonderful world of pulps this is a perfect opportunity to give one of these fantastic yarns a real test run. With a full introduction to the Spider written by famed pulp historian and author Will Murray, The Spider #11 was written by one of pulp’s most respected authors, Norvell W. Page. Writing as Grant Stockbridge, Page’s stories included some of the most bizarre and fun takes on heroes and crime fighting in the history of escapist fiction.
 
Even today Page’s scenarios and his edge-of-the-seat writing style are still thrilling both new and old fans everywhere. For those who have never read one of these rollercoaster adventures, you are in for a thrill. If you already know how much fun a classic pulp is, make sure you download this bargain.
 
All eBooks produced by Radio Archives are available in ePub, Mobi, and PDF formats for the ultimate in compatibility. When you purchase this eBook from RadioArchives.com you receive all three formats in one ZIP file. When you upgrade to a new eReader, you can transfer your Spider novels to your new device without the need to purchase anything new. Use the PDF version when reading on your PC or Mac computer. If you have a Kindle, the Mobi version is what you want. If you have an iPad/iPhone, Android, Sony eReader or Nook, then the ePub version is what you want.

 

 

The Pulp Book Store at Radio Archives is proud to announce the addition of a store featuring one of the best modern Pulp Artists today! The Art of Joe DeVito spotlights the phenomenal work of a multitalented creator. A writer, sculptor, and more, DeVito is perhaps best known for his fantastic paintings that have graced book covers, billboards and more. Notably, DeVito is the artist responsible for the stunning covers of The Wild Adventures of Doc Savage series written by Will Murray and published by Altus Press.
 
Art and creativity are definitely part of what defines Joe DeVito. “I guess you can say I’ve been an artist all of my life” he stated. “I was born the year the Russians launched Sputnik, was told I began drawing recognizably and continuously around the age of 3 or 4, and have been working at it professionally for over 30 years now. Drawing, sculpting (albeit with Play Doh at first) and telling stories (such as, at the age of 4, describing the reason for drawing an entire town in crayon on my mother’s newly waxed kitchen floor) go as far back as I can remember.”
 
As with many creators, the influences, which led Joe down the path he’s traveled, were a part of his early life. “I’m originally from a large family that started out in Hell’s Kitchen in New York City. We moved to NJ in the early 60’s and I went from the Museum of Natural History and an asphalt playground with metal monkey bars and steel swings, to being able to run around in fields and explore woods and rivers almost overnight. It was quite a shock and greatly augmented my emotional, creative and physical landscape. I like to think the two halves made for a more complete whole.”
 
Pulp found its way into Joe’s formative years as well. “It was my utter infatuation with dinosaurs, books, magazines and monster movies that perhaps were my earliest connection with the pulps, at least in a visual sense. Watching our small B&W TV with the ubiquitous rabbit-ear antenna, virtually everything had a mysterious, atmospheric pulp quality to it! Those early years indelibly stamped my imagination. An essential part of being creative (for me at least) was never losing that initial sense of mystery, wonder and infatuation that I first experienced.”
 
When asked to define Pulp Art, Joe offered, “One way is to say that Pulp art is characterized by its tremendously atmospheric lighting, generally created by a strong light source that in turn generates powerful, cast shadows. These effects are heighted still further by the use of exaggerated perspective, unusual angles and topped off by eye-catching color accents on a limited palette, often applied with bold brush work.”
 
“Of course,” he continued, “subject matter consisting of an edge-of-your-seat, life-threatening situation involving a tough guy; multi-tentacled/orbed alien; monster or other creature either saving or threatening a curvatious woman – often while putting a .38, .45, Tommy gun, ray gun, laser beam, surgical implement or other threatening device through its paces – have been known to be associated with pulp art from time to time as well.”
 
Using those standards, Pulp Art most definitely is something that, like much of the fiction from that era, transcends the period most associated with it and appeals to a modern audience. According to Joe, “There are certainly a multitude of different reasons for people to escape into the pulps. It would not surprise me if one of the subliminal common threads was a certain nostalgia. Maybe it’s that in such a complicated, psychobabble-saturated world as the one we now live in the Pulps often hearken back to a time where there were good guys, there were bad guys and in the end the good guy wins. End of story.”
 
“As for the art, it is an optical thrill ride: All the things mentioned earlier and more apply: Heroes, heroines, villains, monsters, flying saucers and aliens, action, adventure, danger – all combined in a picture making feast for the eyeballs.”
 
Joe finds his own escape and enjoyment in the very Pulp art he creates for others looking for the same. He also cites a plethora of influences on his work. “There aren’t many things as enjoyable as creating a dramatically lit, action packed pulp-inspired painting. My initial art influences and inspirations in this area are too numerous to mention. After all these years it’s now second nature. Others would be the aforementioned old movies, most notably the original King Kong and all the great (and not so great) B monster movies; film noir and associated spy, detective (epitomized by Bogey, of course), and other flicks, not to mention SF/Fantasy/Adventure Pulp magazine covers to name a few.”
 
And like all fans, even those who are also creators, Joe has a favorite Pulp character to work on. And it’s one he’s very familiar with. “Doc Savage: It’s the nostalgia of the imagery, him being a superhero character who is still human; camaraderie; super villains; lots of old fashioned monsters and mystery; action; adventure; fabulous steam punk inspiring gadgetry that could be tinkered together in your own personal lab…did I mention ray guns?”
 
The Art of Joe DeVito is the place to get visually stunning posters featuring the truly amazing Pulp Art of Joe DeVito. Each poster is 12 X 18 and available for $19.98! From the 86th Floor of the Empire State Building to the shores of Skull Island and beyond, The Art of Joe DeVito is your ticket to Pulp adventure!
 

 

The Master of Darkness battles murderous master villains in thrilling pulp novels by Walter B. Gibson and Theodore Tinsley writing as “Maxwell Grant.” First, the Master of Darkness journeys to New Orleans to uncover the hidden identity of the international swindler known only as “Cyro.” Then, The Shadow suspects that “The Man Who Died Twice” still lives, and is the key to the Prince of Evil’s plot to murder Lamont Cranston! This instant collector’s item showcases the original color covers by George Rozen and Graves Gladney and the classic interior illustrations by legendary illustrators Tom Lovell and Earl Mayan, with historical commentary by Will Murray. Buy it today for $14.95.
 

A knockout painting by legendary paperback artist James Bama leads off a special variant edition of two action-packed pulp epics by Lester Dent writing as “Kenneth Robeson.” First, a bequest from a dying scientist leads Doc Savage to Death Valley in search of a long-dead pirate’s legendary treasure. Can this amazing invention allow “The Pirate’s Ghost” to speak from beyond the grave? Then, the Man of Bronze goes undercover at a Wyoming dude ranch to solve the bizarre puzzle of a strange “Green Eagle” with lead feathers! This special anniversary edition also showcases the original color pulp covers by Emery Clarke, Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations and an intriguing article by The Shadow’s famous raconteur, Walter B. Gibson. Priced at only $14.95.
 

The Pulp Era’s most unusual mystery man returns in three action-packed adventures by Paul Ernst and Emile Tepperman writing as “Kenneth Robeson.” Dick Benson’s life will be forever changed after “Murder on Wheels” and the mysterious Cole Wilson lure The Avenger into a deadly trap! Then, “The Three Gold Crowns” and a dentist’s forceps leads The Avenger to Mr. Death’s house of murder. PLUS: “Death to The Avenger,” a bonus Avenger novelette, and a Whisperer thriller by Alan Hathway. This classic pulp reprint features the color pulp covers by H. W. Scott, Paul Orban’s original interior illustrations and historical commentary by Will Murray. Priced at only $14.95 
 

One of the top crime-fighters from the golden age of pulp fiction, The Spider returns in two thrill-packed adventures written by Norvell Page under the pseudonym of Grant Stockbridge. First, in “The Spider and the Scarlet Surgeon” (1941), With unheard of skill, the Red Surgeon can change a patient into an imbecile… or a genius of crime! Not only can he alter the physical shell, but this mad doctor can even amputate parts of a victim’s personality, even their conscience. And his greatest ambition is to operate on none other than Stanley Kirkpatrick, Nita van Sloan… and the Spider! Then, in “The Spider and the Death Piper” (1942), Weird compelling music lures the inhabitants of Martinsville to suicide! By ones and twos at first, then in a stampede of maddened self-destruction. Even Richard Wentworth, with the iron will of the Spider, felt the irresistible calling of that Devil-tune! Can even the Master of Men prevail against an unearthly power that goads the listener to suicide? These two exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading and feature both of the original full color covers as well as interior illustrations that accompany each story. Available now for $14.95!
 
 
 
 

By John Olsen

 
“The Plot Master” is a battle of wits or a gang of international crooks against The Shadow. And at stake are millions of dollars and the security of our nation. The Plot Master is out to steal the Navy Department’s mystery submarine and only The Shadow can stop him!
 
What a great story we have, here. It’s a face-off between two masters of disguise — The Shadow and Eric Hildrow, the Plot Master. You can never be too sure who’s who in this thrilling tale of espionage. This story has plenty of suspense and action, and any pulp mystery with a location known as Death Island gets bonus points from me, to start with. This is one Shadow story that delivers the goods, right from the start.
 
Yes, this is one terrific Shadow novel, and it’s one in which surprisingly few of The Shadow’s agents appear. Harry Vincent plays a leading role in this story. Burbank is there to pass along messages, and Clyde Burke is mentioned but doesn’t actually appear. Cliff Marsland appears about halfway through the story and gets to see some action with The Shadow. And of course new agent Miles Crofton gets to see a bit of action, too. But most of the action is carried by The Shadow and Harry Vincent.
 
The Shadow really gets batted around in this story. Entombed, shot, blown up… yet he miraculously survives. But not without injury. By the end of the story, he’s pretty beat up. And that’s where the strange vial of purplish liquid comes into play. As he was going through his earlier trials, I kept wondering why he didn’t use that incredible restorative fluid. But at the story’s fantastic climax, he finally does.
 
This is one of the top Shadow novels. It’s got just about everything. It’s got death traps from which there can be no escape: “The Shadow was encased in a trap of death. Death by confinement, within the suffocating walls of the air-tight submarine chamber.” And yet, amazingly, he does escape.
 
There’s also the squishy rubber suction cups that The Shadow uses to climb sheer walls. There’s the explosives in the lining of his cloak. There’s the secret messages transmitted on the open airwaves using emphasized words in advertisements over WNX Radio in New York. There’s the amazing autogyro. And the famous vial containing the purple liquid. If you’re looking for a top Shadow pulp novel to read, you won’t do much better than this one. It’s a lot of fun, and will make you glad you chose to read The Shadow. And it can be yours along with another great Shadow novel for only $12.95 from Radio Archives!
 

Comments From Our Customers!
 
Ernest Spellmeyer writes:
I thank you for your prompt response in sending 2 sets of Dragnet CDs to me. The quality of your product and the sound quality of the CDs are terrific.
 
Ed Morrissey writes:
I really enjoyed The Spider – Wings of the Black Death CD set. Keep it up.
 
Larry Scheflin:
I really love the stuff you’ve been doing. Many thanks for all your efforts. I have purchased all four Doc Savage audiobooks and was wondering if there are any plans for more. They are excellent.
 

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amazingchanandthechanclan_complete-300x447-1508426

REVIEW: The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan

amazingchanandthechanclan_complete-300x447-1508426Prime time television in the 1950s and 1960s was packed with family situation comedies, including Hanna-Barbera’s takes on The Honeymooners in the form of The Flintstones and The Jetsons. By the dawn of the 1970s, those situation comedy tropes began to permeate Saturday morning cartoons as funny animal and super-heroic fare began to wane. Then there came Scooby-Doo, the first truly original and fresh concept in ages. The four meddlesome teens, their charismatic canine companion and van became the template for many imitators.

I can therefore imagine the brain trust at H-B trying to find new variations on the successful theme. The idea of combining elements a mystery solving family was a natural but how they ever settled on Charlie Chan and his dozen children remains an, ahem,. mystery.

The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan debuted in 1972 on CBS and was derived from Earl Derr Biggers literary sleuth, Charlie Chan. Based on Honolulu, Chan was modeled on real life detective Apana Biggers, and was introduced in 1926 but gained greatest fame in a series films featuring occidental actor Warner Oland.

Interestingly, there had not been a Chan movie or television series for quite some time by 1972 so one wonders how familiar the youthful target audience was with the character when the series arrived. Regardless, the sixteen episodes showcased the kids a lot more than they did Mr. Chan and the show featured one of the larger casts of regular characters even if the prose Chan Clan was an even dozen, for this show they trimmed that to ten. In prose and television, the mother is never mentioned.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE1WrbQ1YP8&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/youtube]

The stories themselves are filled with harmless action, some mild humor, and plenty of chances for the cast to shine. You can see for yourself in the newly released The Amazing Chan Clan and the Chan Clan — The Complete Series from Warner Archive. For the record, the series is credited for being the first time Charlie Chan was performed by a genuine Chinese actor, Keye Luke, who played Number One Son in many of the earlier features. Other performers were also of Asian descent but were quickly recast when CBS deemed their accents difficult for the audience to comprehend (although you wonder if they actually tested this theory and we won’t know because the original stories were redubbed). Only Robert Ito, as Henry, and Brian Trochi as genius inventor Alan, remained.

Debbie Jue (Nancy), Jay Jay Jue (Flip), Leslie Juwai (Mimi), Leslie Kumamota (Anne), Virginia Ann Lee (Suzie), Michael Takamoto (Tom), Robin Toma (Scooter), and Stephen Wong (Stanley) were replaced, respectively, by Beverly Kushida, Gene Andrusco, Cherylene Lee (as Suzie and Mimi), Jodie Foster (yes, that one), John Gunn, Michael Morgan, and Lennie Weinrib. Don Messick was the required dog companion Chu Chu.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix2YHwZNvzY&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/youtube]

Each kid had a specialty in addition to a musical talent so they would perform a song in each episode, making for relatively simplified storytelling. The music was supervised by Don Kirshner (who else?) with vocals led by Ron Dante (carried over from The Archies). As for the cases, they mimicked the movies’ international flavor so Mr. Chan and the kids globetrotted after the Crown Jewels or visited Trinidad to find missing doubloons, or joining in for Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The cases were never the reason to watch the show, but instead to see the siblings interact and to find out what goofy new invention would come in handy. None of the songs ever made it to the Top 40 and are pretty forgettable.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDHn6WTMcAQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/youtube]

If anything, this series is a curiosity from that transitional period between the Golden Age of Saturday morning fare and the watered down pabulum that denoted the ‘70s.

Marvel Expected to Announce Guardians, Big Hero 6 Films at San Diego

  • News
  • June 28, 2012

Marvel Studios is expected to announce the highly anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy movie at Comic-Con International. The film, according to Latino Review, will be their second 2014 release, completing a roster of films now dubbed Phase Two.

The time- and star-spanning team was first created by Arnold Drake and Gene Colan, appearing in the try-out title Marvel Super-Heroes #18 (January 1969). While never earning a title of their own, they went on to be recurring guest stars in a variety of titles all through the 1970s.

Under writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, a new incarnation of the Guardians have been a focal point of their cosmic stories, beginning in the Annihilation: Conquest stories. That particular cycle of stories ended a year or so back, paving the way for a new cycle, expected to be written by Brian Michael Bendis.

The new cycle of stories was teased with the arrival on Earth of Nova in the pages of Avengers vs. X-Men #1 followed by his digital exclusive story.

Meantime, Marvel has been registering domain names and laying claim to Guardian trademarks in a wide variety of merchandise, tipping their hands that such a feature was in development. It was even mentioned as one of several second tier properties being considered for later this decade but clearly it was a feint.

Marvel Comics has mastered the slow news leak, providing tips and nods in a certain direction, leading up to the not-so-surprising news announcement. You can trace this back to Joe Quesada badmouthing Peter Parker’s marriage to Mary Jane Watson at least a year before the eventual One More Day storyline that altered the Marvel reality.

Over the last few months, Marvel has been teasing that things are about to take a dramatic turn as one creative team after another have announced wrapping up storylines and paving the way for a freshening of the Marvel Universe.  Several Thanos titles were announced for this September including two by Jim Starlin the character’s creator.

With The Avengers completing Phase One, the second cycle of films begins in 2013 with Iron Man 3 to be followed in November by Thor 2. For 2014, Captain America 2 was previously announced for April 4with a TBA on the books. (Sony, meantime, has Amazing Spider-Man 2 pencilled in for May 2 and Fox has saved July 18 for another X-Men First Class Sequel). IMDB already has a placeholder page awaiting confirmation.

While there’s no word on which members of either version of the team will be used, we’re looking forward to Groot and Rocket Raccoon being a part of the cast. Apparently, Thanos will be the Big Bad to tie things together with his arrival hinted at with a sighting of his Infinity Gauntlet in Thor and his cameo at the end of The Avengers.  Latino’s piece speculates Thanos will appear in Guardians which will be the final film prior to 2015’s The Avengers 2.

Meantime, Marvel’s corporate masters, Walt Disney, just revealed this afternoon that they are working on their first Marvel animated property: Big Hero 6. The timing is interesting in that the Previews catalog out yesterday contains a new Big Hero 6 project from writer Chris Claremont.The team was introduced in 1998’s Sunfire and Big Hero 6 from Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau.

Planned for 2014, the blog says in part, “I promised my Bothans that I wouldn’t reveal much about the Marvel project that Walt Disney Animation Studios was working on, that I would only allude to it until something else broke about it. Well, now a website has let the cat out of the bag. Remember that I mentioned that the property would be unlike anything the Mouse had done before? I also mentioned to some that inquired about it, that Marvel owns 4000+ characters and everyone was thinking it was an animated Iron Man or X-Men or even “Power Pack.” Well, it’s not. It’s not one of the top 100 or 200 characters even. The actual title is much more obscure than most people know. In fact, most comic book fans will not even know the title, or most of the characters. So, what is the title/characters that Disney is adapting into an animated film?”

 

Archie Comics hires Jim Sokolowski; promotes Alex Segura, Harold Buchholz, Paul Kaminski

Archie Comics hires Jim Sokolowski; promotes Alex Segura, Harold Buchholz, Paul Kaminski

  • News
  • June 26, 2012

Jim Sokolowski, formerly of Marvel and DC Comics, joins Archie Comics as Senior Vice President – Sales and Business Development. “Ski” will oversee the company’s sales efforts in the direct, bookstore, digital and newsstand markets and guide plans to expand the reach of the company’s iconic characters and storylines. “Ski” brings a wealth of experience to the company, having previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Marvel and Executive Director of Publishing Operations at DC Comics.

In addition to the new faces, Archie Comics is proud to announce the promotion of a few key staff members to executive positions.

• Harold Buchholz has been promoted from Executive Director of Publishing and Operations to Senior Vice President – Publishing and Operations. Buchholz will continue to oversee the company’s distribution, printing and packaging in order to maximize sales through various channels. Thanks to Buchholz’s diligent efforts, Archie has seen a significant spike in graphic novel output, profitability and visibility – reaching a previously untapped number of new and returning fans. Prior to Archie, Buchholz worked with Jimmy Gownley and Renaissance Press on the popular Amelia Rules! line of graphic novels and was president of Acredale Media, an all-ages comic book print brokerage and consulting service. In addition to his work at Archie, Buchholz is also a cartoonist and writer, and has taught animation and entrepreneurship on the college level.

• Paul Kaminski, editor of SONIC THE HEDGEHOG, SONIC UNIVERSE, MEGA MAN, STAN LEE AND THE MIGHTY SEVEN and NEW CRUSADERS, has been promoted to Executive Director of Editorial. In his new role, Paul will oversee the editorial side of Archie’s graphic novel and comic book output and coordinate the editorial side of Archie’s entire line of titles and imprints. Kaminski saw Archie’s licensed titles, including SONIC and MEGA MAN, rise to new heights of success during his tenure as editor, and will bring his keen editorial insight and managerial style to the company as a whole. A BFA graduate of the School of Visual Arts, Kaminski brings a lifelong love of comics, music and pop culture to his work.

• Alex Segura has been promoted from Executive Director of Publicity and Marketing to Vice President – Publicity and Marketing, and will continue to oversee the company’s external messaging to the press, social media and marketing outlets. Since his arrival at Archie, the company has seen an unprecedented spike in attention and critical praise, including regular and focused news, feature and review attention in the mainstream, book trade and pop culture press, including THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, CBS NEWS, THE DAILY MAIL and more. Before coming to Archie, Segura worked at DC Comics. In addition to his publicity and marketing work for the company, Segura was also the writer of the best-selling ARCHIE MEETS KISS storyline among other stories.

WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSE FARMER 3 OFFER! DON’T MISS IT!

WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSE FARMER 3 OFFER! DON’T MISS IT!

  • News
  • June 24, 2012

The Official Philip José Farmer Email

Hello to everyone on the PJF Mailing list. There is a lot going on right now, but you can check the website and facebook for all those details.
This email is just to make sure you are aware of one thing. In the last newsletter (before making this information public online) I told you that if you are one of first 100 people to preorder THE WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSÉ FARMER 3: Portraits of a Trickster, you will get a custom laminated bookmark marking the occasion, just like the ones sent out with the first 100 copies of THE WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSÉ FARMER 2. Meteor House has not yet reached 100 preorders, so there is still time to do this.
However, Meteor House has now upped the ante with another reason you want to preorder THE WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSÉ FARMER 3 right now. It is so you can win a chance to be Tuckerized in a story—and not just any story, but a mind-blowingly-awesome story that Farmer fandom will still be talking about decades from now. That’s right, a character in a story in this book will be named after you. One person chosen at random will win this prize and there are three ways you can enter the contest:
1. Here is the easy one. Preorder a copy of THE WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSÉ FARMER 3. If you have already ordered a copy, you are already entered.2. This will require a little more effort on your part, but it gives you another chance to win. If you already own a copy of THE WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSÉ FARMER 1: Protean Dimensons, follow that link to Amazon and post a review of the book. It doesn’t have to be a 5 star review, we want your honest assessment of the book, but it must be a minimum of 50 words, not just, “Loved the book, I recommend it!” 3. If you’ve already done the second one, this won’t be any harder. Assuming you own and have read THE WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSÉ FARMER 2: Of Dust and Soul follow that link to Amazon and post a review. Same conditions, it doesn’t have to be a glowing review, we really want your opinions, but please put a little effort into it and write 50 words or more.

There you have it, three chances to win a one-of-a-kind prize, and do Meteor House a favor in the process. If you enjoy their books, entering the contest by any of the three methods is a great way to say thank you. However, you only have a week to enter as the deadline is midnight eastern on June 30th. On July 1st, the winner will be chosen and notified.Oops, one more thing I should remind you of: Don’t forget to preorder EXILES OF KHO by June 30th. If you do so, your name will appear in the book on the acknowledgments page. Since only a small number of copies will be printed beyond the number preordered, if you don’t preorder, there is a very good chance you will miss out on the tale of how Sahhindar significantly influenced the course of events in the ancient civilization of Khokarsa.
Mike Croteau
The Official Philip José Farmer Web Page
www.pjfarmer.com

CBLDF Teams with NCAC and ABFFE in Defense of Alan Moore’s NEONOMICON

CBLDF Teams with NCAC and ABFFE in Defense of Alan Moore’s NEONOMICON

CBLDF has joined forces with the National Coalition Against Censorship and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression to write a letter in defense of Alan Moore’s Neocomicon (Avatar Press), which has recently been challenged in the Greenville, South Carolina, public library system. Objections to Neonomicon were raised by a patron after her teenage daughter checked out the book, which contains adult themes. The book was correctly shelved in the adult section of the library, and the teenager possessed a library card that allowed access to the adult section.

CBLDF joined NCAC and ABFFE in sending the following letter to the Library Board of Trustees at the Greenville County Public Library:

Dear Board Members,

On behalf of the National Coalition Against Censorship, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund we strongly urge you to keep Alan Moore’s Neonomicon in the Greenville Public Library. This book has reportedly been challenged by a member of the community who claims its “sexually graphic” images make it inappropriate for the library.

Removing this book because of objections to its content is impermissible under the First Amendment. As the Supreme Court said in Board of Education v. Pico, the Constitution does not permit “officially prescribed orthodoxy” which limits what people may read, think, speak, or say. The fact that we are confronted with images and not words does not make a difference—the courts have ruled that images, like words, constitute symbolic expression and are protected by the First Amendment.

Neonomicon is a horror graphic novel which explores themes present in the works of fantasy writer H.P. Lovecraft, delving into complex issues of race, crime and sexuality. Moore and artist Jacen Burrows use the visual nature of the graphic novel medium to more fully examine the subject matter found in Lovecraft’s original work, achieving a commentary both on Lovecraft and on the horror genre itself. The authors deliberately disturbing depictions of sexual violence are included as a critical comment on how such subject matter is handled elsewhere within the genre. The book recently won the Bram Stoker award for “Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel.” Its critical acclaim testifies to its artistic value which is aided, not eclipsed, by its sexual content.

Alan Moore is one of the most influential and acclaimed authors in both the graphic novel category and the larger literary culture. His body of work includes Watchmen, which Time Magazine named one of the 100 best English-language novels published since 1923. His works also include the graphic novels V For Vendetta, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, From Hell, and Lost Girls, all of which have enjoyed tremendous critical acclaim. Neonomicon continues Moore’s explorations in appropriating classic literary characters and themes in the service of post-modern storytelling. It is an essential work by an author who is indisputably a master within his field.

The book was appropriately shelved in the adult section of the library. The fact that it was withdrawn by a minor, whose mother had given written permission for her to borrow materials from the adult section, is no basis for removing the book—an action that infringes the First Amendment rights of adult library patrons. Indeed, the removal of the book during the review process is itself problematic, since any government suppression of material because of objections to its viewpoint or content transgresses constitutional boundaries. As a legal matter, the harm has been done, even if it is later rectified.

The book meets the criteria that form the basis for the library’s collection development policy. Removing it because of sexual content not only fails to consider the indisputable value of the book as a whole, but also ignores the library’s obligation to serve all readers, without regards to individual tastes and sensibilities. If graphic violent and sexual content were excluded from the library because some people object to it, the library would lose ancient and contemporary classics, from Aeschylus’ Oresteia to Toni Morrison’s Beloved.

We strongly urge you to respect the rights of all readers to read and think freely, and to reject the notion that the views of some readers about the value of literature, or its “appropriateness”, maybe imposed on all. By keeping the books on the library shelves you will demonstrate respect for your readers and their choices, for the professionalism of the librarians who serve the reading public, and for the First Amendment and its importance to a pluralistic democratic society.

Please consult NCAC’s resource “Graphic Novels: Suggestions for Librarians” (http://ncac.org/graphicnovels.cfm) or contact us if there is anything we can do to help.

Sincerely,

Joan Bertin
Executive Director
National Coalition Against Censorship

Chris Finan
President
American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression

Charles Brownstein
Executive Director
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund

You can view a PDF of the letter here.

Please help support CBLDF’s important First Amendment work and defense against library challenges such as this by making a donation or becoming a member of the CBLDF!

FORTIER TAKES ON A GUEST WHO TAKES ON ‘TALES OF THE ROOK!’

  • News
  • June 19, 2012

ALL PULP REVIEWS by Ron Fortier
Tales of the Rook
Edited by David White & Barry Reese
Pro Se Productions
Reese Unlimited Imprint
Guest Review by Kevin Rodgers
Barry Reese, the creator of the Rook, recently invited his New Pulp colleagues to enter his universe and take turns with his iconic character.  Five writers accepted his invitation and allowed their creative talents and imaginations to propel the Rook into dangerous predicaments and thrilling plots. I’d been waiting impatiently for “Tales of the Rook,” to arrive because I knew this anthology would be well worth the money and I was right.
Barry Reese rightly anchors the collection with his newest Rook tale called, “The Killing Games.” Reese’s story interrupts a sea voyage for Max Davies, and his wife, Evelyn, who are forced to journey to a mysterious island after their ship is damaged in a storm. Ruthless Nazis, a mysterious castle and other devilish surprises await them on this island.  Reese’s exciting tale sets the tone for the rest of the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed “The Miss Beantown Affari,” by Ron Fortier.  Fortier uses his keen eye for detail and his mastery of action sequences to turn a beauty pageant into a wild shootout and abduction. I can’t say too much more because I don’t post spoilers in my reviews. Still Max Davies/the Rook definitely finds a way to expose the sleazy underbelly of old-school Boston and pinpoint the reason for all this chaos.
Up next is Bobby Nash who really knows how to turn up the heat and compel the reader to feel claustrophobic in his brilliant tale, “Where There’s Smoke.” I felt sympathy for the Rook when he steps into a trap and realizes there’s no escape from an arsonist’s inferno.  What follows is a fast paced sequence of events involving a well-equipped, hard to defeat villain.
Reese, Fortier and Nash rely heavily on action and adventure in the first half of this volume.  The second part of the book, which features stories by Mike Bullock, Percival Constantine and Tommy Hancock showcases the supernatural aspects of the Rook’s crime fighting saga.
Bullock lures the Rook into a labyrinth of demonic intrigue in, “Onyx Raven,” an imaginative, well written tale which introduces an intriguing, new character named Xander Janus.  We will be seeing more of his adventures in the future.
Percival Constantine ups the ante with the Family Grace’s connections to vampires and zombies in an entertaining contribution called, “The Curse of Baron Samedi.” The fun of this story is Constantine’s Rook is not Max Davies, but a future hero wearing the bird mask.
At the end of the anthology, Tommy Hancock pits the Rook against the classic pulp villain Doctor Death in a highly descriptive page turner called, “The Rook Nevermore,” which sets the stage for future Rook novels to be penned by Hancock.
In the end, “Tales of the Rook,” is a satisfying blend of well written, carefully crafted stories which held my interest from beginning to end. Fans of New Pulp should add this book their libraries without hesitation!

REVIEW: “One Soul” by Ray Fawkes

REVIEW: “One Soul” by Ray Fawkes

Every art form has stories that can only be told this way: novels that can’t be turned into movies, operas that must be seen in person, movies that could only be flickering pictures in the dark. Comics is still a new art, and only has a few examples so far.

But Ray Fawkes’s 2011 graphic novel One Soul is one of them: it’s a story that couldn’t be anything but comics, a multi-threaded examination of what it is to be alive…and not. Using the famous nine-panel grid, and sticking to it strictly, Fawkes tells eighteen life stories — one for each panel on the two facing pages, and tells one single story at the same time.

Eighteen babies are born, in all times and places, in splendor and in squalor, in wealth and in poverty. They grow up, they live their individual lives — long or short, as it happens — they make their ways in the world and think about what they want and need and feel. And the flow of their lives, of all of their lives, is the story of One Soul.

This is a book that will make the entire outside world disappear; it has at least a whole world inside it, and it will take all of your attention and all of your emotions. Fawkes never has to name any of his characters — we know them from their places and their faces, and come to care for them all, good and bad, kind and cruel, lovers and fighters, happy and sad. One Soul is one of those works of art that are huge in ambition and scope, that try to encompass the entire world, all of human experience, inside itself. And it succeeds: One Soul is magnificent and lovely and frightening and compelling and sorrowful and wonderful and, in the end, utterly, utterly transcendent.

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