contents
INTRODUCTION
OVERCOMING THE MONSTER: SF, F & H
THE MONSTER STORY
THE UNNAMEABLE: THE MONSTER AS EUPHEMISM
THE VAMPIRE AS LOTHARIO
THE WOMAN WITH THE OILY EYES
YUKI-ONNA: THE WOMAN OF THE SNOWS
“THE TOMB OF SARAH” AND SEABURY QUINN
THE VAMPIRE STORIES OF HUGH B. CAVE
DR. JOHN DALE, VAMPIRE HUNTER
HUGH DAVIDSON: SCI-FI PSEUDONYM
VAMPIRE TOWER
OOZE AND ANTHONY M. RUD
OTIS ADELBERT KLINE’S DR. DORP
SLIME MONSTERS IN WEIRD TALES
TOO LATE TO THE PARTY: JOSEPH PAYNE BRENNAN
HORROR SCIENCE FICTION
HOW BUG-EYED WAS YOUR MONSTER?
FREDRIC BROWN’S “ARENA”
TOM CURRY: HELPING OUT A FRIEND
VAMPIRES FROM SPACE
ALIEN SPACE BATS
ALIEN SPACE BATS & SCIENCE FICTION VAMPIRES IN THE COMICS
THE MASTERMIND OF MARS
GOING TO THE DOGS: TWO BEGINNINGS
MANAPE THE MIGHTY
THE FANTASY VAMPIRES OF CLARK ASHTON SMITH
THE ABOMINATIONS OF YONDO
THE BATTLE OF FIVE ARMIES: OF ORCS & EPICS
THE LITTLE PEOPLE: A FANTASTIC THREAD
JUST ADD MONSTERS: CONAN REWRITES
AFTERWORD: WHERE MONSTERS GO TO DIE: THE NURSERY CORNER
APPENDIX I: A CRASH COURSE IN CREATING MONSTERS
APPENDIX II: CREATING MONSTERS: THE MORLOCKS
APPENDIX III: CREATING MONSTERS: THE BIRDS
APPENDIX IV: THE FALSE MONSTER TRADITION
Why did I call it MONSTER! Well, anyone who knows me — my poor suffering wife especially–has heard this. “Let’s go see a movie!” Me: “Does it have monsters in it?” I don’t care who the star is, what deep message the film carries, or any other criteria. It’s gotta have monsters. The genres Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror are usually the best places to find these, so no surprise, that’s what I write about. (With Weird Westerns, Strange Northerns, Occult Mysteries and other sub-genres, of course.) So, MONSTER it is. In fact, each collection will have that title with a number added. MONSTER 2! should appear this November-December.
The book attempts to take related posts from different years and arrange them so that themes emerge. I have tried to avoid repetitions as much as possible. The prevailing theme this time is vampires, in Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy fiction. The old Pulpsters weren’t so genre-bound as writers today so someone like Clark Ashton Smith could write a vamp into a space tale, a sword & sorcery story and a traditional spooky piece, and might even pop out a Mystery vampire just for fun. (I won’t go so far as to suggest a blood-sucking Western but a vampy Spicy isn’t out of the question.)
But there is more here than just vampires. Bug-Eyed monsters, slime creatures, apes with human brains, aliens, occult detectives, orcs and even “flesh-eating Morlocks!” As with the blog, my hope is that you’ll find something you didn’t know here (and want to go and read that!) or re-consider something you’ve read before (and want to go and re-read it!).
BUY it on US Kindle and paperback.
A Surprise look at some Upcoming Books: How Strange!
A collection of strange Mystery stories featuring Victorian detectives, Dr. Drayk and Delamare, an Edwardian society of occult detectives known as the Athendorians. These are tales for fans of both Mystery and Horror. Strange Detectives will be followed by a collection of Strange Northerns, Weird Westerns and other dark adventures called Strange Adventures. Deputy Sheriff Brett Hope faces off against vampires and zombies while a crew of brave French Canadien trappers take on the Black Wolf. Another tale has yetis in the Alps! More to come!
