Pulp Books

Foget your highbrow accounts of mid-life crises in the Hamptons. Forget your stories of love lost and won against the backdrop of (insert contrived historical setting here). This is what entertaining, escapist fiction is about. A guilty pleasure, something to be covertly enjoyed? No, by Crom! These stories are uncompromisingly true to themselves, and as a result have more integrity than most things I've read in the last 20 years. If only those writing in Fantasy these days could shrug off the weight of tired tropes and imposed expectations of the genre, they could produce something that approaches the fresh, snappy pace and well-described action that Howard pioneered. True, he had the advantage of helping invent the genre, and didn't have to write under this weight, but that's the fun part - like Raymond Chandler, you can read these works, see the genre being invented before your eyes and realise why the style became cliche - it was so good that everyone wanted to copy it.
I find it interesting that Howard, who struggled with depression, wrote stories that crackle with vitality and display what I see as a celebration of living a passionate life. Funny how that works. Anyway, I leave you with a telling quote from "The Tower of the Elephant" that sums up the noble honesty of the character of Conan and why he appeals so much: "Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing."

Having finally gotten around to trying and loving Conan 2.0: Kull: Exile of Atlantis, I was ready to try the finished version, and once again Robert E. Howard did not disappoint! I can honestly say I've never read anything quite like it!

Introduction by Patrice Louinet: Interesting and useful, especially to a newbie like me. Discusses the significance of these editions of Conan stories: "until the present publication, Howard's Conan stories had never been published as Howard wrote them, in the order in which he wrote them, in a uniform collection."

"Cimmeria": short poem containing Conan's remembrances of the home he never revisits, written about the same time that Howard first conceived the character. Also reprinted here: The Best of Robert E. Howard Volume 2: Grim Lands.

"The Phoenix on the Sword": First Conan story was a rewritten Kull story "By This Axe I Rule!" The romance was eliminated, a weird element was added, and after the first draft, the somewhat slow beginning of the plotters' meeting was dropped in favor of the famous excerpt from the Nemedian Chronicles. I liked the original, but I loved this version more.

"The Frost-Giant's Daughter": Interesting twist on several ancient myths with Conan in the role the relentlessly chasing god. Later rewritten as the non-Conan story "The Frost-King's Daughter".

"The God in the Bowl": Weird police procedural involving the investigation of the death of a man Conan was stealing from.

"The Tower of the Elephant": First great Conan story involves Conan's attempt to steal the source of the priest Yara's magic from the title thief-proof tower and what he finds there. Contains interesting bit of history firmly tying the Kull and Conan universes together. Also reprinted here: The Best of Robert E. Howard Volume 2: Grim Lands.

"The Scarlet Citadel": King Conan is betrayed, his army slaughtered, and himself taken prisoner and condemned to a horrible death in the dungeons underneath the title structure, which only makes him mad!

"Queen of the Black Coast": Dark masterpiece about Conan going pirating with Belit, the title pirate leader, and the grim finish, brought on by the last, twisted survivor of a dead primordial race.

"Black Colossus": An ancient sorcerer is reborn and threatens to make Princess Yasmela of Khoraja his bride by force, but a forgotten oracle of Mitra tells her to fear not and place her kingdom in the hands of the first man she meets. Guess who that turns out to be!

"Iron Shadows in the Moon": The first of the "formula" Conan stories. Conan rescues damsel in distress from Hyrkanians, pirates, a giant ape, and statues come to life.

"Xuthal of the Dusk": Conan rescues damsel in distress from two conquering armies, a treacherous Stygian, the god of Xuthal, and the warped Xuthalites themselves.

"The Pool of the Black One": Conan rescues damsel in distress from pirates and inhuman sorcerer giants.

"Rogues in the House": Twist on the formula: Conan rescues fop in distress from anthropoid ape and treacherous priest.

"The Vale of Lost Women": Conan rescues damsel in distress from Kushite tribesmen and "a Devil from the Outer Dark".

"The Devil in Iron": Conan rescues damsel in distress from a couple of Hyrkanian plotters, a giant snake, and an iron-bodied "thing" that had crawled out of the Abyss.

"The Phoenix on the Sword" (first draft): Much closer to the original "By This Axe I Rule!"

"Notes on Various Peoples of the Hyborian Age": Thumbnail sketches of the Aquilonians, Gundermen, and Cimmerians.

"The Hyborian Age": Detailed history of Conan's world. Written primarily as a way for Howard to keep it straight in his stories.

Untitled Synopsis: Never fleshed out outline written after "The God in the Bowl" probably due to rejection of "The Frost-Giant's Daughter".

Untitled Synopses of "The Scarlet Citadel" and "Black Colossus".

Untitled Fragment: Conan starts to rescue damsel in distress. Probably a false start written after "The Vale of Lost Women".

Untitled Synopsis and Untitled Draft: Conan rescues a couple of damsels in distress, the first from a howling mob, the second from the first. Probably a false start written before "The Devil in Iron".

Hyborian Names and Countries and a couple of Hyborian Age Maps: Further author's aids.

"Hyborian Genesis" by Patrice Louinet: Informative notes on the creation of the Conan stories.

"Notes on the Conan Typescripts and the Chronology" and "Notes on the Original Howard Texts": Mostly of use to the Howard scholar.

I am looking forward to reading the rest of this Del Rey series: The Bloody Crown of Conan (Conan of Cimmeria, Book 2), The Conquering Sword of Conan (Conan of Cimmeria, Book 3), Bran Mak Morn: The Last King, The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane, The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard, The Best of Robert E. Howard Volume 1: Crimson Shadows, The Best of Robert E. Howard Volume 2: Grim Lands, and The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard.

Note: My review title comes from the mostly praiseworthy Washington Post review published on Howard's one hundredth birthday. However a couple sentences stand out for sheer stupidity:

"Perhaps most disturbingly, Conan glorifies the Gordian Knot solution: The proper response to a complex problem is to grab a sword and brutally hack away until the problem stops moving. Some naive readers might imagine that such a policy actually works in the real world."

This is an obvious reference to Howard's fellow Texan, "W" the Barbarian, and while we cannot know what Howard would have thought of him, we can know what he'd have thought of this sentiment: this idiocy is why barbarism is the natural state of mankind. Earth to Washington Post: while NOBODY thinks that grabbing a sword and brutally hacking away until the problem stops moving is the solution to EVERY problem, anyone who thinks that it is NEVER the solution "is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

The first of the three new editions of Robert E. Howard's Conan following the order in which they appeared and not the chronological sequence by the late Lyon Sprague de Camp. Some are classics of the genre (a genre which Howard pretty created single-handedly): "Phoenix on the Sword" -- in which King Conan, surrounded by assasins in his bed chamber, one hand against the wall, a battle axe in the other says through bloody lips, "Who dies first?" "A Witch Shall be Born" has the classic scene of Conan crucified. John Milius really screwed this up in the movie. It has none of the power of the image Howard created. In "Queen of the Black Coast" you have Howard at the height of his powers and Conan's great love of his life (another scene that Milius copped for the movie to much lesser effect). If you love fantasy than these three books will make, along with Tolkien, a great cornerstone to any library.

Howard's Conan is a warrior and not much more. The common thread of all the stories is that somewhere along the way way Conan kills someone or something. It's pretty much that simple. Some of the stories are no more than a few pages, while others cover what essentially are multiple chapters. Most of the stories have a smoking hot woman who usually starts scantily clad and ends up completely unclad at some point - though sex does not feature (keeping in mind they were written in the 1930s). Conan isn't even the main character in some cases.

Outside of the tales themselves, I found the introductory discussion of Howard and the development of the Conan character interesting. What was most intriguing to me, though, was the well developed history of Conan's world, written by Howard, which is included toward the end of the volume.

Overall, if you take the stories individually, try not to link them much (despite the ever-present Conan), and you like the genre, you'll probably quite enjoy this collection. It's well written and loaded with exciting action. If you want the type of character development you get from novels, and even from the Conan movies, you'll be disappointed.

First, I must say that I am a woman. Many have found it unusual that I would love Robert E. Howard's work, but I do. I have all of his stories, and am grateful there are new editions to replace my poor crumbling paperbacks.
As a writer of fantasy Robert E. Howard is a must read for any interested in the genre. We take for granted the acceptance of fantasy in literature today, but in the 1930's-it was not respected or looked on with any serious note. I am not saying Robert E. Howard was without flaws, but he could create such heat on paper in a few sentences that takes many a writer pages to achieve. His raw barbarian hero Conan goes from age 15 to aged king and his journey is never dull. It is the scope of imagination in Howard's writing that is wonderful. The freedom to be wild. We should never forget that as writers. As a reader, I relish Howard's tales of savage myth.

I received ED&BV for my birthday last month. It wasn't even on my wish list but it caught my stepdaughter's attention and I'm thrilled that it did! I've made about 7 or 8 of the recipes so far and they've all ranged from "Huh, that's pretty darn good" to "HOLY SMOKES! That's the most insanely delicious thing I've ever tasted!!!" (If you want an example of the latter, make the Rawesome Dip. It will blow your mind. You've been warned.) A BIG bonus for me: I also got an immersion blender for my birthday, and ED&BV provides a ton of opportunities for me to use it.

Pros:
--The notes in the margin are extremely helpful and detailed, and offer great ideas for variations, serving suggestions, etc.
--The recipes are all user-friendly enough for a less-experienced home cook
--A lot of the recipes will freeze and reheat well, which is great for moms who work full-time or anyone who's just short on time
--Many of the recipes are downright surprising (Cocoa Coconut Chili??? Yes. Really.) and genuinely unique, which is fun for any cookbook junkie who's gotten to the "Been there, cooked that" stage. Flipping through the pages of ED&BV, I lost track of the number of times I thought "Wow, I've never seen anything quite like that before ..."

Cons:
--No nutritional info.
--A significant amount of obscure ingredients that you will probably only find in specialty ethnic shops. I already had fenugreek seeds in my pantry, but that's only because I'm lucky enough to have an Indian grocery store near my job. But neither my favorite well-stocked supermarket nor the local health food store carries these. (There are other authors, however, who are far worse in this regard.)
--Poor index. If you look up "chickpeas," for example, you'll get a list of the page numbers where chickpea recipes can be found, but not a list of the specific recipe names and their page numbers.

Overall, a definite must-have for anybody who loves veg or vegan cooking, or even an adventurous non-veg who just wants ideas for easy-to-make dishes that are as delicious as they are different. I am extremely impressed with this book, and I'm putting Dreena Burton's other books at the very top of my wish list right away.

This is my go-to cookbook when I want something I know I will enjoy. I feel like this book was meant just for me. This book uses limited wheat, refined sweetners and plenty of sweet potatoes, tempeh, quickpeas, chocolate - all my favorite foods wrapped in a cute, colorful and modern looking little book. I have never made anything I didn't enjoy from this book but here are my favorites with recommendations:

Hemp-anola: This is way better and healthier than any granola you could buy at Whole Foods. I use quinoa flakes instead of barley flakes and a little extra blackstrap molasses and leave the nuts out (I feel like the hemp seed nuts are a lot) and serve with lots of blueberries or bananas and vanilla hemp or soymilk!

Kids Dynamo Hummus: I'm 20 but the title appealed to me. The addition of cashews really adds creamyness. My only recommendation is to add more garlic. I also use Vega oil instead of flax oil.

Balsamic Maple Sauce & Back to Basics Balsamic Vinaigrette: Dreena knows her balsamic vinegar. I use these all the time. I recommend using maple syrup with the dressing and I use extra virgin olive oil.

Thick n Rich Gravy: This is just delicious. Its a cross between gravy and a "cheezy" sauce. I add a little extra nutritional yeast and use sweet white miso. My only problem is the thickness doesn't hold when I added it to hot pasta. It worked better the next day after refridgerating and drizzling over tofu and rice.

Beats a BLT Sandwich!: My favorite sandwich. Period. I use basil, veganaise, romaine and big slices of Whole Wheat.

Sweet & Sour Chipotle Tempeh with Sweet Potatoes: I love how healthy this sweet and sour sauce is. Sweet potatoes and tempeh go well together and it tastes even better cold the next day.

Seared Portobello Mushrooms: Basic but really impressive. Its worth using a little extra oil (I fry in coconut oil)

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie: 2 of my favorites foods combined and so easy to make. It might be a little spicy or "different" tasting for some.

"Nicer" Krispie Squares: You could shock someone with the ingredients of these but they taste so authentic. Macadamia nut butter and agar powder (seaweed)?!

Super-Charge Me! Cookies: No sugar, healthy, easy to mix-and match ingredients.

I also make the Acai Antioxidant & Drink Your Greens Smoothie (tastes way better than it sounds trust me) often.

I'm really thankful for books like these that make being vegan that much easier.

Since our family has egg, milk and other food allergies, we have searched for a very long time for a cookbook of this caliber. Although we are not vegan, we were thrilled to see the many recipes that would allow us a wide
variety of yummy foods without knocking ourselves silly to find the ingredients!

I would recommend this book to anyone who is searching for TRULY healthy recipes and/or who wants to cook & bake without using eggs!


Joyce S.

Not the most extensive review but I wanted to add my 5 stars to this book's review. I made the Sweet & Sour Chipolte Tempeh with Sweet Potatoes tonight and it was amazing! I have all of Dreena's books and have found many additions for The Rotation though that rotation is getting pretty wide... :o) Thanks Dreena for all your delicious recipes and thoughtful insights. Best from NC!

I own several vegan cookbooks and like many of them. But what sets this one apart is the overall consistent deliciousness of the meals, as well as great suggestions for what dishes to serve alongside each other to make a complete meal.

Space prince swap.

John Gordon is rather surprised to be mentally contacted by a man claiming to be from a long, long way in the future, who claims he can swap minds in an experiment with a man from the past such as himself.

When he agrees there are beautiful women to try and fool, Galactic Empires to save, battle fleets to be fought, and atom-pistols to be wielded. Oh, and a super Disruptor weapon to protect from falling into the wrong hands.

Not what your average 20th bloke has to go through, that is for sure, but he gives it his best.

The Star Kings was writen during the golden age of science-fiction, that is, many many years ago. You have to keep this in mind to appreciate the book, otherwise some aspects will seem very cheesy.

The setting in this book (and its sequel), is today be considered a classical space-opera on par with what Star Wars: A New Hope was back in 1979. It is with all of this in mind that I read, and liked, Star Kings. Why? Because despite being very typical of the genre, the author managed to avoid all the clichés I'm weary of and yet his book has those I still appreciate.

John Gordon and Jarth Arn were both looking for something that was beyond them, beyond the lives they led. For Jarth, it was a world in the past that he had never visited. For John, it was adventure and excitement beyond his dull existence. Jarth needed John to see the world he was looking for and John needed Jarth for the adventure he sought, though John didn't know it at the time. John and Jarth switch bodies and time periods to seek the unknown, but only for a short, limited time. However, as usual, things never go as planned.

Jarth Arn is the second son to one of the most powerful Star Kings. This is just the beginning, as John fights off the League of the Dark Worlds He is torn between the Jarth's love of a mistress named Murn and his love for Princess Lianna, the ruler of a Star-Kingdom. He has to prove his loyalty to his older brother after Jarth's father is assassinated and he is framed for the crime. Then he has to save the entire galaxy from the evil that tries to overtake good.

As I started THE STAR KINGS, I must say it was nothing I ever dreamed of, but boy, it was a great surprise indeed! Mr. Edmund must have had an imagination beyond anything to have dreamed up and written a tale such as this one. From one excitement to the next, I could not stop turning the pages. STAR KINGS is one of the best paranormals I've ever read.

Romance At Its Best ...

Star Kings is the best book I have ever read. It mixes a great space opera and love story through a non-stop adventure over the galaxy. Star Wars is a pale copy of this book but those who liked Star Wars will surely adore Star Kings. Don't miss the sequel "return to stars" !

Listen lads!
I am 50 years old now, and I read "Star Kings" in 1958... I felt devastated then!
I could never forget it in 44 years, and I just happened to learn that it was written by Ed Hamilton, right a few days ago!... (The Turkish language edition I had read did not mention the author's name, it was a cheap pulp edition of about 50 cents of the day and I got money from my late dad to buy it, oh dear...)
I know it almost by heart after all those years...
To all Hamilton fans and the people of every age who dreamed of being a John Gordon, hail!
Engin Ardic
Istanbul, Turkey

Gomez-Arcos, Augustin. "The Carnivorous Lamb", Arsenal Pulp Press, 2007.

Haunting and Weirdly Unusual

Amos Lassen

Arsenal Pulp Press of Vancouver, Canada has been resurrecting gay and lesbian literature with Little Sister's Classics series. The newest addition is Augustin Gomez-Arcos' "The Carnivorous Lamb", written in 1975, which was translated into English in 1984 (from the original French). Gomez-Arcos was a Spanish anarchist, a dramatist and a playwright who self-exiled to France where he wrote primarily about Franco's Spain.
This book is an allegory about that period and centers on a young gay male who comes of age within a troubled family--his mother abhors him, his father cannot be bothered with him and ignores him. He does have a brother that loves him deeply.
The young man is the narrator and the carnivorous lamb. He begins his story when he was thirteen and when his innocence is lost. It is the 1950's when he, the younger of two sons is kept in the shelter of his home by his overbearing mother and at 13 he manages to begin to break away. He has a tutor, a strict disciplinarian and a family priest who is intent upon seeing that the boy reach adulthood by the right path. He, however, feels that he must rebel against those that oppress him and as he comes of age, he does so as a reaction to his mother and father and to the authority of church and state.
It is not an easy to reach maturity and as we read the tale of the family, we see that is political satire of the time. Gomez-Arcos not only takes on Spain but the Catholic Church as well. He does so with humor that disguises the true horrors and the tyrannical rule of Federico Franco. Likewise the book deals with the repression of religion and the structure of the family. The concept of authority is blown away and in its place we get identity and liberty as the author defies all in beautiful and provocative ways. This is a book not only to be read for the excitement of reading a masterpiece but it is to be cherished as a document that has returned to us from the dead.

Agustin Gomez-Arcos, The Carnivorous Lamb (David R. Godine, 1975)

I find myself somewhat astonished that a book this explicit was published in 1975. I am quite a bit less surprised that it is long out of print. (However, the fact that my Interlibrary Loan request for this volume was filled by the Ohio Dominican College? Now that floored me.) This tale of a homosexual relationship between a pair of brothers, told mostly in flashback as the younger brother awaits his older brother's return, wife in tow, from South America, never flinches from its sometimes shocking subject matter, but nor does Gomez-Arcos ever exploit his material from gratuitous shock value; it just is, and that, perhaps, is the book's major strength.

The book follows two avenues, for lack of a better way to put it; the first follows the love story between Ignacio, the narrator, and Antonio, his brother, who is five years older. Yep, incest, but I did warn you above, right? The second is a portrait of a once-wealthy family gradually driven to destitution by the Spanish Civil War and the Franco dictatorship. I get the feeling most readers will be enchanted with one storyline and want to ignore the other (which is which depends on one's proclivities, no doubt); I tried to pay equal attention to both, and appreciated the way Gomez-Arcos wove them together into one book. It certainly could have been done better; the pacing is atrocious much of the time, and one gets the feeling this could have easily been half the length and still contained everything Gomez-Arcos wanted to say. Still, it's hard to argue with the language, which is never less than gorgeous. (One French reviewer on Amazon excoriates the English translation, saying it loses much of the "purity and clarity" of the original; I can't vouch for it, but I do know the language in the English translation is wonderfully done.) If you are a fan of writing style over plot, this is a must-read, but be warned that some of the subject matter may be too intense for more sensitive types (or too boring for thrillseekers). ****

((I award a Secondary Title for this review: "A One-Of-A-Kind Take on Brotherly Love"))

I can't tell you if this was a beautifully written book.......but I can advise you that it is a beautifully translated tale. Since it was first published in French (I know only a few phrases and a number of individual words), I cannot quarrel the earlier, Paris-residing reviewer who seems to think not so much of this translation. But, to this reader, to me, the translated writing seems near perfect, making this one of those few books to un-shelf from time to time and in which to become quickly engrossed.

It's a love story......but one probably unlike any you've read before (its nature has been described elsewhere in these reviews). And it is also a history lesson--one told from very personal points of view (as so much of history is told). But mostly, it's a tale which tells us that love in any guise can be found between two people, no matter their situation one to the other, and that as the strongest of our emotions it can redeem us from the worst difficulties we may think we face.

****

Of all the many books I've read, this is my favorite.

Its been a while since reading a book that was so profoundly satisfying and well-finished. It is a beautiful book celebrating an exuberant, deep love. It sells the book short to call it simply homo-erotic, just because the main protaganist is a man who loves his brother. The book deals with love and its devastating mutations in a protective confined stultyfying Spanish home in the Franco years. The metaphors for the "chronically dead" fascist regime are so graphic that you find yourself gasping for air...and the characters, as portrayed by Ignacio, the younger brother, are gruesomely real as he tells his story with wit and skill that have you smiling hard as you read. Very sexy too, even for a hetero woman.

This memoir comes unvarnished, a raw but beautifully written account of life in an era characterized by inspired and truly inventive energy alongside desperation and despair. I was in awe of the artistic risks taken by members of the Angels of Light and loved reading about the unfolding dramas involved in creating each production. This was a group that knew how to push every limit, producing moments of brilliance and courage and genuine fun. Adrian Brooks captures the intensity of these moments and portrays the stunning assortment of those involved in vivid detail. The Angels clearly had a hell of a good time.

But in the end I came away feeling saddened by the fact that this group that had such creative energy was ultimately unable to get it together to protect its members--even its children--from danger. Angels watched each other abuse themselves and abuse others, but few seemed to step up to demonstrate responsibility or even much kindness.

Brooks portrays these incongruities in all their inspiring and troubling detail. He writes with psychological insight so that the characters ring true, but he refrains from wholesale judgments. As part of the action, he does not shy away from giving us a clear picture of his own struggles as well as triumphs. I came away appreciating the complexity of the intersection of time, place and characters that stayed with me long after I had finished reading the book--a reflection, to me, of its quality and value.

Flights of Angels held me from the start, and that includes the gorgeous cover art too. It is truly a wonderful memoir of an era that impressed so many of us and Adrian Brooks has portrayed it perfectly. What Adrian has captured here is more than a memory though, it is also the feeling, the very heart of the times, and he carries us through it with grace. Thank you Adrian Brooks!
Nikki Lastreto

I was an 'Angel of Light' from 1973 and I love this book. It is beautiful. It is honest. And it is real. It also expresses
the group's belief in peace and art and the spirit of free theater.

Adrian praises geniuses and the Light but shows the ugly Dark side too. He had to. If not, this would be a coverup
but he is fair about a scene that only a few people ever saw from the inside. I was one. And he was too. After 1974,
he was one of the big stars and a tremendous positive offstage influence offstage.

San Francisco was the world capital of Gay Revolution in the 1970s and the 'Angels' were shamans. As a performer
and scriptwriter, Adrian helped the group out of anarchy and helped channel our greatest triumphs that were political,
gutsy, funny, transforming and beautiful. All done in a spirit of love and celebration.

The era comes alive as Adrian also shares his poems for the first time since the Seventies. They are as wonderful
as his other writing. If anyone wants to know the inside story about the art vanguard in San Francisco before AIDS
they should read this book. I salute it. And I'm as proud to be in it as I was to be an Angel of Light.

Tony Angel
San Francisco

Let me be as candid as author Adrian Brooks is in this amazingly layered snapshot of San Francisco during some of its most culture-creating years (1973-1981), and admit that I was strongly biased to pick up this book and love it. And I did both.

My bias: I have co-published one of Adrian's novels, Roulette, and I'm giddy to publish another, Black and White (and red all over), in the fall of 2008.

But why I loved Flights of Angels was not simply a knee-jerk "I love anything Adrian Brooks" writes response.

Yes, Adrian is an author who knows how to create an authorial voice--all the while juggling those of many characters--and work it. In other words, he can tell one hell of a story. And yes, there are parallels between the wild bunches of misfits making incredible communities in both Roulette and Black and White (and red all over) and what the Angels of Light were trying to create on- and off-stage in San Francisco. And yes, there are over-the-top antics in all three books--though fact is way wilder than fiction. But what really makes this memoir so much more than just a tell-all of a zany troupe of artists and activists and now and then a lot of drag queens or even of San Francisco itself, is the relentless and often ruthless scrutiny with which Adrian Brooks looks at himself and from there, the events and the times around him.

In fact, when I finished Flights of Angels, this memoir was no longer a memoir to me. It was a piercing first-person look at San Francisco during a time where much of the good, the bad, and the ugly there was a refraction of what was going on and what was to come on the larger national and world stages. And San Francisco from the mid 1960s on was not for the faint of heart, or art. It was more like a social and cultural particle accelerator--where tiny specs of energy smashed together on the stage, on the streets, and in the sheets to make incredible explosions of light and energy-- surrounded all around by shadows and the dark. And all of that is here in this book. And perhaps all this messy complexity is best wrapped up in the tragic story of the little boy Sham, the group's living mascot and totem, whose beauty and pain comes to embody the best to the worst of both the Angels' and the greater seventies peace, love, and happiness visions and their crashing failures.

But as ponderous as I'm making the book sound, it's incredibly readable and enjoyable because we come to it through Adrian's wild ride from scion of a Mainline Philadelphia family to bohemian black sheep to a world-traveled artist with a ramrod-straight spiritual spine who looks back unflinchingly at the times he and his fellow angels looked the other way so they and their bedazzled audiences could only see beauty--fleeting but transformative--onstage.

And I have to add that nothing enhances that very real beauty like the photos of Dan Nicoletta. His collaboration with Adrian makes this book an amazing time capsule for those of who could not be there (I was a tween in Tulsa, Oklahoma myself).

Finally, as a writer, I really appreciated how Adrian Brooks contextualizes the creation of each poem in the post-epilogue section of the book. It was a fascinating way to add yet another layer to this study of San Francisco's art--from its more measured fits and starts in the poetry scene to its most brazen soaring and crashing with the Angels.

As a fellow "survivor" of the Drugs, Rock 'n Roll, and the San Francisco free-spirited Gay Sexual Revolution of the 70's....I feel we are very fortunate that Adrian Brooks has the insight, awareness, and writing talents to document the Beauty, Madness and Theatrics of the phenomenon called "The Angels of Light"! Not only was Adrian a keen-sighted observer...he was also an integral participant who had the first-hand opportunity to enter and exit the very vortex of this creative cyclone.
His book ""Flights of Angels" is a tell-all...good-bad...beautiful-horrific...that is a "must read" for any one truly interested in this "once-in-a-lifetime" exotic living theater troupe. Adrian's unflinching portrayal of those involved(including himself)shows his brutally honest approach to this entertaining and mystifying cast of characters. If he stepped on some HIGH-heeled toes...or ruffled some of the gaudy plumage..SO BE IT! His end result in this Book is both very entertaining and A JOB WELL DONE!!!

ps For some good laughs...read his book "Roulette". And...for an erotic book...read one of his earliest works "The Glass Arcade" (an intriguing creation of book that is highly erotic...yet devoid of blatant sex scenes).

This is a further exploration of the relationships in Philip Jose Farmer' s Wold Newton Universe, as seen in books like Tarzan Alive, Doc Savage - His Apocalyptic Life, and the Other Log of Phileas Fogg.

Myths for the Modern Age is worth it for the Captain Nemo is Moriarty piece alone, not to mention the fabulous cover, complete with Modesty Blaise!

Here you have a collection of essays that inter-relate various characters, families and other information, by several different authors, including a compatriot, as well as Eckert himself, not to mention Farmer himself, so you could call this an anthology.
Please be aware that this is not a novel, if that is what you are looking for.

Eckert has a passion for this stuff, yes, you could call it obsessive monomania, but that is what collecting, which is really what this is all about, 'collecting' characters into universes and relationships, and utter, utter, fandom.

He is also a Philip Jose Farmer expert, to boot.

This is just fantastic stuff. Check out his and Farmer's various websites too, they are great. There are also related mailing lists that are worth it, if you are interested to this level.

Something else I have found : if you ask these authors a question, or anything like that, they will answer. They are completely devoted.

Outstanding book, in presentation, content, and participation. I am sure Farmer is quite pleased.

5 out of 5

Philip Jose Farmer had created the Wold Newton Universe. The 'stargate' necessary to access that Universe is the book in question. Read it fast and by the end of it, you would be hooked. Read it slowly, you might feel sleepy. Neverthless, the book is wonderful.

The contributors for this book provide a wonderful look into the world of Philip Jose Farmer. I had only read one Farmer book (The Tongues of the Moon) before delving into Myths. The excitement and intelligent discussion of Farmer's works in this volume prompted me to order several other titles. I am now on my third.

Having read both this book from cover to cover and the reviews that are posted on this sight, I can only conclude that one of the reviewers has an axe to grind with one or more of the writers responsible. Don't let that sway you; this is an excellent book that, yes, occasionally offers up contradictory information - if you take the time to read the introductory portion CAREFULLY, you will note that not only does Mr. Eckert acknowledge as much, but goes on to state that this is part of the fun in the game these writers are playing. Some people should lighten up and learn how to have fun already!

I'm so glad that all these bits about The WNU have been collected in one volume. I first got interested in PJF's concept when I read his Doc Savage bio. I've been lucky enough to track down a mint HC version of it...at a very reasonable price! This book has made me almost miss my Metro stop on more than one occasion. If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, pulp heroes, or just want to read some very creative writing then you must buy this book. I plan on giving a couple as gifts this year.
I am also lucky enough to have been accepted into the Johns Hopkins University's Master of Arts in Writing Program. I showed this book to one of my instructors and he was fascinated by it. I gave him the nutshell explanation of WNU and told him that, after I get my degree, I would like to teach a course or two about it. If you are already an English/Writing teacher, please do the same. Let's srpead the fun around!!!

This book approaches paper making in a way that is so simple anyone can manage it. It explains the process in a readable way and inserts interesting bits of history and background on the way.

book is well written and covers all the basics pretty well. onecan get stqrted making paper by following guidelines in this book. addresses most needs and covers method well.

Finally, I found a book that isn't about pretty pictures and way out there techniques. This book is about making paper. Helen gives you all the nuances necessary to make paper on your own. This is a comprehensive, information-packed book that is THE must-have for any beginner or even intermediate. Too many books show us beautiful photos of great art work but neglect to give us those finer details that would make our efforts a success. This book shows you how to succeed.

This is a comprehensive little book for those who want to learn about making paper! The title says it all. It is pretty clear; both in its instructions as well as detailing the material needed. It can guide you through something simple that will leave you with a piece of paper so you can say "I did it" and its not for me. Or, help you set up a full studio so you can really get into making paper for art, for gift giving, for writing, for what ever purpose. If the latter becomes your passion, then you will probably have to move on to something more detailed for expanding your craft. This is a nice, basic beginner book, although not a "papermaking for dummies" level. Read it through, figure out where you want to start, and give it a try!

I checked the Papermaker's Companion out of the library just for some basic information about paper making. I found myself referring to it so often that I renewed the loan. And again. Finally, I broke down and bought my own copy. The recipes and instructions are clear and fairly comprehensive. The book contains at least a basic explanation of everything from using recycled paper to making your own pulp from plants and leaves. The projects are interesting and clearly explained. This is a good reference book for experienced paper makers and a good beginner's guide for those just starting out. Although it does contain a few projects for kids, this book is more appropriate for older teens and adults.

Early into this superb biography on the Late, Great Robert E. Howard, Mark Finn discusses the difficulty of getting to the facts in Mr. Howards' life. Many of his own accounts of himself are exaggerated when told to friends through mail correspondence. His parents were both prone to trumping up their ancestors' feats and accomplishments as well, thus feeding Howards tendency of spinning autobiographical yarns. By extension, it is only natural that such a gifted embellisher would end up with a flair for pulp writing.

Mark Finn has found a way to make this an asset for understanding Howard's life and times, and how his environment shaped his fiction. Picture this: A booming center of humanity. Imperialistic men wanting to consolidate power, with corrupt officials only too eager to help. The rich land attracting all types of freebooters, and all the vice dealers who tail behind them to take their wages. Does this sound like it could be Boomtown Texas? Does it also sound equally like a Stygian outpost of Conan's Hyborian Age? Finn's connections are startling and illuminating.

If you are thinking after I say this that perhaps Finn has failed to capture the facts on Howard's life, rest assured. Finn is well researched, and has an obvious fondness for Howard and desire to see the record set straight about this man's prolific but tragically short life. He also desires, like many readers and authors who come after him, to acknowledge Howard as a gifted and influential writer, not just in pulp, but in popular literature. PERIOD. The real joy, however, is seeing how Finn weaves this all together with gifted storytelling in his own right to make an incredibly entertaining and simultaneously informative page turner. It is seriously one of the most accomplished works of non-fiction I have come across in terms of creativity.

Ultimately, even without the clever and entertaining structure, this would still remain the best Bio on Howard to date. No new info is likely to surface at this point that Finn hasn't covered, and there will not be many people left who remember Robert first-hand much longer, making this the Definitive Biography.

A must for R.E. Howard fans, and a definite reccomendation to anyone who appreciates the art of the Biography.

This book explores the life and times of one of the most famous writers ever to come out of the state of Texas. During his brief writing career in the 1920s and 1930s, Robert E. Howard did a lot more for imaginative literature than simply create the character of Conan the Cimmerian.

In the early 1900s, Texas was experiencing an oil boom. Practically overnight, a town would spring up around oil wells, bringing all sorts of people, from roughnecks to work the wells, to barkeepers to prostitutes. They would stay until the oil ran out, then move on to the next boom town. Howard grew up in one boom town after another; Isaac, his father, was a frontier doctor, so they also followed the oil. Howard got to see, up close and personal, the dark underside of civilization, and it disgusted him. Finally settling in Cross Plains, he was a voracious reader who hated the regimentation of school. He lived on pulp magazines, like Weird Tales, available at the local general store. Howard was the shy, quiet kid in town with no interest in joining the oil boom.

A major influence on Howard's development as a writer was the Texas tradition of telling tall tales. Isaac was an expert spinner of tales, and in her own way, Hester, his mother and an Irish immigrant, was pretty good at it, too. Hester had tuberculosis for most of Robert's life, which forced him to stay home and help take care of her, because Isaac was frequently gone for days on his "rounds." After he became a published author, Howard was one of the mainstays at Weird Tales. He sent them all sorts of stories, usually set in the distant past, showing civilizations that had already degraded into barbarism (like Texas of the early 20th Century). In those days, pulp magazines usually paid half a cent to one cent per word, payment was usually on publication, which could be several months after acceptance, and even then, payment was sporadic. Howard spent hours a day at his typewriter, writing boxing stories (a huge interest of his), poetry and westerns, along with tales of Conan, his most famous creation.

Anyone who has ever picked up a pulp magazine, or who knows REH as more than just the creator of Conan, will love this book, as I did. While Howard's books are still in print, Howard's life has fallen into obscurity. This book does a really good job of remedying that situation.

This is an excellent book and Mark Finn did a good job! Rather than go into detail about this wonderful must have book which the previous reviewers did, I'd like to share with you another terrific book that enlightens and opens up REH's world from a perspective of his girlfriend Novalyne Price. The book Novalyne wrote is entitled One Who Walked Alone and made into a movie The Whole Wide World on DVD starring Renee Zellweger and Vincent D'Onofrio as REH. I got this book on Amazon.com in about three days and read it in a few hours. The third book to have is The Last of the Trunk by Paul Herman which are what literally was left in REH's trunk of unfinished scripts, notes, etc. that Glenn Lord had and let REH Foundation publish and I'm so glad they did. In this book REH describes what it's going to be like in 1997 and he was so accurate! It's like he had a crystal ball. He did believe in reincarnation as Novalyne stated in WWW. The other book that is my favorite is The Black Stranger and other American Tales which has the scariest story entitled Pigeons From Hell that is scarier than Poe or Hitchcock; Read it at night with all the lights on and the next time you hear a whistle it will make the hairs on your skin stand on edge! The recent Best of REH volumes I & II are must haves, too! Some of my favorites are Red Nails, Beyond the Black River, and Rogues in the House. Most current book I've read is TWO GUN BOB which has Superb insight into REH's mind and stories. Neat factoid, REH had only visited the sea shore once in his life! Get Two Gun Bob before it's gone! If you've never read REH before you're in for a real treat - Enjoy and tell others about him.

It's always surprising to me how little reliable biographical information is avaiable about REH, and how difficult it is to find editions of his works that are as he wrote them, rather than prissily "edited". Here's a biography whose author has gone to some trouble to place REH into his environment, the fringes of the oil fields of rural Texas in the first three decades of the 20th Century. In those days before radio, with movies a rare treat, when people got together they often entertained one another by telling stories, and one can easily picture the young REH lapping it all up, and when he came of story-telling age, eagerly joining in.

Finn does a pretty good job with some tickish topics, such as Howard's near-obsession with suicide, the very complex relationship he had with his mother and father, and the almost altogether sinister role played by washed-up sci-fi author L. Sprague de Camp in co-opting and copyrighting Howard's work for his own exclusive financial benefit.

This small-press book is relatively free of misprints. However, the text could also have used a sympathetic editor to iron the kinks out of some of Finn's stranger sentences.

As other reviewers have noted, the chapter about Conan seems a bit short, but the coverage of Conan's more interesting forerunner Kull is even shorter. Brevity is no sin with Howard's impressive pulp output to be surveyed and commented upon.

Recommended.

Mark Finn's biography of Robert E. Howard is an interesting read & well worth the time for any fan of REH's work. Mr. Finn's examination of Howard by referencing his Texas roots has been mentioned by other reviewers & I'll not echo that here. Let me just say that I believe this treatment allows for a very unique & convincing testament that a writer's environment can & does influence his work.
What I enjoyed the most about this book, though, is Mr. Finn's documenting that REH was first & foremost a story teller. I firmly believe that this was the reason the man wrote in so many different genres. He wanted to tell a great story & sought an eager audience for his work. Yes, a great deal of his prose can certainly stand alone on its literary merit. I don't think, however, that this was as important to REH as the tale itself. As far as I'm concerned, on this he had no equal. I challenge anyone seeking a great tale of action/adventure to spend some time with Mr. Howard's work. You'll be glad that you did.
The last point I'd like to make concerns Mr. Finn's portrayal of REH as a relatively normal, though somewhat fragile, human being given his circumstances & environment. It's funny to think of such a giant of a physical speciman who enjoyed engaging in fistfights as fragile, but I believe Mr. Finn proves this assertion. Why is it that so many creative geniuses seem to be tormented by demons who eventually consume them? I can quickly name Howard, Van Gough, & Cobain in different disciplines. A lengthy list could easily be compiled in a short time. I appreciate that he doesn't seek to sensationalize REH's story as other's have done. Mr. Finn draws upon all of the material he had presented on his subject to explain the suicide. He doesn't attempt to make an apology or rationalize the act. He makes the case that, to REH, suicide was the final confirmation that he alone held control over his existence. Mr. Finn asserts & I agree that REH saw it as an act of bravery rather than of cowardice. No, this isn't Society's view, but it was Howard's.
All of these things & an examination of the Howard mythology makes for a fascinating book. A great & worthy read & congratulations to the author!

The story of the Loon Society is great. You learn about it from the characters and actions in this early gay pulp fiction novel. I will not tell the story, but hope you can read it and then if you are very fortunate will be able to watch the movie (believe me reading the story will help with understanding the movie). The story of men in the early history of this country may be made up in this book, but I believe it happened more than many people would ever admit. I hope the movie will be reissued, even though it is not well made and did not do well when it was released, it would add to any collection of books/movies.

Ephraim MacIver is escaping his one time lover, following the course a wise man has advised him - a course to discover himself - when he encounters an Indian Singing Heron. Singing Heron already knows Ephraim's name, and begins to instruct him in the ways of the Loon Society, and before sending him further on his journey of discovery they fall in love. As Ephraim's quest continues he meets more Indians as well as Cyrus, and he fall in love with them all.

As Ephraim learns more of the exclusively male Loon Society, and their ways of unselfish love, he tries to understand how he also can love more than one person. Yet at the same time he learns that he may also find a special partner from among all those who have fallen in love with him while on his quest. For this is what marks those of the Loon society out from others, they can share their love while still holding to one partner, they do not know jealously.

This is quite remarkable story, especially considering it was written over forty years ago. At its core is the thought of free love along with its unrestrained physical fulfilment, without jealousy. The story has the feel of fantasy about it as everything falls perfectly in place as Ephraim continues his journey, and with the meaningful dreams. The story is contains many explicit passages of love making; passages which manage to avoid being crude and put to shame much of what is written today.

The story does raise concerns though. The men all seem to be handsome and well equipped, and readily declare undying love within a few days or possibly hours of meeting and before they have had a chance to really know one another. It is easy to get the impression that this love is built on physical attraction; although in fairness it does also speak of the beauty within, and Ephraim at least does not restrict his attentions just to the young. And maybe this is part of the fantasy, this ability accurately to read one another so quickly.

There are two sequels to the Song of the Loon: Song of Aaron and Willow Song.

Given the age of this book, and the fact that it was revolutionary when it was published, this book is well worth reading, if only for the "historical" perspective. The writing is STILTED, the situations, CONTRIVED, and the sex, PREDICTABLE, but...and I must hesitate here in reviewing this book, in it's HISTORICAL CONTEXT, i.e., the period in which it was written and published, it is ground breaking. Is it a scorcer?..Nah!...is it entertaining?...Yes!...will it have you breathing heavily?...uh..that depends upon your imagination and libido. Read it and make up your own mind.

One of my all time favorite gay stories. I'm glad it's back in print for the youger people to read.

Even if the book wasn't attached, Michael Bronski's introduction would be reason enough to buy this edition of SONG OF THE LOON by the late "Richard Amory."

But this way you get the novel too, a groundbreaking, yet oddly ultra traditional novel--really a romance in Northrop Frye's terms--in which the white man and the Indian meet on a field of Eros rather than Thanatos. Yes folks, this is the real Brokeback Mountain in which buckskinned pioneers meet up with and pursue Indian braves on the banks of the "Umpqua" in a territory of long ago. Thinking about the storyline, you realize how ridiculous the plot is, for there aren't very many people on the frontier and every last one of them is a man and every last one of them is either openly or secretly a member of the Loon Brotherhood. Yes, it strains plausibility but Amory's power as a writer is such that while it is taking place you don't really quibble, Sybil.

He was a great poet as well, and the book gets a haunting resonance from Amory's descriptions of American nature, its flora and fauna, in the days before heavy industry moved in to shovel it into parking lots. The skies are an amazing blue, the rivers swift and clear. Over the great forests you can hear every animal's step in the fallen twigs, and the insects hum. "Darker green, the waters of the Umpqua fell in tiny crystals from the paddle--the waves from the canoe sighed in the shadows of white elders and lacy vine maples. A pair of jays screamed high in the treetops, then streaked far into the woods, crying hoarsely."

And because it is porn, it has men galore, all of them with heavily veined, vibrant, pulsating members under their loincloths. Ephraim is a white man on the run from a miserable relationship with Montgomery, a self-hating homosexual who could only have sex when he was drunk, who showed his naked form only to taunt the besotted Ephraim. Breaking free, Ephraim is on a long canoe ride into Indian territory where he meets one man after another, each more luscious than the last, and the members of the tribe teach him about polygamy and the joys of giving up your virginity in the scented wigwam rings. If it isn't Singing Heron, it's Bear Who Dreams--even an elderly medicine man, nice to see that old people have sex in the porn of the 1960s. And finally Ephraim meets his opposite number, the dreamy Cyrus, who is so big it takes three hands to hold all of him steady.

The book comes packaged with a dossier of contemporary reviews, interviews, photos and other invaluable documents, just as though we were reading some "classic" by Dreiser or Balzac or Cather.

It is a wonderful version of time travel and comes highly recommended by thousands and thousands of one-handed readers. What a way to kick off this promising series from Vancouver's estimable Arsenal Pulp Press in tandem with the venerable Little Sister's bookstore of BC.

I always like to read new works and it's especially gratifying when new writers are so creative and daring and are willing to break the rules of traditional "novel writing". This combination of genres is a dizzying entertaining exercise of creative storytelling and well worth the read.

This is a totally bizarre book that had me laughing out loud over and over. It's about a gay poet and his two female friends--each one forging their future a little differently. The humor is irreverent, the commentary sobering and the romantic elements very sweet. The several writing styles threw me at first, but then it all starts to gel and you see how clever and effective it really is. Once you're hooked, it's hard to put down...and it's over way too fast. I hope there's a part two!

If you enjoy funny, clever, off the wall and back to the chair humor, you will enjoy this book. Every word in all the reviews so far is true. Yeah...what they said!

A Roller Coaster Ride of Humor, Whitticisms, Wild Bi-Coastal Observations, and Word Smithing.

How many of us have had a friend drift in and out of our lives, seemingly changing before our eyes and then becoming again the good friend we know and love? How many of us have spotted someone across a room and wondered what kind of relationship could be had with this person? How many of us wish we could give up our material lives to follow a poorer but more creative and satisfying path? This book is a funny, heartfelt slice of the lives of three friends. Read it!