The Mark Samuels tribute anthology

[Frater_Tsalal]

Yes, I would agree that "The Black Mould" is one of Mark's better stories. "The Ruins of Reality" is another of my personal favorites.

[MadsPLP]

Surprised to see how many who like "The Black Mould". I always thought it embarrassing. There is, however, good stuff in all of his collections, though not always consistently so. Written in Darkness was his best since The White Hands in my opinion. Anyway, there's always superb material enough and enough superb material to make me buy his books without a second thought. The same goes for the forthcoming novel.

Glad to see that someone else beside me liked The Face of Twilight.

[ramonoski]

I liked "the black mould". If anything I'd say that the bit where the mould devours earth reads a bit tongue-in-cheek and perhaps I would've rewritten that a bit. But I dig the concept and the way it was executed.

The one story I thought felt too conventional was "black as darkness". Not saying it's bad, just that it didn't do much for me. Then again, I imagine it's not easy to cap a book that includes such amazing stories like "vrolyck" and "mannequins in aspects of terror."

Speaking of things that didn't do much for me... I thought that "the search for kruptos" had a very odd ending. Like it didn't end, actually, but just stopped. I asked Mark about it in the chat once and he said the editor had him remove lines at the end of that story (much in the same way that "the white hands" and "mannequins" were also shortened) and that's why it ends so abruptly. Whether it was cut down due to length or to 'improve' the story I do not know. And much later I realized I forgot to ask what was the original ending

[Mr. Veech]

Quote Originally Posted by ramonoski

I liked "the black mould". If anything I'd say that the bit where the mould devours earth reads a bit tongue-in-cheek and perhaps I would've rewritten that a bit. But I dig the concept and the way it was executed. The one story I thought felt too conventional was "black as darkness". Not saying it's bad, just that it didn't do much for me. Then again, I imagine it's not easy to cap a book that includes such amazing stories like "vrolyck" and "mannequins in aspects of terror." Speaking of things that didn't do much for me... I thought that "the search for kruptos" had a very odd ending. Like it didn't end, actually, but just stopped. I asked Mark about it in the chat once and he said the editor had him remove lines at the end of that story (much in the same way that "the white hands" and "mannequins" were also shortened) and that's why it ends so abruptly. Whether it was cut down due to length or to 'improve' the story I do not know. And much later I realized I forgot to ask what was the original ending

I want to say that the version of "The White Hands" contained in The Weird compendium I own is slightly longer than the original, but I don't know for sure.

As for "The Search for Kruptos," I found the ending odd yet very interesting. My first impression was that the protagonist was perhaps seized by the Nazis on the train, even though his obsessive search for ultimate wisdom continues to play out in his head.

There are times when a story's unexplained elements work in its favor. That's how I feel about "The Search for Kruptos." If there weren't any "gaps," then all speculation would cease.

EDIT: I like "The Tower," but I feel it's a bit too autobiographical. It's an interesting piece regarding Samuels' Machean worldview.

[Hidden X]

I can't say that Tower worked for me, but I always had this idea that it should have been placed at a very start of the collection as an intro and mood setter. Think of that opening story from Books of Blood...

[Nemonymous]

"Marked to Die" seems to be doing very well on Goodreads -
HERE

[Mr. Veech]

Quote Originally Posted by MadsPLP

Surprised to see how many who like "The Black Mould". I always thought it embarrassing. There is, however, good stuff in all of his collections, though not always consistently so. Written in Darkness was his best since The White Hands in my opinion. Anyway, there's always superb material enough and enough superb material to make me buy his books without a second thought. The same goes for the forthcoming novel. Glad to see that someone else beside me liked The Face of Twilight.

I believe "The Black Mould" shines if it's read alongside Lovecraft's "The Colour out of Space" and Ligotti's "The Shadow at the Bottom of the World."

[In A Dark Light]

I thought 'The Black Mould' was one of, if not the, best stories in 'The Man Who Collected Machen' collection.

[MadsPLP]

Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Veech

Quote Originally Posted by MadsPLP Surprised to see how many who like "The Black Mould". I always thought it embarrassing. There is, however, good stuff in all of his collections, though not always consistently so. Written in Darkness was his best since The White Hands in my opinion. Anyway, there's always superb material enough and enough superb material to make me buy his books without a second thought. The same goes for the forthcoming novel. Glad to see that someone else beside me liked The Face of Twilight. I believe "The Black Mould" shines if it's read alongside Lovecraft's "The Colour out of Space" and Ligotti's "The Shadow at the Bottom of the World."

It is exactly then that it doesn't shine.
To me, it felt like an awfully tired rehash of all-too familiar tropes. But it seems to be either loved or hated by most who've read it, I'll grant it that.

[Justin Isis]

Markitty now available on Kindle.

Marked to Die

 

Marked to Die

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