Arthur Machen

[Druidic]

I think Machen is showing similarities with "the telekinetic kid" and the damage he causes when compared to the artist and the twisted thing he gives birth to. There are more complex explanations, no doubt.

I simply saw it as using a technique from"The White People."

The same diversion is in his novel The Green Round. I generally enjoy Machen's rambling, but at times it dilutes the impact of his work. Novel of the Black Seal is a lot more focused than something like Out of the Picture and achieves a greater unity of effect, and the same goes for The Hill of Dreams when compared to The Green Round.

I still enjoy later, lesser Machen, but I am aware of his weaknesses and how, as with many writers of such fiction, the quality tapered off towards the end, though Ritual, N and others are pleasant stories I find myself returning to.

[Druidic]

Actually, I enjoy "The Green Round," through you're right, it's a weak piece at best.

It just doesn't feel finished. Perhaps it wasn't.

[Druidic]

My attitude regarding Machen's early stories is pretty much the same as my attitude regarding Lovecraft's early and later work.

I don't focus exclusively on the things I loved in Lovecraft's early tales of pure Gothic horror when I read his later tales with elements of SF (though I think these elements are overhyped; In my opinion Lovecraft only wrote 3 tales, maybe 4, that could be reasonably described as SF.)

Same thing with the differences between Borges' early and later works. You can regard it as a decline in a writer's quality (not in Lovecraft's case, I'd certainly argue) but I still find such 'lesser' work interesting and with its own rewards.

You're quite correct in pointing out the differences of quality in these stories. What I would regret would be readers, conditioned to such criticism, just dismissing these works altogether. Mistake.

[Ibrahim]

Quote Originally Posted by Druidic

Hey, Ibrahim! May I call you Abe? I'm glad I found another who appreciates those two stories. I've never been disappointed in Machen's later work because I don't expect to find another "Great God Pan." What I find and what I enjoy are well written works that contain echoes of those great works of the past. It's enough for me. I'm very fond of all three stories you mention! Great luck with Malpurtius.

As i recall, you have called me Abe before, Druidic, and no- i don't mind at all. It's basically the same name.

I think the later works are interesting especially in the way that they reflect and echo and distort or comment upon his past works and themes.
But then, i tend to appreciate Late Style in a lot of artists and authors and composers. They tend to be more ferocious & genuinely indifferent to reception or reputation at this stage.

Tartarus have put The London Adventure back in print. Now just waiting for the 1890s Notebook.

[Druidic]

Just curious. What are your favorite Machen influenced stories? Bob Howard certainly wrote a few as well as his classic "Worms of the Earth." Peter Penzoldt believed "The Whisperer in Darkness" was a reworking of Machen's "Black Seal" but added that Lovecraft "improved" upon it -- as he often did with his sources. Wagner's ".220 Swift" is a favorite of mine as is John Buchan's "No-Man's-Land." There are many, many others including Abe's "Lair of the White Worm."

Didn't M. John Harrison write his own Great God Pan?

[Druidic]

Ringstones, my favorite work by Sarban, always reminded me of Henry James. But, yes. if you dig deep enough the Machen influence is there. A good choice.

The Turn of the Screw is clearly a strong influence, but it also bears the unmistakable miasma of Novel of the Black Seal, unless I have got the wrong end of the stick.

I wonder if Sarban was influenced by Walter de la Mare's Seaton's Aunt when he wrote his (underread) gem Number 14. I know he had read the collection it was in.

[Druidic]

Can't help but make a comment on the WT writers.

Writers like Wandrei, Long and Keller (not usually identified as a WT writer) produced some of the most remarkable horror fictions I've ever read. Particularly Keller. But here's the rub:

They wrote to survive and they wrote a lot of SF. It hasn't held up well even if it was ahead of its time in many ways. Keller was lionized as one of the Great Pioneers of SF. And he was. No Buck Rogers stuff. But even still...

Their horror stories are often brilliant. But even in AH collections the mix is always a bit heavy on the SF end. For most contemporary readers, these stories are a real roadblock. After one or two, readers tend to quit and I don't blame them. What was exciting and thought-provoking in the 20's and 30's is tedious in the 21st century. These guys need their own collections without the dated SF.

Some of their stuff was amazing. Especially Keller. His supernatural and psychological tales of terror are absolutely exquisite. Very much like Grabinski.

These artists need their weird and horrific stuff in individual volumes. David H.Keller alone was a genius of the Weird.