Erb

[fpw]

I've decided every so often to bring up an author you folks might like or find interesting, but you haven't tried.

Edgar Rice Burroughs is one. He was a natural storyteller and his early work is worth dipping into. I'm talking about the first few Tarzan novels and his Martian novels. His style is typical of his times (the first quarter of the 20th century) and takes a little getting used to, but worth it. His later fiction devolved into capture-and-escape stories that were almost parodies of his earlier work.

Don't shy away from Tazan because of what you've seen on the screen. The fellow as ERB wrote him was a much tougher, gutsier guy. A BAMF of the old school.

For Tarzan (the first two novels written 1913-13 read as one story):
TARZAN
THE RETURN OF TARZAN

In the John Carter of Mars series (do NOT expect science-fiction -- these are science fantasies written between 1917 and 1919) I recommend;
A PRINCESS OF MARS
THE GODS OF MARS
THE WARLORD OF MARS

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/series/-/68/mass_market/ref=pd_serl_books/103-4503604-0396643

The Pellucdar Series (these two written 1922-23)
AT THE EARTH'S CORE
PELLUCIDAR

All seven novels are available free for online reading at

http://www.literature.org/authors/burroughs-edgar-rice/

[Bluesman Mike Lindner]

Back in the mid-'60's somebody--Ace?--reissued all of ERB's books. I read the John Carter books, which were excellent. I stopped there. Other things captured my attention. But maybe I'll give ERB another shot now...I do have fond memories of those Barsoom tales. (Pssst--yo, Paul...ya think ya could drop a good word to the gang about the incredible works and worlds of Jack Vance?...)

[Ken Valentine]

I've decided every so often to bring up an author you folks might like or find interesting, but you haven't tried.

Edgar Rice Burroughs is one. He was a natural storyteller and his early work is worth dipping into. I'm talking about the first few Tarzan novels and his Martian novels. His style is typical of his times (the first quarter of the 20th century) and takes a little getting used to, but worth it. His later fiction devolved into capture-and-escape stories that were almost parodies of his earlier work.

Don't shy away from Tazan because of what you've seen on the screen. The fellow as ERB wrote him was a much tougher, gutsier guy. A BAMF of the old school.

For Tarzan (the first two novels written 1913-13 read as one story):
TARZAN
THE RETURN OF TARZAN

In the John Carter of Mars series (do NOT expect science-fiction -- these are science fantasies written between 1917 and 1919) I recommend;
A PRINCESS OF MARS
THE GODS OF MARS
THE WARLORD OF MARS

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/series/-/68/mass_market/ref=pd_serl_books/103-4503604-0396643

The Pellucdar Series (these two written 1922-23)
AT THE EARTH'S CORE
PELLUCIDAR

All seven novels are available free for online reading at

http://www.literature.org/authors/burroughs-edgar-rice/


Except for the occasional bit of news, and posts on sites like this one, I've never read a book on line -- I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for the link.

I must admit however, that I cut my teeth on ERB.
Tarzan, the Barsoom novels, Earth's Core, Pellucidar, Carson Of Venus, Cave Girl, and some where I still remember the stories, but can no longer remember the titles.

I was horrified recently when an online friend related an incident where a man donated the entire hardback Tarzan series to a library -- so that others could enjoy them as he did in his youth -- only to have the librarian throw them into the dumpster after calling them trash.

LESSON: If you ever feel like donating books to a library, find out first if they really want them.

ASIDE TO FPW: Have you read Heinlein's book THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST? In the early part of the book there is a reference to the Barsoom novels that will have you rolling on the floor with laughter. Seems RAH loved ERB as well.

KEV

[Bluesman Mike Lindner]

Words fail me, Ken. Unbelievable. The idea of =any= book being trashed is bad enough, but a =librarian= throwing them out... I donate my surplus parapsychology books to the American Society for Psychical Research, and other books to the Veterans' Hospital at 23rd and York. That way, I know they'll have a good home and be appreciated by new readers.

[Ken Valentine]

Words fail me, Ken. Unbelievable. The idea of =any= book being trashed is bad enough, but a =librarian= throwing them out... I donate my surplus parapsychology books to the American Society for Psychical Research, and other books to the Veterans' Hospital at 23rd and York. That way, I know they'll have a good home and be appreciated by new readers.

Throwing books in the trash absolutely floored me. I would LOVE to have a complete set of the Tarzan books in hard back.

When Kaye and I accumulated books we no longer wanted -- or that we had in duplicate -- we'd take them with us when we sailed to Catalina, and give them to the Harbie's* to read. They loved us for it. When they had all read them, they would give them to the book exchange at the Isthmus Store.

IIRC, it was at that book exchange that I found THE KEEP.

Ken V.

*Harbor Patrol

[ALowerDeep]

speaking of things that you could read free online, you used to be able to read most of HPL's stuff online but apparently that was removed which really stinks because that is how i become interested in his work. I wish they would put his stuff back online for free so others that haven't read his work before (JIM WRIGHT) could see what they are missing.

ALowerDeep

"Who am I? Why, I'm you. Or parts of you. The best parts. I'm the touch of Richard Speck, Ed Gein, John Wayne Gacy, abd Ted Bundy in all of you. I am the thousand tiny angers and fleeting rages of your day- at the car that cuts you off on the freeway, at the kid who sneaks ahead of you in line at the movies, at the old fart with the full basket in the eight-item-only checkout at the supermarket. I'm the locker-room residue of the names, the scorn, pain heaped upon all the pizza-faced, flat chested, pencil-dicked, lard-assed geeks, nerds, and dumbshit bastards who had to change clothes in front of their peers. I'm the nasty glee in the name-callers and the long-suffering pain, the self loathing, the smoldering resentment, the suppressed rage, and the never-to-be-fulfilled promises of revenge in their targets. I AM YOU!" Rafe

[Ken Valentine]

speaking of things that you could read free online, you used to be able to read most of HPL's stuff online but apparently that was removed which really stinks because that is how i become interested in his work. I wish they would put his stuff back online for free so others that haven't read his work before (JIM WRIGHT) could see what they are missing.

ALowerDeep

HPL?

Ken V.

[fpw]

A few years ago the University of Nebraska asked me to write an introduction to their reprint of ERB's Pirates of Venus. I've attached it (or tried to) for anyone interested.

[ALowerDeep]

H.P. Lovecraft

ALowerDeep

[Lisa]

A few years ago the University of Nebraska asked me to write an introduction to their reprint of ERB's Pirates of Venus. I've attached it (or tried to) for anyone interested.

Hey, it worked. Cool.

Lisa

[Scott Miller]

You certainly don't have to convince me, I love his books. Many a modern author could benefit from his sense of pace. There is rarely a dull moment in his stories.

Fans of ERB may find the following books interesting:
Edgar Rice Burrroughs, Master of Adventure by Richard Lupoff. Lupoff thoroughly examines Burroughs writing to conclude that they were more than mere adventure stories.
Tarzan Alive by Philip Jose Farmer is the first story authorized by the Burroughs estate that allowed Tarzan to be used as a character again. Farmer had written at least a couple of novels featuring a Tarzan-like person that were a lot of fun but damned if I can remember the titles. The Council of Eight (not a title is all I can recall.
Tarzan, The Lost Adventure by Burroughs and Joe Lansdale where Lansdale completed a manuscript of Burroughs. Apparently, Dark Horse turned this into a four-part serial.

Scott

[Ken Valentine]

H.P. Lovecraft

ALowerDeep

Ah ha! Thank you.

Ken V.

[Ken Valentine]

A few years ago the University of Nebraska asked me to write an introduction to their reprint of ERB's Pirates of Venus. I've attached it (or tried to) for anyone interested.

Thanks for the article. You present a very interesting analysis.

Although I don't remember which of the novels it was in, ERB also took a swipe at the NAZI's in that series. They were called Zani's, and their salute was to stand on their heads and shout "Maltu Mephis," Mephis being the name of their "leader."

For a kid in his early teens, they were great adventure stories.

Thanks for reminding me of them.

Ken V.