DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Imagination!, v. 1, issue 6, whole no. 6, March 1938

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Imagination!, v. 1, issue 6, whole no. 6, March 1938

Page 15

RESURRECTION (Old Bks Reviewd)

It is an ex-tremely deliteful task to resurrect the bks of yrs ago as the joy one feels fingering thru their yellowd pgs is similar I imagine to the ecstacy of an archaeolo-gist who after yrs patient search finds the tomb of some ancient Pharoah before Block has used it in a story!

A STRANGE MANUSCRIPT FOUND IN A COPPER CYLINDER is a product of the first Science Fiction Dynasty. Issued by Harper & Bros in the yr 1889 it can be read today with the same enthusiasm & enjoyment it must have evoked when reviewd in the literary periodicals of those days. it is an utterly odd & fascinating story with an undervein of satire which adds the carbonation to an already excellent Port.

Passengers of a pleasure yacht speculate as to what a peculiar object floating on the sea might be. It turns out a copper cylinder. Opened, discoverd to contain many sheets tightly rolld--papyrus! Coverd with writing--in English! Story proper.

Adam Moore, author of the ms, is Mate of the Trevelyan. While ashoore with a companion on a tremendous storm arises; when abated, the ship is gone & they are left a-drift in their lorry. Winds & currents bring them at last to the desolate wastes of the South Polaregions, lit by the lurid glares of 2 ancient volcanos. They encounter cannibals & Adam's companion is eaten but the narrator is fortunate enuf to escape. But he is resignd to die when suckt into the caves of an underground river. As his boat floats along in utter darkness he hears a splashing & hiss--fires blindly & in the explosion's lite sees a huge sea serpent! Later, exhausted, he sleeps; awaken-ing, finds self on a blue sun-swept sea. Around him, land--& tropical trees.

Large galley draws nr; men hail him, men drest in graceful tunics. He is fed & treated as a lord & taken to the capital city of the Kosekins--and ODD people to say the least; Having huge eyes supersensitive to lite they live mostly in caves during the long 6 mos Polar Day. When the Nite falls they inhabit their city proper. There are 2 main classes Kosekins; The respected & minority pauper portion & the unfortunate majority which consists of the wealthy of the land. The Koeskin's sense of value is reversed from ours. They love death, hate life; strive to give away or lose money stead ma-king it! Every Kosekin's ambition is to become eventually penniless so that he can starve to death stead having to bear the humiliation of palaces & slaves. The Kosek-in falls in love but his love is only requited when his sweetheart dies or is married to someone else. The top in tragedy is when lovers thru some terrible circumstance are married to eachother!

Moore finds one person in this topsyturvy land that has a sense of value similar to his own. They fall in love in the good old American manner & they story recounts their strivings to defeat the wellmeaning Kosekins who continu-ally offer them opportunitys to become separated or meet death!

There is a full menu for the fervid fantasy fan: The hunting of the prehistoric beasts, flights in the nite on huge wingd lizards, & other thrilling episodes.

Bk ends with the hero & lovely lass esconced on the ancestral throne of the country, worshipt by their subjects & sovereigns of all they survey. Very wisely they do not attempt to change the mores of their people--nobly declaring that they will sacrifice the blessing of death & the glory of poverty & retain the curse & the ignominy of fame for the people's sake.

(What famous old work would you like synopsized next--Geo Allan En-gland's "Air Trust"? "The Moon Maiden" by Serviss? "Messiah of the Cylinder"?--Rousseau. Mr. Shroyer will be glad to accommodate if he can--& he probably can!)

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RESURRECTION (Old Bks Reviewd) It is an ex-tremely deliteful task to resurrect the bks of yrs ago as the joy one feels fingering thru their yellowd pgs is similar I imagine to the ecstacy of an archaeolo-gist who after yrs patient search finds the tomb of some ancient Pharoah before Block has used it in a story! A STRANGE MANUSCRIPT FOUND IN A COPPER CYLINDER is a product of the first Science Fiction Dynasty. Issued by Harper & Bros in the yr 1889 it can be read today with the same enthusiasm & enjoyment it must have evoked when reviewd in the literary periodicals of those days. it is an utterly odd & fascinating story with an undervein of satire which adds the carbonation to an already excellent Port. Passengers of a pleasure yacht speculate as to what a peculiar object floating on the sea might be. It turns out a copper cylinder. Opened, discoverd to contain many sheets tightly rolld--papyrus! Coverd with writing--in English! Story proper. Adam Moore, author of the ms, is Mate of the Trevelyan. While ashoore with a companion on a tremendous storm arises; when abated, the ship is gone & they are left a-drift in their lorry. Winds & currents bring them at last to the desolate wastes of the South Polaregions, lit by the lurid glares of 2 ancient volcanos. They encounter cannibals & Adam's companion is eaten but the narrator is fortunate enuf to escape. But he is resignd to die when suckt into the caves of an underground river. As his boat floats along in utter darkness he hears a splashing & hiss--fires blindly & in the explosion's lite sees a huge sea serpent! Later, exhausted, he sleeps; awaken-ing, finds self on a blue sun-swept sea. Around him, land--& tropical trees. Large galley draws nr; men hail him, men drest in graceful tunics. He is fed & treated as a lord & taken to the capital city of the Kosekins--and ODD people to say the least; Having huge eyes supersensitive to lite they live mostly in caves during the long 6 mos Polar Day. When the Nite falls they inhabit their city proper. There are 2 main classes Kosekins; The respected & minority pauper portion & the unfortunate majority which consists of the wealthy of the land. The Koeskin's sense of value is reversed from ours. They love death, hate life; strive to give away or lose money stead ma-king it! Every Kosekin's ambition is to become eventually penniless so that he can starve to death stead having to bear the humiliation of palaces & slaves. The Kosek-in falls in love but his love is only requited when his sweetheart dies or is married to someone else. The top in tragedy is when lovers thru some terrible circumstance are married to eachother! Moore finds one person in this topsyturvy land that has a sense of value similar to his own. They fall in love in the good old American manner & they story recounts their strivings to defeat the wellmeaning Kosekins who continu-ally offer them opportunitys to become separated or meet death! There is a full menu for the fervid fantasy fan: The hunting of the prehistoric beasts, flights in the nite on huge wingd lizards, & other thrilling episodes. Bk ends with the hero & lovely lass esconced on the ancestral throne of the country, worshipt by their subjects & sovereigns of all they survey. Very wisely they do not attempt to change the mores of their people--nobly declaring that they will sacrifice the blessing of death & the glory of poverty & retain the curse & the ignominy of fame for the people's sake. (What famous old work would you like synopsized next--Geo Allan En-gland's "Air Trust"? "The Moon Maiden" by Serviss? "Messiah of the Cylinder"?--Rousseau. Mr. Shroyer will be glad to accommodate if he can--& he probably can!)