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Fantasy Commentator, v. 1, issue 9, Winter 1945-1946
Page 234
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234 FANTASY COMMENTATOR human reasoning powers over latent animal instincts result in his achievement of learning how to write---with his pen held in his mouth! Monkey Paradise by Countess G. Hessenstein (Methusen, 7/6) is a borderline skit dealing with the return to jungle life of an educated monkey, whereupon he relates to his jungle cousins the history of his experiences with civilization... Cpl. Paul Spence, in commenting on our seventh issue, remarked: Jameson was certainly not an outstanding writer, but his stories were usually entertaining, and will be missed. "By-Products" is most stimulating. I agree on the more of less incidental values of science-fiction in arousing interest in science, sending the mind off on novel trains of thought, etc.; and I also agree that it contains much "science" that is both inaccurate and misleading. But is this inaccuracy necessary? Cannot interesting stories be written without the addition of misinformation and illogic? Naturally there must be a good deal of the hypothetical, but I see no reason why science-fiction must introduce elements such as Jameson describes as "utter nonsense". The article on Sloane is written in a style very similar to Lovecraft, as though Onderdonk had just finished reading "Supernatural Horror in Literature." Perhaps I can best indicate this article's success by saying that I am now all eagerness to obtain a copy of The Edge of Running Water. (I've already read and enjoyed To Walk the Night.) What I'm wondering is, Has Sloane read Lovecraft...? (We would like to know the answer to that ourselves. What scanty information is available indicates that he has. Sloane was the one to call attention of Publishers' Weekly to The Outsider and Others---see the article in the February 24, 1940 issue of that periodical, pp. 890-1. Efforts at confirmation of the matter have proved fruitless, however, as letters directed to Sloane at his last New York address have been returned unclaimed. --ed.) Of interest to both amateur and professional authors is the following information from Walter H. Gillings, well-known British fan: …In a new British science-fantasy magazine which I am editing, and is to appear shortly, I shall be presenting comparatively little-known science-fantasies that have been published as books in the form of short stories. They will, in other words, be greatly condensed digests of books lending themselves to precis treatment, and will run from three to four thousand words. Most of the boys over here don't seem to have the time for it, and if there are any American fans who would like a cut at the job I'd welcome hearing from them. It doesn't matter particularly what the books are as long as they're not generally known and help to reflect the field outside of Wells and Verne, which to our ordinary reader is about the whole of it. What I want is not a mere summary or review but a story in every sense of that term---covering the whole of the book as concisely as possible, and written in a good, narrative style. So far, I've down two books in the series myself: Lynch's Menace from the Moon (a particular favorite of mine) and Bennett's Demigods. I like doing them immensely, but having other things to do in connection with the magazine, I'd like some help. So, I must now find someone interested and competent enough to continue the series, or more than one person, if they're forthcoming. They will, of course, be paid regular rates for the job. That's the set-up. Anybody interested? (Those who are may address Mr. Gillings at 15 Shere Road, Ilford, Essex, England; he will be glad to furnish full details to anyone communicating with him. --ed.) ---oOo--- In our next issue, in addition to all the regular features, and the third installed of "The Immortal Storm," Fantasy Commentator will present Richard Witter's long article "The Superman in Modern English Fiction." Watch for it!
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234 FANTASY COMMENTATOR human reasoning powers over latent animal instincts result in his achievement of learning how to write---with his pen held in his mouth! Monkey Paradise by Countess G. Hessenstein (Methusen, 7/6) is a borderline skit dealing with the return to jungle life of an educated monkey, whereupon he relates to his jungle cousins the history of his experiences with civilization... Cpl. Paul Spence, in commenting on our seventh issue, remarked: Jameson was certainly not an outstanding writer, but his stories were usually entertaining, and will be missed. "By-Products" is most stimulating. I agree on the more of less incidental values of science-fiction in arousing interest in science, sending the mind off on novel trains of thought, etc.; and I also agree that it contains much "science" that is both inaccurate and misleading. But is this inaccuracy necessary? Cannot interesting stories be written without the addition of misinformation and illogic? Naturally there must be a good deal of the hypothetical, but I see no reason why science-fiction must introduce elements such as Jameson describes as "utter nonsense". The article on Sloane is written in a style very similar to Lovecraft, as though Onderdonk had just finished reading "Supernatural Horror in Literature." Perhaps I can best indicate this article's success by saying that I am now all eagerness to obtain a copy of The Edge of Running Water. (I've already read and enjoyed To Walk the Night.) What I'm wondering is, Has Sloane read Lovecraft...? (We would like to know the answer to that ourselves. What scanty information is available indicates that he has. Sloane was the one to call attention of Publishers' Weekly to The Outsider and Others---see the article in the February 24, 1940 issue of that periodical, pp. 890-1. Efforts at confirmation of the matter have proved fruitless, however, as letters directed to Sloane at his last New York address have been returned unclaimed. --ed.) Of interest to both amateur and professional authors is the following information from Walter H. Gillings, well-known British fan: …In a new British science-fantasy magazine which I am editing, and is to appear shortly, I shall be presenting comparatively little-known science-fantasies that have been published as books in the form of short stories. They will, in other words, be greatly condensed digests of books lending themselves to precis treatment, and will run from three to four thousand words. Most of the boys over here don't seem to have the time for it, and if there are any American fans who would like a cut at the job I'd welcome hearing from them. It doesn't matter particularly what the books are as long as they're not generally known and help to reflect the field outside of Wells and Verne, which to our ordinary reader is about the whole of it. What I want is not a mere summary or review but a story in every sense of that term---covering the whole of the book as concisely as possible, and written in a good, narrative style. So far, I've down two books in the series myself: Lynch's Menace from the Moon (a particular favorite of mine) and Bennett's Demigods. I like doing them immensely, but having other things to do in connection with the magazine, I'd like some help. So, I must now find someone interested and competent enough to continue the series, or more than one person, if they're forthcoming. They will, of course, be paid regular rates for the job. That's the set-up. Anybody interested? (Those who are may address Mr. Gillings at 15 Shere Road, Ilford, Essex, England; he will be glad to furnish full details to anyone communicating with him. --ed.) ---oOo--- In our next issue, in addition to all the regular features, and the third installed of "The Immortal Storm," Fantasy Commentator will present Richard Witter's long article "The Superman in Modern English Fiction." Watch for it!
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