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Fantasy Commentator, v. 1, issue 7, Summer 1945
Page 141
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FANTASY COMMENTATOR 141 From the Bygone Days of Weird Tales by Richard Witter Probably the greatest crescendo of quality in a fantasy magazine was achieved by Weird Tales magazine in 1927-1930. Among the multitudinous array of great authors on its roster at that time was H. Warner Munn, though he probably is best remembered for "The King of the World's Edge" of a dozen years later. However, except for a few inconsistencies, the series of stories he wrote during the period 1925-1931 remains his outstanding contribution to the field of supernatural fiction. The first in this series, "The Werewolf of Ponkert, appeared in the July, 1925 Weird Tales. It is to be doubted that the author ever intended this tale to have a sequel, but because of the success of his initial effort he wrote another. This was titled "The Return of the Master" and appeared in the July, 1927 issue, exactly two years after the original. The first story deals with an episode in the early life of the Master, and its sequel treats the events which culminate in his death. Popularity encouraged yet a third, and since both the beginning and the end of the Master's life had been depicted Munn had only the intermediate portion to write about; this he described in "The Daughter of the Werewolf." Considerably longer than its predecessors, the latter was published as a serial in Weird Tales, running from October to December of 1928. The ratio of the lengths of these three is also proportional to their quality. This also holds true for the last two of a trio of short stories by Munn which appeared in the three issues of the magazine beginning with November, 1930. The series' reputation unquestionably suffered by the publication of these last two, for they they contained little of the quality that made the third a masterpiece; by contrast the first of this group represents the high-water mark of Munn's creative abilities. They bore a general title "Tales of the Werewolf Clan" and were individually named "The Master Strikes," "The Master Fights" and "The Master has a Narrow Escape." As a conclusion to the series the last story is miserably poor, and taken separately still impossibly dull. Indeed, the tendency is to condemn the entire series on its basis, but remembrance of the earlier tales quickly banish this inclination. Since more of the newer fans read the later stories than the first ones it is small wonder that the series has fallen into neglect. "The Werewolf of Ponkert" has as its setting the tiny Hungarian town of Ponkert in the fifteenth century. This novelette recounts the adventures of the unfortunate Wladislaw Bronryk, who falls into the clutches of the Master for killing one of his werewolves. Bronryk is offered the choice of death or slavery to the Master in the form of a werewolf, and takes the latter---to his eternal regret. On certain midnights he changes into animal form and plunders and kills with the other members of the werewolf pack. In human form he is horrified by the deeds he has been forced to commit, and attempts rebellion against his tormentor. This, however, brings about his final downfall, for the Master has the suspicion implanted in his wife's mind that he is keeping midnight trysts with another woman. One night she therefore prevents his departure, and the helpless man is transformed before her eyes. Since human emotions as well as form are lost in this state he kills her, only the call of the pack preventing the tragedy from being repeated on his infant daughter. Upon his return to human form he realizes that the Master is responsible, and vows vengeance. He turns himself over to the military, they preparing to follow him the next night and destroy the heinous band. After a bloody battle the Master's werewolf pack is destroyed, but the Master escapes; Brenryk finds his only rest in death. After his death he is hanged in the square, flayed, and the account of his misfortunes written upon his skin and bound into a book. It is from this book that the story is related.
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FANTASY COMMENTATOR 141 From the Bygone Days of Weird Tales by Richard Witter Probably the greatest crescendo of quality in a fantasy magazine was achieved by Weird Tales magazine in 1927-1930. Among the multitudinous array of great authors on its roster at that time was H. Warner Munn, though he probably is best remembered for "The King of the World's Edge" of a dozen years later. However, except for a few inconsistencies, the series of stories he wrote during the period 1925-1931 remains his outstanding contribution to the field of supernatural fiction. The first in this series, "The Werewolf of Ponkert, appeared in the July, 1925 Weird Tales. It is to be doubted that the author ever intended this tale to have a sequel, but because of the success of his initial effort he wrote another. This was titled "The Return of the Master" and appeared in the July, 1927 issue, exactly two years after the original. The first story deals with an episode in the early life of the Master, and its sequel treats the events which culminate in his death. Popularity encouraged yet a third, and since both the beginning and the end of the Master's life had been depicted Munn had only the intermediate portion to write about; this he described in "The Daughter of the Werewolf." Considerably longer than its predecessors, the latter was published as a serial in Weird Tales, running from October to December of 1928. The ratio of the lengths of these three is also proportional to their quality. This also holds true for the last two of a trio of short stories by Munn which appeared in the three issues of the magazine beginning with November, 1930. The series' reputation unquestionably suffered by the publication of these last two, for they they contained little of the quality that made the third a masterpiece; by contrast the first of this group represents the high-water mark of Munn's creative abilities. They bore a general title "Tales of the Werewolf Clan" and were individually named "The Master Strikes," "The Master Fights" and "The Master has a Narrow Escape." As a conclusion to the series the last story is miserably poor, and taken separately still impossibly dull. Indeed, the tendency is to condemn the entire series on its basis, but remembrance of the earlier tales quickly banish this inclination. Since more of the newer fans read the later stories than the first ones it is small wonder that the series has fallen into neglect. "The Werewolf of Ponkert" has as its setting the tiny Hungarian town of Ponkert in the fifteenth century. This novelette recounts the adventures of the unfortunate Wladislaw Bronryk, who falls into the clutches of the Master for killing one of his werewolves. Bronryk is offered the choice of death or slavery to the Master in the form of a werewolf, and takes the latter---to his eternal regret. On certain midnights he changes into animal form and plunders and kills with the other members of the werewolf pack. In human form he is horrified by the deeds he has been forced to commit, and attempts rebellion against his tormentor. This, however, brings about his final downfall, for the Master has the suspicion implanted in his wife's mind that he is keeping midnight trysts with another woman. One night she therefore prevents his departure, and the helpless man is transformed before her eyes. Since human emotions as well as form are lost in this state he kills her, only the call of the pack preventing the tragedy from being repeated on his infant daughter. Upon his return to human form he realizes that the Master is responsible, and vows vengeance. He turns himself over to the military, they preparing to follow him the next night and destroy the heinous band. After a bloody battle the Master's werewolf pack is destroyed, but the Master escapes; Brenryk finds his only rest in death. After his death he is hanged in the square, flayed, and the account of his misfortunes written upon his skin and bound into a book. It is from this book that the story is related.
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