First up is Fingers of Fear, by J.U. Nicolson, originally published in 1937. This comes from the original dust-wrapper blurb:
Good horror stories are among the great rarities of the publishing world. We are fortunate in having this thrilling narrative unfolded by J.U. Nicolson, whose rich imagination has produced such volumes of poetry as “The King of the Black Isles” and “Sonnets of a Minnesinger,” and whose already well developed ability to spin a tale was sharpened during the long years he spent on his monumental modern English version of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. It is with good reason, then, that we expect Fingers of Fear to take its place beside such great horror stories as Dracula and The Turn of the Screw.
I introduced the 2001 Midnight House limited edition reprint of Fingers of Fear, and have updated my Introduction for this new edition.
J(ohn) U(rban) Nicolson (1885-1944) was a Chicago warehouse
manager with literary interests. Fingers of Fear (1937) was
his only novel, a precursor to the melodramatic horror of the 1960s like the
television show Dark Shadows.
Next up is Monk's Magic, originally published in 1931, a delightful precursor to Mervyn Wall's Fursey books. Monk’s Magic, by Alexander de Comeau, tells the story of Brother Dismas,
who works on behalf of his Abbott, stealthily studying the black arts (he has
been absolved in advance for his sins), trying to discover the elixir of life.
After many failures, Dismas ventures out into the world to find those previous
and successful fellow-seekers who must surely still live. Dismas acquires some
marvelous friends and grows up during his quest. The tale is Rabelaisian in the
best sense, witty and well-written.Formats and ordering details:
Fingers of Fear,
by J.U. Nicolson, Introduction by Douglas A. Anderson
Trade paperback edition ($16.00) sold via Amazon (and
European affiliates) ISBN 9781987626629. Amazon.com at this link. Amazon.co.uk
at this link.
Kindle edition, sold via Amazon and affiliates.
Monk’s Magic, by Alexander
de Comeau
Trade paperback edition ($16.00) sold via Amazon (and
European affiliates) ISBN 9781987508826. Amazon.com at this link. Amazon.co.uk at this link.
Kindle edition, sold via Amazon and affiliates
