DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Alchemist, v. 2, issue 1, Autumn 1946

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Alchemist, v. 2, issue 1, Autumn 1946

Page 10

with England. Two guesses as to the national interests of the darker powers, despite the fact that Asta Heldrup is cast as a Dane rather than a German.

Extremely proficient in diabolical arts, Asta not only succeeds in gaining control over Joan Mathieson through an opal ring impregnated with evil power, but holds Joan's aeronautic engineer fiancee in a trance-like state, planning to obtain his blueprint plans for Germany and the man himself for her pleasure. To aid her in this nefarious plan, she creates through supernatural means a "doppelganger", or counterpart of the heroine.

The tale reminded me at times of an elabourated "John Thunstone" adventure from "Weird Tales Magazine". The pages bristle with unusual minor character such as the German doctor who delighted in masquerading as a middle-aged countess, and the unfortunate former young girl friend of Joan's who adored Asta and became little more than an automaton under the will of this unprincipled woman.

The climax is reached when Dr. Zodiac invading the Heldrup abode and seeking to prevent the evil powers from triumphing, informs Asta Heldrup of the truth concerning her own birth, a fact which Asta's father had shrouded in mystery and carefully concealed from his fiendish daughter. Her scheming, corrupt father, it seemed, had deliberately selected for his daughter's birth a day and hour which would, according to the stars, influence her to choose the Left Hand Path. In addition, her birth had been arranged to
(continued on page 15)

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with England. Two guesses as to the national interests of the darker powers, despite the fact that Asta Heldrup is cast as a Dane rather than a German. Extremely proficient in diabolical arts, Asta not only succeeds in gaining control over Joan Mathieson through an opal ring impregnated with evil power, but holds Joan's aeronautic engineer fiancee in a trance-like state, planning to obtain his blueprint plans for Germany and the man himself for her pleasure. To aid her in this nefarious plan, she creates through supernatural means a "doppelganger", or counterpart of the heroine. The tale reminded me at times of an elabourated "John Thunstone" adventure from "Weird Tales Magazine". The pages bristle with unusual minor character such as the German doctor who delighted in masquerading as a middle-aged countess, and the unfortunate former young girl friend of Joan's who adored Asta and became little more than an automaton under the will of this unprincipled woman. The climax is reached when Dr. Zodiac invading the Heldrup abode and seeking to prevent the evil powers from triumphing, informs Asta Heldrup of the truth concerning her own birth, a fact which Asta's father had shrouded in mystery and carefully concealed from his fiendish daughter. Her scheming, corrupt father, it seemed, had deliberately selected for his daughter's birth a day and hour which would, according to the stars, influence her to choose the Left Hand Path. In addition, her birth had been arranged to (continued on page 15)