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Chanticleer, v. 1, issue 3, December 1945
Page 24
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BIBLIOPINIONS of ye editor MEN OF THE DEEP WATERS -- William Hope Hodgson -- Published by Eveleigh Nash. This is the first Hodgson book I've been able to glomb onto, I pray it will not be the last. I've been awed, amazed, yes, and even slightly nauseated while reading this very entertaining tome. Albeit a sort of pleasing nausea, if there is such an animal! Personally, I believe Hodgson unsurpassed in the art of conjuring up word pictures and situations of dreadful suspense, deadly terror, and sheet horror. On the other hand he can dream up a fantasy which is at one both haunting and beautiful. The non-fantasy tales in this volume make interesting reading, if only for the odd and compelling Hodgson style. ON THE BRIDGE, the first story in the volume, is a remarkable sketch, it's not quite a story, in which the thoughts and fears of a ship's officer, who is standing watch in iceberg waters, are startling passed on to the reader. In THE SEA HORSES, a wonderful narrative, Hodgson reveals a talent for beautiful fantasy. For some reason or other, this one persists in recalling "Mimsey Were the Borogroves" to my mind, although the only similarity between the two yarns is in the odd reasoning of children. Briefly, it is the story of a child's unerring faith in his beloved "granfer", who loves to relate tall sea yarns to his adored grandson. Nebby, the child, particularly loves the stories about sea horses, and he inveigles his granfer into a promise to catch him one. Granfer constructs a go-horse, a facetious combination of a unicorn, horse, and fish. He gives the 'sea Horse' to Nebby, even going to the length of dipping it in water first, so the boy will know that he just brought it up from the bottom of the sea. When a fever epidemic breaks out in the village, granfer takes Nebby to live on the ship with him,and of course the 'sea horse' goes along. When Nebby persists in running his 'real live sea horse' over the air line while granfer is diving, one of the crew chides the boy and throws it down the hold. The boy bites the crewman in the leg, and, when he refuses to apologize, granfer takes the horse from the boy and anchors it to some seaweed at the bottom of the sea. Granfer threatens the boy, telling him that if he isn't a good lad the 'sea horse' will come alive and swim away. Nebby hears his granfer tell one of the crew that he will bring the horse up on the morrow. That makes him very angry and he plots revenge. In the dead of night he slips on the heaver divers helmet and goes over the side to rescue his beloved 'sea horse' That is all I should tell you, except that the story has a swell fantasy ending, for it might just be possible to ride a sea horse? MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED THE HOUSE OF PRAYER is a short tale in which a group of parishoners keep one of their members from being evicted from his humble dwelling, by unselfish and heart-warming means. THE DERELICT brings forth the Hodgson that most slims are acquainted with. This one was printed in Famous Fantastic Mysteries. Tis a horrible tale of an old derelict which is covered with a loathsome, living mold, until the whole ship becomes a living, integrated entity. And of the men who board this horrible
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BIBLIOPINIONS of ye editor MEN OF THE DEEP WATERS -- William Hope Hodgson -- Published by Eveleigh Nash. This is the first Hodgson book I've been able to glomb onto, I pray it will not be the last. I've been awed, amazed, yes, and even slightly nauseated while reading this very entertaining tome. Albeit a sort of pleasing nausea, if there is such an animal! Personally, I believe Hodgson unsurpassed in the art of conjuring up word pictures and situations of dreadful suspense, deadly terror, and sheet horror. On the other hand he can dream up a fantasy which is at one both haunting and beautiful. The non-fantasy tales in this volume make interesting reading, if only for the odd and compelling Hodgson style. ON THE BRIDGE, the first story in the volume, is a remarkable sketch, it's not quite a story, in which the thoughts and fears of a ship's officer, who is standing watch in iceberg waters, are startling passed on to the reader. In THE SEA HORSES, a wonderful narrative, Hodgson reveals a talent for beautiful fantasy. For some reason or other, this one persists in recalling "Mimsey Were the Borogroves" to my mind, although the only similarity between the two yarns is in the odd reasoning of children. Briefly, it is the story of a child's unerring faith in his beloved "granfer", who loves to relate tall sea yarns to his adored grandson. Nebby, the child, particularly loves the stories about sea horses, and he inveigles his granfer into a promise to catch him one. Granfer constructs a go-horse, a facetious combination of a unicorn, horse, and fish. He gives the 'sea Horse' to Nebby, even going to the length of dipping it in water first, so the boy will know that he just brought it up from the bottom of the sea. When a fever epidemic breaks out in the village, granfer takes Nebby to live on the ship with him,and of course the 'sea horse' goes along. When Nebby persists in running his 'real live sea horse' over the air line while granfer is diving, one of the crew chides the boy and throws it down the hold. The boy bites the crewman in the leg, and, when he refuses to apologize, granfer takes the horse from the boy and anchors it to some seaweed at the bottom of the sea. Granfer threatens the boy, telling him that if he isn't a good lad the 'sea horse' will come alive and swim away. Nebby hears his granfer tell one of the crew that he will bring the horse up on the morrow. That makes him very angry and he plots revenge. In the dead of night he slips on the heaver divers helmet and goes over the side to rescue his beloved 'sea horse' That is all I should tell you, except that the story has a swell fantasy ending, for it might just be possible to ride a sea horse? MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED THE HOUSE OF PRAYER is a short tale in which a group of parishoners keep one of their members from being evicted from his humble dwelling, by unselfish and heart-warming means. THE DERELICT brings forth the Hodgson that most slims are acquainted with. This one was printed in Famous Fantastic Mysteries. Tis a horrible tale of an old derelict which is covered with a loathsome, living mold, until the whole ship becomes a living, integrated entity. And of the men who board this horrible
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