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Fantasite, v. 1, issue 2, February 1941

Page 11

11.... The Fantasite

The weird class was perhaps the worst.  Eight stories fell into that section, and few were good.  The three stories by Bedford-Jones I included at all only because someone objected to my omitting similar stories in past years.  They have as touch-stone jewels that send people back into the past, there to have adventures, and are horribly hacky.  The author has been getting away with similar formulae for years.  "The Devil's Well" was also pretty bad; about a guy who raised the devil, and I hope he had a better time doing it than I had reading the story.  "Till Doomsday" was a better than average Flying-Dutchman yarn; Sale is one of Argosy's better writers and always turns out superior work when he writes weird or fantasy.  "Bird of Jeopardy" didn't appeal much to me--another sea story, about a captain reincarnated as a bird which took command of a ship--, and "The Pearls of Madame Podaire" was about the poorest work of the year for Robert Arthur.  Best weird of the year was "Footsteps Invisible" by Arthur; a nice chilly yarn which however might just as well be called fantasy.

In pure fantasy was where Argosy shone in 1940.  And best of all was the work of the afore-mentioned Robert Arthur, who sold five neat yarns of that type.  "The Eying Eye" was one of those magic-camera shorts that broke out like a rash during 1940, and always end up with the camera getting broken or all the film used up.  This was about the best of them, I believe.  "If you But Wish" was enjoyable, ditto "Napoleon of Nothingness" which had as fine an ending as you'd want to read anywhere.  "Miracle on Main Street" was his best of the year; "Postmarked for Paradise" almost as good.  Words don't describe Arthur's type of fantasy; it isn't quite like that in Unknown, and you have to read it to learn to enjoy it.  William Templeton had two fantasies, but they seemed to lack the vigor of his previous work.  And besided Arthur's they fared badly.  "The Jest of Hamarath" was about a temple god in India who put a rather neat curse on a fellow who profaned the joint; the writer of the tale seems to sell dozens of shorts about India to Argosy every year and they're always enjoyable whether they're fantastic or not.  "Mortal Formula", to be frank, I can remember nothing about; it must not have appealed to me or I'd recall the plot.  Evidently I tried to forget it and succeeded for once.  And "Speak for Yourself, John Quincy", by Ted Roscoe, just skins into the list and that's about all.  It's one of a series of stories by this very capable author about possible incidents in the lives of American presidents, but the manner in which this is presented can be called fantastic.  At least it's an excellent story.

This leaves us with two stories on the list for which there's no classification.  One is "The Man with the Marble Leg", and while it isn't even as fantastic as the Baron Munchausen fables, I couldn't resist including it.  If you've read it, you'll realize why; it's about a woodpecker about ready to end it all because he lives in a petrified forest, until a gentleman with a wooden leg happens along, and...well, if you like really tall tales, here's one for you!

The other unclassified id "The Harp and the Blade". Once again the apology—it really isn't fantasy.  And once again the excuse—I couldn't resist including it.  There's only one item in it that permits it on the list at all—a little Pict who casts a spell on the main character declaring he shall henceforth help everyone in need—and yet I stuck it in, mainly because it's absolutely the finest piece of historical fiction I've read since Capt. Horatio Hornblower.  It occurs in Europe during the period after the death of Charlemagne, and if you read it and don't enjoy it you're hopeless. I have a strong suspicion that the author "John Myers Myers", is in actuality William Grey Bey-

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11.... The Fantasite The weird class was perhaps the worst. Eight stories fell into that section, and few were good. The three stories by Bedford-Jones I included at all only because someone objected to my omitting similar stories in past years. They have as touch-stone jewels that send people back into the past, there to have adventures, and are horribly hacky. The author has been getting away with similar formulae for years. "The Devil's Well" was also pretty bad; about a guy who raised the devil, and I hope he had a better time doing it than I had reading the story. "Till Doomsday" was a better than average Flying-Dutchman yarn; Sale is one of Argosy's better writers and always turns out superior work when he writes weird or fantasy. "Bird of Jeopardy" didn't appeal much to me--another sea story, about a captain reincarnated as a bird which took command of a ship--, and "The Pearls of Madame Podaire" was about the poorest work of the year for Robert Arthur. Best weird of the year was "Footsteps Invisible" by Arthur; a nice chilly yarn which however might just as well be called fantasy. In pure fantasy was where Argosy shone in 1940. And best of all was the work of the afore-mentioned Robert Arthur, who sold five neat yarns of that type. "The Eying Eye" was one of those magic-camera shorts that broke out like a rash during 1940, and always end up with the camera getting broken or all the film used up. This was about the best of them, I believe. "If you But Wish" was enjoyable, ditto "Napoleon of Nothingness" which had as fine an ending as you'd want to read anywhere. "Miracle on Main Street" was his best of the year; "Postmarked for Paradise" almost as good. Words don't describe Arthur's type of fantasy; it isn't quite like that in Unknown, and you have to read it to learn to enjoy it. William Templeton had two fantasies, but they seemed to lack the vigor of his previous work. And besided Arthur's they fared badly. "The Jest of Hamarath" was about a temple god in India who put a rather neat curse on a fellow who profaned the joint; the writer of the tale seems to sell dozens of shorts about India to Argosy every year and they're always enjoyable whether they're fantastic or not. "Mortal Formula", to be frank, I can remember nothing about; it must not have appealed to me or I'd recall the plot. Evidently I tried to forget it and succeeded for once. And "Speak for Yourself, John Quincy", by Ted Roscoe, just skins into the list and that's about all. It's one of a series of stories by this very capable author about possible incidents in the lives of American presidents, but the manner in which this is presented can be called fantastic. At least it's an excellent story. This leaves us with two stories on the list for which there's no classification. One is "The Man with the Marble Leg", and while it isn't even as fantastic as the Baron Munchausen fables, I couldn't resist including it. If you've read it, you'll realize why; it's about a woodpecker about ready to end it all because he lives in a petrified forest, until a gentleman with a wooden leg happens along, and...well, if you like really tall tales, here's one for you! The other unclassified id "The Harp and the Blade". Once again the apology—it really isn't fantasy. And once again the excuse—I couldn't resist including it. There's only one item in it that permits it on the list at all—a little Pict who casts a spell on the main character declaring he shall henceforth help everyone in need—and yet I stuck it in, mainly because it's absolutely the finest piece of historical fiction I've read since Capt. Horatio Hornblower. It occurs in Europe during the period after the death of Charlemagne, and if you read it and don't enjoy it you're hopeless. I have a strong suspicion that the author "John Myers Myers", is in actuality William Grey Bey-