Win Scott Eckert | Novelist | Editor | Essayist

Friday, August 07, 2009

Pemberley House--full Booklist review

In the many novels of the Wold Newton series, the late Farmer proved fond of enhancing the "biographies" of famous literary characters, such as Verne's Phileas Fogg and Burroughs' Tarzan, with fanciful, "uncovered" details. Here, collaborating with sf colleague and Wold Newton enthusiast Eckert, he recounts the fate of Patricia Wildman, daughter of pulp fiction icon Doc Savage. When her parents are presumed dead in a plane crash, 22-year-old Patricia assuages her grief in a spate of short-lived, unfulfilling love affairs. Then surprising news arrives: Patricia is the sole heir to Pemberley House, the estate featured in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and she sets off immediately for England. Eager for the change of scenery, Patricia comes well prepared to meet her bawdy cousins and 103-year-old dowager aunt, still living at Pemberley, but is less prepared for the restless ghost still haunting the estate. Part pulp romance, part erotic thriller, Farmer and Eckert's yarn is a steamy, intriguing addition to Wold Newton lore.

- Carl Hays
(c) Booklist 2009

pic o' the day

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Tarzan exhibit at the Musee du quai Branly in Paris

... and I was there, 28 July 2009!

More info here.

There was no flash photography allowed, so my many pics did not turn out great, but the exhibit included many Tarzan books in French, tons of comics (in English and French) and original comic strip and comic book art, lots of monitors running movie clips (including a censored scene from 1934's Tarzan and His Mate -- extended scene with Tarzan and Jane swimming... Jane nude), move posters and stills, historical antecedents (with an emphasis on French influences, naturally: Benoit, Saturnin Farandoul, etc.

I picked up a coffee table book (image similar to the museum poster), a large softcover book, and a small softcover book. The latter two have pages mentioning Philip Jose Farmer's contributions to the Tarzan mythos. The hardcover coffee table book might as well, but the copy I bought is shrinkwrapped and I won't open it until I arrive home (and I didn't have time to check it for Farmer references in the Museum gift shop).

The museum gift shop also had copies of Farmer's A Feast Unknown in French (featuring the Tarzan analogue Lord Grandrith) and I snapped up a copy, as well as a few postcards, bookmarks, and magnets. Such a tourist I am.

The exhibit runs through 27 September, and so

if you find yourself in Paris between now and then (!), it's well worth a look. The Musee du quai Branly is a 10 minute walk from the Eiffel Tower.

PEMBERLEY HOUSE - Key historical scene reenacted & shipping update!

Subterranean Press has announced that The Evil in Pemberley House is at the printer and expected to ship in 2-3 weeks.

That seems a good excuse as any to post these pictures of a scene of critical historical significance to the events in Pemberley House, the murder of Charles Augustus Milverton. The murderess is a major character in Pemberley House. Pictures taken at the Sherlock Holmes Museum, 221B Baker Street, London, 25 July 2009.