A. Merritt

[j. d. worthington]

Okay... so now we've got a start on the Haggard thread. Next up, in light of C-M's request: A. Merritt. Not nearly as prolific as Haggard, and despite an occasional eclipse of his reputation, Merritt produced several works which are often considered as classics in the field. His work is essentially adventure tales, with exotic locales, filled with mythic and legendary references, and given to lush descriptions. His main fault, I would say, lies in falling into the habit of "catchpenny romance" (as Lovecraft would say): romantic elements that followed dime-novel and sensational literary convention, rather than as reflected by either a higher-grade of literature or having much in the way of verisimilitude. This can sometimes weaken what is otherwise a very strong book (such as The Moon Pool); nevertheless, his work does tend to be full of excitement, color, verve, atmosphere, and not a little beauty in both language and concept. Highly recommended to anyone who loves fantasy in the broader sense.

His first story, "Through the Dragon Glass" (1917), though a very good tale -- in fact, quite remarkable for a first published story -- is not quite as strong as some of his later work, but remains a minor gem of fantasy. This was followed by "The People of the Pit" (1918), which depicts a truly alien civilization and manages to maintain the mystery and eeriness of the concept throughout the tale. Yet neither of these quite made Merritt's reputation. It was the original short tale of "The Moon Pool" (also 1918, though later joined to its sequel "Conquest of the Moon Pool" in 1919 and published in revised form as a novel under the title of the original tale) that truly established Merritt as one of the important voices in fantastic fiction (and science fiction, as his work is often that blend known as science fantasy). This tale was a favorite of H. P. Lovecraft, among others, and "The People of the Pit", it has been argued, may have also had an influence on HPL's At the Mountains of Madness. Merritt's Dwellers in the Mirage returned the favor, as it was his hommage to HPL.

Merritt produced eight novels:

The Moon Pool (1919)
The Metal Monster (1920)
The Ship of Ishtar (1926)
Seven Footprints to Satan (1928)
The Face in the Abyss (complete novel 1931; original novelette form 1923)
The Dwellers in the Mirage (1932)
Burn, Witch, Burn (1933)
Creep, Shadow (a.k.a. Creep, Shadow, Creep!; 1934)

and the collection, The Fox Woman and Other Stories (which also includes a few unfinished pieces). There was also an unfinished novel completed by Hannes Bok (friend of Merritt and one of the artists to whom he had given his support at the beginning of Bok's career), The Black Wheel (1948).

[Omphalos]

He supposedly got filthy rich writing books too. Ive only read The Moon Pool, and I liked it well enough.

[Teresa Edgerton]

I've read a few of Merritt's novels and a handful of his short stories, and I find the short fiction more powerful.

The novels I've read seem to lack focus. Also, the women in pulp and adventure fiction of the period usually annoy me -- or rather, the authors annoy me by the way they depict them -- and Merritt's works are no exception.

And I don't think you can put it all down to the period in which they wrote. Even the stuffiest Victorian writers gave their female characters more depth. Although it may simply be that in stories where all of the characters are a bit stereotypical, the male stereotypes are a lot more human than their female counterparts.

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by Omphalos

He supposedly got filthy rich writing books too. Ive only read The Moon Pool, and I liked it well enough.

Actually, most of his wealth came from his work with Hearst, as he was one of the highest-paid editors of the time. His novels did sell quite well, though....

Originally Posted by Teresa Edgerton

I've read a few of Merritt's novels and a handful of his short stories, and I find the short fiction more powerful.

The novels I've read seem to lack focus. Also, the women in pulp and adventure fiction of the period usually annoy me -- or rather, the authors annoy me by the way they depict them -- and Merritt's works are no exception.

And I don't think you can put it all down to the period in which they wrote. Even the stuffiest Victorian writers gave their female characters more depth. Although it may simply be that in stories where all of the characters are a bit stereotypical, the male stereotypes are a lot more human than their female counterparts.

I'd have to disagree with you about the novels (at least in the main) lacking focus -- at least, if I understand you here. I did feel that was a problem with Seven Footprints to Satan and The Metal Monster at times, though. I've yet to read the full -- magazine version -- text of the latter, however; I intend to, as it is available for the first time in nearly a century, in an attractive edition, but I simply haven't got around to it yet. But that particular novel is poor on characterization in general, I'd say. It's that magnificent creature(?) of the title, which is one of the most brilliantly alien beings ever included in sff, that makes that one memorable reading.

However, I do tend to agree with you when it comes to at least most of his female characters. There are exceptions, such as the Fox Woman herself, or the Snake Mother, and occasionally bits and pieces with one of his leading female characters; but, in the main, yes, Merritt suffered from the sort of myopia not at all uncommon to the pulp (and other popular) writers of the period. This, too, I would include under that "catchpenny romance" mentioned above: the stereotypical feminine and her reactions to the "hero" and otherwise. (And Larry O'Keefe, while at times charming, also at times is a grand royal pain-in-the-neck....)

[clovis-man]

Originally Posted by j. d. worthington

Merritt produced eight novels:

The Moon Pool (1919)
The Metal Monster (1920)
The Ship of Ishtar (1926)
Seven Footprints to Satan (1928)
The Face in the Abyss (complete novel 1931; original novelette form 1923)
The Dwellers in the Mirage (1932)
Burn, Witch, Burn (1933)
Creep, Shadow (a.k.a. Creep, Shadow, Creep!; 1934)

I've read all these except The Metal Monster and liked them all at the time of first reading. Read The Moon Pool and The Ship of Ishtar a couple of times. but it's been decades since I've delved into them. Fortunately, thanks to my father, I have them all in early pulp editions. So I can get started on a couple of re-reads at any time.

I recall being quite fond of Seven Footprints to Satan. I'll have to give that one first priority as I look them over again. In my young reading days, I recall only being disappointed in Merritt's choice of heroes, i.e., they were all "old". Usually around 35 years of age. To a teen, that seemed ancient to me. But I have to admit that the females were generally vacuous. However, I don't think I let that slow me up to any degree.

I know that when I've re-read something that I really liked as a young reader, I have about a 50/50 chance of still liking it as I get into my Medicare years. We'll see.

[Lobolover]

Ive read "The Metal Monster" and have been long planing to read "The Moon Pool".In fact,I have "Dwellers in the mirage" on my computr,ready to be read.

And yes,while the romance isnt as omnipresent here as in,say Cline's "The dark chamber",it tends to shift the plot.

[Teresa Edgerton]

Originally Posted by j. d. worthington

I'd have to disagree with you about the novels (at least in the main) lacking focus -- at least, if I understand you here.

As I said, I've only read two of his novels, and in my opinion those two lacked focus. The Ship of Ishtar and The Face in the Abyss both seemed a bit rambling to me (which is an odd thing to find in a short novel) and The Face struck me as having been padded in its transition from novelette to novel.

[Lobolover]

So anyone have an idea i Face in the Abyss is better then the Dwellers in the mirage?

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by Lobolover

So anyone have an idea i Face in the Abyss is better then the Dwellers in the mirage?

It's been quite a while since I read either, but I'd put them almost on a par each with the other; though I personally have more of a liking for The Face in the Abyss, as there were several tableaux in that novel that struck me very powerfully... not to mention a certain character that I've been in love with ever since....

[Lobolover]

Thats nice

You see,ive only got DiM on the comp (61 or 63 pages,so ill probably give it a go),the Face,however,was on an E-book site with litleitsy bitsy pages that you had to click every time to get to the next one,so it would be quite outpowering-it'd be nice to know of a complete e-text.

[j. d. worthington]

Here you go:

The Face In The Abyss

[Lobolover]

Thanks,your an awull lota help

But DiM is shorter,139 pages isnt that big,considering ive read things very near to that on the comp (The thing from the lake at 120 something).

[GOLLUM]

I have the entire collection of novels except Creep, Shadow but that will soon change....

I've read some but not all of these and I would have to agree Face In The Abyss is the best to date of what I've covered.

[Lobolover]

The thiry (somewhat) steps to Satan is just a crime story,from what Ive heard.It true?

[Connavar]

I have ordered The Moon Pool so next week or so i can see what A.Meritt is about.