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Post by deuce on Feb 5, 2016 11:55:41 GMT -5
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Post by deuce on Mar 11, 2016 22:59:00 GMT -5
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Libaax
Wanderer
Burhan the Puntlander
Posts: 25 
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Post by Libaax on Mar 24, 2016 8:40:00 GMT -5
Reading Star Rover for the first time, the historical adventures the lead went on in his mind, the muscular, ultra realistic writing where you can feel the harsh cold,nature of Klondike Tales stories, Jack London being REHs type of author is easy to see.
If REH wrote in earlier time period as London, he could easily have become a writer like him, there is vividness, energy i find similar in their writing style. I have read only Jack Londons adult fiction. Specially in the non-fantastic writing of Howard that is not so much purple prose for WT audience.
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Post by deuce on Mar 24, 2016 21:59:09 GMT -5
Reading Star Rover for the first time, the historical adventures the lead went on in his mind, the muscular, ultra realistic writing where you can feel the harsh cold,nature of Klondike Tales stories, Jack London being REHs type of author is easy to see. If REH wrote in earlier time period as London, he could easily have become a writer like him, there is vividness, energy i find similar in their writing style. I have read only Jack Londons adult fiction. Specially in the non-fantastic writing of Howard that is not so much purple prose for WT audience. REH and London are similar writers. As usual, Howard is a little more "intense" than his idol (you see the same thing with Burroughs and Lamb), but the things REH liked (if one has read more than the Conan yarns) are there to be seen pretty easily. A good review of The Star-Rover: mikemehalek.blogspot.com/2010/11/atypical-book-review-star-rover-jack.html |
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Libaax
Wanderer
Burhan the Puntlander
Posts: 25
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Post by Libaax on Mar 25, 2016 13:10:49 GMT -5
Reading Star Rover for the first time, the historical adventures the lead went on in his mind, the muscular, ultra realistic writing where you can feel the harsh cold,nature of Klondike Tales stories, Jack London being REHs type of author is easy to see. If REH wrote in earlier time period as London, he could easily have become a writer like him, there is vividness, energy i find similar in their writing style. I have read only Jack Londons adult fiction. Specially in the non-fantastic writing of Howard that is not so much purple prose for WT audience. REH and London are similar writers. As usual, Howard is a little more "intense" than his idol (you see the same thing with Burroughs and Lamb), but the things REH liked (if one has read more than the Conan yarns) are there to be seen pretty easily. A good review of The Star-Rover: mikemehalek.blogspot.com/2010/11/atypical-book-review-star-rover-jack.htmlI have almost read everything but the Conan yarns the last few years so i can see REH being similar to his literary heroes when he writes their kind of fiction. I mean you can see ERB when you read his sword planet stories and his historical fiction you see Lamb etc. Its interesting to see the similarities and the way that is uniquelly his own voice, style. REH is more intense than most writers i have read,i think i duck out of instinct sometimes when i read his meanest characters, most vivid action scenes like El Borak. Its fun to imagine what REH would write like if he wasnt so influenced by the history,culture of the places he grew up around. Would he write weird westerns set in Texas if he was from colder, northern part of US and had different history,culture to read about? Okay maybe that is just the inner literary student trying to think, read more about my literary hero  |
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Post by deuce on Nov 27, 2016 10:03:41 GMT -5
November 22nd was the centenary of Jack's death. I forgot, but Morgan "docpod" Holmes did not: www.castaliahouse.com/the-jack-london-centenary/Morg gives an excellent rundown of London's sci-fi and fantasy work. These are the tales that influenced REH, Edgar Rice Burroughs and A. Merritt. Even if they weren't, they are excellent stories in their own right. They hold a vigour and passion that is very rarely found in what passes for "SFF" today. RIP, Jack.   |
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Post by deuce on Mar 2, 2017 9:04:48 GMT -5
A post that looks at the possibility that London's weird tale, The Red One, might have had an influence on Lovecraft: www.jasoncolavito.com/the-red-one.htmlThe story itself is posted in its entirety. An interesting factoid I didn't know was that Lovecraft had definitely read Jack's The Star-Rover, which was REH's favorite London novel.  |
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Post by deuce on Apr 10, 2017 11:30:12 GMT -5
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Post by deuce on Jun 23, 2017 9:35:46 GMT -5
London's The Scarlet Plague is one of the best of the early SF post-apocalyptic novels.  |
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Post by deuce on Mar 26, 2018 11:03:16 GMT -5
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Post by deuce on Apr 22, 2018 9:44:45 GMT -5
A review from 1991 by Peter de Jager: THE STAR ROVER
(known as THE JACKET in the UK)
Published 1915
by Jack London (1876-1916)
Yes, this is the same Jack London that wrote CALL OF THE WILD and
WHITE FANG. If that is all you have read of London's, then you have a
surprise in store for you.
This story is unusual to say the least. London based it upon the
experiences of Ed Morrel in San Quentin prison. Specifically the
out-of-body experiences brought about by torture in a strait jacket.
I had always thought of a strait jacket as a passive restraining
device used to control violent people. THE STAR ROVER changed that
naive opinion forever and changed my thinking about prisons.
THE STAR ROVER contains no technology, no magic, no science. It is
unmistakably a story about the human spirit and its ability to break
free of all constraints. De Gedanken sind Frie... The Thoughts are
Free. Is it science fiction? It is difficult to classify it as
anything else.
As in Pangborn's MIRROR, the use of language is superb. STAR ROVER has
a gritty mood about it that stayed with me for many years. I then
reread it by accident and recognized it, not by the plot, but by the
feelings that it invoked in me.
The book transports you into the damp stone cells of San Quentin, as
surely as the prisoner transports himself out of the strait jacket and
into past lives. The cruelty of the prison guards pierces the warm
comfort of your living room and send shivers down your spine. The book
reeks of pain, cruelty and hope. Thankfully, the hope is there,
strong, loud and constant.
Why the prisoner is there is not really important. His accusers blame
him for something that never happened and there is no way out. No way
out, except an impossible escape into his own infinite past.
THE STAR ROVER is a cure for a too sunny day. It is a journey into the
depths of cruelty and a final escape via the human spirit. When you
finish reading, you will look up into the light and blink, momentarily
disorientated; it will take you a while to return to your normal
surroundings. Be not afraid, this is normal and will wear off shortly.
There is much talk today about Virtual Realities, CyberSpace and
Artificial Realities. We sometimes forget that these types of
experiences are available to us when a master story teller enthralls
us. Jack London is one such wordsmith. He lives on through his
writings.
He reminds us that we have a instinct for survival. THE STAR ROVER
explores an unnatural method to achieve it.While de Jager's review isn't particularly inaccurate, I think he focused on different aspects of the tale than what I did. I would also class the novel as much more a fantasy novel than an SF novel.  |
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Post by deuce on May 21, 2018 11:23:31 GMT -5
I would rather be ashes than dust
I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet
The function of man is to live, not to exist
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them
I shall use my time.
~ The Credo of Jack London ~
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Post by deuce on Jun 30, 2018 22:56:19 GMT -5
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Post by deuce on Nov 22, 2018 12:05:15 GMT -5
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Post by deuce on Nov 28, 2018 9:58:43 GMT -5
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