Arthur Machen?

[Petrovic]

Anyone read any of his stuff and if so any particular book that is worth seeking out first?

[Guest]

Arthur Machen?

I'd not heard of him, but was moved to look him up. The Great God Pan, apparently "was widely denounced for its sexual and horrific content and subsequently sold well, going into a second edition."

Sounds the place to start.

[Petrovic]

Arthur Machen?

Just finished reading Mark E Smith's book and he speaks highly of him (make of that what you will!) reckoned he was better than M.R. James for that particular genre. I'll give that one a whirl then.

[Guest]

Arthur Machen?

Petrovic wrote:

reckoned he was better than M.R. James for that particular genre.

Now that's quite a claim.

[Petrovic]

Arthur Machen?

That's what got me interested - but remember this is M.E.S. we are talking about. There's collateral damage to account for!

[delicatemoth]

Arthur Machen?

'better than MR James' - hmm, he was different for a start! Both are very much worth reading, as is Algernon Blackwood.

This is the first book I ever paid over £20 for, but I doubt it's still available. It's a strong collection to look out for, and I can't say I've seen any new ones on the shelves of late.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tales-Horror...271918&sr=11-1

I also recall reading two very intense works by him that weren't supernaturally themed so much as imbued with a phantasmagoric overlay. Their protagonists virtually disappear into their environment - 'The Hill Of Dreams' is set in Welsh border country and the other one, title I can't recall, in a hallucinatory Victorian London which gripped me very powerfully, though my mum found the two to be too similar to be convinced.

I really recommend him anyway - singular stuff.

[Edie St Pierre]

Arthur Machen?

Um, heard of him but never read him.

I love MR James in short bursts though, so i'll have to give him a whirl.

He sounds more like HP Lovecraft or Clark Ashton Smith from that description, but they're both bleeding great as well, to be fair.

[Guest]

Arthur Machen?

I downloaded the etext of The Great God Pan and I've now read it. I think people who produce spoilers for books should be made to wear orange jumpsuits and work in libraries, so I'll ask the vague question; what did you think of it, if you've read it yet?

It was more Lovecraft than M R James, though.

[Petrovic]

Arthur Machen?

Ordered 'The Great God Pan' yesterday along with 'The Hill Of Dreams'. I'm intrigued by the M.R. James comparison though. Cheers for the pointers.

[Moonlight Shadow]

Arthur Machen?

Lovecraft was a big fan which was what interested me to buy "The Great God Pan". Weird, dreamy, rural fantasy, much enjoyed it. Might be worth checking out Lord Dunsany as well, HPL favourite writer.

[Petrovic]

Arthur Machen?

delicatemoth wrote:

'better than MR James' - hmm, he was different for a start! Both are very much worth reading, as is Algernon Blackwood.

This is the first book I ever paid over £20 for, but I doubt it's still available. It's a strong collection to look out for, and I can't say I've seen any new ones on the shelves of late.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tales-Horror...271918&sr=11-1

I also recall reading two very intense works by him that weren't supernaturally themed so much as imbued with a phantasmagoric overlay. Their protagonists virtually disappear into their environment - 'The Hill Of Dreams' is set in Welsh border country and the other one, title I can't recall, in a hallucinatory Victorian London which gripped me very powerfully, though my mum found the two to be too similar to be convinced.

I really recommend him anyway - singular stuff.

Just finished it - 'The Great God Pan' i thought was superb, beautifully written, atmospheric and suitably creepy but definately not in an M.R. James kind of way.

'The Hill of Dreams' i'll admit i didn't enjoy as much. More mystical than supernatural and reading last thing at night i found myself having to re-read sections in places just to keep up. In fact at one point through blurry eyes i may aswell have been reading Nik Kershaw lyrics such was the way his prose was flying about.
I'll definately dig out some more of his stuff though.

[Moonlight Shadow]

Arthur Machen?

I'm currently reading MR James collected ghost stories. Not much in common with Machen really. Quite enjoyable anyway.

[Guest]

Arthur Machen?

I thought The Great God Pan was a mixed bag but I quite enjoyed it. I liked the disjointed narrative, and although it relied on some whopping coincidences and a lot of conversation, I quite liked the way constructed the story in fragments. I thought it lacked the elegance of MR James, but it was enjoyable and I still remember the feel of it now a couple of weeks later, so that must be a success.