Post by David Kartos on Nov 23, 2008 18:22:40 GMT
LBL Review #5:The Dwellers in the Mirage-A.Merritt
Initialy while I loaded this of from Australian Gutenberg,I pondered whether or not it was a parody.Dont get me wrong,I had not READ ot then,so I didnt know-something about observing the chapter titles hastily just had ticked me off.
Latzer,I found out my fears werent justified.I began reading.
The book has some interesting premise,although one that would make you think of a diferent ocurence.
Anyway,the first quarter of the book,that begins with the two hearing the anvil storkes and chanting in the night and which recounts the title characters strange ocurence in the land of the Uighur´s is by my judgment the best part of the book and if it were expanded upon THEN,I think litle would have been lost and alot would have been gained.The ancient, decrepit priests,the beaten remains of the nigh antideluvian peoples in their torn and time broken temples and city-is well greatly consuming.Also the Uighur captains parting words to the title character resound a deep cord within one.
The story then progresses to encountering the mirage,venturing into it-till that point the story was stil standart.However then came Merritt and his urge for pulp-ness-with showing to us a race of miniature golden haired trilling musical pygmies.Fair enough,it WAS not as used up a thing as today and it did litle to harm the book.However,when the witch woman was introduced-I just couldnt compare her norse apearance to the ancient customs and garbs described to the Ancient Uighur´s in the first quarter of the book.It was kind of of seting.
Fair enough,we come into pygmy land.And who awaits the title character there,like a good,obedient,2-d character with litle to no personality?Yes, it is the main characters love interest,the nigh virginaly described,stainless, perfect,inocent,etc. ,called Evalie.Skiping a bit a tosh we get to the main character ariving at Karak-fair enough.
What bit me there though were two things-one the lack of male children being born in Karak did not recieve any explanation at ALL thoughout the book,not so much as a hint.Also,I would imagine if an Uighur speaking yellow haired man resembling the Ancient race so much would pop up-dont you think ONE of the soldiers would get at least the idea before he blabs it out?
Im not riping at the book or anything,im just stating my facts.This is prety minor,okay.We move on.And when Dwayanu gets a love interest,surprisingly for Merritt,it is the witch woman a female character who actualy has DEPTH (GASP!).
The following things were nice and good-except id imagine much more fear for Khalkru.
And here is the thing-if this was a homage to HPL he sure wasnt trying to picture Khalkru as the awe inspiring all powerfull undefeatable-under-the-sea type of guy like his big Cousin.Theres me possibly bigest gripe-aside from Evalie and the pygmies-the way Khalkhru is treated and disposed of is reminescent of-well,anything else and in fact I think he gave more actual power to the cubes and spheres in The Metal Monster.Having even Dwayanu doubt him........
The book has props for linking with actual folklore.The horror scenes are depicted fine and in all honesty I prefer Dwayanu to Leif-not only because the first has more backbone and self trust-Leif neds HIM to survive,not vice versa-he actualy DOES more then Langdon-he just ends up at Sirk and goes on to the end of the ride.
Also-the ending too-I would have loved for Khalkhru to madingly wreck the Mirage and its land and send the remains of its people forth ,just as of old,as Leif and Evalie would watch in the distance.That would make a hell of a lot beter and more climatic end at the END of the book.
Characters?There are any?Sarcasm aside,besides Dwayanu,Lur ,Tibur-and thats about it all the other characters,like Yodin dont do much.Heck,Jim,the indian,only acts as ˝exposition reciever ˝ at the begining of the book.
All in all.all the parts of the book are GOOD,but the first fourth is SUPREME. I will surely recomend it to anyone,but I have my LITLE gripes,just as anyone.
Rating-7.6/11
J.D.- This is one I need to reread, as it's been quite a long time now.... However, again, it is one I recall with fondness but, as noted, there are some complaints here and there. I've always had more fondness for The Face in the Abyss, myself; but I would agree that the earlier portions of this particular book are the strongest. As an adventure novel, it is likely to please most fans of the adventure writing of that period (especially those who enjoy the better grade of pulp fiction), but as a weird tale it does lag at times.
Nevertheless, I would recommend it to anyone interested in either the "lost race" sort of tale, a good, rousing adventure, or one of the formative masters of fantasy in the twentieth century....
Initialy while I loaded this of from Australian Gutenberg,I pondered whether or not it was a parody.Dont get me wrong,I had not READ ot then,so I didnt know-something about observing the chapter titles hastily just had ticked me off.
Latzer,I found out my fears werent justified.I began reading.
The book has some interesting premise,although one that would make you think of a diferent ocurence.
Anyway,the first quarter of the book,that begins with the two hearing the anvil storkes and chanting in the night and which recounts the title characters strange ocurence in the land of the Uighur´s is by my judgment the best part of the book and if it were expanded upon THEN,I think litle would have been lost and alot would have been gained.The ancient, decrepit priests,the beaten remains of the nigh antideluvian peoples in their torn and time broken temples and city-is well greatly consuming.Also the Uighur captains parting words to the title character resound a deep cord within one.
The story then progresses to encountering the mirage,venturing into it-till that point the story was stil standart.However then came Merritt and his urge for pulp-ness-with showing to us a race of miniature golden haired trilling musical pygmies.Fair enough,it WAS not as used up a thing as today and it did litle to harm the book.However,when the witch woman was introduced-I just couldnt compare her norse apearance to the ancient customs and garbs described to the Ancient Uighur´s in the first quarter of the book.It was kind of of seting.
Fair enough,we come into pygmy land.And who awaits the title character there,like a good,obedient,2-d character with litle to no personality?Yes, it is the main characters love interest,the nigh virginaly described,stainless, perfect,inocent,etc. ,called Evalie.Skiping a bit a tosh we get to the main character ariving at Karak-fair enough.
What bit me there though were two things-one the lack of male children being born in Karak did not recieve any explanation at ALL thoughout the book,not so much as a hint.Also,I would imagine if an Uighur speaking yellow haired man resembling the Ancient race so much would pop up-dont you think ONE of the soldiers would get at least the idea before he blabs it out?
Im not riping at the book or anything,im just stating my facts.This is prety minor,okay.We move on.And when Dwayanu gets a love interest,surprisingly for Merritt,it is the witch woman a female character who actualy has DEPTH (GASP!).
The following things were nice and good-except id imagine much more fear for Khalkru.
And here is the thing-if this was a homage to HPL he sure wasnt trying to picture Khalkru as the awe inspiring all powerfull undefeatable-under-the-sea type of guy like his big Cousin.Theres me possibly bigest gripe-aside from Evalie and the pygmies-the way Khalkhru is treated and disposed of is reminescent of-well,anything else and in fact I think he gave more actual power to the cubes and spheres in The Metal Monster.Having even Dwayanu doubt him........
The book has props for linking with actual folklore.The horror scenes are depicted fine and in all honesty I prefer Dwayanu to Leif-not only because the first has more backbone and self trust-Leif neds HIM to survive,not vice versa-he actualy DOES more then Langdon-he just ends up at Sirk and goes on to the end of the ride.
Also-the ending too-I would have loved for Khalkhru to madingly wreck the Mirage and its land and send the remains of its people forth ,just as of old,as Leif and Evalie would watch in the distance.That would make a hell of a lot beter and more climatic end at the END of the book.
Characters?There are any?Sarcasm aside,besides Dwayanu,Lur ,Tibur-and thats about it all the other characters,like Yodin dont do much.Heck,Jim,the indian,only acts as ˝exposition reciever ˝ at the begining of the book.
All in all.all the parts of the book are GOOD,but the first fourth is SUPREME. I will surely recomend it to anyone,but I have my LITLE gripes,just as anyone.
Rating-7.6/11
J.D.- This is one I need to reread, as it's been quite a long time now.... However, again, it is one I recall with fondness but, as noted, there are some complaints here and there. I've always had more fondness for The Face in the Abyss, myself; but I would agree that the earlier portions of this particular book are the strongest. As an adventure novel, it is likely to please most fans of the adventure writing of that period (especially those who enjoy the better grade of pulp fiction), but as a weird tale it does lag at times.
Nevertheless, I would recommend it to anyone interested in either the "lost race" sort of tale, a good, rousing adventure, or one of the formative masters of fantasy in the twentieth century....
