Hannes BokReseñas

A full measure of Edgar Rice Burroughs, add a little William Hope Hodgson, a smidge of Lovecraft and there you have The Sorcerer's Ship. Hannes Bok was justifiably more well known for his fantasy artwork, however this slender tale is well worth the little bit of time it will take from your life. Read it in one sitting and you'll have a fine fantastic adventure.

One of those books that is written in such a unique way that it keeps resonating long after you read it. Read it. Fantasy by a master.

Soixante-dix nouvelles et poèmes de Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, Ursula K. Le Guin, Jack Vance, Fritz Leiber, L. Sprague de Camp, Michaël Moorcock, H.G. Wells, Yves et Ada Remy, Poul Anderson, Dean R. Koontz, Marion Zimmer Bradley,Tanith Lee, Tolkien, etc. rassemblés dans cinq grandes parties : Le Manoir des roses, La Citadelle écarlate, La Cathédrale de sang, La Dame des crânes et Le Monde des chimères. Sommaire complet.
Quatrième de couverture : De ses racines qui plongent au coeur des plus anciennes traditions orales à ess derniers avatars, ce sont tous les courants de la fantasy qui sont représentés ici, en cinq parties et soixante-dix textes. De la tendresse à la violence, du baroque au comique, du rêve au cauchemar, dieux, elfes, magiciens, barbares et guerriers, savants et sorciers ou simples humains vous entraînent vers des terres inconnues au travers de paysages intérieurs jusqu'au fond tourmenté de l'inconscient.

An interesting example of 1940s style kitsch Fantasy / Sci Fi. Very strong on visual imagination – a book written by an artist certainly. Not so strong on plot … which meanders wildly. Has bags of charm though.

Hibbert is a rather trusting soul, one of those who lets himself be conned right into prison. He is paired with a bruising hulk named Scarlatti, who keeps talking jailbreak. With the help of a man named Burks, the jailbreak is successful. Hibbert is brought along against his will, so he won’t blab to the authorities. Heading for the Florida Everglades, they hook up with Carlotta, Scarlatti’s girlfriend.

In the middle of nowhere, the four come across a golden stairway into the sky. They ascend, and find a giant pool which may be The Fountain of Youth, guarded by a blue flamingo. It attacks them, and doesn’t last long after several shots from Burks’ pistol. They ascend another stairway to a land called Khoire.

It is something like being inside an M.C. Escher drawing. They meet a man named Patur, who has each of them put a crystal mask to their faces, which shows their true feelings. They are told that they will change into whatever their true essence is within 24 hours, and that they cannot stay in Khoire. Burks volunteers to turn into a blue flamingo, to take the place of the one he destroyed. He’ll accept being on the doorstep of Khoire, and do whatever is necessary to get himself an invitation back to Khoire. Carlotta and Scarlatti experience their Change; it is not pretty, and they end up eaten by a large carnivore. Meantime, Hibbert has fallen head over heels in love with Mareth of the Watchers. His Change is relatively minor; he is still very much human. He returns to Earth, passing Burks the flamingo. Hibbert’s quest is to find those people, who cannot reveal themselves beforehand, who will help him do what is needed to get his own invitation to Khoire.

First published in greatly shortened form in 1948, this is an excellent piece of writing. Bok was best known as an artist and illustrator during the pulp era; this shows that he was also a fine writer. If the reader can find a copy of this novel, it is very much recommended.½

I read this, and was mainly unimpressed. I have a little memory of it, but since I didn't give up on it, it must have been a tad above mediocre, at worst.