174 replies to this topic

[docpod]

Probably a problem is people hang on to their Wagner paperbacks. How many times do you see Robert E. Howard paperbacks at used bookstores? A shame publishers are not interested in reissuing Karl Wagner. I can remember when people were saying he was going to be alongside Stephen King and Peter Straub.

Morgan

[amster]

Probably a problem is people hang on to their Wagner paperbacks. How many times do you see Robert E. Howard paperbacks at used bookstores? A shame publishers are not interested in reissuing Karl Wagner. I can remember when people were saying he was going to be alongside Stephen King and Peter Straub.

Morgan

That's certainly a testament to what a gifted writer he was. Some of the paperbacks reach double digits (particularly Death Angel's Shadow) because they're that good. Its simple economics; supply and demand. These are true classics, at least in the minds of his fanbase, if not to the mainstream. These aren't Andrew J. Offut Cormac Mac Art pastiches we're talking about here! If I didn't already own a complete set, I'd gladly shell out the necessary cash to have one. But that's just me.

And no! My KEW collection is not for sale!

[brakkk60526]

Even the two recent hardbacks[typos galore included are going for over 100.00 bucks].Its a shame the lost chapters for In the wake of the night were never found.I read somewere he would sometimes read them at conventions,so Im kind of sure they once existed.I did not care much for the modern Kane stories allthough they did answer some questions
1 Kane came to earth in a flying saucer

2 Kane killed God

3 Kane is only half human

[rabbits]

1 Kane came to earth in a flying saucer

2 Kane killed God

3 Kane is only half human

Wait... What?



I thought it was a fantasy series..

[amster]

I didn't care for the modern stories.

[daniel]

I didn't care for the modern stories.

one of the better historical science fiction novels i know is one he wrote with david drake:"killer"
its a DIWIWT novel (Damn I Wish I Wrote That)

[PaulMc]

1 Kane came to earth in a flying saucer

2 Kane killed God

3 Kane is only half human

Wait... What?

I thought it was a fantasy series..

It is.

But there are deeper hints of a sci-fantasy origin - touches of Edgar Rice Burroughs and/or Lovecraft, I think. Ancient technologically advanced societies lost to time, almost. (such as the super-ships that show up in 'Darkness Weaves' - I forget the name of the race.)

More reason I wish Dale Rippke's site was back online. Lots of great essays on Kane there. (so, being offline, I can't give you a link, )

[rabbits]

1 Kane came to earth in a flying saucer

2 Kane killed God

3 Kane is only half human

Wait... What?

I thought it was a fantasy series..

It is.

But there are deeper hints of a sci-fantasy origin - touches of Edgar Rice Burroughs and/or Lovecraft, I think. Ancient technologically advanced societies lost to time, almost. (such as the super-ships that show up in 'Darkness Weaves' - I forget the name of the race.)

More reason I wish Dale Rippke's site was back online. Lots of great essays on Kane there. (so, being offline, I can't give you a link, )

hmm This is a very odd series.. So which of the 6(?) Baen paperbacks are these " Modern " stories included in?

I ordered a copy of Bloodstone off the internet for less than 10$.. so I have 2 of the 3 novels.. but if theres some dodgy stuff out there ... I'd rather know which volumes to skip due to how much they cost.

[PaulMc]

hmm This is a very odd series.. So which of the 6(?) Baen paperbacks are these " Modern " stories included in?

I ordered a copy of Bloodstone off the internet for less than 10$.. so I have 2 of the 3 novels.. but if theres some dodgy stuff out there ... I'd rather know which volumes to skip due to how much they cost.

5, not 6.

Bloodstone (novel)
Darkness Weaves (novel)
Dark Crusade (novel)
Night Winds (stories)
Death Angel's Shadow (stories)

None of these have 'modern' Kane stories. There are only a couple of modern tales, they are in the 'Midnight Sun' Nightshade collection along with all the others (including stories not found in the paperbacks.)

There never was a novel that directly dealt with the sci-fantasy origins of Kane. KEW might have been planning some, but they never saw light of day.

[rabbits]

ok thanks for the help.

[Axerules]

Deno?l (a French editor) has just released the last volume of the complete Kane tales en Fran?ais.
http://www.amazon.fr...e...7070&sr=1-1

Now I have ALL the stories, in a three-volume set (600 pages per book).
Oh yeah!

[amster]

Deno?l (a French editor) has just released the last volume of the complete Kane tales en Fran?ais.
http://www.amazon.fr...e...7070&sr=1-1

Now I have ALL the stories, in a three-volume set (600 pages per book).
Oh yeah!

Supercool! I checked out all of the covers. Very nice! Can you tell us who the artist is (or are)?

I have it on good authority that few people in the states give a rat's a$$ about KEW. His books aren't even in print any more! Good to see he's being published on the other side of the pond.

[Axerules]

The three covers were all done by Guillaume Sorel.
His website: http://guillaumesore...cipal/cadre.htm
He has worked on several graphic novels, fantasy books and RPG's.

Other covers by GS here: http://perso.numeric...livre/Page.html

[Malak]

Deno?l (a French editor) has just released the last volume of the complete Kane tales en Fran?ais.
http://www.amazon.fr...e...7070&sr=1-1

Now I have ALL the stories, in a three-volume set (600 pages per book).
Oh yeah!

Wow! Very interesting!

I've got the six paperbacks, and although I am interested in the modern tales, I've hesitated to buy "Midnight Sun" just for these few stories.
Looks like this French edition might be a good alternative to get all the stories that aren't included in the old paperbacks.

Axerules, would you mind listing the contents of each volume for us?

[Mark Finn]

KEW was also quite the tastemaker. I have a mostly-complete collection of his editorship on the Annual Year's Best Horror Stories series (originally put out by DAW--gotta love those yellow spines). Wagner had really impeccable tastes when it came to spotting great horror stories, and he always included a few lesser-known (back then) folks to get you psyched about reading more of their stuff. Very egalitarian.

Incidentally, since we're presenting our bona fides here, I've got all five Kane collections (viva Frazetta), In a Lonely Place and Why Not You and I? (both recommended), the two Night Shade hardcovers and the Fedogan & Bremer Exorcisms & Ecstasies (hard to find and chock full of unpublished stuff), and a handful of misc. rarities like the Author's Monthly hardcover, signed, and the Sorcerer's Apprentice Kane story. So, what am I missing?

The Road of Kings.

I've got Legion of Shadows (which I liked rather well), but my Road of Kings got lost in one of fifteen moves and hasn't been seen since, nor have I had the momentum to pick up a copy. But, like a sore tooth, I can't stop fiddling with it.

[Scott Oden]

I have it on good authority that few people in the states give a rat's a$$ about KEW. His books aren't even in print any more!

More than a shame, this is indeed a crime! I wonder how we might go about generating renewed interest in his work, the Kane stories in particular? I wonder, too, if Bison Books or someone like them would be interested in doing a KEW volume or three? Anyone know how tangled the rights situation might be with the KEW estate?

Best,

Scott

[deuce]

KEW was also quite the tastemaker. I have a mostly-complete collection of his editorship on the Annual Year's Best Horror Stories series (originally put out by DAW--gotta love those yellow spines). Wagner had really impeccable tastes when it came to spotting great horror stories, and he always included a few lesser-known (back then) folks to get you psyched about reading more of their stuff. Very egalitarian.

Hey Mark! Damn straight. At the moment, I once owned almost all of the KEW-edited "YBHS" collections, but now I just have two of 'em. I've been meaning to get those again simply for the intros, if nothing else. And yeah, "yellow-spined" DAW books rule. They stand out in any setting.

Incidentally, since we're presenting our bona fides here, I've got all five Kane collections (viva Frazetta), In a Lonely Place and Why Not You and I? (both recommended), the two Night Shade hardcovers and the Fedogan & Bremer Exorcisms & Ecstasies (hard to find and chock full of unpublished stuff), and a handful of misc. rarities like the Author's Monthly hardcover, signed, and the Sorcerer's Apprentice Kane story.

I've given away my Kane paperbacks to needy readers. Gave my DMG hc The Book of Kane to a friend for Christmas. Got both NS editions. Got the two horror collections. Got all three Berkley Conans with the untouched KEW intros/afterwords. I own all three KEW-edited "Echoes of Valor" volumes (some GREAT commentary/info in those). I'd LOVE to own "E&E", especially since it has the "Becker" tales. I also own The New Lovecraft Circle, which has the last story Karl ever wrote.

So, what am I missing?

The Road of Kings.

I've got Legion of Shadows (which I liked rather well), but my Road of Kings got lost in one of fifteen moves and hasn't been seen since, nor have I had the momentum to pick up a copy. But, like a sore tooth, I can't stop fiddling with it.

I own the Zebra edition of "Legion". I've got the Sphere edition of "TRoK". You need to get on that TRoK" thing, Mark.
I'll trade ya a spare of mine for a copy of Exorcisms and Ecstacies.

[docpod]

Someone at the Yahoo Karl Wagner group knows Kirby McCauley, Wagner's one time agent. McCauley has supposedly made the rounds to publishers about reprints of Wagner and none are interested. That is very surprising. You would think that a core library of sword and sorcery would be constantly in print: REH, Fritz Leiber, Michael Moorcock, Karl Edward Wagner, Poul Anderson, Jack Vance, Clark Ashton Smith. Clark Ashton Smith has not fared well in paperback. You can get Vance with a Dying Earth omnibus.

Morgan

[amster]

I wonder what ever happened to the supposed Kane film. I read several years back that the Producer of Cabin Fever had secured the rights to Death Angels Shadow, but then nothing else ever came of it. Either Reflections or Cold Light would make a helluva film.

[Rusty Burke]

Someone at the Yahoo Karl Wagner group knows Kirby McCauley, Wagner's one time agent. McCauley has supposedly made the rounds to publishers about reprints of Wagner and none are interested.

You're thinking of Karl's nephew. The family would love to get Karl's work back in print, I believe. I'm pretty good friends with his old buddy John Mayer, the moderator of that group and the webmaster of East of Eden, the KEW website. I had hopes at one time that Steve Tompkins would be taking on a KEW bio and editing project, but alas that will now never happen. I think if we could find a publisher who was willing to cut the family a reasonable deal, we could get KEW back in print. If I didn't already have nine zillion things to do, I'd do it myself. In fact, if no one rises to the occasion, I might have to do it anyway, since KEW not only deserves to be in print, his stuff NEEDS to be in print. In my opinion, he was the finest heroic fantasy and horror writer of my generation, and it's a major shame that so many lesser talents stay in print while Karl is now accessible only to people with $$$ on the secondary market.

One confounding thing in all this may be the proposed movie. I know the family wants to see that happen, and movie people may be putting some stumbling blocks in the publishing program. Mind you, I have NO IDEA if that's the case, I'm just speculating that it might be. Movie money does strange things to people (case in point, Conan Properties, Inc.).

Rusty