Weird Tales: 32 Unearthed Terrors

by Stefan R. Dziemianowicz (Editor / Contributor)

1988 1st ed. Bonanza

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Short Stories, Anthologies, Weird Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction

665 pages, Hardcover

First published June 8, 1988

About the author

Born in 1957, Stefan Dziemianowicz works for the publisher Barnes & Noble as an editor.

Reviews

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really nice collection stories for this iconic magazine. Very enjoyable read. Recommended

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though hardly a runaway success in its day, and a publication that faced financial hardships for much of its existence, the pulp magazine known as "Weird Tales" is today revered by fans and collectors alike as one of the most influential and prestigious. Anthologies without number have used stories from its pages, and the roster of authors who got their start therein reads like a "Who's Who" of 20th century horror and fantasy literature. During its 32-year run, from 1923-1954, and in its 279 issues, "Weird Tales" catered to a select readership that could not help but be impressed by early efforts from the likes of Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, C.L. Moore, Henry Kuttner, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson and dozens of others. "Weird Tales: 32 Unearthed Terrors," unlike some of the other books that have cherry picked the best from the magazine's pages, takes a slightly different approach. Its editors have selected one story from each year of the magazine's run; not necessarily the "best" story of that year, but the one that the editors felt has been the most unjustly underappreciated, or too rarely anthologized, or simply most in need of a reappraisal. The result is 655 pages of some of the finest imaginative writing that any reader could ask for. Simply put, this is one helluva collection.

Several of the stories here are fairly well known. Lovecraft's complete posthumous novel, "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward," an offshoot of his "Cthulhu Mythos," has generously been offered as the token tale from 1941. Fredric Brown's "Come and Go Mad," a gripping tale of paranoia; "Dust of Gods," a C.L. Moore story featuring spaceman Northwest Smith; and Robert E. Howard's "The Shadow Kingdom," featuring the first appearance of King Kull, are all here, and are welcome presences, always. But there are also lesser-known works from writers who would one day become quite well known; "Weird Tales" was as much an incubator and proving ground for horror and fantasy writers as "Astounding Science-Fiction" was for the sci-fi author. Thus, we have stories here such as 1946's "Let's Play Poison," an eerie tale of some devilish children, by a bloke named Ray Bradbury. Richard Matheson, in what can almost be seen as a warm-up for his later, terrific novel "Hell House," here gives us "Slaughter House" (one of the scariest stories in the whole collection, I might add). Isaac Asimov and Frederik Pohl appeared only once in "Weird Tales," in 1950, with their very amusing tale of a ghostly court case, "Legal Rites," and that story is here, too. Other well-known names in this volume include Edmond Hamilton, with a wonderful story of evolution run amok, "Evolution Island"; Jack Williamson, telling the story of a scientist's matter materialization experiments gone horribly wrong, in "The Wand of Doom"; Fritz Leiber, and his very humorous story of a supernatural firearm, "The Automatic Pistol"; and Robert Bloch's hilarious tale of a witch, a mermaid, a werewolf, a tree nymph and a vampire, "Black Barter."

Even nicer than encountering unknown works from old friends, however, is making the acquaintance of new ones, and this anthology should serve as an introduction to many readers of some terrific authors whose reputations died with "Weird Tale"'s demise. C.M. Eddy's notorious story "The Loved Dead," with its creepy necrophiliac protagonist, should long linger in the memory (it caused a scandalous sensation back in 1924). Nictzin Dyalhis (I LOVE that name!) contributes here a sci-fi tale of the Venhezians saving the men of Aerth from some particularly nasty Lunarians, and pulpy and primitive as "When the Green Star Waned" is...well, I just loved it. C. Hall Thompson, in his 1947 story "The Will of Claude Ashur," attempted a Lovecraft pastiche that, if no Lovecraft, is still awfully darn good. Seabury Quinn, the author who appeared in more issues of "Weird Tales" than any other (165!), is of course represented here, with one of his wildly popular Jules de Grandin adventures, "Satan's Stepson," a tale of demon things and the Black Mass. Another new author here (for this reader, anyway) is Gans T. Field, whose 1938 story "The Hairy Ones Shall Dance" (a modern-day werewolf thriller) made me an instant fan. H. Warner Munn provides an unforgettable story of atrocious torture, "The Chain," and Robert Barbour Johnson, in his story "Far Below," tells a tale sure to chill the bones of anyone who has ever ridden the N.Y.C. subway. (I, unfortunately, do so every day!)

And there are many other wonders to be found in this generous collection; I haven't even mentioned the excellent contributions from August Derleth, Theodore Sturgeon, Henry Kuttner, Clark Ashton Smith and so many others. The book is indeed a treasure trove of fantastic literature, with concise introductions AND illustrations for each story. There is only one quibble that I would like to register here, and that is the inordinate number of typos--hundreds of them, I'd say--scattered throughout the book's almost 700 pages. As a proofreader and copy editor myself, I find it deplorable that such a wonderful collection was so carelessly composed. Had I known, I would have volunteered my services for free back in 1988, to help guarantee that this tribute to such a legendary magazine could have received the immaculate presentation that it so well deserves. Still, the presence of these regrettable printer's errors should in no wise deter any potential readers. The book is still amazing, and remains a very fine introduction and tribute to "The Unique Magazine."

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb collection of short and some not-so-short horror stories from the pulp magazine. There's something for almost every taste here, and it's a good way to take a dip in the waters before diving headlong into the seas of Lovecraft, Clark Ashton-Smith, or Bloch, to name a few.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't recall if I ever finished this book so I'm starting it again. Some very creepy stories so perhaps not the best for bedtime reading but it sure serves the purpose--quieting my mind down so I can fall asleep.

[Chuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bookstore find - some stories very good - some not so good!

[Lamprini · Rating 5 out of 5]

the second book of weird tales and i adored it. absolutely mesmerising!

[Christopher Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird Tales: 32 Unearthed Terrors presents a single story from every year of the magazine's existence. Rather than a 'best of', this 1988 anthology presents the cream of tales that, for whatever reason, haven't been widely collected elsewhere. As the introduction states, "A good story bears retelling."

The stories all start with an illustration and short, helpful biography.

Anthony M. Rud, "A Square of Canvas" (1923)
The opening story is a tale of art and death, which treads similar ground to Poe’s The Oval Portrait. In Rud's tale, the artist finds his inspiration in the spilling of blood, with events escalating somewhat predictably towards the conclusion. Interesting in that it tackles a question that’s still relevant today: can you love the art and not the artist? 3/5

C. M. Eddy, "The Loved Dead" (1924)
The controversial tale of a man and his love for corpses, which may or may not have caused copies of Weird Tales to be withdrawn from sale in certain places. As with the previous tale, it benefits from not being overly graphic. 3/5

At the end of 1924, Farnsworth Wright replaced Edwin Baird as the editor of Weird Tales, championing the wide mix of fantasy, horror and science fiction stories for which the magazine is remembered today.

Nictzin Dyalhis, "When the Green Star Waned" (1925)
A science fiction tale about a planet invaded by 'evil intelligences' from the dark side of the 'Moun'. Yes, all the planets and satellites in this tale have names that are variations on those in our own solar system, which sounds cringeworthy but was actually helpful. Very readable, but not really my thing. 3/5

R. Anthony, "The Parasitic Hand" (1926)
A strange appendage growing from a man's ribcage. X-rays that reveal a further anomaly. I enjoyed this body horror, but there was an opportunity here to explore the psychological elements, and particularly the bond between twins, more deeply. The second half was unexpected, but I wanted it to go further. 3/5

Edmond Hamilton, "Evolution Island" (1927)
A machine that accelerates evolution. An uninhabited island in the West Indies. An experiment that threatens all of mankind. I'm not a scientist, but I'm confident the science in this tale is bonkers. And why not? This was an enjoyable, well-paced yarn that works as long as you don't think about it too much (or at all). 3/5

H. Warner Munn, "The Chain" (1928)
A crippled cuckold. An arrogant lover. A rat-filled pit. Reminiscent of Poe's The Pit and the Pendulum, this was a dark, sadistic tale of torture and revenge. My third Munn short story and, like the others, it didn't disappoint. Climb! 4/5

Robert E. Howard, "The Shadow Kingdom" (1929)
Snake-headed men. A secret invasion. And Kull, the barbarian king of Valusia. Howard created the sword and sorcery subgenre with this tale of a barbarian battling supernatural beings. Three years later, he would rewrite a rejected Kull story, turning it into The Phoenix on the Sword and introducing readers to his new character, Conan. Not my thing, but undoubtedly an important work in the history of Weird Tales. 3/5

Henry S. Whitehead, "The Shut Room" (1930)
An old coaching inn. The legend of a notorious highwayman. The mystery of the disappearing leather. This was a relatively conventional British ghost story, which is a shame as Whitehead is known for his voodoo tales, having lived in the West Indies for the best part of a decade. 2/5

Seabury Quinn, "Satan's Stepson" (1931)
A car crash on an icy night. An hysterical scream. A woman, back from the dead. I'm a fan of Quinn's mystery-solving doctors, and this novelette, reprinted for the first time, is one of the reasons I purchased this anthology. Sadly, it didn't live up to expectations. After a promising start, the two doctors are largely removed from the action as we're subjected to the lengthy stories of several secondary characters, which grew tedious. A missed opportunity. 2/5

Jack Williamson, "The Wand of Doom" (1932)
The search for two brothers who've disappeared in the bayou swamps outside of New Orleans. Strange machinery and an acute fear of spiders. This sci-fi tale was in a similar vein to Evolution Island - daft but well-paced fun. 3/5

Clark Ashton Smith, "The Isle of Torturers" (1933)
A swift and fatal plague. A magical ring. A doomed sea crossing. This tale leaned too far into fantasy for my tastes, and was predictable from a few pages in, but the writing was evocative and ultimately satisfying. 3/5

C. L. Moore, "Dust of Gods" (1934)
Moore wasn't a fan of this sci-fi tale, the title of which came from a typo (she missed the 'l' when typing 'gold dust') - but when are artists ever truly satisfied with their work? Northwest Smith and his Venusian sidekick, Yarol, explore a cave on Mars in search of the titular god dust. Entertaining enough, although it would have worked just as well (and arguably better) as an Earth-based horror. 3/5

Laurence J. Cahill, "Charon" (1935)
Written in the clipped voice of a hard-boiled detective story, this tale of a journalist on the trail of The Gray One - a mysterious man who eases the dying into death - rattled along at a decent pace. The ending was a little contrived and over-explained, but otherwise enjoyable. 3/5

Arthur J. Burks, "The Room of Shadows" (1936)
A mysterious bellhop, a multitude of nippy 'sleeve dogs' (small Pekingese), and a protagonist whose sense of alarm is always dialled up to eleven - exclamation mark, exclamation mark! I might have given this story an extra point for being comically bad if the protagonist hadn't been so unlikeable. Burks wrote somewhere in the region of 800 stories for pulp magazines in the 1930s. Based on this, I think I'll give the other 799 a miss. 1/5

Mary Elizabeth Counselman, "The Black Stone Statue" (1937)
A confessional letter from a struggling sculptor. An explorer who was thought to have died after his plane crashed in Brazil. A boxed secret that promises fame and riches. Another of Counselman's stories, The Three Marked Pennies was one of the most popular stories ever published in Weird Tales. I can see why. 4/5

Gans T. Field, "The Hairy Ones Shall Dance" (1938)
A séance, a murder, and the 'ectoplasmic theory of lycanthropy'. This cracking novella, written by Manly Wade Wellman under the pseudonym 'Gans T. Field', features one of Wellman's recurring characters (Judge Pursuivant). Possibly inspired by Algernon Blackwood's The Camp of the Dog (referenced within the novella). This was very enjoyable, with a decent pace, well-crafted characters and enough twists to justify its length. 4/5

Robert Barbour Johnson, "Far Below" (1939)
A subway train crash, a covert war, and the price that must be paid for spending too long underground. This tale was inspired by Barbour's father, who was part of the railroad's undercover police service, and possibly a painting in the Lovecraft story, Pickman's Model. In 1953, readers voted it the best story ever published in Weird Tales magazine, making it an odd but welcome choice for this anthology. 5/5

1940 was a year of significant change for Weird Tales, with Farnsworth Wright departing the magazine for health reasons and being replaced by Dorothy McIlwraith, who had previously edited Short Stories magazine. McIlwraith ushered in the writers who would shape the magazine over the next decade, including Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Margaret St. Clare and Fritz Lieber.

Fritz Lieber, "The Automatic Pistol" (1940)
A prohibition era tale featuring booze-runners named Inky, Glasses, No Nose and Larson, and the titular weapon with a hair trigger. Something about this reminded me of early Stephen King. Great atmosphere, fun characters, and just a whiff of the supernatural. 4/5

H. P. Lovecraft, "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" (1941)
Published posthumously across two issues of Weird Tales, Lovecraft wasn't happy with this novel and never prepared it for publication. Did I enjoy it? Not really. Despite Lovecraft's formidable imagination, we're kept at arm's length from the characters and the drama, so it's difficult to invest. And some of the descriptive passages are tedious. This said, the scene where the doctor explores the catacombs was terrifying - a glimpse of what could have been. Too long, and too remote. 2/5

Henry Kuttner, "Masquerade" (1942)
A husband and wife on their second honeymoon turn up at a former mental asylum on a stormy night, only to encounter the weird and murderous owners. It sounds like the stuff of pulp fiction, and it is, but right from the opening exchange it's clear there's something special going on. Predictable? Maybe, but I enjoyed every word of this comedy horror. Kuttner was married to C. L Moore (see Dust of Gods above). 5/5

Robert Bloch, "Black Barter" (1943)
Mythological beings, witchcraft, and a bemused judge (named 'Numbottom') collide in this comedy of misadventures - something I hadn't expected from the famed author of Psycho. The pace never lets up and the whole thing is just so damned silly. A fun read. 3/5

Frank Belknap Long, "The Peeper" (1944)
What happens if we murder (metaphorically or otherwise) our younger, more idealistic selves? This tale of a famous newspaper columnist scores highly in the weirdness stakes, and continues to surprise to the very end. I've read a couple of Long's other stories and, from memory, one was great and one was a mess. This one hit the spot nicely. 4/5

Carl Jacobi, "Carnaby's Fish" (1945)
The lakeside property no one wants to rent. The former tenant who died mysteriously in the storm. And the ripples on the water, even on windless days. This was a satisfying tale, created around weird elements but never letting them surface for too long. I'd like to read more by this author. 4/5

Ray Bradbury, "Let's Play Poison" (1946)
Bradbury must be one of Weird Tales' most famous and enduring alumni, despite having arrived late in the magazine's classic run. His novel, Something Wicked This Way Comes is one of the best things I've read in recent years. This tale, which also has children at its heart, deftly spins and weaves ideas to a broadly satisfying conclusion. Not a bad story, but it could have been longer, and I would like to have cared more about the protagonist - a teacher suffering from PTSD who dislikes and distrusts children. 3/5

C. Hall Thompson, "The Will of Claude Ashur" (1947)
Thompson wrote four stories for Weird Tales, including two associated with Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. The Will of Claude Ashur is one of these. The influence is obvious, from references to the Miskatonic University and the Necronomicon, to the preference for dense, descriptive prose. Despite this, Thompson's novelette of mad relatives and possession brings us close enough to the characters to be engaging, even if the pace is sometimes a little slow. 4/5

Theodore Sturgeon, "The Professor's Teddy Bear" (1948)
A 'hungering' monster that speaks with its ear. A boy who dreams of accidents. A professor trying to remember. This was weird and kind of tragic and unlike anything I've read. In the 1950s, Sturgeon's stories were anthologised more than any other author's. 5/5

Fredric Brown, "Come and Go Mad" (1949)
Amnesia. Paranoia. Delusion. Dementia praecox (schizophrenia). Brown's sci-fi novelette of a journalist sent to investigate an asylum gives us plenty of time to get acquainted with the protagonist so we fully experience his descent(?) into madness. Bonkers, but brilliantly done. 5/5

Isaac Asimov and James MacCreigh, "Legal Rites" (1950)
A haunted mansion, an evicted ghost, and the courtroom drama that follows. This satirical novelette, written by Fred Pohl (under the pen name James MacCreigh) and Isaac Asimov, explores what happens when rigid American property rights law collides with the supernatural. Notable for being Asimov's only contribution to Weird Tales (published by Pohl after Asimov had forgotten about it), and a rare foray into fantasy by the famed science fiction author. 4/5

August Derleth, "Something From Out There" (1951)
A disorientated man clutching a star-shaped stone. "Dark things" done at Oxford (the university, presumably). The thing in the caves beneath the ruined priory. This Cthulhu Mythos short story (fan fiction?) moved at a decent pace and didn't outstay its welcome, although the characters were thinly drawn. In 1988, this story was unique for being the only story Derleth had not included in any of his collections. Make of this what you will. 3/5

Joseph Payne Brennan, "The Green Parrot" (1952)
A straightforward ghost story, devoid of atmosphere, by an author who doesn't seem to have found his voice. Literary critic S. T. Yoshi said Brennan had good ideas "but an utter deficiency of literary talent to execute [them] competently." Not bad, but not good either. 2/5

Richard Matheson, "Slaughter House" (1953)
Another ghost story, this time of the haunted house variety. I started reading this atmospheric novelette shortly after midnight, and I'm ashamed to say I quit half way through when the wind picked up outside and the lights started flickering. Dripping with menace, this tale of two brothers moving in to the long-abandoned Slaughter House would have benefited from a good final edit to pare back some of the descriptive passages. A strangely routine tale for Weird Tales, but enjoyable nonetheless. 4/5

Everil Worrell, "Call Not Their Names" (1954)
A clash of cultures, of East meets West, and a tragic love story that transcends generations. There were moments in this final novelette that were gripping and surprising, and I'm sure there's a fantastic story in it somewhere, but for the most part it was too long and hard to follow. 3/5

Overall, Weird Tales: 32 Unearthed Terrors is a treasure. In addition to the stories, biographies and illustrations, there's a real sense of history unfolding, of writing styles evolving across decades. It's hard not to appreciate the importance of the unique magazine, and the lasting contribution it's made to our culture. Not all the stories have aged well, and there are typos throughout (were they preserved from the original texts?), but these are momentary distractions in an anthology of this size. And best of all, I now have a list of other Weird Tales stories by the featured authors that I want to check out.

Highly recommended.

Check out my other Weird Tales anthology reviews:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Alec Cizak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this bit of gold at a used book store. It's the kind of book I will keep with me even if I lose all my other possessions. The pulp fiction contained within it is incredible, reminding us the pulps provided the most imaginative fiction America ever produced. The writing isn't always "literary," but who cares? Life is weird. The only way to deal with it is weird fiction!

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good, I enjoy reading the old ones, often I see old friends in them and as often, the first time an idea has made it to print and by now we know it as some movie that little resembles the first time it hit the pages of a hit series like Weird Tales. Visiting the past in these is also interesting, the daily lives of past generations often reveal things most of us wouldn't even consider as part of daily life and some are actually interesting to puzzle out.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection some of the best tales from the magazine's glory years of the 1920s through the 1950s. Included are A SQUARE CANVAS, THE PARASITIC HAND, EVOLUTION ISLAND, THE SHADOW KINGDOM, THE ROOM OF SHADOWS, BLACK BARTER, CARNABY'S FISH, SOMETHING FROM OUT THERE, and SLAUGHTER HOUSE. I encourage you to read this collection with the lights on.

[Ruteriis · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is the best thing you can do to reflect

[Mihaly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic collection of stories. My favorite was probably C.M. Eddy's The Love Dead, a dark (and disturbing) comedy about a young necrophiliac who gets a job at a morgue to be with the kind of people he loves.

[Jeannie Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too much fun!!!

[Zantaeus Glom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterful collection! Must-read for fans of livid prose!