Out of the Storm: Uncollected Fantasies by William Hope Hodgson

by William Hope Hodgson, Sam Moskowitz (Contributor), Stephen E. Fabian (Illustrator)

Out of the Storm is a collection of fantasy short stories by William Hope Hodgson. It was first published in 1975 by Donald M. Grant, Publisher, Inc. in an edition of 2,100 copies.



"William Hope Hodgson (The Early Years, Novelist, The Final Years)", by Sam Moskowitz
"A Tropical Horror"
"Out of the Storm"
"The Finding of the Graiken"
"Eloi Eloi Lama Sabachthani"
"Terror of the Water-Tank"
"The Albatross"
"The Haunting of the Lady Shannon"

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

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

William Hope Hodgson was an English author. He produced a large body of work, consisting of essays, short fiction, and novels, spanning several overlapping genres including horror, fantastic fiction, and science fiction. Early in his writing career he dedicated effort to poetry, although few of his poems were published during his lifetime. He also attracted some notice as a photographer and achieved some renown as a bodybuilder. Hodgson served with the British Army durng World War One. He died, at age 40, at Ypres, killed by German artillery fire.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of seven of Hodgson's fantasies from the very early twentieth century, many of them featuring sea adventure. Hodgson is one my favorites, an early master of weird and fantastic stories, with a mastery of evoking moody menace mostly remembered now for his novels and Carnacki stories. This edition includes some really breathtaking illustrations by Stephen Fabian, another of my favorites.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is group of imaginative fiction stories from the early 1900s, a very different era in the fiction world.

There are a pair of stories about large sailing ships being attacked by huge, hideous sea creatures. On a ship where the crew is starting to talk back to the drunken captain, the second mate is murdered from behind, but there is no one nearby. The crew, all of which are accounted for, can't help but think that there is a supernatural explanation.

There is a daring mid-ocean rescue of a young woman who is the only person still alive on a derelict ship. The complication is that the ship is also home to thousands of very hungry rats, who are not particular about what, or who, they eat. There is also a mystery story about a pair of dead bodies that are found at the top of a rural water tower.

Hodgson was one of the pioneers of the entire imaginative literature field. He did it all; he wrote mysteries, horror, fantasy and adventure tales. This book is a really good example. If a copy can be found, it will certainly keep the reader entertained.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.08

William Hope Hodgson (The Early Years, Novelist, The Final Years) • (1973) • Sam Moskowitz (see 1975 edition breakdown below)

A Tropical Horror 4.25⭐
Out of the Storm 5⭐
The Finding of the Graiken 3.25⭐
Eloi Eloi Lama Sabachthani 4⭐
Terror of the Water-Tank 3⭐
The Albatross 4⭐

The Haunting of the Lady Shannon 3.25⭐
An often drunk and cruel Captain Jeller is having disciplinary issues among his crew which includes three young apprentice seamen. The young seamen aren’t able to do much against the brutal treatment they get, which is worse than they would get in any prison. They hear from an older apprentice, Martin who sailed on the previous voyage with the captain, telling them not to bother resisting and just do as they’re told. He cites the example of Toby, a young sailor on the previous voyage who was hazed badly by the captain and the second mate that he seems to have gone crazy before the end of the voyage where he cleared out and disappeared. One of the apprentices, Jones refuses to obey an order and is thrashed by the second mate. Then a series of strange events happens. The second mate is mysteriously knifed. Captain Jeller is spooked. Strange noises are heard, and a death toll begins to mount with no ready explanation for the murders. It turns out that Toby has stowed away to avenge himself on “’hard-case’ skipper and a ‘buck-o-mate’”.

1975 edition
• The Early Years • [William Hope Hodgson • 1] • essay by Sam Moskowitz (variant of William Hope Hodgson - The Early Years 1973) 5⭐
• Novelist • [William Hope Hodgson • 2] • essay by Sam Moskowitz (variant of William Hope Hodgson - Novelist 1973) 5⭐
• The Final Years • [William Hope Hodgson • 3] • essay by Sam Moskowitz (variant of William Hope Hodgson - The Final Years 1973) 4⭐

[Weldon Burge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course, Hodgson's writing seems a bit antiquated today, but the stories are intriquing and fun to read. The seven stories in this collection focus mostly on his sea tales, of which he was a master. If you enjoy Hodgson's fiction, this is a must for your library.

[Luca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veramente ben scritto e interessante