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Possessions and Pursuits
In this third (and final) shared volume influenced by the supernatural and metaphysical thrillers of “Inkling” Charles Williams (1886-1945), John Howard presents a wonder-filled short novel and Mark Valentine serves up two rather amazing novelettes.
John Howard’s fast-paced novel ‘Fallen Sun’ recounts the battle between several rival groups for ownership of a powerful Byzantine talisman, and the different visions they each encounter when it is in their possession. Through many twists and turns of chance and intention, none of the characters emerge unchanged, until the full significance of the treasure is at last revealed.
Mark Valentine’s ‘Masque and Anti-Masque’ is set in a small, ancient university town with a tradition of seasonal processions. But what is their significance? Could the town really be the occult capital of England, as a new book proposes? And in ‘The Prospero Machine’, the cards issued by fortune-telling machines at a seaside resort seem to have an uncanny influence on the town, linked to an obscure society’s work with dream magic.
POSSESSIONS AND PURSUITS is a Hand Numbered Limited Edition Jacketed Hardcover.
Bound in Light Blue Cialux Italian cloth, Foil Blocked to Front & Spine in White, Quality Cream Text Paper, Full Colour Marble Design Endpapers, Section Sewn binding, Head/Tailbands and Ribbon Bookmarker. Approx 176pp including prelims etc.
Fantastic Full Colour Wrap Dust-Jacket Art by PAUL LOWE.
John Howard’s fast-paced novel ‘Fallen Sun’ recounts the battle between several rival groups for ownership of a powerful Byzantine talisman, and the different visions they each encounter when it is in their possession. Through many twists and turns of chance and intention, none of the characters emerge unchanged, until the full significance of the treasure is at last revealed.
Mark Valentine’s ‘Masque and Anti-Masque’ is set in a small, ancient university town with a tradition of seasonal processions. But what is their significance? Could the town really be the occult capital of England, as a new book proposes? And in ‘The Prospero Machine’, the cards issued by fortune-telling machines at a seaside resort seem to have an uncanny influence on the town, linked to an obscure society’s work with dream magic.
POSSESSIONS AND PURSUITS is a Hand Numbered Limited Edition Jacketed Hardcover.
Bound in Light Blue Cialux Italian cloth, Foil Blocked to Front & Spine in White, Quality Cream Text Paper, Full Colour Marble Design Endpapers, Section Sewn binding, Head/Tailbands and Ribbon Bookmarker. Approx 176pp including prelims etc.
Fantastic Full Colour Wrap Dust-Jacket Art by PAUL LOWE.
- GenresFiction
164 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 2023
1 person is currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
John Howard
96 books82 followersJohn Howard was born in London. His fiction has appeared in several anthologies and the collections The Silver Voices (2010), Written by Daylight (2013), and Cities and Thrones and Powers (2013). The majority of his stories have central and eastern European settings; many are set in the fictional Romanian town of Steaua de Munte. The Defeat of Grief (2010) is a novella set in Steaua de Munte and the real Black Sea resort of Balcic; Numbered as Sand or the Stars (2012) attempts a 'secret history' of Hungary between the World Wars.
Between 2003 and 2007 John Howard collaborated on eight short stories with Mark Valentine, six of which featured Valentine’s long-running series character The Connoisseur, an occult detective whose real name is never revealed. All 23 tales of The Connoisseur, including the collaborations, were reprinted in The Collected Connoisseur (2010).
Secret Europe (2012) is a collection jointly written with Mark Valentine comprising 25 short stories set in a variety of real and fictional European locations. Ten of the stories are by Howard and fifteen by Valentine.
John Howard has written articles for numerous magazines including Book and Magazine Collector, Supernatural Tales, Wormwood, Studies in Australian Weird Fiction, and All Hallows. He contributed essays to the Fritz Leiber special issue of Fantasy Commentator (No. 57/58, 2004) and to the books Black Prometheus: A Critical Study of Karl Edward Wagner (2007), Fritz Leiber: Critical Essays (2008), and The Man Who Collected Psychos: Critical Essays on Robert Bloch (2009), all edited by Benjamin Szumskyj.
John Howard also wrote the introduction to the Ash-Tree Press edition of Francis Brett Young’s classic 1924 horror novel Cold Harbour (2007).
Between 2003 and 2007 John Howard collaborated on eight short stories with Mark Valentine, six of which featured Valentine’s long-running series character The Connoisseur, an occult detective whose real name is never revealed. All 23 tales of The Connoisseur, including the collaborations, were reprinted in The Collected Connoisseur (2010).
Secret Europe (2012) is a collection jointly written with Mark Valentine comprising 25 short stories set in a variety of real and fictional European locations. Ten of the stories are by Howard and fifteen by Valentine.
John Howard has written articles for numerous magazines including Book and Magazine Collector, Supernatural Tales, Wormwood, Studies in Australian Weird Fiction, and All Hallows. He contributed essays to the Fritz Leiber special issue of Fantasy Commentator (No. 57/58, 2004) and to the books Black Prometheus: A Critical Study of Karl Edward Wagner (2007), Fritz Leiber: Critical Essays (2008), and The Man Who Collected Psychos: Critical Essays on Robert Bloch (2009), all edited by Benjamin Szumskyj.
John Howard also wrote the introduction to the Ash-Tree Press edition of Francis Brett Young’s classic 1924 horror novel Cold Harbour (2007).
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November 15, 2023
Howard - Valentine - Possessions And Pursuits
Young Lord Clyro comes across a relic in Istanbul. He is drawn to it. The item, a mirror, exerts an almost supernatural pull, and yet it seems a holy piece. A portal into a higher plane. While churches often attempt to reflect the house of God, the relic offers a glimpse of the city of God.
No sooner has Lord Clyro returned to England when claimants and would-be possessors begin circling.
John Howard’s novella weaves through the impoverished gentry, the arrogant collectors, scholars, servants and those sensitive to the magic.
As ever was, the new head has determined to limit the annual pagan festivities. While seemingly harmless, the very notion of pre-Christian celebrations rankle. Rayment is an outsider, not a participant, yet in “Masque And Anti-Masque” he bears witness to the stealthy contesting.
By accident – no – say chance, or Fate, Phillip encounters the operator of “The Prospero Machine,” one of those coin-operated gadgets that dispenses a fortune card.
The cards themselves offer veiled predictions, advice, charms.
Phillip, impoverish poet (are there ever rich poets nowadays?) is hired to pen new mantras and wisdom for the next ream of cards.
Those who still puzzle over Mazzaroth will be caught in this spell.
Young Lord Clyro comes across a relic in Istanbul. He is drawn to it. The item, a mirror, exerts an almost supernatural pull, and yet it seems a holy piece. A portal into a higher plane. While churches often attempt to reflect the house of God, the relic offers a glimpse of the city of God.
No sooner has Lord Clyro returned to England when claimants and would-be possessors begin circling.
John Howard’s novella weaves through the impoverished gentry, the arrogant collectors, scholars, servants and those sensitive to the magic.
As ever was, the new head has determined to limit the annual pagan festivities. While seemingly harmless, the very notion of pre-Christian celebrations rankle. Rayment is an outsider, not a participant, yet in “Masque And Anti-Masque” he bears witness to the stealthy contesting.
By accident – no – say chance, or Fate, Phillip encounters the operator of “The Prospero Machine,” one of those coin-operated gadgets that dispenses a fortune card.
The cards themselves offer veiled predictions, advice, charms.
Phillip, impoverish poet (are there ever rich poets nowadays?) is hired to pen new mantras and wisdom for the next ream of cards.
Those who still puzzle over Mazzaroth will be caught in this spell.
Displaying 1 of 1 review