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The Sapphire Goddess: The Fantasies of Nictzin Dyalhis
At last, the stories of one of the most unusual writers of weird fiction are collected! This volume contains all of Nictzin Dyalhis’ works of fantasy and science fiction, many of which have never before been reprinted. Those who love the wild imagination and masterful prose of authors such as Clark Ashton Smith and C.L. Moore are sure to enjoy this collection. Table of When the Green Star Waned The Eternal Conflict He Refused to Stay Dead The Dark Lore The Oath of Hul Jok The Red Witch The Sapphire Goddess The Sea-Witch Heart of Atlantan
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 3, 2018
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62 people want to read
About the author
Nictzin Dyalhis
36 books5 followersNictzin Wilstone Dyalhis was an American chemist and short story writer who specialized in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. He wrote as Nictzin Dyalhis.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nictzin...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nictzin...
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 11, 2021
A far reaching collection spanning the gamut from proto sword & sorcery, horror, occult and sci-fi, with many stories mixing bits from all these. In short, exceedingly representative of the "weird" fiction that arose in early 20th century pulps, and some excellent stories that exemplify the best of that genre and age.
The scopes are audacious, the protagonists archetypal modern middle aged men given to brash behavior and heroics, and the writing filled with a raw exuberance that typifies the best of the pulps. The language can feel dated, the style at times detached and epistolary like (familiar to readers of Lovecraft), but the concepts are exciting and wholly engaging.
Highlights for me included The Eternal Conflict, the trippy, out of body tale of a modern day man sent by the goddess of love to spy on the god of hate (who turns out to be none other than Lucifer himself) and ends up in the middle of an epic battle between the two set in deep space. This is far out, wild and wacky stuff that manages to mix in some sci-fi with some fantastical, occult horror. It doesn't get weirder than this.
Also worth mentioning is The Sea-Witch, an occult story where Dyalhis' writing seemed much refined compared with earlier works. Here, a woman out of Norse mythology washes up on a North Atlantic beach, at the foot of an unsuspecting man. The title kind of gives away her identity. Like several of the other stories, reincarnation is a focus here.
The scopes are audacious, the protagonists archetypal modern middle aged men given to brash behavior and heroics, and the writing filled with a raw exuberance that typifies the best of the pulps. The language can feel dated, the style at times detached and epistolary like (familiar to readers of Lovecraft), but the concepts are exciting and wholly engaging.
Highlights for me included The Eternal Conflict, the trippy, out of body tale of a modern day man sent by the goddess of love to spy on the god of hate (who turns out to be none other than Lucifer himself) and ends up in the middle of an epic battle between the two set in deep space. This is far out, wild and wacky stuff that manages to mix in some sci-fi with some fantastical, occult horror. It doesn't get weirder than this.
Also worth mentioning is The Sea-Witch, an occult story where Dyalhis' writing seemed much refined compared with earlier works. Here, a woman out of Norse mythology washes up on a North Atlantic beach, at the foot of an unsuspecting man. The title kind of gives away her identity. Like several of the other stories, reincarnation is a focus here.
January 15, 2019
Unless you have perused the pages of the dozen or so "Weird Tales" anthologies that have been released over the past 50-plus years, odds are that you have not come across the name "Nictzin Dyalhis." But during the 15-year period 1925 – 1940, Dyalhis was extraordinarily popular with the readers of that legendary pulp magazine, despite the fact that he only had eight stories published therein during that decade and a half. And of those eight, four were voted by the readers as the most popular of the issues in which they appeared, and five of them copped the front-cover illustration. This reader had previously encountered three of those tales in various anthologies, had loved them all, and was curious to read more. The only problem was, an anthology of Dyalhis' work had never been compiled, until the fine folks at DMR released, this past summer, "The Sapphire Goddess: The Fantasies of Nictzin Dyalhis." This handsome volume features front- and back-cover paintings by the famed "Weird Tales" artist Margaret Brundage (for the tales "The Sapphire Goddess" and "The Sea-Witch," respectively) and gathers not only all eight of the author's "Weird Tales" contributions, but also one tale from a rival magazine, so that the reader can have all nine of Nictzin's sci-fi and fantasy works together. (The author's four other stories, two of which appeared in 1922 issues of "Adventure" magazine, one in the 12/33 "Underworld" magazine, and one in the 8/34 "Complete Underworld Novelettes" magazine, are, unfortunately, not present in this collection.) The DMR volume allows readers to make the acquaintance of a near-forgotten master of beautifully written tales of the fantastic; one who well deserves to be brought back into the public spotlight.
Before I proceed to discuss all nine stories here individually, a brief word on Dyalhis himself; very brief, actually. Clear-cut facts on the author's life are few and often contradictory; the Massachusetts-born writer clearly valued his privacy. As to that most unusual name of his, while many have conjectured that it might have been an exotic reshaping of a more common name, such as "Nicholas Dallas," "Weird Tales" editor Farnsworth Wright would later admit that checks made out to the author did have the name "Nictzin Dyalhis" written on them. As D. M. Ritzlin tells us in the collection's intro (Ritzlin on Nictzin...try saying that three times quickly!), "It's only fitting that a man so adept at fictionalizing the details of his life would become a pulp writer." And what a pulp writer he was, as this very fine and long overdue collection from DMR demonstrates over and over.
The tales are presented in strict chronological order. First up, thus, is Dyalhis' first story for "Weird Tales," "When the Green Star Waned," from the April 1925 issue. In this one, scientists from the planet Venhez notice that all sound and light vibrations from planet Aerth have slowly ceased, and send a crew of seven--our narrator, the historian Hak Iri; chief scientist Ron Ti; commander of the Venhezian space forces, the massive Hul Jok; language expert Mor Ag; medical wonder worker Vir Dax; chief diplomat Toj Qul; and Lan Apo, a telepath--to investigate. Once landed on Aerth, the heroic septet discovers the problem: Practically indescribable creatures from the Aerth's Moun, using their blue-colored, man-eating blob pets, have conquered mankind and made slaves of humanity. Crudely written as this story is, and boasting some very questionable science (Space has pressure? Music can be heard in the vacuum of space?), it sure is fun, and was voted by "Weird Tales" readers as the best story of 1925! Today, it is historically important for being the first sci-fi tale to use the term "blaster" for a ray-emitting weapon, although, naturally, given the tale's oddball spellings, it is given here as "blastor."
In the borderline psychedelic story "The Eternal Conflict" (from the 10/25 "Weird Tales"), a businessman who is secretly a member of an "Occult Order" is tapped by the Goddess of Love herself to do a little investigating. Our hero is sent to a nameless hellish domain (later revealed to actually be Hell), during which time he is eaten by a lizard/toad monster, only to later uncover a plot by Lucifer himself! Dyalhis' mind-boggling tale, a must for all the "stoners" out there, concludes with a battle between the forces of Satan and those of the Love Goddess, in the depths of outer space, while our disembodied hero looks on. The author's imagination was seemingly working on overtime during this truly pyrotechnic sequence, with the fallen angel and God's right-hand gal hurling inconceivable energies at each other. A truly epic tale here, that the author managed to tell in the space of a mere 45 pages.
In "He Refused to Stay Dead" (from the 5/27 issue of "Ghost Stories" magazine), we are given the collection's first tale dealing with the theme of reincarnation...in this case, actually, a triple reincarnation. Here, an Englishman, whose wife is a devotee of occult lore, discovers from ancient manuscripts that the body of a Viking raider, one Thorulf Swordhand, lies buried beneath a hill on his property. The couple decides to search for the Viking's remains and disinter the body, breaking the protective seal on the door of his burial mound and releasing...well, why ruin the fun for any prospective readers? Suffice it to say that this is one beautifully written story, with a tense buildup and one socko of a conclusion; an ample demonstration that its author was not just adept in the fields of fantasy and sci-fi, but also in the arena of horror.
"The Dark Lore" (10/27 "Weird Tales") is still another remarkable story of unbridled imagination, narrated by a beautiful but completely evil woman, Lura Veyle (vile?), who was not only a miserably rotten human being, but also a student of the titular dark lore. Lura summons up a demon from Hell, named Hesperus, and agrees to become his consort, uh, down under. (And I don't mean in Australia!) But soon enough, Lura is thrown over for another wicked woman, and does indeed suffer all the torments of Hell as a consequence. She is given to a grotesque brute named Grarhorg as a plaything, escapes through the Gorge of the Gray Shine, battles living skeletons, walks across the Lake of the Dark Blue Ooze, fights off purple octopus creatures, trudges through a region of darkness, is torn limb from limb by Medusa women, and fetches up on a barren planet where she begs for forgiveness and ultimate redemption, in this truly flabbergasting thrill ride...one that featured the expression "twilight zone" a full 32 years before that classic TV show , incidentally!
"The Oath of Hul Jok" (9/28 "Weird Tales") is a fairly direct sequel to "When the Green Star Waned," although it takes place some years later. In this one (which features texting around 70 years before the fact!), the last remaining Lunarion, who'd been put on display at Venhez' Planetary Museum of Strange Things, escapes from its confinement and uses its mental powers to abduct the "Love-Girls" of the seven heroes from that first story. And so, that septet of friends blasts off for Aerth again in their Aethir-Torp, to rescue their womenfolk and, later, assist the enslaved Aerthlings in fighting off the Yakshasin, a hybrid race that has resulted from the Lunarions mating with the people of Aerth. This tale proves to be a wonderful sequel, indeed, and it is to be regretted that Dyalhis did not go on to write many more stories centering around these magnificent seven Venhezians, each with his own special talent.
Next up in this superlative collection is "The Red Witch" (4/32 "Weird Tales"), another tale of multiple reincarnation. Here, museum worker Randall Crone marries the beautiful Rhoda Day, even though the poor woman is continually being harassed by the spectral image of Athak, an Ice Age warrior who is claiming her as his long-lost object of infatuation. In a remarkable and extended central sequence, Randall is vouchsafed a vision wherein he was Ran Kron, husband of the witch daughter Red Dawn, and initially a blood brother, and later an enemy, of Athak. The Crones' married life grows even more problematic when the shade of Athak manages to manifest itself physically here in the present, leading to a chilling battle royale in the couple's own backyard. Truly, a very wonderful piece of work here from Mr. Dyalhis, and worth the price of admission for that terrifically atmospheric Ice Age section alone; almost like something out of H. Rider Haggard's posthumous novel "Allan and the Ice Gods" (1927)....
An exemplar of hard-core fantasy, but to my mind the weakest offering in this collection, strangely enough, "The Sapphire Goddess" (2/34 "Weird Tales") yet starts off in slam-bang fashion right out of the gate. When a suicidal, 48-year-old man mentally wills himself anywhere out of this world, he is somehow propelled into another dimension of sorts, in which he is the amnesiac King Karan of Octolan! Along with two loyal retainers, Karan goes on a quest to locate his wife, Mehul-Ira, who has mysteriously vanished, and gets embroiled in the middle of a feud between two warring wizards, Djl Grm and Agnor Halit. A fun and fast-moving story, to be sure, and full of colorful spectacle, but the tale somehow seems incomplete, as if it could have been merely the opening salvo of some tremendous, multi-issue serial....
Much more to my liking, however, is "The Sea-Witch" (12/37 "Weird Tales"), an oft-anthologized fantasy masterpiece. In this one, an elderly recluse, John Craig, rescues a naked and lovely young woman who has emerged from the surf during a terrible storm. Heldra Helstrom is given a place to stay in Craig's home, and soon reveals herself to be some kind of Norsemaiden wonder-worker. Again, a triple reincarnation comes into play here, as Heldra's mission of vengeance makes itself known. Surely one of Dyalhis' most beautifully written works, this story combines imaginative touches, pronounced eroticism, supernatural magic, and a haunting denouement into one spellbinding and memorable tale, indeed. My only quibble: Ran was a Norse sea goddess, not a god, as John Craig tells us.
To wrap up this collection, "Heart of Atlantan" (9/40 "Weird Tales") is Nictzin's explanation for how the continent of Atlantis met its destruction. The story is narrated by Tekala, a priestess of the sun god Kalkan, and who has been summoned during a modern-day séance by two anthropologists and their hunchbacked, female medium. "At the least, it may entertain you," Tekala says of her story, and boy, does it ever! Tekala's beautifully detailed and exciting tale culminates in tragedy not only for her aeons-old homeland, but for her three auditors in the 20th century, as well. It is a wonderful conclusion to a wonder-filled volume of tales.
To read this collection is to lament that Nictzin Dyalhis did not produce more than these nine stories of outré spectacle. All lovers of vintage sci-fi, fantasy, and pulp fiction in general should most assuredly pounce. Next up for me: another collection from DMR, gathering together the works of another forgotten "Weird Tales" author, Clifford Ball. Stay tuned…
(By the way, this review originally appeared on the FanLit website at http://www.fantasyliterature.com/ ... a most ideal destination for all fans of this kind of pulp-fiction fare....)
Before I proceed to discuss all nine stories here individually, a brief word on Dyalhis himself; very brief, actually. Clear-cut facts on the author's life are few and often contradictory; the Massachusetts-born writer clearly valued his privacy. As to that most unusual name of his, while many have conjectured that it might have been an exotic reshaping of a more common name, such as "Nicholas Dallas," "Weird Tales" editor Farnsworth Wright would later admit that checks made out to the author did have the name "Nictzin Dyalhis" written on them. As D. M. Ritzlin tells us in the collection's intro (Ritzlin on Nictzin...try saying that three times quickly!), "It's only fitting that a man so adept at fictionalizing the details of his life would become a pulp writer." And what a pulp writer he was, as this very fine and long overdue collection from DMR demonstrates over and over.
The tales are presented in strict chronological order. First up, thus, is Dyalhis' first story for "Weird Tales," "When the Green Star Waned," from the April 1925 issue. In this one, scientists from the planet Venhez notice that all sound and light vibrations from planet Aerth have slowly ceased, and send a crew of seven--our narrator, the historian Hak Iri; chief scientist Ron Ti; commander of the Venhezian space forces, the massive Hul Jok; language expert Mor Ag; medical wonder worker Vir Dax; chief diplomat Toj Qul; and Lan Apo, a telepath--to investigate. Once landed on Aerth, the heroic septet discovers the problem: Practically indescribable creatures from the Aerth's Moun, using their blue-colored, man-eating blob pets, have conquered mankind and made slaves of humanity. Crudely written as this story is, and boasting some very questionable science (Space has pressure? Music can be heard in the vacuum of space?), it sure is fun, and was voted by "Weird Tales" readers as the best story of 1925! Today, it is historically important for being the first sci-fi tale to use the term "blaster" for a ray-emitting weapon, although, naturally, given the tale's oddball spellings, it is given here as "blastor."
In the borderline psychedelic story "The Eternal Conflict" (from the 10/25 "Weird Tales"), a businessman who is secretly a member of an "Occult Order" is tapped by the Goddess of Love herself to do a little investigating. Our hero is sent to a nameless hellish domain (later revealed to actually be Hell), during which time he is eaten by a lizard/toad monster, only to later uncover a plot by Lucifer himself! Dyalhis' mind-boggling tale, a must for all the "stoners" out there, concludes with a battle between the forces of Satan and those of the Love Goddess, in the depths of outer space, while our disembodied hero looks on. The author's imagination was seemingly working on overtime during this truly pyrotechnic sequence, with the fallen angel and God's right-hand gal hurling inconceivable energies at each other. A truly epic tale here, that the author managed to tell in the space of a mere 45 pages.
In "He Refused to Stay Dead" (from the 5/27 issue of "Ghost Stories" magazine), we are given the collection's first tale dealing with the theme of reincarnation...in this case, actually, a triple reincarnation. Here, an Englishman, whose wife is a devotee of occult lore, discovers from ancient manuscripts that the body of a Viking raider, one Thorulf Swordhand, lies buried beneath a hill on his property. The couple decides to search for the Viking's remains and disinter the body, breaking the protective seal on the door of his burial mound and releasing...well, why ruin the fun for any prospective readers? Suffice it to say that this is one beautifully written story, with a tense buildup and one socko of a conclusion; an ample demonstration that its author was not just adept in the fields of fantasy and sci-fi, but also in the arena of horror.
"The Dark Lore" (10/27 "Weird Tales") is still another remarkable story of unbridled imagination, narrated by a beautiful but completely evil woman, Lura Veyle (vile?), who was not only a miserably rotten human being, but also a student of the titular dark lore. Lura summons up a demon from Hell, named Hesperus, and agrees to become his consort, uh, down under. (And I don't mean in Australia!) But soon enough, Lura is thrown over for another wicked woman, and does indeed suffer all the torments of Hell as a consequence. She is given to a grotesque brute named Grarhorg as a plaything, escapes through the Gorge of the Gray Shine, battles living skeletons, walks across the Lake of the Dark Blue Ooze, fights off purple octopus creatures, trudges through a region of darkness, is torn limb from limb by Medusa women, and fetches up on a barren planet where she begs for forgiveness and ultimate redemption, in this truly flabbergasting thrill ride...one that featured the expression "twilight zone" a full 32 years before that classic TV show , incidentally!
"The Oath of Hul Jok" (9/28 "Weird Tales") is a fairly direct sequel to "When the Green Star Waned," although it takes place some years later. In this one (which features texting around 70 years before the fact!), the last remaining Lunarion, who'd been put on display at Venhez' Planetary Museum of Strange Things, escapes from its confinement and uses its mental powers to abduct the "Love-Girls" of the seven heroes from that first story. And so, that septet of friends blasts off for Aerth again in their Aethir-Torp, to rescue their womenfolk and, later, assist the enslaved Aerthlings in fighting off the Yakshasin, a hybrid race that has resulted from the Lunarions mating with the people of Aerth. This tale proves to be a wonderful sequel, indeed, and it is to be regretted that Dyalhis did not go on to write many more stories centering around these magnificent seven Venhezians, each with his own special talent.
Next up in this superlative collection is "The Red Witch" (4/32 "Weird Tales"), another tale of multiple reincarnation. Here, museum worker Randall Crone marries the beautiful Rhoda Day, even though the poor woman is continually being harassed by the spectral image of Athak, an Ice Age warrior who is claiming her as his long-lost object of infatuation. In a remarkable and extended central sequence, Randall is vouchsafed a vision wherein he was Ran Kron, husband of the witch daughter Red Dawn, and initially a blood brother, and later an enemy, of Athak. The Crones' married life grows even more problematic when the shade of Athak manages to manifest itself physically here in the present, leading to a chilling battle royale in the couple's own backyard. Truly, a very wonderful piece of work here from Mr. Dyalhis, and worth the price of admission for that terrifically atmospheric Ice Age section alone; almost like something out of H. Rider Haggard's posthumous novel "Allan and the Ice Gods" (1927)....
An exemplar of hard-core fantasy, but to my mind the weakest offering in this collection, strangely enough, "The Sapphire Goddess" (2/34 "Weird Tales") yet starts off in slam-bang fashion right out of the gate. When a suicidal, 48-year-old man mentally wills himself anywhere out of this world, he is somehow propelled into another dimension of sorts, in which he is the amnesiac King Karan of Octolan! Along with two loyal retainers, Karan goes on a quest to locate his wife, Mehul-Ira, who has mysteriously vanished, and gets embroiled in the middle of a feud between two warring wizards, Djl Grm and Agnor Halit. A fun and fast-moving story, to be sure, and full of colorful spectacle, but the tale somehow seems incomplete, as if it could have been merely the opening salvo of some tremendous, multi-issue serial....
Much more to my liking, however, is "The Sea-Witch" (12/37 "Weird Tales"), an oft-anthologized fantasy masterpiece. In this one, an elderly recluse, John Craig, rescues a naked and lovely young woman who has emerged from the surf during a terrible storm. Heldra Helstrom is given a place to stay in Craig's home, and soon reveals herself to be some kind of Norsemaiden wonder-worker. Again, a triple reincarnation comes into play here, as Heldra's mission of vengeance makes itself known. Surely one of Dyalhis' most beautifully written works, this story combines imaginative touches, pronounced eroticism, supernatural magic, and a haunting denouement into one spellbinding and memorable tale, indeed. My only quibble: Ran was a Norse sea goddess, not a god, as John Craig tells us.
To wrap up this collection, "Heart of Atlantan" (9/40 "Weird Tales") is Nictzin's explanation for how the continent of Atlantis met its destruction. The story is narrated by Tekala, a priestess of the sun god Kalkan, and who has been summoned during a modern-day séance by two anthropologists and their hunchbacked, female medium. "At the least, it may entertain you," Tekala says of her story, and boy, does it ever! Tekala's beautifully detailed and exciting tale culminates in tragedy not only for her aeons-old homeland, but for her three auditors in the 20th century, as well. It is a wonderful conclusion to a wonder-filled volume of tales.
To read this collection is to lament that Nictzin Dyalhis did not produce more than these nine stories of outré spectacle. All lovers of vintage sci-fi, fantasy, and pulp fiction in general should most assuredly pounce. Next up for me: another collection from DMR, gathering together the works of another forgotten "Weird Tales" author, Clifford Ball. Stay tuned…
(By the way, this review originally appeared on the FanLit website at http://www.fantasyliterature.com/ ... a most ideal destination for all fans of this kind of pulp-fiction fare....)
December 12, 2019
This is definitely a lost classic for S&S fans. If I rated each individual story the average wouldn’t be 5 but there are a couple stand outs that make the collection better than the sum of it’s parts.
Nictzin is definitely just short of being on par with REH or Clark Ashton Smith. His stuff is the best of pulp.
The three standouts to me in this collection are the wane of the green star, the sapphire goddess and the sea-witch.
The Green Star in particular is a great take on sci-fi that has more of a mystical feel to it. The Sapphire Goddess would be my template for the perfect pulp S&S story. The Sea-Witch is also great example of pulp in a modern setting.
What is really excellent in his writing is the sense of spirituality and mystery to it. It feels like it is something of the Fey. It’s not quite Dunsany but it gets closer than most, and in more directions than just a fairy tale. For example the two Green Star stories apply to the FEY to early rocket ship style SF.
Really my only disappointment in the collection was the sequel to the Green Star, which took this amazing setting and applied the worst of pulp’s sexist tropes (and I’m not much of one to complain about that sort of thing.)
Of the 9 stories I’d probably rate 3/9 5 stars, 4/9 4 stars, and 2/9 3 stars. But the overall quality of his writing and examples of where it shines really uplift the whole collection to a must read.
Nictzin is definitely just short of being on par with REH or Clark Ashton Smith. His stuff is the best of pulp.
The three standouts to me in this collection are the wane of the green star, the sapphire goddess and the sea-witch.
The Green Star in particular is a great take on sci-fi that has more of a mystical feel to it. The Sapphire Goddess would be my template for the perfect pulp S&S story. The Sea-Witch is also great example of pulp in a modern setting.
What is really excellent in his writing is the sense of spirituality and mystery to it. It feels like it is something of the Fey. It’s not quite Dunsany but it gets closer than most, and in more directions than just a fairy tale. For example the two Green Star stories apply to the FEY to early rocket ship style SF.
Really my only disappointment in the collection was the sequel to the Green Star, which took this amazing setting and applied the worst of pulp’s sexist tropes (and I’m not much of one to complain about that sort of thing.)
Of the 9 stories I’d probably rate 3/9 5 stars, 4/9 4 stars, and 2/9 3 stars. But the overall quality of his writing and examples of where it shines really uplift the whole collection to a must read.
March 23, 2025
An interesting compilation of rather creative stories in a variety of genres:
When the Green Star Waned ★★★★
An upbeat early sci-fi space opera. Possibly, the first ever mention of a blaster - called here "blastor." Fun characters.
The Eternal Conflict★★★
He Refused to Stay Dead★★★
The Dark Lore★★★★
The Oath of Hul Jok ★★★★
Continuation of the Green Star sci-fi. An amazingly presccient description of using a tablet for communications. Golden letters light up across the tablet screen.
The Red Witch ★★★★
The Sapphire Goddess ★★★★
The Sea-Witch ★★★★★
Heart of Atlantan ★★★★
When the Green Star Waned ★★★★
An upbeat early sci-fi space opera. Possibly, the first ever mention of a blaster - called here "blastor." Fun characters.
The Eternal Conflict★★★
He Refused to Stay Dead★★★
The Dark Lore★★★★
The Oath of Hul Jok ★★★★
Continuation of the Green Star sci-fi. An amazingly presccient description of using a tablet for communications. Golden letters light up across the tablet screen.
The Red Witch ★★★★
The Sapphire Goddess ★★★★
The Sea-Witch ★★★★★
Heart of Atlantan ★★★★
August 24, 2022
This could pass today for paranormal romance, only, you know, with the attitudes of the era in which it was written. So, definitely not for everyone. And even those able to overlook all the casual -isms would probably find it dragging, badly. About the only spectacular thing on show here was the evil mage Djl Grm, and even he strictly by virtue of a disemvoweled name.
December 1, 2021
This is an anthology of stories created by one Nictzin Dyalhis published mostly in weird tales from 1925-1940. Of the pulp pub magazine authors I have read as of late Dyalhis, having been born in apparently 1873, was one of the most senior. I wager some aspects of his stories are colored by his age cohort as later generation authors that wrote at the same time have some differences of tone, message, and substance. I would say out of the weird tale authors, Dyslhis’s stories are probably the most creative, Christian, and metaphysical. He deals a lot with not only reincarnation but souls traveling out of bodies to other worlds and dimensions, sometimes to pick up where a previous life left off. His stories seem to consist of classic sci-fi as well as fantasy and Christian fantasy. I don’t know that there seems to be much of sword and sorcery about his works, for the most part, at least in this collection. I’d argue that his stories have two distinct styles wherein the earlier ones taking place before the end of his first marriage and the start of the Great Depression are far more lively with a more energetic prose consisting of a far more prolific use of exclamation marks and hyphens-to good effect-truly!-While his later works hardly ever do the same and have longer more comma laden sentences, being more similar to post modern prose that is all about being concise. While some of the energy is drained away I would argue that these latter works have in general a better symbolic, emotional appeal. Now, I usually argue that we should respect the time, place, and generation that these stories are written and not get to outraged in our post modern 21st century moral outrage at now a day faux pas that people of that day and time could not possibly have known better about, for I’m sure a century or so down the road perhaps people will be outraged that people of OUR day and time did things like eating animals, polluting, or even failed to endorse genetic modifications, etc. - that said, some of the attitudes presented herein indeed are appalling and readers should be aware thereof, mostly because these attitudes are very understated. While Dyalhis seems less overtly racist in this collection than some weird tales authors, his attitude towards women is horrifying. Not once but twice women are beaten and choked in these stories which then leads them to love their beaters even more? Granted, both women are considered villainous in the narrative, being a lunarian hybrid serpent woman and a literal princess of hell, yet that one should link beating with pacification and subjecation and somehow love is horrifying-even more horrifying when we see in the biographical intro that Dyalhis’s first wife was committed to an asylum before their apparent divorce. That the author’s narrative foibles may have led to actual perpetration is a terrifying prospect that we will never know for sure regarding. That said, while I wouldn’t give this work my strongest recommendation, it is amusing and creative.
“When the Green Star Waned” is classic sci-fi with all the earnest energy of that genre that is inherently charming. Herein heroes from Venus battle moon monsters that have taken over the green star-earth! Overall I found this to be a very cute and delightful tale.
“The Eternal Conflict” this is where the Christian
Mythos that the author channels stars to come into play as does his metaphorical and metaphysical
fantasisations about the soul and travel. It’s all in all an interesting diametric story.
“He Refused to Stay Dead” is posed as a question story that its perhaps more of an event tale. It is also an interesting relatively fast paced ghost story. One of the easier to enjoy works in this collection, I’d say.
“The Dark Lore” is a sort of Dante’s inferno as told by Dyalhis. It is very energetic and despite the terrible things being described it’s rather charming in its way. Obviously the authors tone and philosophies take center stage, as does the plot device of taking a beautiful female protagonist or major character and having her reincarnated as someone ugly as a sort of charmic balance-this plot device will be seen again in later stories. Take what you will from it, I guess.
“The Oath of Hul Jok” - the sequel of “When the Green Star Waned” I somehow found it far less charming than the previous story. First, there was the misogynistic undertones and sometimes overtones, which were troubling. Secondly the protagonist and the other heroes of Venus seemed to keep doing stupid things. So, yeah. This one I just didn’t enjoy as well.
As stated previously, tone and style changed after this story, corresponding with six years of the authors life filled with global events like the Great Depression, the March towards world war 2, the placing of his wife in a mad house, the divorce of that wife, his remarriage, and perhaps the birth of his daughter? I’m any event, I found these later stories, being written when the author must have been in his late 50’s and early 60’s, much more mature.
“The Red Witch” is a reincarnation story dealing with love and dominance. It was interesting and while I’d have tightened a few things up, such as the axe just suddenly appearing when the prot neeeded it (this should have been an in story search therefor) it was rather enjoyable.
“The Saphire Goddess” presents the narrative of a present day protagonist suddenly being reborn into a fantasy world in which he is king-this is obviously a convention that fantasy creators for many years will continue to use, such as the beginning of “ultima-the black gates” it was an okay story, though it really didn’t do it for me.
“The Sea Witch”-a vaguely Nordic tale involving love, vengeance, magic, and reincarnation. Another story with strong sexual undertones, though I’ll admit that this was probably my favorite story of this collection. If I’d have written this I’d have left things less neatly tied up though with more of a sense of being used all along.
“Heart of Atlantan” -another story about spirits and the fall of Atlantis. As much as I like some of the narrative styles of pulp magazines of yesterdays, this is one story that I felt could have been far stronger if told from a first person perspective of the Tekala and maybe with a different ending, or perhaps ending with her imprisonment and the destruction of Atlantis. The rest just felt like window dressings to me.
So there we are, left with a complicated, imaginative collection of stories. If you can over look some social travesties and like philosophy I’d probably recommend this collection.
“When the Green Star Waned” is classic sci-fi with all the earnest energy of that genre that is inherently charming. Herein heroes from Venus battle moon monsters that have taken over the green star-earth! Overall I found this to be a very cute and delightful tale.
“The Eternal Conflict” this is where the Christian
Mythos that the author channels stars to come into play as does his metaphorical and metaphysical
fantasisations about the soul and travel. It’s all in all an interesting diametric story.
“He Refused to Stay Dead” is posed as a question story that its perhaps more of an event tale. It is also an interesting relatively fast paced ghost story. One of the easier to enjoy works in this collection, I’d say.
“The Dark Lore” is a sort of Dante’s inferno as told by Dyalhis. It is very energetic and despite the terrible things being described it’s rather charming in its way. Obviously the authors tone and philosophies take center stage, as does the plot device of taking a beautiful female protagonist or major character and having her reincarnated as someone ugly as a sort of charmic balance-this plot device will be seen again in later stories. Take what you will from it, I guess.
“The Oath of Hul Jok” - the sequel of “When the Green Star Waned” I somehow found it far less charming than the previous story. First, there was the misogynistic undertones and sometimes overtones, which were troubling. Secondly the protagonist and the other heroes of Venus seemed to keep doing stupid things. So, yeah. This one I just didn’t enjoy as well.
As stated previously, tone and style changed after this story, corresponding with six years of the authors life filled with global events like the Great Depression, the March towards world war 2, the placing of his wife in a mad house, the divorce of that wife, his remarriage, and perhaps the birth of his daughter? I’m any event, I found these later stories, being written when the author must have been in his late 50’s and early 60’s, much more mature.
“The Red Witch” is a reincarnation story dealing with love and dominance. It was interesting and while I’d have tightened a few things up, such as the axe just suddenly appearing when the prot neeeded it (this should have been an in story search therefor) it was rather enjoyable.
“The Saphire Goddess” presents the narrative of a present day protagonist suddenly being reborn into a fantasy world in which he is king-this is obviously a convention that fantasy creators for many years will continue to use, such as the beginning of “ultima-the black gates” it was an okay story, though it really didn’t do it for me.
“The Sea Witch”-a vaguely Nordic tale involving love, vengeance, magic, and reincarnation. Another story with strong sexual undertones, though I’ll admit that this was probably my favorite story of this collection. If I’d have written this I’d have left things less neatly tied up though with more of a sense of being used all along.
“Heart of Atlantan” -another story about spirits and the fall of Atlantis. As much as I like some of the narrative styles of pulp magazines of yesterdays, this is one story that I felt could have been far stronger if told from a first person perspective of the Tekala and maybe with a different ending, or perhaps ending with her imprisonment and the destruction of Atlantis. The rest just felt like window dressings to me.
So there we are, left with a complicated, imaginative collection of stories. If you can over look some social travesties and like philosophy I’d probably recommend this collection.
February 23, 2023
DMR Books has lovingly brought back all the fantasies of Nictzin Dyalhis in this volume. The contents, apart from a studious introduction, are~
1. When the Green Star Waned;
2. The Eternal Conflict;
3. He Refused to Stay Dead;
4. The Dark Lore;
5. The Oath of Hul Jok;
6. The Red Witch;
7. The Sapphire Goddess;
8. The Sea-Witch;
9. Heart of Atlantan
Most of these are florid, overwritten romances that are unlikely to appeal even the modern juvenile. However, hidden amidst all these there are few memorable adventures and comic touches. They made the reading somewhat amenable.
But I wouldn't recommend this book to any lover of fantasy.
In comparison, another unjustly forgotten author Clifford Ball's works are much more superior. I would like to recommend that collection (The Thief of Forthe and Other Stories) to all.
1. When the Green Star Waned;
2. The Eternal Conflict;
3. He Refused to Stay Dead;
4. The Dark Lore;
5. The Oath of Hul Jok;
6. The Red Witch;
7. The Sapphire Goddess;
8. The Sea-Witch;
9. Heart of Atlantan
Most of these are florid, overwritten romances that are unlikely to appeal even the modern juvenile. However, hidden amidst all these there are few memorable adventures and comic touches. They made the reading somewhat amenable.
But I wouldn't recommend this book to any lover of fantasy.
In comparison, another unjustly forgotten author Clifford Ball's works are much more superior. I would like to recommend that collection (The Thief of Forthe and Other Stories) to all.
May 17, 2025
I first read his short story “the Heart of Atlantan” in the collection, Lost Atlantis Short Stories and was fascinated with it. I picked this collection because I wanted to read his short story “How The Green Star Waned.” I was disappointed with that one and thought the ending was rushed. But the Eternal Conflict and the Dark Lore were by far the best in this collection.
Lots of goddess worship, reincarnation and magic abound in this book. Some of the stories are dated. Some are not. At least one was so terrible I didn’t finish it.
Lots of goddess worship, reincarnation and magic abound in this book. Some of the stories are dated. Some are not. At least one was so terrible I didn’t finish it.
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