The Elixir of Hate

by George Allan England, Ed Hulse (Introduction)

A twisted tale of hate and revenge set against the beautiful backdrop of a villa on the French Riviera. American physician Granville Dennison, feeling the cold grip of Death tightening with each passing day, abandons his medical practice and comfortable life in New York City to sail across the Atlantic in search of a life-saving miracle. Rumor has it that a brilliant scientist living in virtual seclusion may have discovered the secret of eternal youth. The story seems fantastic, but Dennison is prepared to risk anything and everything in his desperate attempt to evade the Grim Reaper! Long forgotten and unjustly overlooked, this stunning yarn is the masterwork of early science-fiction writer George Allan England, a towering figure in pulp-fiction history! England (1877-1936) was a prolific author who penned stories and articles for pulps and slicks alike during his lengthy career. A dedicated socialist, he often worked his political philosophy into his speculative fiction. England is best known for his “Darkness and Dawn” trilogy pitting survivors of a great cataclysm against savage sub-humans in a dystopian future. He was a mainstay of the such important early pulps as The Argosy and The All-Story.The "Forgotten Classics of Pulp Fiction" series brings back into print ten outstanding novels originally published in rough-paper magazines that flourished during the early decades of the 20th century.

168 pages, Paperback

Published May 29, 2019

Reviews

[Adam Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw this cover and artwork I knew I wanted to read the story. The reprint was about $25 and the original magazine from 1942 about $35 so there was no contest and I bought the magazine. There's a second story in the magazine which I haven't read yet.
This one concerns eternal life, which is a common enough theme, still as relevant today as in 1919 when it was written.
The days of hand drawn artwork and 25 cent magazines were brought back to life for a little while with this engaging and suspenseful story. I enjoyed every minute.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun story in one of the pulps, Fantastic Famous Mysteries, that I found. It was about a horrible man desperate to stop himself from dying of senility who got exactly what he deserved.