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Sagittarius
2 novels & 6 short sf stories:
Preface • essay by Editors
Sagittarius • (1962) • novella
Ripples • (1967) • story
Sardonicus • (1961) • novelette
The Room • (1961) • story
Comet Wine • (1967) • novelette
Ounce of Prevention • (1960) • story
Naked in Xanadu • (1964) • novelette
A Night in the Byzantine Palace • story
Preface • essay by Editors
Sagittarius • (1962) • novella
Ripples • (1967) • story
Sardonicus • (1961) • novelette
The Room • (1961) • story
Comet Wine • (1967) • novelette
Ounce of Prevention • (1960) • story
Naked in Xanadu • (1964) • novelette
A Night in the Byzantine Palace • story
184 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
2 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Ray Russell
120 books110 followersRay Russell was an American editor and writer of short stories, novels, and screenplays. Russell is best known for his horror fiction, although he also wrote mystery and science fiction stories.
His most famous short fiction is "Sardonicus", which appeared in the January 1961 issue of Playboy magazine, and was subsequently adapted by Russell into a screenplay for William Castle's film version, titled Mr. Sardonicus. American writer Stephen King called "Sardonicus" "perhaps the finest example of the modern gothic ever written"."Sardonicus" was part of a trio of stories with "Sanguinarius" and "Sagittarius".
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Russell and http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-ent...
His most famous short fiction is "Sardonicus", which appeared in the January 1961 issue of Playboy magazine, and was subsequently adapted by Russell into a screenplay for William Castle's film version, titled Mr. Sardonicus. American writer Stephen King called "Sardonicus" "perhaps the finest example of the modern gothic ever written"."Sardonicus" was part of a trio of stories with "Sanguinarius" and "Sagittarius".
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Russell and http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-ent...
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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December 7, 2012I bought this book mostly for the cover, which I thought looks cool. It was a bit of a rip off at $1.25 as it was in poor condition (and has since fallen completely apart) but I was able to haggle a quarter of that away and I got a cheap copy of Shadow of the Torturer too so why complain.
Anyway about the book itself. This collection fits quite snugly in what I would call the Sophisticated Fireplace Diversions genre. These books are usually written by charming people with a wit to them, people you would like to talk to maybe at a cocktail party or some other highbrow soiree where professors unbutton their top collars and let loose. The stories in SFDs usually take place at Gentlemen's Clubs or mansions and consist of a bunch of droll bridge players relating stories to one another. There are some interesting asides and opinions concerning the finer arts, such as opera or theatre. SFDs are easily read, and usually involve some twist. They are fun to read but nothing is really at stake in them and they are completely forgettable. They are low-maintenance and no hassle. The worst of them are as bad as a bad Twilight Zone episode. The best of them are as good as a really good Twilight Zone episode. They are how people enjoyed themselves before television.
And now, brief notes on each story: (each of which originally appeared in Playboy, where Russell was editor)
Sagittarius- Combines Bluebeard, Jack the Ripper, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to tell a decent yarn about the Grand Guignol (Here's a silly video hosted by Clive Barker about the Grand Guignol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av1Geu...)
Ripples- Filler crap.
Sardonicus- For some reason it never clicked until I looked it up that this is the story Mr. Sardonicus is based on (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou4Xid...). The story has its moments, and overall it's fun. But the fake 19th century prose style is so over the top it becomes unintentionally humorous and embarrassing. When I was younger I often wanted to write stories in this highfalutin style. If this collection has taught me nothing else it has taught me the limitations of that most laborious of forms.
The Room- fun little short about a future where you can't escape ads- sadly dated.
Comet Wine- Good Faustian yarn, sequel to Sardonicus in that it contains a peripheral character from that story.
Ounce of Prevention- Filler crap. Actually uses the cliche of the reader discovering the alien has tentacles in the end.
Naked in Xanadu- Essentially this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kkz7u...
A Night in the Byzantine Palace- Uses a peripheral character from Naked in Xanadu. Meh.
All in all, these stories have a nice, superficial classiness to them, and rely heavily on twist endings. I hope Russell didn't sign a deal with the Devil to write them, because much like the musical work of the Faust character in Comet Wine, Russell's works have mostly become forgotten.
Woah! Indeed, this very tome has crumbled to dust in my tentacles!
Anyway about the book itself. This collection fits quite snugly in what I would call the Sophisticated Fireplace Diversions genre. These books are usually written by charming people with a wit to them, people you would like to talk to maybe at a cocktail party or some other highbrow soiree where professors unbutton their top collars and let loose. The stories in SFDs usually take place at Gentlemen's Clubs or mansions and consist of a bunch of droll bridge players relating stories to one another. There are some interesting asides and opinions concerning the finer arts, such as opera or theatre. SFDs are easily read, and usually involve some twist. They are fun to read but nothing is really at stake in them and they are completely forgettable. They are low-maintenance and no hassle. The worst of them are as bad as a bad Twilight Zone episode. The best of them are as good as a really good Twilight Zone episode. They are how people enjoyed themselves before television.
And now, brief notes on each story: (each of which originally appeared in Playboy, where Russell was editor)
Sagittarius- Combines Bluebeard, Jack the Ripper, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to tell a decent yarn about the Grand Guignol (Here's a silly video hosted by Clive Barker about the Grand Guignol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av1Geu...)
Ripples- Filler crap.
Sardonicus- For some reason it never clicked until I looked it up that this is the story Mr. Sardonicus is based on (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou4Xid...). The story has its moments, and overall it's fun. But the fake 19th century prose style is so over the top it becomes unintentionally humorous and embarrassing. When I was younger I often wanted to write stories in this highfalutin style. If this collection has taught me nothing else it has taught me the limitations of that most laborious of forms.
The Room- fun little short about a future where you can't escape ads- sadly dated.
Comet Wine- Good Faustian yarn, sequel to Sardonicus in that it contains a peripheral character from that story.
Ounce of Prevention- Filler crap. Actually uses the cliche of the reader discovering the alien has tentacles in the end.
Naked in Xanadu- Essentially this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kkz7u...
A Night in the Byzantine Palace- Uses a peripheral character from Naked in Xanadu. Meh.
All in all, these stories have a nice, superficial classiness to them, and rely heavily on twist endings. I hope Russell didn't sign a deal with the Devil to write them, because much like the musical work of the Faust character in Comet Wine, Russell's works have mostly become forgotten.
Woah! Indeed, this very tome has crumbled to dust in my tentacles!
January 8, 2021
I picked this up to read the title story to complete the S trilogy (Sagittarius, Sardonicus and Sanguinarius) and was not disappointed. In fact I'm on the hunt to read all of Ray Russell's work, which covers not just horror, but Sci Fi, Satire and more. His stories pull you in effortlessly, move quickly and often leave you saying "Wow!" and the end. Can't ask for more than that!
Special shout out for being my first read of 2021. 🎉
Special shout out for being my first read of 2021. 🎉
April 12, 2017
2.5 stars, a fairly predictable collection of stories
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June 11, 2024“Sagittarius”: 9
- Hits if you’re in the right spot. A bit self-indulgent, but otherwise a fun, late Club Story recursive tale of occult detection, in which history’s horrors — from Gilles de Rais to Jack the Ripper — are not only given their 15 minutes but wrapped altogether in the character of Edward Hyde’s surviving, evil-infused son. The scenes of the Grand Guignol are done with an impressively Decadent momentum.
- Hits if you’re in the right spot. A bit self-indulgent, but otherwise a fun, late Club Story recursive tale of occult detection, in which history’s horrors — from Gilles de Rais to Jack the Ripper — are not only given their 15 minutes but wrapped altogether in the character of Edward Hyde’s surviving, evil-infused son. The scenes of the Grand Guignol are done with an impressively Decadent momentum.
April 15, 2022
"Sagittarius" is for me the most satisfying of Ray Russell's trilogy of "S" faux-Gothic novellas. Clearly, the author's choice of third-person point of view bestows a freedom the straight-jacketed first-person "Sardonicus" (1961) could not achieve.
Full: http://jayrothermel.blogspot.com/2022...
Full: http://jayrothermel.blogspot.com/2022...
August 2, 2009
I think this book was just laying around and, it being a collection of sf & thrillers, I just picked it up and mindlessly read it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews