(ONLINE VERSION)
| VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 |
DECEMBER '98
/ JANUARY '99
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ShadoeWolfe's news on the site |
| by ShadoeWolfe | Welcome
once again to Necroscope News. With this issue we start a new year of the
newsletter and I again want to thank all of you who have helped support
this undead publication. Content providers, readers, faithful followers
- all of you have helped Necroscope News grow over the past year. Thank
you.
I would be remiss if I didn't say 'Happy Holidays to One and All!' at this time of year. While the holiday season is usually filled with happiness and joy, there are those out there who don't have much reason to celebrate this year. Sickness, family trouble, death, homelessness, etc. - the list can go on for miles. Not to get too deep, but take the time to consider others this year who might be less fortunate or are going through a rough point in their life right now. Give them a call just to say hello, donate an old coat you don't use anymore, or invite some folks over for a meal if you have some extra to cook. That's what this whole season is about - giving, sharing, and selflessness. Enough said, now enjoy your holiday as best you may! The Newsletter. I hope everyone is happy with the new layout that was initiated last issue. I would love to just do the Web Version because of it's attractiveness, but I know a lot of you like to print out the issue and save it, so we will continue to offer both into the foreseeable future. The WebSite. Recent news is the addition of Amazon.co.uk to the bookstore. Now all of the visitors to the site from the UK can easily obtain Brian's British versions of his books online. Don't worry you US fanatics, Amazon.com is still available through the bookstore also. This news is also good for the collectors out there who have been looking to get the UK versions online and have been having trouble. As far as I can tell, you should have no trouble obtaining the books using your credit card online and getting them shipped to the US. Check out their shipping policies to be sure though. Do not blame me or hold me responsible if what I said above is not possible. I plead ignorance. Hopefully, you all like the little holiday banner I have running on the site at the top of every page. Just a little reminder to keep yourselves in the holiday spirit and uplifted. It's hard to look at Bob Eggleton's skull with a Santa hat on and not think it's cute. And you're right - if you think a skull with a Santa hat on is cute - you are as warped as I am. Isn't it great?! And in that holiday spirit, don't forget to swing by that Brian Lumley.com bookstore and pick up every book of Brian's you don't have. After all, this is the present season, right? If no one else will get them for you (my mother thinks the covers are disgusting and can't see how anyone could read them, go figure), I always say a present to yourself is the best kind. You know you'll like it, and if you spend too much - who cares? It's for you! As always, if anyone has any suggestions
on improving the site and/or newsletter, please let us know. Email contacts
can be found at the end of the newsletter and also on the site, so drop
us a line when you get a chance. And don't forget to check out Brian's
interview with Amazon.com. As for now, this is ShadoeWolfe signing
off and we'll see you in February! Have a great New Year! |
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news from the
Master himself
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| Time flies,
and here we are again.
A few things worthy of note: Back in May, Phoenix, the World Horror Con, Fedogan and Bremer published A Coven of Vampires. It was done in a special, signed, slip-cased limited edition ... which went out of print almost immediately, and an edition of 1,000 hardbacks. The book is now out of print in both editions, having sold its last few copies in Monterey at the World Fantasy Con. In short, it was available for just five months. And remember, this was a book that was only available from the publisher or specialist dealers. I mention it not to blow any trumpets and such, but as a reminder to any true collectors out there. A reminder that Tor have recently published The Source in hardback in an edition of just 2,000. But unlike F&B, Tor sells everywhere; if you don't get your copy now you may have a hard time finding this book in the future! (For The Source competition, see below.) Incidentally, F&B won the Small Press award in Monterey. I don't think I need add how pleased I was to be right there, and to be able to shake Philip Rahman's hand as he left the podium with his Howie! (Coven has since appeared in paperback in UK.) Dedications: Dave the Web, Ralph, Robb, Monte, Sarah, and Heather -- most of whom I met in Providence, and others who are old acquaintances -- should look for their names on the dedication page of Necroscope: Invaders when Tor publishes it some time around May next year. The same book will be done in UK at about the same time, under the title, E-Branch: Invaders. The Source competition: We've had a pile of responses, but only ONE winner so far! I'm unhappy that it seems so hard. But in fact, if you read the original paperback Source and compare it with the hardback (or don't even read but just turn the pages), you'll SEE the error and correction immediately! More I can't say... Anyone who was at Phoenix in May will remember Keith Grant-Evans, the leader of the rock group The Downliners Sect. Keith has a new supply of the Dangerous Ground CD, with its jacket of a derailed train near a leaning signpost reading Innsmouth, the Bates Motel, and the House of Usher! I did voice-over readings on two of the tracks, Escape from Hong Kong, and Bookworm. This was really great fun! Anyone who's interested can contact Keith at 7A Cowper Road, London SW19 1AA... And that's about it for now. We're looking forward to Christmas and all the good things it brings, also to EerieCon at Niagara, (April '99), where I've no doubt we'll meet up with some of you guys. But if we don't see you there, we can always see you here next time around. Cheers! |
by Brian Lumley |
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Veriatus lets
us in on his views
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| Holiday Cheer
Season's Greetings everyone! Well, maybe I'm early, but what the heck? By the time the next article rolls around a whole new year will be upon us. As a matter of fact, it will be the last year of this decade and century! Wow. Kinda scary! Wooooooooo! Moving right along, Thanksgiving is a few days away. Everyone says that we should be thankful for all the wonderful bounty that has been brought to our tables. I imagine all you Brits out there are probably grumbling what with Thanksgiving being an American holiday celebrating, among other things, the pilgrim's emancipation from Mother England. Of course, you're probably more truly upset that you don't have the day off from work like most of us Americans. So why am I thankful? Well, in the last ten years alone I've gone from reading Brian Lumley, to meeting Brian Lumley, to being inspired to write again (although, not “like” Brian Lumley - that just cannot be done). Some of you may be scratching your hairy belly's and belching, “So what?” To that I say, “Excuse you”, and “Have a breath mint.” For a kid who didn't have much of a direction in life except to play video games, watch movies, and pray for a beautiful girl to land on my roof - my life has certainly taken a change for the better. I was lost (spiritually) when I picked up the Necroscope. I read it, loved it, and suddenly, I was saved! I discovered a brave new world to explore and learn about. Believe it or not, those books taught me a thing or two about Life. I learned about the strength that comes from knowing oneself from Harry Keogh. I learned responsibility and the use of power from Harry as well. Funny thing is...I never shared this with any of my friends. I'm not saying that many of them were readers, mind you, but I just wanted something to call my own, and Brian's books were it. Now, of course, along with ShadoeWolfe and Mouser and all the fans in the newsgroups and around the world I can't tell enough people to run out and buy Brian's books. Ever since I met Brian I have discovered just how much of Brian is in his books. You see the ideals Brian believes in are all facets of the heroes created by him. I felt as though I had known Brian all along! His personality is spread throughout his books! OK, I'll stop. I have to admit I've even scared myself with what I've rambled here. Where do these article ideas come from, anyway? I apologize if I make absolutely no sense whatsoever. But neither does the fact that Brian Lumley isn't counted among the Stephen King's, Anne Rice's and Dean Koontz's of the world. I guess there is only room for one Brit, Clive Barker. Hey, don't color me wrong! God bless Clive Barker, he deserves the success, but no Brian Lumley? Hello, 30 plus years? International bestsellers that number in the millions? It is nonsense! Of course, maybe I'm missing the point. Perhaps what is more important is not how many people read Brian's works, but how Brian's works inspire and affect the people who do read them. I read the entire guestbook on the brianlumley.com website. It took me a very, very long time to get through it. There were so many countries from all the over the globe responding. Every single one remarked in some language or other how Brian's tomes had made them feel. Now that was something to be thankful for. Happy Holidays, folks. What will be, has been. |
by Robb Coutinho |
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Peter plumbs
the depths of Brian's work
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| Legends and Myths
Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening. Welcome to the third installment of the Necroscope Newsletter. As this is the first issue of Volume Two and my third article I wanted to make this a good one. I hope you enjoy. As I said this is my third article for the newsletter, and I've loved writing for it. When I was pondering what this article should be about, the significance of the number three came to mind. Over the years this number has taken on some religious connotations. Of course, I am referring to the Holy Trinity. The Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost. I wonder if in the world of the Necroscope the holy trinity would be the Faethor, Shaitan, and Harry's ghost. Upon considering what I wanted to write about and the religious connotations concerning the number three, I hit upon the meat of this article's premise. At the end of the last article I hinted that I would compare Shaitan with someone else, have you guessed who yet? That's right, Satan. Upon reading the story of Shaitan, many similarities between the two become evident. Because of these similarities an interesting theory about the world of the Necroscope and Satan's role in that world formed in my mind. WARNING PLOTS REVEALED AFTER THIS POINT. AS ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU ENTER OF YOUR OWN FREE WILL. I would like to get the most obvious similarity out of the way immediately, this being the similarities in their names. "What is in a name"? Well, a lot actually, the two names are strikingly close. In fact all one has to do is drop the H and I from Shaitan and they will be left with none other than Satan. "A rose by any other name will still smell as sweet" or maybe as sour in this case. Names and particular words are very important in Brian Lumley's work. Readers have seen this in many stories written by Lumley. Such as Titus Crow, in many stories numerology plays an important role in Titus discovering the truth or defeating an enemy. I do not know enough about numerology yet to play with the numbers, but if someone out there does, then see what the numbers turn up for names such as Shaitan, Satan, or Lucifer. I wouldn't be too surprised if there are some coincidences between them. Now that we have that out of the way, let's delve into the history of Shaitan. Upon reading his history the reader discovers that at one point Shaitan was part of some kind of all knowing higher collective that reside in the Möbius continuum. The collective seem to act as regulators in the universe. "But like all blooms it withered on the vine." Shaitan was dispelled from the collective to become an outcast. He lands on Starside, naked and alone, devoid of all memories save that he was once a part of something more and was expelled. As he walks along he comes to a swamp, when he looks at himself in the murky water he comes to the conclusion that the people shunned him because of his great beauty. He is prideful, which by the way sounds familiar to someone else. Pride is the sin that cast Satan from Heaven, hurtled down to hell as God's punishment. Once in Starside Shaitan has no idea what he should do, but he doesn't have to ponder long; destiny chooses his fate and the fate of so many others in one fell swoop. The collective in the Möbius continuum deposits Harry's vampire pestilent filled body in the swamp. Shaitan approaches Harry's body and the vampire spores infest his body making him Wamphyri, surrogate father to all other vampires to come after him. Once Wamphyri, he becomes like a God to the normal people of Starside. This power added with his pride makes him become a force of pure evil in two worlds. Most humans and vampires alike eventually fear him, yet again very similar to the story of Lucifer. Satan has too much pride and is hurtled out of Heaven to rule over Hell and Earth and over all things evil. Shaitan and Satan's histories are very similar, and because of this an interesting spin on history came to fruition in my mind. Questions that should be pondered are things like how long has the gate between Starside and Earth been open, which has been for quite some time, more than likely. We know that Shaitan is at least 5000 years old, long enough for legends to spread. Next question: how long have legends of Satan existed? Have you discovered where I am leading yet? Well here it is. Could it be that in the world of the Necroscope that Satan is merely the recollection of legends about Shaitan from Starside? It is easy to assume that in Starside where Shaitan reigns, legends and stories about his creation would be spread. Doesn't he eventually take the name of Shaitan the Unborn? To a normal human Shaitan would be like an all-powerful demon. An evil cruel demon who feeds on the blood and souls of people, and a demon who seemingly cannot be destroyed. The only thing that seems to hurt him is light. For quite some time light has been associated with God. To the humans maybe it would seem as if only God could hurt the demon. Finally, what if one of these people went through the gate here to Earth? Eventually they would tell stories about the horrible demon Shaitan. He is the fallen one, the Unborn, he who feeds on the blood of people. It is not a long stretch then to believe that over the millennia and through the countless recounts of the story that the name might accidentally start as Shaitan and end up now as Satan. We are left with a plausible idea in the world of the Necroscope. Satan is merely the whispered memories of Shaitan from Starside. Certainly they have many similarities. As always this poesy is merely mind fodder, but it is always fun to ponder. I hope you enjoyed this stroll through the dark alleys of my mind. And 'til next issue, while you are reading Lumley, Lovecraft, or what other horror writers you enjoy, whenever you feel a chill or the hairs on the back of your neck rise, never look behind you, for who knows what might be there? |
by Peter McCabe |
Can
you think of an easier contest? Buy or borrow a book. Find the paperback
version that you already have. Flip through the pages and find an obvious
printing error. Send an email to Silky with the error pointed out. Be one
of the first ten correct entries, win two Brian Lumley books. Where do I
sign up?!
That's all there is to it, but there's not much time left to do it. The contest ends on December 15, which leaves only 15 days to get that email to Silky. The correct email that is. I'll give you one hint on the answer. The dedication is different in the hardcover from the one in the paperback. This is NOT the printer's error we are talking about. This is NOT the correct answer. Now, go to work. here are the details: PRIZES (10):
RULES: DISCLAIMERS:
by submitting an entry in the contest, I am agreeing to the terms and rules set forth on this page. - You must include name and email address in body of message and the solution to the contest -
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by ShadoeWolfe |
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The New
E-Branch Series what to expect |
| by ShadoeWolfe | The latest
installment to the Necroscope Saga is coming closer
with every month. The first novel is done and ready for release while the
second is being worked on as we speak. And a third - soon to follow. With
this impending release, questions are raised. "Will Harry be back in the
story?" "I thought all the vampires were destroyed at the end of Bloodwars.
How can there be anymore stories?" And the ever popular "when is the Necroscope
movie coming out?" Sorry there Robb, wrong discussion, similar topic.
In answer to the first question, I would have to say a resounding 'no' is in order. Harry is one with the cosmos, and while the most popular character ever in the saga, I don't think a return trip from the continuum is possible. Or is it...? We'll just have to see, but judging from the shout line of the new book, "For the new Millennium, the World needs a new Necroscope," I would have to say that implies little or no sight of Harry Keogh in the new trilogy. Don't worry Harry, we'll never forget you. I just saw a posting on the newsgroup, alt.books.brian-lumley, regarding the second question. True, the Wamphyri were destroyed in the ending of Bloodwars, and Starside/Sunside was returned to it's normal rotational pattern, not to mention the closing of the Gates into and out of Starside/Sunside. So the question remains then - how are there any vampires left? Harry and E-Branch destroyed all of them on Earth, right? At least that's what we're led to believe, but we must always remember one thing about the vampire, and the Wamphyri in particular: They are tenacious and their will to live and survive is immense. With that thought in mind, I think we can all conclude that they were NOT all destroyed...just the ones that made themselves prominent and noticeable. I do believe we all can recall that to be seen as immortal is to arise suspicion, and thus end the reign one could have on Earth. Indeed, how many could be hiding out there right now, just waiting....? Can I give anymore clues to the new series? One thing I can say is that it will be like nothing else we have ever seen from Brian. Sure, there will be gore, ESPionage, spirits, monsters, heroes and villains - but that never changes. We will see new characters like Jake Cutter (oops, did I drop a name?) and new enemies (or friends, depending on your preferences) like the Creechur, but more I cannot say. May is only 5 short months away, so save up those pennies and get ready to grab E-Branch: Invaders (Necroscope: Invaders in the US) when it hits the shelves! And we can talk about that movie thing at a later time and date - like when it happens. |
| Caliber
Comics started a new series in February of this year: VAMPIRE WORLD,
beginning with THE SOURCE. No.1 and No. 2 are both available
NOW. No. 3 is still in the final stages. Big holdups
between artist and scripter have delayed this much-delayed third issue!
You can contact Caliber at: www.calibercomics.com US Order Direct by calling:
1-800-22-COMIC. SORRY -- THERE IS NO NEWS ON THIS FRONT AT THIS TIME. What can we do about this? Absolutely nothing. I know all of you out there were eagerly awaiting this series, especially if you had seen the earlier comics done by Malibu a few years back. Even if you hadn't, the whole idea of having Necroscope in a visual form to look at just has to get you going. With Caliber in trouble right now, the third issue might never see the light of day, but we can hope. Something else we can all hope for is that another comic company comes along and wants to do the series right. You know, in color, big-time promotion, and the ability to have the comic in every local bookstore out there. Get those letters going to the big names in the comic book world: DC Comics and Marvel. Maybe if they get enough letters, they won't be able to ignore us! Well, like I said, we can all hope. There is some great news regarding the Comic though, the artwork is for sale! That's right, Mike Perkins is selling original sketches from the first issue of the comic, so if you are wanting your own piece of Brian Lumley memorabilia, now's your chance! I must say, I have a page hanging on my wall, framed very nicely - and it is immaculate. You will not be disappointed. Order now!! News on the artwork available is on the news page of the site. |
by ShadoeWolfe |
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Bits and
Pieces Nowhere else to be but here |
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| info courtesy of Silky Lumley |
One of them will let you know as soon as expected publishing date and price is established. You can also swing back by here and find out also.
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1997
Fallside Resort, Niagara Falls, New York - International Guest of Honor - Brian Lumley |
never forget again when |
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Contacts
who they are and where to reach them |
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| email your favorite or your least favorite columnist | To finish
off this newsletter, we bring you the people involved. If you have a question
for anyone, please email them and let them know about it.
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