Ghost Stories of an Antiquary

Product Information

Stephen Critchlow is a popular and versatile actor who has enjoyed a wide variety of work, including Hamlet and Pygmalion in The West End, Cyrano De Bergerac at The Royal National Theatre and playing Kenneth Horne in Round The Horne Revisited on Tour. The ideal situation, of listening to Mr Provost himself, is, of course, impossible today, but we are remarkably fortunate, thanks to Robert Lloyd Parry, in having the chance to experience some of the stories in circumstances not wholly dissimilar to those of Dr James’s first audiences. Or, if I may borrow from another notable reviewer, "‘It’s really a very good piece of work, Williams; it has quite a feeling of the romantic period. Montague Rhodes James was born in 1862, the son of a rector, and he spent virtually his whole life in the groves of academe: from Eton School he went to King’s College, Cambridge, where he obtained a double first in classics, and took root there, being appointed Junior Dean before rising to the post of Vice Chancellor in 1913.

This edition reprints for the first time in recent years the four original illustrations that James McBride prepared while James was working on this, his first collection. Original brown buckram, yapp edges, spine and front board lettered in black, boards double ruled in red, top edge brown, others untrimmed. Mr Timson’s brief essay which accompanies these recordings is informative, intelligent and perceptive. He has written articles for the likes of Fortean Times, Strange Attractor Journal, Darklore, and Paranormal Magazine, and is a contributing editor for The Daily Grail online. Among them are such favorites as "Number Thirteen," "Canon Alberic's Scrap-book," and "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad.

Ghost-Stories of an Antiquary was accordingly published with just the four completed works as a tribute to McBryde. A rare Sax Rohmer edition, in which an ancient Egyptian secret intriguingly like atomic power is unleashed. Renowned for their wit, erudition and suspense, these stories are each masterfully constructed and represent a high achievement in the ghost genre.

The first printing is found with and without an inserted 16 page publisher's catalog of books, this copy does not have it and no priority has been determined concerning it. Many of James's tales were read contemporaneously as Christmas Eve entertainments, an idea that was taken up by the BBC in 2000 when they filmed Christopher Lee reading James's stories in King's College, Cambridge, as the author himself had done years before.

The tone of language is perfect at capturing James' distinctive voice, entwining with the wonderful imagery. He lulls you into a tranquil, undisturbed dream, only slightly troubled by the half-made discovery, the vague suspicion that something uncanny (and often wicked) this way comes. R. James’s stories explore the darkness just beyond the flicker of the candle, behind the creaking door. After living in Britain for over twenty years, I have been meaning to read it again for some time and as it was free it seemed like the perfect opportunity. I had been wondering if, in time, the admirable team at Naxos AudioBooks would tackle Dr James’s disturbing tales… and now, with great pleasure, I welcome this recording of his first collection, Ghost Stories of an Antiquary.

Klare Kaufempfehlung für diese meisterhaft geschriebenen Geistergeschichten, an denen ich mindestens acht Stunden Lesevergnügen fand. R. James, is well known to ghost story fanatics, but if you are unfamiliar with his work you are in for a wonderful treat. A Cambridge scholar himself, James explored what happens when academics dabble in things they don’t understand and unleash forces of which they know nothing. James’s ghost stories were written, in the first place, to be heard, preferably in a cosy, dimly-lit room, with a reassuring glass of whisky or brandy close at hand. I was particularly impressed by the work of Fouad Mezher as he played with light and shadows in his simple, evocative depiction of 'The Mezzotint.Cloaks, hoods, talons, tentacles, incredibly hairy faces, the foul smell of evil – all pervade his stories, creating, as the story proceeds, a cumulative horror that makes them the best of the genre. I’ve got both volumes now and hope to see other graphic novels of other horror authors come through. As always with Naxos, the narratives are subtly enhanced by well-chosen music, all unfamiliar to me, by Chausson, Vieuxtemps and Eugène Ysaye. This volume was followed, in 1911, by More Ghost Stories of an Antiquary, containing a further seven stories on similar themes. First edition, first impression, with the publisher's adverts dated November 1904, in notably bright condition.

Every time anyone looks at it, something has subtly changed – is it imagination or the supernatural? As a fan of the originals (I love classic genre fiction and horror in particular) and of only the best graphic novels (as an artist myself I’m very fussy about artwork) I couldn’t resist trying this but was expecting it to have some aspects that I fundamentally disliked. As with Self Made Hero's previous Lovecraft adaptations, this is an excellent, faithful and respectful transposition of hallowed text to graphic form.

But when Professor Parkin discovers a whistle in a Templar ruin, or Sir Richard Fell inherits a country manor with a horrifying history, malevolent forces are unleashed.