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THE EVIL THAT MEN DO ...
London: Ward, Lock & Co., Limited, 1904. Octavo, pp. [1-6] 7-367 [368: blank], four inserted plates with illustrations by Harold Piffard, original decorated black cloth, front and spine panels stamped in brown, light green and gold. First edition, first issue (black cloth). A presentation copy with inscription by Shiel to K. Price "from the author" dated 1904 on the front free endpaper. "... one of the world's great if still undiscovered romantic mysteries." - Morse, The Works of M. P. Shiel Updated (1980), pp. 142-43. Hubin (1994), p. 737.
THE INVISIBLE VOICES.
London: Richards, [1935]. Octavo, pp. [1-8] 9-304, original orange cloth, front panel stamped in black and blind, spine panel stamped in black. First edition. Signed by Shiel on the half title page. The fifth and last book of Shiel stories issued during his lifetime. Mixed collection of eleven short stories in a frame narrative, several of which are fantasy and science fiction, including the excellent visionary fantasy, "The Place of Pain." Barron (ed), Horror Literature 3-177. Bleiler, Science-Fiction: The Early Years 2030. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 195. Bleiler (1978), p. 179. Not in Reginald (1979; 1992). Morse, The Works of M. P. Shiel Updated (1980), p. 221.
THE LORD OF THE SEA.
London: Souvenir Press, 1981. Octavo, boards. Reprint.
THE LORD OF THE SEA.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1929. Octavo, cloth. First U.S. edition (revised text). First U.S. edition of the revised text. Introduction by Carl Van Vechten. Among Shiel's most important and popular works. "...with the aid of a cache of diamonds recovered from a meteorite [Richard Hogarth] finances the building of giant floating fortresses that give him command of the sea- lanes. He uses this advantage to blackmail the nations into peace and social progress. The Lord of the Sea is exceptional in offering an elaborate account of the reforms demanded by Hogarth."- Stableford: Scientific Romance in Britain 1890-1950, pp. 77-8. "A brilliantly, highly imaginative work, conveying conviction despite its belated adherence to an early aesthetic of melodrama." - Bleiler: Science-Fiction: The Early Years 2026.
THE LORD OF THE SEA.
London: Grant Richards, 1901. Octavo, pp. [i-vii] viii [1] 2-496 [note: first leaf is a blank], original pictorial beige cloth, front stamped in red and black, spine stamped in black, t.e.g. First edition, first printing, first issue. THE LORD OF THE SEA, published in May 1901, is one of Shiel's most important and popular works. "... with the aid of a cache of diamonds recovered from a meteorite [Richard Hogarth] finances the building of giant floating fortresses that give him command of the sea-lanes. He uses this advantage to blackmail the nations into peace and social progress ... THE LORD OF THE SEA is exceptional in offering an elaborate account of the reforms demanded by Hogarth." - Stableford, Scientific Romance in Britain 1890-1950, pp. 77-8. "A brilliantly, highly imaginative work, conveying conviction despite its belated adherence to an early aesthetic of melodrama." - Bleiler, Science-Fiction: The Early Years 2026. Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-1003. Clareson, Science Fiction in America, 1870s-1930s 691. Clarke, Tale of the Future (1978), p. 27. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 196. Negley, Utopian Literature: A Bibliography 1028. Bleiler (1978), p. 179. Reginald 13027. Morse, The Works of M. P. Shiel Updated (1980), pp. 93-101.
PRINCE ZALESKI AND CUMMINGS KING MONK.
Sauk City, Wisconsin: Mycroft & Moran, [1977]. Octavo, cloth. First edition of this collection. 4036 copies printed. Six detective tales selected from PRINCE ZALESKI (1895) and THE PALE APE (1911).
PRINCE ZALESKI AND CUMMINGS KING MONK.
Sauk City, Wisconsin: Mycroft & Moran, [1977]. Octavo, cloth. First edition of this collection. 4036 copies printed. Six detective tales selected from PRINCE ZALESKI (1895) and THE PALE APE (1911).
PRINCE ZALESKI AND CUMMINGS KING MONK.
Sauk City, Wisconsin: Mycroft & Moran, [1977]. Octavo, cloth. First edition of this collection. Six detective tales selected from PRINCE ZALESKI (1895) and THE PALE APE (1911).
THE RAJAH'S SAPPHIRE ...
London, New York & Melbourne: Ward Lock & Bowden: Limited, 1896. Small octavo, pp. [1-6] [1] 2-119 [120: blank] [121-122: ads] [note: last leaf is an insert], two inserted plates with illustrations by James Greig, original decorated light green cloth, front and spine panels stamped in gold, t.e.g., other edges untrimmed, decorated endpapers printed in green. First edition. Second issue with decorated endpapers printed in blue. The author's second book and first novel. Story of the final chapter in the history of a famous gem that haunts all who chance to own it. Bleiler (1948), p. 249. Reginald 13031. Hubin (1994), p. 737. Morse, The Works of M. P. Shiel Updated (1980), pp. 39-40.
THIS KNOT OF LIFE ...
London: Everett & Co., n.d., [1909]. Octavo, pp. [1-9] 10-320 [note: first leaf is a blank], original decorated red cloth, front and spine panels stamped in black and gold, bottom edge untrimmed. First edition, second binding with "Everett" at base of spine panel and no publisher's monogram stamped in blind on rear panel. Edwardian romance. Morse, The Works of M. P. Shiel Updated (1980), pp. 170-71.
UNTO THE THIRD GENERATION ...
London: Chatto & Windus, 1903. Octavo, pp. [i-vi] vii [viii] [1] 2-357 [358-360: blank] [note: last leaf is a blank] + 32-page publisher's catalogue dated "May, 1903" on page [1] inserted at rear, title page printed in red and black, original pictorial burgundy cloth, front panel stamped in blue, green and gold, spine panel stamped in gold, t.e.g., bottom edge rough trimmed. First edition, first issue. "This story is compounded of distinct elements of mystery, adventure, and romance narrative. Briefly, it is the history of Edward Denman, heir to a treasure, of his romance - a most unsatisfactory one - with Lucy 'Hill,' and of the efforts of the ubiquitous Hagen clan to seize Denman's hidden treasure. Barnes, a railroad engineer, is a martyr to the romance, and suffers meekly thru the fabulous antics of his social superiors. The Denman treasure is walled in a vault with literally countless doors of impregnable construction. It proves impossible to locate the treasure by breaking open the doors, so the Hagens concentrate on finding the hidden code showing the number of the vault which holds the jewels. Their machinations involve marriages of convenience, mayhem, train-wrecks, maimings, and schemings against obstacles galore. Like many of Shiel's novels, the ending is disappointing because it seems so far from according with our natural expectations." - Morse (1980). Hubin (1994), p. 737. Morse, The Works of M. P. Shiel Updated (1980), pp. 139-40.
XELUCHA AND OTHERS.
Sauk City, Wisconsin: Arkham House, 1975. Octavo, cloth. First edition. 4283 copies printed. Collects twelve of Shiel's fantasy tales including the title story, revised for this edition (the revised version was first published in DARK MIND, DARK HEART, an original anthology edited by Derleth published in 1962). Barron (ed), Horror Literature 3-177. Tymn (ed), Horror Literature 3-226. Hubin (1994), p. 737.