Page:Weird Tales v33n05 (1939-05).djvu/153

Rh the Winds (very fine), He that Hath Wings, etc. These are always welcome, but I for one would not miss the type of The Fire Princess, which is a sort of mixture of adventure, weird science-fiction, all mixed up, making gosh only knows what!"

Ralph Rayburn Phillips writes from Portland, Oregon: "Some of the stories in are of such high quality that it is difficult to find words expressive enough when one wishes to comment. A Thunder of Trumpets by Robert E. Howard and Frank Thurston Torbett is superb. It is far more than a mere story, as every student of the Wisdom of the East knows; one must be a student to appreciate it fully. I desire to congratulate these brilliant writers who have given us such a story. Seabury Quinn in More Lives than One has also given us a wonderful story. His Roads is another. Both these stories contain truths which make them far more than stories. Mr. Quinn is truly a great writer. Only, the incomparable magazine, could present us such an amazing story as Beyond the Wall of Sleep, by the master, H. P. Lovecraft, who has gone on to higher worlds. We feel his loss keenly."

Caroline Ferber writes from Chicago: "Circe's gown on the cover of the March issue is really a jewel-toned blue—an excellent color illustration. To get to Ball's story of The Swine of Æaea—it was very enjoyable, altho I didn't care much for the listener breaking in on the yarn. Would prefer just the narrative without one feller telling t'other feller. Oh—oo—horrors! Quinn did up an ugly one this time with the mad scientist. I shuddered at the plight of the bewful opera coloratura. You did right well by yourself in this tale, sir. F'ebben's sakes!—Derleth s'prised me no end with The Return of Hastur. Somehow I didn't mind the suggestion of inconceivable beings—& how well the ending—that pillar of light removing the struggling things and casting them afar. Altho some exciting events were included in this instalment of Fearful Rock, it seemed summat slow. Bein' as how the next issue closes the story, it should be truly exciting. That metal box bothers me much. Howard's poem, Desert Dawn, is superbly worded. Finlay's selection for his full-page illustration is well chosen—it is horrifying to see Satan as he 'fondles a screaming thing'! And this Comrades of Time story—thanks to Mr. Hamilton for most enjoyable reading. The whole was so packed with excitement—even the thought of those people from centuries apart, to meet. It was very well done. Lovecraft's delightful fantasy, The Quest of Iranon, seemed almost a fable. It was a bit touching at the end, yet on the whole it was quite a treat. Of all the startling stories, the reprint of Bassett Morgan's The Devils of Po Sung cops the cream. This devil Po Sung dabbled in all the meanest arts of evil. A brilliant fellow, but yes! Shux!—can't find a thing for comment in the Eyrie this month. Am I slipping?"

C. S. Youd writes from Eastleigh, England: "I must honestly say that when the change of owners first occurred I had grave misgivings, but with the first enlarged issue my doubts were effectively silenced. The best in the issue was Smith's The Double Shadow, which easily surpassed the rest of the stories. Nathan Hindin took second place, but there were no stories with which I could really quarrel. Of the verse, Howard's was quite Chestertonian in character and as attractive as that great writer's."

E. Hoffmann Price, of Kurdistan and points west, writes: "Derleth's interesting yarn in the March issue is a colorful tribute to his late master, HLPHPL [sic]. The sage of Providence did what very few accomplish: start a school of mythology! And Derleth, I think, has more of the real touch than any other of the disciples. Amazingly versatile, Derleth. A veritable Proteus. Somehow, it struck me that HPL's yarn, The Quest of Iranon, symbolized his own career. This is hard to explain, but that was the reaction.