Best of
Pulp

1973

The Ghost in the Swing


Janet Patton Smith - 1973
    A girl who goes to stay with her aunt in the country discovers a ghost that lives on the property.

The Night Stalker


Jeff Rice - 1973
    Everyone's used to it. But now women are lying in alleys, gutters, and parking lots-their bodies drained of blood! Is it possible? A vampire stalking the Las Vegas streets?"Fantastically marvelous...executed with equally marvelous realism."-Richard Matheson, author of The Incredible Shrinking Man

Worse Things Waiting


Manly Wade Wellman - 1973
    Twenty-eight stories and two poems, selected from hundreds of stories and dozens of magazines - the cream of almost half a century of fantasy writing. 3000 copies printed

The Sowers of the Thunder


Robert E. Howard - 1973
    He is well known for having created the character Conan the Cimmerian, a literary icon whose pop-culture imprint can be compared to such icons as Tarzan of the Apes, Sherlock Holmes, and James Bond. Voracious reading, along with a natural talent for prose writing and the encouragement of teachers, conspired to create in Howard an interest in becoming a professional writer. One by one he discovered the authors that would influence his later work: Jack London and Rudyard Kipling. It's clear from Howard's earliest writings and the recollections of his friends that he suffered from severe depression from an early age. Friends recall him defending the act of suicide as a valid alternative as early as eighteen years old, while many of his stories and poems have a suicidal gloom and intensity that seem prescient in hindsight, describing such an end not as a tragedy but as a release from hell on earth.

The Secret of the Seven Crows


Wylly Folk St. John - 1973
    There was something mighty spooky about that huge old clapboard structure behind the sand dunes and the sea oats. It was as gray as the stormy twilight sky behind it and the rolling waves of the Gulf in front of it and the Spanish moss that hung on the bent and twisted live oak and cedar trees all around it.Shelley's family moves into an old mansion on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and discover that there is a mystery to be solved and a treasure to be found before the house can really belong to them. Shelley wants to solve the mystery all by herself...but encounters danger...intriguing clues...a poltergeist... and spooky Gulf Coast legends.-from the back cover

Star Dog


A.M. Lightner - 1973
    On the same night that a UFO is seen zooming away from the farm, Holton and his friend Willy find a strange black dog lying near the road--a victim of a hit-and-run driver.The dog has soft, luxurious fur and strange eyes, and Willy insists that it came from the vanished space ship."Don't be ridiculous," Holton scoffs.But weeks later--when Holton's pet collie gives birth to a remarkable black pup--it looks as though Willy is Right!the pup is like no other dog on Earth

Satanic Sex


Arlene J. Fitzgerald - 1973
    Or the drugs that were used to heighten certain sexual experiences during the ceremonies.But her innocence was short-lived.How she followed her lover into this strange, secret world , where she soon learned means of gratifying lusts and sexual desires she had never dreamed possible, is just one of the many actual case histories in this revealing, often shocking documentary on sex rituals in the occult.- Back cover description.

The House Of The Brandersons


Raymond Rudorff - 1973
    

The Silent Halls of Ashenden


Dorothy Daniels - 1973
    

Flashing Swords! #1


Lin Carter - 1973
    Fafhrd and the Mouser had served him well and in vastly more varied fashion the the Mad Duke.-"The Sadness of the Executioner"by Fritz LeiberMorreion made a furious motion; as his hand swept the air, it left a trail of sparks. "Magic derives from personal force! My passion alone will defeat the archveults! I glory in the forthcoming confrontation. Ah, but they will regret their deeds!"-"Morreion" by Jack VanceStunned, beaten, naked, with hardly a tool or weapon among them, the merfolk followed their lord. Tauno hung, fists clenched on harpoon, until they were out of sight. The last stones of the royal hall toppled, and Liri was a ruin.-"The Merman's Children" by Poul AndersonThree goblins were entangled in the webs. They kicked and struggled furiously, spittling like cats, but only managed to become more tightly and completely enmeshed in the sticky green stuff. The six other goblins came flying, howling, at him.-"The Higher Heresies of Oolimar" by Lin Carter (Amalrik the Mangod)

Think About It, You Might Learn Something


Robyn Supraner - 1973
    A fourth grader records in her diary only those events which she considers most important and thought provoking.

Strange Ecstasies: Stories About Strange and Unearthly Drugs


Michel ParryFrank Belknap Long - 1973
    H. Davis• The White Powder by Arthur Machen• The New Accelerator by H. G. Wells• The Big Fix by Richard Wilson• The Secret Songs by Fritz Leiber• The Hounds of Tindalos by Frank Belknap Long• Subjectivity by Norman Spinrad• What to Do Until the Analyst Comes by Frederik Pohl• Pipe Dream by Chris Miller

Moon Fire


Lynn Benedict - 1973
    Philip claimed that Neil had set the blaze that killed Neil's young wife after he discovered her in Philip's arms. Neil maintained that Philip had started the fire and that he feared Philip's pyromania still put all their lives in danger. Jennifer didn't know which of the brothers to believe, but when the villa she was staying in burned to the ground, she knew that she had become the next victim of a murderer obsessed by fire.

The Second Sin


Thomas Szasz - 1973
    

House of Tragedy


Arlene J. Fitzgerald - 1973
    After being bitten by a poisonous snake she found herself rushed to The Cedars, where lived a woman who could cure snakebites -- and where also lived a man named Mark Kellogg.

Wait for the Dawn


Martha Albrand - 1973
    

Some Things Strange and Sinister


Joan KahnAlgernon Blackwood - 1973
    of Le tic 1884)29 • Thus I Refute Beelzy • (1940) • short story by John Collier36 • Keeping His Promise • (1906) • short story by Algernon Blackwood53 • The House • (1931) • short fiction by André Maurois (trans. of La maison)56 • The Call of the Hand • (1924) • short story by Louis Golding72 • The Dream Woman • (1920) • novelette by Wilkie Collins (variant of The Dream-Woman 1874) [as by W. Wilkie Collins]100 • The Story of the Late Mr. Elvesham • (1896) • short story by H. G. Wells119 • The Strange Occurrences Connected with Captain John Russell • (1973) • short story by Neil Bell137 • The Book • (1930) • short story by Margaret Irwin156 • Dracula's Guest • [Dracula] • (1914) • short story by Bram Stoker171 • The Cocoon • (1946) • short story by John B. L. Goodwin191 • The Empty Schoolroom • (1950) • short story by Pamela Hansford Johnson209 • The Ghost of Washington • (1904) • short story by uncredited [as by Anonymous]

Anne of Destiny House


Wilma Forrest - 1973
    The aunt and uncle who had brought her up for her twenty-one years were sworn to secrecy regarding Anne's origins. Now suddenly the past was unfolding before her. Behind the massive castle fortress with its battlements, gargoyle steeple, and keep, strangers waited for Anne. The St. Legers and the MacPhersons. They told her she was now the Baroness Lith, successor to her older sister Elizabeth, who had recently died in a mysterious accident.One by one the St. Leger and MacPherson men came courting. But Anne could not trust any of them. She did not really understand why she was there. She knew only that she was becoming a prisoner and that she was alone.But she was not entirely alone. There was one who could find the truth for her. Find the truth before she ended up like Elizabeth...murdered.

House of Secrets


Caroline Farr - 1973
    She had come to face the ordeal of hearing her beloved father's will read.Now, after many lonely years, suddenly Leonie was heiress to a fortune and mistress of the mist-shrouded mansion where her cold, beautiful mother and her hateful "Uncle" Sean still lived. Almost at once she was aware of the terrible secret that motivated evil in the lives of everyone at Inverness.What were the mysterious circumstances surrounding a strange woman and her father's sudden death? And what was the danger that lurked behind her growing attraction to the darkly handsome Peter Montego...?

Science Fiction Adventures From Way Out


Roger ElwoodBarry N. Malzberg - 1973
    

The man who won the Medal of Honor


Len Giovannitti - 1973
    

Kilmeny in the Dark Wood


Florence Stevenson - 1973
    Could she escape the diabolic spell that encompassed her and the man she loved...?

Operation Burning Candle


Blyden Jackson - 1973
    

The Falmount Heiress


Alberta Simpson Carter - 1973
    

The Legend of Piper's Hole


Patricia Farmer - 1973
    .Pursued by a menacing figure in a fawn raincoat, Susan Stone fled London for the Scilly Islands and a cottage in a place called Piper's Hole.There, Susan became embroiled in a strange relation-ship with her mother and the man her mother loved. When her admirer, Danny, arrived, the mystery deepened.When the figure in the fawn raincoat reappeared, Susan knew that she must confront her fate in the dark, unknown caverns of Piper's Hole.

Lady of Drawbridge Court


Sarah Farrant - 1973
    Gone is the pleasant tranquillity of her childhood; and tragedy, grief and terror must be endured before Autumn can find at last the joy of true love and happiness.

Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life


Philip José Farmer - 1973
    The author swears every word is true! Includes a biographical essay on each of his friends and collaborators; A long article concerning the family tree of Doc Savage (you will be amazed at who is included in that tree!); and, a boon to collectors everywhere, a list of all the Savage novels in their order of publication.Cover Illustration: Fred Pfeiffer

Messenger of Zhuvastou


Andrew J. Offutt - 1973
    Now, he will live again… In a future where the people of Earth have managed to somewhat unite under hegemonic governments, the universe has at last been explored and discovered. Earth-born playboy Moris Keniston arrives in customs, wanting to go surface-side of the mysterious and hostile planet Sovold. Galactic rules dictate that he may not disturb the burgeoning culture, and therefore undergoes a physical transformation to match the one of the peoples on the planet. With shaved head and skin dyed beige, he dons the green tunic of a Messenger of Zhuvastou, known as Zhogs – a knight to the people of this world – giving him almost free reign to pursue his mission. He is hunting the beautiful Elaine Dixon, who has fled to this primitive planet for reasons unknown. Though Keniston is the son of a Galactic Senator, an athlete of interplanetary reknown, and survivor of a historic starship disaster, he finds himself wholly unprepared for life on Sovold. Only his athlete’s reflexes and history of fencing save him at first. However, in his quest to pursue Elaine, he meets companions that help him grow into the man he is meant to be – and finds his true purpose along the way. Messenger of Zhuvastou is a roaring adventure in new cultures and brotherly bonding that is sure to satisfy any sci-fi enthusiast. Praise for Andrew J Offutt: “Great entertainment of epic scope” – Poul Anderson “One of the major players from the sword and sorcery boom from the 70s” – Adventures Fantastic “Offers a new dimension in heroic fantasy.” – Jerry Pournelle “This is only the first of many adventures to come.” – Andre Norton Andrew Jefferson Offutt was an American science fiction and fantasy author who wrote prolifically under a variety of pseudonyms and genres, including John Cleve, John Denis, Jeff Morehead, and Turk Winter. He is the father of novelist Chris Offutt and professor Jeff Offutt. A sterling author of both science fiction and fantasy, primarily in the subgenre of Sword and Sorcery, he was most active throughout the 1970s and 80s.

That Certain Summer


Burton Wohl - 1973
    The poignant novel of a young boy who discovers his father ia a homosexual - based on the most important and acclaimed TV drama in years!

The Man Who Lived in Inner Space


Arnold Federbush - 1973
    Drawn by the Siren he went farther, deeper, till the final barrier was transcended - and he and the sea were one...

The Sorcerers


Daoma Winston - 1973
    Her frail and beautiful patient, Gilly soon discovered, never left the house and amused herself with talk of black magic and playing with dolls. The newest additions to Mrs Walkers's collection all had one thing in common: their bodies were mutilated in various forms of violent death. Gilly thought it was nothing more than a silly, rather gruesome game until two corpses whose mortal wounds were identical to those of the dolls were found on Walker Hill. And then Gilly realized that she too was marked for death...

Two Views of Wonder


Thomas N. ScortiaR. Bretnor - 1973
    Includes:Thou Good and Faithful by Thomas Scortia;A Personage of Royal Blood by Willo Davis Roberts;Kiss of Fire by Harlan Ellison;Un Bel Di by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro;The Quality of Mercy by Tamsin Ashe;Rope of Glass by George Zebrowski;Papa Schimmelhorn and the S.O.D.O.M. Serum by R. Bretnor;When Petals Fall by Sydney J. Van Scyoc;Small World by Michael Kurland;IMT by Pamela Sargent;Lone Warrior by Mirian Allen de Ford;Faulty Register by Joe Gores.

Moonshadow Mansion


Thelma Rene Bernard - 1973
    Destine, when she was deserted by her older sister and forced to leave London and its familiar vistas for the isolated moors of the north of England. The mansion in which she was to live was inhabited by two women: the invalid mother of a forlorn child, and an elderly aunt. Most of the old house had been boarded up, and all entrances were securely padlocked. But strange noises were heard at night, and candlelight often could be seen at the basement windows --- a basement which had not been occupied for many years! All Destine brought with her was courage and curiosity, and love for the child who so desperately needed care and attention. Would this be enough?

The Possession Of Elizabeth Calder


Melissa Napier - 1973
    Fifty years before, the peace of that house had been shattered by murder and suicide – could it be that a revenge-hungry spirit still walked the halls?Elizabeth was determined to find the truth – and someone was equally determined to kill her before she did. As danger piled on danger and terror on terror, Elizabeth little suspected that, in her moment of greatest need, help would come from the spirit of a woman who had been dead for fifty years!

The Secret of Chateau Laval


Susan Marvin - 1973
    A man she met at a party turned out to be the father she thought had died when she was an infant. He was delighted to be reunited with his daughter and persuaded her to visit him at this home in Geneva. When she arrived at the beautiful chateau at the edge of the Alps, Andrea realized what a wealthy man her father was. She received a warm welcome from her new stepsister, a sweet, fragile teenager who appeared to idolize Andra. There seemed to be no end to the marvelous surprised in Andrea's new life!

The Girl in The Trunk


Bruce Cassiday - 1973
    They couldn't stomach his sick brutality, the unholy glee with which he trapped and roughed-up mugging suspects and other victims for his sadistic fists.But Egan had a reason for the way he was. Five years before, his wife had been raped, carved and killed by an unknown mugger.Now there was a new case for the force to tackle. The victim was blonde and female...and she was bloody and dead. And the case was dumped in Egan's lap.