A Touch of the Creature
-
- $8.99
-
- $8.99
Publisher Description
Charles Beaumont’s untimely death in 1967 at age 38 cut short the brief but brilliant career of a writer now regarded as a master of modern weird fiction. The author of three extraordinary collections of short stories, the acclaimed novel The Intruder, and scripts for cult classic horror films and the popular TV series The Twilight Zone, Beaumont was at work on a fourth collection at the end of his life. The contents of that book, which he hoped to title A Touch of the Creature, remained unpublished until a limited hardcover edition in 2000, now long out-of-print.
Ranging in tone from the eerie and unsettling “The Indian Piper” and “Time and Again” to the offbeat and humorous “Adam’s Off Ox” and “The Junemoon Spoon”, these stories reveal previously unknown sides to this talented writer and will not disappoint any fan of Beaumont’s work.
This edition includes all fourteen tales from the limited hardcover edition, along with three additional never-before-seen stories, and features a new introduction by award-winning editor Roger Anker.
“I read it with emotions ranging from startlement to awe … It’s a journey worth taking.” – Richard Matheson
“Fans of Beaumont’s writing are sure to enjoy this collection.” – Publishers Weekly
“If you fancy yourself any sort of serious fan of modern imaginative fiction you’ll want to pick up A Touch of the Creature.” – SFSite.com
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
While Beaumont may be best remembered for his contributions to The Twilight Zone, he also produced a considerable number of short stores that crossed a spectrum of genres, from horror and dark fantasy to more traditional noir and mystery fiction. Twelve of the 13 stories in this collection have never been published before. "Adam's Off Ox" is a folksy tall tale combining a deal-with-the-devil plot with a surprising take on the origin of Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe. In "The Junemoon Spoon," the citizens of a small country town collude to take revenge on a sleazy traveling salesman. With "A Long Way from Capri," "Lachrymosa," "The Rival" and "A Friend of the Family," Beaumont uses romantic twist endings to heal his characters' wounded hearts. "Time and Again" and "The Indian Piper" are also gentle stories of healing, though without the romance. In "Moon in Gemini," a young woman's fears for her unborn baby rapidly turn to dangerous paranoia, while "Resurrection Island" will appeal to fans of pulp adventure. Although no dates are given to any of these stories, all betray their age with their old-fashioned sensibility. Fans of Beaumont's writing are sure to enjoy this collection, however. Introduction by Christopher Beaumont and afterword by Richard Matheson not seen by PW.
