The House on the Borderland and Other Novels
Sauk City, WI: Arkham House, 1946. First edition, first printing. Publisher's black cloth, in Hannes Bok dust jacket (price-clipped). xi, 639pp. Fine in near fine, price-clipped dust jacket with short tear lower flap crease, in mylar cover. Item #232847
The cover art by Hannes Bok (Wayne Woodward) portrays a swirling predatory group of bizarre sea creatures and demons in lurid futuristic colors descending on a pristine, unsuspecting white house captured in the palm of an evil hand. It's fitting that this would be Arkham House’s first cover printed in color, all the better to convey the nature of things weird and terrifying. When Arkham House decided to reissue the writings of William Hope Hodgson (1877-1918), in 1946 in a small press run of 3014 copies, they were reassured by the opinion of the late H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) who thought that The House On the Borderlands and Hodgson’s novels “have a peculiar & magnificent power -– an ability to suggest realms & dimensions just out of reach & sieges by hellish legions . . . The House On the Borderlands has a breath-taking cosmic reach.” It remains a weird classic and was included in Gollancz’s Fantasy Masterworks series in 2002.
[Joshi, 16].
Price: $500.00