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The Pale Brown Thing
"The ancient Egyptians only buried people in their pyramids. We are living in ours." - Thibaut de Castries
Serialised in 1977, The Pale Brown Thing is a shorter version of Fritz Leiber's World Fantasy Award-winning novel of the supernatural, Our Lady of Darkness . Leiber maintained that the two texts "should be regarded as the same story told at different times"; thus this volume reprints The Pale Brown Thing for the first time in nearly forty years, with an introduction by the author's friend, Californian poet Donald Sidney-Fryer. The novella stands as Leiber's vision of 1970s San a city imbued with an eccentric vibe and nefarious entities, in which pulp writer Franz Westen uncovers an alternate portrait of the city's fin de siecle literary set-Ambrose Bierce, Jack London, Clark Ashton Smith-as well as the darker invocations of occultist Thibaut de Castries and a pale brown inhabitant of Corona Heights.
Serialised in 1977, The Pale Brown Thing is a shorter version of Fritz Leiber's World Fantasy Award-winning novel of the supernatural, Our Lady of Darkness . Leiber maintained that the two texts "should be regarded as the same story told at different times"; thus this volume reprints The Pale Brown Thing for the first time in nearly forty years, with an introduction by the author's friend, Californian poet Donald Sidney-Fryer. The novella stands as Leiber's vision of 1970s San a city imbued with an eccentric vibe and nefarious entities, in which pulp writer Franz Westen uncovers an alternate portrait of the city's fin de siecle literary set-Ambrose Bierce, Jack London, Clark Ashton Smith-as well as the darker invocations of occultist Thibaut de Castries and a pale brown inhabitant of Corona Heights.
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
About the author
Fritz Leiber
1,401 books1,085 followersFritz Reuter Leiber Jr. was one of the more interesting of the young writers who came into HP Lovecraft's orbit, and some of his best early short fiction is horror rather than sf or fantasy. He found his mature voice early in the first of the sword-and-sorcery adventures featuring the large sensitive barbarian Fafhrd and the small street-smart-ish Gray Mouser; he returned to this series at various points in his career, using it sometimes for farce and sometimes for gloomy mood pieces--The Swords of Lankhmar is perhaps the best single volume of their adventures. Leiber's science fiction includes the planet-smashing The Wanderer in which a large cast mostly survive flood, fire, and the sexual attentions of feline aliens, and the satirical A Spectre is Haunting Texas in which a gangling, exo-skeleton-clad actor from the Moon leads a revolution and finds his true love. Leiber's late short fiction, and the fine horror novel Our Lady of Darkness, combine autobiographical issues like his struggle with depression and alcoholism with meditations on the emotional content of the fantastic genres. Leiber's capacity for endless self-reinvention and productive self-examination kept him, until his death, one of the most modern of his sf generation.
Used These Alternate Names: Maurice Breçon, Fric Lajber, Fritz Leiber, Jr., Fritz R. Leiber, Fritz Leiber Jun., Фриц Лейбер, F. Lieber, フリッツ・ライバー
Used These Alternate Names: Maurice Breçon, Fric Lajber, Fritz Leiber, Jr., Fritz R. Leiber, Fritz Leiber Jun., Фриц Лейбер, F. Lieber, フリッツ・ライバー
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 23, 2016
Whats so cool about Fritz Leiber's book "The Pale Brown Thing" that makes the book an exciting, thrilling and must read ? Let me try and explain.
At first glance it's a beautifully produced book and the dust jacket provides an excellent view of where the story takes place, in an old San Francisco apartment building converted from an even older hotel that was constructed after the Great San Francisco fire of 1906.
Once the dust jacket is removed we see a new painting imbedded into the boards of the book of a horrific scene that is unveiled within the story itself, both excellent and beautiful productions by Jason Zerrillo.
Next, the book itself is divided into three succinct sections. The first is the new introduction by the California poet Donald Sidney-Fryer. This is important for many reasons, one of which Mr. Sidney-Fryer appears as a character within the story itself, though under a disguised pseudonym, and was a friend of Mr. Leiber's in real life.
Part two is the story itself. "The Pale Brown Thing" is perhaps better known as one of Mr. Leiber's famous and popular novel "Our Lady of Darkness". This is not the same version of that story, or just an expanded version. This is a unique take on the events that take place. Yes, the story is somewhat autobiographical concerning portions of Mr. Leiber's later life, the city, and his friends, however the horror and dread that is built has an amazingly "real" feel. Having said that, The main character is called Franz Weston, a thinly disguised Fritz Leiber himself, who is also a horror writer for the magazines.
The third and last portion of the book is titled "Story Telling, Wonder-questing, The Transformation of The Pale Brown Thing into Our Lady Of Darkness" by John Howard. An excellent essay regarding these two versions of the same series of events. Mr. Howard compares and contrasts the two stories with excellent insight and thought.
This book is copy 43 of 100 numbered copies. The book arrived with a signed numbered card signed by Donald Sidney Fryer who wrote the introduction to the book and also numbered 43 of 100 numbered copies of a total print run of 350..
At first glance it's a beautifully produced book and the dust jacket provides an excellent view of where the story takes place, in an old San Francisco apartment building converted from an even older hotel that was constructed after the Great San Francisco fire of 1906.
Once the dust jacket is removed we see a new painting imbedded into the boards of the book of a horrific scene that is unveiled within the story itself, both excellent and beautiful productions by Jason Zerrillo.
Next, the book itself is divided into three succinct sections. The first is the new introduction by the California poet Donald Sidney-Fryer. This is important for many reasons, one of which Mr. Sidney-Fryer appears as a character within the story itself, though under a disguised pseudonym, and was a friend of Mr. Leiber's in real life.
Part two is the story itself. "The Pale Brown Thing" is perhaps better known as one of Mr. Leiber's famous and popular novel "Our Lady of Darkness". This is not the same version of that story, or just an expanded version. This is a unique take on the events that take place. Yes, the story is somewhat autobiographical concerning portions of Mr. Leiber's later life, the city, and his friends, however the horror and dread that is built has an amazingly "real" feel. Having said that, The main character is called Franz Weston, a thinly disguised Fritz Leiber himself, who is also a horror writer for the magazines.
The third and last portion of the book is titled "Story Telling, Wonder-questing, The Transformation of The Pale Brown Thing into Our Lady Of Darkness" by John Howard. An excellent essay regarding these two versions of the same series of events. Mr. Howard compares and contrasts the two stories with excellent insight and thought.
This book is copy 43 of 100 numbered copies. The book arrived with a signed numbered card signed by Donald Sidney Fryer who wrote the introduction to the book and also numbered 43 of 100 numbered copies of a total print run of 350..
October 17, 2017
Un'interessante iniziativa editoriale di una giovane casa editrice da seguire attentamente: Cliquot. La veste grafica del volume è pressoché ineccepibile e e il contenuto non è da meno.
Il libro, oltre al romanzo breve che dà il titolo all'antologia, raccoglie sette racconti inediti in Italia, distribuiti lungo quasi tutta la carriera di Leiber. Con una tale varietà cronologica (si va dai primi anni '40 agli anni '80), si può apprezzare l'evoluzione letteraria dell'opera dell'autore.
I primi racconti sono molto divertenti e godibili, con uno stile "pulp" volutamente semplice e diretto, che punta più a stupire con effetti speciali che con complesse riflessioni.
Gli ultimi sono invece molto più disturbanti e complessi. Storie più strutturate e ricercate, in cui la componente psicologica svolge un ruolo predominante nella ricerca dell'orrore.
Paradossalmente, per quanto mi riguarda, il testo che mi ha colpito meno è stato proprio "La cosa marrone chiaro". Questo romanzo breve, dopo la prima pubblicazione, era poi stato lievemente modificato e rinominato "Nostra Signora delle Tenebre". La nuova versione, forse considerata l'opera più importante di Leiber, mi era effettivamente piaciuta.
"La cosa marrone chiaro", invece, mi ha appassionato e coinvolto meno, nonostante l'estrema somiglianza. La lettura è stata un po' tribolata e la cosa mi ha stupito, visto che una versione quasi uguale, in un momento diverso, mi aveva convinto.
Forse si è trattata semplicemente della lettura sbagliata al momento sbagliato, ma questo non va a intaccare quello che è il valore letterario e artistico di un'opera sicuramente da provare di un maestro della narrativa fantastica.
Il libro, oltre al romanzo breve che dà il titolo all'antologia, raccoglie sette racconti inediti in Italia, distribuiti lungo quasi tutta la carriera di Leiber. Con una tale varietà cronologica (si va dai primi anni '40 agli anni '80), si può apprezzare l'evoluzione letteraria dell'opera dell'autore.
I primi racconti sono molto divertenti e godibili, con uno stile "pulp" volutamente semplice e diretto, che punta più a stupire con effetti speciali che con complesse riflessioni.
Gli ultimi sono invece molto più disturbanti e complessi. Storie più strutturate e ricercate, in cui la componente psicologica svolge un ruolo predominante nella ricerca dell'orrore.
Paradossalmente, per quanto mi riguarda, il testo che mi ha colpito meno è stato proprio "La cosa marrone chiaro". Questo romanzo breve, dopo la prima pubblicazione, era poi stato lievemente modificato e rinominato "Nostra Signora delle Tenebre". La nuova versione, forse considerata l'opera più importante di Leiber, mi era effettivamente piaciuta.
"La cosa marrone chiaro", invece, mi ha appassionato e coinvolto meno, nonostante l'estrema somiglianza. La lettura è stata un po' tribolata e la cosa mi ha stupito, visto che una versione quasi uguale, in un momento diverso, mi aveva convinto.
Forse si è trattata semplicemente della lettura sbagliata al momento sbagliato, ma questo non va a intaccare quello che è il valore letterario e artistico di un'opera sicuramente da provare di un maestro della narrativa fantastica.
March 10, 2017
Fritz Leiber è uno dei padri dell'urban horror. Punto e fine della questione. Solo per questo andrebbe recuperato tutto quanto. Era da L'incubo di Hill House che non trovavo qualcosa di così genuinamente disturbante. L'orrore di queste storie è unico: comunica con il lettore.
November 3, 2019
The original telling of the Franz Westen story, originally published as a two parter in Fantasy & Science Fiction magazine, the precursor to what became the book "Our Lady of Darkness".
For those that know the book "The Pale Brown Thing" is a pared down thing. A more urgent telling of the tale, more direct and more Westen centred. "Thing" tells of the events as if Westen needs to get it out, now. "Lady" is a little more relaxed, the other characters (including the city and its hisory) acknowledged in their place as if Westen has had a chance to breathe.
For those that don't know the book, "Thing" is a tale of the psychogeography of '70s San Francisco, of grief and aging, of the mental (paramental) effects of urban living, and of the importance of checking just exactly what it is you bought in that second-hand bookshop.
For those that know the book "The Pale Brown Thing" is a pared down thing. A more urgent telling of the tale, more direct and more Westen centred. "Thing" tells of the events as if Westen needs to get it out, now. "Lady" is a little more relaxed, the other characters (including the city and its hisory) acknowledged in their place as if Westen has had a chance to breathe.
For those that don't know the book, "Thing" is a tale of the psychogeography of '70s San Francisco, of grief and aging, of the mental (paramental) effects of urban living, and of the importance of checking just exactly what it is you bought in that second-hand bookshop.
December 13, 2016
A collector’s item, in my opinion, the shorter version of Leiber’s work, Our Lady of Darkness (which I have not read) this novella is a gothic, atmospheric chiller. Set in San Francisco in the 1970’s, the Hippie culture and architecture layering in the city’s character, the narrative is a classic, old-school horror. Franz Westen, a widowed writer of supernatural stories, purchases a second-hand book by occultist, Thibaut de Castries, and bound to that book is a mysterious journal…with the ghostliest of cracklings the page came apart into two, revealing writing hidden between…and just where is the mysterious place, 607 Rhodes as referenced in the writings of de Castries? A beautiful hardback edition, this would make a wonderful gift for a diehard horror fan.
June 18, 2017
"Al di là delle note personali e autobiografiche rintracciabili al loro interno, i racconti di questa raccolta sono un must per gli appassionati dell’horror, e più in generale per chi cerca una lettura non troppo impegnativa ma che sia in grado di regalare momenti di qualità". [...]
Continua qui: http://treracconti.it/la-cosa-marrone...
Continua qui: http://treracconti.it/la-cosa-marrone...
January 2, 2021
L’opera di Fritz Leiber è difficile da inquadrare, ho provato a trovare il filo della matassa ma mi sono persa all’incrocio tra il fantastico contemporaneo e l’urban fantasy. Questo perché Leiber ha attraversato diverse fasi, come uomo e come artista, e tutte hanno trovato ampio sfogo nella scrittura. Fu lui stesso a inventare un’etichetta per definire alcune delle sue storie: sword and sorcery (letteralmente “spada e stregoneria”).
Qua, di più: Fritz Leiber e il mistero nella società moderna
Qua, di più: Fritz Leiber e il mistero nella società moderna
July 20, 2023
Ho letto colpevolmente poco di Leiber e, vista la passione condivisa per il Solitario di Providence, ho deciso di colmare questa lacuna. La cosa marrone chiaro e altre storie dell'orrore è una raccolta di racconti altalenante: le vette raggiunte dal romanzo breve che dà il titolo al libro (veramente spettacolare, un horror urbano di una modernità inquietante e degna di Lovecraft) non sono poi raggiunte dai racconti brevi, in larga parte piuttosto noiosi.
Tre stelle per il contorno scadente, ma la portata principale è da cinque.
Tre stelle per il contorno scadente, ma la portata principale è da cinque.
September 16, 2022
[16/09/22]
- Spider Mansion: classic old action short story! 4/5
- Mr. Bauer and the Atoms: 3/5
- Cry Witch!: 3/5
- The Casket-Demon: 4/5
- Richmond, Late September, 1849: 2/5 --- really too many references
- The Pale Brown Thing: 2,75/5 --- my hype was too high for this one, same problem of "Richmond"
- Death: 4,75/5 --- Love the omniscient narrator, the slippery slope of the plot, unexpected!
- Black has its Charm ???/5 --- wtf?!
- Spider Mansion: classic old action short story! 4/5
- Mr. Bauer and the Atoms: 3/5
- Cry Witch!: 3/5
- The Casket-Demon: 4/5
- Richmond, Late September, 1849: 2/5 --- really too many references
- The Pale Brown Thing: 2,75/5 --- my hype was too high for this one, same problem of "Richmond"
- Death: 4,75/5 --- Love the omniscient narrator, the slippery slope of the plot, unexpected!
- Black has its Charm ???/5 --- wtf?!
July 19, 2017
Recensione: http://bit.ly/2wgAY5s
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews