ABANDONED. action/adventure fiction involving astral projection and various other paranormal topics

[Two4two]

Published by Playboy Press sometime between 1960 and 1971. I thought the title was "The Invisibles", but I can find no such novel in any resource. Synopsis: A man suffers a head injury. While in hospital he begins having vivid dreams and soon realizes they are not dreams. He researches and learns it is astral projection. His abilities grow more and more varied and powerful. Very interesting how the author forays into other metaphysical topics and relates them to astral projection. He stumbles on espionage and becomes embroiled. He discovers others with the same abilities and danger follows him in the physical and metaphysical realms.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

The Invisibles by Bernhardt J. Hurwood? Worldcat calls it "paranormal fiction." There is a GR review.

The Invisibles by James Dark would also fit the publication time frame but the plot seems a little less likely, although the supernatural and (possibly) espionage is involved.

[Two4two]

Lobstergirl wrote: "The Invisibles by Bernhardt J. Hurwood? Worldcat calls it "paranormal fiction." There is a GR review.

The Invisibles by James Dark..."

The Bernhardt J. Hurwood one seems possible, but my copy was published by Playboy Press. I'm not knowledgeable about the world of publishing so maybe my copy by Playboy Press was a one-off or carried the Playboy name because they were only distributors? Where can I get this book? I'll read it and see if it is the one I owned all those years ago.

[Two4two]

Two4two wrote: "Lobstergirl wrote: "The Invisibles by Bernhardt J. Hurwood? Worldcat calls it "paranormal fiction." There is a GR review.

The Invisibles by [author..."

I just now bought it on Amazon, so I'll read it and see if this is the one I'm looking for.

[Two4two]

OK, I got the book that Lobstergirl suggested. It isn't the one I'm looking for. But it does look interesting and so I will read it and enjoy it. I do believe the one I'm looking for was published (or distributed) by Playboy Press in mid-to-late '60s. I thought it was titled "The Invisibles", but maybe not. Maybe that was just one of the chapter names.

[Two4two]

I finished the book that Lobstergirl suggested. This book, though NOT the one I read in the late '60s, very, very closely parallels it. Is there such a thing as someone RE-WRITING a book and publishing through a different publisher? Or maybe someone plagiarizing and never being caught? The original one I read in the '60s started with a man in the hospital due to an accident. This one had him in the hospital as a result of a psychedelic drug OD. The original one I read in the '60s was written in narrative form. This one was written as though it was entries in a journal. HOWEVER, both books were nearly identical in plot and concept. So, I'll have to say, this book is just as cool as the one I read in the '60s. Short easy read with interesting concepts. Not high literature, but nice reading room material. :)

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

I think any of those things is possible, most likely a copy-cat version. Not necessarily plagiarism, but in the way that Harry Potter spawned hundreds of Harry Potter imitations, and Gone Girl spawned a bunch of books with similar plots/themes. An author or a publisher wants to capitalize on something trendy.

However, if that were the case it wouldn't be given the same title as the thing it was imitating, so maybe your rewriting idea is what happened.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

It could happen that the publisher (Playboy) allowed the book to go out of print quickly, the author wasn't happy about it, bought the rights back, and published it with a different publisher.

[Two4two]

Lobstergirl wrote: "It could happen that the publisher (Playboy) allowed the book to go out of print quickly, the author wasn't happy about it, bought the rights back, and published it with a different publisher."

I can believe this. The books are SO alike, differing only in presentation, and this is a minor thing. The plot and characters are identical. The only changes are as I outlined above. SO, thanks Lobstergirl for finding the book for me. :)

[Kris]

Any chance this is a short story in a collection/anthology?

[Two4two]

Why do you ask? Have you found a short story by that name that deals with the same subject? It might be, but if it was, then it was a mighty long chapter version short story. My mother worked in the "books" section of a store back then and would bring home many of the "returns" with the front page torn off. This was one. It was in the Playboy Press batch. There were often collections/anthologies included. She brought home a book from Playboy Press that was essentially the same as the movie "American Gigolo" (Richard Gere) that came out a decade later. I don't remember the name of that book, but it was surely reflected exactly in the movie. But I doubt the book can be found now, or if one IS found it won't be the Playboy Press version.

[Kris]

Two4two wrote: "Why do you ask? Have you found a short story by that name that deals with the same subject? ..."

No, I thought it might be more common for Playboy Press to have published short story anthologies as opposed to novels in the 1960's.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Two4two, are you still looking for this? Did you find something more likely than the one by Hurwood?

[Kris]

No response, moving to Abandoned folder.

Two4two (OP) was last active on the site in September 2016.