Preorder: The Twisted Tree and The Birds by Frank Baker

[Valancourt Books]

Now up for preorder at a 20% discount, two rare novels by Frank Baker: The Twisted Tree (1935), a dark, brooding Gothic drama set in Cornwall, and The Birds (1936), the story of a murderous avian invasion. Grab one or both here.



The Twisted Tree (1935)

Book Description

The “twisted tree” is a blackthorn branch, picked by Tansy Penderil, a naive young Cornish girl, on the same day she meets the handsome but diabolical Roger Chailey in the woods for the first time. But it is not the only souvenir of their encounter: eighteen years later, Tansy’s son, David, is the living image of Chailey, sharing not only his father’s good looks but also his immoral ways. David’s resemblance to her first lover triggers powerful feelings in Tansy and leads to a strange relationship between mother and son, as well as a terrible and shocking conclusion . . .

The Twisted Tree (1935) is the extremely rare first novel by Frank Baker (1908-1983), best known for his avian apocalypse novel The Birds (1936) and his classic fantasy Miss Hargreaves (1940). A story that one critic said might have been “written by the ghost of D. H. Lawrence seated on the grave of Mary Webb,” Baker’s brooding Gothic drama is an important rediscovery that remains a gripping and powerful read.

Reviews

“An imaginative novel told with a haunting sense of subconscious evil . . . The climax comes with startling effect. A vivid and stirring book.” - Manchester Evening News

“A dark and terrible tale.” - Howard Spring

“A thoroughly interesting and often moving tale.” - Compton Mackenzie

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The Birds (1936)
Introduction by Ken Mogg

Book Description

Thousands, even millions, of birds are descending on London – gathering, sitting, watching. At first their arrival is met with curiosity and amusement, as people debate where the birds have come from and what they’re doing here. But soon the feathered invaders start to show their sinister side, attacking, maiming, and even killing in incidents of tremendous brutality and violence. Are they an example of nature gone horribly awry, or a paranormal manifestation? Only one thing is certain: their aim is the destruction of mankind, and nobody has any idea how to stop them . . .

Frank Baker’s avian apocalypse novel The Birds (1936) went largely unnoticed when first published, but after the release of Alfred Hitchcock’s film in 1963, Baker threatened to sue, believing the director had borrowed from his book. The text of this definitive edition of Baker’s classic is taken from his own copy of the book, in which he made hundreds of changes and corrections, never published until now. This edition also features an introduction by Hitchcock scholar Ken Mogg.

Reviews

“The most original piece of imaginative fiction since Wells wrote The War of the Worlds.” - Birmingham Mail

“Against the novels written for wholesale consumption, the fantasies of Frank Baker are an unfailing delight.” - The New York Times

“The story . . . is ingenious, and succeeds in creating a sinister atmosphere.” - Time and Tide

[Latasha]

both of these sounds great!

[mark]

The Birds was awesome. (His Miss Hargreaves was pretty good too.) Thanks for putting out Twisted Tree, I look forward to reading it.

[Kimberly]

I loved THE BIRDS! Need to read the other one yet!!