15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
In the footsteps of Sax Rohmer, August 18, 2009
This review is from: The Terror of Fu Manchu - Collector's Edition (Hardcover)
I take no position on the negative stereotype purportedly fostered by Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu and the Si-Fan. By way of observation only, I do find it interesting that those offended will always have the assurance that the Devil Doctor is a thing of fiction while villains of Europe and the Americas are all too real, and therefore not so easily dismissed (ex. Roman Emperor Caligula, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Rev. Jim Jones, etc., etc.).
For this reason, among others, taking up the reins from Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward, aka Sax Rohmer and penning a new Fu Manchu novel is a task not to be taken lightly. I don't know if Rohmer's Fu Manchu stories were the one-draft-and-then-to-press manuscripts so prevalent by the `30s and `40s in American fiction magazines (pulps). They don't read like it. The vocabulary was vast and diverse; sentences were long, but necessarily so. Importantly, Rohmer was able to convey a sense of atmosphere in the context of a culture entirely foreign to most readers. The plots were somewhat complicated - not convoluted. Rohmer tossed in a few red-herrings but the story unwound slowly, subtly, with witty dialogue usually told in the first person. Other than perhaps the red-herrings, none of these conventions were prevalent in `30s and `40s American pulp fiction. So, in my opinion, Sax Rohmer's work was a cut above.
Consequently, I had my doubts that Mr. Maynard - an American, Mid-Westerner of modern sensibilities - could pull off anything resembling the work of a distinguished, turn-of-the-century, English novelist, set in turn-of-the-century England. My doubts were misplaced. Mr. Maynard nailed it. I know now that it means something when the estate of the original author specifically selects a writer to carry on the tradition, as happened here.
The Terror of Fu Manchu is a pleasure to read. It's all here; the intelligence, vocabulary, wit and charm found in the original Fu Manchu titles abound. Mr. Maynard wedged his story amidst the original third installment to the Fu-Manchu series - The Si-Fan Mysteries (U.S. title: The Hand of the Fu-Manchu) - and does so seamlessly. Better, the pacing is picked-up a notch or two and perhaps even the level of mature content is amplified from the originals, albeit tastefully and appropriately.
To speak in much detail about the storyline and plot would give too much away. Suffice to say that it is a bit complicated - not convoluted - with a red-herring or two, but otherwise a lean piece of work coming in at 190 pages (and that's the ever-so-slightly extended hardcover edition with the bonus epilog). I was a bit put-off when the plot resorted to what appears to be divine intervention at a certain, crucial point in the story, but, then again, little else can stay the hand of the Si-Fan and its evil mastermind.
It is not enough to say that William Patrick Maynard channeled the first author of the Fu Manchu adventures; he has improved upon the original. That is the best compliment, and the highest recommendation I can give.
Respectfully,
Chris Yates
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent continuation of the series, April 2, 2009
This review is from: The Terror of Fu Manchu - Collector's Edition (Hardcover)
The novel is not only a continuation of Sax Rohmer's original series, but also ties in very closely to Cay Van Ash's previous pastiches, TEN YEARS BEYOND BAKER STREET and THE FIRES OF FU MANCHU. The plot of THE TERROR OF FU MANCHU is derived from a cryptic reference to the unrecorded cases of the "Six Snowmen" and "Ursula Trewlaney" in Van Ash's TEN YEARS BEYOND BAKER STREET. The new novel transpires in December 1913 during a gap in Rohmer's THE HAND OF FU MANCHU. Fu Manchu competes with occultist to discover a powerful talisman. Although the climactic battle is closer to Rohmer's BROOD OF THE WITCH QUEEN, the book is an engrossing adventure that captures the spirit of the early Fu Manchu books. Rare poisons, formidable dacoits, a giant snake, a crocodile and a monstrous demon threaten Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie. There are some enticing elements for the Rohmer aficionado. Gaston Max from THE YELLOW CLAW and THE GOLDEN SCORPION plays a major supporting role in the novel. There is an intriguing connection to Rohmer's Morris Klaw in a dream that Dr. Petrie experiences. There are also references to French mystery characters such as Fantomas and the Vampires from Louis Feuillade's serial. There's also a nod to Lovecraft's Old Ones. The Collector's Edition contains an extra short story set in 1929 that is a sequel to the events of the novel.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding!!, April 21, 2009
This review is from: The Terror of Fu Manchu - Collector's Edition (Hardcover)
This is a great continuation of a famous series. Mr. Maynard does an excellent job with this old-style, mystery thriller. The abundant research for background and history is clearly evident. If you're a fan of Charlie Chan or Sherlock Holmes, you'll love this. I look forward to the next...
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