paizo.com - The Secret of Sinharat (Trade Paperback)

About the Author

Though Leigh Douglass Brackett (1915–1978) was one of the most prominent science fiction authors of her time, she was equally adept in both crime fiction and westerns. While many of her early stories, beginning with "Martian Quest" in 1940, were science fantasy with a strong adventure theme, her first novel, "No Good From a Corpse"(1944), was a hard-boiled detective mystery that so impressed director Howard Hawks that he had his staff call in "this guy Brackett" to help William Faulkner write the script for The Big Sleep. The film, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, is considered a shining example of film noir, and launched Brackett's scriptwriting career, which would go on to include such notable pictures as Rio Bravo, The Long Goodbye, and the first draft of The Empire Strikes Back, which was written shortly before her death and later revised significantly. During this time, however, she maintained her status as a pulp science fiction icon, writing numerous stories and occasionally collaborating with protégé Ray Bradbury or husband Edmond Hamilton. It was during this busy period that she created her most famous character, criminal and wild-man Eric John Stark, an anti-hero who allowed her to explore colonialism's affect on native cultures, a theme that pervades much of her work. Despite her death from cancer in 1978, Brackett's works live on today as some of the most important in the genre.


Prime Evil (Planet Stories Subscriber), Mon, Apr 9, 2007, 04:53 AM

Wow...this is AWESOME news! As a long-time admirer of Leigh Brackett's work, the opportunity to see a reprint of this work is very cool indeed - especially as my current copy is a paperback from the late 1960's or early 1970's that is falling apart.


Erik Mona (Publisher), Mon, Apr 9, 2007, 10:10 PM

Prime Evil wrote: Wow...this is AWESOME news! As a long-time admirer of Leigh Brackett's work, the opportunity to see a reprint of this work is very cool indeed - especially as my current copy is a paperback from the late 1960's or early 1970's that is falling apart. This book (really two books in one) is absolutely incredible. Brackett's breathtaking vision of Mars definitey has a lasting impact. Of all the books we've announced so far, this one is absolutely one of my favorites. Brackett deserves a much wider modern audience. We're banking on the idea that there are enough readers out there to make a line like this profitable, and I can say with strong authority that if this book sells well there will be _much_ more Leigh Brackett to come. --Erik Mona


Abram T, Thu, Dec 20, 2007, 10:57 PM

First, let me say that I am utterly freaking thrilled that all these classic planetary romances and weird fantasies are getting a second life via Paizo; I've already purchased the two C. L. Moore volumes and it is likely -- very, very, very likely considering my fantastique-oriented bibliophilia and my acute money-incontinence -- that I will buy all the current PS volumes and continue buying them as they come out. Now, I would like to throw some recommendations for the PS line at you. I know that some of these may have already been suggested, and there's a possibility that they don't dovetail with the theme you've chosen for PS, but hey -- what can it hurt? If enough people yell loud enough for something . . . Sword of Rhiannon (I'm trying to build up the ultimate Leigh Brackett collection. Haffner's helping me with the short stuff. Can Paizo give me a hand with the novels, and so give me further assistance in my mad quest to utterly drain my bank account?) The Dwellers in the Mirage -- A. Merritt (An incredible, psychadelic fantasy about the reincarnation of a mighty Uighur warrior/godling who goes gold prospecting with his best friend, Cherokee mystic Jim Two Eagles, ends up finding a hidden magic city in the Alaskan hills and eventually confronts a freaky, black-tentacled god-thing from another dimension. Actually, a lot of Merritt's stuff needs back in print, man! He didn't write very many, so check 'em out! ) Citadel of Fear -- Francis Stevens (Two adventurers enter a remote valley in Mexico that ultimately leads them to the lost city of Tlapallan, the land of Quetzalcoatl, which is perched above a fiery lake! The heroes become involved in a conflict between the devotees of Quetzalcoatl and those of Nacoc-Yaotl, who may even BE his own living statue! Guys go nuts! Some 1st-world dude learns about making artificial life from Tlapallan, and starts makin' him some monsters! It's a wham-bop-pow finish between monsters and people and everything else! This book has never seen a trade paperback or hardcover printing to my knowledge. Pity!) The Book of Ptath -- A. E. van Vogt (The Great God Ptath, thrice greatest Ptath, he whose strength is unlimited, who tires not, and knows no fear, rules mightily over the world of 200,000,000 A.D.! However, to keep flowing a steady infusion of human experience and spirit so that he doesn't fall out of touch with his mortal subjects, he "submerges himself in the race," reverse incarnating himself into the bodies of people of the past, sharing their triumphs and sorrows. But while he is doing this, one of his Goddess-wives, Golden Ineznia, pulls a vile trick on him! Can Holroyd, a WWII tank commander in whom Ptath was living, save the day after he is zapped, shocked and unknowing, into the mighty body of 200,000,000 A.D. Ptath? Maybe it's just me, but I loves da van Vogt! What about you guys?) To my knowledge, all three of these fantasy classics are out of print. However, Merritt and Stevens have seen a limited resurgence in popularity. Merritt's The Moon Pool and it's sequel, The Metal Monster, are back in business via small and academic presses. Most of Francis Stevens shorter works are available from the Bison Frontiers of the Imagination series and Sense of Wonder press has published Claimed, one of her novels, at the recommendation of Forry Ackerman. If you guys think these two authors are good for ya, you better strike before the (relatively) hot iron cools! Thanks again for the cool reprints!


Erik Mona (Publisher), Fri, Dec 21, 2007, 03:09 PM

We've got three more Brackett's coming soon (The Ginger Star, The Hounds of Skaith, and The Reavers of Skaith), and we're in discussions about The Sword of Rhiannon. I'd frankly expect an announcement about that on in a couple of months. I am only now getting into A. Merritt. Give me a little time with this author, and I will get around to him. So far I really like what I've read, and a great deal of it is out of print. I'm not familiar with Stevens at all. We considered a few A.E. Van Vogt books early on, but most of them are spoken for. It'll probably be a while before we try that route again. Thanks for the suggestions, and especially for the support!


Ronald Weinstock, Sat, Jan 12, 2008, 11:33 AM

I wish I could write a positive thing about this book yet I am still waiting for it. It was allegedly mailed on December 28 and I have sent several emails this week asking about when I would be getting it after checking my mail for that day. None of the emails has been answered. Is your customer service that bad. Where is the book. Did I make a mistake not ordering this from amazon and at what point do I ask for a get a refund.