A. Merritt's "Adventurer Archaeologists"
A. Merritt helped create and define the 'adventurer archaeologist' trope. Without his influence, we might not have the likes of Indiana Jones, Dirk Pitt or Lara Croft.
Read MoreA. Merritt and the Irish
For Saint Patrick’s Day, I thought I’d look at how A. Merritt viewed Ireland and the Irish. A. Merritt's ancestors came from the southwest of England, but he had a sincere admiration for the Emerald Isle.
Read MoreThe New York Times Reviews The Moon Pool by A. Merritt
“Fantasy, romance, adventure; something of mystery, something of the supernatural; a weaving together of ancient legends, older by far than any historical records, with the scientific knowledge of the present day; and side by side with these, yet far above and mastering them, the power of human love and willing self-sacrifice, the whole held together by a shimmering, glistening web of imagination—such, insofar as words of ours can briefly describe it, is this fascinating romance of ‘The Moon Pool’. “ — The New York Times Book Review, November 23, 1919
Read More"The Moon Pool" Re-Read: Part Three
As I gazed once again upon Finlay's striking illustration of the moment when Dr. Throckmartin's colleague, Charles Stanton, is taken into/devoured by the Dweller in the Moon Pool, a thought occurred to me. The estates of Merritt and Finlay really missed the boat when they did not take the opportunity to have Finlay's illo made into a black light poster.
Read More"The Conquest of the Moon Pool" Turns 100
One hundred years ago today, A. Merritt's novella/short novel, "The Conquest of the Moon Pool," was unleashed upon an eager public. The story which spawned it, "The Moon Pool," had been met with such an outpouring of enthusiasm that editor Robert H. Davis practically demanded that A. Merritt write a sequel.
Read More"The Moon Pool" Re-Read: Part Two
We know that H.P. Lovecraft considered "The Moon Pool"--as published in its original form--to be one of the greatest weird tales ever written. The introductory letter, coupled with the eerie tale that followed, seems to have hit him like a bombshell. It is not hard to see why.
Read More"The Moon Pool" Re-Read: Part One
The centennial of the All-Story publication of "The Conquest of the Moon Pool" looms on the horizon. It seemed to me that a reread of the original novelette which spawned it would make an excellent lead-up to this new Merritt centennial.
Read MoreMerritt's "The Moon Pool" Turns 100
Today marks the centennial of the first publication of A. Merritt's novelette, "The Moon Pool." Such a small thing--only about twenty thousand words--but one that has had an extraordinarily outsized impact in the century since.
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