When I was a kid, I loved The Mysterious Island–both the book by Jules Verne and the movie (1961) by Columbia Pictures. So, of course, I’m admitting partiality to Jonathan E. Lewis’s wonderful Strange Island Stories. Yes, H. P. Lovecraft’s iconic strange island story, “Dagon,” is here. But there are also many stories I was not familiar with like Jack London’s “Good-by Jack” and Robert Lewis Stevenson’s “The Isle of Voices.” Jonathan E. Lewis provides a variety of strange island stories so there is something here for every reader’s taste: mysteries, horror, adventure, etc. If you’re looking for an entertaining anthology of stories, Strange Island Stories fits the bill. I can also recommend Jonathan E. Lewis’s earlier anthology, Ancient Egyptian Supernatural Tales. You can read my review of that volume here. GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction
GHOSTS AND SHAPE SHIFTERS
“Monos and Daimonos” by Edward Bulwer 12
“Hugenin’s Wife” by M.P. Shiel 20
“The Far Islands” by John Buchan 30
“The Ship That Saw a Ghost” by Frank Norris 47
“The Gray Wolf” by George MacDonald 60
“The Camp of the Dog” by Algernon Blackwood 66
“Island of Ghosts” by Julian Hawthorne 123
BIZARRE CREATURES AND FANTATIC REALMS
“The Fiend of the Cooperage” by Arthur Conan Doyle 152
“Spirit Island” by Henry Toke Munn 164
“The Purple Terror” by Fred M. White 186
“Friend Island” by Francis Stevens 200
“In the Land of Tomorrow” by Epes Winthrop Sargent 211
“The Isle of Voices” by Robert Louis Stevenson 248
“Dagon” by H. P. Lovecraft 265
“The People of Pan” by Henry S. Whitehead 271
HUMAN HORRORS
“The Sixth Gargoyle” by David Eynon 294
“Three Skeleton Key” by George G. Toudouze 302
“Good-by Jack” by Jack London 313
“The Isle of Doom” by James Francis Dwyer 322
An Adriatic Awakening” by Jonathan E. Lewis 332
Notes for Further Reading 347
Fascinating! I have fond memories of books like Burroughs’ THE MONSTER MEN and films like THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME.
Dan, exactly! There were a lot of “island” stories when I was growing up! It seems like the Island Genre has almost disappeared.
I bet Rick doesn’t like this any more than the first one, but it sounds worth looking for.
Jeff, Jonathan E. Lewis is the son of DAPA-EMer Steve Lewis. Both of Jonathan’s STARK HOUSE anthologies are worth reading!
I knew that. We met both of Steve’s kids when they were kids, some 30+ years ago.
Jeff, Jonathan is following in his father’s footsteps! And doing a great job!
After finishing <i.And Be A Villain, I’m reading the second of the Nero Wolfe books featuring Arnold Zeck, Second Confession. It’s good to read some Nero Wolfe, it’s been a long time.
Rick, I sent a copy of TRIPLE ZECK to Art Scott for his Birthday.
Thanks for the review, George, I think this is the first Jon has gotten for this book. Glad you liked it!
Steve, tell Jon to keep up the Good Work! He has a knack of picking wonderful stories for his anthologies!