Carl Jacobi was a prolific contributor to Weird Tales in the 1930s and 1940s. Jacobi had the brilliant ability to create a moody atmosphere and tone with his precise and careful use of language. He was a master of the slow-building crescendo of suspense and terror that leads to an explosive and chilling, final revelation.
“Revelations in Black,” the first story in this collection, is the perfect example of Jacobi’s method. A narrator finds himself attracted to a strange, velvet-bound trilogy of books in an antique shop. Reading the books leads to a meeting with a strange woman dressed in black who hides a hideous secret.
Revelations in Black (1947), Jacobi’s first and most influential collection, contains twenty-one of his best short stories, including such famous tales as “Mive,” “The Satanic Piano,” and “Phantom Brass.”
This new Valancourt Books edition, the first in nearly fifty years, also features a bonus rare Jacobi tale, “Rails of the Yellow Skull,” and an introduction by Luigi Musolino. If you’re in the mood for some weird tales, give Revelations in Black a try. GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction by Luigi Musolino — 7
- “Revelations in Black” — 13
- “Phantom Brass” — 34
- “The Cane” — 42
- “The Coach on the Ring” — 55
- “The Kite” — 65
- “Canal” — 75
- “The Satanic Piano” — 91
- “The Last Drive” — 113
- “The Spectral Pistol” — 118
- “Sagasta’s Last” — 132
- “The Tomb from Beyond” — 141
- “The Digging at Pistol Key” — 159
- “Moss Island” — 174
- “Carnaby’s Fish” — 183
- “The King and the Knave” — 194
- “Cosmic Teletype” — 202
- “A Pair of Swords” — 218
- “A Study in Darkness” — 222
- “Mive” — 238
- “Writing on the Wall” — 244
- “The Face in the Wind” — 260
- “Rails of the Yellow Skull” — 283
Acknowledgements — 303
Not to be confused with the German mathematician of the same name (1804-1851), who made contributions to elliptical functions, dynamics, differential equations, determinants, and number theory — all of whish is frightening to me but just isn’t in the same wheelhouse as our Carl.
Our Carl (1908-1997) wrote more thrilling stuff. I’ve read all five of his original collections (both weird stories and adventure pulp fiction), as well as his biography by R. Dixon Smith, LOST IN THE RENTHARPIAN HILLS: SPANNING THE DECADES WITH CARL JACOBI. Count me in as a big fan.
Jerry, I’ve read several Carl Jacobi stories before I bought REVELATIONS IN BLACK. Now, I want more! Count me in as a big fan, too!
I can’t say I’ve really dived into Jacobi. I read “Revelations in Black” as a kid, in a Bantam anthology, STORIES SELECTED FROM THE UNEXPECTED, and a couple of other Jacobi tales since then. Looks like another good release from Valancourt.
Fred, I support Valancourt Books because they reprint wonderful books and their format is attractive.
I confess to never having read any of his work but I’m intrigued and I’ll check out almost anything in the weird or horror vein that Valancourt puts out even if the printing quality of their releases isn’t what it used to be. POD is a godsend for rescuing forgotten books but if the quality control isn’t there the results can look like something run off in somebody’s basement.
Byron, the books I’ve ordered from Valancourt Books have all been first-rate in content and packaging.
new name to me.
Patti, Carl Jacobi was best known in the 1930s and 1940s. He’s worth a look if you have any interest in the strange and bizarre.
I’ve read a couple of his stories, but that’s it. Sounds worth my while looking for more.
OK. Hard to pass up that deal.
List price, $19.99.
Kindle price $8.99.
Jackie has so many digital credits from various purchases, so my price:
$0.00.
Sold!
Jeff, Carl Jacobi is a master of mood and menace. I’ll be reading more of his work in the months ahead.
I also picked up one of his MEGAPACKS – science fiction stories.
Jeff, I’ve enjoyed the MEGAPACKS I’ve purchased.
I have enjoyed this book over the years and am glad to see a new edition
Scott, this new edition of REVELATIONS IN BLACK should attract a new audience.
I have the Jove paperback edition…a *mere* 45 years old, mind you, George, which I picked up new at the Honolulu Book Shops chainstore in Ala Moana in 1979, the year it was published/reprinted…or had…it might’ve been among those destroyed by the roof collapse. Sigh. Seems the kind of fate people and things will meet in jacobi stories. They also did the interesting variant version of Robert Bloch’s PLEASANT DREAMS about then, and reissued D. R. Benson’s THE UNKNOWN and THE UNKNOWN FIVE with inept covers…I picked up the former, in part to get the new foreword by Benson, but was lucky enough to stumble across a handsomer Pyramid original of FIVE about the same time.
If one wants to dip in: https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/luminist/EB/I-J-K/Jacobi%20-%20Revelations%20in%20Black.pdf
Knew that looked incorrect…D. R. Bensen.
Todd, Jove and Pyramid books bring back some great memories! I have D.R. Bensen’s THE UNKNOWN and THE UNKNOWN FIVE around here somewhere.
I showed this one to my husband, and he is very interested in it. He has several books put out by Valancourt. And I love the cover.
Tracy, Valancourt Books almost always have great covers! You’re husband would enjoy REVELATIONS IN BLACK!