Fryers, Austin (pseudonym of William Edward Clery). The Devil and the Inventor. London: C. Arthur Pearson Ltd., 1900. First edition. Octavo, pp. [1-2] [i-iv] v-vi [1] 2-272. Original maroon pictorial cloth, front panel stamped in black and pink, spine panel stamped in pink. Spine panel just a bit faded, a good solid unworn copy. A rather scarce book. #3377. $75. A novel that combines the humorous treatment of a deal-with-the-devil theme and the then-emerging sub-genre of the wacky invention story. (These wacky inventors were usually a sanitized version of the increasingly well-established mad scientist; but a few come across as disconcertingly eccentric visionaries whose grotesqueries might have escaped from the world of Baron Munchausen.) A hapless inventor in England cannot marry his sweetheart because he has no money and no prospects, just a fuzzy confidence in his own potential as an inventor. She has no money of her own. Her father does but he, quite sensibly, will not bestow it on such a nitwit. The would-be inventor rashly declares he would do anything to win enough acclaim to impress her father, even to the extent of selling his soul to the devil. The devil instantly appears, in suitably ironic guise, eager to clinch the deal. "Science fantasy novel of the trials and tribulations of an impoverished inventor who invokes the aid of the devil, a being who has mastered the laws of the universe." - Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 87. Barron (ed), Fantasy Literature 3-150. Clarke, Tale of the Future (1978), p. 26. Bleiler (1978), p. 78. Reginald 05682.

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Bibliographic Details

Title: The Devil and the Inventor
Publisher: C. Arthur Pearson, London
Publication Date: 1900
Binding: Hardback
Edition: First Edition.
Condition: Good
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket

Store Description

When I began my bookselling business in 1996 I called it "Eldritch Books" because that adjective at least partly covered the type of material I offered (and because its similarity to my own surname seemed so -- eldritch). "Ghost stories" would be another handy, if somewhat reductive, term. Most of it is fiction from the 19th and early 20th century with a strong emphasis on the fantastic. Since the most familiar and relevant genre terms in use today -- "science fiction," "fantasy," "supernatural," "horror" -- were not so much in use when these books were first published, pegging them that way can be anachronistic. But that should give you the general idea. I don't have much in the way of American pulp (either in magazine or specialty press book form) but otherwise my interests range widely from high-brow to middle-brow to low-brow to amateur/eccentric. You're more likely to find rare and obscure works here than high spots. (Or at least they're obscure now, whatever their status was when first published.) In 2001 I went to work for L. W. Currey as cataloguer and general assistant. Since 2014 I've been back working on my own. I have exhibited at convention fairs (such as WFC and Readercon) in the past. I began collecting and studying antiquarian fantasy around 1980. Some of my essays have appeared in genre publications such as NYRSF, Wormwood and F&SF. I tend to carefully research my inventory and write extensive notes. (If another dealer wishes to make use of any of these notes, I'd appreciate the courtesy of putting such excerpts in quotes and giving proper attribution to me. That's what I do when I quote from any of my reference works.) I will be gradually listing my inventory on ABE over the coming years. I hope you find something of interest.

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Robert Eldridge, Bookseller
NY, U.S.A.

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I ship only by U.S. Postal Service. All shipments are packed carefully and mailed with insurance and (for domestic shipments) tracking information. Except where specified for extra large items, rates are: Domestic Media Mail: $5. Domestic Priority: $10. International First Class (must be under 4 lbs.): $25. International Global Priority (required by USPS regulations for anything over 4 lbs.) -- ask for quo...

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