Oliver, John Rathbone. Priest or Pagan. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1933. First edition. Octavo, pp. [1-2] [i-viii] ix-xii [xiii-xiv] [1-2] 3-461 [462: "a note on the type ."] [463-464: blank]. Original black decorative cloth, front and spine panels stamped in red and silver, publisher's trademark stamped in blind on rear panel, top edge stained red, other edges rough-trimmed, decorative endpapers (with the Borzoi Books logo). A fine copy in a good dust jacket with tanning to covers and edge-wear around spine ends which, however, does not obliterate any typography. #727. $100. An expertly crafted novel, ultimately concerned with the conflict between magic and religion, generously detailed with three-dimensional characterizations and vivid descriptive writing. It has gained a good reputation among critics but does not show up on the radar of most readers of the genre. "Religious and metaphysical novel; the psychology of a Judas figure; the quest for evil and the conflict of physical and spiritual paternity . A long, fully developed novel, with much creative detail and some good characterizations . for the detail, the adumbrations of rottenness, worth reading." -- Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1260. "The protagonist, disadvantaged by birth and breeding, becomes ripe for conversion to the cause of evil and is helped on that road by the aptly named Hell Fire, with whose aid he eventually embarks on catastrophic occult experiments. An over elaborate but intriguing allegory." -- Barron (ed), Horror Literature 3-154.

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Bibliographic Details

Title: Priest or Pagan
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, New York
Publication Date: 1933
Binding: Hardback
Edition: First Edition.
Condition: Fine
Dust Jacket Condition: Good

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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