- Prince Zaleski
- by M.P. Shiel
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- Arguably
the most decadent of all fictional sleuths, Prince
Zaleski relies upon the methods of ratiocination so
beloved of Sherlock Holmes. But unlike his deer-stalkered
colleague, Zaleski rarely needs even to leave his divan
to solve the perplexing mysteries that Shiel brings
before him. Rather than give crude chase to the
perpetrators of these sophisticated crimes, Zaleski
reclines elegantly in his semi-ruined abbey, ‘a
bizarrerie of half-weird sheen and gloom,’ smoking
hashish and fashioning solutions from his encyclopedic
knowledge of the esoteric. Although he is in this respect
akin to Edgar Allan Poe’s detective, Auguste Dupin,
Zaleski is primarily an up-to-the-minute 1890s aesthete,
prompting one critic to suggest that he is based on that
tragically extravagant poet of death, Count Eric
Stenbock.
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- Prince Zaleski contains the three tales
originally collected in John Lane’s Keynotes edition,
(1893) along with three further stories, one unfinished,
which represent later ‘collaborations’ with the poet,
writer and literary researcher John Gawsworth.
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- Brian
Stableford provides an illuminating Introduction to the
twilight world of Prince Zaleski, and R.B. Russell’s Note
explains the genesis of the three stories written with
John Gawsworth.
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- Prince Zaleski is a sewn hardback book of
187+xxviii pages.
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- Limited
to 400 copies. ISBN 9781872621715
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- Price
£27.50/$50 inc. p&p.
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-
- Reviews:
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- "Prince Zaleski,
an impressive, attractive offering to the
macabre enthusiast's library, presents ample
evidence of the title character's decadent
mysticism and Shiel's prowess as a stylist,
building torrents of acrobatic logic and
emotional overflow with solidly layered,
carefully sequenced building-blocks of
description and pacing. A memorable
collection by an author who deserves more
exposure." -
Hellnotes
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- "Prince Zaleski is published
by Tartarus Press so you know you are getting
an extremely high-quality product. All their
books are durable and elegant, even
attractive in an academic sort of way. . . .
It is an exceptional book in every way, and
one that will be particularly prized by
collectors. Highly recommended." -
Wayne Edwards,
Cemetery Dance.
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- "A memorable collection by an
author who deserves more exposure." - William
Simmons, Infinity
Plus
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- "An indispensable acquisition
for all who relish the elegant and eccentric
in detection." Sherlock
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"Triumphantly over the top
and, by turns, atmospheric, pulpish, cranky,
maddening and absurd, the Zaleski stories
continue to intrige, and this is
unquestionably the definitive edition."
- Douglas
Campbell, All
Hallows
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- "Tartarus Press reissues
Shiel's stories featuring this most darkly
decadent of detectives, with an introduction
by Brian Stableford and featuring the
additional stories completed by John
Gawsworth. Hopefully we can jumpstart a Shiel
renaissance." - Gabriel Messa,
'A Year's Best List', Fantastic
Metropolis
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Also available by M.P. Shiel published by
Tartarus Press
Page updated
5th September 2009
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