Compare, if you will, the covers for these erotic occult novels from the late 1970s by
Brian McNaughton. The first three are from Carlyle Books, easily some of the dullest covers ever (by Ed Soyka, perhaps?); then you'll find the early '80s UK editions from Star Books. Oh, land of Aleister Crowley and Hammer Horror, we'd expect nothing less!
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I own Satan's Love Child. I just coudln't pass it up when I saw it lying around in a pile of used books.
ReplyDeleteBut the real question is - are they any good - love the UK covers.
ReplyDeleteMcNaughton is actually an extremely underrated writer in the Lovecraft vein, praised by S.T. Joshi for writing prose that tops Clark Ashton's Smith's. Unfortunately, these novels were significantly altered upon release, with sexed-up narratives and different, more lurid titles than what the author intended (and made to seem as if they were a series, which is not the case).
ReplyDeleteGood thing that the author's preferred texts of these books were released years later under their intended titles by Wildside Press. The best place to start with McNaughton would probably be The Throne of Bones, which collects his stories from the 80s-early 90s (and which won both the Horror Guild Award and the World Fantasy Award for Best Collection).
Huge thank you!
ReplyDeleteMy dad borrowed Satan's Love Child from a co-worker back in the late 1970s. I guess he thought he hid it behind books on our bookshelf, but I found it (perhaps I was meant to!). As a young lad probably about 15 or so, I found the sexual content of the book enthralling, and never forgot the basic gist of the story and some of the characters’ names, as well as most details of the sexual passages. The cover, shown above, was also unforgettable with the staring devil-face and the gorgeous curvy woman with ample breasts. Found the book on Ebay and probably paid too much for it but as the old J Geils song "Centerfold" said, "I guess I gotta buy it." Hoping the reality of the words on the page, when I see them again after about 40 years, will do justice to my teenage memories!