Review: MONSIEUR ZENITH THE ALBINO by Anthony Skene
Stiletto Blade
Written by George Norman Philips under the pseudonym of Anthony Skene (not
to be confused with the Anthony Skene who scripted three episodes of THE
PRISONER), Zenith appeared as the villain in many Sexton Blake stories
throughout the 1920s and 30s. This is the only Zenith novel (Sexton Blake
doesn't feature).
As the acknowledged inspiration for Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone,
the much talked about but little seen Zenith has a reputation to live up to.
Now, thanks to a beautifully illustrated reprint from Savoy Books, we
finally get to judge him for ourselves.
I began reading with high hopes. I finished feeling a little disappointed.
The problem lies in the plotting and writing style rather than in the
albino. In fact, Zenith is a superbly realised character with far more depth
and substance than most pulp heroes of the time. A sort of cross between
Raffles and Holmes, he's a dandified thief whose childhood was ordered "by
taskmaster after taskmaster. Everything in it, even recreation; calculated;
arranged to a time table for the purpose of improvement."
This sounds similar to the boyhood of Clarke Savage Jr. But unlike the Man
of Bronze, Zenith grows up as a man of alabaster who resents both his
upbringing and his physical uniqueness. In consequence, he is wild and
reckless in his actions - he seeks the thrill of danger to make himself feel
alive - yet at the same time, he's emotionless and cold. When 'unemployed'
he seeks the same escape as Holmes: drugs (in this case, opium).
Zenith isn't a thief because he needs to be; he's a thief for the kicks. His
sense of superiority is so profound that he has no qualms about being seen
in public even though he's a wanted man. He has absolute faith in his
ability to run rings around the police and does so on numerous occasions
throughout the book.
His technique doesn't rely on gadgets or supernormal powers. He uses a
disguise once but for the rest of the time he just scales walls, climbs in
through windows and picks locks. In the book's most memorable scene, he
simply walks into a room full of his enemies and talks to them while
cracking their safe! He carries a small revolver and, while in disguise, a
sword cane. That life holds little value for him is indicated by an
arsenic-laced cigarette he keeps for use should he be caught by the police.
At the start, Skenes writing style is totally suited to this strange, abrupt
figure. His sentences are short (sometimes phenomenally short) and his
descriptions minimal. As the story progresses though, this becomes
frustrating particularly when other characters are drawn in the sketchiest
possible terms. And Skene's habit of introducing new characters in
practically every chapter without giving the reader anything memorable about
them just leaves you feeling confused about who's who.
The story itself is slight. The monarchy of an 'obscure middle European
country' will fall unless an object is returned to them. I won't reveal what
the object is even though it doesn't actually matter much - it could have
been anything. A rival political group steals it and Zenith is
'commissioned' to get it back. There's really not much else to it and the
novel consists mainly of one break-in after another with the police in hot
pursuit.
That's the problem. The best pulp novels vary their pitch as the story
progresses, building tension through a series of escapades until reaching a
crisis point where the hero overcomes seemingly impossible odds. But in
MONSIEUR ZENITH, the tale practically flatlines from start to finish. There
are one or two moments of high action but it's only the character of the
albino that keeps you wanting to read through to the end.
I wanted this book to be so much more. Zenith is a brilliant character who
deserves a brilliant plot. He doesn't get it here. I really hope his
encounters with Sexton Blake will be republished at some point as I imagine
they are a lot more enjoyable to read.
MONSIEUR ZENITH THE ALBINO is enough to satisfy curiosity but by the time
you're halway through you'll probably be looking forward to the next book on
your reading list.
== Stiletto Blade ==
Next: THE AVENGERS: DEAD DUCK by Patrick MacNee/Peter Leslie
Stiletto Blade
gaps. Gotta sort out my...
... formatting!
== Stiletto Blade == :-)
"Stiletto Blade" <stilett...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:cFdx9.5804$BU5....@newsfep1-gui.server.ntli.net...
Stiletto Blade
gaps. I must sort out
my
formatting.
= Stiletto Blade == :-)
Jess Nevins
the plot was just fine--steady and almost stately. I don't think a M. Zenith
novel should be a typical pulp novel, with mounting tension and plenty
of escapades.
But then, this is a British story paper character, rather than an American
pulp character, and I think the difference in tone is due to cultural
differences. The tone of the book is fairly similar to the tone of the
story paper issues which Zenith appeared in (although the issues
had plots which were more condensed), which are quite different
from the average issue of the Spider or the Shadow.
I think if you go back to the book in a year's time without the
expectations of an American pulp novel, you might think the better
of the book.
As for those Zenith stories, I own or have copies of 42 of the 80-odd
issues in which Zenith appears, and once I finish my book (by the
end of the month, god willing) I'm going to revamp my Zenith
site (http://www.geocities.com/jessnevins/zenith.html) and perhaps put
up summaries of the individual issues. (I'd like to put up e-texts of
the issues, but that would not only be a copyright violation but would
hurt attempts to republish the Zenith stories. I am, however, willing
to sell copies of the stories.)
jess
Stiletto Blade
problem... I felt the novel seemed to 'sprawl' a little too much and might
have benefitted from some judicious condensing. It was tough one to review.
I really liked the character a lot but by the time I got to the end of the
book I was relieved to have finished it. As you say, it might just be a
question of taste.
"Jess Nevins" <jjne...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:3DC57D8A...@ix.netcom.com...
Jess Nevins
Stiletto Blade wrote:
> If Skene was accustomed to writing tighter plots, maybe that was the
> problem... I felt the novel seemed to 'sprawl' a little too much and might
> have benefitted from some judicious condensing. It was tough one to review.
> I really liked the character a lot but by the time I got to the end of the
> book I was relieved to have finished it. As you say, it might just be a
> question of taste.
It's taste, in large part, but I think (as I said) that the tone and pacing of
British story papers is more sedate than of American pulps. I've read
a lot of story papers, and so expected that tone and pace from Skene,
rather than an American one. You call it sprawl; I call it leisurely.
De gustibus etc.
jess
Dr Hermes
You definitely have to shift mental gears when reading stories from
different eras. I enjoy H.Rider Haggard, but he will take three pages to
describe explorers crossing a river, where a writer from the 1930s pulps
would breeze over the same scene in a paragraph. The Victorian or
Edwardian writers had an elegant precision to their language that is a
joy to read but it`s very different from the staccato, hyperactive prose
of the Depression era and WW II American writers. I like them both, in
different ways.
It`s great to read intelligent discussion of lesser known books
and characters. This newsgroup and the Doc Savage ng have the most
articulate and polite regulars around. Too many newsgroups have
conversations that consist of `This rocks!` and `You suck!` which
doesn`t cast any light on the topic.
Jess, I know you strongly dislike the Bulldog Drummond stories but I
want to remark that I say very little racism in the first book and no
offensive remarks about Jewish people. Do you think the copy I read (the
1999 Gateway Mystery reprint) was edited or did the original books get
worse as they went along?
James Lowder
> the issues, but that would not only be a copyright violation but would
> hurt attempts to republish the Zenith stories. I am, however, willing
> to sell copies of the stories.)
>
>
Hi, Jess:
Have you thought about approaching Savoy about a collection of the
Zenith stories? Has the current volume done well? (I know I own a copy,
and enjoyed it very much.)
Cheers,
Jim Lowder
Jess Nevins
Dr Hermes wrote:
> Jess, I know you strongly dislike the Bulldog Drummond stories but I
> want to remark that I say very little racism in the first book and no
> offensive remarks about Jewish people. Do you think the copy I read (the
> 1999 Gateway Mystery reprint) was edited or did the original books get
> worse as they went along?
>
> http://community.webtv.net/drhermes/ForbiddenKnowledge
They get worse as they go along, and Carl Petersen becomes more of
an anti-Semitic stereotype.
jess
Jess Nevins
James Lowder wrote:
I don't know about how well it has done. Savoy...well, they're chums
with Michael Moorcock, whose collection of Zenith stories, I'm sure,
is much better than mine. I think that if they wanted to do a book of
Zenith stories, they could.
jess
Dr Hermes
Sorry to hear that Drummond goes downhill, as the first book wasn`t
too bad. That`s a funny reversal as other writers (Edgar Rice Burroughs
and H.P. Lovecraft come to mind) usually become more tolerant and less
biased as they mature.
I always thought dealing with editors and writing letters to other
authors broadened their views.
Roxor2
too bad. That`s a funny reversal as other writers (Edgar Rice Burroughs
and H.P. Lovecraft come to mind) usually become more tolerant and less
biased as they mature. >>
Whoa, whoa, whoa .... don't think for a minute that the presence of stereotypes
is responsible for a "downhill" trend in the Bulldog Drummond novels. On the
contrary, the series improves as it goes along. THE THIRD ROUND and THE FEMALE
OF THE SPECIES are particularly good, IMHO, and there's good stuff in
...STRIKES BACK and ...AT BAY. The quality slips toward the end of Sapper's
tenure, and the Fairlie stories never really recapture the glory that was
Drummond.
Is it really so difficult to read and enjoy a work of escapist fiction that has
unfortunate racial and ethnic stereotypes? Does the expression of an author's
personal preferences, however odious, completely devalue a published work or
make it unworthy of study? I never thought so, but from the politically correct
judgments I keep seeing here, maybe I'm wrong.
Ed Hulse
Dr Hermes
I meant that the series went downhill in the sense of increasing
stereotypes, not in terms of writing, pacing or inventiveness. Just
speaking for myself, I can enjoy a book that features cliched racial
portrayals or even outright prejudicial attitudes if the story or
writing is good; I can just skip over the offensive spots while part of
my mind understands that I don`t agree with the writer`s attitudes.
Jess Nevins, who I respect tremendously, feels more strongly about
these things than I do, and I can see his point. These stereotypes ruin
a story for him to the point he doesn`t enjoy the reading experience.
(Sorry if I`m speaking for you, Jess; I hope you don`t mind.)
Of course, I grew up reading WW II comics, where the Japanese had
fangs, drooled, wore thick glasses and had fingernails six inches long;
the German soldiers were not shown as much better, being mostly square
headed Neanderthal brutes not bright enough to see through a hero`s most
obvious ruse. I knew even as a kid that these exaggerations weren`t fair
or accurate but I could enjoy them as sort of showing a fantasy world.
I think we might mention that EVERY ethnic group or nationality was
usually stereotyped in pop culture. The dumb but honest Irish cop, the
stingy Scotsman, the sleepy Mexican peasant....every group had their
shorthand portrayal. So it wasn`t just black people or Asians or Jews.
And finally, I don`t think anyone has mentioned that it wasn`t just
American or English fiction that had these stereotypes. If you`ve ever
seen Japanese cartoons from the war years, the Americans have hooves,
snake tongues and horns; and the other Asians are shown as much darker
and smaller than the heroic Japanese. So most every culture has done
this.
Kent Allard
drhe...@webtv.net (Dr Hermes) wrote:
> Of course, I grew up reading WW II comics, where the Japanese had
> fangs, drooled, wore thick glasses and had fingernails six inches long
If you ever get a chance to see unedited (or rarer unavailable) Warner
Brothers cartoons from the war years, you'll find them real eye-openers.
In particular, "Tokio Jokio" "Coal Black And De Sebben Dwarfs" and
"Uncle Tom's Cabana"(MGM actually) and to a lesser extent "The
Ducktators" "Tin Pan Alley Cats" "Confusions Of A Nutzy Spy" and others
(Like the one with Herman Goring and Bugs Bunny)
Jess Nevins
Roxor2 wrote:
Ah, so it's "politically correct" to decry racism and ethnic bigotry? Well, color
me PC, then.
I have a hard time enjoying work which traffics in biases and stereotypes.
Doesn't mean I can't see that work's values, but I have a hard time enjoying it.
When it comes to the Bulldog Drummond novels, I find not just the biases
and stereotypes detestable, but the character of Drummond and his friends
and the entire philosophy of the novels. They fairly reek evil to me. They're
written with a certain shallow skill, but that doesn't conceal the moral
rot underneath it.
That's not a "politically correct judgment" on my part. It's my considered
critical evaluation of the Bulldog Drummond novels. But if you persist in
slinging the facile insults around, then I might have to return fire, and you
wouldn't like the judgment I'd levy against someone who describes
racism and anti-Semitism as "unfortunate."
jess
Stiletto Blade
specifically referring to Hollywood's continual use of the English every
time they want a villain.
As an Englishman myself, I thoroughly approve of this. I am, indeed,
villainous to the core. I hardly take a breath without considering the next
phase in my evil plan to establish a new world order with me at its head. I
was breakfasting on roast babies this morning when a particularly cunning
sheme occurred to me. It involves cheating my way into a publicly sanctioned
position of power. I will then destroy the economy of the world while
keeping the public's attention diverted by starting a few international
conflicts. At the same time, I'll replace all my political enemies with my
own evil henchmen. Then the world will be mine.
Ha-ha-ha-haaaaa!!!! Ha-ha-ha-haaaaa!!!!
Ha-ha-ha-haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!
Only an Englishman is capable of such villainy. ;-)
== Stiletto Blade ==
James Lowder
> unfortunate racial and ethnic stereotypes? Does the expression of an author's
> personal preferences, however odious, completely devalue a published work or
> make it unworthy of study? I never thought so, but from the politically correct
> judgments I keep seeing here, maybe I'm wrong.
>
Ed:
It's not an either/or situation. It depends upon how awful the racism
and stereotyping is. It also depends upon the role it plays in the
overall work, and the other qualities of the work under consideration.
The depictions of Jews in, say, Crime and Punishment, are not enough to
detract seriously from the work; they play a minor, minor role (toss off
comments that play into stereotypes, I seem to recall). But the work as
a whole is brilliant. The stereotyping might deserve a footnote in a
discussion, but not much more.
For "low art" or "popular art," like the Drummond books, such flaws are
often more noticeable. They also tend to be more central to the work,
not asides but motivations for characters and plots.
A work of art (high or low) endures because of its ability to connect
with an audience. A grasp of human truths helps a writer accomplish this
connection. Racism and stereotyping are elements that demonstrate a
limitation of the writer's worldview, and thus weaken the connection.
You can excuse certain manifestations as weaknesses of the genre or the
era in which the work was produced, but if those manifestations jar the
reader again and again out of synch with the work, they can't be
dismissed so lightly. We expect, in the end, that the writers and works
that deserve the most praise can rose above their eras. A work that does
not do this might still be entertaining, but if it's flaws are serious
enough and its strengths limited, it might not even be that.
Cheers,
James Lowder
Dr Hermes
Hmmm....to be honest, I see the English used in a variety of
stereotypes. I have noticed that even in movies like STAR WARS, an upper
class English accent shows a villain to be very intelligent and devious.
A lower class Cockney accent shows the character to be a loveable rogue.
But on the other hand, classic films usually showed the English as
heroic. Sherlock Holmes, GUNGA DIN, THE FOUR FEATHERS, all the World War
II movies like MRS MINIVER. The only genre where I recall the English as
being outright villains was in films about the American Revolution, such
as LAST OF THE MOHICANS and that Mel Gibson flick THE PATRIOT (and even
there they made use of Hessian mercenaries for the really heinous acts).
And of course, for twenty films since 1962, James Bond has been
saving the world, to the cheers of American audiences. True, Bond
started out as a Scot, but after Sean Connery left the role, he`s shown
as a generic Brit.
The only place I see the English consistently being shown as
villainous is in Hong Kong movies, and they seem more preoccupied with
beating up the Japanese.
What films are you referring to, Stiletto? Off the top of my head, I
can`t think of too many where the English in general are used as
villains. I`m not disagreeing with you, maybe I just haven`t been seeing
the movies you`re talking about.
Roxor2
critical evaluation of the Bulldog Drummond novels. But if you persist in
slinging the facile insults around, then I might have to return fire, and you
wouldn't like the judgment I'd levy against someone who describes
racism and anti-Semitism as "unfortunate." >>
Levying judgments is what the True Believer does best. If you honestly think
that's an effective way of silencing someone who disagrees with you, levy away.
But enlighten me first. Here's what I actually said:
<< > Is it really so difficult to read and enjoy a work of escapist fiction
that has
> unfortunate racial and ethnic stereotypes? Does the expression of an author's
> personal preferences, however odious, completely devalue a published work or
> make it unworthy of study? I never thought so, but from the politically
correct
> judgments I keep seeing here, maybe I'm wrong. >>
Where are the "facile insults" to which you refer? I wasn't aware that I was
doing anything more than asking questions and expressing an opinion.
Ed Hulse
Cora Buhlert
Up until the late 1970s/early 1980s German TV would still air the
wartime Disney cartoons, e.g. the one with Donald Duck and Hitler (The
Führer's Face?). At the children's hour, too.
Kent Allard
valk...@cbrmail.com (Cora Buhlert) wrote:
> Up until the late 1970s/early 1980s German TV would still air the
> wartime Disney cartoons, e.g. the one with Donald Duck and Hitler (The
> Führer's Face?). At the children's hour, too.
The Commander Tom show on Buffalo's Channel 4 (can't remember the call
letters) also ran many that were, ummm, inappropriate for children.
Promo the robot didn't seem to mind though ;-)
Cora Buhlert
I suspect that the channels bought these cartoons as part of a larger
programming package and just put them on air without ever bothering to
watch them.
Terry McCombs
"Up until the late 1970s/early 1980s German TV would still air the
wartime Disney cartoons, e.g. the one with Donald Duck and Hitler (The
Führer's Face?). At the children's hour, too."
Though it was not until a few years ago that the full unedited version
of Casablanca was shown in Germany. Until then all scenes with Nazis in
them were edited out, and the motivation Lazlow was to get some sort of
plans for a ray gun out!
Terry
Cora Buhlert
> Cora,
>
> "Up until the late 1970s/early 1980s German TV would still air the
> wartime Disney cartoons, e.g. the one with Donald Duck and Hitler (The
>
>
> Though it was not until a few years ago that the full unedited version
> of Casablanca was shown in Germany. Until then all scenes with Nazis in
> them were edited out, and the motivation Lazlow was to get some sort of
> plans for a ray gun out!
>
> Terry
They did this with quite a few films in the 1950s/60s. For example,
the German version of Alfred Hitchcock's "Notorious" did not feature
Nazis but drug smugglers up to the 1970s. A French film about a
married woman having an affair had all appearances of the woman's
child cut out of it, because the censors believed that showing an
unfaithful mother was immoral. These miseditings have now been
remedied, but some vestiges of the practice still remain.
For example, in the German version of "Die Hard" the German origin of
the villains is played down. And some of the more racist scenes in
"Pearl Harbour" were allegedly cut by the studio before releasing the
film in Germany and Japan.