Newcastle Forgotten Fantasy Library

I had previously posted on the short-lived Forgotten Fantasy magazine produced by editors Robert Reginald and Douglas Menville.

The focus of that magazine was, as the name indicates, to reprint overlooked fantasy works from the pulps and early publications. After its demise, the two got involved with the small Newcastle Publishing Co. to start the Newcastle Forgotten Fantasy Library series in 1973.

During its run, they put out 24 volumes with a couple of associated volumes. Interestingly, the similar Ballantine Adult Fantasy series ended in 1974, and there aren’t any overlap in volumes, though they did include some of the same authors. Newcastle mainly reprinted various metaphysical works, so this series is a bit of a departure for them.

The Library consists of:

1. The Glittering Plain, by William Morris (September 1973)
2. The Saga of Eric Brighteyes, by H. Rider Haggard (March 1974)
3. The Food of Death: Fifty-One Tales, by Lord Dunsany (September 1974)
4. The Haunted Woman, by David Lindsay (March 1975)
5. Aladore, by Sir Henry Newbolt (September 1975)
6. She and Allan, by H. Rider Haggard (September 1975)
7. Gerfalcon, by Leslie Barringer (March 1976)
8. Golden Wings and Other Stories, by William Morris (March 1976)
9. Joris of the Rock, by Leslie Barringer (September 1976)
10. Heart of the World, by H. Rider Haggard (September 1976)
11. The Wonderful Adventures of Phra the Phoenician, by Edwin Lester Arnold (April 1977)
12. Child Christopher and Goldilind the Fair, by William Morris (April 1977)
13. Shy Leopardess, by Leslie Barringer (October 1977)
14. Ayesha: the Return of She, by H. Rider Haggard (October 1977)
15. The Fates of the Princes of Dyfed, by Kenneth Morris (April 1978)
16. The House of the Wolfings, by William Morris (April 1978)
17. Under the Sunset, by Bram Stoker (October 1978)
18. Allan Quatermain, by H. Rider Haggard (October 1978)
19. The Roots of the Mountains, by William Morris (April 1979)
20. Nada the Lily, by H. Rider Haggard (April 1979)
21. Jaufry the Knight and the Fair Brunissende, by Alfred Elwes (October 1979)
22. The Spirit of Bambatse, by H. Rider Haggard (October 1979)
23. When the Birds Fly South, by Stanton A. Coblentz (April 1980)
24. Allan’s Wife, by H. Rider Haggard (October 1980)

The two associated volumes were a reprinting of the first two Dr. Nickola novels by Guy Boothby: Enter, Dr. Nikola (September 1975), and Dr. Nikola Returns (March 1976). No idea why they didn’t reprint the other two.

As noted, there are a lot of Haggard books, a total of eight. William Morris (1834-96) is second with five. Morris helped establish the modern fantasy movement. The trio of works by Leslie Barringer (1895-1968) comprise his “Neustrian Cycle,” set in an alternate history medieval France.

When the series started, the covers were uniform and dull. With number 9, they went with beautiful wrap-around, painted covers, and went back and redid the covers for numbers 2, 6, and 7. They projected the series to be 26 volumes (it’s unclear if the two Nickola volumes are part of that), but I wonder why that number? They didn’t do all four of the She novels, for instance, and could have done more Morris and Haggard works, or maybe some of the works Lin Carter wanted to do with the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series.

I have been collecting these book and need just five, plus one of the Nickola books, to complete my set. You should take a look at this series. There are some great works here.