Monday, April 18, 2016

Paperback 935: The Darkness and the Dawn / Thomas B. Costain (Perma Books M5029)

Paperback 935: Perma Book M5029 (1st ptg, 1960)

Title: The Darkness and the Dawn
Author: Thomas B. Costain
Cover artist: Uncredited :(

Estimated value: $4-6

[Part of the Laura R. Braunstein Collection]

Perma5029
Best things about this cover:
  • The correct answer is, "No, those Uggs do not make your thighs look fat, Mr. The Hun."
  • I love how he has time for a mid-battle photo shoot. "I *am* smiling, you toad! Don't make me unsheath this!"
  • If you're gonna dip your foot in the waters of Attila the Hun novels, you're gonna want to go with something from the "superlative" category.
  • Thomas B. Costain turned out a bunch of mid-century historicals. His first novel was published at age 57!

Perma5029bc
Best things about this back cover:
  • I don't think this back cover exactly nailed the landing, compass-metaphor-wise.
  • I want a t-shirt that reads, simply, "HIGH COMPETENCE."
  • I feel like there are a lot of ellipses here, and that there may be more to the Thomas Costain iceberg than this cover is allowing us to see.

Page 123~

Nicolan was taller than most of the other slaves and so was stationed in the rear rank, holding one of the cushions on which reposed a vial of true nard, a most aromatic perfume.

Please let loose the phrase "a vial of true nard" upon the land. Thank you.

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Tumblr]

3 comments:

vintagehoarder said...

He also wrote (quite readable) popular history. You can still get his books about England in the Middle Ages as eBooks (I've got them in paperback, bought secondhand several years back.)

NomadUK said...

I want some T-shit, too.

Anonymous said...

Yul Brynner looks piiiissed: "My agent promised me I wouldn't have to wear a skirt in this one..."