Title: The Trail of Fu Manchu
Author: Sax Rohmer
Cover artist: Robert Maguire (credited as "Bob Maguire")
Estimated value: $10-15
Condition: 8/10
- Psst, guys, he's up there ... up ... to your right ... your ... my left ... up ...
- "I say, old man, is he in there?" "I'm afraid not." "Perhaps if you put down your brolly..." "No, I think not." "Well, we've done all we can. Tea?"
- This cover has all the drama and suspense of two dapper gents opening a green box.
- I like the inverted male gaze here—instead of two guys ogling naked lady statues, we have naked lady statues ogling two guys.
- It's not one of Maguire's more memorable covers, but Maguire is Maguire is Maguire; I'll take it.
- My wife got me this book at The Last Bookstore in L.A., which sounds Uh-mazing.
- Blah blah pulp cliche / orientalist nonsense
- But Nay!
- This was quite the franchise. I have never read any of these. Wonder if it's worth it...
Page 123~
"We are in part of the workings of an abandoned Thames tunnel. We are together because . . . we are going to die together."
See, I know I'm supposed to be rapt by the dramatic final utterance here, but all I can think of is "Why the hell is 'part of the workings of' in that first sentence!? Do you enjoy murdering sentences? Do You!?"
~RP
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