tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post1988490340715474864..comments2024-03-18T11:01:42.459-05:00Comments on Pretty Sinister Books: FFB: The Sorceress of the StrandJ F Norrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-11515621716546812712011-07-02T17:37:45.529-05:002011-07-02T17:37:45.529-05:00Zeck is the reason Wolfe once had to abandon the b...Zeck is the reason Wolfe once had to abandon the brownstone, go on a diet and temporarily move across the country. I kid you not.<br /><br />The Zeck books are not my favorites. But in truth, I think Rex Stout was having a joke on us.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-79125150369633152062011-07-02T10:37:19.185-05:002011-07-02T10:37:19.185-05:00I specifically avoided comic books in my examples ...I specifically avoided comic books in my examples above, Todd. They are rife with female villains. The idea of the "evil mother" in crime fiction and literature is one worthy of an article for a real journal. I'm sure it's a topic that's been covered numerous times. And that of course brings to mind the next step in the chain -- that of inherited evil and the idea of the "bad seed" or "demon child" which is yet another idea for a future post.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-55933714304326318102011-07-02T09:58:10.988-05:002011-07-02T09:58:10.988-05:00Even in the comics, the most famous of female vill...Even in the comics, the most famous of female villains is the most ambiguously evil or insane of Batman's foes (and even from her introduction, a potential or actual bedmate), the Cat/Catwoman.<br /><br />Of course, the creation of Pure Evil is difficult to accept perhaps outside of a religious context, but certainly operational versions in not just the political world come to mind (such as the mother in Patricia Highsmith's "The Terrapin" and several bad substitutes for mothers in Saki and much of the rest of literature; certainly "Sredni Vashtar").Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-60570211562980587472011-07-01T20:41:03.971-05:002011-07-01T20:41:03.971-05:00These stories sound really good--of course, unlike...These stories sound really good--of course, unlike Richard, I do go in for the Victorian era.... And I can picture a female evil mastermind. I could even paste a face or two on her. I best say no more lest I get myself in trouble in the real world. :-) More to hunt up! <br /><br />I've heard of Dr. Satan. I just can't remember why or how.Bev Hankinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01127476456755776574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-35326344234977194622011-07-01T13:42:45.636-05:002011-07-01T13:42:45.636-05:00That's a post I look forward to reading!That's a post I look forward to reading!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-20708936567608177272011-07-01T13:20:28.403-05:002011-07-01T13:20:28.403-05:00One of these days I will have to read And Be a Vil...One of these days I will have to read <i>And Be a Villain</i> and the other Wolfe novels with Zeck. Forgive my exclusion, but I'm not well read in the Wolfe canon. Plus I was trying to do a wide overview so I picked three categories where evil masteminds were in abundance. When I make those lists I do the ones that first come to mind. I admit, however, to some digging via a few websites for the pulp magazine villains. I've never read or heard of Dr. Satan or The Octopus until I went trolling through the internet. <a href="http://www.vintagelibrary.com/pd.php?pcode=gir20" rel="nofollow">The Octopus</a> was reprinted in a high-end Girasol paperback. One of the weirdest of the pulp villains. Probably a big influence on comic book writers.<br /><br />Here's another woman criminal mastermind for you - Sumuru created by Sax Rohmer. I'll have to do a post about her in the future.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-44206429856649314842011-07-01T12:20:02.717-05:002011-07-01T12:20:02.717-05:00Of course we mustn't forget Arnold Zeck, who I...Of course we mustn't forget Arnold Zeck, who I think deserves to be on the male master criminal list.As for women, I'm having a hard time coming up with even one.<br /><br />Though this does sound good, I admit (I can imagine you cringing) that I'm not much for Victorian novels or stories, though I do enjoy and occasional one.<br /><br />Oh, one other thing. Reading your review it occurred to me that YOU are charming, kind and extremely helpful, so perhaps we should all beware!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-11564159121425899562011-07-01T11:41:45.352-05:002011-07-01T11:41:45.352-05:00There is only one book with Madame Sara. Just the ...There is only one book with Madame Sara. Just the six stories. You may be right about the unbelievable aspects of a woman mastermind, but then there was Margaret Thatcher. She probably deserves evil genius status in the real world. At least <a href="http://party.evilgeniuscomics.com/" rel="nofollow"> one website</a> thinks she does.<br /><br />Yes, Myrna Loy was Fu Manchu's daughter. Gorgeous and evil as only the best of villainesses can be. (Making Thatcher only 50% of the best of villainesses.)J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-62879859290259188132011-07-01T10:13:41.110-05:002011-07-01T10:13:41.110-05:00Madame Sara sounds like a hoot, John. An evil hoot...Madame Sara sounds like a hoot, John. An evil hoot. :) Needless to say, I've never heard of these books. There's just SO MUCH I'm finding out that I don't know.<br /><br />But I've never gone in for the female arch criminal because mostly I find it too hard to believe. My willing suspension of disbelief just won't accommodate it. I don't know why. Maybe because I'm a woman myself and I find the whole idea of an evil woman on the scale of Moriarity, too peculiar? unacceptable? unpleasant? ludicrous? or bizarro? I've rarely seen it done well.<br /><br />But of course there's always THE exception to the rule:<br /><br />Speaking of Moriarity.<br />The evil genius behind the near demise of Holmes and Mary Russell in THE BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE works quite well for me. But she's the very rare exception.<br /><br />I haven't read many others that work as well as Laurie R. King's creation.<br /><br />Didn't Myrna Loy once play Fu Manchu's evil daughter in a film of her own or series? Vague memory alert.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.com