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Seabury Quinn was, among other things, an author of pulp-era fantasy stories, most (c. 150) appearing in the pages of Weird Tales, often making the cover.
He was, believe it or not, more popular among readers of the time than either Lovecraft or Robert E. Howard. Most of his stories were about a "psychic detective", Jules de Grandin. He did have some unrelated to that series, one such being "Lynne Foster is Dead!" which appeared in the November 1938 issue (but didn't make the cover), about a young New Englander in Cairo who inadvertently crashes into a carriage carrying the daughter of a wealthy Egyptian, killing her. Upon saying "if he could take her place, he would", he is, by some mystical mumbo-jumbo, transferred into the young woman's body.
This short story was later expanded into an episodic novel, Alien Flesh, chronicling "Ismet's" adventures in various European and North African locales. It was to be published in 1950 by one of the many small presses that came and went in those days; unfortunately, that one went before the book saw print, and was forgotten until brought out by another small press in 1977.
I picked up a copy back then, and finally got around to it last week. Quinn's writing style and "Orientalist" stereotypes haven't exactly stood the test of time, but I will say I found the story interesting, in an antiquarian sort of way, particularly given its unusual theme.
One further note: the book would have been a perfect fit for illustrations by fantasy artist Hannes Bok, but as he was dead by the time it was finally published, Stephen Fabian was a reasonable substitute:
He was, believe it or not, more popular among readers of the time than either Lovecraft or Robert E. Howard. Most of his stories were about a "psychic detective", Jules de Grandin. He did have some unrelated to that series, one such being "Lynne Foster is Dead!" which appeared in the November 1938 issue (but didn't make the cover), about a young New Englander in Cairo who inadvertently crashes into a carriage carrying the daughter of a wealthy Egyptian, killing her. Upon saying "if he could take her place, he would", he is, by some mystical mumbo-jumbo, transferred into the young woman's body.
This short story was later expanded into an episodic novel, Alien Flesh, chronicling "Ismet's" adventures in various European and North African locales. It was to be published in 1950 by one of the many small presses that came and went in those days; unfortunately, that one went before the book saw print, and was forgotten until brought out by another small press in 1977.
I picked up a copy back then, and finally got around to it last week. Quinn's writing style and "Orientalist" stereotypes haven't exactly stood the test of time, but I will say I found the story interesting, in an antiquarian sort of way, particularly given its unusual theme.
One further note: the book would have been a perfect fit for illustrations by fantasy artist Hannes Bok, but as he was dead by the time it was finally published, Stephen Fabian was a reasonable substitute:
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