The Lord of Strange Deaths: The Fiendish World of Fu Manchu – Now Available

Out this week and with an essay by me on Dragon Ladies and Rohmer….available from the Strange Attractor web site and soon all over

Lord of Strange Deaths: The Fiendish World of Sax Rohmer
Edited by Phil Baker & Antony Clayton

Forever associated with his creation of evil genius Dr Fu Manchu, a Chinese super-criminal scheming to destroy Western civilisation, Sax Rohmer (1883-1959) was the king of pulp exotica. At the height of his fame Rohmer was one of the most popular writers on the planet, but now he is largely remembered for outrageous attitudes and lurid Chinaphobia. Lord of Strange Deaths approaches Rohmer with something more than routine disapproval, and instead brings out the complexity and historical significance of his work.

This is the first extended attempt to do justice to Rohmer, and it ranges across the spectrum of his output from music-hall writing to Theosophy. Contributors focus on subjects including Egyptology, 1890s decadence, Edwardian super-villains, graphic novels, cinema, the French Situationists, Chinese dragon ladies, and the Arabian Nights. The result is a testimony to the enduring fascination and relevance of Rohmer’s absurd, sinister and immensely atmospheric world.

Contributions from:
Jean Augris • Phil Baker • Clive Bloom • Antony Clayton • Gary Dickinson • Christopher Fowler • Christopher Frayling • Paul French • Robert Irwin • Lawrence Knapp • Gary Lachman • Roger Luckhurst • Alan Moore • Steve Moore • Kim Newman • Kevin O’Neill • Mark Valentine • Anne Witchard.