The exploits of Glasglow private investigator collected in a three-volume set of Lovecraftian noir. This collection includes:The AmuletIt was supposed to be an easy case. Fast money, and a way to kill some time-something Derek Adams, a down-on-his-luck Glasgow private investigator, has way too much of. Recover a stolen family heirloom, and try to keep the relationship with his very beautiful-and very married-client, strictly professional. Easy. But the Johnson Amulet is no mere trinket...and Derek isn't the only person trying to find the priceless relic. Before long he's up to his armpits in bodies, femme fatales... and tentacles. The stars have aligned... An ancient evil has awakened.To save the day, Derek must take some dark pathways, and not everyone is going to make it back out into the light.The SirensGlasgow private investigator Derek Adams can't seem to get away from the otherworldly, especially not when it seems to be the only paying gig in town. So when an old widow offers him two grand to find her son-who isn't exactly missing...just not himself-it's not long before things start to get weird, and a road trip to the rural village of Skye turns into a detour to the twilight. Before long, Derek is on a remote island, hip-deep in mermaids, stalked by shape-shifters, and tangled in the nets of a diabolical fisher cult intent on waking an ancient god and unleashing the apocalypse. In other words, it's business as usual.The Skin GameThings are finally looking up for Glasgow private investigator Derek Adams. The agency is flush with cash and finally getting some respect, and the nightmares? Well, there's booze for that. But the dark side isn't finished with Derek. What starts off as a simple inquiry into the dealings of a shady bookie quickly descends into a battle with the shadowy unknown. Before he knows it, Derek is on the run, framed for an impossible murder. His only leverage is a strange skin belt that seems to have a life of its own, but hanging onto it might cost Derek more than just his life.This collection also includes three bonus Midnight Eye stories: “The Forth Protocol”, “A Slim Chance”, and “One, Two Go!”.Praise for the Midnight Eye Files“Meikle’s writing makes you feel like you’re there, in the rain with Derek Adams, searching seedy pawn shops and bars for the answers. The atmosphere is terrific, and the author knows that sometimes less is more.” - The Lovecraft ezine“I encourage you to pour yourself a couple of fingers of whisky and visit Meikle’s and Derek’s Glasgow some evening as the shadows grow long.” - New Pulp“The writing itself is crisp, filled with good description and strong dialogue. The Scottish setting, while not prominent, grounds the reader in a sense of place. The characters, while themselves variations on noir tropes, are beleivable, and more importantly, likable. All of this, taken together, makes for a smooth, enjoyable read.” - Rich Ristow, Strange Latitudes Views: 38
During the Xmas holiday in 1975, Adrian conceived the
concept of his enigmatic and shadowy character, the Voidal, a warrior doomed to
wander the limitless worlds of a bizarre omniverse in company with his unusual
sidekick, Elfloq the familiar, in search of his past, his identity and his soul.
Inspired by a combination of fantasy works, including Clark Ashton Smith, H. P.
Lovecraft and the extraordinary French artist, Philipe Druillet, it was the
beginning of a strange and tortured odyssey, a dark fantasy that was finally
brought to a climax nearly 40 years later.
Illustrated by Award winning British artist, Jim
Pitts.
Spectre Press, 1977. Softcover, 24 pp.
***
"… The Voidal is a sort of destroying angel used by the
Dark Gods to work their will and vengeance. Stripped of memory, in each story,
he attempts to gain knowledge of who or what he is and regain his memory. To
describe the stories, think of H. P. Lovecraft writing sword and sorcery,
returning to the Dreamlands but written in his later, darker style. There is
some Michael Moorcock influence present with the idea of the "omniverse" and the
Voidal being sent to different dimensions. Cole uses words to create names in
the manner of Tolkien. Names such as Tallyman, Nighteye, Windwrack appear. Cole
combines simple Anglo-Saxon words to create new ones. He has a very unique style
and good command of language. Fans of Clark Ashton Smith take note though I
would not call Adrian Cole's writing style Smith-ish…"
-Morgan Holmes, REHupa (The Robert E. Howard
United Press Association)
"…as inventive as Jack Vance, with much of Michael
Moorcock's brooding gloom…"
-Lin Carter Views: 38
Brenda McKay has no man in her life, and she really doesn't have time for one. That's not a problem, since Brenda's new job responsibilities keep her too busy for any sort of social life. But the day she is saved by a strange man who calls himself The Defender is the day her heart will never be the same.
Lorne Palmer has loved Brenda since they were in grade school. Shy, introverted, and the middle brother of two over-achievers, he has never really approached her for anything other than to help her with her homework. And to be there for her when her boyfriends deserted her.
It isn't until he acquires his super powers and becomes The Defender that Lorne finally decides enough is enough. If he can't work up the courage to claim her as himself, perhaps The Defender can. Views: 37
Seth Latimer, a human member of a family of clones representing a far-future interstellar commercial combine, finds himself marooned on Gla Taus with no way home unless he joins a mission to a neighboring world to negotiate the transfer of a minority population from one planet to the other. The lure of trade expansion versus the grip of local custom and belief sets the story in motion. Secrets and treacherous intentions boil to the surface as diplomacy devolves into brutal expediency against a background of complex gender and religious polarization. The colorful details of alien settings and cultures are lovingly woven into this story of passionate individuals caught up in the sweep of history toward tragedy, change, and eventual renewal. Views: 37
Nat Horn is almost living the dream. His part as a werewolf extra on the hit show Wolf's Landing has somehow turned into a regular role. Beautiful rising star Solari Praveen has taken an interest in him. He's even making enough money to think about getting out of Bluewater Bay someday. Except his retired dad's dependence on pain medications seems to be getting worse, and Nat's the only one around to take care of him.When Nat learns that Solari's interest isn't romantic, his disappointment is surprisingly short-lived, because in getting to know her, he also got to know her assistant, Rafael. And Rafael turns out to be the kind of friend — and potential boyfriend — Nat never dared to dream about.Distracted by his astonishing new life, new friends, and new possibilities, Nat lets his guard down, and suddenly his life goes careening out of control. Racked by guilt, he tries to push his new friends away, but the bonds he's formed are already too strong. In fact,... Views: 37
Johannes Cabal, a necromancer of some little infamy, has faced many horrors during his career, but in this tale he tells of an early encounter with something that horrified even him. Pantomime. A provincial theatre has seen a series of strange deaths. The young Cabal investigates, even though this requires him to don red tights, a curling moustache, and become... the Demon King. Views: 37
