CENTAUR PRESS REVIVES A LOST PULP ADVENTURE

Friel, Arthur O. (1885–1959)

The Pathless Trail [Centaur Press Time-Lost Series — Inscribed by Publishers Donald M. Grant and Charles M. Collins]

New York: Centaur Press, 1969.

A PULP ADVENTURE RESCUED FROM THE PAST.
Centaur Press revived Arthur O. Friel's 1922 Amazon adventure for its Time-Lost Series, created to return neglected pulp-era adventure and fantastic fiction to print. Friel's tale follows adventurers into the unexplored South American jungle, combining lost-world atmosphere, exploration and swashbuckling action.

This copy carries an unusual presentation inscription signed by Donald M. Grant and Charles M. Collins, the two publishers behind Centaur Press. From the estate of Jeri Kandel, a central figure in the Florida West Coast Sci-Fi/Fantasy community and an active member of ASFA. 

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: THE TIME-LOST EDITION.
Mass-market paperback, 128 pages. Centaur Press edition dated November 1969. Cover price 60 cents. Illustrated wrappers with cover artwork by Jeff Jones; Centaur's horse colophon appears at upper right. Copyright 1922 by Arthur O. Friel, renewed 1950. Copyright page identifies the Centaur Press edition, Como Sales distribution, Jeff Jones cover, and the Centaur Press colophon by Lawan.

CONDITION: VERY GOOD PLUS. Appears unread, with no spine crease. Binding remains square. Light shelf handling and rubbing to wrappers, principally along edges and spine; rear wrapper shows some surface rubbing. Text lightly age-toned but clean.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: WHEN THE PAPERBACK REVIVAL REDISCOVERED THE PULPS.
Centaur Press's Time-Lost Series was part of the late-1960s revival of pulp and fantastic literature, returning adventure writers such as Friel, Robert E. Howard, J. Allan Dunn and Talbot Mundy to inexpensive paperback circulation. The Pathless Trail and Howard's The Moon of Skulls were among the series titles issued in November 1969.

FROM FRIEL TO ROBERT E. HOWARD.
Friel is particularly interesting within this publishing history because Robert E. Howard counted him among his favorite authors. Centaur's decision to publish Friel alongside Howard therefore restored a genuine literary connection between an earlier pulp adventurer and one of the writers he influenced.

SUBJECTS: Arthur O. Friel, Donald M. Grant, Charles M. Collins, Centaur Press, Time-Lost Series, Jeff Jones, Pulp Revival, Amazon Adventure, South America, Vintage Fantasy Paperbacks, Pulp Fiction, Adventure Fiction, Lost World Fiction, Fantasy, Jungle Adventure, Paperback Originals and Reprints, Small Press Publishing, Vintage Paperbacks.

Item #22495

Price: $45.00