September 30, 2003
Once again, I’ve received two books at the office for which I dropped everything else. I’m talking about the two new releases in the
PERRY RHODAN-Sammel-Edition (Perry Rhodan Collector’s Edition) published by Weltbild and managed by Michael Nagula .This series represents an edition of classic novels where each hardcover volume features two particular
paperbacks by one Perry Rhodan author that are related in subject matter. In editing these the decades-old manuscripts, Michael Nagula is using only a very light touch and is not changing the original charm of these classics at all. He is also contributing knowledgeable introductions to each volume. Consequently, this new book edition constitutes a very nice collection for the Perry Rhodan fan, who can now revisit the classic reading experience.The
ninth volume is a double issue by Hans Kneifel . Originally published in 1973 as paperback issues 110, Die Formel des Todes (Formula for Death), and 111, Der Besessene von Capucinu (The Obsessed One from Capucinu), these are the kind of planetary adventure stories for which Hans Kneifel was downright famous: As the only one of his kind, a Terran finds himself on a “backwoods planet" and must not only fight there for his survival but also attempt to save the indigenous population. The 320 pages are true sf entertainment that can still be enjoyed today.The
tenth volume in the Sammler-Edition comprises two paperbacks by Ernst Vlcek from the 1960s: Planet unter Quarantäne (Planet under Quarantine), originally published as Perry Rhodan paperback number 46 in 1968, and Irrfahrt in die Vergangenheit (Odyssey into the Past) as number 78 in 1970. In both instances, Perry Rhodan himself is the hero of the adventure, and in both instances, he encounters strange worlds where he is left completely to his own devices.Planet unter Quarantäne is a particular gem, as it was the first novel that Ernst Vlcek contributed to the Perry Rhodan series. (Most recently, the novel was also released in an audiobook version, as the eighth
Perry Rhodan Audiobook by Eins A Medien .) The 384 pages of this double issue illustrates even three decades later why this author from Vienna became one of the most important writers for the series so quickly: Throughout the years, his ability to create a mood and to transport the reader to a fantastic world has become a kind of trademark.Enough praise, enough cheering. I had a lot of fun leafing through these two books, got hooked on reading a passage here and there, and was remembering past reading experiences with a blissful smile. And that’s certainly not a bad thing, as far as these classics are concerned.
Klaus N. Frick
