I cannot afford to buy a copy of Ray's first book Dark Carnival although I always have been curious as to the other stories that weren't released with October Country. I recently found a copy of a British edition called The Small Assasin that I of course purchased. It has about five more stories from Dark Carnival not in O.C. Today, I was working in the bookstore and ran across an anthology of science fiction from 1981 that had in it Bradbury and Sturgeon among others. I flipped to the chapter page to see what story was from Ray and behold, its The Dark Ferris. I will get it tonight when I get off work. I can't wait to read the story that inspired Something Wicked. I'm elated! Has anyone else read this story?

Yeah, I read it last year and was rather disappointed, I'm sorry to say. The acorn is pretty miserable by comparison with the oak, and it's hard not to judge "Black Ferris" without comparing it with SWTC. BTW, a copy of the original Dark Carnival appeared on eBay last week. It sold for $775!

Patrick

Ray also adapted Black Ferris for Ray Bradbury Theater, and it worked quite well in my opinion. The short story is no masterpiece, but it's great to have access to both Ferris and SWTWC.

Robot Lincoln,
Yes. I’ve read it in two formats. The EC Comics version and the reprint of the short story in “Stories if Ray Bradbury”. I think he did a great job. It’s original, shocking and creepy. It’s a wonderful curiosity also in that it’s a stepping stone story as is “The Fireman”.

I'm also looking forward to reading the stories from The Small Assasin that are not in O.C. These are The Tombstone, The Smiling People, The Handler, Let's Play 'Poison', The Night, and The Dead Man.

I wish I could get a copy of Dark Carnival. I saw it on Amazon once for $150.00 but still too steep for my thin blood and tight pocketbook.

Welcome back Patrick! And thanks Chap.

In early 1998 while I was finishing up a BA/English at EIU/Charleston, IL, Booth Library did a search for me. I found out that U of I/Urbana had a copy of Dark Carnival that couldn't leave their rare book room, and that there were a couple of copies in libraries around Chicago. But, wow, imagine my surprise when Booth Library called, and said I could pick up my book!

And I went to the counter, and I saw the copy of Dark Carnival, and it was one of those unbelievable moments. It was in good shape, no dust jacket, and had the "ex libris" mark of a doctor. It had come from a small Texas college; I no longer remember the name, but it was between Ft. Worth and Austin somewhere along an interstate. I called them and tried to buy it from them, but I had to send it back. You suppose a copy might still be available out there somewhere for inter-library loan? It'd be worth checking out, no pun intended.

No doubt the Gauntlet Press edition is now sold out and going for outrageous amounts?

Okay, you can get it on Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1887368507/sr=8-1/qid=...610?%5Fencoding=UTF8 for a mere $250.00, but it won't be autographed.

Thanks for the welcome home, R.L.! Inspired by your post, I watched "The Black Ferris" for the first time on Ray Bradbury Theater last night. That series does such a good job of translating Ray's stories to film. But then, they have the master himself writing the teleplays!

I also watched "The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone" last night and "Usher II" today, both beautifully done. Patrick McNee's performance in "Usher II" was a delight. But then I've always had a soft place for him since the Avengers era.

The original edition of Dark Carnival that was just up for auction on eBay looked like an almost perfect copy. No wonder it sold for so much. I'm just glad that there are editions still floating around out there. Hopefully one will wash up on my beach someday!

I'm getting mighty anxious for the release of "Farewell, Summer." There have also been some questions raised on the Discussion Board about the nature of the new book, "The Homecoming."

In following Dandelion's Dark Carnival link to Amazon, I ran across Amazon's offer of a pre-order for both "Farewell, Summer" and "The Homecoming" for $25.44.

Amazon describes "The Homecoming" as 48 pages long, and part of a series called "Wonderfully Illustrated Short Pieces." Well, I guess that says it all.

It appears that this book is an illustrated edition of the original short story. Too bad Charles Addams couldn't illustrate it (which was Ray's original plan, years ago.)

Amazon says the short piece is due out on September 1, a month before "Farewell, Summer."

By the way, I also did an Amazon search to see if "Any Friend of Nicholas Nickleby is a Friend of Mine" (which I've never seen) was available on DVD.

The DVD is coming out soon, and Amazon also has it available for pre-order. You'll never guess when the DVD is due to be released. . . August 22, 2006! Ray's birthday! I thought that was a nice touch.

Patrick

I read The Black Ferris last night. I see what you mean about it being a little rough around the edges. Thats probably why certain ones were cut when October Country came out. Not bad though for a rookie writer of twenty seven. Plus look at the seminal timeless classics it road next to for a while like The Dwarf, The Lake, The Wind etc. I can't wait to watch The Dark Ferris on R.B. Theatre. I've only scratched the surface on watching those as I recently purchased it. Patrick, as soon as I found out that Farewell Summer was listed on Amazon, I pre-ordered it. Did you see Biplanes cover of it that Ray sent him? Its really cool looking. I have a gut instinct on this book that it will be great!

You are quite right about the quality of Ray's work at such an early age. Many of the stories in Dark Carnival were among the finest of his career. I think "The Lake"--the first story where Ray found his voice--remains his best ever.

At least, it's the short story by Ray that touched me the deepest. It's the first of his short stories I ever read, when I was about 11, and it was then that I knew I was in the presence of a great writer. I still get misty eyed every time I read it.

"The Lake" is also, I think, the first story in which Ray raises the central philosophic theme of his fiction: the problem of change. Once we gain our values, how do we keep them? If our values are subject to mutability, how can man rescue happiness from time?

"Man is in love, and loves what vanishes." There is no bigger theme in human thought. That's the essence of the "human dilemma," which most great philosophy, religion, art, and literature were created to address.

No, I didn't see the book cover that Ray sent Biplane, and I'd love to see it. I'm panting to return to Green Town! "Farewell Summer" has been a mighty long time coming. Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait! All I can say is--let's hurry up and get through summer, so October 1 will finally come around!

Patrick

Patrick, The bookcover is posted on here. Biplane posted it about two weeks ago.

Patrick, here are the two sides of the promotion piece that Ray sent me.

Farewell_Summer_Dust_Jacket.jpg (264 Kb, 9 downloads)

Here's the other side.

Promotion_Piece-Farewell_Summer.jpg (262 Kb, 10 downloads)

Here's the other page. Actually it is posted above. I flinched.