Centaur Press, later renamed Centaur Books, was a
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
-based small
publisher
Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...
active from the late 1960s through 1981. The press was founded by
Charles M. Collins
Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was "f ...
and
Donald M. Grant
Donald Metcalf Grant (April 3, 1927 – August 19, 2009) was an American publisher.
Biography
He was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1927 and graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1949. Grant's interest in fantasy and science ...
. It was primarily a
paperback
A paperback (softcover, softback) book is one with a thick paper or paperboard cover, and often held together with glue rather than stitches or staples. In contrast, hardcover (hardback) books are bound with cardboard covered with cloth, le ...
publisher, though one of its more successful titles was reissued in hardcover. It was notable for reviving
pulp
Pulp may refer to:
* Pulp (fruit), the inner flesh of fruit
Engineering
* Dissolving pulp, highly purified cellulose used in fibre and film manufacture
* Pulp (paper), the fibrous material used to make paper
* Molded pulp, a packaging material ...
adventure and
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and drama ...
works of the early twentieth century for its "Time-Lost Series."
Authors whose works were returned to print by Centaur Press include
Robert E. Howard
Robert Ervin Howard (January 22, 1906June 11, 1936) was an American writer. He wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. He is well known for his character Conan the Barbarian and is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subge ...
,
Arthur O. Friel
Arthur Olney Friel (31 May 1885 – 27 January 1959) was one of the most popular writers for the adventure pulps.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Friel, a 1909 Yale University graduate, had been South American editor for the Associated Press which le ...
,
J. Allan Dunn
Joseph Allan Elphinstone Dunn (21 January 1872 – 25 March 1941), best known as J. Allan Dunn, was one of the high-producing writers of the American pulp magazines. He published well over a thousand stories, novels, and serials from 1914–4 ...
,
Alfred H. Bill
Alfred Hoyt Bill (1879–1964) was an American writer. His non-fiction mostly dealt with American history while his fiction (some of it aimed at children) was set in different periods of British and French history.
One of his later works of ...
,
Jean d'Esme,
Darrel Crombie Darrel is a given name. Notable people with the name include:
* Darrel Akerfelds (1962–2012), American baseball pitcher and bullpen coach
* Darrel Anholt (born 1962), Canadian ice hockey defenceman
* Darrel Aschbacher (born 1935), American footba ...
,
Arthur D. Howden Smith,
Talbot Mundy
Talbot Mundy (born William Lancaster Gribbon, 23 April 1879 – 5 August 1940) was an English writer of adventure fiction. Based for most of his life in the United States, he also wrote under the pseudonym of Walter Galt. Best known as the ...
,
E. Charles Vivian
Evelyn Charles Henry Vivian ( – ) was the pseudonym of Charles Henry Cannell, a British editor and writer of fantasy and supernatural, detective novels and stories.
Biography
Prior to becoming a writer, Cannell was a former soldier in the ...
,
Will Garth,
H. Warner Munn
Harold Warner Munn (November 5, 1903 – January 10, 1981) was an American writer of fantasy, horror and poetry,Don Herron, "Munn, H(arold) Warner", in Jack Sullivan, ''The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural'' (New York, Vikin ...
, and
William Hope Hodgson
William Hope Hodgson (15 November 1877 – 19 April 1918) was an English author. He produced a large body of work, consisting of essays, short fiction, and novels, spanning several overlapping genres including horror, fantastic fiction, and sci ...
. In the sole anthology it issued, the press also premiered a couple new works, one by Crombie and one by contemporary author
Lin Carter
Linwood Vrooman Carter (June 9, 1930 – February 7, 1988) was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor, poet and critic. He usually wrote as Lin Carter; known pseudonyms include H. P. Lowcraft (for an H. P. L ...
. In later years it also published longer works by contemporary authors, including Carter,
Galad Elflandsson
Galad Elflandsson (born 1951) is a Canadian fantasy writer.
Literary career
In the 1980s, Elflandsson was a member of a group of fantasy writers who met at the House of Speculative Fiction bookstore in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, which he also ma ...
, and
Robb Walsh
Robb Walsh is an American food writer, cookbook author, and restaurant owner who divides his time between Galway Bay, Ireland, and Galveston, Texas. He is a former commentator on National Public Radio's Weekend Edition, Sunday; former restaurant c ...
. Its books featured cover art by
Jeff Jones,
Robert Bruce Acheson,
Virgil Finlay
Virgil Finlay (July 23, 1914 – January 18, 1971) was an American pulp fantasy, science fiction and horror illustrator. He has been called "part of the pulp magazine history ... one of the foremost contributors of original and imagi ...
,
Frank Brunner
Frank Brunner (born February 21, 1949) is an American comics artist and illustrator best known for his work at Marvel Comics in the 1970s.
Early life
Brunner attended Manhattan's High School of Art and Design. He was in the same graduating cl ...
,
David Ireland,
Stephen Fabian
Stephen Emil Fabian Sr. is an American artist.
Career
Fabian specializes in science fiction and fantasy illustration and cover art for books and magazines. Fabian also produced artwork for TSR's ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game from 1986 to 1995, p ...
,
Randy Broecker, and
David Wenzel
David T. Wenzel (; born November 22, 1950) is an illustrator and children's book artist. He is best known for his graphic novel adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's ''The Hobbit''.
Career
Wenzel's first ambition had been to work for one of the big anim ...
.
Centaur's output was small, generally on the order of one to three books a year. Its publications featured thicker and less acidic paper than that utilized by most paperback houses.
Bibliography of books published
''Asterisked titles were issued in the publisher's "Time-Lost" series.''
*''
The Moon of Skulls''* (
Solomon Kane
Solomon Kane is a fictional character created by the pulp-era writer Robert E. Howard. A late-16th-to-early-17th century Puritan, Solomon Kane is a somber-looking man who wanders the world with no apparent goal other than to vanquish evil in al ...
Vol. 1), by
Robert E. Howard
Robert Ervin Howard (January 22, 1906June 11, 1936) was an American writer. He wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. He is well known for his character Conan the Barbarian and is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subge ...
, Nov. 1969.
*''
The Pathless Trail''*, by
Arthur O. Friel
Arthur Olney Friel (31 May 1885 – 27 January 1959) was one of the most popular writers for the adventure pulps.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Friel, a 1909 Yale University graduate, had been South American editor for the Associated Press which le ...
, Nov. 1969.
*''
The Hand of Kane
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...
''* (Solomon Kane Vol. 2), by Robert E. Howard, Oct. 1970.
*''
The Treasure of Atlantis''*, by
J. Allan Dunn
Joseph Allan Elphinstone Dunn (21 January 1872 – 25 March 1941), best known as J. Allan Dunn, was one of the high-producing writers of the American pulp magazines. He published well over a thousand stories, novels, and serials from 1914–4 ...
, Oct 1970, hardcover Sep. 1971 (limited ed.).
*''
Solomon Kane
Solomon Kane is a fictional character created by the pulp-era writer Robert E. Howard. A late-16th-to-early-17th century Puritan, Solomon Kane is a somber-looking man who wanders the world with no apparent goal other than to vanquish evil in al ...
''* (Solomon Kane Vol. 3), by Robert E. Howard, Feb. 1971.
*''
Tiger River''*, by Arthur O. Friel, May 1971.
*''
Swordsmen and Supermen
''Swordsmen and Supermen'' is an American anonymously edited anthology of fantasy stories by Robert E. Howard and others, with a cover by Virgil Finlay. It was first published in paperback by Centaur Press in February 1972. The anonymous editor ha ...
''* (anthology), Feb. 1972.
*''
The Wolf in the Garden
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speak ...
'', by
Alfred H. Bill
Alfred Hoyt Bill (1879–1964) was an American writer. His non-fiction mostly dealt with American history while his fiction (some of it aimed at children) was set in different periods of British and French history.
One of his later works of ...
, 1972.
*''
Caesar Dies
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, ...
''*, by
Talbot Mundy
Talbot Mundy (born William Lancaster Gribbon, 23 April 1879 – 5 August 1940) was an English writer of adventure fiction. Based for most of his life in the United States, he also wrote under the pseudonym of Walter Galt. Best known as the ...
, Nov. 1973.
*''
The City of Wonder
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speak ...
''*, by
E. Charles Vivian
Evelyn Charles Henry Vivian ( – ) was the pseudonym of Charles Henry Cannell, a British editor and writer of fantasy and supernatural, detective novels and stories.
Biography
Prior to becoming a writer, Cannell was a former soldier in the ...
, Nov. 1973.
*''
Grey Maiden: The Story of a Sword Through the Ages''*, by
Arthur D. Howden Smith, Oct. 1974.
*''
Dr. Cyclops''*, by
Will Garth, 1976.
*''
The Werewolf of Ponkert
''The Werewolf of Ponkert'' is a collection of two horror short stories by H. Warner Munn. It was published in book form with its sequel in 1958 by The Grandon Company in an edition of 500 copies. The edition was reissued as a hardback book by C ...
''*, by
H. Warner Munn
Harold Warner Munn (November 5, 1903 – January 10, 1981) was an American writer of fantasy, horror and poetry,Don Herron, "Munn, H(arold) Warner", in Jack Sullivan, ''The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural'' (New York, Vikin ...
, 1976.
*''
The World of Tolkien Illustrated
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...
'', by
Lin Carter
Linwood Vrooman Carter (June 9, 1930 – February 7, 1988) was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor, poet and critic. He usually wrote as Lin Carter; known pseudonyms include H. P. Lowcraft (for an H. P. L ...
, 1978.
*''
The Black Wolf'', by
Galad Elflandsson
Galad Elflandsson (born 1951) is a Canadian fantasy writer.
Literary career
In the 1980s, Elflandsson was a member of a group of fantasy writers who met at the House of Speculative Fiction bookstore in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, which he also ma ...
, 1980.
*''
Out of the Storm'', by
William Hope Hodgson
William Hope Hodgson (15 November 1877 – 19 April 1918) was an English author. He produced a large body of work, consisting of essays, short fiction, and novels, spanning several overlapping genres including horror, fantastic fiction, and sci ...
, 1980.
*''
Kingdom of the Dwarfs
Kingdom commonly refers to:
* A monarchy ruled by a king or queen
* Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy
Kingdom may also refer to:
Arts and media Television
* ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama ...
'', by
Robb Walsh
Robb Walsh is an American food writer, cookbook author, and restaurant owner who divides his time between Galway Bay, Ireland, and Galveston, Texas. He is a former commentator on National Public Radio's Weekend Edition, Sunday; former restaurant c ...
, 1980.
General references
ISFDB entry for Centaur PressISFDB entry for Centaur Books*
Publishing companies established in 1969
Book publishing companies based in New York (state)
American companies established in 1969
{{US-publish-corp-stub