Dwellers in the Mirage is a fantasy novel by A. Merritt

A. Merritt

Abraham Grace Merritt — known by his byline, A. Merritt — was an American editor and author of works of fantastic fiction.-Life:...

. It was first published in book form in 1932

1932 in literature

The year 1932 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*E. V. Knox replaces Sir Owen Seaman as editor of Punch magazine.*Samuel Beckett's first novel, Dream of Fair to Middling Women, is rejected by several publishers....

 by Horace Liveright

Horace Liveright

Horace Brisbin Liveright was an American publisher and stage producer. With Albert Boni, he founded the Modern Library and Boni & Liveright publishers. He published books from numerous influential American and British authors...

. The novel was originally serialized in six parts in the magazine Argosy

Argosy (magazine)

Argosy was an American pulp magazine, published by Frank Munsey. It is generally considered to be the first American pulp magazine. The magazine began as a general information periodical entitled The Golden Argosy, targeted at the boys adventure market.-Launch of Argosy:In late September 1882,...

beginning with the January 23, 1932 issue.

Plot introduction

The novel concerns American Lief Langdon who discovers a warm valley in Alaska

Alaska

Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...

. Two races inhabit the valley, the Little People and a branch of an ancient Mongolian race and they worship the evil Kraken

Kraken

Kraken are legendary sea monsters of giant proportions said to have dwelt off the coasts of Norway and Iceland.In modern German, Krake means octopus but can also refer to the legendary Kraken...

 named Khalk'ru which they summon from another dimension to offer human sacrifice. The inhabitants recognize Langdon as the reincarnation of their long dead hero, Dwayanu. Dwayanu's spirit possesses Langdon and starts a war with the Little People. Langdon eventually fights off the presence of Dwayanu and destroys the Kraken.

Critical reception

Boucher

Anthony Boucher

Anthony Boucher was an American science fiction editor and author of mystery novels and short stories. He was particularly influential as an editor. Between 1942 and 1947 he acted as reviewer of mostly mystery fiction for the San Francisco Chronicle...

 and McComas

J. Francis McComas

Jesse Francis McComas was an American science fiction editor. McComas wrote several stories on his own in the 1950s using both his own name and the pseudonym Webb Marlowe....

 described Dwellers in the Mirage as attractive to "those who love wild adventure even when shallowly written."

Publication history

• 1932, USA, Argosy
  Argosy (magazine)
  Argosy was an American pulp magazine, published by Frank Munsey. It is generally considered to be the first American pulp magazine. The magazine began as a general information periodical entitled The Golden Argosy, targeted at the boys adventure market.-Launch of Argosy:In late September 1882,...
  
  , Pub date 23 January 1932, magazine serialization in 6 parts
• 1932, USA, Horace Liveright
  Horace Liveright
  Horace Brisbin Liveright was an American publisher and stage producer. With Albert Boni, he founded the Modern Library and Boni & Liveright publishers. He published books from numerous influential American and British authors...
  
   , Pub date 1932, Hardback, first book publication
• 1932, UK, Skeffington , Pub date 1932, Hardback, reprinted 1934
• 1941, USA, Fantastic Novels, Pub date April 1941, magazine, reprinted September 1949
• 1944, USA, Avon
  Avon (publishers)
  Avon Publications was an American paperback book and comic book publisher. As of 2010, it is an imprint of HarperCollins, publishing primarily romance novels.-History:...
  
   MM24 , Pub date 1944, Paperback, reprinted 1952
• 1950, USA, The Grandon Company , Pub date 1950, Hardback

External links

• Dwellers in the Mirage at the Australian Project Gutenberg site.