L. P. Davies
Encyclopedia
Leslie Purnell Davies was a British
novelist whose works typically combine elements of horror
, science fiction
and mystery
. He also wrote many short stories
under several pseudonym
s.
Davies' books deal with the defects, evolution
or manipulation of human consciousness
, and in some ways are comparable to the works of Philip K. Dick
. (The premise of The Artificial Man certainly bears some resemblance to that of Dick's Time Out of Joint.) His protagonists frequently suffer from amnesia
or other loss of identity, and their quest to find out who they really are drives the plot.
Davies' novel The Alien (1968) was very freely adapted into the 1972
film
The Groundstar Conspiracy
, starring George Peppard
and Michael Sarrazin
.
Davies worked as a pharmacist
, postmaster
, optometrist and gift shop
owner, and served in the British Army
Medical Corps in France
, Italy
and North Africa
.
A critical essay on Davies' novels can be found in S. T. Joshi
's The Evolution of the Weird Tale (2004).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
novelist whose works typically combine elements of horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
, science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and mystery
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
. He also wrote many short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
under several pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s.
Davies' books deal with the defects, evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
or manipulation of human consciousness
Consciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
, and in some ways are comparable to the works of Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick
Philip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered...
. (The premise of The Artificial Man certainly bears some resemblance to that of Dick's Time Out of Joint.) His protagonists frequently suffer from amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
or other loss of identity, and their quest to find out who they really are drives the plot.
Davies' novel The Alien (1968) was very freely adapted into the 1972
1972 in film
The year 1972 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Avanti!, directed by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet MillsB...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
The Groundstar Conspiracy
The Groundstar Conspiracy
The Groundstar Conspiracy is a 1972 film directed by Lamont Johnson. It stars George Peppard and Michael Sarrazin. The script was very freely adapted from L. P. Davies' 1968 novel, The Alien...
, starring George Peppard
George Peppard
George Peppard, Jr. was an American film and television actor.Peppard secured a major role when he starred alongside Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's , portrayed a character based on Howard Hughes in The Carpetbaggers , and played the title role of the millionaire sleuth Thomas Banacek in...
and Michael Sarrazin
Michael Sarrazin
Michael Sarrazin was a Canadian film and television actor who found fame opposite Jane Fonda in the drama film They Shoot Horses, Don't They? .- Early life :...
.
Davies worked as a pharmacist
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
, postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
, optometrist and gift shop
Gift shop
A gift shop is a store primarily selling souvenirs relating to a particular topic or theme. The items sold often include coffee mugs, stuffed animals, t-shirts, postcards, handmade collections and other souvenirs....
owner, and served in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
Medical Corps in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
.
A critical essay on Davies' novels can be found in S. T. Joshi
S. T. Joshi
Sunand Tryambak Joshi — known as S. T. Joshi — is an award-winning Indian American literary critic, novelist, and a leading figure in the study of Howard Phillips Lovecraft and other authors of weird and fantastic fiction...
's The Evolution of the Weird Tale (2004).
Novels
- The Paper Dolls (1964)
- Man Out of Nowhere (1965; published in the US in 1966 as Who Is Lewis Pinder?)
- The Artificial Man (1965)
- Psychogeist (1966)
- Tell it to the Dead (1966, under the pseudonym Leslie Vardre; published in the US in 1967 as The Reluctant Medium under the author's real name)
- Twilight Journey (1967)
- The Lampton Dreamers (1967)
- The Nameless Ones (1967; published in the US in 1968 as A Grave Matter)
- The Alien (1968)
- Dimension A (1969)
- Genesis Two (1969)
- Stranger to Town (1969)
- The White Room (1969)
- Adventure Holidays Ltd. (1970)
- The Shadow Before (1970)
- Give Me Back Myself (1971)
- What Did I Do Tomorrow? (1972)
- Assignment Abacus (1975)
- Possession (1976)
- The Land of Leys (1979)
- Morning Walk (1983)