tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post1146206389551061133..comments2024-03-19T00:17:44.809-07:00Comments on The Passing Tramp: A Chess Problem: The Player on the Other Side (1963), by Ellery QueenThe Passing Tramphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-4056911333297045532015-11-13T11:57:55.531-08:002015-11-13T11:57:55.531-08:00"Desuetude" -- marvelous word, probly ha..."Desuetude" -- marvelous word, probly hasn't gotten much use since EQ was The Man. ;)Mathew Pausthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06157135006791553019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-9377754737430157992015-11-13T07:18:28.034-08:002015-11-13T07:18:28.034-08:00Have to try and get this. Always been a sucker for...Have to try and get this. Always been a sucker for chess storiesCharles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-27194852892022381822015-11-13T07:18:24.106-08:002015-11-13T07:18:24.106-08:00Have to try and get this. Always been a sucker for...Have to try and get this. Always been a sucker for chess storiesCharles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-83912456312648535182015-11-11T03:12:41.092-08:002015-11-11T03:12:41.092-08:00Player is so Van Dineish in setting an some of the...Player is so Van Dineish in setting an some of the plot gambits it gave me a real sense of nostalgia for Van Dine's wonderfully fanciful set-ups!The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-54779826652839374422015-11-11T03:11:02.695-08:002015-11-11T03:11:02.695-08:00It's been reprinted in UK by Orion, the best o...It's been reprinted in UK by Orion, the best of their three EQ reprints, I think.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-66525406081892974202015-11-11T03:10:07.392-08:002015-11-11T03:10:07.392-08:00My Dad was a great chess player, but I never reall...My Dad was a great chess player, but I never really took it up, though I do like abstract games. Glad you liked the review!The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-38147253831817082582015-11-11T03:06:37.845-08:002015-11-11T03:06:37.845-08:00And Symons rather liked Van Dine's books, at l...And Symons rather liked Van Dine's books, at least the early ones!<br /><br />Glad you liked the piece, I think Sturgeon's and Davidson's books for EQ from Dannay's outlines were very interesting.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-42982867406633692452015-11-11T03:03:40.747-08:002015-11-11T03:03:40.747-08:00After Player and their next book, which was back s...After Player and their next book, which was back set in the 1940s, EQ did try to get more modern, with varying success.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-44580658620004504402015-11-11T02:43:18.356-08:002015-11-11T02:43:18.356-08:00Well, Jonathan, there are of course different type...Well, Jonathan, there are of course different types of pieces on the board....The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-87936110767796381662015-11-11T01:44:16.739-08:002015-11-11T01:44:16.739-08:00Thanks for explaining the chess metaphor, which ma...Thanks for explaining the chess metaphor, which makes perfect sense of the title. I fear I've been misled by a misinterpretation of the 'other side', and of one of the old covers, which made me think that the emphasis was on the ostensibly supernatural prowess of the murderer in pulling strings to accomplish his crimes...<br /><br />Some of the reviews I've read suggest that 'Face to Face' is just about the only decent title amidst the final few novels. I quite enjoyed it, but found it slightly modish in writing and description. Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03389512470283015279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-32617437161234596872015-11-10T23:28:41.037-08:002015-11-10T23:28:41.037-08:00Thanks for the comments everyone. Prashant, I hav...Thanks for the comments everyone. Prashant, I have always loved the title to this one, even before I actually read it. And the title really does illustrate the theme, which is very nicely done in the book. I really enjoyed both this and And on the Eighth Day, although I can see how the latter divides opinion.<br /><br />Have yet to read Face to Face, though I know Carr raved it. Of the later ones, didn't like House of Brass at all, or The Last Woman in His life. Started Fourth Side of the Triangle once but never finished!The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-70029887790321520382015-11-10T19:25:30.511-08:002015-11-10T19:25:30.511-08:00I have to confess that, of all the EQs, Calamity T...I have to confess that, of all the EQs, <i>Calamity Town</i> is my favorite, but <i>The Player on the Other Side</i> isn't all that far behind; I've always assumed this is because Sturgeon, too, is a favorite author. Whatever the case, this is a wonderful novel, and your writeup is just what the doctor ordered.<br /><br />My other shameful admission is that I've never read any S.S. Van Dine/Philo Vance, probably because so put off the author by Julian Symons's account of him in <i>Bloody Murder</i>. Maybe I should remedy this.noirencyclopediahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02843963811822980754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-30217908438290960342015-11-10T13:58:14.836-08:002015-11-10T13:58:14.836-08:00I do like this one a lot Curtis, though I have a h...I do like this one a lot Curtis, though I have a huge affection for FACE TO FACE (a genuine Dannay-Lee collaboration). In Italy it was published as BENTORNATO ELLERY (WELCOME BACK ELLERY) and it does feel like the character coming home as it is very Van Dine-ish too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-8396936750781957332015-11-10T09:56:47.096-08:002015-11-10T09:56:47.096-08:00Curt, while I have never read Ellery Queen, the ti...Curt, while I have never read Ellery Queen, the title of this mystery has really pricked my curiosity. I'd like to see how the authors have woven the story around the theme of chess which, as you might know, is my favourite game/sport. Thanks, also, for the background on Fredric Dannay and Manfred B. Lee. I enjoyed your review.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-4865009743180099532015-11-10T07:25:55.699-08:002015-11-10T07:25:55.699-08:00Thanks Curt - you've certainly made me feel I ...Thanks Curt - you've certainly made me feel I need to add this one to my list of recommended -by-experts!Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.com