Headhunter

[raasnio]

Discuss the novel Headhunter with fellow Sladists...

[chaos-consultants]

So, I am doing things a little backwards as I have read many of Slade's books but never got to this one. Well finally I'm done. I have to admit the start was a little slow for me, but with the surroundings in my backyard literally it was neat to start the book historically. Obviously some of the character build up made more sense later, but nonetheless a slow start. I think for me it really picked up when the relationship between Genevieve and DeClerc started showing up, then I couldn't put it down.

Since I read primal scream first...yet many years ago it only hit me about 50 pages to the end, so I do think you can actually read either one first. It was like one of those Star Trek prequels whereas you know who Kirk is but you didn't know him when he first joined starfleet. That being said, as a sequel I am not sure if I had a second chance if I would read headhunter or Primal Scream first. I guess that's a good thing because they are both fine books that stand on their own !

Thanks for writing them Slade !!!

Chaos

[e_taylor]

Slade,

Which version of Headhunter is your "preferred text"?

UK or US?

[chaos-consultants]

nooooooo !!!! So now I have to read the US version too? I decided to read the UK version because my US copy is too nice !!!!

I know Slade mentioned the editors were different, but how much difference would you say there is, ie: is 2% cutout from one, or is there 5 pages of different material in each that don't overlap???

[PohlSE]

If my memory serves I think I remember Slade saying the UK version has more of Sparky's time in the Amazon.

However, my memory fails me more and more.

[Mbwun]

As far as I know, the only UK versions of HEADHUNTER that are different from the US (or Canadian) versions, are these two:





All the subsequent versions are the same as the North American printings.

From what I understand, all the flashbacks are together at the beginning of the novel in the above two versions, with a little bit extra in there re: Sparky's time in South America.

I am dying to read that missing passage, as I recall Steely once posting that it was while he was reading that particular bit from the book, the hair stood up on the back of his neck, and he was instantly turned into a Slade fan. If I recall correctly, he once chastised Slade for allowing it to be removed from the subsequent printings, when the flashbacks got dispersed throughout the novel.

But alas, Steely never got around to scanning the section and emailing it to me, and no one here who has said they would scan their books and send me the scans has gotten around to it.

It sure would be nice if scans of that section were made available on the website so that people could read that part that was removed.

*** hint, hint, hint ***

Oh, and I've noticed that the Star paperback cover (pictured above) is missing from the HEADHUNTER drawer in The Morgue.

[chaos-consultants]

If you have page numbers or a way to help me find it, I can try to scan it from my UK pb

[Mbwun]

The thread I started about it seems to have disappeared from the board. Slade explained where it was in that thread, but I've forgotten the specifics of it.

[chaos-consultants]

I guess we'll wait for Slade to reply then !!

Chaos

[Mbwun]

I guess we have no choice, due to my crumby memory. LOL

By the way, thanks for your offer to scan the page(s) for me.

[chaos-consultants]

If you can give me a little bit more description of the passage as you remember it - we're talking flashbacks at the start right? Then I can try to find it

[Mbwun]

I think it has something to do with a scene that takes place in a plane, but I'm not absolutely positive about that.

[chaos-consultants]

I think it has something to do with a scene that takes place in a plane, but I'm not absolutely positive about that.

Mbwun, so I went through part 1 of the UK version and basically here is the breakdown:

PART ONE - THE SEED
Untitled #1 (The Nightmare, Medicine Lake Alberta 1897)
a - Wilfred Blake & Iron Child

Untiltled #2 (Eyes, New Orleans Louisiana 1957)
a - Crystal and Susannah
b - Man with the briefcase flashback as child
c - Axe-man
d - Susannah doms Chrystal


Untitled #3 (The Hippie, On the Santiago River, Ecuador, 1969)
a - Selena and Sparky going on a trip
b - Flashback to plane ride to volcano erupting
c - Crash then Garcia fixes and leaves
d - Boat trip through Jungle
e - Camping in descriptive forest
f - LSD trip
g - Intercourse

PART TWO - HORSEMAN

So which part was it that you wanted? Once Eric and I finish the Slade Bibliography maybe we'll turn our attention to mapping out uk/us differences !?!

Chaos

[e_taylor]

I think it has something to do with a scene that takes place in a plane, but I'm not absolutely positive about that.

Mbwun, so I went through part 1 of the UK version and basically here is the breakdown:

PART ONE - THE SEED
Untitled #1 (The Nightmare, Medicine Lake Alberta 1897)
a - Wilfred Blake & Iron Child

Untiltled #2 (Eyes, New Orleans Louisiana 1957)
a - Crystal and Susannah
b - Man with the briefcase flashback as child
c - Axe-man
d - Susannah doms Chrystal


Untitled #3 (The Hippie, On the Santiago River, Ecuador, 1969)
a - Selena and Sparky going on a trip
b - Flashback to plane ride to volcano erupting
c - Crash then Garcia fixes and leaves
d - Boat trip through Jungle
e - Camping in descriptive forest
f - LSD trip
g - Intercourse

PART TWO - HORSEMAN

So which part was it that you wanted? Once Eric and I finish the Slade Bibliography maybe we'll turn our attention to mapping out uk/us differences !?!

Chaos

I'd be up for that! Although I'm pretty sure Headhunter is the only book with textual differences between editions.

[chaos-consultants]

Slade told me Ghoul as well. He also said Zombie uk/us had many erros from different editors. I would also do a scene by scene breakdown of each of the books to help people find those 'lost' scenes they enjoyed the most.