PRAGNELL, Festus

(1905-?1965)

   UK writer and policeman who first appeared in the US PULP MAGAZINES with "The Venus Germ" for Wonder Stories in 1932, written in collaboration with R.F. STARZL; he published 1 tale as by Francis Parnell (Festus Pragnell is not a pseudonym). His Don Hargreaves stories, all seton a lurid Mars, appeared in AMZ from 1938 ("Ghost of Mars") to 1943 ("Madcap of Mars"). His first sf novel, The Green Man of Kilsona (1936;rev vt The Green Man of Graypec 1950 US), describes a voyage into a miniature world (GREAT AND SMALL). A second novel, The Terror from Timorkal (1946), sets a world-threatening crisis in Africa, where a newmineral suitable for the manufacture of superweapons is being exploited by unscrupulous politicians. His last work, "The Machine God Laughs" (1948), was the title story of The Machine God Laughs (anth 1949) ed William L. CRAWFORD.

   JC

   Other works: Thieves of the Air (c1943 chap) with Benson HERBERT.