Pseudonym of UK journalist and popular thriller writer Arthur Henry Ward (1883-1959), who began calling himself Arthur Sarsfield Ward after his mother's death in 1901; in US from 1947. He started publishing work of genre interest with "The Mysterious Mummy" in Pearson's Weekly for the Christmas Issue, 24 November 1903, also publishing various early work in Cassell's Magazine, Chambers Journal, Collier's Weekly, The Premier Magazine and numerous other early general fiction magazines and Boys' Papers. Rohmer capitalized on contemporary anxiety about the Chinese, generated by the Boxer Rebellion and the fictions of M P Shiel and others, to produce many sensational novels about the Yellow Peril. Most famous is his series about Dr Fu-Manchu, a malign genius, Mad Scientist and aspirational Secret Master whose secret Chinese organization is bent on world domination, though by the 1950s he was fighting to save the planet from Communism: a transition not untypical of Antihero series protagonists who begin as Villains but in due become mysterious, ambivalent benefactors of mankind; his partially successful search for Immortality explains his longevity. Rohmer's creation underlaid many twentieth-century super-villains, the best known perhaps being Dr No in Ian Fleming's James Bond sequence, Dr Yen-Lo in Richard Condon's The Manchurian Candidate (1959) (> The Manchurian Candidate) and Ming the Merciless in Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon. Versions of the villain also appear in work by Roland Daniels, Anthony Rud and Nigel Vane; and in some later hero/villain quasi-sf thrillers written by Lester Dent; he also appears, in Philip José Farmer's Wold Newton Family mythos, as a scion of the Doc Savage clan. Two direct imitations were the short-lived magazines The Mysterious Wu Fang and Dr Yen Sin. Fu Manchu's perennial adversary, Nayland Smith, indomitable though not quick-witted, has served for his part as a significant figure in the evolution of the Pulp Hero.

The sequence begins in London – where many of the earlier tales, some of them comically overwritten, are set – with The Mystery of Dr Fu-Manchu (stories October 1912-July 1913 The Story Teller under the heading "Fu-Manchu"; fixup 1913; vt The Insidious Dr Fu-Manchu 1913), continuing with The Return of Dr Fu-Manchu (stories 21 November 1914-4 December 1915 Collier's Weekly as "Fu-Manchu & Co."; fixup 1916; vt The Devil Doctor 1916), The Si-Fan Mysteries (stories 8 April 1916-2 June 1917 Collier's Weekly; fixup 1917; vt The Hand of Fu-Manchu 1917), Daughter of Fu Manchu (8 March-24 May 1930 Collier's Weekly as "Fu Manchu's Daughter"; 1931), The Mask of Fu Manchu (7 May-23 July 1932 Collier's Weekly; 1932) – filmed as The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) – Fu Manchu's Bride (6 May-8 July 1933 Collier's Weekly; 1933; vt The Bride of Fu Manchu 1933), The Trail of Fu Manchu (28 April-14 July 1934 Collier's Weekly; 1934), President Fu Manchu (29 February-16 May 1936 Collier's Weekly as "The Invisible President"; 1936), The Drums of Fu Manchu (1938), The Island of Fu Manchu (16 November-1 February 1941 Liberty; 1941), The Shadow of Fu Manchu (8 May-12 June 1948 Collier's Weekly; 1948), Re-Enter Fu Manchu (1957; vt Re-Enter Dr Fu Manchu 1957) and Emperor Fu Manchu (1959). The Wrath of Fu Manchu and Other Stories (coll 1973) assembles various tales; for omnis see Checklist. Although these and other novels by Rohmer are primarily occult thrillers, they contain many sf elements.

Apart from this main series, Rohmer wrote several others. The Sumuru series is about an oriental villainess, essentially a female version of Dr Fu-Manchu: Nude in Mink (1950; vt Sins of Sumuru 1950), Sumuru (1951; vt Slaves of Sumuru 1952), Virgin in Flames (1952; vt The Fire Goddess 1952), Return of Sumuru (1954; vt Sand and Satin 1955) and Sinister Madonna (1956). The Gaston Max series comprises The Yellow Claw (1915), The Golden Scorpion (1919), The Day the World Ended (1930), set in and around a fortress guarded by Death Rays, and Seven Sins (1943). The Paul Harley series consists of Bat-Wing (1921), Fire-Tongue (1921) and some short stories, mostly assembled in Salute to Bazarada and Other Stories (coll 1939).

Rohmer also wrote several stage plays, beginning with "Round in 50" (staged in 1922), based on Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days (1873), and including an adaptation from C J Cutcliffe Hyne's Captain Kettle series. Several of his novels have been made into films (> The Face of Fu Manchu) and the Dr Fu Manchu sequence was adapted by him into a popular Radio series.

The pseudonym Sax Rohmer combines Anglo-Saxon words for blade and wanderer, suggesting "free lance" as in freelance writer, the author's long-term occupation. Rohmer's only book under another name was a supernatural/theological novel, Wulfheim (1950) as by Michael Furey. [JE/JC]

see also: Canada; Gothic SF; Pulp; Weapons.

Arthur Henry Ward

born Birmingham, England: 15 February 1883

died London: 1 June 1959

works

series

Dr Fu-Manchu

• The Mystery of Dr Fu-Manchu (London: Methuen, 1913) [coll of linked stories: first appeared October 1912-July 1913 The Story Teller under the heading "Fu-Manchu": Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/uncredited]
  • The Insidious Dr Fu-Manchu (New York: McBride, Nast, 1913) [vt of the above: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
• The Devil Doctor (London: Methuen, 1916) [fixup: stories first appeared 21 November 1914-4 December 1915 Collier's Weekly as "Fu-Manchu & Co.": Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
  • The Return of Dr Fu-Manchu (New York: Robert M McBride and Company, 1916) [vt of the above: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
• The Si-Fan Mysteries (London: Methuen, 1917) [fixup: first appeared 8 April 1916-2 June 1917 Collier's Weekly: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
  • The Hand of Fu-Manchu: Being a New Phase in the Activities of Fu-Manchu, the Devil Doctor (New York: Robert M McBride and Company, 1917) [vt of the above: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
  • The Book of Fu-Manchu (London: Hurst and Blackett, 1929) [omni of the above three: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
    • The Book of Fu-Manchu (New York: Robert M McBride and Company, 1929) [exp of the above: adding The Golden Scorpion (Gaston Max) below: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
    • The Fu Manchu Omnibus: Volume 1 (London: Allison and Busby, 1996) [vt of the above: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
• Daughter of Fu Manchu (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran/The Crime Club, 1931) [first appeared 8 March-24 May 1930 Collier's Weekly as "Fu Manchu's Daughter": Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
• The Mask of Fu Manchu (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran/The Crime Club, 1931) [first appeared 7 May-23 July 1932 Collier's Weekly: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
• Fu Manchu's Bride (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran/The Crime Club, 1933) [first appeared 6 May-8 July 1933 Collier's Weekly: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
  • The Bride of Fu Manchu (London: Cassell, 1933) [vt of the above: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
  • The Fu Manchu Omnibus: Volume 2 (London: Allison and Busby, 1997) [omni of the above three: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
• The Trail of Fu Manchu (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran/The Crime Club, 1934) [first appeared 28 April-14 July 1934 Collier's Weekly: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
• President Fu Manchu (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran/The Crime Club, 1936) [first appeared 29 February-16 May 1936 Collier's Weekly as "The Invisible President": Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
• The Drums of Fu Manchu (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran/The Crime Club, 1938) [Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
• The Island of Fu Manchu (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran/The Crime Club, 1941) [first appeared 16 November-1 February 1941 Liberty as "Fu Manchu and the Panama Canal": Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
• The Shadow of Fu Manchu (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company/The Crime Club, 1948) [first appeared 8 May-12 June 1948 Collier's Weekly: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
• Re-Enter Fu Manchu (Greenwich, Connecticut: Fawcett Gold Medal, 1957) [Dr Fu-Manchu: pb/]
  • Re-Enter Dr Fu Manchu (London: Herbert Jenkins, 1957) [vt of the above: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
  • The Fu Manchu Omnibus: Volume 3 (London: Allison and Busby, 1998) [omni of the above plus The Trail of Fu Manchu and President Fu Manchu above: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
• Emperor Fu Manchu (London: Herbert Jenkins, 1959) [Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
  • The Fu Manchu Omnibus: Volume 4 (London: Allison and Busby, 1999) [omni of the above plus The Drums of Fu Manchu and The Shadow of Fu Manchu above: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]
• The Wrath of Fu Manchu and Other Stories (London: Tom Stacey, 1973) [coll: Dr Fu-Manchu: hb/]

Gaston Max

• The Yellow Claw (New York: McBride, Nast, 1915) [Gaston Max: hb/]
  • The Sax Rohmer Omnibus (New York: Grosset and Dunlap, 1938) [omni of the above plus Tales of Secret Egypt below: Gaston Max: hb/]
• The Golden Scorpion (London: Methuen, 1919) [Gaston Max: hb/]
  • The Golden Scorpion (New York: Grosset and Dunlap, 1938) [omni of the above plus a non-fantastic novel: Gaston Max: hb/]
• The Day the World Ended (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran/The Crime Club, 1930) [Gaston Max: hb/]
• Seven Sins (New York: McBride, 1943) [Gaston Max: hb/]

Paul Harley

• Bat-Wing (London: Cassell, 1921) [Paul Harley: hb/]
• Fire-Tongue (London: Cassell, 1921) [Paul Harley: hb/]

Sumuru

• Nude in Mink (Greenwich, Connecticut: Fawcett Gold Medal, 1950) [Sumuru: pb/]
  • Sins of Sumuru (London: Herbert Jenkins, 1950) [vt of the above: Sumuru: hb/]
• Sumuru (Greenwich, Connecticut: Fawcett Gold Medal, 1951) [Sumuru: pb/]
  • Slaves of Sumuru (London: Herbert Jenkins, 1952) [vt of the above: Sumuru: hb/]
• The Fire Goddess (Greenwich, Connecticut: Fawcett Gold Medal, 1952) [Sumuru: pb/]
  • Virgin in Flames (London: Herbert Jenkins, 1952) [vt of the above: Sumuru: hb/]
• Return of Sumuru (Greenwich, Connecticut: Fawcett Gold Medal, 1954) [Sumuru: pb/]
  • Sand and Satin (London: Herbert Jenkins, 1955) [vt of the above: Sumuru: hb/]
• Sinister Madonna (London: Herbert Jenkins, 1956) [Sumuru: hb/]

individual titles

• The Sins of Séverac Bablon (London: Cassell, 1914) [coll of linked stories: first appeared June 1912-August 1913 Cassell's Magazine: hb/]
• Brood of the Witch Queen (London: Methuen, 1918) [first appeared May 1914-January 1915 Premier Magazine: hb/]
• The Orchard of Tears (London: Methuen, 1918) [hb/]
• The Quest of the Sacred Slipper (London: C Arthur Pearson, 1919) [fixup: first appeared November 1913-June 1914 Short Stories, first 3 parts as "Hassan of Aleppo, The Quest of the Sacred Slipper", short title thereafter: hb/]
• The Green Eyes of Bast (London: Cassell, 1920) [hb/]
• Grey Face (London: Cassell, 1924) [hb/]
• She who Sleeps (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1928) [hb/]
• The Emperor of America (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran/The Crime Club, 1929) [hb/]
• The Bat Flies Low (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company/The Crime Club, 1935) [hb/]
• Wulfheim (London: Jarrolds, 1950) as by Michael Furey [hb/]
• The Moon is Red (London: Herbert Jenkins, 1954) [hb/]

collections

• Pause! (London: Greening and Company, 1910) with George Robey, both anonymous [coll: contains some fantasy: hb/uncredited]
• Tales of Secret Egypt (London: Methuen, 1918) [coll: hb/]
• The Dream Detective (London: Jarrolds, 1920) [coll of linked stories: hb/]
  • The Dream Detective (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1925) [exp with one story added: hb/]
• The Haunting of Low Fennel (London: C Arthur Pearson, 1920) [coll: hb/]
• Tales of Chinatown (London: Cassell, 1921) [coll: hb/]
• Tales of East and West (London: Cassell, 1932) [coll: hb/]
  • Tales of East and West (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1933) [rev of the above: substantially different contents: hb/]
• Salute to Bazarada and Other Stories (London: Cassell, 1939) [coll: contains some Paul Harley stories: hb/]
• The Secret of Holm Peel and Other Strange Stories (New York: Ace Books, 1970) [coll: pb/]
• Strange Tales of Sax Rohmer: Classic Tales of Mystery and Intrigue (Middletown, Virginia: Wildcat Books, 2004) [coll: pb/]

about the author

• Bradford M Day. Sax Rohmer: A Bibliography (Denver, New York: Science Fiction and Fantasy Publications, 1963) [bibliography: chap: pb/nonpictorial]
• Cay Van Ash and Elizabeth Sax Rohmer. Master of Villainy (London: Tom Stacey, 1972) [nonfiction: Van Ash also wrote Ten Years Beyond Baker Street (1984), a novel in which Fu-Manchu meets Sherlock Holmes: hb/]

links

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