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Titus Groan (The Gormenghast Trilogy)
by Mervyn PeakeFirst in the classic gothic trilogy. &“A masterpiece . . . a moody, melancholy comedy with an underlying wit and profundity that cannot be denied.&” —SpeculictionThe basis for the 2000 BBC seriesNow in development by Showtime As the novel opens, Titus, heir to Lord Sepulchrave, has just been born. He stands to inherit the miles of rambling stone and mortar that form Gormenghast Castle. Meanwhile, far away and in the kitchen, a servant named Steerpike escapes his drudgework and begins an auspicious ascent to power. Inside of Gormenghast, all events are predetermined by complex rituals, the origins of which are lost in time. The castle is peopled by dark characters in half-lit corridors. Dreamlike and macabre, Peake&’s extraordinary novel is one of the most astonishing and fantastic works in modern fiction.Praise the Gormenghast Trilogy &“Mervyn Peake is a finer poet than Edgar Allan Poe, and he is therefore able to maintain his world of fantasy brilliantly through three novels. It is a very, very great work.&” —Robertson Davies, New York Times-bestselling author &“A sumptuous, poetic epic . . . considered by some to have an equal or even greater degree of importance to the development of modern fantasy as Tolkien&’s The Lord of the Rings.&” —SFF180 &“Mervyn Peake&’s gothic masterpiece, the Gormenghast trilogy, begins with the superlative Titus Groan, a darkly humorous, stunningly complex tale of the first two years in the life of the heir to an ancient, rambling castle . . . This true classic is a feast of words unlike anything else in the world of fantasy. Those who explore Gormenghast castle will be richly rewarded.&” —SFF Book Reviews
The Cuckoo Wood (The Alex Ripley Mysteries)
by M. Sean ColemanA spate of suicides—and stories of angel sightings—lead a detective into the dark underbelly of an isolated English village . . . Samantha Jaynes ended her life in a cold lake. Now Rosie Trimble has done the same. Both claimed they had seen an angel. And they&’re not the only ones. The series of teenage suicides is rattling the rural community of Kirkdale in England&’s Lake District; is it collective hallucination—or is something more sinister leading these young girls to their deaths? That&’s a question for Dr Alex Ripley, the so-called Miracle Detective. Brought in to help the police, she finds a community rooted in fear and suspicion, bound by their strange faith, unwilling to help, unable to forgive. The people of Kirkdale have buried their dark past before, and they&’re not about to let Alex Ripley dig it up again . . .
Emerald
by Iris GowerShe had nothing left to lose. Or so she thought . . . One woman&’s tragic past melds into a future of danger and deception in this suspenseful novel. Charlotte knew nothing of her parents except that they&’d died when she was a child. And when her aunt&’s will leaves no provision for her, Charlotte must leave the only home she&’s known for the uncertain protection of an uncle she&’s never met at his manor house, Plas Melyn. Plas Melyn seems cold and unwelcoming, but when acts of violence that can only be directed at her occur, Charlotte has to wonder why anyone would want to kill a poor orphan? A powerful Welsh saga of loss and redemption, perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin, Dilly Court, and Pam Howes.
House of Shadows
by Iris GowerIt all seemed too good to be true . . . A woman&’s hopes rest on a house with a tragic past in this haunting Welsh novel from the bestselling author. The moment artist Riana Evans sees the dilapidated mansion in Wales, she determines to buy it, despite its unhappy past—twenty years ago, five maids died there in mysterious circumstances. The house&’s &“ghosts&” prove good for business—inspiring her paintings and providing atmosphere at a series of ghost-spotting weekends. Her romantic life begins to look up too in the form of handsome airman Tom Maybury. But the mystery of the girls&’ deaths hangs over everything. Riana soon discovers that the house holds a secret, and there&’s someone—or something—who&’ll do anything to make sure she never discovers it. A heart-wrenching Welsh drama, perfect for fans of Pam Howes, Dilly Court, and Linda Finlay.
Warriors of Gor (Gorean Saga)
by John NormanThe Saga of Gor continues as Tarl Cabot attempts to save a beautiful prisoner from a terrible fate. The daughter of Marlenus, the Ubar of Ar, is now a fugitive sought for betraying the Home Stone of her city. The price on her head could build fleets and hire armies. For years she has been hunted by legions of guardsmen and bounty hunters. Now, tricked by a former colleague, Talena has been captured and delivered to Lurius of Jad. Once her esteemed ally, Lurius is now eager to sell Talena&’s blood for the gold of Ar. But the reward cannot be claimed until the prisoner is delivered. Between the port of Jad and the mighty gates of Ar lie dangerous waters and harrowing wildernesses, the threats of beasts and the menace of men. Tarl Cabot, a seaman and warrior of Port Kar, once the free companion of Talena, chooses to risk everything to save his former companion. In this rousing adventure, we encounter the steel of warriors, the stealth of Assassins, the savagery of monstrous Kurii, the passions and beauty of needful, vulnerable, collared slaves, the subtleties of Scribes of the Law, and the ambition and ruthlessness of men who want nothing less than the throne of Ar itself.
The Devil Tree II: The Calling (Devil Tree Ser. #2)
by Keith RommelDarkness reigns under the shadow of an ancient oak tree in this grisly thriller inspired by horrific crimes—and a haunting legend—in Port St. Lucie, Florida . . . Convicted killer Gerard John Schaefer wreaked havoc along the Treasure Coast and Hutchinson Island in the 1970s. His reign of terror included unspeakable acts of torture, rape, and murder in the shadow of an ancient oak tree. He hanged people there, buried their bodies, and came back often to pillage what remained. It is believed that Schaefer&’s evil seeped into the tree and surrounding area, leaving a blemish on the otherwise beautiful nature walk in Oak Hammock Park. When night descends around the tree, the atmosphere changes completely; hundreds of stories are offered up about personal experiences of a true-life haunting . . . This follow-up to The Devil Tree follows the legend into the present day, as Satanists commune by the tree in honor of their fallen idol. Terrible things happen around the tree, which seems to have a certain allure to it . . . making people commit unimaginable acts. What drives someone to kill? Is it something within them, or an outside force that influences them? This sick and grisly legend is so deep, so convoluted and wicked, you won&’t believe what you read. Whatever you do, don&’t visit the Devil Tree after dusk. You will never be the same. That is the warning of many people—including uniformed officers who have come forth to share their experiences at the tree . . .
The Great Ordeal: Book Three (The Aspect-Emperor Trilogy) (The Aspect-Emperor Trilogy #0)
by R. Scott BakkerAn empress seeks her lost son as rival factions prepare for war in the long-awaited third novel of this acclaimed fantasy epic.As Fanim war-drums beat just outside the city, the Empress Anasurimbor Esmenet searches frantically throughout the palace for her missing son Kelmomas.Many miles away, Esmenet's husband's Great Ordeal continues its epic march further north. But in light of dwindling supplies, the Aspect-Emperor's decision to allow his men to consume the flesh of fallen Sranc could have consequences even He couldn't have foreseen.And, deep in Ishuäl, the wizard Achamian grapples with his fear that his unspeakably long journey might be ending in emptiness, no closer to the truth than when he set out.
Waterblack (Cities of the Weft)
by Alex PhebyThe monumental conclusion to Alex Pheby's Cities of the Weft trilogy.One thousand million infants are dead, and Nathan Treeves is back. He’s become the Master of Waterblack, the City of the Dead.And Sharli, once a sacrifice, then an assassin, is now a trained God-Killer. She has killed many — but failed in killing Nathan Treeves years ago.Soon she, and the Women’s Vanguard, will have another chance, even as The Master, The Mistress and the Atheistic Crusade hurtle toward their final confrontation.The world of Mordew returns in the epic conclusion to the Cities of the Weft trilogy. Welcome to Waterblack.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
A Conventional Boy: A Laundry Files Novel (Laundry Files)
by Charles StrossIn this new Laundry Files adventure the fate of the world will literally depend on the roll of dice... twenty-sided dice, that is.In 1984, Derek Reilly was just another spotty teenage dungeon master growing up in middle England. But then a secret government agency tasked with suppressing magical intrusions received a tip-off – and one midnight raid later, his life was turned upside down by the Satanic D&D Panic.Decades later Derek, now middle-aged and institutionalized, is a long-term inmate at Camp Sunshine, a center for deprogramming captured Elder God cultists. He’s considered safe enough to edit the camp newsletter, and he even has postal privileges – which he uses to run a play-by-mail game. After 25 years, Derek finally has reason to escape: a nearby D&D convention. While Derek’s D&D games were full of fictional elder gods and world-ending threats, a LARP game at the con is a dread ritual designed to summon a great evil into our world, and it’s up to Derek and his players to stop them.The fate of the world may depend on the contents of Derek’s magic dice bag.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Lightfall: Book One of The Everlands (The Everlands Trilogy)
by Ed CrockerA novel of vampires, werewolves and sorcerers, Lightfall is the stunning debut epic fantasy by Ed Crocker, for fans of Jay Kristoff’s Empire of the Vampire and Richard Swan’s The Justice of KingsFor centuries, vampires freely roamed the land until the Grays came out of nowhere, wiping out half the population in a night. The survivors fled to the last vampire city of First Light, where the rules are simple. If you’re poor, you drink weak blood. If you’re nobility, you get the good stuff. And you can never, ever leave.Palace maid Sam has had enough of these rules, and she’s definitely had enough of cleaning the bedpans of the lords who enforce them. When the son of the city’s ruler is murdered and she finds the only clue to his death, she seizes the chance to blackmail her way into a better class and better blood. She falls in with the Leeches, a group of rebel maids who rein in the worst of the Lords. Soon she’s in league with a sorcerer whose deductive skills make up for his lack of magic, a deadly werewolf assassin and a countess who knows a city’s worth of secrets.There’s just one problem. What began as a murder investigation has uncovered a vast conspiracy by the ruling elite, and now Sam must find the truth before she becomes another victim. If she can avoid getting murdered, she might just live forever.
Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites
by Evan DorkinWelcome to Burden Hill — a picturesque little town adorned with white picket fences and green, green grass, home to a unique team of paranormal investigators. Beneath this shiny exterior, Burden Hill harbors dark and sinister secrets, and it's up to a heroic gang of dogs — and one cat — to protect the town from the evil forces at work. These are the Beasts of Burden Hill — Pugs, Ace, Jack, Whitey, Red and the Orphan — whose early experiences with the paranormal (including a haunted doghouse, a witches' coven, and a pack of canine zombies) have led them to become members of the Wise Dog Society, official animal agents sworn to protect their town from evil. This turns out to be no easy task, as they soon encounter demonic cannibal frogs, tortured spirits, a secret rat society, and a bizarre and deadly resurrection in the Burden Hill cemetery — events which lead to fear and heartbreak as our four-legged heroes discover that the evil within Burden Hill is growing and on the move. Can our heroes overcome these supernatural menaces? Can evil be bested by a paranormal team that doesn't have hands? And even more importantly, will Pugs ever shut the hell up?Adventure, mystery, horror, and humor thrive on every page of Beasts of Burden — a comic-book series that will capture readers' hearts and haunt their dreams.Award-winning comics creators Evan Dorkin (Milk and Cheese) and Jill Thompson (Scary Godmother) first introduced these very special investigators in The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings and the other Dark Horse Book of . . . anthologies, for which they won coveted Eisner Awards for Best Short Story and Best Painter. Those first tales are collected here, along with the comic series Beasts of Burden issues #1–#4.
The Black Fantastic: 20 Afrofuturist Stories
A cutting-edge collection of the best short stories in contemporary Afrofuturist fiction—from Hugo, Nebula, and Stoker award-winning Black authors20 mind-blowing, horror-strewn, weird, and woke tales celebrate Black identity, community, and imaginationBlack speculative fiction has never been better than it is here and now. On the shoulders of Afrofuturist masters like Octavia E. Butler and Samuel R. Delany and pioneering visionaries before them, a new, abundant, and brilliant generation of contemporary Black authors, some of them just beginning their careers, is conjuring up a very real renaissance.Edited by SF-expert andré carrington, and including Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award winners alongside emerging and experimental voices, The Black Fantastic showcases the artistry of these breakout literary stars and celebrates the diversity of their talents.Including Afrofuturist science fiction, weird and fantastic tales, horror and the paranormal, apocalyptic lyricism, time travel, superheroes, and more, here are twenty mindblowing, horror-strewn, weird, woke, nerdy, terrifying, liberating, fantastic, utopian, surreal, genre-defying and empowering short stories, all of them worth reading and rereading now and far into futurity.Reclaiming histories of racism and oppression and seizing the day, these writers are forging kaleidoscopic new senses of Black identity, community, and imaginative freedom.
The School for Wicked Witches #2
by Will TaylorPerfect for fans of WICKED, WITCHLINGS, and THE WIZARD OF OZ, this magical series returns with magical adventures, friendship feuds, and a whole lot more.After making her escape from The School for Wicked Witches, Ava has realized that it might be the right place for her, after all. But her return isn't triumphant -- if anything, she's more behind than ever. When things start to go very wrong at the school, Ava discovers she may be able to save the day... but only if she pairs up with Tinabella, her friend-turned-enemy. What's a young witch to do?
Identikill
by K. R. AlexanderOne twin died. One twin lived. But did the dead twin ever let go?From K. R. Alexander, a bestselling master of such middle-grade frights as The Collector and The Fear Zone, comes the story of a girl whose life is inextricably linked to that of her dead twin... who refuses to go away, and wants to take control.
Victorian Psycho: A Novel
by Virginia FeitoSOON TO BE A FEATURE FILM FROM A24 STARRING MARGARET QUALLEY AND THOMASIN MCKENZIE "This book will be the bloody belle of the 2025 literary ball." (Oprah Daily) Most Anticipated Books of 2025: Vulture, Oprah Daily, Polygon, Reader's Digest, Lit Hub, CrimeReads, The Stacks, LibraryReads, Paste Best Books of the Month: Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, TIME, Goodreads, Gizmodo, Book Riot, The A.V. Club, Apple Books, Amazon The American Booksellers Association's #1 Indie Next Great Read! (Feb 2025) A Matty Maggiacomo Book Club Selection “Simmering with rage, propulsive and laugh out loud funny, Victorian Psycho speaks profoundly of horror both within and without us.” —Catriona Ward From the acclaimed author of Mrs. March comes the riveting tale of a bloodthirsty governess who learns the true meaning of vengeance. Virginia Feito’s Mrs. March was hailed as “a brilliant debut . . . [by] a writer who keeps pace with the grandees she invokes” (Sarah Ditum, Guardian)—from Daphne Du Maurier and Shirley Jackson to Patricia Highsmith. Now, Feito returns with her “silver-polish sentences and her eerie psychological acumen” (Constance Grady, Vox) to unleash an entirely new antihero on us all. Grim Wolds, England: Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House prepared to play the perfect governess—she’ll dutifully tutor her charges, Drusilla and Andrew, tell them bedtime stories, and only joke about eating children. But long, listless days spent within the estate’s dreary confines come with an intimate knowledge of the perversions and pathetic preoccupations of the Pounds family—Mr. Pounds can’t keep his eyes off Winifred’s chest, and Mrs. Pounds takes a sickly pleasure in punishing Winifred for her husband’s wandering gaze. Compounded with her disdain for the entitled Pounds children, Winifred finds herself struggling at every turn to stifle the violent compulsions of her past. French tutoring and needlework are one way to pass the time, as is admiring the ugly portraits in the gallery . . . and creeping across the moonlit lawns. . . . Patience. Winifred must have patience, for Christmas is coming, and she has very special gifts planned for the dear souls of Ensor House. Brimming with sardonic wit and culminating in a shocking conclusion, Victorian Psycho plunges readers into the chilling mind of an iconic new literary psychopath.
Queer Slashers (Icons of Horror)
by Peter MarraFrom Norman Bates dressed as "Mother" in Psycho to the rouged cheeks of Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, many slasher icons have borne traces of queer and gender nonconforming behavior since the subgenre's very beginning.Queer Slashers presents the first book-length study of how and why the slasher subgenre of horror films appeals to queer audiences. In it, Peter Marra constructs a reparative history of the slasher that affirms its queer lineage extending back as early as the 1920s. It also articulates the queer aspects of the slasher formula that forge an unlikely kinship between queer audiences and these retrograde depictions of queer killers. Marra establishes a queer history and function for the slasher, analyzing several key contemporary "queer slashers"–that is, slashers that are made by queer filmmakers–to better understand how queer artists take up the slasher iconography and put it toward modern queer aims.Featuring analysis of films such as John Waters's Serial Mom, Peaches Christ's All About Evil, and Alain Guiraudie's Stranger by the Lake, Queer Slashers illuminates the queer meanings of slashers, their foundations, and their future possibilities.
I.R.L.
by Jenny GoebelA spooky tale of virtual school gone very, very wrong...Not every kid would be thrilled to move to rural Alaska, but sixth grader Lucy is eager to leave her bullies behind and start over. However, it turns out that Lucy's new school does remote learning from October to April, when the roads become too icy to navigate safely. Being the new kid is hard enough -- how is she going to make friends when she can't meet anyone in person?!Luckily, the sixth grade class at White Pine Secondary School is tiny (just thirteen students) and they're all super nice and really welcoming. While chatting on zoom, they ask Lucy lots of questions about living in the big city, some of which strike Lucy as a little odd but she just chalks it up to the fact that her new classmates have spent their whole lives in a VERY small town.As the ice starts to thaw, Lucy grows increasingly excited about meeting her new friends in person! But when she enters the school's address on her phone's GPS, it leads her to a crumbling, clearly abandoned building with a rotted wood sign in front -- a sign that reads White Pine Secondary School.There's nothing else in sight... except a tiny cemetery with snow-dusted headstones poking out of the frozen ground. Headstones will some very familiar names on them . . .Lucy doesn’t know what to believe. Are her new “friends” pulling an elaborate prank? Or is truth far, far more horrifying?
The Ghosts of Bitterfly Bay
by Mary AverlingA ghost must team up with the living girl she&’s been haunting in order to defeat a monster out of her nightmares and save her little brother, from the author of The Curse of Eelgrass Bog.Maudie isn&’t your typical twelve-year-old girl—she&’s the ghost of one. Along with her best friend Kit and little brother Scratch, she haunts a cottage in the woods, doing her best to scare off the vacationers and forget her old life.But everything changes when Kit and Scratch go missing. Maudie knows something terrible must have happened, and she&’s right: Longfingers—a monster from her own nightmares, with spidery fingers and needle-sharp teeth—has stolen her friends away.Longfingers makes Maudie a twisted deal: find the key to a door in a mysterious cabin, or she&’ll never see her friends again. With nobody else to turn to, Maudie has to beg for help from Gianna, the living girl she&’s been haunting. Together, the girls search for a way to thwart the monster and save Maudie&’s friends.But Maudie&’s keeping secrets about the cabin and her past. Unless she finds a way to finally face the truth, she may never be able to rescue her friends from Longfingers&’s grasp.
The Cabinet of Curiosities: A Novel (Agent Pendergast Series #3)
by Douglas Preston Lincoln ChildIn one of NPR's 100 Best Thrillers Ever, FBI agent Pendergast discovers thirty-six murdered bodies in a New York City charnel house . . . and now, more than a century later, a killer strikes again. In an ancient tunnel underneath New York City a charnel house is discovered.Inside are thirty-six bodies--all murdered and mutilated more than a century ago.While FBI agent Pendergast investigates the old crimes, identical killings start to terrorize the city. The nightmare has begun.Again.
It's Watching
by Lindsay CurrieA chilling middle school novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Mystery of Locked Rooms, three kids must discover who—or what—is terrorizing them after receiving an ominous meme on Halloween night. "A creepy, freaky, fun-as-anything tale."—Chuck Wendig, New York Times bestselling author of Dust & GrimOn Halloween night, Josie and her two best friends, Jackson and Alison, sneak into the infamously haunted Bachelor&’s Grove cemetery. They are hoping to prove the existence of a famous ghost to secure coveted editorial spots on the school newspaper. Instead, they are chased out by a security guard before they gather any evidence…or so they think.Later, a sinister meme appears on their phones. It&’s an image of the &“phantom farmhouse,&” an evil apparition rumored to appear to unlucky visitors at Bachelor's Grove—luring them in…and never letting them out—with the words I&’m watching dripping down the screen.Soon, strange and scary things begin to happen all around them. When a second meme from the same number arrives, this time with a countdown, they realize they have only three days to figure out who is terrorizing them. As they investigate, the trio must use their journalistic skills to uncover the truth, or risk becoming a part of the graveyard&’s sinister past forever.
Junie: A Novel
by Erin Crosby EckstineGOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • A young girl must face a life-altering decision after awakening her sister&’s ghost, navigating truths about love, friendship, and power as the Civil War looms.&“The richly textured prose quickly pulled me into [Junie&’s] treacherous yet magical world.&”—Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black CakeSixteen years old and enslaved since she was born, Junie has spent her life on Bellereine Plantation in Alabama, cooking and cleaning alongside her family, and tending to the white master&’s daughter, Violet. Her daydreams are filled with poetry and faraway worlds, while she spends her nights secretly roaming through the forest, consumed with grief over the sudden death of her older sister, Minnie.When wealthy guests arrive from New Orleans, hinting at marriage for Violet and upending Junie&’s life, she commits a desperate act—one that rouses Minnie&’s spirit from the grave, tethered to this world unless Junie can free her. She enlists the aid of Caleb, the guests&’ coachman, and their friendship soon becomes something more. Yet as long-held truths begin to crumble, she realizes Bellereine is harboring dark and horrifying secrets that can no longer be ignored.With time ticking down, Junie begins to push against the harsh current that has controlled her entire life. As she grapples with an increasingly unfamiliar world in which she has little control, she is forced to ask herself: When we choose love and liberation, what must we leave behind?
A Hollow Sky: A stylish thriller that will keep you guessing (The Alex Ripley Mysteries #Vol. 2)
by M. Sean ColemanA detective investigates a reputed miracle worker on behalf of a grieving husband, in this novel of faith and fear by the author of The Cuckoo Wood . . . After one meeting with a faith healer, Jane Hewitt rose from her wheelchair and walked, seemingly cured of terminal cancer, believing that her lifetime of devoted faith had been rewarded. She was wrong. She died just days later. Her husband, Ian, blames her hastened death on the faith healer she visited and turns to Dr. Alex Ripley, the so-called Miracle Detective, for help. Fascinated by the case, Ripley finds herself on Holy Island, off the coast of North Wales, caught up in an investigation that will prove more sinister and dangerous than even she could have imagined—because Ian is not the first person to complain about the faith healer. But he is the only one still alive. For now . . .
Rhetorics of Fantasy
by Farah MendlesohnThis sweeping study of fantasy literature offers &“new and often surprising readings of works both familiar and obscure. A fine critical work&” (Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts). Transcending arguments over the definition of fantasy literature, Rhetorics of Fantasy introduces a provocative new system of classification for the genre. Drawing on nearly two hundred examples of modern fantasy, author Farah Mendlesohn identifies four categories—portal-quest, immersive, intrusion, and liminal—that arise out of the relationship of the protagonist to the fantasy world. Using these sets, Mendlesohn argues that the author's stylistic decisions are then shaped by the inescapably political demands of the category in which they choose to write. Each chapter covers at least twenty books in detail, ranging from nineteenth-century fantasy and horror to some of the best works in the contemporary field. Mendlesohn discusses works by more than one hundred authors, including Lloyd Alexander, Peter Beagle, Marion Zimmer Bradley, John Crowley, Stephen R. Donaldson, Stephen King, C. S. Lewis, Gregory Maguire, Robin McKinley, China Miéville, Suniti Namjoshi, Philip Pullman, J. K. Rowling, Sheri S. Tepper, J. R. R. Tolkien, Tad Williams, and many others.
This New & Poisonous Air (American Readers Series)
by Adam McOmberShe admits she is pleased when the new placard is raised, "Madame Tussaud's House of Wax." She stands in the crowd with François at her side. He leans close enough to touch her ear with the fringe of his mustache and whispers, "What part of the museum would the famous Madame Tussaud like to survey on her inaugural visit?""The Chamber of Horrors, I think," she says softly."Really, my dear? All that grim fantasy and blood?""There is no fantasy about it, François. It is an embryo, a showing of what is to come."Blending historical fiction with fantasy and the macabre, Adam McOmber's debut short story collection brings the influence of Angela Carter, Isak Dinesen, and Edgar Allan Poe to the next generation. In "The Automatic Garden," a solitary architect from the court at Versailles builds a water-powered pleasure garden; in "There Are No Bodies Such as This," we read a haunted and romantic fiction about the creation of Madame Tussaud's wax museum; in "Fall, Orpheum," a small town movie palace becomes the temple for an entire town's devotion and sacrifice. McOmber seamlessly blends history, artifice, and desire to create a dream of the past that intertwines with our own notions of modern life.Adam McOmber's stories appear in Conjunctions, StoryQuarterly, Third Coast, The Greensboro Review, Arts & Letters, and Quarterly West. He is assistant director of creative nonfiction at Columbia College Chicago and associate editor of the literary magazine Hotel Amerika.
Gorel and the Pot-Bellied God
by Lavie TidharWinner – British Fantasy Award for Best Novella, 2012A legend tells of the Mirror of Falang-Et: a magical object in the city of the frog tribes, which can tell all manner of truths. . .There is only one truth Gorel of Goliris – gunslinger, addict, touched by the Black Kiss – is interested in: finding a way back home, to the great empire from which he had been stolen as a child and from which he had been flung, by sorcery, far across the World.It started out simple: get to Falang-Et, find the mirror, find what truth it may hold. But nothing is simple for Gorel of Goliris. . . When Gorel forms an uneasy alliance – and ménage à trois – with an Avian spy and a half-Merlangai thief, things only start to get complicated. Add a murdered merchant, the deadly Mothers of the House of Jade, the rivalry of gods and the machinations of a rising Dark Lord bent on conquest, and things start to get out of hand. Only one thing’s for sure: by the time this is over, there will be blood.Not to mention sex and drugs. . . or guns and sorcery.“A delightfully Weird pulp tale that could easily sit on a shelf alongside Leiber, Vance and Moorcock. . . an excellent planned and exuberantly executed fantasy” – Pornokitch