Slithering from these pages are never-before-collected tales of suspense and wonder by the woman who invented modern-day dark fantasy: A man goes quietly to bed aboard the doomed Lusitania and awakens on a magical South Pacific Island just as the passenger liner is torpedoed. In a future where women rule the world, a sentient island becomes murderously jealous of a shipwrecked couple. Dire consequences await a human swept into the dark, magical world of elves. A deadly labyrinth coils around the dark heart of a picturesque landscape garden. Within an Egyptian sarcophagus lies the horrifying price of infidelity. Swirling unseen around us are loathsome creatures giving form to our basest desires and fears. A beautiful, veiled medium may hold the key to preventing unspeakable evil from slipping through the borderlands between life and death. On a lost island a woman pipe player and her monstrous dancing partner bring death and terror to five adventurers. ø The stories in this collection have played an integral role in the development of modern dark fantasy, greatly influencing such writers as H. P. Lovecraft and A. Merritt.

Presents sixteen short stories of fantasy, the supernatural, and the macabre.

The Citadel of Fear, an anthology showcasing the work of Gertrude Barrows Bennett, who wrote under the pseudonym Francis Stevens, is a cornerstone in the foundation of science fiction literature. Within its pages, readers will discover an array of speculative narratives that transcend time and space, weaving together elements of fantasy, horror, and early science fiction. The collection encapsulates the diverse and groundbreaking storytelling techniques of its era, offering a splendid display of Stevens' pioneering imagination and mastery over the speculative. Its standout pieces not only explore the unknown but also delve into the complexities of human emotion and the interplay between fear and curiosity, making it a significant contribution to the genre's evolution. The authors behind these narratives, particularly Stevens, are considered trailblazers in science fiction. Bennett, an unsung heroine of her time, effectively laid the groundwork for future generations of writers within these genres. Through her unique lens, readers are offered a glimpse into the early 20th century's burgeoning fascination with the speculative and the fantastic. The anthology aligns with pivotal moments in literary history, where the boundaries of reality are pushed, and new worlds are conceived, cementing its place within the pantheon of science fiction classics. This collection is recommended for those intrigued by the roots of science fiction and the remarkable breadth of themes it encompasses. It offers a unique opportunity to experience the visionary work of Gertrude Barrows Bennett, whose contributions have significantly shaped the landscape of speculative fiction. The Citadel of Fear serves not only as a portal to imaginative realms but also as a critical resource for understanding the evolution of science fiction. Readers, scholars, and enthusiasts alike will find value in this anthology, for it fosters a greater appreciation of the genre's complexities and the diverse perspectives that have contributed to its enduring legacy.

From the critically acclaimed screenwriter of Doctor Strange and author of Sea of Rust and Queen of the Dark Things comes a hair-raising collection of short fiction that illuminates the strange, humorous, fantastical and downright diabolical that tantalise and terrorise us: demons, monsters, zombie dinosaurs and Death itself. In the novella 'The Soul Thief's Son' C. Robert Cargill returns to the terrain of the Queen of the Dark Things to continue the story of Colby Stevens . . . A Triceratops and an Ankylosaurus join forces to survive a zombie apocalypse that may spell extinction for their kind in 'Hell Creek' . . . In a grand old building atop a crack in the world, an Iraq War veteran must serve a one-year term as a punisher of the damned, condemned to consume the sins of others in the hope that one day he may find peace in 'In a Clean, White Room' (co-authored with Scott Derrickson). . . In 'The Town That Wasn't Anymore', the village of Pine Hill Bluff loses its inhabitants one at a time as the angry dead return when night falls to steal the souls of the living . . . And in the title story, 'We Are Where the Nightmares Go', a little girl crawls through a glowing door beneath her bed and finds herself trapped in a nightmarish wonderland - a crucible of the fragments of children's bad dreams. These tales and four more are assembled here as testament to Cargill's mastery of the phantasmagoric, making We Are Where the Nightmares Go and Other Stories a collection of unnerving horror and fantasy will keep you up all night and haunt your waking dreams.

No one is safe, and no one is to be trusted as the bloody war that began in Stella Gemmell’s The City continues... The dreaded emperor is dead. The successor to the throne is his nemesis, Archange. Many hope her reign will usher in a new era of freedom and stability. Soon however, word arises of a massive army gathering in the shadows of the north. They are eager to lay waste to the City and annihilate anyone—man, woman, or child—within it. Yet just as the swords clang in fields wet with the blood of warriors, family feuds, ancient rivalries, and political battles rage on within the cold stone walls of the City. A hero must rise up and restore the peace before anything left to fight for is consumed by the madness.

"Explore a world where the supernatural is an accepted element of everyday life and the horror is mined from the realities of existing." — New York Public Library Best Books of the Year World Fantasy Award finalist British Fantasy Award finalist Ladies of Horror Fiction Award winner Crawford Award shortlist “Am I dead?” Mebuyen sighs. She was hoping the girl would not ask. Spells and stories, urban legends and immigrant tales: the magic in Isabel Yap’s debut collection jumps right off the page, from the friendship and fear building in “A Canticle for Lost Girls” to the joy in “A Spell for Foolish Hearts” to the terrifying tension of the urban legend “Have You Heard the One About Anamaria Marquez.”

This two-volume set offers comprehensive coverage of horror literature that spans its deep history, dominant themes, significant works, and major authors, such as Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe, and Anne Rice, as well as lesser-known horror writers. Many of today's horror story fans—who appreciate horror through movies, television, video games, graphic novels, and other forms—probably don't realize that horror literature is not only one of the most popular types of literature but one of the oldest. People have always been mesmerized by stories that speak to their deepest fears. Horror Literature through History shows 21st-century horror fans the literary sources of their favorite entertainment and the rich intrinsic value of horror literature in its own right. Through profiles of major authors, critical analyses of important works, and overview essays focused on horror during particular periods as well as on related issues such as religion, apocalypticism, social criticism, and gender, readers will discover the fascinating early roots and evolution of horror writings as well as the reciprocal influence of horror literature and horror cinema. This unique two-volume reference set provides wide coverage that is current and compelling to modern readers—who are of course also eager consumers of entertainment. In the first section, overview essays on horror during different historical periods situate works of horror literature within the social, cultural, historical, and intellectual currents of their respective eras, creating a seamless narrative of the genre's evolution from ancient times to the present. The second section demonstrates how otherwise unrelated works of horror have influenced each other, how horror subgenres have evolved, and how a broad range of topics within horror—such as ghosts, vampires, religion, and gender roles—have been handled across time. The set also provides alphabetically arranged reference entries on authors, works, and specialized topics that enable readers to zero in on information and concepts presented in the other sections.