Bibliography 2021-23

Tartarus Press

publishers

Bibliography

1990-1995

2021-2023

Tartarus Press

Bibliography

2021-2023

under construction...

2023:

315: THE GOOD UNKNOWN, by Stephen Volk, 26th October 2023. 276 pages. £45.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-52-3. Contents: ‘Unrecovered’, ‘The Waiting Room’, ‘Three Fingers, One Thumb’, ‘31/10’, ‘The Good Unknown’, ‘The Flickering Light’, ‘Hojo the Fearless’, ‘Baby on Board’, ‘Cold Ashton’, ‘Lost Loved Ones’, ‘The Crossing’, ‘Acknowledgements’.

Reviews:

'Whether evoking the classic ghost story tradition or working in a more contemporary vein, Volk demonstrates complete mastery of the uncanny. If, as a character in one story reasons, “ghosts were the natural consequence of the brain trying to make sense of what it saw,” then this collection shows imaginatively the variety of disturbing forms they can take. Horror readers will be wowed.'

'Starred' review, Publishers Weekly

'The Good Unknown and other ghost stories is another triumph from Volk, digging deep into the human condition via an extraordinary range of voices, perspectives, and periods. Often melancholic, frequently eerie or chilling, and above all, very, very human. Highly recommended.' Kit Power, Ginger Nuts of Horror

'This is another outstanding collection from Stephen Volk. In a review of his work many years ago I called him a master craftsman and it’s an assessment I stand by, and one which is reinforced by the stories in The Good Unknown. It’s a book I heartily recommend.' Anthony Watson, Dark Musings

'A fantastic and thought-provoking collection of ghost stories, one that is not just content to break the mould, but has great fun in assembling the pieces into new, imaginative and intelligent shapes.' Jim Moon, Microgoria

'Each of the eleven stories of The Good Unknown can stand up on its own; but together they add up to something more, to a different kind of telling of the ghost; for what is all the time engrossing in these stories is how we can never quite guess in what body or phantom the consciousness, feelings and thoughts of the story will settle.' Phil Smith, Mythogeography

"A splendid book." Mario Guslandi, Hellnotes

" ’Tis the season for ghost stories – ‘winter tales’ to use a traditional term. And a collection by a Welsh author may well go down as the year’s best." Matthew G Rees, Nation/Cymru

314: THE GYPSY SPIDERS AND OTHER TALES OF ITALIAN HORROR, by Nicola Lombardi, translated by Joe Weintraub, cover art by Joseph Dawson. 16th November 2023. 276+viii pages. £17.95 paperback reprint.

Review:

'Absolutely brilliant and very, very highly recommended.' Oddly Weird Fiction

'In this dread-soaked collection, Lombardi offers nine harrowing horror shorts bound together by a focus on alienation, trauma, and identity. . . . Throughout, Lombardi maintains a nervy, churning atmosphere, keeping readers just off-balance enough to let the big beats feel shocking and subversive. The characters’ introspection can be excessive . . . the payoffs are always worth it; Lombardi has a knack for writing endings that linger.' Publishers Weekly

313: MY LIFE AS AN ALIEN, by Seraj Assi, 29th September 2023. 214 pages. £40.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-51-6.

312: TIME OF PASSING, by John Gaskin, 4th August 2023. 212 pages. £40.00. 350 signed copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-49-3.

Contents: ‘Foreword’, ‘Time of Passing’, ‘The Stone Guest’, ‘The Second Master’, ‘Avernus’, ‘The Gathering’, ‘The New Member’, ‘Dead Hands’, ‘Blaeweary’, ‘The Return of Fire’, ‘On a Summer Night’, ‘Cropsey’s Hole’, ‘The Sea’, ‘Last Words’.

Reviews

'While Tartarus Press may be best known for its multi-volume edition of the “strange stories” of Robert Aickman, it has also championed current practitioners of the British tradition of supernatural fiction. This fall’s Time of Passing: Tales of Twilight and Borderlands, a fifth—and apparently final—collection from John Gaskin, demonstrates this restrained style of storytelling.' Michael Dirda, Washington Post

"Another classic ornament to the genre. For reading by the fire with a bottle of port, preferably by candlelight, with the shutters firmly closed." Clare Rhoden, Aurealis #166

"A book for clever and sensitive readers, Time of Passing is the beautiful, melancholic literary last will of an author who’s supposedly retiring from writing. We can only hope that he will change his mind." Mario Guslandi, Black Gate

311: THE COLLECTED MACABRE STORIES OF L.P. HARTLEY, edited by Rosalie Parker, with an Introduction by Mark Valentine, July 2023. Two sewn hardbacks of 276+xiv and 289 pages, printed lithographically, with head and tailbands, and d/w. In a slipcase. 350 sets. ISBN 978-1-912586-50-9.

Contents:

Volume One: Introduction by Mark Valentine/ From the Introduction to Lady Cynthia Asquith’s Third Ghost Book/ A Visitor from Down Under/ Podolo/ Three, or Four, for Dinner/ The Travelling Grave/ Feet Foremost/ The Cotillon/ A Change of Ownership/ The Thought/ Conrad and the Dragon/ The Island/ Night Fears/ The Killing Bottle/ A Summons/ W.S./ The Two Vaynes/ Monkshood Manor

Volume Two: Two for the River/ Someone in the Lift/ The Face/ The Corner Cupboard/ The Waits/ The Pampas Clump/ The Crossways/ Per Far L’Amore/ Interference/ The Pylon/ Mrs Carteret Receives/ Fall in at the Double/ Paradise Paddock/ Roman Charity/ Pains and Pleasures/ Please Do Not Touch/ Home Sweet Home/ The Shadow on the Wall/ The Sound of Voices/ Mrs G. G./ The Stain on the Chair

Reviews:

'A real feast of macabre fiction penned by a great master from the past who deserves to be fully rediscovered by today’s readers.' Mario Guslandi, Black Gate

'Cats and Coffins. The Collected Macabre Stories is a handsome-looking book, decently bound and properly sewn.' Times Literary Supplement

'Tartarus Press’s fine edition of Hartley’s stories deserves the widest possible readership.' Scott Connors, Weird Tales

'One of the undisputed books of the year, for which demand will surely outstrip the initial printing; if you haven't ordered it already, do so without delay. Well done, Tartarus—yet again.' Steve Duffy, All Hallows

'In short, this collection, introduced by Mark Valentine, is a celebration of the darkly comedic, the tragic, and the unknown—a chronicle of midnight encounters between the haunters and the haunted better known for his mainstream novels than for the work where he truly stood out.' William Simmons, Infinity Plus

310: CAGED OCEAN DUB, by Dare Segun Falowo, 4th May 2023. 242 pages. £40.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-45-5. Contains: ‘Introduction’, I: Hungers: ‘Akara Oyinbo’, ‘Busola Orange Juice’, ‘Oases’, ‘Eating Kaolin’, ‘October in Eran Riro’. II: Hauntings: ‘The Fields of Abete, Iwaya’, ‘Vain Knife’, ‘Sonskins’, ‘Ngozi Ugegbe Nwa’, ‘The Visions of Atanda Ekun’, ‘Kikelomo Ultrasheen’. III: Heralds: ‘LSD-1842’, ‘The Waterwidower’, ‘We Are Born’, ‘Take Wing’, ‘What Not to Do When Spelunking in Anambra’, ‘Biscuit and Milk’, ‘Convergence in Chorus Architecture’.

Reviews:

"A self-described practitioner of 'Nigerian Weird,' a rubric broad enough to take in both the word-intoxicated Amos Tutuola (The Palm-Wine Drinkard) and Booker Prize winner Ben Okri (The Famished Road) . . . Falowo knows his Gabriel García Márquez." Michael Dirda, The Washington Post

"Falowo’s transporting debut collection combines the fantastical, the spiritual, and the everyday to vivid effect." Publishers Weekly

"If one were to search for a term to best capture what Falowo is doing in these stories, it might be ostranenie, Viktor Shklovsky’s phrase that has variously been translated as ‘estrangement’, ‘defamiliarization’, or ‘making strange’. In ‘Art as Technique’, Shklovsky describes defamiliarization as an artistic technique of making the familiar seem strange, as though it was being seen for the first time ... one of Shklovsky’s translators, called it ‘enstrangement’ – a combination of ‘estrangement’ and ‘making strange’ – perhaps the most accurate descriptor of Falowo’s work." Gautam Bhatia, Interzone

"Tartarus has simply outdone itself with this collection and I'm just over the moon that they've chosen to highlight the work of this Nigerian author, which is, simply stated, superlative. Falowo's writing meshes together surrealism, the speculative, the weird and the strange as well as folklore, mythology and tradition, all of which put together mark something new and exciting on the literary weird scene, although to try to pigeonhole this book into the 'weird' category simply doesn't do it justice." Nancy Oakes, Oddly Weird Fiction

"Caged Ocean Dub is a remarkable debut. Falowo's style is poetic, dazzling, and perhaps a little heady for readers used to firm restraint and the (very artificial) conventions of realism. There is power here, and strangeness, and a sense of cultural tectonic plates shifting. None of which are bad things." David Longhorn, Supernatural Tales

"Embracing folklore, realism, surrealism, science fiction and even poetry, Falowo’s fearless stories are electrifying, terrifying and a joyous reading experience." Rick Kleffel, Narrative Species

"Dare Segun Falowo isn’t your everyday storyteller, and that’s every reason to read him. . . an exciting and highly imaginative writer . . . Caged Ocean Dub reminds you of the pleasure of reading, simply reading. . . . Falowo superbly crafts each story’s hook, entrancing and luring you into a dream . . ." Aurealis #159

309: THE PEACOCK ESCRITOIRE with AT DUSK, by Mark Valentine, 24th March 2023. 243 pages. £45.00. 350 signed copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-48-6. Contains: The Peacock Escritoire: ‘The Ka of Astarakhan, ‘The Amber Cigarette, ‘The Wine of the Serpent, ‘A Revelation of Cormorants, ‘A Certain Power, ‘Sime in Samarkand, ‘Morpheus House, ‘The Antioch Imperial, ‘The Tontine of Thirteen, ‘The Second Master, ‘The Autumn Keeper, ‘So, About Hats, ‘Cedar is the Firewood of Kings, ‘The Late Post, ‘That Nothing Human Scorn, ‘The Return to Trebizond, ‘The Old Light’. At Dusk: ‘Cavafy: His Visiting Cards Are Faded, ‘Bacovia: Always the Crows, ‘Kerestedjian (Lubin): Among Strange Streets, ‘Kolmar: Their Strange Beasts, ‘Milov: A Lantern Head, ‘Czechowicz: The White Dust, ‘Reverdy: This Subtle Impress, ‘Dizdar: A Searcher of Stones, ‘Paavolainen: Ensombred, ‘Radnoti: A Sly Angel, ‘Desnos: The Hatless Strangers, ‘Antoniou: The White Chariots, ‘Veli: Some Mustard, ‘van Ostaijen: Gnostic Comedian, ‘Saba: A Boy on a Gate, ‘Pessoa: Black Lilies, ‘Ulinover: Sabbath Candles, ‘Espanca: She Called Saudade Her Sister, ‘Machado: These Footfalls, ‘Nezval: The Umbrellas of Prague, ‘Jacob: The Rose Chasuble, ‘Munch-Petersen: Pagan Vagabond, ‘Marsman: The Black Boat, ‘Antonych: The Other Tongue, ‘Kosovel: No More Need Be Said, ‘Zollinger: The Incense of Artemis, ‘Talvik: The Blighted Leaves, ‘Nastasijević: The Epitaphs of Moments, ‘Riff: Chanted by Azariah, ‘de L. Milosz: The Sunset is a Salamander, ‘Meerbaum-Eisinger: She Walked in the Twilight of Czernowitz, ‘Galaktion: He Consorted with Seraphs, ‘Char: To Respire is to Revolt, ‘Onofri: Exquisite Orphist, ‘Ziemelnicks: Poppy-haunted, ‘Notes and Acknowledgements.’

Review:

'In whatever he writes, Mark Valentine draws on his extensive reading in forgotten authors and books. Consider the 17 stories and 35 prose poems in The Peacock Escritoire, packaged in this volume with At Dusk. In “Sime in Samarkand,” for instance, the celebrated fantasy artist Sidney Sime reluctantly agrees to illustrate James Elroy Flecker’s “The Golden Journey to Samarkand.” It turns out that Sime, like the protagonist of Lovecraft’s “Pickman’s Model,” doesn’t imagine unearthly beings; he copies them from life.' Michael Dirda, The Washington Post

308: ROBERT AICKMAN: A BIOGRAPHY, by R.B. Russell, cover art by Joseph Dawson. 24th March 2023. 425 pages, including an index. £25.00. paperback with jacket, printed by Antony Rowe. ISBN 978-1-912586-47-9.

Reviews

"Clear-eyed and dispassionate." Margaret Drabble, Times Literary Supplement

"Nobody knows more about this author of beautifully composed, hallucinatory short fiction than R.B. Russell. Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography — the subtitle echoes Aickman’s memoir, The Attempted Rescue — reveals a man, both charming and rabidly opinionated, who seems to have polarized everyone he met. . . ." Michael Dirda, The Washington Post

"Masterful. . . Russell is quite aware that a biography of Aickman can only be attempted because, from moment to moment, what Aickman experienced and what he imagined are hard to separate. It is a virtue of this biography that it shows how, for Aickman, experience was what he imagined." The New York Sun

'Compelling.' Roger Luckhurst, The Fortean Times (December 2023. Issue number 439)

"Finessing of Aickman’s reputation will be further enhanced by R.B. Russell’s detailed, intelligent and comprehensive biography, which is surely the last word on the author – it is impossible to imagine more justice being done to his reputation." Barry Forshaw, CrimeTime

"This book is formidably well-written and researched. Russell has interviewed many people who knew Aickman, and their responses have been exceptionally articulate and illuminating. These first-hand impressions of the man are one of the book’s great strengths. A good biography will tell you what it was like to know the subject; a very good one will give you an idea of what it was like to be the subject: Russell’s Robert Aickman attempts both and succeeds." Reggie Oliver, Wormwood 38

"An Attempted Biography" now enjoys a place of honor on my favorites bookshelf -- I am just completely in awe of what Russell has accomplished here." the real stuff

"...insightful, revealing information about a true master of horror." Dejan Ognjanovic, Rue Morgue

"The massive biography is, first of all, a work of love ... but also an effective display of Russell’s capacity as a devoted scholar in the genre of dark fiction." Blackgate.com

"Ray Russell’s highly readable biography of Robert Aickman gives an unparalleled glimpse into a life that contained more psychological complications than is usual even amongst authors of “strange stories”. ... All credit to [Tartarus Press] and to Ray Russell for being unflinchingly objective in the biography of a writer whose writings he and Tartarus Press obviously value immensely." Phantasmagoria magazine #21

"Comprehensive" IZ Digital

"...we should indeed feel comfortable trusting Russell’s account, which is meticulously researched and stems from years of study and careful reflection on Aickman’s ‘'idiosyncratic stories'." Alvaro Zinos-Amaro in his 2022 Year in Review, Locus

307:

DREAM FOX AND OTHER STRANGE STORIES, by Rosalie Parker, 23rd February 2023. 239 pages. £40.00. 300 signed copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-43-1. Contains ‘Beguiled’, ‘Air Crew’, ‘Madre de Dios’, ‘Memories’, ‘Pebble’, ‘Bipolarity’, ‘School Trip’, ‘Black Shadow’, ‘Dream Fox’, ‘Endgame’, ‘All Talk’, ‘Tremor’, ‘Home Comforts’, ‘The Decision’, ‘Turbulence’, ‘The Walled Garden: A Fable’, ‘Homecoming’, ‘Power of the Garden’, Mary Belgrove’s Book of Unusual Experiences: ‘Introduction’, ‘Country House Party’, ‘Stones and Bones’, ‘Deep Roots’, ‘The Dating Game’, ‘View from a Tower’, ‘Brighton Byways’, ‘Summer Holiday’, ‘The Back Parlour’, ‘The Man in the Park’, ‘Afterword’.

Reviews:

"In the emotionally complex title story of Rosalie Parker’s Dream Fox and Other Strange Stories, a young girl’s empathy for the foxes hunted by her farmer father culminates in a shocking finale and an even more shocking metamorphosis. Besides Parker’s own excellent short fiction, this volume also incorporates “Mary Belgrove’s Book of Unusual Experiences.” In one of those experiences, a weekend at a snowbound country house mixes flirtation, possible adultery, an eerie portrait and an atmosphere of growing unease. What more could you want?" Michael Dirda, The Washington Post

"There is an empathetic delicacy to her writing that infuses these stories of place, of love lost and found and of family in its many and varied forms with a feminine focus that imparts a sinuous and thoughtful subtlety to the underlying frisson of the strange." Ian Holloway, Wyrd Britain

"Dream Fox and Other Strange Stories is an enigmatic tour de force, which does weird right ... this collection is superb." Tori Borne, British Fantasy Society

"A perfect example of all the strengths of the modern 'strange' short story format. Parker writes an up-to-date take on the classic weird/strange short story in a thoroughly enjoyable collection that capitalizes on the strengths of the format. The writing is superb and varied, though united by an observable feminine vision. Put all of this in a gorgeously designed hardcover, and you have the makings of a book to read and re-read." Rick Kleffel, Narrative Species.

There is also an audio interview with the author at the end of the review.

"A collection of strange stories that never fail to interest and, considered as a whole, represent a considerable creative achievement." David Longhorn, Supernatural Tales

"Parker’s perfect, observant prose charms readers deeper into the strange worlds she constructs. Those worlds are not always safe, especially for the protagonists. With themes in overlapping spaces between horror, paranormal and fantasy, most stories are comfortably unsettling. A loitering unease, a tenacious mood of what-if, and a rich echo of marginal realities infuse the storylines... A swag of stories to entertain, provoke and linger." Aurealis #161

From The Endless Bookshelf on Twitter: 'current reading: Rosalie Parker, Dream Fox and Other Strange Stories, Tartarus Press, [2023]. A beautiful book. Collection of 18 stories, plus “Mary Belgrove’s Book of Unusual Experiences” . . . to read “Mary Belgrove’s Book of Unusual Experiences” is to find an unexpected, fascinating book on a bargain shelf or at a rummage sale, & learn that the world is not such a tidy, rational place [the vanity press frame story is very funny, too].'

306: LITERARY HAUNTINGS: A GHOST STORY GAZETTEER, edited by R.B. Russell, Rosalie Parker and Mark Valentine. 13th February 2023. 313 pages. Paperback reprint. £20.00. Printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, with d/w. ISBN 978-1-912586-46-2.

Reviews:

"I see this as a book for both summer and winter enjoyment – summer as a travel accessory, and winter as a stepping stone to fireside reading." Northern Earth, 173, September 2023

"This lovely book is useful both as a reminder of half-forgotten classics and a grimoire of British horror’s hidden lore. Even the most seasoned readers, who may not be willing to embark on a real and expensive roadtrip, will certainly be guided by these expert editors into discovering dozens of ghostly gems that are screaming to be revisited." Dejan Ognjanovic, Rue Morgue, Issue 211 Mar/Apr 2023

2022:

305: LITERARY HAUNTINGS: A GHOST STORY GAZETTEER, edited by R.B. Russell, Rosalie Parker and Mark Valentine. 1st December 2022. 309 pages. £45.00. 350 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-43-1.

Reviews:

"I see this as a book for both summer and winter enjoyment – summer as a travel accessory, and winter as a stepping stone to fireside reading." Northern Earth, 173, September 2023

"This lovely book is useful both as a reminder of half-forgotten classics and a grimoire of British horror’s hidden lore. Even the most seasoned readers, who may not be willing to embark on a real and expensive roadtrip, will certainly be guided by these expert editors into discovering dozens of ghostly gems that are screaming to be revisited." Dejan Ognjanovic, Rue Morgue, Issue 211 Mar/Apr 2023

304: THE FERRY OF SOULS, by A.L. Salmon. 7th November 2022. 262 pages. £40.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in silver, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-44-8. Contains: ‘Introduction’ by Johnny Mains, The Ferry of Souls: ‘The Ferry of Souls’, ‘A Garden of Dreams’, ‘The Picture: A Tale of a Cornish Village’, ‘The Sea Child’, ‘The Gods in Exile’, ‘The Ship of Desire’, ‘The Were-Wolf’, ‘The Moorland Stream’, ‘The Payment’, ‘Mirage’, ‘Aphrodite’, ‘The Place of Haunting Sorrows’, ‘Autumn’, ‘The Child in the Fields’, ‘The Monk’s Vigil’, ‘A Proselyte’, ‘The Return I’, ‘The Return II’, Two Poems: , ‘Pleading’, ‘Circe’, Waysides & Byways: Studies of Loneliness’, 1. The Old Road’, ‘II. The Dreamer’, ‘III The Lake’, ‘IV. The Wind on the Heath’, ‘V. The Light’, ‘VI. The Dancing-Floor’, ‘VII. On the River’, ‘VIII. A Way of Escape’, ‘Father Paul’, ‘The Novice’, ‘The Musician’, ‘False Dawn’, ‘ “A Cameron” ’, ‘ “For the Fallen”: A Sketch in Dialogue’, ‘The Beasts that Perish’, ‘The Doctor’, ‘ “They That Go Down to the Sea in Ships” ’, Additional Stories: ‘Calling the Dead’, ‘The Horror’, ‘A.L. Salmon: A Bibliography’.

Review:

'This collection of stories seeks, and succeeds, to re-position Salmon as a significant author of supernatural fiction. For lovers of literary supernatural fiction and short stories.' Aurealis #161

303: DARK ARTS, by Eric Stener Carlson. 15th September 2022. 243 pages. £40.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in wibalin cloth stamped in copper, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-40-0. Contains: ‘Author’s Introduction’, ‘Golden Book’, ‘Coffee Shop’, ‘Divining Rod’, ‘Leopard-spotted Scarf’, ‘Corridor’, ‘Bradycardia’, ‘Stray’, ‘Strasse 60, Berlin’, ‘Salt’, ‘Monsieur Machine’, ‘I Loved You at Your Darkest’, ‘The Atelier’.

Reviews:

'A traditional structure and simple yet elegant style add to the impression that these modern tales could be timeless classics.' Lisa Tuttle, The Guardian

'These subtle, oblique tales are sure to appeal to fans of weird fiction.' Publishers Weekly

'... exquisite, lyrical ... beautiful, offbeat.' Mario Guslandi, Horror World

'Dark Arts represents the literary end of horror and weird, in a rewarding assemblage of ardently readable stories. Fans of high-end speculative fiction will want this on their shelves.' Aurealis #160

'Dark Arts is a truly excellent collection, both beautiful and terrifying, written by a skilled master of his own art. Beyond highly recommended, I cannot praise this book enough.' Nancy Oakes, Oddly Weird Fiction

302: THE FIG GARDEN AND OTHER STORIES, by Mark Valentine. 17th May 2022. 235 pages. £40.00. 350 signed copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in wibalin cloth stamped in copper, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-39-4. Contains: 'Except Seven’, ‘Seaweed Tea’, ‘Character’, ‘The Pale Sentinels of Asphodel’, ‘For She Will Have Her Harvest’, ‘Candle Land’, ‘The Veiled Republics’, ‘The Forwarding Agent’, ‘The Witch Heath’, ‘Red Lion Rising’, ‘The Fig Garden’, ‘Afterword: ‘The Real Map of England’, Acknowledgements.

301: WORMWOOD 38, Edited by Mark Valentine, 12th May 2022. 130 pages. £9.99. 400 copies. Paperback journal printed on cream bookwove paper, and bound by TJ Books. Contains: ‘Editorial’ by Mark Valentine, 'Of Witches, Druids & Werewolves: The Supernatural Novels of J.W. Brodie-Innes' by Peter Bell, 'Boundaries of Friendship: Two Nephews and Their Uncles' by John Howard, 'An Ecstasy of Repetition: The Flower Power Phantasmagoria of The Seeds' by Iain Smith, 'Charles Dickens and the Ghost Story' by Thomas Kent Miller, 'Laidlaw Books: A Forgotten Publisher of Fantasy and Modernism' by Douglas A. Anderson', 'Monocles, Hawthorn, and Memory, or, A Short Despatch on a Long Book' by Henry Wessells', 'The Wormwood Interview: Rosemary Pardoe', ‘Under Review’ by Reggie Oliver, ‘Camera Obscura’ by John Howard.

300. STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS, by Walter de la Mare, edited by Rosalie Parker, with an Introduction by Mark Valentine, 11th April 2022. Two sewn hardbacks of 304+xiv and 288 pages. £80. Sewn signatures, printed on 130gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Bath Press in grey wibalin cloth stamped in gold, with a silk ribbon marker and head and tailbands. 500 copies. ISBN 978-1-905784-02-8.

Contents: Introduction, A:B:O., The Moon's Miracle, The Riddle, The Giant, The Quincunx, The Pear-Tree, The Bird of Travel, Seaton's Aunt, The Vats, Promise at Dusk, The Creatures, Miss Jemima, The Looking-Glass, Out of the Deep, Winter, The Green Room, The Scarecrow, Alice's Godmother, Mr Kempe, A Recluse, All Hallows, The Game At Cards, Crewe, The House, 'What Dreams May Come', Strangers and Pilgrims, A Revenant, The Guardian, An Anniversary, Music, Bad Company, Bibliographical Information.

Reviews:

'This is a fantastic (in every sense) book of tales.' - Ian McMillan, The Times, 14th July, 2007.

'A beautiful edition of supernatural English fiction, subtle and disquieting rather than out and out frightening.' - Stuart Maconie, The Guardian, 13th February 2008.

'Best known as a poet and a writer of children’s fiction, Walter de la Mare can also deservedly take his place amongst the ranks of early twentieth-century writers of supernatural fiction.' Jenny McDonnell, The Irish Journal of Gothic and Horror Studies.

'Strangers and Pilgrims is a rewarding selection of tales, not a few of which are masterpieces, by an unduly neglected writer whose work will never be out of date. I envy readers who are coming to Walter de la Mare’s writing for the first time.' Paul Kane, The Compulsive Reader

299: WHAT I WAS AFRAID OF, by Eric Hanson. 10th March 2022. 237 pages. £40.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in wibalin printed cloth stamped in gilt, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-37-0. Contains: 'Pilbeam', 'Billy Shaws', 'The Dream Parents', 'Candyland', 'I Love You, Douglas', 'Never Mind, Mr Fairchild', 'Midnight', 'Mort', 'Fugitive Joy', 'Lily, Lily, Piccadilly', 'Little Pictures', 'An Introduction to Fiction', 'Undine', 'Black Sedan', 'Dresden', 'Equilibrium', 'Insurance', 'Minor Points of Anatomy', 'What I Was Afraid Of'.

Reviews

"The upshot of Hanson’s perceptions and writing is to gnaw away at existence itself, to undermine reality, to loosen the reader’s hold on the world that supposedly surrounds us all. Eric Hanson takes you to the nicest, safest place in the world, a place more terrifying than you thought you could imagine." Narrative Species (The website also includes a fascinating interview with Eric Hanson.)

"Hanson’s new short-story collection, What I Was Afraid Of, is a book of fears, suspicions, uncertainties, bewilderment, confusion, guilt, and unease. It’s an exploration of things that never happened, and couldn’t happen because we are safe inside, under the covers, with the doors locked. A standout is “An Introduction to Fiction,” which captures the unique indignities of being an unknown never-was in a sea of literary luminaries." Airmail

"These are stories out of the Twilight Zone, dark dreams of weird and sinister happenings. Things don't always add up; actions might not make sense. . . . A dark, disturbing yet undeniably fascinating read." Laurie Hertzel, Star Tribune

"The concept behind Eric Hanson’s collection What I Was Afraid Of is intriguing: stories rooted in fear and the unknown tied together at the end by an extract of Hanson’s memoir.... Hanson doesn’t shy away from stories that might make a reader uncomfortable ... It is in these stories where Hanson shines." Aurealis, 152

"A surprise lurks beyond every sentence of What I Was Afraid Of—usually an unsettling one. This assured collection of stories by Eric Hanson is both eerie and eerily good." Ben Yagoda, author, About Town: The New Yorker and the World It Made.

300: THE TALLOW-WIFE AND OTHER TALES, by Angela Slatter, 7th March 2022. 342 + vii pages. £17.95. Paperback. Contains ‘Introduction’ by Helen Marshall, ‘The Promise of Saints’, ‘The Tallow-Wife’, ‘What Shines Brightest Burns Most Fiercely’, ‘Embers and Ash’, ‘Bearskin’, ‘The Nightingale and the Rose’, ‘Of Ghosts and Glory’, ‘A Stitch in Time’, ‘Sleeping Like Snow’, ‘Crossroads’, ‘And a Young Husband to Bury Me’, ‘By Such Paths’, ‘Afterword’, ‘Acknowledgements’.

Finalist in the World Fantasy Awards 2022

Reviews

"Slatter’s characters and settings are so richly described that the pages feel akin to paintings on a canvas. Accompanied by lovely illustrations by Jennings, this is an exciting, intelligent must-read." Publishers Weekly

"Angela Slatter is a dark enchantress and her exquisite stories are likely to steal your soul (or at least your enthralled attention). The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales will also compel you to read or re-read the previous entries in this fantastic mythos." Paula Guran in Locus

"Wonderful prose and ... enticing narrative style, where words are musical notes and the stories are symphonies." Black Gate

"The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales is a deliciously sophisticated and layered collection." Aurealis #136

298: ROBERT AICKMAN: AN ATTEMPTED BIOGRAPHY, by R.B. Russell, cover art by Joseph Dawson. 3rd February 2022. 396 + vi pages, including an index, and a 20pps plate section. £45.00. 500 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by TJ Books, in wibalin cloth stamped in gilt and silver, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-36-3.

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