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$75.00
1. Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature
$263.20
2. Supernatural Fiction Writers:
$2.99
3. What Did Miss Darrington See?:
$20.00
4. United States Authors Series:
$5.99
5. The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror:
6. Black Water: The Book of Fantastic
$11.86
7. Taste of Tenderloin
$10.00
8. The Black Stranger: And Other
 
$44.00
9. Tales of Terror (Classics for
$8.54
10. Masters Of Midnight
$4.95
11. Second Thoughts: More Queer and
 
12. An Epicure in the Terrible : A
 
$92.99
13. The Purcell Papers (v. 2)
 
$92.99
14. The Purcell Papers (v. 1)
 
$92.99
15. The Purcell Papers (v. 3)
$43.00
16. The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales
17. An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia
 
$141.64
18. The Crow: Shattered Lives &
$9.42
19. The October Country

1. Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature 1975-91: Supplement
by Robert Reginald, Mary Wickizer Burgess, Daryl F. Mallett
Hardcover: 1512 Pages (1992-03)
list price: US$250.00 -- used & new: US$75.00
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0810318253
Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Customer Reviews (1)

3-0 out of 5 stars Not accurate about me
I don't know about the other 19,000+ authors but Reginald got two items wrong out of a possible 5 in my name and dates entry. On page 829 he states: Rock, James A(nthony) 1929- above the entry for my science fiction pseudonym bibliography "Who Goes There." In fact the correct entry would be Rock, James A(lbert) 1944-

I don't mind the wrong middle name so much as I do boosting my age by 15 years. Where did he get that? ... Read more


2. Supernatural Fiction Writers: Contemporary Fantasy and Horror, Second Edition (2 Volume Set)
Hardcover: 1048 Pages (2002-11-08)
list price: US$265.00 -- used & new: US$263.20
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0684312506
Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan
Editorial Review

Product Description
J.K. Rowling, Peter Straub, Anne McCaffrey -- these are among the many widely-read authors in fantasy and horror genres covered in this single volume addition to Scribner's 1985 2-vol. set. Essays written by scholars -- yet accessible to the general reader and student -- treat both writers who have risen to prominence since the 1985 edition, and those whose careers have continued since original coverage, such as Stephen King, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Harlan Ellison. The index will cumulate the index from the first two volumes. (20030701) ... Read more


3. What Did Miss Darrington See?: An Anthology of Feminist Supernatural Fiction
Paperback: 304 Pages (1993-01-01)
list price: US$16.95 -- used & new: US$2.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 1558610065
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan
Editorial Review

Product Description
Whether writing about supernatural phenomena or applying the techniques of magic realism, allegory, and surrealism, the diverse talents represented in the 25 stories contained here focus on female characters and treat a variety of traditional themes in inventive and provocative ways. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

5-0 out of 5 stars Beautiful stories of real women
Firstly, I can not say enough about how good this book was.If you are a woman or even know a woman and are interested to know what her experiences are like to be a woman you can't go wrong with this book.
The stories were scary-some of them-but more important they really portrayed what it was like to be a woman 100 years ago to the present day.
This book reminded me of the experience of sitting down with your best female friend and sharing wine with her and talking through the night about what your life has been like since you two parted.
If you have ever sat down with a woman and had a long and very deep conversation with her them this is what the book will remind you of.
I loved this book and think it's one of the best collections of stories out there for woman or men who are sympathetic towards women and their issues.
One thing is not to read the whole introduction before you read the stories.I would not do this because it gives some of the specialness away.Read it after the stories.
Also, read them in order.There is a certain beauty in the way they are told in order.
I won't go into all the individual stories because I want them to be a surprise for you but some points to make a on the following:The title work is wonderful.Talk about a strong successful woman.She was someone who was NOT a victim spinsterhood.She chose her independence over love and marriage.Talk about a woman who created her own destiny that was not dependent on any man like so many woman were at the time.I fell in love with her.I am also sure that there were quite a few woman in 1870 who were like her but we don't hear about them.We hear about the 'uselessness' of a woman if she was not a wife and mother.That is something that I have seen over and over again in the male as well as the female writers of the period.A woman at the time only had worth if she was beautiful.She was an ornament to a man and that's all.
A Friend in Need is a story about a woman meeting her childhood invisible friend at the airport.Or is she?
Attachment was a terrifying story of the attachment between two women in different parts of the world and what happens when one is sick.
The Sixth Canvessar I found chilling.I still have a great fear of death and dying so watching this woman go through the horror of life right before death I found almost unreadable.
Tamar was wonderful.If you have ever rooted for the bag guy/gal then this is a story that you will love.I found my self rooting her on into the most vile things.But I could also see her as a victim of her times and station so I had great sympathy for her.
The Teacher is a horrifying tale built on the male view of woman as virtue and what happens when she is a normal,flesh woman and not this ideal that this poor, stupid man thought.

Three Dreams in the Desert just has to be read to be appreciated.
The Fall is a welcome sacrilegious story of the Virgin Mary and her escape of her role.I loved it even though it turned my stomach a little and I am not Christian.I thought that it was a brave and noble story.
The Doll is another chilling story about the ornamentation of a very young wife and the subsequent freeing of her from entrapment from a man.
I have to say that I found The Debutant a scream.I haven't laughed so hard in a long time.
Clay-shuttered Doors is again about a woman not allowed to die peacefully but kept alive by a man's selfishness.
And finally Since I Died is a beautiful story of love and loss.The tenderness that the one woman feels for the other made me cry.I deeply felt her loss of her loved one.
One of the other very good things about this but aside from the stories is the reading list in the back and also the little blurb about the author's before the start of their stories.
I think this is the longest review that I have ever wrote but thought that this book was worth the time and effort.I will be doing a lot of further reading by these author's in the future and I hope that when you read this book you will find it just as special as I did.


3-0 out of 5 stars Feminist Supernatural Fiction from the 1850s to the Present
Salmonson selects twenty-four supernatural stories written by women over the past 150 years. Many of these selections focus on a woman protagonist who, contrary to stereotype, keeps her head when confronted with fantasticsightings and happenings.For instance, in Lady Eleanor Smith's 1932 tale"Tamar," pits a gypsy woman against the devil himself. The morerecent "A Friend in Need" addresses the issues of child abuse andthe support women can offer other women without becoming pedagogical.Instead, the issues are woven into a tale of what seems to be an imaginarychildhood friendship.

"What Did Miss Darrington See?" should beread by all connoisseurs of supernatural and science fiction as well as byanyone researching feminist literature. ... Read more


4. United States Authors Series: Stephen King, First Decade (Twayne's United States Authors Series)
by Joseph Reino
Hardcover: 184 Pages (1988-02-01)
list price: US$45.00 -- used & new: US$20.00
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0805775129
Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Customer Reviews (1)

3-0 out of 5 stars points off for typos
This is a good effort at a serious exploration of King's first few novels, but I am seriously vexed by the large number of typos.When you spell a character's name two different ways within the span of the same chapter (it's Charlie McGee, not Charlie Magee!), something is seriously amiss.Quite frankly, that sort of thing does not inspire confidence in the author's knowledge of his subject.

As for the actual analysis itself, it is hit-or-miss.The author's chapter on "Carrie" largely rehashes Douglas Winter's argument (from the excellent "Stephen King: The Art of Darkness") that "Carrie" is essentially a reworking of the Cinderella legend.Beyond that, Reino has very little to offer on "Carrie," a complex novel that deserves better treatment.On the other hand, Reino does an excellent job with his chapter on "Salem's Lot," wherein he uncovers a good bit of sexual symbolism and metaphor that places the novel even more squarely in line with "Dracula," and he also serves up excellent chapters on both "Night Shift" and "Pet Sematary."

Overall, if you are a serious King fan or student, then you should by all means give Reino's book a read.There are a lot of good ideas here. ... Read more


5. The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Fifteenth Annual Collection
Hardcover: 672 Pages (2002-08-24)
list price: US$35.00 -- used & new: US$5.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0312290675
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan
Editorial Review

Product Description
For more than a decade, readers have turned to The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror to find the most rewarding fantastic short stories. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling continue their critically acclaimed and award-winning tradition with another stunning collection of stories. The fiction and poetry here is culled from an exhaustive survey of the field, nearly four dozen stories ranging from fairy tales to gothic horror, from magical realism to dark tales in the Grand Guignol style. Rounding out the volume are the editors' invaluable overviews of the year in fantasy and horror, a new Year's Best section, on comics, by Charles Vess, and on anime and manga, by Joan D. Vinge, and a long list of Honorable Mentions, making this an indispensable reference as well as the best reading available in fantasy and horror.
Amazon.com Review
The collaborative efforts of Ellen Datlow (horror) and TerriWindling (fantasy) are becoming something of a legend, as year after yearthey deliver the best horror and fantasy short fiction in a fat (500double-length pages) anthology that avoids pigeonholes with its mingled,unlabeled sample of the two genres. As in previous years, this volumeincludes more than 100 pages of summaries about the year 1997 in horrorand fantasy publishing, horror and fantasy in the media,and comics. The fiction includes 18 stories and 8 poems with just TerriWindling's initials, and 18 stories and 1 poem with Ellen Datlow'sinitials, with some (presumably dark fantasy) that are tagged by both.

Even more than usual, Ellen Datlow's horror selections introduce a remarkablevariety of types of stories. One of the best tales is Molly Brown's "The Psychomantium," about a mirror that allowsalternative time lines to intersect, creating double fates for thecharacters. "The Skull of Charlotte Corday" (photosincluded) by Leslie Dick takes an essayistic approach to afamous female assassin and some creepy details in the history of sexualsurgery. Douglas Clegg's "I Am Infinite, I ContainMultitudes" is a striking body-horror tale that was nominated for a BramStoker Award. Christopher Harman, P.D. Cacek, Joyce Carol Oates, and Vikram Chandra contributeold-fashioned ghost stories. Gary Braunbeck's"Safe" is reminiscent of the best of Stephen King in its portrayal ofrealistic horror in a small town. Michael Chabon's "In theBlack Mill" more than proves that Lovecraftian horror can transcend shallowpastiche. And other horror notables--such as Michael Cadnum,Christopher Fowler, Caitlín Kiernan, StephenLaws, Kim Newman, Norman Partridge, and Nicholas Royle--make appearances.

Terri Windling's selections include familiar fantasy names such as Peter Beagle, Charles de Lint, Karen JoyFowler, and Jane Yolen, and famous genre-crossers such asRay Bradbury, Howard Waldrop, and Jack Womack. She also provides welcome space for fantasy poetry--charmingpieces with images of the Trickster Coyote, Sheela Na Gig, and a mermaid,and titles like "Coffee Jerk at the Gates of Hell." The PulitzerPrize-winning Steven Millhauser contributes an enchanting tale that originally appeared in the New Yorker. Other tales are inspired byan intriguing range of sources: Gulliver's Travels,Marilyn Monroe, the Scottish legend of the Sineater, the artof glass blowing, Aztec myth, and ancient Jewish lore.

There's no better way to take in the best of these two genres, both for thegreat selections and the ample pointers to 1997's novels, magazines, art,movies, and comics that you may not have heard about. --Fiona Webster ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

4-0 out of 5 stars 15/2001: The bar is high and some stories are exceptional. Recommended 14/2000: Too many blatant stories. Not recommended
(Because Amazon lumps all of these volumes together, this review is split in halves: Fifteen/2001 and Fourteen/2000.)

For THE YEAR'S BEST FANTASY AND HORROR: FIFTEENTH ANNUAL COLLECTION (2001)
The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Fifteen Annual Collection collects the best (as determined by the editors) short fiction of both genres in 2001, using wide definitions of the genres in order to build a diverse, quality collection. Introductions survey related novels, anthologies, and media; some of these recommendations are useless, but others are a rich resource. The stories and poems themselves vary in quality, but the standard is high and some stories are a distinct success. It's no surprise that such a large anthology has its ups and downs, but Datlow and Windling achieve many of their lofty goals. This is a varied and successful collection of short fiction and a promising resource for discovering new authors. I recommend it.

Short fiction anthologies and collections are almost always a mixed bag, and this one in particular reaches farther--and is longer--than most collections, so there are plenty of opportunities for failure. But it's a surprising success: there's some underwhelming poetry and some disappointing and odd short stories, but on average the bar is high and the best stories are exceptional. Doerr's "The Hunter's Wife," Arnott's "Prussian Snowdrops," Kiernan's "Onion," Maguire's "Scarecrow," and best of all Palwick's "Gestella," the story of a rapidly-aging werewolf, were among my favorites, and while another reader may have different preferences the best part about this broad collection is that it has something to delight every sort of horror/fantasy fan, and perhaps something new for each reader.

Other than a treasure-trove of stories, The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror also serves to expose the reader to new work and new authors. The introductions are lengthy, but useful: Windling is the most succinct in picking her choices for best fantasy novels and anthologies, Datlow is more wordy and less helpful in her horror recommendations, and the surveys of related media, comics, and anime/manga are pretty much useless (and in the final case, laughably so). Still, skim the introductions and remember your favorite authors from the short story collection, and this anthology has the potential to inflate your to-be-read list in record time. All in all, this volume of The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror is not perfect, but Datlow and Windling aim high and manage to pull together a surprising amount of enjoyable fiction that includes some true gems and opens the door to finding many more. I recommend it.

For THE YEAR'S BEST FANTASY AND HORROR: FOURTEENTH ANNUAL COLLECTION (2000)
The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Fourteenth Annual Collection collects the best (as determined by the editors) short fiction of both genres in 2000, using wide definitions of the genres in order to build a diverse, quality collection. Largely useless introductions summarize the year in fantasy, horror, and related media, but the bulk of the book is 43 short stories and 11 poems which span paranormal horror to imaginary world fantasy to mythic poems. The stories are a mixed bag, but on the whole a disappointment: some break the mold, but most of these selections are so exaggerated that they lack magic or tension. This series has a laudable goal, but in this installment the editors don't quite reach it. Not recommended.

I so much enjoyed the fifteenth volume of this series that it boggles my mind that I found this fourteenth installment such a slog. Short story collections are usually composed of selection of varying quality, and an anthology this wide-reaching and long has plenty of opportunities for failure--and, unfortunately, in this volume it often does fail. The selections are a mixed bag: Some are wonderful, and Koja's "At Eventide," Grant and Link's "Ship, Sea, Mountain, Sky," Duffy's Circe and Little Red Cap, Adriázola's "Buttons," Gaiman's Instructions, and best of all Greer Gilman's "Jack Daw's Pack," a mythic and dreamlike story of the trials and tribulations of divine avatars, were my favorites. But too often, regardless of genre, these stories are often so blatant--horror exaggerated to empty violence, retold myth which is too obvious, humorous fantasy pushed over the top--that they lose all the magic and tension that can come with subtlety. Perhaps that's a personal preference, but I doubt it. Obvious, exaggerated stories smack of lazy writing, and certainly don't warrant a "best of" collection.

The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Fourteenth Annual Collection still serves a purpose: some selections, like those listed above, break the mold and are in turns understated, haunting, intelligent, or otherwise subtlety and skillfully told. And the volume also functions as a means to encounter new stories and new authors. With such a wide range, pulling from paranormal to psychological horror, from magical realism to urban fantasy, The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror is a broad cross-section of both genres and may expose a reader to all number of new writers or texts. Unfortunately, like the middling quality of the stories themselves, this volume isn't always a good resource: Windling summary of fantasy novels is concise and useful, but Daltow's summary is unnecessarily long and the summations of media and comics often lose sight of their fantasy/horror purview. All told, this fourteenth installment of The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror is well-intended but not wholly successful. Other installments prove that the premise can succeed, and such a wide goal as the year's best pulled from broad definitions of two genres is loftly and laudable. But perhaps the pickings were slim, perhaps they had a bad year--for whatever reason, Windling and Datlow don't reach their goals in this fourtheenth installment, and I don't recommend it.

5-0 out of 5 stars Another Satisfying Entry In The Series
I collect this series hungrily. There are always at least 10 stories that excite and amaze me, and I do feel they can honestly be called "the best" of each year. I also buy stacks of other genre anthologies, none of which demonstrate such consistent quality. How there came to be a gap on my shelf where this volume ought to be I'm not sure, but I did find out while shopping for its replacement what others have discovered: it is frustratingly difficult to get an accurate report of the contents of each of these volumes. Of the several well-written and helpful reader reviews, one refers to the 11th edition, another, while begging Amazon to represent it faithfully, nevertheless is clearly misfiled, describing the contents of the 14th. To be sure, even as I snarl and curse my way through the tangle of confusion I salute each reviewer's insights; I only wish their efforts could be properly represented. To help other benighted seekers, I'm suggesting a visit to this site, an extremely valuable and meticulously maintained resource.
locusmag.com/index/2002

1-0 out of 5 stars Snnorrrrre Snnnorrrreeeee
For some reason, the folks at Amazon keep posting my reviews for this series in the wrong place, so expecting that to happen again this time, let me clarify: The review is covering the FOURTEENTH edition.

Years ago, I made the mistake of taking "The Year's Best" title seriously, and rushed out and bought all the books in the series I could get my hands on. That turned out to be a BIG mistake, as Editors Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling seem to have very different ideas from me about what makes a good story. Luckily, this is the last volume I was unfortunate enough to purchase.

I'll skip the usual complaints this time out. I won't rant about the overlong year-in-review segments. I won't mention the fact that Windling's Fantasy selections monopolixe the book. I won't utter a word about Windling's bizarre penchant for poetry and rehashed versions of older-than-dirt fairy-tales. I'll concentrate on the stories that were actually readable.

Charles de Lint contributes another Newford story, "Granny Weather"; As usual, it's a good read.
Ramsey Campbell offers up two creepy little gems, "No Strings", and "No Story In It".
Jack Dann's "Marilyn" turns a young boy's sexual fantasy into a waking nightmare.
Glen Hirschberg's "Mr. Dark's Carnival" is a great haunted house tale.
Ian Rodwell & Steve Duffy's "The Penny Drops" is waaayyy too long, but the knockout ending makes the suffering worthwhile.
Bret Lott's "The Train, The Lake, The Bridge" could almost be a true story, and it's all the creepier for that.
Jonathan Carroll's "The Heidelberg Cylinder" is a hilariously bizarre tale that needs to be read to be appreciated.
Jack Ketchum contributes "Gone", a short but excellent halloween tale.
Paul J. McAuley's "Bone Orchards" is a follow up to his tale from the previous Year's collection, "Naming The Dead"; It's a real treat, and I'd love to see more with the main character.

Search out the aforementioned Authors, by all means; Just don't waste your money on this stankass series....unless you have MUCH more patience than me.

1-0 out of 5 stars Tedious, Overblown, Pretentious, Overwritten......
I really can't be bothered doing my usual story-by-story review, since most of the stories stunk. I'm not a big Fantasy fan, so my distaste for the Fantasy side of the book shouldn't be a big surprise. I'll just reiterate my usual complaint about Fantasy Editor Terri Windling's half (More like 2/3rd's..) of the book: Waaaaayyy too much Fantasy, to the point where the Horror stories get short shrift. Ellen Datlow's Horror selections also leave a lot to be desired, as the truly distinctive voices of modern Horror fiction, like Bentley Little, Jack Ketchum, Edward Lee, Richard Laymon, et al, continue to not be represented, while told-by-rote Victorian-era wannabes dominate the book.

(My original review was much longer, and I did single out particular stories/Authors for praise, and recommended some of the individual anthologies, but the review-censorship gang at Amazon saw fit to chop off four whole paragraphs of my review! Thanks, @ssholes!)

2-0 out of 5 stars Another Year, Another Snooze-Fest....
Made it through another one!!! Once again, Fantasy Editor Terri Windling runs roughshod over Horror Editor Ellen Datlow- Windling weighs in with 26 stories, Datlow with 19. (Datlow continues to beat the drum for awful-poetry lovers everywhere, with no less than EIGHT poems...Yuck.)

As usual, the book opens with Windling's interminably long overview on The Year in Fantasy, which is really no more than a list of every book that's come out that year, along with her rambling on and on about "Magical Realism" for what seems like 5000 pages. I read one page, skimmed the rest, didn't miss a thing.

On to Datlow's Year in Horror- Slightly more interesting, but still WAAY too long. Skimmed once again...

Edward Bryant's Horror and Fantasy in the Media overview is interesting reading, but it seems as if Bryant just throws every movie he's seen into the mix. Does "In the Company of Men" really qualify as Fantasy or Horror...? Seth Johnson's Year in Comic Books overview is very interesting, and considering how much Windling drones on, I don't think it would kill them to let Johnson have a few more pages than he does.

On to the stories themselves....There are a LOT of stories that are bad, if not downright AWFUL, in this book, and most of them go on MUCH too long. Among the Awful/Overlong are: The meandering, pointless "The Skull of Charlotte Corday", "It Had To Be You", which would have been cute if had been 20 pages shorter; Charles Grant's head-scratching yawn-a-thon "Riding the Black", ... "In the Fields" was so bad I actually had to skip to the next story; I also couldn't finish Peter S. Beagle's "The Last Song of Sirit Byar"- It seemed like the song had no end.....

It's not ALL bad, though. Standout stories include "Gulliver at Home", which tells of Lemuel Gulliver's time at home between voyages; "I Am Infinite; I Contain Multitudes" has one of the nastiest scenes I've ever read, and packs a hell of a punch; Nicholas Royle's "Mbo" delivers a nasty spin on the Dracula legend; Gary A. Braunbeck's "Safe" is a moving tale of the aftermath of a gruesome mass-murder; "El Castillo De La Perseverancia" is THE weirdest story I've ever read...Mexican Wrestlers vs. Aztec monsters! It's like a Santos movie in print! "Residuals" tells the hidden history of Alien-abduction in America, and Michael Chabon delivers a ripping good H. P. Lovecraft pastiche "In the Black Mill". Christopher Fowler's "Spanky's Back!" is good sick fun, and Stephen Laws' "The Crawl" presents a far-fetched tale of road-rage that still manages to evoke a chill.

While there ARE some worthwhile reads here, the book is more pain than pleasure to read. Proceed at your own risk! ... Read more


6. Black Water: The Book of Fantastic Literature
by Alberto Manguel
Paperback: 967 Pages (1984-12-13)
list price: US$16.00
Isbn: 0517552698
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Customer Reviews (2)

4-0 out of 5 stars Best of its kind, with one annoying flaw
Alberto Manguel - anthologist extraordinaire - put together this definitive collection of fabulist fiction almost twenty years ago, and it's yet to be surpassed.It covers an immense range of themes and an eclectic international mix of writers.Moreover, it's one of the few anthologies in which almost every story appeals.What appeals less, however, is Manguel's immensely irritating habit of revealing key elements of most of the stories in his pithy introductions.Such editorial spoiling is always annoying, but it's especially frustrating when applied to 'fantastic' fiction because so much of its effect depends on mystery, surprise endings, and the wonderful disorientation of not knowing precisely what is going on.Here, story after story is derailed by Manguel telling us up front that it's a 'time travel story' or a 'ghost story', or how it ends, or that it achieves its effect in a particular way.My recommendation is that you read the introductions only after you've read each story - and do read them, because apart from spoilers, they quite often reveal savvy observations, unusual connections, and interesting biographical notes.Dates of composition for each story (where known) would have been a helpful addition.You can in some cases deduce these from the copyright acknowledgements at the front of the book, but not always.Manguel's preface to the volume is illuminating: it strikes just the right balance between personal memoir, academic apparatus and useful information.

5-0 out of 5 stars Bring back this astounding anthology.
I have a very old, bent copy of this incredible anthology that's falling apart because I've read it through six times.What's so great about it is that editor Alberto Manguel understands that the term, "fantastic," does not preclude the sublime.Entries here range from slow creepers like Julio Cortazar's unsettling "House Taken Over" and Horacio Quiroga's "The Feather Pillow," to more classically fantastic fare such as Poe's "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" and Ray Bradbury's "The Playground."What's more, Manguel does not limit his sources to North and South American fiction.The multinational anthology includes entries from France, Germany, Italy, Denmark and Japan.The more than 70 entries are also a great sampling of over a century of world literature.A comparable sequel, "Blackwater 2," followed, but it's this one that will leave you chilled, stunned and pensive after every selection. ... Read more


7. Taste of Tenderloin
by Gene O'Neill
Paperback: 162 Pages (2009-08-01)
list price: US$13.95 -- used & new: US$11.86
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0981639003
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan
Editorial Review

Product Description
Eight stories of dark science fiction and fantasy weave a path through the underbelly of San Francisco's most notorious district in Taste of Tenderloin by Gene O'Neill. Best known for his strong sense of place and uniquely vibrant characters, O'Neill brings the gritty underside of the city to life with eight interwoven stories of broken lives, missed dreams, and all that can go wrong with both reality and fantasy among the down and out. The city itself opens wide to swallow all comers with the temptation of its secrets and sins, while O'Neill brings dignity and humanity to a set of characters often overlooked in both society and fiction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

5-0 out of 5 stars A Tasty little piece
I read this because of its winning the "Bram Stoker" award for collections and it just sucked me in. In all justice I can't describe the feeling I got from this book. It's listed as horror, but it's so much more

4-0 out of 5 stars A dark, surrealistic voyage through the slums
Despite the flavorful title, Gene O' Neill's Taste of Tenderloin doesn't feature eight stories dedicated to culinary tales, but instead it's his ode to the San Francisco Tenderloin District, bent on making the area a vivid, magical place all its own.

The first story, "Lost Patrol", is not necessarily a traditional story with a beginning, middle and end. Instead it's a character profile, short, but vivid, with a delicate stretch of story surrounding it. Like an appetizer, there's not much here, but enough to get a good taste of what's to come.

Next comes "Magic Words", an old school urban fantasy tale of dark magic and a mysterious homeless woman who one night, taking only a promise for the future as payment, gives a man the exact words he needed to move forward in his life. Unlike a lot of other stories, this one doesn't try to present a "be careful what you ask for" moral. Instead it just presents itself as it is, adding an element of mysticism to the Tenderloin.

"Tombstones in His Eyes" tackles the overlapping tales of the junkies on the street, using some very interesting symbolism. Again, O' Neill doesn't so much tell a story as present a character and their tale, in the good and bad, for the reader's viewing.

"Bushido" is also lovely, the tale of a man who finds salvation in the streets walking alongside doom. But the imagery and the climax bear a strong resemblance to the previous tale, and so it lessens some of the impact.

"Balance" follows a vet suffering from a disconnect with reality. It's hard to watch Declan's version of getting more control over the world around him, since he can't seem to control his own brain functions. But this story, like the other so far, is present unflinchingly, with little effort to make the reader sympathize with the characters. Instead O' Neill just beckons you to come and listen.

With "The Apotheosis of Nathan McKee" O'Neill ties the people of the Tenderloin and the stories in this collection together firmly, making each minor, barely mentioned character the owner of their own story. Nathan, interchangeable with the attack victim in "Bushido", discovers a beating has left him not only for with a complete lack of desire for the booze he used to drug himself, but it's given him a unique ability. Only he's not quite sure what to do with it. The first overall positive tale, without a bittersweet touch, it possesses a delicate aspect of intriguing urban fantasy.

In "Bruised Soul" Mickey D, an ex boxer abandoned to the streets by time and suffering from damage taken through the length of his career, hits the streets after a stint in a mental facility, only to discover the good things have gotten that much worse in his absence and the bad things, of course, never change. It's his new neighbor that piques his interest this time around, an exotic woman named Jenna who seems to have a peculiar ability. Threaded just as finely is an end question, what is real and what has Micky D imagined, without the heavy-handedness of other stories.

Finally is "5150", the first first person story in the collection. Here the lead might not seem like a true member of the Tenderloin, but by the sad, shattering end of this cop's life you can see every character story so far caught up in this one tale.

Readers should be warned that these characters seem fleshy and real, their tales often dark and hopeless. It is easy to get pulled into the hopeless feeling of this collection.

Taste of Tenderloin is a tight network of precise details and emotion presented, but firmly held back from influencing the reader in each story. A delicate balance of realism, surrealism and unique storytelling makes it a compelling read.

2-0 out of 5 stars The perfect book to use in replace of an antidepressant!
Taste of Tenderloin is comprised of eight unique stories based on life in the underbelly of San Francisco. All of the stories are connected, as they take place in the same neighborhood, and a recurring character pops up throughout to help show this connection. The language that O'Neill writes in is rich and vivid, showing he is a strong storyteller, but there was something about the stories in this particular collection that didn't grab me. All of the stories seem to end in doom and gloom and left me saddened after reading them. I guess maybe I just needed a happy ending while reading this book and was disappointed over and over again. This is definitely not a good book to be reading on an already gloomy day.

Contains: Violence, Adult Language, Adult Situations

Review also posted at MonsterLibrarian dot com

5-0 out of 5 stars Simply amazing
I really want to write a great review for Taste Of Tenderloin by Gene O'Neill, but it has left me almost speechless. ToT features eight short stories that bring the Tenderloin district of San Francisco to life. Since reading this book, two words have been stuck in my head: magical and transformative. Each story represents both of these words, figuratively and literally. It is amazing, the way Mr. O'Neill can write stories that are tragic, hopeful, sad and uplifting, all at once. There are characters that move from story to story, creating a feeling of cohesiveness. And the main characters; oh, the main characters. Each and every one of the main players is fully fleshed. I feel as if I could enter the Tenderloin and run into these people on the street, greeting them by name. I don't like to go into specifics. I prefer to let readers go in fresh. I just try to express how I feel about what I have read. Taste Of Tenderloin is such a well written, moving experience, I'm afraid that I haven't been able to do it justice. Buy it. read it. I think you will see what I mean. ... Read more


8. The Black Stranger: And Other American Tales (The Works of Robert E. Howard Series)
by Robert Ervin Howard
Paperback: 352 Pages (2005-04-01)
list price: US$17.95 -- used & new: US$10.00
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0803273533
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Robert E. Howard is celebrated as the founding father of sword-and-sorcery, the creator of Conan of Cimmeria and Kull of Atlantis. The Black Stranger and Other American Tales demonstrates that in some of his most powerful heroic fantasy and horror stories, he also explored a New World older and more haunted than that which we’ve seen in textbooks or museum exhibits. In Howard's Gothic America, dominion goes hand in hand with damnation and the present never ceases to writhe in the grip of the past.
 
"The Black Stranger" spearheads the collection. Located at the extreme edge of Hyborian geography and human ruthlessness, this Conan novella has seldom been available until now. All of the Cimmerian's lethal skills may not be enough inside a stockade that shelters a self-exiled, pirate-plagued count, besieged from without and bedeviled from within. Against the backdrop of a demonically hostile dreadwood, Howard recreates the worst nightmares of the earliest European invaders of North America.
 
In the tales that follow, Howard unearths sinister civilizations that have forgotten the mysteries of their origins on American soil tens of thousands of years ago. That soil is a dark and bloody ground, beneath which the monstrous heirs of ancient wrongs and unsuspected wars wait. A Comanche champion and a lone conquistador stumble upon empires carved out of the primordial Southwest by necromancers. Hot hate given cold flesh lurches on zuvembie legs in "Pigeons from Hell" and lurks in the shuddersome swamps of the Deep South in "Black Canaan."
 
These stories, here refurbished with authoritative, unexpurgated texts, have transcended the Thirties pulps in which they first saw print. With their unflinching focus on original American sin and even more original sinners, some are sure to take their place next to dark classics like "Young Goodman Brown," "Benito Cereno," and "A Rose for Emily."
... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

4-0 out of 5 stars Brutal and Entertaining
This is some excellent writing that really takes the reader to interesting places. I first heard of Howard through Lovecraft, another favorite of mine. Bleeding liberals like me might be taken aback by some of his borderline-racist descriptions, but it doesn't really distract from the stories all that much.

I'd love to see some of these stories adapted into film.

5-0 out of 5 stars a very good introduction to re howard
pidgeons from hell is the best includes a conan story a good introduction to RE Howard

5-0 out of 5 stars The Black Stranger & Other American Tales by Robert E. Howard
Robert E. Howard's Pigeons From Hell was the scariest story I've ever read. Scarier than Poe and Hitchcock is putting it mildly! Per Chris Ward of Wizard Comic Magazine Pigeons From Hell was on a television show called Thriller narrated by Boris Karloff. The story is pure terror!Anytime I here a whistle now I get goosebumps and am ready to run like Hell!A must read is "Blood & Thunder - The Life & Art of Robert E. Howard" by Mark Finn.Below are comments from John Nevins and I agree totally! QUOTE
With enthusiasm, skill, and expertise Mark Finn has written the new and definitive biography of Robert E. Howard. Finn not only corrects a number of errors previous biographies and biographers made about Howard and his writings, Finn also describes, with sensitivity and nuance, Howard's environment and upbringing and the context in which Howard's work should be placed. Finn neither places Howard on a pedestal nor demeans him, but instead gives Howard the credit he deserves.UNQUOTE

My favorite stories that Robert Howard wrote are Pidgeons From Hell, Beyond The Black River, and Red Nails. There are so many great ones but these really stand out as the very best.

Tell five other people about Robert E. Howard and enjoy his stories.There's a DVD called The Whole Wide World 1996 Sony Pictures that is about Robert E. Howard and Novelyn Price his girlfriend.Renee Zellweger stars as Novelyn and Vincent D'Onofrio as Robert.Blockbuster carries it. Enjoy Robert Howard Fans! Check out the REH Foundation and Forum!

4-0 out of 5 stars something to note...
This is a great collection and will please any fans of Howard's work, however the numerous typos are disconcerting.Every few pages there are errors that at first glance make little sense.They should be obvious to any proofreader, especially in such quantity.

It's my opinion that the text of this compilation was scanned from another source by a computer program, perhaps run through a second program to check for spelling errors, and reprinted without ever being properly proofread by a human being.

I'm not sorry I bought this book, but I am a little disappointed at how some publishers are so lazy as to rely almost wholly on computers.

3-0 out of 5 stars reading review
The Black Stranger is not too bad as a collection of stories, however it draws a few stories from other books by R. E. Howard such as the Black stranger and the Gods of Bal-sagoth which are from Cthulhu mythos or Conan the barbarian books. It is very well written, and the descriptive power of Howard's writings comes out as is expected. I particularly enjoyed Marchers of Valhalla which turned to be one of my favourite stories. In Black Cannaan, the story comes across as very politically incorrect especially with its description of Afro-Carribean people or African-Americans and could easily offend a reader's sensitivities. All together its another good collection of stories from R.E. Howards writings. ... Read more


9. Tales of Terror (Classics for Young Adults and Adults)
by W. Jacobs, Edgar Allan Poe, H. G. Wells, Charlotte Perkins Gilman
 Audio CD: Pages (2003-12)
list price: US$44.00 -- used & new: US$44.00
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 1584725494
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"The Monkey's Paw," "The Pit and the Pendulum," and other spine tingling stories from masters of terror. (W.W. Jacobs, Edgar Allan Poe, H.G. Wells and Charlotte Perkins Gilman.) ... Read more


10. Masters Of Midnight
by Michael Thomas Ford
Paperback: 352 Pages (2003-06-01)
list price: US$14.00 -- used & new: US$8.54
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0758204213
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Editorial Review

Product Description
They are the ultimate forbidden pleasure—ruthless in their eroticism, tender in their devotions, and utterly irresistible in their dangerous temptations. Spend the night with four mysterious men whose kiss is more than deadly, it's forever…

Masters Of Midnight

His Hunger, by William J. MannIt's a work obligation that leads Jeremy Horne to the reclusive Maine estate of eccentric Bartholomew Coates. Now, Jeremy finds himself the man's prisoner, the victim of erotic dreams where handsome men ravage his body and Bartholomew grows younger and more irresistible with each drop of Jeremy's blood…

Sting, by Michael Thomas FordAfter his lover's sudden death, librarian Ben Hodges seeks refuge in a sleepy Ozarks town. But his summer of healing turns to intrigue when he encounters soft-spoken beekeeper Titus Durham, a man whose hidden obsession will change Ben's life forever…

Bradon's Bite, by Sean WolfeWith his wavy black hair and turquoise eyes, Bradon Lugo can have any man he wants—but what he wants in return is more than any lover would dream of giving. And what blond, innocent Kirk Courey offers is too tempting for Bradon to resist…a chance at the love of a thousand lifetimes…

Devoured, by Jeff MannBy night, Derek Maclaine loses himself in New York's leather bar underground, trying to forget the brutal murder of his lover in Scotland, centuries ago. But now, danger threatens his new lover, and this time, Derek will have his revenge…

Answer the call of the night in these four erotic tales of the vampire, where each invitation to pleasure leaves you hungry for more… ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

5-0 out of 5 stars Oh, wow.
I made this purchase solely on the basis that it was gay vampire erotica. I'm a girl and also what some might call a homophile. I like the gay erotica. And I like vampires. This had an impressive enough rating. Sold.

For me, erotica is best in short segments so the four short story format was much appreciated. Enough people here have described the basic storyline for each story so I won't do that. I enjoyed the third story most, then second, then first, and in dead last is the fourth. They were all as graphic as I needed them to be without too much gratuitous detail (i.e. no story, no point, just sex). The third story was a little preachy but the erotic scenes were worth it. The second was like a lot of legitimate gothic lit stories I've read with the well described sex to make it enjoyable. The first was low in detail and action but was intriguing.

I'm not going to lie, though. The fourth story was written in an excessively verbose, overly descriptive style (some here call it "poetic" which is good for a novel but tedious for a series of short stories about gay vampire action) and I found that obnoxious. I didn't care at all about Scotland. Not what it looks like, smells like, its geography, or history. I didn't care for the quotes by philosophers, writers, and so forth. Ugh. Halfway through describing a Scottish shoreline, I was just groaning and thinking, "Shut up and nail someone already!" (Sorry. This is erotica. Quack = a duck.) But when the sex finally arrived, it involved hairy men with leather and BDSM. I don't mind leather. I don't mind BDSM. I really do mind hairy men. One reviewer said this story prevented the series from becoming too "twinkified". I LIKE my gay erotica twinkified. When a sex scene begins and the word "furry" is used, I check out. I tried to ignore the descriptions to take some enjoyment out of the experience, but I couldn't. The hairiness was too pervasive.

Ew. Bear erotica is not my scene.

Well, I gave the whole thing five stars because I enjoyed it (except that last one, but every series has at least one you won't like) and because it did its job: Entertaining my hormones. Definitely worth the read, and if you like or don't mind hirsute men, you'll probably love the whole thing.

4-0 out of 5 stars Gay vampire tales of mystery
In the first story, by William J Mann and entitled His Hunger, Jeremy's investigations take him to the mysterious recluse Bartholomew Craven. When he eventually locates Bartholomew's weird house he finds himself held prisoner, and subject to strange erotic dreams involving handsome men, and at the mercy of Bartholomew.

Michael Thomas Ford's Sting is a captivating mystery. Ben Hodge, leaving behind him the tragedy of his lover's death, has just moved to Downing where he is the new librarian. It is not long before he learns of mysterious killings that have occurred in the town's history and continue today. His interest in these killings and the mysterious Titus Durham could be very dangerous; or could it just prove to be the chance of a new life for him.

In the third story Bradon's Bite by Sean Wolfe, we encounter father and son vampires. Bradon lives with his over protective vampire father Victor, but Bradon is half vampire and half human, his mother being human, although she supposedly died giving birth to him. All goes well even if Bradon is reluctant to take his blood until he comes of age and has to hunt for himself. This causes problems which result in Bradon seeking his own friends which in turn leads to the realisation that he is gay, but also to disaster on his first gay date. When his father learns Bradon' inclinations their relationship goes from bad to worse; but maybe Bradon has a solution, and maybe there are options that he is not aware of yet, and maybe there is someone he can love safely. The story starts of unremarkably yet quite charmingly with Victor trying to raise his five year old son, but gradually becomes more involving as the plot develops towards its satisfying conclusion. This interesting story is however let down a little by the at times rather stilted dialogue.

The final story, Devoured by Jeff Mann, Derek McClaine loses his lover Angus in1730 in a homophobic attack which he himself survived, then to become a vampire. Now in the present day he has found a lover who just might replace Angus, but when his new lover is similarly in jeopardy Derek is determined there will be no repeat of the fatal events of 1730. This well paced and interesting story provides occasional glimpses of Derek's life while following the present day events.

The four fairly substantial stories make for a varied and interesting collection of erotic vampire themed tales.

4-0 out of 5 stars Worth a read if you're a vampire nut
This book contains four novellas of male/male vampire romance.

I enjoyed the first story, "His Hunger" by William J. Mann for the atmosphere.It held my attention but fizzled out in the end and felt unfinished. Pesky questions keep popping into my head that were left unanswered but then I've been told I ask too many questions and am nosey ;)

"The Sting" is about a young guy who ditches his previous life after a painful loss to begin anew. He takes on a job as a librarian and begins to learn that there is something not quite right in his new town. It started out well but like the previous story sort of fizzled out towards the end. I can't say why without spoiling things for others so I'll only say it had a lot to do with the "villain" of the piece and leave it at that.

"Braden's Bite" was readable but the dialogue in the beginning was so cartoonish and baffoonish I could barely get past it. It improved but my notes say "interesting but soooo melodramatic" "sweetly romantic after a rough start".

"Devoured" was my favorite of the lot. Dark, deadly, sexy, edgy and poetic. Just the sort of story I most enjoy. The fact that the author incorporated wiccan sabbats throughout the story only made it all the more interesting. The relationship was nicely done too.



5-0 out of 5 stars Bruises say, remember my touch. remember
I love the vampire genre. So when I happened upon this book, I had to have it. I didn't know the authors, but Now I do. All the stories are unique in their own way. I enjoyed them all. BUT! My favorite novella was Jeff Mann's Devoured.

I truly relished every word. It was as if I was the camera following every move. The artful descriptions helped bring the story to life. I am enamoured by Derek and Matt. I will probably read this story over and over until the binding in the book breaks and I'll have to buy another book. laughs

It's given me so much insight into the lives of gay men. Thank you, Jeff Mann. I will be looking for other books by you. ASAP!

4-0 out of 5 stars chilling from the first bite
A thrilling, erotically charged page-turner with literary merit. Kudos especially to poet/essayist Jeff Mann. Mann delivers a tasty meal on every page, mixing erotic content with a rich, descriptive, poetic voice. His surroundings, ranging from the moors of Scotland to the city streets of NYC to the mountains of West Virginia, are nearly as "human" as his living (and dead) characters. Not simply slam-bam-bite-me-man erotica, and not for the faint of heart. Let's hear more from Mann's devilish Derek. ... Read more


11. Second Thoughts: More Queer and Weird Stories
by Steve Berman
Paperback: 212 Pages (2008-08-15)
list price: US$13.00 -- used & new: US$4.95
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 159021028X
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Product Description
In acclaimed author Steve Berman's second collection of thirteen stories and essays, he again guides readers through the darker pathways of his imagination. These are stories of regret: the scent of loneliness enticing odd children to eat away a fussy caretaker's historic house; a depressed accountant turns to monster hunting; and a young lover's temptation by handsome nursery rhyme. After each tale Berman provides a tangential author note that offers insight into his past trysts as well as his fears and dreams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

5-0 out of 5 stars A Second Thought about Second Thoughts

My initial objective, as most writers and readers would never candidly confess, was to construct a review of Steve Berman's stylish commentary on diverse confessions concerning the model design of self-expression and sincerity through the lively art of writing. Berman's Second Thoughts is an edgy, satirically satisfying collection of essays and short tales related to a coming-of-age adventure, alluring paranormal twists, and gay exploration. Berman provides side notes and significant commentary to help pull his ideologies, stories, and emotions together to create a compilation of tales that penetrate the soul of Berman's haunting and often times humorous experiences. For me, the most fascinating story takes place in Asia, and the sensory detail allows the reader to follow Berman, to care for him, and to reach out to comfort him. But, as many readers will understand, Berman can take care of himself. The tale concerning his college buddy and his view related to marijuana is quite funny. The attraction that the author feels for his friend is complex because it shifts from funny to sad, hopeless to promising. However, Berman clearly stands on the edge of gay speculative fiction and his revolutionary approach to writing these stories is deeply inspirational.

Another element in the story is a re-examination with the concept of death and emptiness. The author's feelings about a deceased college friend are not comforting, but the style of Berman allows us to feel the pain of his loss more than any other aspect of Second Thoughts. Looking at the work, one can only feel a considerable amount of satisfaction with the work because it is one of those projects that just had to be done and Berman completed it with much talent and skillful reflection. The art of reflection in these stories all bleed together to create a multihued tapestry of one man's life, his observations, his thoughts, feelings, triumphs, and, most enjoyably, his adventures through sexual liberation and sadness. Second Thoughts, like Berman's wonderful novel Vintage, is a thought-provoking work that will appeal to all individuals who have shared feelings of loss, joy, inquisitiveness, and an undying fascinating with the things that continually go bump in the night. Berman's cool, because he can compose in a manner that relates to all people, no matter their sexual orientation or dissimilar characteristics.

The characters in Second Thoughts have something to say and Berman allows them to say it. One cannot imagine what it would be like if Berman had not decided to give these interesting people some kind of medium to bring them to life and to offer them a voice and breath. The depth of the characters, the funny and sometimes scary circumstances in Second Thoughts can leave the reader wanting to know more about Berman, his writings, his ability to build scene after scene, layer after layer. So, there is a sense of longing and pain in a lot of what Berman writes, but these sentiments also force us to find things within ourselves that we are at all willing to admit or even acknowledge. Second Thoughts is a short read, but the wave of thoughts it sends out can last a lifetime. Enjoy the weirdness of Berman; no one else writing today can do that with an exception for Gaiman.

5-0 out of 5 stars Second Thoughts by Steve Berman
Starting to write my impression on this book, while still all the idea were storming in my brain, probably I realized one of the meaning of the title: Second Thoughts, since all the story in this anthology were previously published elsewhere and Steve Berman collected them and added his second thoughts on them, the author's note, that in a way, I read with more eagerness than the stories, since they told something more on the author, and his interrupted love story with a college roommate, Michael "Mike" Carte, to whom is also dedicated the book, using Catullo's poem "Odi et Amo".

Bittersweet: two very young boyfriends, one of the two is sadly ill and needs to have a serious surgery. The other one cheats on him during his absence, just a fling, but it's a way to loose all the tension he has on his too young shoulder. He is not the bad hero, he is only a 17 years old guy who, maybe for a time, wants to love as his age would let him.

On the Author's Note, Steve tells us as this story was inspired by a real guy he met once and as in the story, probably for that guy there was a happily ever after on his personal story, but not with Steve.

Secrets of the Gwangi: these are actually flashes of story with two couples and a man divided by time. Two lovers in the Old West, a director of some decades ago, and two stuntmen of the present. I would like to read more about the two lovers even if I think that there is not an happily ever after there.

On the Author's Note, Steve tells us of his first tentative sexual experience when he was still a child, and how it was a consequence of telling stories, quite right giving what he became after.

Kiss: this is the bittersweet tale of a guy who is in love with his roommate, but his can be only an unrequited love, since the other guy loves more and with too more people at the same time. I hoped for the guy in love to find something better, if he survives to his second kiss...

On the Author's Note, Steve tells us of his first crush and kiss, and one of the first time when he probably should have stopped to think and grasp the moment.

Always Listen to a Good Pair of Underwear: in this nice short story we meet for the first time Mike and young Steve, sharing an apartment as student, the place where Steve's love grew in strenght to probably never leave him after.

On the Author's Note, Steve presents us Mike, the man who will inspire him for so many story.

The High Cost for Tamarind: in an apocalyptic world two lovers are too young and tender to be together... I don't know but when you read about lover like that you know that they have no chance...

On the Author's Note, Steve tells us when he proudly sold his first story and how he presented it to Mike like a precious gift.

The Price of Glamour: this is a fantasy tale, probably the more light and joyous of the anthology, as you can expected when fey and faires are involved. A fairy and a changeling meet and tighten a relationship that for now is only a partnership but maybe in the future...

On the Author's Note, Steve tells us of his college experience, as he tried to socialize, but as, at the end, he cared only for Mike.

Tearjerker: truth be told, I didn't understand so well this story, other than it's really sad...

On the Author's Note, Steve tells us how he started to losing Mike way before he really lost him.

Well Wishing: a fantasy story about a salesman, a farmer, and his two sons, a boy and a girl. The salesman is more interested in the boy than in the girl, but he probably didn't do the right choice. Another story with a sad ending.

On the Author's Note, Steve tells us how it was hard to think to have really lost Mike and how he tried to replace him with another impossible love. Till they are far from him, it's easier to love them and to see them realize their dreams. One side note: who is the porn actor?

Caught by Skin: in a futuristic world where love is chemical and aseptic, someone realizes that maybe he is losing something when it's too late to grasp and hold him. But maybe there is hope to still have something real.

On the Author's Note, Steve plays.

A Rotten Obligation: an hustler is on the road to maintain a promise but he is derailed by love. Will he maintain the promise or will he finally seize his chance to happiness, burning all the bond with an horrible past?

On the Author's Note, Steve tells us his own personal hustler story, and as everyone who saw Pretty Woman, also him probably would like to find a Richard Gere for every Julia Roberts (male or female) out there on the street.

Hidden in Central Asia: a gay boy leaving country on a cultural trip, maybe thinks that so far from his real world, things could be different and he can really straighten himself. But what on vacation seems possible, in reality is impossible.

On the Author's Note, Steve tells us his own personal het story, and we also know as Mike was again Steve muse, being the lost boy on a dark night in Vintage. Mike with his repressed love and with his anger against life who didn't allow him to be what he would like to be. Mike so strong outside, and probably so scared of life inside.

Kinder: a man is so bound to the past that he probably can't see that he has a different future beside him. I didn't understand if, in the end, he seizes his chance.

On the Author's Note, Steve tells us as he always tries to save Mike.

A Troll on a Mountain with a Girl: in a fantasy world a man is chasing monsters... but maybe the reason why he is chasing them is not what you can expected.

On the Author's Note, Steve tells us why he is telling us stories...

This anthology is not accordingly to any standard a light anthology. And accordingly to me is not even something you can read one story detached of the others. It's a love declaration and like that you need to read it all together. Giving that the stories were originally published elsewhere and detached, it's also a confession on how the author probably pours all of him in his stories. Some of the stories I like a lot, some a bit less, but I absolutely love all the Author's Notes.

5-0 out of 5 stars inspired and highly original
Second Thoughts is a collection of extremely imaginative, often paranormal short stories along with a group of affecting and very personal author notes which weave more of a connected, largely non-fictional account.There are some instances where the notes noticeably stray from the truth, and at least one moment may give the reader a shock while he or she tries to decide whether the author is retelling an actual event.

Some of the stories take place in well-described and exotic locations such as Tampico, Mongolia or Japan.(The story in Mongolia, a true one, is especially fascinating for the setting.) There are a lot of fairies and folklore characters populating many of the tales.There's also a futuristic story where everyone has frequent plastic surgery to fit the new trends, and an alternate reality story where Mexico had sided with Germany in WWI and took back Texas.Another wonderful moment involved meeting a character who was the caretaker of the absolute best museum of hats in all of Pennsylvania.

Berman used the word "dweomer" (dway-oh-mer),which, according to dictionary.com,is a magical aura.There is a dweomer of melancholy in this collection, largely because the author discusses a dead college roommate that he misses very much in many of the author notes.There's a motif of unrequited longing and loneliness.Many of the characters are trapped in some way - unable to leave a hotel or a farm or escape from a debt or a promise or a group of lookalike friends.

This is recommended, naturally, for fans of short stories and fans of speculative fiction.However, readers who enjoy intensely personal memoirs such as Alison Bechdel's Fun Home may also be captivated by this work.

5-0 out of 5 stars Great escapist read from uniquely imaginative and talented author!
"Weird" is certainly the first word that comes to mind in describing this collection of thirteen of the author's extremely imaginative and diverse styled short stories, all with some sort of gay content. They range from futuristic tales (such as one set in a gay bar, frequented by gay men who are so obsessed with youth and trends that they resort to frequent plastic surgery to look just like the latest "hot" younger guy they see or hear about), to a unique Victorian-era mystery featuring an "Oliver!"-like waif.There are stories about a dead hustler's ghost accompanying his friend driving his remains to its final resting site, of a deadly troll on a mountain, of a lonely caretaker of an old house infested with furniture-eating children, and of the author's experimentation with heterosexuality while on trip to China with college classmates. Each story is followed by the author's explanatory epilogue, usually detailing where the idea came from (often experiences in his own life) and giving the reader additional perspective in reading the story, including several that were inspired by the author's unrequited love for a former straight roommate.

This is the first work I have read by this uniquely-talented author, who is apparently known for these types of stories, and it likely won't be the last. Great escapist reads, more intriguing than scary. Give it a full five stars out of five.

5-0 out of 5 stars 13 by Steve
Berman, Steve. "Second Thoughts: More Queer and Weird Stories", Lethe Press, 2008.

13 By Steve

Amos Lassen

Steve Berman has a great imagination and we should consider ourselves lucky that he shares it with us. His new collection, "Second Thoughts" kept me spellbound. There are stories here for everyone and Berman's prose will rope you in.
Berman also heads Lethe Press, a publishing house that came to the rescue of GLBT authors when Harrington Park was sold and many writers were left with no publisher.
What is so interesting about "Second Thoughts" is that after each story, Berman adds a note that makes things clear and offers insight on the author. I am not particularly fond of short stories but this collection held my attention and had me wanting more.
... Read more


12. An Epicure in the Terrible : A Centennial Anthology of Essays in Honor of H.P. Lovecraft
by David E. Schultz
 Hardcover: 347 Pages (1991-07)
list price: US$48.50
Isbn: 083863415X
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Customer Reviews (1)

5-0 out of 5 stars Unsurpassable
Joshi & Schultz, editors op.cit.are senior editor for the Esoteric Order of Dagon, an amateur press association journal concerned with the Lovecraftian oeuvre. Joshi won the World Fantasy Award last year.Even 16 years after publication it employs tha latest critical techniques for recognizing H.P. Lovecraft as having influenced supernatural horror writing more than any other writer since his death.No other anthology compares with the thematic scope of Epicure or offers as detailed biographical analysis of his eminence as a pulp writer of te '20s & '30s who has finally been elevated to the American literary canon. ... Read more


13. The Purcell Papers (v. 2)
by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
 Hardcover: 124 Pages (2002-09)
list price: US$92.99 -- used & new: US$92.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 1404325824
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14. The Purcell Papers (v. 1)
by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
 Hardcover: 112 Pages (2002-09)
list price: US$92.99 -- used & new: US$92.99
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Asin: 1404325808
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15. The Purcell Papers (v. 3)
by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
 Hardcover: 112 Pages (2002-09)
list price: US$92.99 -- used & new: US$92.99
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Asin: 1404325840
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16. The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales (Oxford Books of Prose)
Paperback: 560 Pages (2001-11-19)
list price: US$19.95 -- used & new: US$43.00
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0192862197
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Editorial Review

Product Description
Brimming with tales of terror, suspense, and the uncanny, this work offers the first collection devoted to the Gothic genre. Each story contains the common elements of the gothic tale--a warped sense of time, a claustrophobic setting, a link to archaic modes of thought, and the impression of a descent into disintegration. Yet taken together, they reveal the progression of the genre from stories of feudal villains amid crumbling ruins to a greater level of sophistication in which writers brought the gothic tale out of its medieval setting, and placed it in the contemporary world. Bringing together the work of such writers as Eudora Welty, Thomas Hardy, Edgar Allan Poe, William Faulkner, Arthur Conan Doyle, Joyce Carol Oates, and Jorge Luis Borges, The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales presents a wide array of the sinister and unsettling for all lovers of ghost stories, fantasy, and horror. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

5-0 out of 5 stars Superb selection of stories
Rating a collection of tales by various authors is somewhat complicated. Here, what is offered to the reader is a wonderful selection of stories from various centuries that were written in the Gothic tradition. Anyone who is interested in studying intertextuality or motifs in various pieces will cherish this volume, as well as people who simply appreciate this genre of literature.

5-0 out of 5 stars Some Great Unfamiliar Gothic Tales
There are some great tales in this book.by such authors as-
poe,le fanu.hawthorne,g.w.cable,charlotte perkins stetson(weird psychological tale), nesbit,lovecraft,faulkner(this is not a gothic tale but pure faulknew; enjoyable),thomas hardy( Barbara of the house of grebe; loved this one), ellen glasgow (jordan's end; I do wish she had written more ghost tales) and many more fine
tales.

5-0 out of 5 stars Delicious Gothic
As a fan of gothic literature, I love this wonderful anthology. It begins with an introduction to classic gothic and its writers; and goes on to offer over 30 blood-chilling short stories by authors like Poe, Hardy, Hawthorne, Faulkner, and Borges. My favorite was A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner. It's exciting to have so much rich variety in one place. A bit eerie and unnerving, this volume is not for the faint-hearted. It's the perfect book to read on a stormy night! I highly recommend it.

5-0 out of 5 stars The Best Collection of Gothic Tales
If there is one book that I would recommend regarding good Gothic fiction, it would be The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales (Oxford Books of Prose). This book has been my staple since a long time ago.To give you some idea of what you can find in this book, Part I., "Beginnings," contains such classics as "The Vindictive Monk of the Fatal Ring"; the next section, or Part II., "The Nineteenth Century," includes some outstanding stories by the customary Poe and Hawthorne, as well as "Jean-Ah Poquelin" by George Washington Cable and "Bloody Blanche" by Thomas Hardy. The selections from Part III, "The Twentieth Century," contain some outstanding examples like "The Outsider" by H.P. Lovecraft and the eerie "The Bloody Countess" by Alejandra Pizarnik. There are thirty-seven selections total, with a great introduction by the editor.

4-0 out of 5 stars Some I've already read elsewhere, but the new ones to me were riveting!Great gothic collection!
I wanted to combine a good gothic book with the gothic romance I intended to read and had been on my TBR pile for a while and found this collection at a bookstore.The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales has a large collection stories by authors from times that vary from Georgian period to recent years.Some are dark and sinister, others have a mystery to discover while there are those that have only the gothic atmosphere down pat.There are quite a few popular authors here -- William Faulkner, Edgar Allan Poe, Angela Carter and Joyce Carol Oates, to name a few.There are also some stories written by "Anonymous."My favorite stories are "The Lady of the House of Love," by Angela Carter, Eden Glasgow's "Jordan's End," and Ray Russell's "Sardonicus."The stories are quite dark and are some of the best in the gothic genre.I've already read some of the stories from the authors I've enjoyed over the years (like Poe and Oates), but the ones I hadn't read made this a very enjoyable read for me.I cannot recommend this unique collection enough. ... Read more


17. An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia
by S. T. Joshi, David E. Schultz
Kindle Edition: 360 Pages (2001-08-31)
list price: US$107.00
Asin: B000QXD7CE
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Editorial Review

Product Description
H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) is commonly regarded as the leading author of supernatural fiction in the 20th century. He has a tremendous popular following as well as a considerable and growing academic reputation as a writer of substance and significance. This exhaustive guide reveals many aspects of Lovecraft's life and work, codifying the detailed research conducted by many scholars over the past three decades. The volume draws upon rare documents, including thousands of unpublished letters, in presenting plot synopses, descriptions of characters, biographies of colleagues and family members, and entries on various topics and esoteric lore related to his works. Many of the entries include bibliographies, and the volume concludes with a list of works for further reading. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

5-0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Reference
Night had fallen, and I was bent over my keyboard, attempting to compose my new tale of Lovecraftian horror.Okay, I admit it -- I write fiction "in the tradition" of H. P. Lovecraft.Not a very honourable occupation to some, I guess.Why would anyone want to write stories that sound like those of another writer?I was sitting here, with Barbra Streisand playing in the background -- and I needed a reference; for I was basing my new story on Lovecraft's "Pickman's Model."I wanted to write a story that explained, in a misty suggestive manner, what happened just before the artist vanished.You've read Lovecraft's original tale, no doubt, about the weird cat who paints ghouls -- paints them with such finesse that they seem to be representations of things that actually breathed and moved through realms of necrophagous shadow.

I reached -- for The Book.

And I heard an eldritch wailing that sounded like the end of mortal time!What dripping eidolon of cacodaemonic ghastliness could make such spectral noise?Ah -- it was just the Streisand cd.I switched off the player and listened to hushed silence, reaching again for -- The Book.Its pale purple cover contained a ghostly image of The Master of Cosmic Horror -- he looked every inch a horror writer.It was he I wished to emulate in my own humble weird fiction -- it was his titan elbow beneath which I paid homage to his genius.

I turned to page 204 and read the middle passage:

"PICKMAN, RICHARD UPTON.In 'Pickman's Model,' a painter, of Salem ancestry, whose paintings of outre subjects are assumed to be the fruits of keen imagination, but are ultimately found to be from real life and from first-hand knowledge of forbidden subjects.He is compared to Gustav Dore, Sidney Sime, and Anthony Angarola.He disappears mysteriously, after emptying his pistol at an unseen monster lurking in the basement of his studio in the North End of Boston during a visit by the narrator of the story.In THE DREAM-QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH, Pickman becomes a ghoul, like the subject of many of his paintings in 'Pickman's Model.'"

I then read the rather lengthy yet succinct description of the tale that followed as next entry.And I felt a curious longing.For haven't I come to Boston and found this small apartment in the North End exactly because of my obsession with this, as some call it, "minor" tale by a Master of supernatural fiction?I held onto The Book as I put on my jacket and stepped outside.Strolling past the ancient church, I walked up the inclined street, to Copp's Hill Burying Ground.What had the editors written concerning that haunted place, which Lovecraft had invested with his ghouls.I flipped through the C section, squinting at the pages beneath the pale illumination of a street lamp -- and I was disappointed to see that there was no reference to Copp's Hill.The Book was not as thorough as one would have liked.

What was its purpose, then, this nameless tome?Was it naught but a reference of what the editors felt were the most important names of persons and places in Lovecraft's poetry and prose?Yes, I think that was the purpose that it served.I turned to the Preface and examined the lines of text -- and found:

"A word must now be said on what is NOT included in this volume.
One of the most popular aspects of Lovecraft;s work is what has come to be known as the 'Cthulhu Mythos' (a term Lovecraft himself never used).His literary pantheon (entities who, in many cases, prove merely to be extraterrestrials from the depths of space) has proved fascinating to readers and writers alike... The 'gods' themselves, with rare exceptions, do not figure as 'characters' in any meaningful sense in the tales, so there are no entries on them."

So much for Nyarlathotep, I thought -- for the Crawling Chaos was the "god" with whom I was most obsessed.If anything deserved an entry, it was "Him" (It?).Night had fallen, and the gate to the burying ground was locked.I turned away from it and leaned my back against its chilling black metal.I flipped through The Book until I came to page 190."He" was there!

"'Nyarlathotep.'Prose poem (1,150 words); probably written in November or December 1920. ...Nyarlathotep emerged out of Egypt.He begins giving strangeexhibitions featuring peculiar instruments of glass and metal and evidently involving anomalous uses of electricity."

I heard a far-off wailing sound in dark heaven, accompanied by a singular buzzing voice that almost spoke my name.I looked above me, to the lamp post; and I wondered why it looked so queer, so black; why its single bulb peered down on me as if it would devour me.I placed half of The Book into my mouth, grabbed onto the cold metal of the gate and hurled myself over it, into the burying ground.I crawled on chilly earth until I came to the tall marker that had been toppled over, thus revealing a set of earthy steps that led down, below the cemetery sod, into blackness illimitable.

The Book was in my mouth.How strange that I could feel the ink with which its nameless text had been printed move along my tongue.I felt that text move over my tongue and slip upward, to my brain.The language of The Book dripped upward, like sentient ichor that sought to dwell within the recesses of my cracked skull.The buzzing above me had ceased, but now I heard another noise -- a deep uncanny breathing from the pit of blackness beneath me.I imagined that it whispered, "You fool -- come down."And so I crept, with Book in mouth, down the cold steps of sediment, to my unhallowed doom.

5-0 out of 5 stars An Invaluable Companion
This sweeping volume covers, more than adequately, the elements and workings beyond the wall of Lovecraft's writings.After casually sampling some of Lovecraft's best, I decided to seriously pursue his fiction as well as the man himself.This fine work has proven a wonderful guide, and its insights have greatly augmented the pleasure of the journey.I must emphatically recommend this work to anyone with more than a casual interest in Lovecraft's marvelous writings.

3-0 out of 5 stars Inconsistent and Horribly Incomplete
I gave this inch-thick book three stars because it IS full of good information, well researched, and will certainly be just what some people are looking for. For me, however, it was not at all what I expected (or wanted).

I was hoping that a 'Lovecraft Encyclopedia' would shed light on the fictional elements within his works. However, this encyclopedia concerns lovecraft's life, acquaintances, influences, etc.

Mostly.

It's inconsistent; if you look up "Azathoth," you get two paragraphs about the stories "he/it" appears in and those that inspired, but learn absolutely nothing about what Azathoth actually *is*. "Cthulhu" provides pages of info, but really nothing more than the geneology of the name "Cthulhu Mythos," and absolutely nothing at all about the character.

But if you look up "Lake," "Atwood," "Dombrowski" ... you at least do get a sentence or two about these fictional characters, though not much, really. Why include relatively unimportant fictional characters but include no information about the "heavy-hitters"?

Seriously diappointing; there's room for another book here.

I would have been happy if the book at least gave definitions for certain archaic words, such as "eldritch" and the like, words not found in a contemporary dictionary. But no. Or perhaps even a pronunciation guide for commonly mis-pronounced words.

I guess for now, if you want to know something about the entities in HPL's works, you have to buy a book related to the "Call of Cthulhu" role playing game or something.

If you need to do a term paper on the life of HPL, you may find some gold here; if you enjoy his stories but would like to understand them better, this will be of no help.

4-0 out of 5 stars a work for all seasons
Although this excellent piece of work is more suited to Lovecraft's fans or people with some background on his work, it serves equally well the interests of newcomers into the subject.I shall just point out the utmost care and respect for the Master's original work, the passion and scholarship pervading every single line of the encyclopedia.I did not grade it with a fully deserved 5 stars,though....because only the Deep Ones are perfect...

5-0 out of 5 stars Especially for Lovecraft enthusiasts
Collaborative compiled by Lovecraftian experts S. T. Joshi and David E. Schultz, An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia is an exhaustive reference filled with an impressive wealth of biographical and literary lore about one of the best-known writers of supernatural horror in the 20th century. Filled cover to cover with bibliographical information, the encyclopedia lists entries in A to Z format of people Lovecraft knew, characters in his books, and much more. An extensive, scholarly reference especially for Lovecraft enthusiasts, An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia is an essential, core, indispensable reference work for students of Lovecraft's life and work. ... Read more


18. The Crow: Shattered Lives & Broken Dreams
by Ed Kramer
 Hardcover: 368 Pages (1998-12-01)
list price: US$24.00 -- used & new: US$141.64
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0345417119
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars
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Editorial Review

Product Description

"He avenges the innocent dead. He stalks the crimson road of the slain. He mourns lost love so ardently that desire and death become one. He is the dream-carrier of holy retribution. And in the name of love he delivers justice to the wicked."
--From the Introduction

With this chilling collection of stories and poems, J. O'Barr--the creator of The Crow--and EdKramer host an ominous array of interpretations of the gothic phenomenon by acclaimed writers well acquainted with the dark side, including Alan Dean Foster, Ramsey Campbell, Gene Wolfe, Storm Constantine, Nancy Collins, Andrew Vachss, Iggy Pop, and Henry Rollins.

Featuring original artwork by such top artists as Ron Walotsky, Rob Prior, Tom Canty, Tim Bradstreet, Don Maitz, and Bob Eggleton, The Crow: Shattered Lives and Broken Dreams evokes a modern night-world and its tormented denizens ensnared by unspeakable evil, enslaved by unquenchable longing, engulfed by the thirst for revenge, and enfolded by the enigmatic, eternal wings of The Crow.

Here a resurrected gunslinger gets a final showdown with his archenemy. . . .
A murder victim and a dying boy mete out poetic justice to a sadistic criminal. . . . A serial killer turned government assassin takes three abused children under his savage wing. . . . A tormented rogue cop literally fights fire with fire. . . . A wise talking crow guides the vengeful hand of a murdered girl's lover. . . . and much more.

For both the confirmed fan and the curious newcomer, this spellbinding, shocking, darkly sensual collection offers passage to an extraordinary literary realm: a place of macabre morality tales and existential adventures, of terror and tenderness--from which no reader can hope to leave unchanged. For when you take flight with The Crow, there is no turning back.
Amazon.com Review
The Crow, a dark character created by James O'Barr, "warpstogether two ofman's strongest emotions and desires--love and revenge," writes Ed Kramerin the preface to this anthology of theme stories and art.A black,nightmarish spirit with a harlequin mouth, the Crow was born to avenge thebrutal slaying of his beloved. Incarnations of the Crow stalk time andspace, bringing ruthless and horrible justice to rapists and murderers.

O'Barr and Kramer asked an incredible array of fantastic fiction writers tointerpret this Goth phenomenon--from A.A. Attanasio to Gene Wolfe,Alan Dean Foster, Charles de Lint, Jack Dann, and Jane Yolen.Shattered Lives & Broken Dreams delivers chilling, graphic talesof mystic revenge, from some of the best modern fantasy authors. Poetry(from Henry Rollins and Iggy Pop, among others) and original art completethis ode to the Crow. Readers of the popular comic book series and fans ofthe movie starring Brandon Lee will find lots to chill and thrill them inthis collection. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

4-0 out of 5 stars A Great Book If You've Read 'The Crow'
This is a good addition to 'The Crow'. However I did find some of the stories a little tedious and one or two just plain boring, and that is why it only gets 4 stars. Perhaps I found these less good because they weren't directly about The Crow, and more realted to the theme of revenge and death.

But a poem by Henry Rollins, and 'Spooky Codeine And he Dead Man' by O'Barr himself, and 'Twice By Fire' by Ramsey Campbell, this book gains its four stars, plus th great works by other writers, too many of which there are to mention.

I advise you buy 'The Crow' before this book, as a lot of the stories refer to things in 'The Crow'.

A good book for fans of The Crow and James O'Barr, as well as fans of dark fantasy/horror.

3-0 out of 5 stars It's worth your time if you like The Crow
This is worth your time if you like The Crow movies or the graphic novel. There are many good stories in this volume. There is also some good poetry and some good art throughout the book. There is even a good Eric Draven story somewhere in the volume.

You will really like this book if you like The Crow or dark poetry. It's worth your time.

5-0 out of 5 stars Wonderful and excellant
I really loved this book and I think they should have movies on some of the stories. I would recommend this to fellow Crow fans and Dark Fantasty. :)

4-0 out of 5 stars loved it
indeed another great addition to the crow name..

4-0 out of 5 stars Vengeance has never been truly well written as it is here...
A book comemorating death? Would one buy something as such and still be rendered a person of sanity? The answer is yes on both accounts. The book The Crow: Shattered Lives and Broken Dreams is just that. Edited by thecreator, the book takes you on numerous adventures scribed by differentwriters on the mythos of the crow. Most of the stories deal with the samecontextual theme of wrongful death, sadness and a way of making thingsbetter where things have gone wrong. The book succeeds in a number ofaspects and truly brings out the vengeful spirit that is the Crow. Thoughthe character was created in the early 80s, it has grown to fame by therelease of two successful movies, one in which was immortalized by the lateBrandon Lee. One might ask what is the difference between The Crow and theMarvel comic character, the Ghost Rider, which also serves as a vengefulspirit. While the latter seeks vengeance for things gone wrong, the formerhas the special attribute that it can be anyone or even anything that canpick the mantle of the Crow. Anyone can become his or her own specialspirit of retribution.

Most of the stories and poetry are well-writtenthough some are just too far fetched to be taken seriously, a number ofstories delve more into fantasy than your regular fiction. A number ofstories, however, capture your mind and heart from the instance you readthem. Stories that traverse the here and now. On how things should havebeen, but aren't. James O'Barr's piece, "Spooky, Codeine and the DeadMan" is a perfect example of such. Another story would be "MovingToward the Light" by Rick R. Reed, a though-provoking piece about painand hurt. The story is extremely graphical and can truly touch the readerand make him witness first hand the descriptive pungent exploitation thecharacter experiences. The story makes you think and wonder, can this trulyhappen in a world of today, and the answer to that painful question is anexcruciating yes.

The book is a must read for not only horror fans, butthose who truly believe that there are outside forces controlling the pathseach one of us takes, a power that can right where things have gone wrong,horribly wrong. ... Read more


19. The October Country
by Ray Bradbury, Joe Mugnaini
Hardcover: 352 Pages (1999-09-01)
list price: US$15.95 -- used & new: US$9.42
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: 0380973871
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Editorial Review

Product Description
Welcome to a land Ray Bradbury calls "the Undiscovered Country" of his imagination--that vast territory of ideas, concepts, notions and conceits where the stories you now hold were born. America's premier living author of short fiction, Bradbury has spent many lifetimes in this remarkable place--strolling through empty, shadow-washed fields at midnight; exploring long-forgotten rooms gathering dust behind doors bolted years ago to keep strangers locked out.. and secrets locked in. The nights are longer in this country. The cold hours of darkness move like autumn mists deeper and deeper toward winter. But the moonlight reveals great magic here--and a breathtaking vista.

The October Country is many places: a picturesque Mexican village where death is a tourist attraction; a city beneath the city where drowned lovers are silently reunited; a carnival midway where a tiny man's most cherished fantasy can be fulfilled night after night. The October Country's inhabitants live, dream, work, die--and sometimes live again--discovering, often too late, the high price of citizenship. Here a glass jar can hold memories and nightmares; a woman's newborn child can plot murder; and a man's skeleton can war against him. Here there is no escaping the dark stranger who lives upstairs...or the reaper who wields the world. Each of these stories is a wonder, imagined by an acclaimed tale-teller writing from a place shadows. But there is astonishing beauty in these shadows, born from a prose that enchants and enthralls. Ray Bradbury's The October Country is a land of metaphors that can chill like a long-after-midnight wind...as they lift the reader high above a sleeping Earth on the strange wings of Uncle Einar.

Amazon.com Review
Ray Bradbury's first short story collection is back in print,its chilling encounters with funhouse mirrors, parasiticaccident-watchers, and strange poker chips intact. Both sides ofBradbury's vaunted childhood nostalgia are also on display, in thecelebratory "Uncle Einar," and haunting "TheLake," the latter a fine elegy to childhood loss. This editionfeatures a new introduction by Bradbury, an invaluable essay onwriting, wherein the author tells of his "Theater of MorningVoices," and, by inference, encourages you to listen to the samemurmurings in yourself. And has any writer anywhere ever made suchgood use of exclamation marks!? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

3-0 out of 5 stars A Sci-fi reader's must
The darkly fascinating tales in this collection both entrance and repugn. They will keep you awake for hours, deliberating on what they reveal of the nature of our world. They will give you nightmares. They will give you hope. They will make you consider how you live your life. Ray Bradbury is one of the best science fiction authors I have read. And, though these are not science fiction, they are among the best short stories of any kind that I have read.

5-0 out of 5 stars Incomparable, deathless cover art for a deathless anthology
I first read October Country in October of 1962 and have never parted with my yellowing original copy. No Bradbury book -- novel or short story anthology-- has ever better encapsulated this remarkably individual talent, one of our greatest "artful naif" story-tellers, and the original cover art provided with this edition seems, even after all these many years, to fit the stories contained inside with a unique and preternatural appositeness. It's one of the great book covers of all time.

1-0 out of 5 stars The October Country
The book I recieved is in poor quality. Some pages fell off as I was flipping through it. The book cover is not the same as shown in the website. I think the seller should re-send me a better quality book with no expense.
Thanks,
Peter Chou

5-0 out of 5 stars Still Chills After Fifty Years
Adapted from ISawLightningFall.blogspot.com

Autumn is the season that draws me back to my central-Kentucky childhood. Back then, the daytime temperature would hover just above freezing point, the sun a warm disc in the chill blue sky. Leaves would slowly shift to orange and ochre and brown before cascading down in piles that reached your knees. The air smelled of cider, and you could always find pumpkins -- lined for purchase in fields, in stacks at the grocery, by every front door. Nights were different. The cold came down like a hammer. It stiffened the leaves into parchment and brittled the grass with frost. Wind would moan around the eaves like an afflicted spirit. As the season crawled near to winter, I'd wake to find the water in the horses' paddocks frozen like a stone. Autumn was a thing of beauty and eeriness, as is Ray Bradbury's short-story collection The October Country.

Nearly all of the material tilts toward horror, although it's an older kind that's unafraid to commingle sentiment and scares. Many of the stories are one-weird-idea tales, throwing an intentional kink in the order of things. In "The Scythe," a migrant farmer inherits a field of grain from a stranger, along with a sickle on which is engraved "Who Wields Me -- Wields the World!" He discovers too late why the wheat ripens in patches, why there's just enough for him to cut each day, and why it springs up again soon after he slices it down. "Skeleton" features a nervous hypochondriac whose bones might be rebelling against him or who may be in thrall to a sinister physician. Another doctor inadvertently aids "The Small Assassin" -- a newborn with the facilities of an adult and murder on his mind. A youngster dispatches a vampire residing in his grandmother's boarding house ("The Man Upstairs") and a newly married man reconnects with a long-lost love decades after her drowning ("The Lake").

While the collection contains more than a few spooky tropes, many of the shorts avoid the supernatural, focusing instead on the dreams and darknesses within the human heart. There is "The Dwarf" who nightly ventures through a circus hall of mirrors to watch his reflection stretch and elongate. A lonely Louisiana bumpkin becomes the center of small-town life when brings home "The Jar," in which floats a shrunken, pickled thing that might have once been human. Both light-hearted and gruesome, "The Watchful Poker Chip of H. Matisse" finds a boorish fellow becoming the cynosure of an avart-garde movement. When his admirers' interest begins to slacken, he decides to make his body into a work of art. Two retired life-insurance salesmen try to save future murderees from self-destruction ("Touched With Fire").

Not all of the stories work. There are plots that fail to gain traction ("The Next in Line") and characters flatter than the paper they're printed on ("The Cistern"). Interesting conceits get sidelined by swathes of expository dialogue ("The Wind"). The cheery tone and gushing prose of the final story, "The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone," clashes with the others. But these are minor quibbles. Over fifty years after its original publication, The October Country can still chill, whether it's autumn or high summer.

4-0 out of 5 stars Not Free SF Reader
A collection of creepy horror, in the majority, with the odd other story.Right on the consistent Bradbury sort of average score for me, and happily lacking in the overly twee mainstream stories.

So, very good examples of his fantasy work, or dark fantasy, or whatever you would like to call it.

October Country : The Dwarf - Ray Bradbury
October Country : The Next in Line - Ray Bradbury
October Country : The Watchful Poker Chip of H. Matisse - Ray Bradbury
October Country : Skeleton - Ray Bradbury
October Country : The Jar - Ray Bradbury
October Country : The Lake - Ray Bradbury
October Country : The Emissary - Ray Bradbury
October Country : Touched with Fire - Ray Bradbury
October Country : The Small Assassin - Ray Bradbury
October Country : The Crowd - Ray Bradbury
October Country : Jack-in-the-Box - Ray Bradbury
October Country : The Scythe - Ray Bradbury
October Country : Uncle Einar - Ray Bradbury
October Country : The Wind - Ray Bradbury
October Country : The Man Upstairs - Ray Bradbury
October Country : There Was an Old Woman - Ray Bradbury
October Country : The Cistern - Ray Bradbury
October Country : Homecoming - Ray Bradbury
October Country : The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone - Ray Bradbury



3.5 out of 5 ... Read more


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