Dark fantasy

Book Synopsis"Lebbon is a master of drip-feeding horror and suspense" - The Guardian on Relics A gripping dark fantasy from the author of The Silence, now a major film on Netflix. There exists a secret and highly illegal trade in mythological creatures and their artifacts. Certain individuals pay fortunes for a sliver of a satyr's hoof, a gryphon's claw, a basilisk's scale, or an angel's wing. Embroiled in the hidden world of the Relics, creatures known as the Kin, Angela Gough is now on the run in the United States. Forty years ago the town of Longford was the site of a deadly disease outbreak that wiped out the entire population. The infection was contained, the town isolated, and the valley in which it sits flooded and turned into a reservoir. The truth-that the outbreak was intentional, and not every resident of Longford died-disappeared beneath the waves. Now the town is revealed again. The Kin have an interest in the ruins, and soon the fairy Grace and the Nephilim leader Mallian are also drawn to them. The infection has risen from beneath silent waters, and this forgotten town becomes the focus of the looming battle between humankind and the Kin.Trade Review"A deftly crafted and inherently riveting action/adventure fantasy novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality and reader engaging narrative storytelling...an unreservedly popular addition to community library collections, "The Edge" is a thoroughly entertaining read from cover to cover and very highly recommended to the attention of all dedicated fantasy adventure fans." - Midwest Book Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Emperor is dead. Long live the Empire.General Bordan has a lifetime of duty and sacrifice behind him in the service of the Empire. But with rebellion brewing in the countryside, and assassins, thieves and politicians vying for power in the city, it is all Bordan can do to protect the heir to the throne. Apprentice Magician Kyron was assigned to the late Emperor’s honour guard escorting his body on the long road back to the capital. But even a magician’s power may fail when enemies emerge from the forests intent on seizing their precious cargo. Whoever controls the Emperor’s body, controls the Empire...Trade Review“The plot’s surprising twists and turns will wow fantasy fans.” -- Publishers Weekly * Publishers Weekly *"Matthews delivers visceral descriptions of battle, the cut and thrust of gladius and pila, the shouldering of shields, the smell of blood and fear – and weaving through this, the delicate nets of magical constructs that can still snap, inflame or explode." -- The Fantasy Hive * The Fantasy Hive *"This is fantasy at its finest." -- Grimdark Magazine * Grimdark Magazine *“Refreshingly original” -- SFX Magazine * SFX *"Matthews delivers on the bigger picture stakes" -- British Fantasy Society * British Fantasy Society *"It's exciting at every turn with a wonderfully spun plot that keeps you guessing the entire time." -- FanFi Addict * Fanfiaddict *"A cracking read that will burn the candle in the night." -- Aurealis * Aurealis *"Older teens and adults will enjoy the novel’s political intrigue and struggle to survive, which are reminiscent of George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones or a slightly less fantastical version of Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera series." -- Library Journal * The Library Journal *"A magnificent, thoughtful, highly readable account, full of political intrigue and dripping with potent, dark atmosphere. This is a must read for fantasy fans who enjoy political machinations." -- Bookworm Blues * Bookworm Blues *“It has all the elements you expect from fantasy: magic, battles, power-struggles and impossible odds keeping you gripped.” -- A Rambling Reviewer * A Rambling Reviewer *“It’s been a long time since a book made me swear out loud in horror... This is a story about politics, faith, betrayal and the loss of innocence, and I for one will be eagerly looking forward to a sequel.” -- Set the Tape * Set the Tape *

Read more less

Book SynopsisOrec Blackblade missed the fall of the Kinslayer, tasked instead with leading his elite band of warriors on a diversionary battle where he split the head and pulsating crown of the enemy’s sorcerer, causing a blast that killed almost everyone in a 100-meter radius. Just four months later the broken circlet finds its way to Doctors Catt and Fisher, collectors of rare artefacts, and their innate curiosity and tinkering with the crown unleashes a new terror on the land. Only Orec and his surviving men can stop it, but will the black sword he carries be enough to stop the coming darkness?Trade Review"I really enjoyed Redemp­tion’s Blade, and I’d like to see more." -- Liz Bourke, Locus"If you’re looking for something that celebrates the genre, while working to interrogate and question how that genre works, look no further than Redemption’s Blade. I can only hope there are more tales to tell in this world to come." -- Tor.com"Salvation’s Fire... it’s a damn good book in its own right." -- Liz Bourke, Locus"All in all, four different takes on two great characters, each author bringing something different and interesting to make a lovely little collection. You don’t have to have read the other books to enjoy them, though you probably get a bit more out of them if you do." -- fantasy-hive.co.uk"Catt and Fisher, or Catty and Fishy to their friends, are a delight... I just have to have more of these characters in my life." -- theeloquentpage.co.uk"If Jack Reacher came to Westeros and started beating the hell out of everybody, you’d have Mark De Jager’s Infernal ... daring, dangerous, and full of surprises" -- Sebastien de Castell"Clever, funny and cheerfully brutal" -- Snorri Kristjansson (on Infernal)"Infernal proves to be an incredibly strong start for this series. With drama, mystery, bloodshed, and grim humour abound, fans who favour the likes of The Elric Saga or The Silerian Trilogy will definitely have some fun with this one" -- Starburst"Epic fantasy without any pretensions of changing literature or establishing itself in the canon, Infernal is only concerned with being entertaining. And it definitely succeeds." -- SciFiNow (on Infernal)

Read more less

Book SynopsisWar comes to Narida and Nothing Will Be The Same Again. As the Black Keep Council prepares for war, journeying far to protect their lands and friend, The God-King and his sister try to keep Narida together in the face of betrayal while the Splinter King remains at large. The Golden and his hordes of raiders press their advantage and sweep across the land with unholy powers. Sacrifices will be made, and not everyone will make it back to Black Keep alive... Trade Review"An outstanding tale of honor, religion, politics, and crime. Epic fantasy readers will find characters to cheer for and action to love." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review * Publishers Weekly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisMagic and redemption in a world of fire and ice.Among boiling volcanoes under Mira's frozen lands, people like Ig are forced to undergo life-threatening trials that bind chemical elements to the human body. One of Mira's most powerful elementals, Ig serves as an enforcer for Magnate Sorrelo Adriann, but is cursed with flesh binding magic that will kill him at the first sign of disobedience.When Sorrelo is overthrown, Ig quickly learns he can do far worse than what has been asked of him so far. If he can't escape the flesh binding in time, he will have to kill friend and foe alike to stop his master reclaiming the throne, or sacrifice himself trying.Trade Review“Grim, dark, not exactly a hopeful initial outing, but certainly an adventure.” -- Booklist“Dark, tense, and full of action” -- Grimdark Magazine“An extraordinary world unlike any you’ve read before” -- FanFiAddict

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Best described as George R.R. Martin meets H.P. Lovecraft, The Glass Breaks is a fine example of British fantasy writing at its most entertaining' Guardian A MAN OF THE DAWN CLAW WILL BE THE ALWAYS KING. It will ever be so. They will always rule... but they will not always lead.Prince Oliver Dawn Claw, heir to the Kingdom of the Four Claws, is thrust into a world he doesn't understand as he waits for his father to die. Away from home, with few allies – and too many enemies – he faces a new and otherworldly threat from beneath the sea. Alliances break and masks fall, as the Dark Brethren reveal their true master. Meanwhile, Adeline Brand – called the Alpha Wolf – refuses to wait, and becomes the edge of the sword that swings back at the Dreaming God. Assembling allies and crushing resistance, she enters a fight she doesn't know if she can win, as the sea begins to rise. PRAISE FOR A.J. SMITH: 'An epic feat of world-building from one of British fantasy's most innovative voices' Bookseller 'British fantasy writing at its most entertaining' Guardian 'Interesting and enticing, deftly sidesteps fantasy cliché and thrusts you towards the next installment' SFXTrade ReviewA fabulous example of the Sword & Sorcery fantasy genre first launched back in the 1930s by the legendary author Robert E. Howard... A simply riveting read from cover to cover and a 'must' for all dedicated action/adventure fantasy fans. An impressively original and inherently entertaining story with all manner of memorable characters and unexpected plot twists' * MidWest Book Review *PRAISE FOR A.J. SMITH: 'Suffering from Game of Thrones withdrawals? A.J. Smith's twisted fantasy series has enough renegade clerics, murderous assassins, and unholy pacts and feuds to soothe even the most passionate fan's fever' Foreword Reviews. 'Sieges, catapults, battles, longswords, beheadings a-plenty, profanity and rather bloody mayhem. Brilliant' SFFWorld. 'High fantasy, military exploits, and touches of an almost Lovecraftian mythos' Publishers Weekly. 'Epic fantasy at its scary, fun, sarcastic, shock-laden best' The Bookbag. 'Fans of George R.R. Martin and Joe Abercrombie will find much to like in this bloody, grimdark fantasy' * Booklist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe epic conclusion to a new trilogy from one of the most exciting voices in British fantasy. The glass breaks, the sword falls, the sea rises. Lord Marius Cyclone faces an unimaginable danger. The mighty legions of Santago Cyclone – known as the Bloodied Harp – and King Oliver Dawn Claw will be upon the Dark Harbour in less than a day, and truce seems impossible, even as the end of the world of Form creeps ever nearer. But the tide waits for no man. Marius has only one choice if his people are to survive: flight, into the Void. Meanwhile, a primal power awakens. The Sunken God has lived through many ages; watched countless civilisations rise and fall. And he will not let his quarry flee without a fight. Praise for The Glass Breaks: 'Best described as George R.R. Martin meets H.P. Lovecraft, The Glass Breaks is a fine example of British fantasy writing at its most entertaining' GuardianTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR A.J. SMITH: 'Best described as George R.R. Martin meets H.P. Lovecraft, The Glass Breaks is a fine example of British fantasy writing at its most entertaining' Guardian. 'Sieges, catapults, battles, longswords, beheadings a-plenty, profanity and rather bloody mayhem. Brilliant' SFFWorld. 'High fantasy, military exploits, and touches of an almost Lovecraftian mythos' Publishers Weekly. 'Epic fantasy at its scary, fun, sarcastic, shock-laden best' The Bookbag. 'Fans of George R.R. Martin and Joe Abercrombie will find much to like in this bloody, grimdark fantasy' * Booklist *

Read more less

Book Synopsis"John Everson's newest novel is so powerful, so terrifying, so implacable in the evil it describes, that I could not stop reading." - The Haunted Reading Room Austin secretly wishes his wife would drop dead. He even says so one boozy midnight at the bar to a sultry stranger with a mysterious tattoo. When his wife later introduces that stranger as Regina, their new neighbor, Austin hopes she will be a good influence on his wife. Instead, one night he comes home to find his wife dead. Soon he’s entranced with Regina, who introduces him to a strange world of bloodletting, rituals and magic. A world that puts everything he loves in peril. Can Austin save his daughter, and himself, before the planets align for the Devil’s Equinox? FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.Trade Review"John Everson's newest novel is so powerful, so terrifying, so implacable in the evil it describes, that I could not stop reading." -- The Haunted Reading Room“With his latest novel, Everson twists seductive obsession with shadowy occult magic, bringing it all to a fever pitch.” -- This is Horror"...fast-paced narrative" -- Publishers Weekly"an interesting tale that kept me absorbed in this world" -- The Literary Licence Podcast"Everson is a master of the genre, and has stories that draw you in right away." -- Library Thing"a fast-paced, blood and sex filled novel not for the weak at heart." -- Booker's T Farm"I would recommend this to readers who like this genre or others that are looking for an engaging and thrilling tale" -- Books and Emma"I enjoyed this book, the writing and imagery were fantastic...If you like a classic Cult/Coven type read and you don’t blush easily this is definitely one for the to be read list!" -- Dark Reads with Toni"I originally thought this would be a straightforward thriller, with an obvious murder and a search for justice. But it’s a much weirder, darker story" -- Rambling Mads"a very interesting and suspenseful read" -- The Happy Horror Nerd

Read more less

Book SynopsisAt a weekend house-party at ancient Canonbury Manor, Alli is caught between fantasy and reality, past and present, in the life of Caroline Rand, a famous singer from the late Sixties, who reportedly killed herself in that house. Alli soon learns that evil infests the once-holy building. A sinister cabal controls it, as it has for centuries. Before long, her fate will be sealed, and she will learn about her role in the after-death of Caroline Rand. It begins with a chilling greeting: "Welcome to The Columbine, Miss Sinclair. You are expected."Trade ReviewAbout In Darkness, Shadows Breathe. “Cavendish breathes new life into familiar horror tropes in this spine-tingling tale of past and present colliding” -- Publishers WeeklyAbout In Darkness, Shadows Breathe. "A compelling, immersive, and intense time-slip horror novel with sympathetic characters that readers actively root for. The tale reads like The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle if it were written by Sarah Pinborough." -- Library Journal

Read more less

Book SynopsisAt a weekend house-party at ancient Canonbury Manor, Alli is caught between fantasy and reality, past and present, in the life of Caroline Rand, a famous singer from the late Sixties, who reportedly killed herself in that house. Alli soon learns that evil infests the once-holy building. A sinister cabal controls it, as it has for centuries. Before long, her fate will be sealed, and she will learn about her role in the after-death of Caroline Rand. It begins with a chilling greeting: "Welcome to The Columbine, Miss Sinclair. You are expected."Trade ReviewAbout In Darkness, Shadows Breathe. “Cavendish breathes new life into familiar horror tropes in this spine-tingling tale of past and present colliding” -- Publishers WeeklyAbout In Darkness, Shadows Breathe. "A compelling, immersive, and intense time-slip horror novel with sympathetic characters that readers actively root for. The tale reads like The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle if it were written by Sarah Pinborough." -- Library Journal

Read more less

Book SynopsisAt a weekend house-party at ancient Canonbury Manor, Alli is caught between fantasy and reality, past and present, in the life of Caroline Rand, a famous singer from the late Sixties, who reportedly killed herself in that house. Alli soon learns that evil infests the once-holy building. A sinister cabal controls it, as it has for centuries. Before long, her fate will be sealed, and she will learn about her role in the after-death of Caroline Rand. It begins with a chilling greeting: "Welcome to The Columbine, Miss Sinclair. You are expected."Trade ReviewAbout In Darkness, Shadows Breathe. “Cavendish breathes new life into familiar horror tropes in this spine-tingling tale of past and present colliding” -- Publishers WeeklyAbout In Darkness, Shadows Breathe. "A compelling, immersive, and intense time-slip horror novel with sympathetic characters that readers actively root for. The tale reads like The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle if it were written by Sarah Pinborough." -- Library Journal

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen curious nomad Anna hears about Whisperwood, a town that’s not on any maps, that nobody goes to, and nobody comes from, she sees an opportunity to hide from her violent witch-hunting ex. But not everything is peaceful in the isolated community. A vanishing town, a gruesome funeral rite, an emergency field surgery—these surprises and more test Anna's resolve. Prevented from leaving the frontier settlement by folk magic she doesn’t understand, Anna lends helping hands everywhere she can, but quickly finds that investigating the forest too closely could end up being the last thing she does. FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePressTrade Review‘Modern horror done right, with gorgeous writing, moody overtones and a pace that keeps you turning pages well past your bedtime…a new face of horror has arrived.’ Mike James, author of the Hotel at the End of Time series ‘Dark, but also achingly heartfelt, clever, and funny.’ Lauren Bolger, author of Kill Radio

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen curious nomad Anna hears about Whisperwood, a town that’s not on any maps, that nobody goes to, and nobody comes from, she sees an opportunity to hide from her violent witch-hunting ex. But not everything is peaceful in the isolated community. A vanishing town, a gruesome funeral rite, an emergency field surgery—these surprises and more test Anna's resolve. Prevented from leaving the frontier settlement by folk magic she doesn’t understand, Anna lends helping hands everywhere she can, but quickly finds that investigating the forest too closely could end up being the last thing she does. FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePressTrade Review‘Modern horror done right, with gorgeous writing, moody overtones and a pace that keeps you turning pages well past your bedtime…a new face of horror has arrived.’ Mike James, author of the Hotel at the End of Time series ‘Dark, but also achingly heartfelt, clever, and funny.’ Lauren Bolger, author of Kill Radio

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe latest bestseller from the ultimate craftsman of the dark fantastic, Ramsey Campbell. Joe Hunter has begun to adjust to the loss of his wife when he hears her calling from beyond, “Where am I?” His urge to help leads him into her afterlife, which is made up of their memories. Even the best of those is no refuge from the restless dead, and Joe can only lure them away from her. Soon they begin to invade his everyday life, and every journey he makes to find her leaves him less able to return. When her refuges turn nightmarish he may have to make the ultimate sacrifice to keep her safe… FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing Independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress.Trade ReviewPraise for Ramsey Campbell: “An absolute master of modern horror. And a damn fine writer at that” (Guillermo del Toro) “He is unsurpassed in the subtle manipulation of mood... You forget you’re just reading a story” (Publishers Weekly) “He writes of our deepest fears in a precise, clear prose that somehow manages to be beautiful and terrifying at the same time. He is a powerful, original writer, and you owe it to yourself to make his acquaintance” (Washington Post) “Britain’s most respected living horror writer” (Oxford Companion to English Literature) “Easily the best horror writer working in Britain today” (Time Out) “Britain’s leading horror writer... His novels have been getting better and better” (City Limits) “One of Britain’s most accomplished horror writers” (Oxford Star) “The John Le Carre of horror fiction” (Bookshelf, Radio 4) “ One of the best real horror writers at work today” (Interzone) “The greatest living exponent of the British weird fiction tradition” (The Penguin Encyclopaedia of Horror and the Supernatural) “Ramsey Campbell has succeeded more brilliantly than any other writer in bringing the supernatural tale up to date without sacrificing the literary standards that early masters made an indelible part of the tradition” (Jack Sullivan, editor of the Penguin encyclopaedia) “England’s contemporary king of the horror genre” (Atlanta Constitution) “One of the few real writers in our field... In some ways Ramsey Campbell is the best of us all” (Peter Straub) “Ramsey Campbell has a talent for terror – he knows how to give you nightmares while you’re still awake... Only a few writers can lay claim to such a level of consummate craftsmanship” (Robert Bloch) “Campbell writes the most terrifying horror tales of anyone now alive” (Twilight Zone Magazine) “One of the world’s finest exponents of the classic British ghost story” (Sounds) “Britain’s greatest living horror writer” (Alan Moore) “For sheer ability to compose disturbing, evocative prose, he is unmatched in the horror/fantasy field... He turns the traditional horror novel inside out, and makes it work brilliantly” (Fangoria) “Campbell has solidly established himself to be the best writer working in this field today” (Karl Edward Wagner, The Year’s Best Horror Stories) “When Mr Campbell pits his fallible, most human characters against enormous forces bent on incomprehensible errands the results are, as you might expect, often frightening, and, as you might not expect, often touching; even heartwarming” (Gahan Wilson in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction) “Britain’s leading horror novelist” (New Statesman) “Ramsey Campbell is Britain’s finest living writer of horror stories: considerable praise for a man whose country boasts the talents of Clive Barker and Roald Dahl, M. John Harrison and Nigel Kneale” (Douglas Winter, editor of Prime Evil) “Campbell writes the most disturbing horror fiction around” (Today) “Ramsey Campbell is better than all the rest of us put together” (Dennis Etchison) “Ramsey Campbell is the best horror writer alive, period” (Thomas Tessier) “A horror writer in the classic mould... Britain’s premier contemporary exponent of the art of scaring you out of your skin” (Q Magazine) “The undisputed master of the psychological horror novel” (Robert Holdstock) “Perhaps the most important living writer in the horror fiction field” (David Hartwell) “Ramsey Campbell’s work is tremendous” (Jonathan Ross) “Campbell is a rightful tenant of M. R. James country, the genuine badlands of the human psyche” (Norman Shrapnel in the Guardian) “One of the world’s finest exponents of the classic British ghost story... His writing explores the potential for fear in the mundane, the barely heard footsteps, the shadow flitting past at the edge of one’s sight” (Daily Telegraph) “The Grand Master of British horror... the greatest living writer of horror fiction” (Vector) “Britain’s greatest horror writer... Realistic, subtle and arcane” (Waterstone’s Guide to Books) “In Campbell’s hands words take on a life of their own, creating images that stay with you, feelings that prey on you, and people you hope never ever to meet” (Starburst) “The finest writer now working in the horror field” (Interzone) “Ramsey Campbell is the nearest thing we have to an heir to M. R. James” (Times) “Campbell is literate in a field which has attracted too many comic-book intellects, cool in a field where too many writers – myself included – tend toward panting melodrama... Good horror writers are quite rare, and Campbell is better than just good” (Stephen King) “Easily the finest practising British horror novelist and the one whose work can most wholeheartedly be recommended to those who dislike the genre... His misclassification as a genre writer obscures his status as the finest magic realist Britain possesses this side of J. G. Ballard” (Daily Telegraph) “Good stuff. But strange; so uniquely Campbell that it might as well be trademarked” (Stephen King) “One of the few who can scare and disturb as well as make me laugh out loud. His humour is very black but very funny, and that’s a rare gift to have” (Mark Morris in the Observer) “The most sophisticated and highly regarded of British horror writers” (Financial Times) “I would say that only five writers have written serious novels which incorporate themes of fantasy or the inexplicable and still qualify as literature: T. E. D. Klein, Peter Straub, Richard Adams, Jonathan Carroll and Ramsey Campbell” (Stephen King) “Ramsey Campbell is the best of us all” (Poppy Z. Brite) “The foremost stylist and innovator in British horror fiction” (The Scream Factory) “One of the century’s great literary exponents of the gothic and horrific” (Guardian) “Ramsey Campbell is one of the modern masters of horror… He has a genius for infusing horror into the everyday, piling up small moments of dread and confusion and fear until they become insurmountable.” (Tim Pratt in Locus) “One of the all-time greats of British horror fiction” (Damien Walter in the Guardian) “There are a few writers who are special. They make the world in their books; or rather, they open a window or a door or a magic casement, and they show you the world in which they live. Ramsey Campbell, for example, writes stories that, read in quantity, will re-form your world into a grey and ominous place in which strange shapes flicker at the corner of your eyes, and a patch of smoke or a blown plastic shopping bag takes on some kind of ghastly significance.” (Neil Gaiman)

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe latest bestseller from the ultimate craftsman of the dark fantastic, Ramsey Campbell. Joe Hunter has begun to adjust to the loss of his wife when he hears her calling from beyond, “Where am I?” His urge to help leads him into her afterlife, which is made up of their memories. Even the best of those is no refuge from the restless dead, and Joe can only lure them away from her. Soon they begin to invade his everyday life, and every journey he makes to find her leaves him less able to return. When her refuges turn nightmarish he may have to make the ultimate sacrifice to keep her safe… FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing Independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress.Trade ReviewPraise for Ramsey Campbell: “An absolute master of modern horror. And a damn fine writer at that” (Guillermo del Toro) “He is unsurpassed in the subtle manipulation of mood... You forget you’re just reading a story” (Publishers Weekly) “He writes of our deepest fears in a precise, clear prose that somehow manages to be beautiful and terrifying at the same time. He is a powerful, original writer, and you owe it to yourself to make his acquaintance” (Washington Post) “Britain’s most respected living horror writer” (Oxford Companion to English Literature) “Easily the best horror writer working in Britain today” (Time Out) “Britain’s leading horror writer... His novels have been getting better and better” (City Limits) “One of Britain’s most accomplished horror writers” (Oxford Star) “The John Le Carre of horror fiction” (Bookshelf, Radio 4) “ One of the best real horror writers at work today” (Interzone) “The greatest living exponent of the British weird fiction tradition” (The Penguin Encyclopaedia of Horror and the Supernatural) “Ramsey Campbell has succeeded more brilliantly than any other writer in bringing the supernatural tale up to date without sacrificing the literary standards that early masters made an indelible part of the tradition” (Jack Sullivan, editor of the Penguin encyclopaedia) “England’s contemporary king of the horror genre” (Atlanta Constitution) “One of the few real writers in our field... In some ways Ramsey Campbell is the best of us all” (Peter Straub) “Ramsey Campbell has a talent for terror – he knows how to give you nightmares while you’re still awake... Only a few writers can lay claim to such a level of consummate craftsmanship” (Robert Bloch) “Campbell writes the most terrifying horror tales of anyone now alive” (Twilight Zone Magazine) “One of the world’s finest exponents of the classic British ghost story” (Sounds) “Britain’s greatest living horror writer” (Alan Moore) “For sheer ability to compose disturbing, evocative prose, he is unmatched in the horror/fantasy field... He turns the traditional horror novel inside out, and makes it work brilliantly” (Fangoria) “Campbell has solidly established himself to be the best writer working in this field today” (Karl Edward Wagner, The Year’s Best Horror Stories) “When Mr Campbell pits his fallible, most human characters against enormous forces bent on incomprehensible errands the results are, as you might expect, often frightening, and, as you might not expect, often touching; even heartwarming” (Gahan Wilson in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction) “Britain’s leading horror novelist” (New Statesman) “Ramsey Campbell is Britain’s finest living writer of horror stories: considerable praise for a man whose country boasts the talents of Clive Barker and Roald Dahl, M. John Harrison and Nigel Kneale” (Douglas Winter, editor of Prime Evil) “Campbell writes the most disturbing horror fiction around” (Today) “Ramsey Campbell is better than all the rest of us put together” (Dennis Etchison) “Ramsey Campbell is the best horror writer alive, period” (Thomas Tessier) “A horror writer in the classic mould... Britain’s premier contemporary exponent of the art of scaring you out of your skin” (Q Magazine) “The undisputed master of the psychological horror novel” (Robert Holdstock) “Perhaps the most important living writer in the horror fiction field” (David Hartwell) “Ramsey Campbell’s work is tremendous” (Jonathan Ross) “Campbell is a rightful tenant of M. R. James country, the genuine badlands of the human psyche” (Norman Shrapnel in the Guardian) “One of the world’s finest exponents of the classic British ghost story... His writing explores the potential for fear in the mundane, the barely heard footsteps, the shadow flitting past at the edge of one’s sight” (Daily Telegraph) “The Grand Master of British horror... the greatest living writer of horror fiction” (Vector) “Britain’s greatest horror writer... Realistic, subtle and arcane” (Waterstone’s Guide to Books) “In Campbell’s hands words take on a life of their own, creating images that stay with you, feelings that prey on you, and people you hope never ever to meet” (Starburst) “The finest writer now working in the horror field” (Interzone) “Ramsey Campbell is the nearest thing we have to an heir to M. R. James” (Times) “Campbell is literate in a field which has attracted too many comic-book intellects, cool in a field where too many writers – myself included – tend toward panting melodrama... Good horror writers are quite rare, and Campbell is better than just good” (Stephen King) “Easily the finest practising British horror novelist and the one whose work can most wholeheartedly be recommended to those who dislike the genre... His misclassification as a genre writer obscures his status as the finest magic realist Britain possesses this side of J. G. Ballard” (Daily Telegraph) “Good stuff. But strange; so uniquely Campbell that it might as well be trademarked” (Stephen King) “One of the few who can scare and disturb as well as make me laugh out loud. His humour is very black but very funny, and that’s a rare gift to have” (Mark Morris in the Observer) “The most sophisticated and highly regarded of British horror writers” (Financial Times) “I would say that only five writers have written serious novels which incorporate themes of fantasy or the inexplicable and still qualify as literature: T. E. D. Klein, Peter Straub, Richard Adams, Jonathan Carroll and Ramsey Campbell” (Stephen King) “Ramsey Campbell is the best of us all” (Poppy Z. Brite) “The foremost stylist and innovator in British horror fiction” (The Scream Factory) “One of the century’s great literary exponents of the gothic and horrific” (Guardian) “Ramsey Campbell is one of the modern masters of horror… He has a genius for infusing horror into the everyday, piling up small moments of dread and confusion and fear until they become insurmountable.” (Tim Pratt in Locus) “One of the all-time greats of British horror fiction” (Damien Walter in the Guardian) “There are a few writers who are special. They make the world in their books; or rather, they open a window or a door or a magic casement, and they show you the world in which they live. Ramsey Campbell, for example, writes stories that, read in quantity, will re-form your world into a grey and ominous place in which strange shapes flicker at the corner of your eyes, and a patch of smoke or a blown plastic shopping bag takes on some kind of ghastly significance.” (Neil Gaiman)

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe latest bestseller from the ultimate craftsman of the dark fantastic, Ramsey Campbell. Joe Hunter has begun to adjust to the loss of his wife when he hears her calling from beyond, “Where am I?” His urge to help leads him into her afterlife, which is made up of their memories. Even the best of those is no refuge from the restless dead, and Joe can only lure them away from her. Soon they begin to invade his everyday life, and every journey he makes to find her leaves him less able to return. When her refuges turn nightmarish he may have to make the ultimate sacrifice to keep her safe… FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing Independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress.Trade ReviewPraise for Ramsey Campbell: “An absolute master of modern horror. And a damn fine writer at that” (Guillermo del Toro) “He is unsurpassed in the subtle manipulation of mood... You forget you’re just reading a story” (Publishers Weekly) “He writes of our deepest fears in a precise, clear prose that somehow manages to be beautiful and terrifying at the same time. He is a powerful, original writer, and you owe it to yourself to make his acquaintance” (Washington Post) “Britain’s most respected living horror writer” (Oxford Companion to English Literature) “Easily the best horror writer working in Britain today” (Time Out) “Britain’s leading horror writer... His novels have been getting better and better” (City Limits) “One of Britain’s most accomplished horror writers” (Oxford Star) “The John Le Carre of horror fiction” (Bookshelf, Radio 4) “ One of the best real horror writers at work today” (Interzone) “The greatest living exponent of the British weird fiction tradition” (The Penguin Encyclopaedia of Horror and the Supernatural) “Ramsey Campbell has succeeded more brilliantly than any other writer in bringing the supernatural tale up to date without sacrificing the literary standards that early masters made an indelible part of the tradition” (Jack Sullivan, editor of the Penguin encyclopaedia) “England’s contemporary king of the horror genre” (Atlanta Constitution) “One of the few real writers in our field... In some ways Ramsey Campbell is the best of us all” (Peter Straub) “Ramsey Campbell has a talent for terror – he knows how to give you nightmares while you’re still awake... Only a few writers can lay claim to such a level of consummate craftsmanship” (Robert Bloch) “Campbell writes the most terrifying horror tales of anyone now alive” (Twilight Zone Magazine) “One of the world’s finest exponents of the classic British ghost story” (Sounds) “Britain’s greatest living horror writer” (Alan Moore) “For sheer ability to compose disturbing, evocative prose, he is unmatched in the horror/fantasy field... He turns the traditional horror novel inside out, and makes it work brilliantly” (Fangoria) “Campbell has solidly established himself to be the best writer working in this field today” (Karl Edward Wagner, The Year’s Best Horror Stories) “When Mr Campbell pits his fallible, most human characters against enormous forces bent on incomprehensible errands the results are, as you might expect, often frightening, and, as you might not expect, often touching; even heartwarming” (Gahan Wilson in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction) “Britain’s leading horror novelist” (New Statesman) “Ramsey Campbell is Britain’s finest living writer of horror stories: considerable praise for a man whose country boasts the talents of Clive Barker and Roald Dahl, M. John Harrison and Nigel Kneale” (Douglas Winter, editor of Prime Evil) “Campbell writes the most disturbing horror fiction around” (Today) “Ramsey Campbell is better than all the rest of us put together” (Dennis Etchison) “Ramsey Campbell is the best horror writer alive, period” (Thomas Tessier) “A horror writer in the classic mould... Britain’s premier contemporary exponent of the art of scaring you out of your skin” (Q Magazine) “The undisputed master of the psychological horror novel” (Robert Holdstock) “Perhaps the most important living writer in the horror fiction field” (David Hartwell) “Ramsey Campbell’s work is tremendous” (Jonathan Ross) “Campbell is a rightful tenant of M. R. James country, the genuine badlands of the human psyche” (Norman Shrapnel in the Guardian) “One of the world’s finest exponents of the classic British ghost story... His writing explores the potential for fear in the mundane, the barely heard footsteps, the shadow flitting past at the edge of one’s sight” (Daily Telegraph) “The Grand Master of British horror... the greatest living writer of horror fiction” (Vector) “Britain’s greatest horror writer... Realistic, subtle and arcane” (Waterstone’s Guide to Books) “In Campbell’s hands words take on a life of their own, creating images that stay with you, feelings that prey on you, and people you hope never ever to meet” (Starburst) “The finest writer now working in the horror field” (Interzone) “Ramsey Campbell is the nearest thing we have to an heir to M. R. James” (Times) “Campbell is literate in a field which has attracted too many comic-book intellects, cool in a field where too many writers – myself included – tend toward panting melodrama... Good horror writers are quite rare, and Campbell is better than just good” (Stephen King) “Easily the finest practising British horror novelist and the one whose work can most wholeheartedly be recommended to those who dislike the genre... His misclassification as a genre writer obscures his status as the finest magic realist Britain possesses this side of J. G. Ballard” (Daily Telegraph) “Good stuff. But strange; so uniquely Campbell that it might as well be trademarked” (Stephen King) “One of the few who can scare and disturb as well as make me laugh out loud. His humour is very black but very funny, and that’s a rare gift to have” (Mark Morris in the Observer) “The most sophisticated and highly regarded of British horror writers” (Financial Times) “I would say that only five writers have written serious novels which incorporate themes of fantasy or the inexplicable and still qualify as literature: T. E. D. Klein, Peter Straub, Richard Adams, Jonathan Carroll and Ramsey Campbell” (Stephen King) “Ramsey Campbell is the best of us all” (Poppy Z. Brite) “The foremost stylist and innovator in British horror fiction” (The Scream Factory) “One of the century’s great literary exponents of the gothic and horrific” (Guardian) “Ramsey Campbell is one of the modern masters of horror… He has a genius for infusing horror into the everyday, piling up small moments of dread and confusion and fear until they become insurmountable.” (Tim Pratt in Locus) “One of the all-time greats of British horror fiction” (Damien Walter in the Guardian) “There are a few writers who are special. They make the world in their books; or rather, they open a window or a door or a magic casement, and they show you the world in which they live. Ramsey Campbell, for example, writes stories that, read in quantity, will re-form your world into a grey and ominous place in which strange shapes flicker at the corner of your eyes, and a patch of smoke or a blown plastic shopping bag takes on some kind of ghastly significance.” (Neil Gaiman)

Read more less

Book SynopsisA dark, compelling fantasy from the author of The Bone Garden for readers of Neil Gaiman's Coraline. Left all alone after her mother passes away, twelve-year-old Louisa watches the sky for her father. Long ago, a powerful gust of wind stole him away on the wings of his untamed magic-the same magic that stirs within Louisa. As if she is made of hollow bones and too much air, her feet never quite touch the ground. But for all her sky gazing, Louisa finds her fortune on the ground when she spots a ticket to the Carnival Beneath the Stars. If her father fits in nowhere else, maybe she'll find him dazzling crowds alongside the other strange feats. Yet after she arrives, a tightrope act ends disastrously-and suspiciously. As fate tugs Louisa closer to the stars, she must decide if she's willing to slip into the injured performer's role, despite the darkness plucking at the carnival's magical threads.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA frightening dystopian horror novel where grief is forbidden and purged from the mind – a nightmarish mix of 1984 and Never Let Me Go. Sorrow is inefficient. It’s also inescapable. Lieutenant Dev Singh dutifully spends his days recording the memories of people who, struck with incurable depression, will soon have their minds erased in order to be more productive members of society. At night though, hidden in the dark, Dev remembers and writes in his secret journal the special moments shared with him--the small laugh of a toddler, the stillness of a late afternoon. The first flutter of love. But when the Bureau finds out he's been recounting the memories–and that the depression is in him, too– he’s sent to a sanitarium to heal. After all, the Bureau knows what’s best for you. A nightmarish descent from sadness to madness, THE COLLECTOR is a dystopian horror novel where grief is forbidden and purged from the mind.Trade Review"Writing in spare prose, Young harkens to some of the dystopian greats, with a keeper of memories who seems right out of The Giver, and a horrific solstice celebration scene of public gore. Torture, brainwashing, and isolation add a satisfying bite of horror throughout....this unsettling tragedy cuts deep." - Publishers WeeklyPraise for The Butcher"Young crafts a mean little world of stark landscapes and sharp edges, and beneath each turn lies a wound. Psychologically claustrophobic, and a harrowing debut." Hailey Piper, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Queen of Teeth"Readers will be swept away by the fresh take on dystopia found in this intelligent, immersive horror novel drawing on both The Lottery and The Hunger Games. In a poverty-ridden mountain town ruled by unfeeling overlords and their monstrous code of punishment and retribution, Lady Mae will – one day – take on her mother’s role as the Butcher, delivering bloody eye-for-an-eye ‘justice’ to a resentful population. Her coming-of-age is brutal, and Laura Kat Young is unafraid to ask tough and necessary questions about corporal punishment, shared guilt, mob mentality, and who is served when the disadvantaged are pitted against each other." Ally Wilkes, author of All the White Spaces"Immersive, original, and unflinching, The Butcher is a pitch-perfect dystopian Western. A satisfying, blood-spattered exploration of justice and vengeance." Rachel Harrison, author of Cackle and The Return“Savage beauty, unrelenting violence, and unbreakable love crash together in this powerful and hypnotic novel of a dystopian West and the young woman who wields an intellect and sense of justice and revenge sharper and more deadly than her butcher’s knives. A bleak, brutal, and thoroughly original meditation on the horrors and triumphs of life.” Livia Llewellyn, author of Engines of Desire and Furnace"The Butcher is being described as Shirley Jackson meets Never Let Me Go meets West World. Pretty wild combination, but it works!" Book Riot

Read more less

Book SynopsisThere is no God waiting for you in paradise. No afterlife where friendships severed by death are reformed and family members reunited. There is only the Aether. A dimension of insatiable hunger, it will possess you no matter your beliefs or the life you led. Yet there is hope for a lucky few. Archivists, existing between the world of the living and the world of the dead, can offer salvation… for a price. Taking your essence in the final moments before death, they tether you to the physical world. They become your afterlife, linking you with the living while your body rots. When a newly-realised 18-year-old Archivist meets wayward teenager, Sun-young Kang, he finds himself the centre of a spate of suicides committed by schoolgirls. Believing himself to be the last born of his kind, the Archivist must come to terms with the reality that there is another archivist nearby. He soon learns of their plan to entrap him and, with the help of Sun-young, must unpick the mystery of the suicides before anyone else dies. The Archivist is an incredibly rich novel with a truly original concept. It is cinematic in its scope and details the haunting, but also beautiful, gift an archivist could offer a person in their final moments.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Monster, monster, come out to play. Monster, monster, I've been waiting all day.'Everything Fortuna believed has been revealed as illusion and lies. Everything has changed.Now a prisoner in the Seelie Court, Fortuna discovers the game she has been playing is deadlier than she could have imagined. There's no time for pain or healing. There is only survival.Because a new threat is emerging from the shadows. An opponent who doesn't fight with swords or magic. An adversary she cannot overcome.It turns out Fortuna didn't know the meaning of fear... until now.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThere was a moment of incandescent, blinding light. I was weightless. I was fearless. I was free. And then I woke up.Fortuna has made terrible sacrifices to protect those she loves. Her powers may be getting stronger but she feels broken. Collith is fighting his own demons and is further away than ever, while Laurie remains a tempting, frustrating mystery.But Fortuna knows she must hide it all from the Court. In a world of monsters, it's when you are most vulnerable that your enemies - new and old - start closing in.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'We were meant to be seductive. We were designed to lure humans in.'Fortuna Sworn is the last of her kind. Her brother has disappeared, leaving her alone. She hides among humans, spending her days working at a bar and her nights searching for him - until she catches the eye of a powerful faerie.Collith desires Fortuna. And if she will bind herself to him, he offers something irresistible. So Fortuna leaves her safe existence behind and descends into a world of glamorous creatures and deadly power.She soon realises it's not just her heart she has bargained with - but quite possibly her life._______The first book in the darkly addictive romantic fantasy series that's already a TikTok sensation! Perfect for fans of Holly Black and Sarah J. Maas._______'I am obsessed.' 5* reader review'Absolutely SMASHED my expectations' 5* reader review'Deliciously dark' 5* reader review'The world she created is absolutely amazing and I love all of the characters, even the ones that can't be trusted!' 5* reader review'An incredible, lush romantic fantasy' 5* reader review

Read more less

Book SynopsisNOMINATED FOR BEST HORROR NOVEL in the GOODREADS READERS CHOICE AWARDS...'A lurid, luscious debauch of a book.' Guardian'An unforgettable feast of decadence and depravity, House of Hunger cements Henderson's place as one of the great gothic writers of our generation.' S T GIBSON, author of A Dowry of BloodA young woman is drawn into the upper echelons of a society where blood is power in this dark and enthralling Gothic novel from the author of The Year of the Witching.WANTED: A bloodmaid of exceptional taste. Must have a keen proclivity for life's finer pleasures. Girls of weak will need not apply.Marion Shaw has been raised in the slums, where want and deprivation are all she knows. Despite longing to leave the city and its miseries, she has no real hope of escape until the day she spots a strange advertisement in the newspaper, seeking a 'bloodmaid'.Though she knows little about the far north - where wealthy nobles live in luxury and drink the blood of those in their service - Marion applies to the position. In a matter of days, she finds herself at the notorious House of Hunger. There, Marion is swept into a world of dark debauchery - and there, at the centre of it all is her.Her name is Countess Lisavet. Loved and feared in equal measure, she presides over this hedonistic court. And she takes a special interest in Marion. Lisavet is magnetic, charismatic, seductive - and Marion is eager to please her new mistress. But when her fellow bloodmaids begin to go missing in the night, Marion is thrust into a vicious game of cat and mouse. She'll need to learn the rules of her new home - and fast - or its halls will soon become her grave.Trade ReviewAn unforgettable feast of decadence and depravity, House of Hunger cements Henderson's place as one of the great gothic writers of our generation. Readers will be absolutely spellbound by this sinister, scintillating tale.The kind of book that deserves to be devoured. Deliciously brutal, hypnotic, and brimming with ravenous malice, Alexis Henderson has crafted a bloody, sapphic fever dream of a novel and I can't wait to read it again.Has something of the grotesque novelty of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast, tinged red by a Clive Barker-esque blending of blood and sex . . . a lurid, luscious debauch of a book. * GUARDIAN *A gory gem of a story that sinks in its teeth and won't let up, House of Hunger proves that Alexis Henderson is one of the best Gothic writers out there.A dark, blood-filled fantasy that's dripping in gothic vibes . . . dread and desire simmer from the pages of this unsettling and lushly written horror. It'll have you simulatenously wanting to look away and keep reading. * METRO *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAll is not well in the Letherii Empire.Rhulad Sengar, the Emperor of a Thousand Deaths, spirals into madness, surrounded by sycophants and agents of his Machiavellian chancellor, while the Letherii secret police conduct a campaign of terror against its own people. The Errant, once a farseeing god, is suddenly blind to the future. Conspiracies seethe throughout the palace, as the empire - driven by the corrupt and self-interested - edges ever-closer to all-out war with the neighbouring kingdoms.And then there's the great Edur fleet that draws ever closer - a force that includes Karsa Orlong and Icarium Lifestealer - each destined to cross blades with the emperor himself. That yet more blood is to be spilled is inevitable . . .Against this backdrop, a band of fugitives seek a way out of the empire. Amongst is Fear Sengar who is searching for the soul of Scabandari Bloodeye. His hope is that it might help halt the Tiste Edur and so save his brother, the emperor. But travelling with them is Scabandari's most ancient foe: Silchas Ruin, brother of Anomander Rake. Ruin's motives are anything but certain. The wounds he carries on his back, made by the blades of Scabandari, are still fresh.Fate decrees that there is to be a reckoning, for such bloodshed cannot go unanswered - and it will be a reckoning on an unimaginable scale . . .

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe original Seven Deadly Sins are still among us, wearing modern dress. In this lavish, stunningly illustrated modern interpretation, the victims take revenge on their tormentors. The weak become strong and the powerful weak. The stories are humorous, violent and erotic; a celebration of the joy of sinning and of taking revenge. Each story, each sin, is different in setting, character and mood. Each sin in turn is inspected, tested and described in spare and unsparing prose. In each, the sin and the sinner are shown as malevolent, the victim undeserving of their state. This graphic fable is conceived as a collection illustrating Envy, Pride, Avarice, Sloth, Gluttony, Anger and Lust. The drawings and collages illuminate the foibles and wickedness described; from perpetrator to victim, no-one can hide

Read more less

Book Synopsis Even death can’t get you out of high school… Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking her life is much harder than ex-teen banshee Kaylee expected. Now she’s fighting to stay visible to the human world and struggling to find time alone with her new reaper boyfriend Tod. To stay in the mortal realm, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls and, when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won’t keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn’t just gambling with her own life…

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAdrien Desfourneaux, professor of magic and disgraced ex-physician, has discovered a conspiracy. Someone is inflicting magical comas on the inhabitants of the massive city of Astrum, and no one knows how or why. Caught between a faction of scheming magical academics and an explosive schism in the ranks of the Astrum’s power-hungry military, Adrien is swallowed by the growing chaos. Alongside Gennady, an unruly, damaged young soldier, and Malise, a brilliant healer and Adrien’s best friend, Adrien searches for a way to stop the spreading curse before the city implodes. He must survive his own bipolar disorder, his self-destructive tendencies, and his entanglement with the man who doesn’t love him back.Trade Review“An absorbing meditation on curses and blessings, martyrs and saints—and a rare fantasy that recognizes that the mind is more mysterious and more vital than any spell. It is writers like Madeleine Nakamura who are going to bring us all into the next age of the world.”—Brian Conn, author of The Fixed Stars: Thirty-Seven Emblems for the Perilous Season

Read more less