Traditional or cultural fiction and true stories, tales and retellings

Book SynopsisGorgeous Collector's Edition. The Myths of Ancient Egypt are tied intimately to the presence and natural rhythms of the Nile. With their complex and evolving mythology, the Egyptians explained the effects of famine, harvest, floods and death by creating a pantheon of gods that still holds our fascination today. This new book presents classic egyptological works, with a new introduction, and brings the stories of the ancients to life, from the birth of creation by Ra, the sun god, to the murder of Osiris, and the revenge of Horus. We gain glimpses of the underworld and the afterlife, as the rulers of Egypt claimed lineage from the Gods both worshipped and fashioned by the people of Egypt, at a time when humankind had begun to shape the world around it, Flame Tree Collector's Editions present the foundations of speculative fiction, authors, myths and tales without which the imaginative literature of the twentieth century would not exist, bringing the best, most influential and most fascinating works into a striking and collectable library. Each book features a new introduction and a Glossary of Terms.

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Book SynopsisEnter a world in which magic exists, hope wins and every woman’s heart is alive with courage! This global feast of ancient tales features valiant women overcoming every kind of obstacle and danger to fulfil their destinies. Travel through Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and the Pacific. Shudder, cheer and laugh out loud as the heroines deal with trolls, faeries, dragons and ghosts; admire their knowledge, wit and cunning; marvel at shapeshifting and other manifestations of the supernatural. A rich collection of fairy tales, beautifully illustrated throughout with Joe McClaren woodcuts, this book is stitched together like a series of Scheherazade stories. It is story-telling at its best, pitch perfect fairy tales of fearless women for readers everywhere.Trade Review‘An appealing and accessible introduction to the folklore of many different places around the world... The narrative voice is vivid and flexible, drawing in the reader from the beginning... A pleasure to read.’ Folklore Sophia Kingshill 2022

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Book SynopsisCharged with possibility and power, this memorable collection is an extraordinary immersion into the bodies and voices, mindscapes and landscapes, of the shapeshifting women of our native folklore. Drawing on myth and fairy tales found across Europe from Croatia to Sweden, Ireland to Russia, these stories are about coming to terms with our animal natures, exploring the ways in which we might renegotiate our fractured relationship with the natural world, and uncovering the wildness and wilderness within.Trade Review"A deeply evocative and haunting collection... Part rally cry, part warning, part manifesto and all parts enchanting, Sharon Blackie's Foxfire, Wolfskin is a deeply evocative and haunting collection. I want to press this powerful book into the hands of everyone I know and say listen." -- Holly Ringland, author of The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart

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Book SynopsisThe definitive book of stories from Arthurian legend. Delve into the enchanted world of Arthurian legends where you will meet the Knights of the Round Table, Wizard Merlin, King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. With plots full of romance, adventure and enchantment, these fascinating ancient tales have been revived by the author to reflect their origins in oral history and will appeal to a whole new generation of readers. Stories include Elaine Who Loved Sir Lancelot, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Tristan and Isolde and The Enchantment of Merlin, many of which have recently been adapted in modern cinema and remain a fascination within contemporary culture. The book also features detailed notes on each story and mentions specific places in Britain with Arthurian links, including properties such as Tintagel. Beautifully illustrated with images inspired by Arthurian legend by Arthur Rackham and others.

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Book Synopsis From the author of Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies and The Mirror & the Light, comes the true story of the 18th Century Irish giant, Charles O’Brien, who was exhibited in London and eventually dissected by the surgeon John Hunter. Charles O’Brien, bard and giant. The cynical are moved by his flights of romance; the craven stirred by his tales of epic deeds. But what of his own story as he is led from Ireland to seek his fortune beyond the seas in England? The Surprising Irish Giant may be the sensation of the season but only his compatriots seem to attend to his mythic powers of invention. John Hunter, celebrated surgeon and anatomist, buys dead men from the gallows and babies’ corpses by the inch. Where is a man as unique as The Giant to hide his bones when he is yet alive? The Giant, O’ Brien is an unforgettable novel; lyrical, shocking and spliced with black comedy.Trade Review‘[A] novel that magically creates an illusion of the Age of Enlightenment. Hilary Mantel puts the stink of the eighteenth century into our nostrils’ Independent ‘A novelist of remarkable diversity…She writes about curiosity, companionship, art, love, death and eternity. She writes with wit, compassion and great elegance. Her books never fail to surprise, nor to delight: in this one she is at her very best – so far’ Independent on Sunday ‘Mantel can out-write most writers of her generation, male and female. What she has done here is disturbing, grievous and extraordinary.’ Maggie Gee, Sunday Times 'Filled with bizarre happenings, brazen images and characters whose earthiness you can smell.' TES 'Hilary Mantel has felt herself into the poetics of history with singular intensity.' New York Review 'Pathos and humour as they are elsewhere in the book are blended to perfection.' Sunday Telegraph 'Simultaneously vigorous and poetic, full of satisfying earthy details.' Sunday Independent (Ireland)

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Book SynopsisFrom mermaids to dragons, 16 ancient Celtic fairy tales retold with their histories The Celtic cultures of the British Isles – Ireland, Scotland and Wales – have produced some of the richest traditional tales in Europe. Three words best sum up their themes and flavour: adventure, enchantment and romance. In this book, Rosalind Kerven has revived the best Celtic fairy tales for a new generation. The stories are sourced from old folk tale collections from all three regions, alongside selected medieval Welsh and Irish texts. • Visit mysterious Otherworlds inside the hills and below the sea – including a land where only the truth is ever spoken. • Meet iconic characters such as the first great Welsh poet, Taliesin, and the mighty Irish hero, Fionn mac Cumhaill. • Cheer on bold Scots lasses such as Mallie Whuppy, as she outwits a fearsome giant, and Kate Crackernuts, who rescues a prince from bewitchment. • Encounter witches, fairies, a bogle, talking animals and strange underwater beings. Each story is retold from the medieval texts and oral storytelling traditions of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with fascinating background notes and a long list of sources and further reading included. The background notes feature a list of source material, analyses of themes, and examples of similar legends from all over Europe. Trade Review'A gorgeous hardback.' Author of Times Bestseller 'SISTERSONG' and 'Song of The Huntress' Lucy Holland

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Book SynopsisGorgeous Collector's Edition. From the birth of Zeus, to Prometheus, Pandora and Helen of Troy, Odysseus and Jason and the Argonauts, the myths of the Greeks and, later, the Romans, are passionate and powerfully told. The Gods are jealous of each other's powers, subject to mighty outbursts of love and always seeking vengeance. The dark forces of the ancient world were held at bay by the resourceful and emerging civilization that formed the basis of Western culture, providing a tradition of fabulous tales that are retold here. Flame Tree Collector's Editions present the foundations of speculative fiction, authors, myths and tales without which the imaginative literature of the twentieth century would not exist, bringing the best, most influential and most fascinating works into a striking and collectable library. Each book features a new introduction and a Glossary of Terms.

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Book SynopsisPlayful, moving and wholly remarkable' GuardianA small miracle' New StatesmanMastery of craft, resonance and deep feeling on every page' TelegraphAn introspective young boy, Joseph Coppock squints at the world with his lazy eye. Living alone in an old house, he reads comics, collects birds' eggs and plays with his marbles. When, one day, a rag-and-bone man called Treacle Walker appears, exchanging an empty jar of a cure-all medicine and a donkey stone for a pair of Joseph''s pyjamas and a lamb''s shoulder blade, a mysterious friendship develops between them.A fusion of myth, magic and the stories we make for ourselves, Treacle Walker is an extraordinary novel from one of our greatest living writers.All the exuberance and eccentricity, all the deep thought and resounding mythology of [Garner's] best work' ObserverSpare and allusive luminous and understated' Rowan Williams, New StatesmanCryptic, evocative, sparely told and deceptively simple' Carolyne Larrington, TLSA NEW STATESMAN BOOK Trade Review‘Treacle Walker is a small miracle’ New Statesman Best Books of 2021 ‘Remarkable … there’s mastery of craft, resonance and deep feeling on every one of these 150 pages.’ Daily Telegraph ‘Spare and allusive … luminous and understated. It’s about seeing and healing; any more by way of summary would be useless’ Rowan Williams, New Statesman ‘It’s a strange, austere, uncompromising book, leagues ahead of anything else I’ve read this year’ Peter Thonemann, TLS ‘This seemingly brief tale is a hypnotic wonder, blurring the boundaries of time and spirit… A glorious wonder in its own right. Here is real magic between hard covers’ Erica Wagner, New Statesman ‘Treacle Walker is a circular narrative, made of smaller interlocking circles, with actions and whole paragraphs repeating: in its end is its beginning. This late fiction also works the seam opened up in Garner’s very first novel, inspired by the story handed down to his grandfather about enchanted sleepers under Alderley Edge … Playful, moving and wholly remarkable work … There’s a life’s work inside this little book’ Guardian ‘Sparse yet masterful… This is a mesmerising folktale where every word counts’ Literary Review ‘Garner has always suggested that there is essentially just one story, and this novel … contains all the exuberance and eccentricity, all the deep thought and resounding mythology of his best work … cramming in … more ideas and imagination than most authors manage in their whole careers’ Observer

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Book SynopsisThe debut series from the double Hugo Award-winning N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth SeasonFor two thousand years the Arameri family has ruled the world by enslaving the very gods that created mortalkind. Now the gods are free, and the Arameri's ruthless grip is slipping. Yet they are all that stands between peace and world-spanning, unending war.Shahar, last scion of the family, must choose her loyalties. She yearns to trust Sieh, the godling she loves. Yet her duty as Arameri heir is to uphold the family's interests, even if that means using and destroying everyone she cares for.As long-suppressed rage and terrible new magics consume the world, the Maelstrom - which even gods fear - is summoned forth. Shahar and Sieh: mortal and god, lovers and enemies. Can they stand together against the chaos that threatens the kingdom of gods?The Inheritance Trilogy begins with The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, continues in The Broken Kingdoms and concludes in The Kingdom of Gods.Trade Review'This has been an intensely enjoyable series to read...What began as a twist on the familiar fantasy epic has developed into a penetrating analysis of the relationships between gods and humans, and the problems that arise, but also issues of power among people and countries, and who gets to wield it' * INTERZONE *The Inheritance Trilogy has all the elements I love in fantasy: worlds that are fresh and not overly derivative of fantasy that's gone before, complex characters with both strengths and flaws, powerful magic that isn't just a substitute for technology but affects everything from the obvious like power structures to the subtle, like everyday attitudes and habits. Oh, and a compelling, gripping plot * Trudi Canavan (SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author) *

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Book SynopsisFrom the creation myth of Izanagi and Izanami designed to explain the origins of the island of Japan, to the hundreds of kami (gods or spirits) and monsters populating the tales, Japanese legends tell the story of the land, the nation, the people and the divine heritage of the emperors of Japan. Often bloody and fantastic, the tales are a powerful, rewarding read, gathered together in the gorgeous, deluxe hardcover binding of the Flame Tree Epic Tales series. The latest title in Flame Tree's beautiful, comprehensive series of Gothic Fantasy titles, concentrates on the ancient, epic origins of modern fantasy.

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Book SynopsisAssembling ten tales and six poems – along with Machen’s novella – from the boom years of Pan-centric literature, this new collection revels in themes of queer awakening, transgression against societal bonds and the bewitching power of the wild as it explores a rapturous and culturally significant chapter in the history of weird fiction.

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow.'Living in Ancient Greece in the 5th Century BC, Aesop was said to be a slave and story-teller. His much-loved, enduring fables are revered the world over and remain popular as moral tales for children. With infamous vignettes, such as the race between the hare and the tortoise, the vain jackdaw, and the wolf in sheep's clothing, the themes of the fables remain as fresh today as when they were first told and give an insight into the Ancient Greek world.

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Book SynopsisGasp in wonder' Marlon James, author of Black Leopard, Red WolfElectrifying' Irenosen Okojie, author of NudibranchGasp-inducing' AnOther Joyous, defiant' Caleb Azumah Nelson, author of Open WaterVisionary' GuardianVAGABONDS! is a tumultuous and unexpectedly joyous novel of oppression and defiance among the people and spirits of Lagos.Lagos is a city for all . . . you share this place with flesh and not-flesh, and it's just as much their city as it is yours.Èkó, the spirit of Lagos, and his loyal minion Tatafo weave trouble through the streets of Lagos and through the lives of the vagabonds' powering modern Nigeria: the queer, the displaced and the footloose.With Tatafo as our guide we meet these people in the shadows. Among them are a driver for a debauched politician; a lesbian couple whose tender relationship sheds unexpected light on their experience with underground sex work; a mother who attends a secret spiritual gathering that shifts her reality. As their lives begin to intertwiTrade Review‘You don’t read this novel. You swan dive into it, then gasp in wonder’ Marlon James, author of A Brief History of Seven Killings ‘I’m in awe of Osunde’s writing … I can’t wait for others to delve into the joyous, defiant world she has rendered for her debut novel, VAGABONDS!’ Caleb Azumah Nelson, author of Open Water ‘Every year promises the birth of the next literary superstar… Eloghosa Osunde’s VAGABONDS! is an exceptional debut’ i-D ‘A feast of a book, a marvelous ode to spirits and outsiders that is irreverent (and painfully funny) while being serious enough to drill a hole in one’s chest. There is nothing in the world like this book’ Lesley Nneka Arimah, author of What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky ‘A novel as vivid and varied as the city itself’ Harper’s Bazaar 'Osunde’s gasp-inducing novel takes us to the Lagos streets with an ensemble of misfits and vagabonds, each with their own stories of queerness, personal demons, all-consuming love… Immerse yourself in Osunde’s kaleidoscopic world' AnOther Magazine ‘An explosive portrait of Nigeria that will blow your mind – in prose that feels so alive it practically vibrates off the page. A masterpiece’ Lidia Yuknavitch, author of The Book of Joan ‘A dazzling, hypnotic portrait of lives lived on the margins’ T Kira Madden, author of Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls ‘A vibrant blend of big-city life and contemporary mythology’ New York Times ‘Osunde’s writing is rich and sensorial … Vagabonds! is alive with magical potential in the face of oppression’ Creative Review

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Book SynopsisUniquely inventive and vivacious in style and with deep insight into children's points of view, Hans Christian Andersen established a new genre in literature.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition of Best Fairy Tales uses the classic translation by Jean Hersholt and is illustrated by various artists, with an afterword by Ned Halley.Hans Christian Andersen was a profoundly imaginative writer and storyteller who gave us the now standard versions of some traditional fairy tales - with an anarchic twist - but many of his most famous tales sprang directly from his imagination. The thirty stories here range from exuberant early works such as 'The Tinderbox' and 'The Emperor's New Clothes' through poignant masterpieces such as 'The Little Mermaid', 'The Little Match Girl' and 'The Ugly Duckling', to more subversive later tales such as 'The Ice Maiden' and 'The Dryad'.Trade ReviewHans Christian Andersen's fairytales . . . have captivated generations with their blend of plain language, unbridled imagination and haunting strangeness * Guardian *Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales are not fairy tales at all; they're too bittersweet, too knowledgeable about the way of the world for that. What they've done is provide us with many of the archetypes that sustain our Western collective unconscious * Independent *

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Book SynopsisFeaturing 211 classic tales from the Brothers Grimm, including favorites such as "Hansel and Gretel," "Cinderella," "The Frog Prince," "Rapunzel," "Snow White," and "Rumpelstiltskin," The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales is accompanied by 40 color plates and 60 black-and-white illustrations from award-winning English illustrator Arthur Rackham, whose books and prints are now highly sought-after collectibles. Originally titled Children’s and Household Tales, The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales contains what have been the essential bedtime stories for children worldwide for over two centuries. The Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm, were German linguists and cultural researchers who gathered legendary folklore and aimed to collect the stories exactly as they heard them. The fourth book in the Timeless Classics series from Rock Point has nearly 800 pages of classic fairy tales to enjoy and features a gorgeous deckled edge, ribbon marker, and foil and deboss details on a vibrantly colored case—a standout for your personal library collection. The Timeless Classics series from Rock Point brings together the works of classic authors from around the world. Complete and unabridged, these elegantly designed gift editions feature luxe, patterned endpapers, ribbon markers, and foil and deboss details on vibrantly colored cases. Celebrate these beloved works of literature as true standouts in your personal library collection. Other titles in the series include: The Complete Novels of Jane Austen, The Complete Sherlock Holmes, The Complete Tales & Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, The Complete Tales of H.P. Lovecraft, and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Trade ReviewAdults and young readers alike have enjoyed these stories for more than two centuries, and in this volume the 211 classic tales from the German linguists Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm include favorites such as “Hansel and Gretel” and “Cinderella,” and are accompanied by 40 color plates and 60 black-and-white illustrations from the English illustrator Arthur Rackham. * Mountain Times *

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Book SynopsisWe is in Dream Country,' the BFG said. This is where all dreams is beginning.'This beautiful edition of The BFG, part of The Roald Dahl Classic Collection, features official archive material from the Roald Dahl Museum and is perfect for Dahl fans old and new.So, enter a world where invention and mischief can be found on every page and where magic might be at the very tips of your fingers . . .The Roald Dahl Classic Collection reinstates the versions of Dahl's books that were published before the 2022 Puffin editions, aimed at newly independent young readers.

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Book SynopsisCollecting seven tales from classic penny publications including the story of Mrs. Lovett, the piemaking counterpart to Sweeney Todd, this volume features newly edited text and insights from Dr. Dittmer’s research to revive a wild company of witches, femme fatales, and deadly criminals for a new generation of readers.

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Book SynopsisCondemned to shoulder the world forever by the gods he dared defy, freedom seems unattainable to Atlas. But then he receives an unexpected visit from Heracles, the one man strong enough to share the burden . . .Jeanette Winterson's retelling of the myth of Atlas and Heracles asks difficult and eternal questions about the nature of choice and coercion. Visionary and inventive, Weight turns the familiar on its head to show us ourselves in a new light.The Myths series brings together some of the world's finest writers, each of whom has retold a myth in a contemporary and memorable way. Authors in the series include Karen Armstrong, Margaret Atwood, A.S. Byatt, David Grossman, Natsuo Kirino, Alexander McCall Smith, Philip Pullman, Ali Smith and Jeanette Winterson.Trade ReviewPlayful, expansive and full of heart * * The Times * *A touching meditation on the difficult journey to self-knowledge, and also extremely funny, communicating verve and wit * * Guardian * *Profound and provocative * * Daily Mail * *Inspired by a Titan, [Winterson] begins appropriately on a titanic scale . . . bringing her musings home to the human scale * * Sunday Times * *Winterson's embrace of the mythic landscape is evident in her rich imagery . . . Dazzling * * New York Times * *A masterpiece * * Scotland on Sunday * *Alternatively earthy and mythopoetic, funny, meditative and personal . . . Winterson artfully illustrates the interplay of free will and destiny, desire and responsibility * * Independent on Sunday * *Weight is a masterpiece . . . Rewrites and reconfirms what fiction is, was, and might become * * Scotland on Sunday * *Transcendent . . . It's not the weight of her intellect that strikes you but its lightness, an unembarrassed vigour that seems to lead it along a tightrope of sanity * * Herald * *Winterson's precise prose explores issues of loneliness, responsibility and freedom with clarity and vision, offering the gift of seeing things afresh * * The Good Book Guide * *

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Book Synopsis"The poems of the Poetic Edda have waited a long time for a Modern English translation that would do them justice. Here it is at last (Odin be praised!) and well worth the wait. These amazing texts from a 13th-century Icelandic manuscript are of huge historical, mythological and literary importance, containing the lion's share of information that survives today about the gods and heroes of pre-Christian Scandinavians, their unique vision of the beginning and end of the world, etc. Jackson Crawford's modern versions of these poems are authoritative and fluent and often very gripping. With their individual headnotes and complementary general introduction, they supply today's readers with most of what they need to know in order to understand and appreciate the beliefs, motivations, and values of the Vikings."—Dick Ringler, Professor Emeritus of English and Scandinavian Studies at the University of Wisconsin–MadisonTrade Review"An excellent and entertaining work that succeeds in achieving its intended purpose: to create an accessible and readable English translation of the Poetic Edda. Crawford's knowledge of and passion for the topic is clear throughout, and he strikes an excellent balance between approachability and authenticity. I will most certainly be using this translation when I teach Norse mythology in the future and will recommend it to anyone looking for an approachable introduction to the subject."—Natalie M. Van Deusen, University of Alberta, in Scandinavian-Canadian Studies"Crawford's Edda is easy to pick up and read. Commentary is minimal but useful, and the verse itself is presented in a visually clear style. A published poet in his own right, Crawford renders his translation in a modest, cautiously elegant free verse with a rigorous consistency that gives the material fluency impossible in a translation reflecting the original Old Norse syntax. Crawford's sense of rhythm is perhaps his strongest suit here, contributing significantly to the readability of the verse. The diction is simple and clear. . . . [Crawford's verse has] a conservative sparseness that often comes close to echoing the terseness of the Old Norse Eddic metres.” —Pete Sandberg, University College London, in Saga-Book

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Book SynopsisStrange things happen on the dark wintry nights of December. Welcome to a new collection of haunting Christmas tales, ranging from traditional Victorian chillers to weird and uncanny episodes by twentieth-century horror masters including Daphne du Maurier and Robert Aickman.

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Book SynopsisA visually stunning reimagining of the classic fairy tale Hansel and Gretel by master storyteller Neil Gaiman, beautifully illustrated by the award-winning Lorenzo MattottiThe enduring story of the children, the breadcrumb trail and the gingerbread house is brought to life by master storyteller, Neil Gaiman. Who better to retell the Brothers Grimm''s greatest, and perhaps darkest, fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel?Coupled with breathtakingly haunting illustrations from Lorenzo Mattotti, you will be enticed into the world and into the woods . . . so beware.

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Book SynopsisA dazzling, provocative debut story collection from celebrated Indonesian writer Intan Paramaditha, putting fierce female characters centre stage in brilliantly funny and sharp twists on fairy tale. ‘Dark, subversive... Here are fairy tales and myths reworked with a feminist bent’ TatlerInspired by horror fiction, myths and fairy tales, Apple and Knife is an unsettling ride that swerves into the supernatural to explore the dangers and power of occupying a female body in today’s world. These stories set in the Indonesian everyday – in corporate boardrooms, in shanty towns, on dangdut stages – reveal a soupy otherworld stewing just beneath the surface. This is subversive feminist horror at its best, where men and women alike are arbiters of fear, and where revenge is sometimes sweetest when delivered from the grave. Dark, humorous, and vividly realised, Apple and Knife brings together taboos, inversions, sex and death in a heady, intoxicating mix. Trade ReviewA phantasmagorical collection of short stories and reimagined tales, not unlike Angela Carter and Carmen Maria Machado. -- Matthew Janney * Guardian *Sometimes disturbing, often humorous, but always unapologetically feminist… a deeply, brilliantly macabre, visceral collection which pulls very few punches. * BBC Radio 4 Open Book *Dark, subversive... Here are fairytales and myths reworked with a feminist bent, with plenty of blood, revenge and horror thrown in... A fun – if unsettling – collection. * Tatler *A sharply subversive feminist retread of fairy tales and myths. These darkly humorous, sometimes viscerally violent tales are inspired by horror stories, exploring taboos and the female body in the modern world. * i *These short stories are fiercely funny and feminist and mix the everyday with the supernatural. * Red *

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Book SynopsisLady Augusta Gregory’s collection and translation of Irish folk legends brings, as Yeats observed, ‘Ireland’s gift of imagination to the world’. Following on from the bestselling Irish Myths and Legends: Gods and Fighting Men, this second volume, originally titled Cuchulain of Muirthemne, tells of the brave exploits of Ireland’s answer to Achilles, the fearless Cuchulain and the Red Branch of Ulster, as well as the overpowering love of his wife Emer. Forming part of the bedrock of Gaelic legend, and translated faithfully from the idiom of Irish oral storytellers, this new volume is essential reading for anyone with an interest in Gaelic culture.

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Book Synopsis"We are told there was a time when men were men and women were women You know men dressed in bowler hats or whatever hats of their choice And fine suits And the ladies too, along with their fine modest dresses No hair out of place ..." From genteel ladies and gentlemen sipping tea, to defiant expressions of independence, this is a complete and entertaining examination of one woman's search for the perfect relationship The fifth brilliant prose poetry collection from Beverley GordonTrade Review'I wanted to savour every word and pace my way through, but I couldn't put it down' -- READER REVIEW; 'Finds a way to the deepest corner of the heart' -- READER REVIEW; 'Could not put it down the poems are beautifully written ... really touched me. 5 stars this is a poetry book I will keep for life' -- Emma Fitzgerald, book reviewer

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Book SynopsisAssembling at the Tabard Inn in Southwark, twenty-nine pilgrims begin their journey to Canterbury Cathedral. To entertain themselves on their long road, their host suggests that they regale each other with stories, with the teller of the best tale set to earn a free supper. The pilgrims correspond to all sections of medieval society, from the crusading knight to the drunken cook, and their tales span a range of genres, including the comic ribaldry and deception of `The Miller's Tale' and the story of chivalry and courtly romance told by the Franklin. Unfinished at the time of his death, The Canterbury Tales are here presented in their original Middle-English. This edition contains a wealth of material and over 3,000 notes which will help all students of Chaucer's masterpiece.Trade Review…that I may dare, in wayfaring To stammer where old Chaucer used to sing. -- John Keats, Endymion

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Book SynopsisHelen Oyeyemi was born in Nigeria in 1984 and moved to London when she was four. She is the author of the highly acclaimed novel The Icarus Girl, which she wrote while she was still at school, The Opposite House, Boy, Snow, Bird and the short story collection What is Not Yours is Not Yours.Trade ReviewSuperbly atmospheric. The dark tones of Poe in her haunting have the elasticity of Haruki Murakami’s surreal mental landscapes. * Independent *The kind of prose that creeps off the page, crawls up the spine and burrows deep into the reader’s paralysed mind. * Daily Mail *White is for Witching should establish Oyeyemi as an ambitious voice in modern macabre; master of the light, lyrical touch and dark, half-hinted suggestion. * The Times *Entrancing. * TLS *Helen Oyeyemi was a literary prodigy. Now, she is ready to make the transition from wunderkind to established author. Remarkable. * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisA commemorative golden anniversary edition of Tolkien's classic book, including a new introduction, a map, a copy of Tolkien's unpublished short story which he expanded for publication, his notes for an aborted sequel, and the original first edition illustrations by Pauline Baynes.Farmer Giles of Ham did not look like a hero. He was fat and red-bearded and enjoyed a slow, comfortable life.Then one day a rather deaf and short-sighted giant blundered on to his land. More by luck than skill, Farmer Giles managed to scare him away. The people of the village cheered: Farmer Giles was a hero.His reputation spread far and wide across the kingdom. So it was natural that when the dragon Chrysophylax visited the area it was Farmer Giles who was expected to do battle with it!Trade Review‘A fabulous tale of the days when giants and dragons walked the kingdom’Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisAn inter-connected romantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. MaasThe Dragon King is looking for a wifeThe news causes a frenzy for the women in my village. The king will be sending out the royal guard to bring women of childbearing age to his castle in Jade City.There is only one requirement: his wife-to-be must carry enough magic to produce an heir for him.I know I won't be chosen: I'm only human with a mere ten percent dragon magic lineage, but for some reason the magic sniffers command me to present myself to the king as a possible wife.I'm ready to go to Jade City until my mother tells me a terrifying secret. A secret that could get me killed by the king himself.The Last Dragon King is book ONE OF FOUR in the Kings of Avalier series, featuring the Dragon King, Drae Valdren.

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Book SynopsisAfrica south of the Sahara is a land of wide-ranging traditions and varying cultures. Despite the diversity and the lack of early written records, the continent possesses a rich body of folk tales and legends that have been passed down through the strong custom of storytelling and which often share similar elements, characters and ideas between peoples. So this collection offers a hefty selection of legends and tales – stories of the gods, creation and origins, trickster exploits, animal fables and stories which entertain and edify – from ‘Obatala Creates Mankind’, from the Yoruba people of west Africa, to ‘The Girl Of The Early Race, Who Made Stars’, from the San people of southern Africa, all collected in a gorgeous gold-foiled and embossed hardback to treasure.

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Book SynopsisThe finest and most authentic collection of Icelandic folk tales to be published in the English language

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Book Synopsis''Smart and subversive, these charming romances will ignite your heart - and your hope'' Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the SunProper Regency ladies are not supposed to become magicians - but Miss Abigail Wilder is far from proper.The marriageable young ladies of London are dying mysteriously, and Abigail Wilder intends to discover why. Abigail''s father, the Lord Sorcier of England, believes that a dark lord of faerie is involved - but while Abigail is willing to match her magic against Lord Longshadow, neither her father nor high society believe that she is capable of doing so.Thankfully, Abigail is not the only one investigating the terrible events in London. Mercy, a street rat and self-taught magician, insists on joining Abigail to unravel the mystery. But while Mercy''s own magic is strange and foreboding, she may well pose an even greater danger to Abigail''s heart. From the author of HALF A SOUL cTrade ReviewA hugely enjoyable take on the Regency. . . I wolfed this down with great pleasure. -- KJ Charles on HALF A SOULI've read these books more times than I can count. Atwater's stubborn, quietly radical characters defy the expectations of both society and fairy tales as they blaze new paths towards love and decency. Smart and subversive, these charming romances will ignite your heart-and your hope -- Shelley Parker-Chan, author of SHE WHO BECAME THE SUNWhimsical, witty, and brimming over with charm. . . Dora and the Lord Sorcier have a place amongst my favourite fantasy romance couples ever -- India Holton, author of THE WISTERIA SOCIETY OF LADY SCOUNDRELSHalf a Soul is exactly the comfort read we all need. This winsome, whimsical fantasy romance has much to say about privilege, justice, and the power of empathy, even as it sweeps you off your feet in the swooniest way possible -- Megan Bannen, author of THE UNDERTAKING OF HART AND MERCYA delightful, romantic romp that also deftly examines class and privilege, Half a Soul is the definition of a comfort read -- Hannah Whitten on HALF A SOULHalf a Soul is the perfect balm for these bad times. It's whimsical but never frivolous, sweet but not sugary, deeply kind rather than merely nice. I loved it -- Alix E. Harrow on HALF A SOULHalf a Soul is a perfect historical fantasy romance: warm, sparkling with magic, dangerous and delightful. I absolutely adored it. -- Tasha Suri, author of THE JASMINE THRONEA charming and original take on both the fae and the Regency fantasy genre, with plenty of humour and heart. I couldn't put it down. -- Heather Fawcett, author of EMILY WILDE'S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES on HALF A SOUL

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Book SynopsisTwo thousand years of legend and lore about the menace and majesty of dragons, which have breathed fire into our imaginations from ancient Rome to Game of ThronesA Penguin ClassicThe most popular mythological creature in the human imagination, dragons have provoked fear and fascination for their lethal venom and crushing coils, and as avatars of the Antichrist, servants of Satan, couriers of the damned to Hell, portents of disaster, and harbingers of the last days. Here are accounts spanning millennia and continents of these monsters that mark the boundary between the known and the unknown, including: their origins in the deserts of Africa; their struggles with their mortal enemies, elephants, in the jungles of South Asia; their fear of lightning; the world’s first dragon slayer, in an ancient collection of Sanskrit hymns; the colossal sea monster Leviathan; the seven-headed “great red dragon” of the Book of Revelation; the Loch NeTrade ReviewI love the way Scott Bruce has scoured so much ancient lore to bring us this treasury of dragon-related information, and I shall turn to it frequently -- Philip PullmanScholarly and thrilling. By collecting some of the foundational - and also most surprising - historical sources on these guardians of the 'boundary between the known and unknown', Scott Bruce has created the new indispensable resource for anyone who cares about dragons -- Adam Gidwitz, New York Times bestselling author of A Tale Dark and Grimm and The Inquisitor’s Tale

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisA Gorgeous Collector's Edition of folk and fairy tales from the continent of Africa, with stories from regions now marked as modern nations such as Libya, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda, who inherit the folk and mythic tales of ancient peoples. Here you'll find stories of ogres and tricksters, riddles and poems, and great heroes of history such as Liongo. This new collection is created for the modern reader. Flame Tree Collector's Editions present the foundations of speculative fiction, authors, myths and tales without which the imaginative literature of the twentieth century would not exist, bringing the best, most influential and most fascinating works into a striking and collectable library. Each book features a new introduction and a Glossary of Terms.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 1967 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, Angela Carter's brilliant imagination and starting intensity of style explore and extend the nature and boundaries of love.Trade ReviewThe boldest of English women writersHer writing is pyrotechnic - fuelled with ideas, packed with images and spangling the night sky with her starry language * Observer *She can glide from ancient to modern, from darkness to luminosity, from depravity to comedy without any hint of strain and without losing the elusive power of the original tales * The Times *Beneath its contemporary surface, this novel shimmers with blurred echoes-from Lewis Carroll, from 'Giselle' and 'Coppelia,' Harlequin and Punch . . . It leaves behind it a flavor, pungent and unsettling * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisClimb up the waterspout with Incy Wincy, help the king's men try to put Humpty Dumpty back together again and dance along with the cat playing his fiddle! Brought to life with Axel Scheffler's stunning illustrations, this collection of beloved nursery rhymes such as Twinkle Twinkle and Mary Had a Little Lamb, is the perfect bedtime read.

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Book SynopsisTraditional Japanese folktales come to life alongside contemporary illustration in this luxurious edition.

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Book SynopsisHear the tales of Gods, monsters, magic, and more!Warriors, poets, scholars, and visionaries—from the depths of time the ancient Celts have fascinated us. Their rich heritage lives on today. But who were they? From the Druids and fairies to King Arthur and Celtic Christianity, there is much to be learned about these natives of the British and Irish islands. Their stories are fantastic and stirring, and through them, you'll gain a glimpse into what life was like during the Iron Age. These legends, first told through song as people gathered around the fire more than 2,000 years ago, are now here for you to explore. Experience the wonder and wisdom of these mysterious people with The Book of Celtic Myths.

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Book Synopsis''Diverting... pleasurable... entertaining'' New York Times''Relevant and fresh... [Good Omens] still has a lot to say about the world'' Empire''Even if you''re very familiar with the original novel, this is a different experience... so damned charming and quirky that it feels like a must'' StarburstNeil Gaiman''s glorious reinvention of the iconic bestseller Good Omens, adapted from the internationally beloved novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, launched on Amazon Prime Video this year to great acclaim. Soon to be shown on the BBC, the series is written and show-run by Neil himself and stars David Tennant, Michael Sheen, Jon Hamm and Miranda Richardson, to name but a few.Before he died, Terry Pratchett asked Neil Gaiman to make a television series of the internationally beloved novel they wrote together about the end of Trade ReviewEven if you're very familiar with the original novel, this is a different experience. . . so damned charming and quirky that it feels like a must * Starburst *His voice rings through on every page, and no Gaiman fan should be without it. Great fun, and highly recommended. * SF Concatenation *

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Book SynopsisTHE NO. 2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERI devoured this' V.E. SchwabA vampire-themed Handmaid's Tale, with effective thrills that are intensified by social commentary' GuardianA gorgeous new fantasy horror a book about stories and fairy tales with family and love at its dark heartHidden across England and Scotland live six old Book Eater families.The last of their lines, they exist on the fringes of society and subsist on a diet of stories and legends.Children are rare and their numbers have dwindled, so when Devon Fairweather's second child is born a dreaded Mind Eater a perversion of her own kind, who consumes not stories but the minds and souls of humans she flees before he can be turned into a weapon for the family or worse.Living among humans and finding prey for her son, Devon seeks a cure for his hunger. But time is running out for her family want her back, and with every soul her son consumes he loses a little more of himselfThis is a story of escape, a mother's savage devotion and a queer love that will electrify readers looking for something beguiling, thrilling, strange and new.Perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman, Susanna Clarke, and Let the Right One InTrade Review‘A gripping and beautifully plotted story told with verve and deliciously dark wit’Daily Mail ‘An exciting blend of gothic horror and action, smart and haunting’ Laura Purcell, bestselling author of The Silent Companions "Some novels are intended to be devoured in one sitting. Such is the case with Sunyi Dean’s The Book Eaters. Innovative, unique, poignant, and told with a voice as original as the story itself. I finished this novel in that one sitting, yet I’ll be pondering it for a long time to come. This is the debut of a new master of the modern fantasy. Don ’t miss it’James Rollins, #1 NYT bestselling author of The Starless Crown ‘A delightfully weird exploration of motherhood, queerness, and escaping patriarchal norms’Buzzfeed ‘Raw and imaginative, this gritty, gothic anti-fairytale knows the truth: love will make a villain out of anyone’Olivie Blake, NYT bestselling author of The Atlas Six ‘Sunyi Dean’s The Book Eaters is a darkly sweet pastry of a book about family, betrayal, and the lengths we go to for the ones we love. Great reading for a rainy morning, with tea or coffee on, a cat in your lap, and nowhere to be but lost in a delicious modern fairy tale’Christopher Buehlman, author of The Blacktongue Thief ‘A riveting tale that consumed me as earnestly as I devoured it. Full of grit and humanity, Sunyi Dean expertly weaves the complexities of motherhood, loyalty, and found family in a world not far from our own. Dean's debut has already established her as a master of craft. If I were a book eater, this novel would be one to savour’Saara El-Arifi, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Final Strife

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Book SynopsisSir Thomas Malory's richly evocative and enthralling version of the Arthurian legendRecounting Arthur's birth, his ascendancy to the throne after claiming Excalibur, his ill-fated marriage to Guenever, the treachery of Morgan le Fay and the exploits of the Knights of the Round Table, it magically weaves together adventure, battle, love and enchantment. Le Morte D'Arthur looks back to an idealized Medieval world and is full of wistful, elegiac regret for a vanished age of chivalry. Edited and published by William Caxton in 1485, Malory's prose romance drew on French and English verse sources to give an epic unity to the Arthur myth, and remains the most magnificent re-telling of the story in English.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and d

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Book Synopsis'Offers a fresh and feminist take' Madeline Miller, bestselling author of CirceThousands of years ago, two remarkable women found themselves swept up in one of the greatest legends of all . . . and discovered the price that must be paid for immortality.Desperate to save her dying brother, Admete persuades her father, the king of Tiryns, to allow her to accompany Hercules on one of his celebrated twelve labours. They travel to the land of the Amazons in the hopes of finding a cure – but their arrival causes tension with the infamous female warriors. Hippolyta, the revered queen of the tribe, sees their presence as a threat – both to her people, but also to the long-guarded secret she has been keeping from them.As battle lines are drawn between the Greeks and the Amazons, Admete and Hippolyta soon learn the inevitable truth – that in war, sacrifices must be made; especially if they are to protect the ones they love most . . .PRAISE FOR EMILY HAUSER:'Hauser recreates one of the oldest tales in Greek myth with great skill and panache.' The Times'Once in a while something comes along that's so utterly right, so necessary for now, that you wonder why nobody thought of it before. Emily Hauser's stunning debut novel . . . brings ancient Troy wildly, raucously, passionately alive.' Manda Scott, bestselling author of Boudica and Into the Fire'A delight from start to finish. Hauser's fresh perspective on one of the great archetypal epics, in focusing on the marginalised women's stories, makes for fascinating reading . . . a clever premise and thoroughly enjoyable.' Elizabeth Fremantle, author of Sisters of Treason'Kept me utterly absorbed. Here is a heroine to cheer for, and a book to cherish.' Margot Livesey, author of The House on Fortune Street'Beautifully descriptive . . . drawing the reader into a lost world of gods and heroes.' Glyn Iliffe, author of King of IthacaTrade ReviewEmily Hauser's novels combine thoughtful scholarship with a deep love for the ancient mythology. Her passion for bringing these stories to a modern audience is palpable, and her choice to dig into the untold stories of female characters offers a fresh and feminist take on well-known tales. * Madeline Miller, author of CIRCE and THE SONG OF ACHILLES *For the Immortal brings to a satisfying conclusion Emily Hauser's 'Golden Apple' trilogy, retelling some of the best-known Greek myths from a female perspective. Previous volumes have dealt with the Trojan War and the Golden Fleece; this one looks at the entangled tales of Admete, daughter of a Greek king, Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, and Hercules, hero of a dozen labours. As the trilogy has progressed, the stories Hauser has chosen to reimagine have grown less familiar to modern readers, but the skill she shows in giving them new life has not slackened. * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisThe classic folk tales of Scotland were passed down from storyteller to storyteller, and from the first sentence they held the attention of the listeners and readers as though a spell had been cast over them, transporting them to a magical realm where mermaids and men, selkies and sailors, ogres and princesses all mingle and are miraculously transformed. First published in 1956, the Montgomeries, distinguished folklorists, gathered these captivating stories from all parts of Scotland. This collection became a classic of the storytelling tradition retold in a simple, dramatic style, appealing to adult and child alike. Now published by Birlinn Limited in a handsome gift edition and illustrated with Norah Montgomerie's own original drawings, it is a book to be treasured for years as the key to an enchanted, timeless world.Trade Review'Norah and William Montgomerie had performed a magical transformation of their own by draping fairy tales in tartan... the new version of this old classic looks good and reads even better' * The Herald *'With charming illustrations by Norah Montgomerie, this book makes a welcome change from the Brothers Grimm' * Dumfries & Galloway Standard *'Buy it for all the children in your life - and the adults too! Well done Birlinn for making it available again' * Facts & Fiction Storytelling Magazine *

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Book SynopsisFerdowsi’s classic poem Shahnameh is part myth, part history–beginning with the legend of the birth of the Persian nation and its tumultuous history, it contains magical birds and superhuman heroes and centuries-long battles. Written over 1,000 years ago, it was meant to protect Persian collective memory amidst a turbulent sea of cultural storms. Originally written in couplets, the translation and adaptation by Ahmad Sadri retells the mythological tales in prose format. The spectacular illustrations in this edition were created from elements culled from thousands of manuscripts, lithographs, and miniatures dating from the thirteenth through the nineteenth centuries, and each panel becomes a new work of art, an exquisite collage of traditional forms.

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