Fantasy Anthology

Dreamy fantasy stories have actually been a trend. They’ve inspired millions. As opposed to the lengthy novels, these stories are short but cut to the chase in an instant. They light up the weird and the uncanny, the marvelous as well as the fantastic: All the things we know are going beyond the reasonable and instantly realistic - into looking-glass, beyond the songs of the impossibly haunting violin, with the twisted trees of the ancient timbers.

Reliquary is an anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy short stories on the theme of relics. Authors were invited to interpret the term "relic" in whatever way made sense to them, resulting in an exciting and eclectic mix of stories. Some key definition included: Container for storing holy artifacts. Or unholy ones. A small box with hinged lid suitable for hiding demons from the past. Crate, trunk or case. Usually with baggage. The last place you'll ever look. This is the second anthology from the Hourlings, a writing group based in the Washington DC metropolitan area.

The Hollow Feast: An Anthology of Cosmic Transformation Three interconnected tales of consciousness, decay, and the terrible beauty of becoming. In a universe where time itself can be wounded, where libraries exist at the edge of dreams, and where decay is both curse and sacrament, three stories explore what it means to transform - and what transformation costs. “Clockwork Covenant” - When the Great Clock fractures and time begins to unravel, a disgraced horologist and a prophetic princess must descend into the mechanical heart of their city to prevent reality itself from coming undone....

Get ready for a wild ride through dark streets, where monsters roam, magic crackles, and heroes fight shadows at every turn. From wizards to vampires, gods to shapeshifters, these stories will drag you into a world where the impossible is just another day.

"The Lion of Comarre" was first published in the August 1949 issue of Thrilling Wonder Stories. Sir Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) is regarded as one of the most-influential science fiction writers of all time. He was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.

The supernatural, the surreal, and the all-too real . . . tales of the dark. Such stories have always fascinated us, and modern authors carry on the disquieting traditions of the past while inventing imaginative new ways to unsettle us. Chosen from a wide variety of venues, these stories are as eclectic and varied as shadows. This volume of The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror offers tales from some of today's finest writers of the fantastique. Sure to delight as well as disturb!

Nadine is the only witch of her kind. With unique powerful abilities, she's a prime contender to sit on the witch's council, yet she's anything but welcome. A haunting family curse threatens to force her out of her magical college, and revealing her greatest secret may lead to the destruction of her people. Lucas is the only warlock of his generation destined to ferry the souls of the dead. Accepting his dark gift is as brutal as investigating the coven's mysteries. He's prepared to fight the darkness alone, until he receives a warning beyond the grave from Nadine's mother.

"Yellachile's Cage", a story by Robert McCammon, was first published in his short fiction collection Blue World.

Pirates, mermaids, monsters, oh my! The depths of the ocean hold many untold secrets. Some are beautiful tales of mermaids who ride seahorses, and others are massive monsters bent on destroying every ship crossing its path. Featuring sixteen stories by the following authors: Stephen A. Roddewig, Robin Kelly, Robin Brown, Ed Teja, Paul Lonardo, Arlo Z. Graves, Christopher Pate, Kelly Barker, Sean E. Britten, Mae Thorn, J. VanZile, Laura Q. Jimenez, Barend Nieuwstraten III, Jared Thomason, and J.E. Feldman.

"A Slight Case of Sunstroke" was first published in the September 1958 issue of Galaxy. Sir Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) is regarded as one of the most-influential science fiction writers of all time. He was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.

"History Lesson" was first published in the May 1949 issue of Startling Stories. Sir Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) is regarded as one of the most-influential science fiction writers of all time. He was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.

Strange Candy”, a story by Robert McCammon, was originally published in 2012 on robertmccammon.com.

In a post-apocalyptic America, Deaver Teague makes a living salvaging things left behind from before the war. When he hears some truck drivers talking about a hidden cache of gold in a Mormon temple in flooded Salt Lake City, he enlists some friends to look for it.

This story is included in Orson Scott Card's collection The Folk of the Fringe.

"Perfect deadpan marks the opening of Ali Simpson’s The Monster'" writes Susan Merrell of The Southampton Review in her introduction to this issue of Recommended Reading.

"Refugee" was first published in the July 1955 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Sir Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) is regarded as one of the most-influential science fiction writers of all time. He was named a grand master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.

Here for the first time the stories and short novels of the war with the Outs are collected into a novel-length chronicle. The Outs had mental powers they could use to make humans see illusions and convince them to change sides. Obviously, they were unbeatable - until some troublesome humans found their Achilles' heel.

A collection of twenty-five horror/thriller stories with surprise endings to thrill you and chill you to the bone. The creepers include: ALONE: Laura keeps hearing weird noises in her house while her husband is on a business trip. FOREVER YOUNG: An elderly multibillionaire will pay five hundred million to be young again, but he also needs a young female to sacrifice to an island of cannibals. LOVE ON THE ROCKS: After twenty years of marriage, Louise can't stand the sight of him and wants a divorse. His temper is boiling over. Is there another man? THE ALIEN: Marge just found out her ...

A classic tale featuring two of the most-memorable characters in sword and sorcery, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Over a span of 50 years, the late Fritz Leiber wrote dozens of adventures, set in the fictional city of Lankhmar, featuring the seven-foot-tall barbarian and the diminuitive thief. The stories were recognized with both the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

Roshad is a sorcerer and street thief in the great caravan city of Ular Kel. Bors is a nomadic warrior and heir to the Horse Throne. As a pair, the two are members of the mysterious Iridian Fold, an organization in which lovers seek to perfectly blend their consciousness to become an elite combat unit. But when Bors’ father forbids their union, are Bors and Roshad willing to start a war to defend their love?

"A Walk in the Dark" was first published in the August 1950 issue of Thrilling Wonder Stories. Sir Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) is regarded as one of the most-influential science fiction writers of all time. He was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.