Weird Fiction

SILVER MEDAL "RECOMMENDED READ" IN THE 2024 AUTHOR SHOUT READER READY AWARDS. Is anybody listening? Dr. Alessi Byrne has spent her life studying spatial anomalies to prove string theory. Her work seems to be nothing more than theoretical research until an anomaly opens over Antarctica and transmits a three-word message: Is anybody listening? The message isn’t the only thing to emerge from the anomaly. Something on the other side is having compounding consequences on the planet, and Alessi’s team is unable to crack the code to discover who or what is sending the communication. In ...

"A Witch Shall Be Born" is one of the original novels by Robert E. Howard about Conan the Cimmerian (a.k.a. Conan the Barbarian). The story concerns a witch replacing her twin sister as queen of a city state, which brings her into conflict with Conan who had been the captain of the queen's guard. Themes of paranoia, and the duality of the twin sisters are paramount in this story but it also includes elements of the conflict between barbarism and civilization that is common to the entire Conan series.

When a petrol yacht catches fire in the South Atlantic, its lone survivor, Patterson, swims to safety. He is relieved when he washes up on a tropical island inhabited by four other ship-wrecked characters. But when he discovers one of the men was cast adrift by the Titanic, he is forced to question where he really is and if he will be able to escape.

A distinguished professor becomes entranced with a Mesoamerican obsidian dagger. Strange dreams of bird-priests and swarming crocodiles haunt his dreams.

A demon who runs story time at the local library. A robot that guards nuclear waste. A vampire who gives relationship advice. Death’s personal lawyer. The Strange Garden and Other Weird Tales is a collection of stories that mix the mundane and bizarre, that both disturb and delight. From the creator of The Stench of Adventure comes a set of mystifying stories with an undercurrent of warmth and heart.

Mike Vendetti's mesmerizing voice brings "The Valley of the Worm" to life, capturing the essence of Howard's vivid characters and thrilling plot twists. Listeners will be transported to a world where swordplay and ancient beings collide in an epic battle for survival. Whether you're a fan of Fantasy Science Fiction or just looking for an exciting new adventure, "The Valley of the Worm" is sure to captivate and enthrall you from start to finish.

"Red Nails" is the last of the stories about Conan the Cimmerian written by American author Robert E. Howard. A novella, it was originally serialized in "Weird Tales" magazine from July to October 1936. It is set in the pseudo historical Hyborian Age and concerns Conan encountering a lost city in which the degenerate inhabitants are proactively resigned to their own destruction. Due to its grim themes of decay and death, the story is considered a classic of Conan lore and is often cited by Howard scholars as one of his best tales.

"Einmal wollte der Kranzedan mit der Untergrundbahn fahren. Am Ende der Rolltreppe, die ihn tief, tief in die Erde hinab führte, befand sich – zwischen verblichenen Reklametafeln leicht zu übersehen – eine kleine Metalltür. Dahinter vernahm der Kranzedan ein ganz feines Stimmchen, das sprach: "Komm, komm, komm …". Da öffnete er die Tür und quetschte sich geduckt hindurch und nie wieder ward er gesehen …”.

Light years from home. Bonded to an alien for survival. A dark secret is about to be revealed . . . The planet Verdana was supposed to be their new home, their new Eden. But shortly after arriving the human colonists were faced with a dilemma - join with the alaahi or perish. In the end, they chose the process of symbiosis, a physical conjoining with the native alaahi. But now there are whispers amongst the colonists. The alaahi are not the benevolent beings they made themselves out to be. Before long a dark secret is about to be revealed, and young Jena must make a terrible choice . . . *...

A steam yacht is sailing the North Atlantic when they spot a mysterious light. Upon investigation, they discover a derelict cargo ship but when they board, superstitions soon turn to very real fears for the safety of the crew.

Men in black calling at your door on the stroke of midnight . . . Three pieces of human flesh with the power to kill . . . A devoted wife who just won't die . . . A bag of bones that should never EVER be touched . . . These are just some of the tales in this gripping collection, taking the reader from supernatural suburban terror to the far future where the fate of mankind rests in the hands of an innocent. CONTENTS The Midnight Men Juju Killing Gloria The Devil's Bones Inheritance The Glamour Nan Death's Head The Witch is Dead Deus Ex Machina

An adventure ideally suited to Indiana Jones, ‘The Treasure of the Tombs’ sees three WW1 veterans return to a remote cave to recover hidden gold, but the tomb is cursed.

Trick or treat! Halloween’s coming up, and Bella and Weir are busy working on their funny costumes. But everything will be turned upside down when Weir Do finds out his family is moving away. It won't be easy, but it will be funny.

When a Londoner retreats to the Cornish Coast for a break, he encounters a veiled woman. Could it be the ghost of intrepid explorer Miss Alice Trellings, who disappeared whilst staying at the hotel?

Flora is a new mum enamored of her baby girl, Iris, even if she arrived a few weeks early. With her husband on deployment, Flora navigates the newborn stage alone. But as the sleepless nights pass in the loneliness of their half-empty home, the edges of her reality begin to blur. Just as Flora becomes convinced she is losing her mind, a surprising guest shows up to help: Flora's own mother, to whom she hasn't spoken in years. Can they mend their fraught relationship? Or is there more Flora's mother isn't telling her about the events that led to their estrangement?

As the saying goes, truth is stranger than fiction. But the saying doesn't go far enough, because truth is much stranger (and more entertaining) than any of us could possibly imagine. And the proof is right here.For almost 20 years, Chuck Shepherd, John J. Kohut, and Roland Sweet have been combing the nation's newspapers for true stories of bizarre human behavior.

The Believer magazine presents a compendium of advice from producers, writers, and actors of The Daily Show, Saturday Night Live, Parks and Recreation, Late Show with David Letterman, The Hangover, and The Colbert Report, along with other musicians, cartoonists, New Yorker writers, and those similarly unqualified to offer guidance.

Two friends embark on a walking tour of northern France, but they encounter a strange fellow traveller who they struggle to shake off on their journey.

In 2025, neutron bombs wipe out much of the world’s drinkable water. For the next several years, survivors exist in deplorable conditions and their rations are dwindling. One woman arises from the camp, determined to improve conditions. Charlotte is ready to do whatever it takes to ensure clean water for her fellow survivors. Water is almighty. Whoever controls the water rules the world. Can Charlotte prevent the power from falling into the wrong hands?

When Neil Pierson was young, his father was killed by a tsunami of newborn infants. As an adult, Neil carries a deep-seated fear of children. Unfortunately, his society has no tolerance for "baby haters." Declared a criminal, he's sentenced to look after an infant for a year. This is no normal infant, however. It's a demonic imitation, with an insatiable bloodlust and the ability to act on it. Neil wants nothing more than to be rid of the strange nightmare child, but if he wants to survive in a world of madness, murder, and meat, he'll have to do the unthinkable--learn how to be a father.