The False Monster Tradition
This post begins: The notion that a monster should prove to be a fraud is a fairly recent idea. The warriors gathered around the scop Read More
Category: Horror Fiction
Ramsey Campbell’s Sword & Sorcery Hero – Ryre
Writers often experiment early in their careers, trying different styles, genres or publishing opportunities. Until success pulls them in a certain direction the scribbler is Read More
Weird Wednesdays: Malcolm M. Ferguson (1919-2011)
I began this piece with one goal in mind, to find a latter day Lovecraftian tribute, preferably one that others had missed. That’s not what Read More
The Ghosts of an Antiquary
M. R. James (1862-1936) is in my mind the greatest of all the ghost story writers. Nobody else can deliver a true shudder of grim Read More
William Hope Hodgson: The Bottleneck
Horror writers use many techniques to heighten the terror in their work. One of my favorites is the bottleneck. As with traffic jams, the bottleneck Read More
The Case of the Coptic Priest
How do you create an Occult Detective in the last half of the 20th century? Edward D. Hoch found an old solution to a new Read More
The First Mythos Images
I came across Hannes Bok’s illustration for H. P. Lovecraft’s “The Shadow Over Innsmouth” and this got me thinking, “Is this the very first interpretation Read More
C. L. Grant – In the Shadow of Udolpho
I always applaud the brave. S. T. Joshi in his The Modern Weird Tale (2001) is brave. He has the critical kahunas to state that Read More
The Ghostbreakers Mythos
Lovecraft’s circle shared mention of their separate creations in the pages of Weird Tales, name-dropping here and there a friend’s character or some other reference. Read More
“Cry Witch!” by Fritz Leiber
Certain themes are explored fully by an author then never touched again. John Wyndham never wrote The Return of the Triffids nor Robert A. Heinlein Read More