Publisher's Synopsis
"IN A MAJOR WEIRD FICTION EVENT, TWO VERSIONS OF A RARE SUPERNATURAL CLASSIC - TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME!"
Experience the literary sorcery of an undisputed master of cosmic horror and weird fiction in a pair of forgotten masterpieces... THE TERROR, by ARTHUR MACHEN, is a folk-horror and eco-weird classic whose terrifying themes of infectious rage, sentient Nature, and supernatural revenge speaks directly to our modern culture. Originally published in serial installments in the Evening News in 1916, this horrifying supernatural mystery finally appears with its even rarer 1917 short story version, "THE COMING OF THE TERROR", which was substantially revised for Century magazine. SHADOW HOUSE PUBLISHING presents these numinous nightmares complete and uncut as the debut of HORROR HALL OF FAME NOVELLAS a new series devoted to preserving our horror heritage with affordable special editions of important weird fiction ignored by major publishing houses. "There are sacraments of evil as well as good about us, and we live and move, to my belief, in an unknown world." - Arthur Machen. Arthur Machen is considered a master of weird fiction, admired by such authorities as H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, and S.T. Joshi. His stories of "Sin and Sanctity" unveil the terror and awe of supernatural evil hiding just beyond the frail surface of reality. The malignant mysticism of THE TERROR is every bit as profound as "The Great God Pan" and "The White People", the classics which originally scandalized Victorian readers. In THE TERROR and "THE COMING OF THE TERROR" are fascinating examples of both Machen's stylistic transformation and the evolution of his occult philosophy. In anticipation of metafiction, he plays himself-a journalist investigating unexplained murders in rural Wales during the first World War. Blurring fact and legend, he reveals a dark Natural world rebelling against the violence and apathy of humankind-a world we are living in still. This is a warning for the 21st century. Supernatural author and critic WILLIAM P. SIMMONS edits this nightmarish synthesis of Machen's chief themes of sacrament, ecstasy, and transformation. Including an informative introduction, this authoritative special edition of the Welsh mystics last truly great work is a desirable addition to any weird library. HORROR HALL OF FAME NOVELLAS, VOLUME ONE TABLE OF CONTENTS:- Introduction
- The Terror
- "The Coming of the Terror"
