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The Best of Jules de Grandin: 20 Classic Occult Detective Stories
by Seabury QuinnA collection of the 20 greatest tales of Jules de Grandin, the supernatural detective made famous in the classic pulp magazine Weird Tales. Today the names of H. P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, August Derleth, and Clark Ashton Smith, all regular contributors to the pulp magazine Weird Tales during the first half of the twentieth century, are recognizable even to casual readers of the bizarre and fantastic. And yet despite being more popular than them all during the golden era of genre pulp fiction, there is another author whose name and work have fallen into obscurity: Seabury Quinn. Quinn&’s short stories were featured in well more than half of Weird Tales’s original publication run. His most famous character, the supernatural French detective Dr. Jules de Grandin, investigated cases involving monsters, devil worshippers, serial killers, and spirits from beyond the grave, often set in the small town of Harrisonville, New Jersey. In de Grandin there are familiar shades of both Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, and alongside his assistant, Dr. Samuel Trowbridge, de Grandin’s knack for solving mysteries—and his outbursts of peculiar French-isms (grand Dieu!)—captivated readers for nearly three decades. The Best of Jules de Grandin, edited by George Vanderburgh, presents twenty of the greatest published works featuring the supernatural detective. Presented in chronological order with stories from the 1920s through the 1940s, this collection contains the most incredible of Jules de Grandin's many awe-inspiring adventures.
The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson
by Kim Stanley RobinsonKim Stanley Robinson has been an ongoing force in the Science Fiction genre for over twenty years, with his novels (Year's of Rice and Salt, Forty Signs of Rain) crossing over to the mainstream, and routinely appearing on the New York Times best sellers list. During the 80s and early nineties, his short fiction continued to push the boundaries of science fiction, defining the science-focused side of the science fiction genre.Award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan worked with Kim Stanley Robinson to select the stories that make up this landmark volume. In addition to these reprints, The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson features a brand-new short story, "The Timpanist of the Berlin Philharmonic, 1942."
The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson
by Kim Stanley RobinsonKim Stanley Robinson has been an ongoing force in the Science Fiction genre for over twenty years, with his novels (Year's of Rice and Salt, Forty Signs of Rain) crossing over to the mainstream, and routinely appearing on the New York Times best sellers list. During the 80s and early nineties, his short fiction continued to push the boundaries of science fiction, defining the science-focused side of the science fiction genre. Award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan worked with Kim Stanley Robinson to select the stories that make up this landmark volume. In addition to these reprints, The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson features a brand-new short story, "The Timpanist of the Berlin Philharmonic, 1942."
The Best of Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet
by Kelly Link Gavin J. GrantContains stories by the amazing Jeffrey Ford, the fabulous Karen Joy Fowler, the unlikely Kelly Link, the thrilling Nalo Hopkinson, the shockingly good Karen Russell, the unnerving James Sallis, and dozens of uncanny others, as well as useful lists of many kinds and straight-shooting advice from Aunt Gwenda. Edited by Kelly Link & Gavin J. Grant, introduction by Dan Chaon.
The Best of Larry Niven
by Larry NivenIn the introduction, Jerry Pournelle writes "Niven wrote hard science when it wasn't fashionable." And he wrote it as well is it can be written. Spanning his career and crossing the universe. You get a good sampling of his work. There are a couple of Man-Kzin stories, several from his Known Space universe, one from the surface of Venus and two from before and after the Fall of Atlantis. The stories are all entertaining and some will haunt you. If you hear the term Flashmob on the news you will find out where it came from in this book. When you visit Draco's Tavern you will come to a bar that makes the famous bar seen in Starwars seem like a boring meeting of the local Rotary Club. And wait until you meet The Jigsaw Man or the Swordsman in Just Before the End.
The Best of Margaret St Clair
by Margaret St ClairMargaret St Clair is best known for her shorter science fiction and fantasy, much of the latter written under the pen name of Idris Seabright. She has a remarkably ironic sense of humor, and many of her stories have social or philosophical themes. Contents:Idris' Pig (1964)The Gardener (1949)Child of Void (1949)Hathor's Pets (1950)The Pillows (1950)The Listening Child (1950)Brightness Falls from the Air (1951)The Man Who Sold Rope to the Gnoles (1951)The Causes (1952)An Egg a Month from All Over (1952)Prott (1953)New Ritual (1953)Brenda (1954)Short in the Chest (1954)Horrer Howce (1956)The Wines of Earth (1957)The Invested Libido (1958)The Nuse Man (1960)An Old-Fashioned Bird Christmas (1961)Wryneck, Draw Me (1980)
The Best of Milligan & McCarthy
by Peter MilliganOne of comics' most fruitful collaborations gets its due in this deluxe collection of hard-to-find gems from Peter Milligan (Hellblazer, X-Statix) and Brendan McCarthy (Judge Dredd, The Zaucer of Zilk)! Collecting twenty years' worth of the pair's finest work from Vanguard Illustrated, Strange Days, 2000 AD, and Vertigo, this beautiful hardcover includes art that has been newly touched up by McCarthy and features original commentary by both creators. There is still nothing else like Freakwave, Paradax!, Skin, and Rogan Gosh, and this volume is both the perfect retrospective for fans and the ideal starting place for new readers!
The Best of Murray Leinster
by Murray LeinsterA collection of work from this author of classic science fiction with an introduction by J. J. Pierce.
The Best of Our Past, the Worst of Our Future
by Christi NogleThe Best of Our Past, the Worst of Our Future is whimsical and dreadful, verdant and sinister. Readers of &“quiet horror&” or &“slow-burn horror&” will enjoy this collection."Without a doubt, Christi Nogle is one of my favorite new voices in horror. Her fiction is by turns devastating, horrifying, and beyond beautiful. With her collection, The Best of Our Past, the Worst of Our Future, she's created something truly remarkable, the kind of horror that's filled with grit and heart. Don't miss this book; it's sure to be one of the very best collections of 2023."- Gwendolyn Kiste, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Rust Maidens and Reluctant ImmortalsThe Best of Our Past, the Worst of Our Future collects Christi Nogle&’s finest psychological and supernatural horror stories. Their rural and small-town characters confront difficult pasts and look toward promising but often terrifying futures. The pieces range in genre from psychological horror through science fiction and ghost stories, but they all share fundamental qualities: feminist themes, an emphasis on voice, a focus on characters&’ psychologies and a sense of the gothic in contemporary life. Stories here may recall Charlotte Perkins Gilman&’s &“The Yellow Wallpaper,&” Shirley Jackson&’s &“The Renegade,&” or Kelly Link&’s &“Stone Animals.&”
The Best of Penny Dread Tales
by Kevin J. Anderson & Quincy J. AllenFour years of Penny Dread Tales have revealed some fantastic talent. In this edition we’ve collected the cream of the crop. Herein lies the very Best of Penny Dread Tales: fourteen stories of boiler-splitting steampunk with a blend of sci-fi, paranormal, western, and horror. These stories will take you on a thrilling ride and you will love every minute of it! Including stories by: Cayleigh Hickey, Aaron Michael Ritchey, J.M. Franklin, Gerry Huntman, Laura Givens, Keith Good, Quincy J. Allen, David Boop, Vivian Caethe, Aaron Spriggs, David W. Landrum, Sam Knight, Mike Cervantes, and Jonathan D. Beer.
The Best of Philip E. High
by Philip E. HighThe Best of Philip E. HighWelcome to the Bizarre Imagination of Philip E. High.-A world without laws where the basest criminal activity flourishes unchecked in a dog-eat-dog society;-When the crew of a submarine find themselves flung millions of years into the past the consequences are devastating;-The minds of the entire population of a city are infected by the thoughts of a madman, and become insane themselves - and the contagion is spreading;-Mankind is facing extinction by an alien race of mind-readers who can anticipate man's every counter attack.Here is the first-ever collection of the greatest short stories of one of Britain's finest-ever SF writers - Philip E. High! Already well know on both sides of the Atlantic as a writer of many exciting adventure novels, these twelve stories reveal High as a true literary craftsman. A major science fiction event that is not to be missed!
The Best of Philip E. High
by Philip E. HighThe Best of Philip E. High Welcome to the Bizarre Imagination of Philip E. High. -A world without laws where the basest criminal activity flourishes unchecked in a dog-eat-dog society -When the crew of a submarine find themselves flung millions of years into the past the consequences are devastating -The minds of the entire population of a city are infected by the thoughts of a madman, and become insane themselves - and the contagion is spreading -Mankind is facing extinction by an alien race of mind-readers who can anticipate man's every counter attack Here is the first-ever collection of the greatest short stories of one of Britain's finest-ever SF writers - Philip E. High! Already well know on both sides of the Atlantic as a writer of many exciting adventure novels, these twelve stories reveal High as a true literary craftsman. A major science fiction event that is not to be missed!
The Best of Philip K. Dick
by Philip K. DickThirteen short stories by the legendary author of The Man in the High Castle and other science fiction classics. Philip K. Dick didn&’t predict the future―he summoned the desperate bleakness of our present directly from his fevered paranoia. Dick didn&’t predict the Internet or iPhones or email or 3D printers, but rather he so thoroughly understood human nature that he could already see, even at the advent of the transistor, the way technology would alienate us from each other and from ourselves. He could see us isolated and drifting in our own private realities even before we had plugged in our ear buds. He could see, even in the earliest days of space exploration, how much of our own existence remained unexplored, and how the great black spaces between people were growing even as our universe was shrinking. Philip K. Dick spent his first three years as a science fiction author writing shorter fiction, and in his lifetime he composed almost 150 short stories, many of which have gone on to be adapted into (slightly watered down) Hollywood blockbusters. Collected here are thirteen of his most Dickian tales, funhouse realities with trap doors and hidden compartments.
The Best of R. A. Lafferty (S. F. Masterworks Ser.)
by R.A. LaffertyTor Essentials presents science fiction and fantasy titles of proven merit and lasting value, each volume introduced by an appropriate literary figure.Acclaimed as one of the most original voices in modern literature, a winner of the World Fantasy Award for lifetime achievement, Raphael Aloysius Lafferty (1914-2002) was an American original, a teller of acute, indescribably loopy tall tales whose work has been compared to that of Avram Davidson, Flannery O’Connor, Flann O’Brien, and Gene Wolfe.The Best of R. A. Lafferty presents 22 of his best flights of offbeat imagination, ranging from classics like “Nine Hundred Grandmothers” and “The Primary Education of the Cameroi” to his Hugo Award-winning “Eurema’s Dam.”Introduced by Neil Gaiman, the volume also contains story introductions and afterwords by, among many others, Michael Dirda, Samuel R. Delany, John Scalzi, Connie Willis, Jeff VanderMeer, Kelly Robson, Harlan Ellison, Michael Swanwick, Robert Silverberg, Neil Gaiman, and Patton Oswalt.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The Best of R. A. Lafferty (S.F. MASTERWORKS)
by R. A. LaffertyAcclaimed as one of the most original voices in modern literature, Raphael Aloysius Lafferty has been awarded and nominated for a multitude of accolades over the span of his career, including the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement.This collection contains 22 unique tall tales, including:Hugo Award-winning'Eurema's Dam' - introduced by Robert SilverbergHugo Award-nominated'Continued on the Next Rock' - introduced by Nancy Kress'Sky' - introduced by Gwenda BondNebula Award-nominated'In Our Block' - introduced by Neil GaimanAnd more stories introduced by other modern masters of SF who acknowledge R.A. Lafferty as a major influence and force in the field.
The Best of Raymond Z. Gallun
by Raymond Z. Gallun J. J. PierceDel Rey / Ballantine, 1978. Collection of stories from a Golden Age science fiction writer, whose career spanned the pulp magazines of the 1930's, right through the 1980's. Includes an introduction by the editor, an afterword by Gallun, and these stories: Old Faithful (1934); Derelict (1935); Davey Jones' Ambassador (1935); Godson of Almarlu (1936); A Menace in Miniature (1937); Seeds of the Dusk (1938); Hotel Cosmos (1938); Magician of Dream Valley (1938); The Shadow of the Veil (1939); The Lotus-Engine (1940); Prodigal's Aura (1951); The Restless Tide (1951); Return of a Legend (1952).
The Best of Raymond Z. Gallun
by Raymond Z. GallunThis book contains five works by Raymond Z. Gallun. Gallun (1911-1994) was an important early sci-fi pulp writer whose works helped to popularize the genre. He published dozens of stories in the pulp magazines of the 1930s and remained popular during the post-World War II "Golden Age" of science fiction. Includes an active table of contents for easy navigation. This unexpurgated edition contains the complete text, with minor errors and omissions corrected.
The Best of Richard Matheson
by Richard Matheson Victor LavalleThe definitive collection of terrifying stories by "one of the greatest writers of the 20th century" (Ray Bradbury), edited by award-winning author Victor LaValleAmong the greats of 20th-century horror and fantasy, few names stand above Richard Matheson. Though known by many for novels like I Am Legend and his sixteen Twilight Zone episodes, Matheson truly shines in his chilling, masterful short stories. Since his first story appeared in 1950, virtually every major writer of science fiction, horror, and fantasy has fallen under his influence, including Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Peter Straub, and Joe Hill, as well as filmmakers like Stephen Spielberg and J.J. Abrams. Matheson revolutionized horror by taking it out of Gothic castles and strange cosmos and setting it in the darkened streets and suburbs we recognize as our own. He infused tales of the fantastic and supernormal with dark explorations of human nature, delving deep into the universal dread of feeling alone and threatened in a dangerous world. The Best of Richard Matheson brings together his greatest hits as chosen by Victor LaValle, an expert on horror fiction and one of its brightest talents, marking the first major overview of Matheson's legendary career."[Matheson is] the author who influenced me most as a writer." -Stephen King"Richard Matheson's ironic and iconic imagination created seminal science-fiction stories . . . For me, he is in the same category as Bradbury and Asimov." -Steven Spielberg"He was a giant, and YOU KNOW HIS STORIES, even if you think you don't." -Neil GaimanFor 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 disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
The Best of Robert E. Howard Volume 2
by Robert E. Howard"[Behind Howard's stories] lurks a dark poetry and the timeless truth of dreams." -Robert Bloch"Howard's writing seems so highly charged with energy that it nearly gives off sparks."-Stephen KingThe classic pulp magazines of the early twentieth century are long gone, but their action-packed tales live on through the work of legendary storyteller Robert E. Howard. From his fecund imagination sprang an army of larger-than-life heroes-including the iconic Conan the Cimmerian, King Kull of Atlantis, Solomon Kane, and Bran Mak Morn-as well as adventures that would define a genre for generations. Now comes the second volume of this author's breathtaking short fiction, which runs the gamut from sword and sorcery, historical epic, and seafaring pirate adventure to two-fisted crime and intrigue, ghoulish horror, and rip-roaring western.Kull reigns supreme in "By This Axe I Rule!" and "The Mirrors of Tuzan Thune"; Conan conquers in one of his most popular exploits, "The Tower of the Elephant"; Solomon Kane battles demons deep in Africa in "Wings in the Night"; and itinerant boxer Steve Costigan puts up his dukes of steel inside and outside the ring in "The Bulldog Breed." In between, warrior kings, daring knights, sinister masterminds, grizzled frontiersmen-even Howard's stunning heroine, Red Sonya-tear up the pages in stories built to thrill by their masterly creator. And in such epic poems as "Echoes from an Anvil," "Black Harps in the Hills," and "The Grim Land," the author blends his classic characters and visceral imagery with a lyricism as haunting as traditional folk balladry. Lavishly illustrated by Jim and Ruth Keegan, here is a Robert E. Howard collection as indispensable as it is unforgettable."Howard had a gritty, vibrant style-broadsword writing that cut its way to the heart, with heroes who are truly larger than life."-David Gemmell"For stark, living fear . . . What other writer is even in the running with Robert E. Howard?"-H. P. LovecraftFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
The Best of Robert E. Howard Volume One: Volume 1: Crimson Shadows (The Best of Robert E. Howard #1)
by Robert E. HowardRobert E. Howard is one of the most famous and influential pulp authors of the twentieth century. Though largely known as the man who invented the sword-and-sorcery genre-and for his iconic hero Conan the Cimmerian-Howard also wrote horror tales, desert adventures, detective yarns, epic poetry, and more. This spectacular volume, gorgeously illustrated by Jim and Ruth Keegan, includes some of his best and most popular works.Inside, readers will discover (or rediscover) such gems as "The Shadow Kingdom," featuring Kull of Atlantis and considered by many to be the first sword-and-sorcery story; "The Fightin'est Pair," part of one of Howard's most successful series, chronicling the travails of Steve Costigan, a merchant seaman with fists of steel and a head of wood; "The Grey God Passes," a haunting tale about the passing of an age, told against the backdrop of Irish history and legend; "Worms of the Earth," a brooding narrative featuring Bran Mak Morn, about which H. P. Lovecraft said, "Few readers will ever forget the hideous and compelling power of [this] macabre masterpiece"; a historical poem relating a momentous battle between Cimbri and the legions of Rome; and "Sharp's Gun Serenade," one of the last and funniest of the Breckinridge Elkins tales.These thrilling, eerie, compelling, swashbuckling stories and poems have been restored to their original form, presented just as the author intended. There is little doubt that after more than seven decades the voice of Robert E. Howard continues to resonate with readers around the world.From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Best of Robert Silverberg
by Robert SilverbergCollection of 10 stories: "Road to Nightfall," "Warm Man," "To See the Invisible Man," "The Sixth Palace," "Flies," "Hawksbill Station" (1967 Nebula finalist, 1968 Hugo finalist, best novella), "Passengers" (1969 Nebula winner, 1970 Hugo finalist, best short story), "Nightwings" (1969 Hugo winner, 1968 Nebula finalist, best novella), "Sundance," "Good News from the Vatican" (1971 Nebula winner, best short story).
The Best of Roger Zelazny (S.F. MASTERWORKS #194)
by Roger ZelaznyFrom the far reaches of space to the hidden corners of Earth, from aliens to wizards and everything in between . . .One of the most influential SFF writers of modern times, Roger Zelazny wrote across a wide range of subgenres and themes, experimenting with form and story with mastery. He won many awards throughout his lifetime, including six Hugo awards, three Nebula awards and two Locus awards. He has inspired many of today's great SFF authors. This new collection contains a selection of his short stories and novellas which span the depth and breadth of the human imagination.'Zelazny has always had one of the most inventive imaginations in the genre' Kirkus Reviews'Paragon of the storytelling art' Robert Silverberg'Zelazny's authority never falters, and nor does the charisma of his voice' Locus
The Best of Science Fiction
by Groff ConklinThis volume includes a large number of science fiction stories published between 1930 and 1945, from authors like Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Clifford D. Simak, Theodore Sturgeon, A.E. van Vogt, and many more.