John Shirley

The 2022 issue of Startling Stories presents more action-packed science fiction adventures. Here are tales of strange worlds, stranger civilization, mech warriors, adventures in space, and much, much more Included in this issue are: "Out on the Edge," by Darrell Schweitzer"A Quickening Tide," by A.J. McIntosh & Andrew J. Wilson"Pharmakon, Pharmakon," by M. Stern"Rising from the Devil's Planet," by Adrian Cole"Speaking with John Shirley" (Interview), conducted by Darrell Schweitzer"Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot: Alpha," by Grendel Briarton, Jr."Hua Gu Quan (Flower Drum Circle)," by Frances Lu-Pai Ippolito"You're Sunk " by Cynthia Ward"Introduction to Thoughts That Kill," by Phil Harbottle"Thoughts That Kill," by John Russell Fearn and Ron Turner (Comics Feature)"Sharptooth," by Lorenzo Crescenti"Just Like You and Me," by Stephen Persing"Tears In My Algabeer," by Eric Del Carlo"The Lost City of Los Angeles," by John Shirley"The Colour of Nothing," by Mike Chin

The 2022 issue of Startling Stories presents more action-packed science fiction adventures. Here are tales of strange worlds, stranger civilization, mech warriors, adventures in space, and much, much more Included in this issue are: "Out on the Edge," by Darrell Schweitzer"A Quickening Tide," by A.J. McIntosh & Andrew J. Wilson"Pharmakon, Pharmakon," by M. Stern"Rising from the Devil's Planet," by Adrian Cole"Speaking with John Shirley" (Interview), conducted by Darrell Schweitzer"Through Time and Space with Ferdinand Feghoot: Alpha," by Grendel Briarton, Jr."Hua Gu Quan (Flower Drum Circle)," by Frances Lu-Pai Ippolito"You're Sunk " by Cynthia Ward"Introduction to Thoughts That Kill," by Phil Harbottle"Thoughts That Kill," by John Russell Fearn and Ron Turner (Comics Feature)"Sharptooth," by Lorenzo Crescenti"Just Like You and Me," by Stephen Persing"Tears In My Algabeer," by Eric Del Carlo"The Lost City of Los Angeles," by John Shirley"The Colour of Nothing," by Mike Chin

Nancy A. Collins (Swamp Thing, Sunglasses After Dark) has called upon some of today's finest creative talents — including Gail Simone, Steve Niles, Joe R. Lansdale, Devin Grayson, Stephen R. Bissette, and many more — to celebrate Vampirella's 45th Anniversary by crafting an anthology of twisted tales, bizarre bedtime stories, and fearsome fables in the tradition of the original Warren magazines, each featuring everyone's favorite sexy, kick-ass vampire-turned-monster hunter. And, boy, have they delivered! While exploring the Transylvanian castle she's recently inherited, Vampirella discovers a strange old book of "Feary Tales" that seems oddly familiar. Upon opening it, she is sucked inside its pages and lands in a weird alternate reality, where she is compelled by a disembodied voice calling itself 'The Storyteller' to live out each of the 'feary tales' if she ever hopes to return to reality.Collects the five-issue Vampirella: Feary Tales comic book series, with a complete cover gallery.

Human competition is eternal. We thrill to victory, we suffer the agony of defeat. No matter what the future brings, sports will be a part of it. But what forms will these games take? Who will be the spectator, who will play? Will aliens be our opponents or machines? Will physical competition even exist? What rules will we play by? What will be at stake? What rewards will be reaped by the victors? What fates await the defeated? Will the entire universe be our arena or will our world be smaller than today? Visionary authors speculate on what swifter, higher, stronger, and winning will mean in the near and distant future.

The spirits of the dead have walked among our legends, myths, and stories since before recorded history. Ghostly visitations, hauntings, unquiet souls seeking the living, vengeful wraiths, the possibility of life beyond the grave that can somehow reach out and touch us are some of literature’s most enduring icons. Now, in the twenty-first century, we are no less fascinated with phantoms than our cave-dwelling ancestors or our Victorian-age forebears. Thirty modern masters of fright and fantasy fill this anthology with shivers, chills, and spooky explorations of both sides of the veil. Be prepared to keep a light on all night!

An original novel in the expansive universe of Microsoft's bestselling and award-winning Halo video game series – with more than 60 million games sold worldwide!Centuries before the Human-Covenant War would rage across the galaxy, a similar conflict erupted between the Prophets and the Elites—two alien races at odds over the sacred artifacts left by the powerful Forerunners, who disappeared eons ago. Although they would eventually form a stable alliance called the Covenant, there are those on both sides who question this fateful union. From an Elite splinter group rebelling against the Covenant during the time of its founding...to a brave Prophet caught in the machinations of the new leadership...to the root of the betrayal that would ultimately shatter the Covenant many years later, this is the untold chapter of the most unexpected heroes emerging from a realm filled with shocking treachery and ceaseless wonder.

Ralph Compton writer, John Shirley, takes traditional Westerns on a wild ride with the epic adventures of master gunfighter, horseman, and Civil War veteran Cleveland Trewe as he and his strong wife fight for survival in 1880s Nevada . . . Civil War veteran Cleve Trewe locks horns with a ruthless cattleman who's hungry for land, thirsty for power--and out for blood . . . After a long, hard journey west, Cleve Trewe is ready to settle down. He's got his beautiful wife Berry in San Francisco, a baby on the way, and his sights set on a gorgeous piece of land in the Sierras. This sweet slice of heaven is aptly named Sweet River, and it's the perfect place to build a ranch, farm, and home for his family. Problem is, Cleve's not the only one with his eyes on the land. A big-time cattle baron named Asa Hawthorn is prepared to use threats, intimidation--and armed thugs--to get what he wants. Worse yet, Cleve knows the man from the darkest days of the Civil War . . . Cleve's not about to surrender his claim.. He's got his buddy Kanaway by his side, a family of Paiute Indians on his team, and the property papers ready to sign. That's when the real trouble starts. To squash the deal, Hawthorn unleashes his deadliest henchmen--including a would-be gunfighter from Cleve's past and a killer-for-hire who never misses. The Paiute family recognizes some of them as the men who slaughtered their tribe--a massacre that Cleve suspects was the work of Asa Hawthorn. Either way, a major battle is brewing. And the crystal blue waters of Sweet River are about to turn red . . .

Enter the Infinite Staircase - a dreamlike expanse with doors leading to fantastical worlds and planes of existence. Quests from the Infinite Staircase embraces the magic of the most beloved Dungeons & Dragons adventures of all time, updated for the game's fifth edition. Your journey begins in the Infinite Staircase, a dreamlike expanse with doors leading to fantastical worlds, where you'll meet Nafas, a noble genie who fulfills wishes with the help of valiant heroes--like you As you explore what lies beyond each door, embark on timeless adventures and make memorable moments with your party. This handpicked collection contains 6 remastered first edition adventures, complete with striking settings and a lovable cast of characters. These unforgettable quests can be run individually or as a delightful campaign that takes characters from level 1 to 13.

Hippocampus Press is proud to commemorate ten years of our acclaimed journal of weird poetry, Spectral Realms, with the publication of the twentieth issue.As before, it contains a diverse array of poetry by today's leading versifiers in the realm of horror and the supernatural-John Shirley, Scott J. Couturier, Frank Coffman, Manuel P rez-Campos, Ngo Binh Anh Khoa, Leigh Blackmore, Ann K. Schwader, and a host of others. Maxwell I. Gold and Jay Sturner contribute provocative prose poems, while a cadre of poets pen tributes to Dylan Thomas (Carl E. Reed's Echoing Dylan Thomas"), Robert W. Chambers (David J. Kopaska-Merkel's "A Vision of Carcosa"), Emily Bront (Michael Potts's "After Heathcliff Digs Up Cathy"), and the imperishable Shakespeare (Kyla Lee Ward's "Malvolio's Revenge").Among the classic reprints are poems by the Scottish writer William Sharp and the Weird Tales poet Mary C. Shaw. The issue concludes with a detailed index of poets and poem titles to issues 11-20.

Some argue existence is an exercise in futility. They claim there are no winners in life. Ultimately, we are insignificant in the face of vast cosmic intelligences that were old when the Universe began.The best minds gibber at the incomprehensibility of it all. Other minds lose themselves in strange geometries because they can't comprehend any alternative.Whatever. The rest of us have to get up in the morning, feed the cat, and go to work.The Cozy Cosmic contains 33 stories of the horrors hidden within the micro-aggressions, the horrors trapped beneath the floorboards, and the horrors waiting patiently on the windowsill. This is the horror that forgets to turn off the light at night. This is the horror of waiting for the tea to boil, knowing full well who you just buried-for the second time-in the yard less than a hour ago. This is the horror of knowing where the dark wool comes from, but you wear the sweater anyway because it was a gift-an expression of love-and, well, being alone is worse than the horror of the unknowable, isn't it?The full table of contents for The Cozy Cosmic is as follows: John Shirley "Death, in Two"Tais Teng "On Hearing the First Shoggoth in Spring"Tyler Battaglia "What the Sea Provides"Ellis Bray "My Grandmother's Sacristy"E. E. Marshall "Right and Bright"Devan Barlow "Dinner, Overlooking the Sea"Scotty Milder "A Little God in Their Hands"Maxwell I. Gold "The Great Cosmic Itch"Remy Nakamura "Wet Dreams in R'lyeh"Andrew S. Fuller "A Perfectly Fine Hobby"Kiera Lesley "Obsolescent"Kurt Newton "A Mournful Melancholia of Things Forever Lost"J. B. Kish "Lo-Fi Chocolate Cake"Rajiv Mot "Carrisa and Kevin Gaze into the Abyss"Daniel David Froid "In Another Distant Land, in a Luminescent Land"Kate Ristau "Shine"Erik Grove "Fuzzy Fuzzy Kitty Kitties"William J. Connell "Poe's Guys Respond to Their Significant Others"Paul Jessup "The Museum of Endless Summer"Ngo Binh Anh Khoa "Through Life and Death, Forevermore"Jonathan Wood "Javapocalypse"L. E. Daniels "Final Cycle"Ken Hueler "The Unknowable Ones"Tania Chen "A Study of Metamorphosis Calamity"Eric Shanower "The Purple Emperor"Kevin Wetmore "A Child's Christmas in Innsmouth"Megan Lee Beals "Splinterbone"Corinne Hughes "The Sheep Rancher's Husband"Shanna Germain "A Napkin Upon Your Glass"Simone Cooper "Gnocchi"Jessie Kwak "Blood and Glitter"Cody T Luff "Den Mother"R. Ostermeier "The Dark Young"

The second in the action-packed new series from Ralph Compton writer, John Shirley, takes traditional Westerns on a wild ride with the epic adventures of master gunfighter, horseman, and Civil War veteran Cleveland Trewe as he and his strong partner, Bernice fight for survival in 1880s Nevada . . . Civil War veteran Cleveland Trewe stumbles onto a bizarre cult in the Sierra Nevada mountains--where the faithful are healed and fates are sealed . . . in blood. They say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. But it's hard to know what's going on inside the twisted mind of Magnus Lamb, the charismatic leader of an isolated logging town known for its healing hot springs. Some might say he's created a peaceful utopia here on Gunmetal Mountain. But for Cleveland Trewe and his lovely traveling companion Berry, this little piece of heaven is more like Hell on Earth . . . Cleve and Berry first discover the town after an encounter with a dangerous band of Indians. Cleve to vow to find "the Coyote," a young brave last seen headed for the strange settlement of Lambsville. At first, Cleve and Berry are charmed by the town's natural beauty and simple way of life. But soon they see the community for what it really is: a brainwashed cult with some oddball beliefs, a rigid caste system, and a leader who thinks he's the new Messiah. This not-so-innocent Lamb has heard about Cleve's legendary gunfighting skills and wants him to lead an army to expand his power across the West. It's bound to be a bloodsoaked mission, and Cleve wants no part of it. But if he refuses, there'll be hell to pay . . .

A routine rescue mission leaves a team of US soldiers, rescued hostages and a prisoner trapped above Earth in a suborbital craft, in this cinematic action-packed near-future thriller, perfect for fans of Tom Clancy and Jack Carr. "This is the kind of book that gives military SF a good name.” Financial Times Lieutenant Art Burkett, US Rangers Airborne, is called up to take part in an urgent rescue mission, using an innovative insertion from orbit. Three scientists have been kidnapped by the terrorist group Thieves in Law and their combined knowledge could result in worldwide devastation. The rescue is swift but violent. Art and his team return to SubOrbital 7, the military space-plane they landed in, intending to return to safety with hostages rescued and prisoners in tow. But Thieves in Law are not the only people looking for SubOrbital 7 and its occupants. With casualties onboard the orbiting craft and a dwindling oxygen supply, Art and his team must fight an ever-growing threat before time runs out for them, and possibly for the rest of the world.

IN THE GRAND TRADITION of Clark Ashton Smith; of H. P. Lovecraft's Fungi from Yuggoth, of Edgar Allan Poe and George Sterling and other masters of Weird Poetry...JOHN SHIRLEY-the Bram Stoker Award-winning writer; the noted novelist, author of Demons and Cellars and Lovecraft Alive and City Come A-Walkin' and Stormland and the A Song Called Youth trilogy and Black Butterflies; the songwriter; the lyricist for the Blue yster Cult... and frequent contributor to the weird poetry journal Spectral Realms-presents his first book of poems.His themes range widely: from irony-infused cautionary tales to the dangers of romance in a vein of nightmare; to the diabolic glimpsed from the corners of the eye; to the lyricism of streetcorners; to the magic energy of inescapable regret; to cosmic horror, secret sovereigns, and apocalypse... leavened by subtle glimpses of hope.This volume is lavishly illustrated by noted weird artist Dan Sauer, whose surreal photomontage work illuminates the savage beauty and dark epiphanies of Shirley's verse.