Staff Pick
It takes something special to truly unsettle me, but Thomas Ligotti does it effortlessly, again and again. He lulls you into a false sense of security with his languid pacing and eloquent prose. But there is no security to be found within these pages — only nightmares and an overwhelming sense of dread. These stories nest inside of you, so be prepared to be a host to madness. Recommended By Heather A., Powells.com
The release of this collection of Thomas Ligotti's first two story collections (which have been chronically out of print for many years) is an event not only for fans of Ligotti, but of weird fiction as a whole. Heralded as the premier voice of the Weird since H. P. Lovecraft, Ligotti writes nightmarish, off-kilter tales which are run-through with rich humor. These tales are great to read again and again, because like any real nightmare, a profound disquiet remains even if the specifics ebb away. Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe also makes for an uncommonly affordable jumping-on point for the uninitiated to catch up with such a singular voice. Recommended By Jubel B., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Two terrifying classics by the best kept secret in contemporary horror fiction” (The Washington Post)
The recent smash success of HBOs True Detective has sparked new interest in cult horror favorite Thomas Ligotti, who was cited by the shows creator, Nic Pizzolatto, as a prime influence. Ligottis debut story collection, Songs of a Dead Dreamer, and its follow-up, Grimscribe, marked a major evolution in supernatural horror. Influenced by the strange terrors of Lovecraft and Poe and by the brutal absurdity of Kafka, Ligotti eschews cheap, gory thrills for his own brand of atmospheric horror, which shocks at the deepest, existential, levels.
Ligottis stories take on decaying cities and lurid dreamscapes in a style ranging from rich, ornamental prose to cold, clinical detachment. His raw and experimental work lays bare the unimportance of our world and the sickening madness of human consciousness. Like the greatest writers of cosmic horror, Ligotti bends reality until it cracks, opening fissures through which he invites us to gaze on the unsettling darkness of the abyss below.
Review
“
Songs of a Dead Dreamer is full of inexplicable and alarming delights. . . . Put this volume on the shelf right between H. P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe. Where it belongs.” —
The Washington Post
“Thomas Ligotti has had one of the most quietly extraordinary careers in the history of horror fiction. He is a dense, witty, and enormously inventive writer.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer
Synopsis
Two terrifying classics by the best kept secret in contemporary horror fiction (The Washington Post)
Thomas Ligotti s debut collection, Songs of a Dead Dreamer, and his second, Grimscribe, permanently inscribed a new name in the pantheon of horror fiction.Influenced by the strange terrors of Lovecraft and Poe and by the brutal absurdity of Kafka, Ligotti eschews cheap, gory thrills for his own brand of horror, which shocks at the deepest, existential, levels.
Ligotti s stories take on decaying cities and lurid dreamscapes in a style ranging from rich, ornamental prose to cold, clinical detachment. His raw and experimental work lays bare the unimportance of our world and the sickening madness of the human condition. Like the greatest writers of cosmic horror, Ligotti bends reality until it cracks, opening fissures through which he invites us to gaze on the unsettling darkness of the abyss below.
For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust theseries to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-datetranslations by award-winning translators."
Synopsis
Thomas Ligotti's debut collection, Songs of a Dead Dreamer, and his second, Grimscribe, permanently inscribed a new name in the pantheon of horror fiction. Influenced by the strange terrors of Lovecraft and Poe and by the brutal absurdity of Kafka, Ligotti crafted his own brand of existential horror, which shocks at the deepest levels. In decaying cities and lurid dreamscapes tormented by the lunatic pageantry of masks, puppets, and obscure ritual, Ligotti's works lay bare the sickening madness of the human condition.
From his dark imagination emerge stories like "The Frolic" and "The Last Feast of Harlequin," waking nightmares that splinter the schemes validating our existence. In these collections, Ligotti bends reality until it cracks, opening fissures through which he invites us to gaze on the unsettling darkness below-an ordeal from which one may perhaps return, but never to be the same
About the Author
Thomas Ligotti was born in Detroit in 1953. Among the most acclaimed horror writers of the past thirty years, he has received three Bram Stoker Awards, a British Fantasy Award, and an International Horror Guild Award. He lives in South Florida.
Jeff VanderMeer is the author of the New York Timesbestselling Southern Reach trilogy (Annihilation, Authority, and Acceptance). He is a three-time World Fantasy Award winner.