Tartarus Press
publishers
Tartarus Press
Bibliography
2021-2024
under construction...
2024:
227: THE THUNDERSTORM COLLECTORS, by Mark Valentine, 12th September 2024. 250 pages. £45.00. 350 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-58-5. Contains: ‘Introduction’, ‘ “Our Mortal Longing”: Walter de la Mare and the Modern Ghost Story’, ‘More Modern Ghosts’, ‘ “Wrapped in His Books”: Scholars in M.R. James’ Stories’, ‘ “King Pharaoh”: M.R. James and the Folk-Song Collector’, ‘The Wrong Register: A Wilkie Collins Mystery’, Beyond Arcturus: Collecting David Lindsay’, ‘ “A Writer of Originality and Power”: a Note on J. Mills Whitham’, ‘The Sphinx and the Book Collector: A Note on Norman Davey’, ‘ “The Perfume of a Dying Rose”: Park Barnitz’s The Book of Jade’, ‘The Thunderstorm Collectors’, ‘Devilled Almonds and Doomed Boys: Some Avant-Garde Poetry of 1920’, ‘Rococo Poet on the Rive Gauche: A Note on Ralph Cheever Dunning’, ‘Brooding Youth: Eight Cambridge Saturnines’, ‘Arthur Machen and the Mysteries of the Grail’, ‘Things Temporal, Things Eternal: James Branch Cabell and Arthur Machen in Correspondence’, ‘ “It is Getting Very Late & Dark”: Arthur Machen’s Later Fiction’, ‘Rapt in Secret Studies: Colin Still and the Mysteries of The Tempest’, ‘ “Literary Conjuring”: A.J.A. Symons’ The Quest for Corvo’, ‘A Home on the Borderland: William Hope Hodgson and Borth’, ‘Time and Time Again: Experiments in Time’, ‘A Landscape Detective’, ‘Wanderers and Wayfarers’, ‘Brittle Gods’, ‘The Joy of Obscure Journals’, ‘English Almanacs’, ‘The Red Lion’, ‘Lost Sovereigns’, ‘Arthur of the Seventies’, ‘Through the Golden Valley to the Dark Tower’, ‘Acknowledgements’
226: THE SPECIMENS, by Hana Gammon, 15th August 2024. 250 pages. £45.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-59-2.
Reviews
'The mysteries presented at the beginning of this remarkable first novel by a young South African writer are never resolved, but the tension and powerfully eerie atmosphere are sustained throughout in a compellingly weird tale involving doubles, masks and a search for understanding.' Lisa Tuttle, The Guardian
'Gammon’s complex and lyrical debut explores the intricacies of identity and self-determination through the lens of monstrosity. . . .Fans of harder science fiction may find themselves frustrated by the lack of clear answers, but those who appreciate a more poetic approach to genre writing will find plenty to hold their attention.' Publishers Weekly
225: ROBERT AICKMAN: SELECTED LETTERS TO KIRBY McCAULEY, April 1967 -DECEMBER 1980, 18th July 2024. 276 + vii pages. £45.00. 400 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in wibalin cloth stamped in gold and silver, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-57-8. Annotated and indexed.
224: THE SERVANTS AND OTHER STRANGE STORIES, by John O'Donoghue. 21st June 2024. 283 pages. £45.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-55-4. Contents: ‘The Irish Short Story That Never Ends’, ‘Bitter Chill’, ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’, ‘Refugees’, ‘The Spot in His Eye’, ‘Letters from a Famine’, ‘The Heart’s Needle’, ‘The Servants’, ‘The Islanders’, ‘Acknowledgements’.
223: GHOST STORIES OF M.R. JAMES, by M.R. James, illustrated with six wood engravings by Keith A. Pettit. 8th February 2024. 341 pages. £45.00. 500 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by T.J. Books, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-53-0. Contents: 'Introduction' by R.B. Russell and Rosalie Parker. Ghost Stories: ‘Canon Alberic’s Scrap-book’, ‘Lost Hearts’, ‘The Mezzotint’, ‘The Ash-Tree’, ‘Number 13’, ‘Count Magnus’, ‘ “Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad” ’, ‘The Treasure of Abbot Thomas’, ‘Casting the Runes’, ‘The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral’, ‘Martin’s Close’, ‘Mr Humphreys and His Inheritance’, ‘A View from a Hill’, ‘A Warning to the Curious’, ‘An Evening’s Entertainment’, ‘A Vignette’. Appendices: ‘Occult Sciences’, ‘On Demonology’.
Of the above 500 copies, 30 are numbered and signed by the artist, Keith A. Pettit, and are accompanied by a set of six wood engravings which are signed, with matching numbers, in a bespoke handmade folder.
2023:
222a: THE GOOD UNKNOWN, by Stephen Volk, 26th October 2023. 276 pages. £45.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-52-3. Digital artwork by R.B. Russell.
Contents: ‘Unrecovered’, ‘The Waiting Room’, ‘Three Fingers, One Thumb’, ‘31/10’, ‘The Good Unknown’, ‘The Flickering Light’, ‘Hojo the Fearless’, ‘Baby on Board’, ‘Cold Ashton’, ‘Lost Loved Ones’, ‘The Crossing’, ‘Acknowledgements’.
Reprinted:
222b. December 2023. Paperback.
Reviews:
'Whether evoking the classic ghost story tradition or working in a more contemporary vein, Volk demonstrates complete mastery of the uncanny. If, as a character in one story reasons, “ghosts were the natural consequence of the brain trying to make sense of what it saw,” then this collection shows imaginatively the variety of disturbing forms they can take. Horror readers will be wowed.'
'Starred' review, Publishers Weekly
'The Good Unknown and other ghost stories is another triumph from Volk, digging deep into the human condition via an extraordinary range of voices, perspectives, and periods. Often melancholic, frequently eerie or chilling, and above all, very, very human. Highly recommended.' Kit Power, Ginger Nuts of Horror
'This is another superb compilation from Stephen Volk, showing range and versatility and a compassionate insight that most writers can only envy. Very highly recommended.' Con Connolly, Phantasmagoria (Issue 24, Summer 2024)
'This is another outstanding collection from Stephen Volk. In a review of his work many years ago I called him a master craftsman and it’s an assessment I stand by, and one which is reinforced by the stories in The Good Unknown. It’s a book I heartily recommend.' Anthony Watson, Dark Musings
'A fantastic and thought-provoking collection of ghost stories, one that is not just content to break the mould, but has great fun in assembling the pieces into new, imaginative and intelligent shapes.' Jim Moon, Microgoria
'Each of the eleven stories of The Good Unknown can stand up on its own; but together they add up to something more, to a different kind of telling of the ghost; for what is all the time engrossing in these stories is how we can never quite guess in what body or phantom the consciousness, feelings and thoughts of the story will settle.' Phil Smith, Mythogeography
"A splendid book." Mario Guslandi, Hellnotes
" ’Tis the season for ghost stories – ‘winter tales’ to use a traditional term. And a collection by a Welsh author may well go down as the year’s best." Matthew G Rees, Nation/Cymru
"Not all are ‘ghost stories’ in the strictest sense, and most tilt towards horror. Every one will grab your throat while you look over your shoulder at that shadow in the corner. Best read in a quiet spot alone, so you can hear the voices." Aurealis, 169
221: MY LIFE AS AN ALIEN, by Seraj Assi, 29th September 2023. 214 pages. £40.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-51-6. Artwork by Midjourney.
Review
"Assi’s voyage from the Old World to the New – and the fictional representation of it in My Life As An Alien – is the dream of many a voyager in our contemporary world. It seems we live in times of great displacement. Here is a novel, an excellent comic, sardonic, novel in which the voices shouted down and shouted over, refused, excluded, abandoned, deported, finally get a chance to speak."
John O'Donoghue in Critical Muslim magazine
220a: TIME OF PASSING, by John Gaskin, 4th August 2023. 212 pages. £40.00. 350 signed copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-49-3. Artwork by R.B. Russell.
Contents: ‘Foreword’, ‘Time of Passing’, ‘The Stone Guest’, ‘The Second Master’, ‘Avernus’, ‘The Gathering’, ‘The New Member’, ‘Dead Hands’, ‘Blaeweary’, ‘The Return of Fire’, ‘On a Summer Night’, ‘Cropsey’s Hole’, ‘The Sea’, ‘Last Words’.
Reprinted:
220b. June 2024. Paperback
Reviews
'While Tartarus Press may be best known for its multi-volume edition of the “strange stories” of Robert Aickman, it has also championed current practitioners of the British tradition of supernatural fiction. This fall’s Time of Passing: Tales of Twilight and Borderlands, a fifth—and apparently final—collection from John Gaskin, demonstrates this restrained style of storytelling.' Michael Dirda, Washington Post
"Another classic ornament to the genre. For reading by the fire with a bottle of port, preferably by candlelight, with the shutters firmly closed." Clare Rhoden, Aurealis #166
"A book for clever and sensitive readers, Time of Passing is the beautiful, melancholic literary last will of an author who’s supposedly retiring from writing. We can only hope that he will change his mind." Mario Guslandi, Black Gate
219: CAGED OCEAN DUB, by Dare Segun Falowo, 4th May 2023. 242 pages. £40.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-45-5. Artwork by Midjourney. Contains: ‘Introduction’, I: Hungers: ‘Akara Oyinbo’, ‘Busola Orange Juice’, ‘Oases’, ‘Eating Kaolin’, ‘October in Eran Riro’. II: Hauntings: ‘The Fields of Abete, Iwaya’, ‘Vain Knife’, ‘Sonskins’, ‘Ngozi Ugegbe Nwa’, ‘The Visions of Atanda Ekun’, ‘Kikelomo Ultrasheen’. III: Heralds: ‘LSD-1842’, ‘The Waterwidower’, ‘We Are Born’, ‘Take Wing’, ‘What Not to Do When Spelunking in Anambra’, ‘Biscuit and Milk’, ‘Convergence in Chorus Architecture’.
Reviews:
"A self-described practitioner of 'Nigerian Weird,' a rubric broad enough to take in both the word-intoxicated Amos Tutuola (The Palm-Wine Drinkard) and Booker Prize winner Ben Okri (The Famished Road) . . . Falowo knows his Gabriel García Márquez." Michael Dirda, The Washington Post
"Falowo’s transporting debut collection combines the fantastical, the spiritual, and the everyday to vivid effect." Publishers Weekly
"If one were to search for a term to best capture what Falowo is doing in these stories, it might be ostranenie, Viktor Shklovsky’s phrase that has variously been translated as ‘estrangement’, ‘defamiliarization’, or ‘making strange’. In ‘Art as Technique’, Shklovsky describes defamiliarization as an artistic technique of making the familiar seem strange, as though it was being seen for the first time ... one of Shklovsky’s translators, called it ‘enstrangement’ – a combination of ‘estrangement’ and ‘making strange’ – perhaps the most accurate descriptor of Falowo’s work." Gautam Bhatia, Interzone
"Tartarus has simply outdone itself with this collection and I'm just over the moon that they've chosen to highlight the work of this Nigerian author, which is, simply stated, superlative. Falowo's writing meshes together surrealism, the speculative, the weird and the strange as well as folklore, mythology and tradition, all of which put together mark something new and exciting on the literary weird scene, although to try to pigeonhole this book into the 'weird' category simply doesn't do it justice." Nancy Oakes, Oddly Weird Fiction
"Caged Ocean Dub is a remarkable debut. Falowo's style is poetic, dazzling, and perhaps a little heady for readers used to firm restraint and the (very artificial) conventions of realism. There is power here, and strangeness, and a sense of cultural tectonic plates shifting. None of which are bad things." David Longhorn, Supernatural Tales
"Embracing folklore, realism, surrealism, science fiction and even poetry, Falowo’s fearless stories are electrifying, terrifying and a joyous reading experience." Rick Kleffel, Narrative Species
"Dare Segun Falowo isn’t your everyday storyteller, and that’s every reason to read him. . . an exciting and highly imaginative writer . . . Caged Ocean Dub reminds you of the pleasure of reading, simply reading. . . . Falowo superbly crafts each story’s hook, entrancing and luring you into a dream . . ." Aurealis #159
"I would recommend this short story collection to anyone who is looking for a combination of weirdness, horror and poetry!" British Fantasy Society
218: THE PEACOCK ESCRITOIRE with AT DUSK, by Mark Valentine, 24th March 2023. 243 pages. £45.00. 350 signed copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-48-6. Artwork b y Midjourney.
Contains: The Peacock Escritoire: ‘The Ka of Astarakhan, ‘The Amber Cigarette, ‘The Wine of the Serpent, ‘A Revelation of Cormorants, ‘A Certain Power, ‘Sime in Samarkand, ‘Morpheus House, ‘The Antioch Imperial, ‘The Tontine of Thirteen, ‘The Second Master, ‘The Autumn Keeper, ‘So, About Hats, ‘Cedar is the Firewood of Kings, ‘The Late Post, ‘That Nothing Human Scorn, ‘The Return to Trebizond, ‘The Old Light’. At Dusk: ‘Cavafy: His Visiting Cards Are Faded, ‘Bacovia: Always the Crows, ‘Kerestedjian (Lubin): Among Strange Streets, ‘Kolmar: Their Strange Beasts, ‘Milov: A Lantern Head, ‘Czechowicz: The White Dust, ‘Reverdy: This Subtle Impress, ‘Dizdar: A Searcher of Stones, ‘Paavolainen: Ensombred, ‘Radnoti: A Sly Angel, ‘Desnos: The Hatless Strangers, ‘Antoniou: The White Chariots, ‘Veli: Some Mustard, ‘van Ostaijen: Gnostic Comedian, ‘Saba: A Boy on a Gate, ‘Pessoa: Black Lilies, ‘Ulinover: Sabbath Candles, ‘Espanca: She Called Saudade Her Sister, ‘Machado: These Footfalls, ‘Nezval: The Umbrellas of Prague, ‘Jacob: The Rose Chasuble, ‘Munch-Petersen: Pagan Vagabond, ‘Marsman: The Black Boat, ‘Antonych: The Other Tongue, ‘Kosovel: No More Need Be Said, ‘Zollinger: The Incense of Artemis, ‘Talvik: The Blighted Leaves, ‘Nastasijević: The Epitaphs of Moments, ‘Riff: Chanted by Azariah, ‘de L. Milosz: The Sunset is a Salamander, ‘Meerbaum-Eisinger: She Walked in the Twilight of Czernowitz, ‘Galaktion: He Consorted with Seraphs, ‘Char: To Respire is to Revolt, ‘Onofri: Exquisite Orphist, ‘Ziemelnicks: Poppy-haunted, ‘Notes and Acknowledgements.’
Reviews:
'In whatever he writes, Mark Valentine draws on his extensive reading in forgotten authors and books. Consider the 17 stories and 35 prose poems in The Peacock Escritoire, packaged in this volume with At Dusk. In “Sime in Samarkand,” for instance, the celebrated fantasy artist Sidney Sime reluctantly agrees to illustrate James Elroy Flecker’s “The Golden Journey to Samarkand.” It turns out that Sime, like the protagonist of Lovecraft’s “Pickman’s Model,” doesn’t imagine unearthly beings; he copies them from life.' Michael Dirda, The Washington Post
'The book is lavishly fitting for eccentric readers of varying persuasions. . . . The accompanying At Dusk is a titbit alight with fiery spectres of the macabre, dark armoires tongued with light, and crows skulking over horizons." Aurealis 167
217:
DREAM FOX AND OTHER STRANGE STORIES, by Rosalie Parker, 23rd February 2023. 239 pages. £40.00. 300 signed copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-43-1. Artwork by Gina Litherland. Contains ‘Beguiled’, ‘Air Crew’, ‘Madre de Dios’, ‘Memories’, ‘Pebble’, ‘Bipolarity’, ‘School Trip’, ‘Black Shadow’, ‘Dream Fox’, ‘Endgame’, ‘All Talk’, ‘Tremor’, ‘Home Comforts’, ‘The Decision’, ‘Turbulence’, ‘The Walled Garden: A Fable’, ‘Homecoming’, ‘Power of the Garden’, Mary Belgrove’s Book of Unusual Experiences: ‘Introduction’, ‘Country House Party’, ‘Stones and Bones’, ‘Deep Roots’, ‘The Dating Game’, ‘View from a Tower’, ‘Brighton Byways’, ‘Summer Holiday’, ‘The Back Parlour’, ‘The Man in the Park’, ‘Afterword’.
Reviews:
"In the emotionally complex title story of Rosalie Parker’s Dream Fox and Other Strange Stories, a young girl’s empathy for the foxes hunted by her farmer father culminates in a shocking finale and an even more shocking metamorphosis. Besides Parker’s own excellent short fiction, this volume also incorporates “Mary Belgrove’s Book of Unusual Experiences.” In one of those experiences, a weekend at a snowbound country house mixes flirtation, possible adultery, an eerie portrait and an atmosphere of growing unease. What more could you want?" Michael Dirda, The Washington Post
"There is an empathetic delicacy to her writing that infuses these stories of place, of love lost and found and of family in its many and varied forms with a feminine focus that imparts a sinuous and thoughtful subtlety to the underlying frisson of the strange." Ian Holloway, Wyrd Britain
"Dream Fox and Other Strange Stories is an enigmatic tour de force, which does weird right ... this collection is superb." Tori Borne, British Fantasy Society
"A perfect example of all the strengths of the modern 'strange' short story format. Parker writes an up-to-date take on the classic weird/strange short story in a thoroughly enjoyable collection that capitalizes on the strengths of the format. The writing is superb and varied, though united by an observable feminine vision. Put all of this in a gorgeously designed hardcover, and you have the makings of a book to read and re-read." Rick Kleffel, Narrative Species.
There is also an audio interview with the author at the end of the review.
"A collection of strange stories that never fail to interest and, considered as a whole, represent a considerable creative achievement." David Longhorn, Supernatural Tales
"Parker’s perfect, observant prose charms readers deeper into the strange worlds she constructs. Those worlds are not always safe, especially for the protagonists. With themes in overlapping spaces between horror, paranormal and fantasy, most stories are comfortably unsettling. A loitering unease, a tenacious mood of what-if, and a rich echo of marginal realities infuse the storylines... A swag of stories to entertain, provoke and linger." Aurealis #161
From The Endless Bookshelf on Twitter: 'current reading: Rosalie Parker, Dream Fox and Other Strange Stories, Tartarus Press, [2023]. A beautiful book. Collection of 18 stories, plus “Mary Belgrove’s Book of Unusual Experiences” . . . to read “Mary Belgrove’s Book of Unusual Experiences” is to find an unexpected, fascinating book on a bargain shelf or at a rummage sale, & learn that the world is not such a tidy, rational place [the vanity press frame story is very funny, too].'
2022:
216a: LITERARY HAUNTINGS: A GHOST STORY GAZETTEER, edited by R.B. Russell, Rosalie Parker and Mark Valentine. 1st December 2022. 309 pages. £45.00. 350 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gold, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-43-1. Artwork y Midjourney.
Reprinted:
216b. January 2023. Jacketed paperback.
Reviews:
"I see this as a book for both summer and winter enjoyment – summer as a travel accessory, and winter as a stepping stone to fireside reading." Northern Earth, 173, September 2023
"This lovely book is useful both as a reminder of half-forgotten classics and a grimoire of British horror’s hidden lore. Even the most seasoned readers, who may not be willing to embark on a real and expensive roadtrip, will certainly be guided by these expert editors into discovering dozens of ghostly gems that are screaming to be revisited." Dejan Ognjanovic, Rue Morgue, Issue 211 Mar/Apr 2023
215a: THE FERRY OF SOULS, by A.L. Salmon. 7th November 2022. 262 pages. £40.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in silver, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-44-8. Cover art by Adolf Hiremy-Hirschl. Contains: ‘Introduction’ by Johnny Mains, The Ferry of Souls: ‘The Ferry of Souls’, ‘A Garden of Dreams’, ‘The Picture: A Tale of a Cornish Village’, ‘The Sea Child’, ‘The Gods in Exile’, ‘The Ship of Desire’, ‘The Were-Wolf’, ‘The Moorland Stream’, ‘The Payment’, ‘Mirage’, ‘Aphrodite’, ‘The Place of Haunting Sorrows’, ‘Autumn’, ‘The Child in the Fields’, ‘The Monk’s Vigil’, ‘A Proselyte’, ‘The Return I’, ‘The Return II’, Two Poems: , ‘Pleading’, ‘Circe’, Waysides & Byways: Studies of Loneliness’, 1. The Old Road’, ‘II. The Dreamer’, ‘III The Lake’, ‘IV. The Wind on the Heath’, ‘V. The Light’, ‘VI. The Dancing-Floor’, ‘VII. On the River’, ‘VIII. A Way of Escape’, ‘Father Paul’, ‘The Novice’, ‘The Musician’, ‘False Dawn’, ‘ “A Cameron” ’, ‘ “For the Fallen”: A Sketch in Dialogue’, ‘The Beasts that Perish’, ‘The Doctor’, ‘ “They That Go Down to the Sea in Ships” ’, Additional Stories: ‘Calling the Dead’, ‘The Horror’, ‘A.L. Salmon: A Bibliography’.
Reprinted:
215b. February 2023. Paperback.
Review:
'This collection of stories seeks, and succeeds, to re-position Salmon as a significant author of supernatural fiction. For lovers of literary supernatural fiction and short stories.' Aurealis #161
214a: DARK ARTS, by Eric Stener Carlson. 15th September 2022. 243 pages. £40.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in wibalin cloth stamped in copper, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-40-0. Cover art by Joseph Dawson. Contains: ‘Author’s Introduction’, ‘Golden Book’, ‘Coffee Shop’, ‘Divining Rod’, ‘Leopard-spotted Scarf’, ‘Corridor’, ‘Bradycardia’, ‘Stray’, ‘Strasse 60, Berlin’, ‘Salt’, ‘Monsieur Machine’, ‘I Loved You at Your Darkest’, ‘The Atelier’.
Reprinted:
214b. April 2024. Paperback.
Reviews:
'A traditional structure and simple yet elegant style add to the impression that these modern tales could be timeless classics.' Lisa Tuttle, The Guardian
'These subtle, oblique tales are sure to appeal to fans of weird fiction.' Publishers Weekly
'... exquisite, lyrical ... beautiful, offbeat.' Mario Guslandi, Horror World
'Dark Arts represents the literary end of horror and weird, in a rewarding assemblage of ardently readable stories. Fans of high-end speculative fiction will want this on their shelves.' Aurealis #160
'Dark Arts is a truly excellent collection, both beautiful and terrifying, written by a skilled master of his own art. Beyond highly recommended, I cannot praise this book enough.' Nancy Oakes, Oddly Weird Fiction
213a: THE FIG GARDEN AND OTHER STORIES, by Mark Valentine. 17th May 2022. 235 pages. £40.00. 350 signed copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in wibalin cloth stamped in copper, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-39-4. Contains: 'Except Seven’, ‘Seaweed Tea’, ‘Character’, ‘The Pale Sentinels of Asphodel’, ‘For She Will Have Her Harvest’, ‘Candle Land’, ‘The Veiled Republics’, ‘The Forwarding Agent’, ‘The Witch Heath’, ‘Red Lion Rising’, ‘The Fig Garden’, ‘Afterword: ‘The Real Map of England’, Acknowledgements.
Reprinted:
213b. October 2022. Paperback.
WORMWOOD 38, Edited by Mark Valentine, 12th May 2022. 130 pages. £9.99. 400 copies. Paperback journal printed on cream bookwove paper, and bound by TJ Books. Contains: ‘Editorial’ by Mark Valentine, 'Of Witches, Druids & Werewolves: The Supernatural Novels of J.W. Brodie-Innes' by Peter Bell, 'Boundaries of Friendship: Two Nephews and Their Uncles' by John Howard, 'An Ecstasy of Repetition: The Flower Power Phantasmagoria of The Seeds' by Iain Smith, 'Charles Dickens and the Ghost Story' by Thomas Kent Miller, 'Laidlaw Books: A Forgotten Publisher of Fantasy and Modernism' by Douglas A. Anderson', 'Monocles, Hawthorn, and Memory, or, A Short Despatch on a Long Book' by Henry Wessells', 'The Wormwood Interview: Rosemary Pardoe', ‘Under Review’ by Reggie Oliver, ‘Camera Obscura’ by John Howard.
212: WHAT I WAS AFRAID OF, by Eric Hanson. 10th March 2022. 237 pages. £40.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in wibalin printed cloth stamped in gilt, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-37-0. Cover art by Eric Hanson. Contains: 'Pilbeam', 'Billy Shaws', 'The Dream Parents', 'Candyland', 'I Love You, Douglas', 'Never Mind, Mr Fairchild', 'Midnight', 'Mort', 'Fugitive Joy', 'Lily, Lily, Piccadilly', 'Little Pictures', 'An Introduction to Fiction', 'Undine', 'Black Sedan', 'Dresden', 'Equilibrium', 'Insurance', 'Minor Points of Anatomy', 'What I Was Afraid Of'.
Reviews
"The upshot of Hanson’s perceptions and writing is to gnaw away at existence itself, to undermine reality, to loosen the reader’s hold on the world that supposedly surrounds us all. Eric Hanson takes you to the nicest, safest place in the world, a place more terrifying than you thought you could imagine." Narrative Species (The website also includes a fascinating interview with Eric Hanson.)
"Hanson’s new short-story collection, What I Was Afraid Of, is a book of fears, suspicions, uncertainties, bewilderment, confusion, guilt, and unease. It’s an exploration of things that never happened, and couldn’t happen because we are safe inside, under the covers, with the doors locked. A standout is “An Introduction to Fiction,” which captures the unique indignities of being an unknown never-was in a sea of literary luminaries." Airmail
"These are stories out of the Twilight Zone, dark dreams of weird and sinister happenings. Things don't always add up; actions might not make sense. . . . A dark, disturbing yet undeniably fascinating read." Laurie Hertzel, Star Tribune
"The concept behind Eric Hanson’s collection What I Was Afraid Of is intriguing: stories rooted in fear and the unknown tied together at the end by an extract of Hanson’s memoir.... Hanson doesn’t shy away from stories that might make a reader uncomfortable ... It is in these stories where Hanson shines." Aurealis, 152
"A surprise lurks beyond every sentence of What I Was Afraid Of—usually an unsettling one. This assured collection of stories by Eric Hanson is both eerie and eerily good." Ben Yagoda, author, About Town: The New Yorker and the World It Made.
211a: ROBERT AICKMAN: AN ATTEMPTED BIOGRAPHY, by R.B. Russell, cover art by Joseph Dawson. 3rd February 2022. 396 + vi pages, including an index, and a 20pps plate section. £45.00. 500 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by TJ Books, in wibalin cloth stamped in gilt and silver, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-36-3. Cover art by Joseph Dawson.
Reprinted:
211b. March 2023. Reprinted as Robert Aickman: A Biography. Paperback.
Review
"Clear-eyed and dispassionate." Margaret Drabble, Times Literary Supplement
"Nobody knows more about this author of beautifully composed, hallucinatory short fiction than R.B. Russell. Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography — the subtitle echoes Aickman’s memoir, The Attempted Rescue — reveals a man, both charming and rabidly opinionated, who seems to have polarized everyone he met. . . ." Michael Dirda, The Washington Post
"Masterful. . . Russell is quite aware that a biography of Aickman can only be attempted because, from moment to moment, what Aickman experienced and what he imagined are hard to separate. It is a virtue of this biography that it shows how, for Aickman, experience was what he imagined." The New York Sun
'Compelling.' Roger Luckhurst, The Fortean Times (December 2023. Issue number 439)
"Finessing of Aickman’s reputation will be further enhanced by R.B. Russell’s detailed, intelligent and comprehensive biography, which is surely the last word on the author – it is impossible to imagine more justice being done to his reputation." Barry Forshaw, CrimeTime
"This book is formidably well-written and researched. Russell has interviewed many people who knew Aickman, and their responses have been exceptionally articulate and illuminating. These first-hand impressions of the man are one of the book’s great strengths. A good biography will tell you what it was like to know the subject; a very good one will give you an idea of what it was like to be the subject: Russell’s Robert Aickman attempts both and succeeds." Reggie Oliver, Wormwood 38
"An Attempted Biography" now enjoys a place of honor on my favorites bookshelf -- I am just completely in awe of what Russell has accomplished here." the real stuff
"...insightful, revealing information about a true master of horror." Dejan Ognjanovic, Rue Morgue
"The massive biography is, first of all, a work of love ... but also an effective display of Russell’s capacity as a devoted scholar in the genre of dark fiction." Blackgate.com
"Ray Russell’s highly readable biography of Robert Aickman gives an unparalleled glimpse into a life that contained more psychological complications than is usual even amongst authors of “strange stories”. ... All credit to [Tartarus Press] and to Ray Russell for being unflinchingly objective in the biography of a writer whose writings he and Tartarus Press obviously value immensely." Phantasmagoria magazine #21
"Comprehensive" IZ Digital
"...we should indeed feel comfortable trusting Russell’s account, which is meticulously researched and stems from years of study and careful reflection on Aickman’s 'idiosyncratic stories'." Alvaro Zinos-Amaro in his 2022 Year in Review, Locus
"In this biography, R B. Russell has put his familiar thoroughness to the wheel to provide us with an insight into the man himself." British Fantasy Society
210: SHE SLEEPS, by R.B. Russell, 14th January 2022. 302 pages. £17.95. Paperback.
Reviews
'[A] cleverly wrought crime thriller.' Publishers Weekly
'...the much-anticipated first novel from an author widely admired for his strange tales.' Washington Post
'Russell's elegant but effective prose ... leads the reader with ease through the many twists of the plot making the novel an engrossing and quite enjoyable reading experience.' Gumshoe Review
' ... a little gem that as exciting as it is nostalgic... This has at first, a hint of High Fidelity, but written by a writer who in contrast to Nick Hornby can actually write.' Gerrit Wustmann, Rocks
'Beautifully written, as always.' Nicholas Royle
'This is a delightful novel, gripping in its way and posing important questions about the role of art in our lives, then leaving the reader along with everybody else to puzzle out the answers that fit. I loved it.' Peter Tennant, Black Static
2021:
WORMWOOD 37, Edited by Mark Valentine, 29th November 2021. 94 pages. £9.99. 400 copies. Paperback journal printed on cream bookwove paper, and bound by TJ Books. Contains: ‘Editorial’ by Mark Valentine, ‘Cats, Cunnings and Scarecrows: The Supernatural Fiction of Robert Westall’ by Colin Insole, ‘Melodies in the Key of Melancholy: On Henri van Booven and Sproken’ by Oliver Kerkdijk, ‘No “Destitute Scribbler”: Henry C. Mercer’s Adventure in Publishing’ by Tom Sparrow, ‘The Faun and the Ape: Degenerescence in The Hill of Dreams’ by Adrian Eckersley, ‘Escaping from the Button Molder: The Fiction of Fritz Leiber’ by John Howard, ‘Arthur of the Seventies’ by Mark Valentine, ‘Under Review’ by Reggie Oliver, ‘Camera Obscura’ by John Howard.
209a: THE GYPSY SPIDERS AND OTHER TALES OF ITALIAN HORROR, by Nicola Lombardi, translated by Joe Weintraub, cover art by Joseph Dawson. 16th November 2021. 276+viii pages. £40.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by TJ Books, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gilt, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-32-5. Cover art by Joseph Dawson.
Reprinted:
209b. October 2023. Paperback.
Review:
'Absolutely brilliant and very, very highly recommended.' Oddly Weird Fiction
'In this dread-soaked collection, Lombardi offers nine harrowing horror shorts bound together by a focus on alienation, trauma, and identity. . . . Throughout, Lombardi maintains a nervy, churning atmosphere, keeping readers just off-balance enough to let the big beats feel shocking and subversive. The characters’ introspection can be excessive . . . the payoffs are always worth it; Lombardi has a knack for writing endings that linger.' Publishers Weekly
208: ALL THE MURMURING BONES, by Angela Slatter, 18th October 2021. 391 pages. £40.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gilt, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 978-1-912586-35-6. Illustrated by Kathleen Jennings.
Reviews:
'A rich and satisfying novel about a young woman, born to be the last hope of a once powerful family, who resists an arranged marriage and won’t stop at murder or magic to survive in a world of abusive men and dangerous, supernatural creatures. Shifting between scenes of wonder and horror, a complex plot is gradually revealed, as well paced and gripping as a thriller.' - The Guardian
'Stunning gothic adventure...Anyone who likes gutsy heroines, beautiful language, and well-wrought worlds won’t want to miss this.' Publishers Weekly Starred Review
'This is a magnificently written, smashingly good read...Slatter’s prose is as lustrous as jet beads against black silk. Readers will savor every word.' Locus Magazine
‘Gorgeous, atmospheric gothic fantasy’ - Buzzfeed
'By the time you get [All the Murmuring Bones], the awesome depth of Slatter’s talent will have prepared you for her first novel in the series. Miren is smart and unwilling to suffer fools. She’s a delight to experience on the page, and readers will be more than willing to follow her to hell and back; knowing, of course that’s exactly the sort of story that Slatter is inclined to tell.' Rick Kleffel, Narrative Species
207: AGAINST THE GRAIN AGAIN, by Brendan Connell, 25th August 2021. 212 pages. £40.00. 300 copies. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gilt, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. ISBN 9781912586288.
206a: A MAZE FOR THE MINOTAUR, by Reggie Oliver, 8th July 2021. 340 pages, [400] 450 signed, numbered copies. £40.00. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by CPI/Antony Rowe, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gilt, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. 450 copies. ISBN 978-1-912586-33-2. Illustrated by Reggie Oliver.
Contents: ‘The Old Man of the Woods’, ‘Coruvorn’, ‘The Wet Woman’, ‘A Maze for the Minotaur’, ‘Shadowy Waters’, ‘A Fragment of Thucydides’, ‘The Crumblies’, ‘Monkey’s’, ‘Collectable’, ‘Via Mortis’, ‘A Cabinet of Curiosities’, ‘The Armies of the Night’, ‘A Tartarean Century: Author’s note’.
Reprinted:
206b. November 2021. Paperback.
Reviews:
"Needless to say, the book is a total delight both for fans of dark fiction and for any lover of great fiction in general. Oliver is a born, gifted storyteller and whatever he writes keeps the reader totally hooked and spellbound." Mario Guslandi, Horror World
"I have to tip my hat to this man who's given me so many hours of reading pleasure over the last few years, and to Tartarus as well for bringing forth this eighth volume of Oliver's stories. It is definitely one not to miss whether you are a regular fan of Oliver's stories, or a reader drawn to the realm of the strange or the weird. Don't be surprised if you find yourself feeling a bit off kilter after reading this book -- it's part and parcel of the Oliver experience." Oddly Weird Fiction
WORMWOOD 36, Edited by Mark Valentine, 17th June 2021. 88 pages. £9.99. 400 copies. Paperback journal printed on cream bookwove paper, and bound by CPI/Antony Rowe. Contains: ‘Editorial’ by Mark Valentine, ‘Against Metre: Oscar Wilde, Arthur Machen and the English Prose Poem’ by Iain Smith, ‘Unbroken Webs: M. John Harrison’s The Course of the Heart’ by Mat Joiner, ‘ “A host of phantom listeners”: Exploring the Relationship Between Poetry and the Ghost Story’ by Laura Helyer, ‘David Lindsay: The Forging of a Literary Reputation’ by Douglas A. Anderson, ‘The Wormwood Interview: David Tibet', ‘Under Review’ by Reggie Oliver, ‘Camera Obscura’ by John Howard.
205a: SPHINXES & OBELISKS, by Mark Valentine, 15th April 2021. 266 pages. £40.00. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by TJBooks, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gilt, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. 300 copies. ISBN 978-1-912586-31-8.
Contains: ‘Introduction’, ‘“Change Here for the Dark Age”: Edward Shanks’ The People of the Ruins’, ‘The Interplanetary Jacobite: H.M. Vaughan’, ‘Sombre Gloom: The Macabre Thrillers of Riccardo Stephens’, ‘The Magician and the Book: E. Temple Thurston’s Man in a Black Hat’, ‘The Cry of the Curlew: Anne Douglas Sedgwick’s The Third Window’, ‘A Visit to Old Haunts: Cynthia Asquith’s Ghost Book’, ‘Brushed by Moth Wings: The Fleeting Fame of Francis Bourdillon’, ‘Apocalypse and Marrow Jam: Pilgrim from Paddington by Naomi Royde-Smith’, ‘Phoenician Rites and Chaldee Roots’, ‘A Map of Old Dunwich, and Egypt in England’, ‘The Summoner of the Sphinx’, ‘Cricket in Babylon’, ‘The Atlantean Angel in Nightingale Lane’, ‘Racing Cheetahs: Kenneth Gandar-Dower, Explorer and Eccentric’, ‘The “Wonder Unlimited”: Hope Hodgson’s Tales of Captain Gault’, ‘“A Strange and Striking Fragment”: Gerald Warre Cornish’s Beneath the Surface’, ‘The First Master Villain: Guy Boothby’s Dr Nikola’, ‘An Experiment in the Sensational: Gerald Cumberland’s The Cypress Chest’, ‘Three Regency Fantasias’, ‘Cat-at-the-Window: A Note on a Late Victorian Game’, ‘Three Literary Mysteries of the 1930s’, ‘A Dry Patrician Wine: John Gray’s Park, A Fantastic Story’, ‘The Fall of a Cup: Philip Toynbee’s Tea with Mrs Goodman’, ‘Twinned Destinies: Helen Simpson’s Cups Wands and Swords’, ‘Tarot in the 1950s: A Note on Bernard Bromage’, ‘Three Strange Novels of the Sixties’, ‘Tin Mine Gothic (& others also lost)’, ‘The Road to Caermaen: Arthur Machen in the 1980s’, ‘“A Fashion in Shrouds”: What Do Ghosts Wear?’, ‘Stuck in a Book’, ‘The Saracen’s Head’, ‘Passages in the West’, ‘Acknowledgements’.
Reprinted:
205b. November 2021. Paperback.
Reviews:
"Valentine—an exceptionally genial excavator of half-forgotten and eccentric books." Michael Dirda, The Washington Post
"The four collections of essays by Mark Valentine published by Tartarus Press in Yorkshire contain some of the best writing on books of the last twenty years. It is unsurprising that his name is not cited alongside Basbanes, Dirda or Gekoski, for Valentine’s chosen subject is, more often than not, the rediscovery of a neglected author or lighting a candle at the shrine of an author who had no wide audience in life." Peter Cooper, The Book Collector, Summer 2022
"Very, very highly recommended; one of my favorite books so far this year." The Real Stuff
"This is the fourth of Mr. Valentine’s such collections at Tartarus, if my count is correct, and each amounts to an invaluable gazetteer of obscure, forgotten, wonderful, and sometimes disreputable authors and books. More, these appreciations are sometimes bundled with the stories of how Mr. Valentine first scored these curious volumes up at this or that church jumble sale or now-shuttered back-alley book dealer. This is strong catnip indeed to such as me, and perhaps to such as you as well." And Other Stories
204b: THE TALLOW-WIFE AND OTHER TALES, by Angela Slatter, 18th February 2021. 342 + vii pages. £40.00. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe Ltd, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gilt and copper, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. Each copy issued with a postcard signed by the author. 350 copies, with a signed postcard. ISBN978-1-912586-24-0. Illustrated by Kathleen Jennings. Contains ‘Introduction’ by Helen Marshall, ‘The Promise of Saints’, ‘The Tallow-Wife’, ‘What Shines Brightest Burns Most Fiercely’, ‘Embers and Ash’, ‘Bearskin’, ‘The Nightingale and the Rose’, ‘Of Ghosts and Glory’, ‘A Stitch in Time’, ‘Sleeping Like Snow’, ‘Crossroads’, ‘And a Young Husband to Bury Me’, ‘By Such Paths’, ‘Afterword’, ‘Acknowledgements’.
Reprinted:
204b. 7th March 2022. Paperback.
Finalist in the World Fantasy Awards 2022
Reviews
"Slatter’s characters and settings are so richly described that the pages feel akin to paintings on a canvas. Accompanied by lovely illustrations by Jennings, this is an exciting, intelligent must-read." Publishers Weekly
"Angela Slatter is a dark enchantress and her exquisite stories are likely to steal your soul (or at least your enthralled attention). The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales will also compel you to read or re-read the previous entries in this fantastic mythos." Paula Guran in Locus
"Wonderful prose and ... enticing narrative style, where words are musical notes and the stories are symphonies." Black Gate
"The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales is a deliciously sophisticated and layered collection." Aurealis #136
203: EZRA SLEF: THE NEXT NOBEL LAUREATE IN LITERATURE, by Andrew Komarnyckyj, 14th January, 2021. 260 pages. £40.00. Sewn signatures, printed lithographically on 120gsm acid-free paper, and bound by Antony Rowe Ltd, in printed wibalin cloth stamped in gilt and silver, ribbon marker and head and tailbands. 300 copies. ISBN 978-1-912586-30-1. Digital art by R.B. Russell.
Reviews
"It’s a joyful book, packed with surprises." The Washington Post
"This is a damn fine novel." Manchester Review of Books
"An outstanding read." Rae's Reading Lounge
"A landmark read." Des Lewis
"The book is a delight." Whispering Stories
"Tartarus Press is well known for producing beautiful books of top quality, often slightly strange, literature & our shelves here are emblazoned with patches of bright yellow from their spines. I can honestly say, however, that I don't think I've ever quite as much fun reading one of their books as I have with this, their latest novel." John Llewellyn Probert
"Oh, but this book is such a joy to read!" David's Book World
"Ezra Slef is an absolutely brilliant novel – I found it to be original and gripping throughout. And what a pleasure the book itself is. This is my first from Tartarus Press, but I love the quality of it. I feel a new collection coming on!" Joe's Book Blog
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