Tartarus Press
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13th October 2024:
Submissions
We are open to submissions once again. Please see detail here.
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8th October 2024:
Out of Print
We regret to say that Caged Ocean Dub by Dare Segun Falowo, is now out of print as a limited hardback book from Tartarus Press. It remains available through Android Press.
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7th October 2024:
Aurealis review
The Servants and Other Strange Stories by John O'Donoghue was received another very positive review, this time from Aurealis, the leading Australian SFF magazine:
"O’Donoghue’s characters are all Irish but stand out from each other by engaging with different facets of Irish culture in unique ways. The standout example is Father Seamus, the main character of ‘The Servants’. A robot who would be a priest, he is a particularly compelling figure as he struggles to gain acceptance from those who doubt that he even has a soul at all. Another is Mike Doyle of ‘The Islanders'... who finds himself lost on a seemingly mythical isle that functions as its own little world, tying into fey-like themes in new and unexpected ways."
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30th September 2024
Ringstones and Other Curious Tales Reviewed
Nancy Oakes has reviewed Ringstones by Sarban at Oddly Weird Fiction: "This creative blending that marks his work as truly something of his own makes for compelling, unforgettable and unputdownable reading that stuck with me long after the last page had been turned. Beyond highly recommended--truly a collection I will never forget."
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25th September 2024:
The Servants reviewed
John O'Donoghue's short story collection The Servants has been reviewed by Martin Willoughby at the British Fantasy Society:
"Strange, certainly. Compelling, utterly. An excellently written set of short stories that draw you in, then slap you about a bit. . . . This is an impressive collection of well-written stories, and many will stay with you. . .”
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14th September 2024:
The Specimens Reviews
Hana Gammon's wonderful contemporary horror novel, The Specimens has recently received two reviews. If Publishers Weekly were unsure of the ending, they did still write:
'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.'
Lisa Tuttle in The Guardian is unequivocal:
'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.'
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5th September 2024:
The Thunderstorm Collectors
Next week sees the publication of The Thunderstorm Collectors, a new limited edition hardback collection of essays by Mark Valentine. It is available to order now.
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4th September 2024:
The Good Unknown reviewed
Stephen Volk's The Good Unknown has received a very good review in Phantasmagoria (Issue 24, Summer 2024) from Con Connolly:
"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."
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12th August 2024:
The Washington Post
We are very pleased to see that Michael Dirda has discussed Robert Aickman: Selected Letters to Kirby McCauley, April 1967 - December 1980 in The Washington Post!
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8th August 2024:
New Publication
We are delighted to announce the publication of a stunning first novel by Hana Gammon. The Specimens explores themes of horror and difference, captivity and paranormal powers. The official publication date is 15th August, but you are welcome to pre-order now.
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5th august 2024:
Blog
We have blogged again!
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9th July 2024:
Robert Aickman: Letters
We are pleased to announce the publication of Robert Aickman: Selected Letters to Kirby McCauley, April 1967 - December 1980. The letters are a revealing record of Aickman’s literary and other interests, and also of a friendship built on mutual artistic admiration. Publication 18th July, limited to 400 hardback copies.
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24th June 2024:
Reviewed:
The British Fantasy Society have recently reviewed Caged Ocean Dub by Dare Segun Falowo:
"I would recommend this short story collection to anyone who is looking for a combination of weirdness, horror and poetry!" British Fantasy Society
And also Robert Aickman: A Biography by R.B. Russell:
"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
And not reviewed!
Only just noticed! Lisa Tuttle mentioned Caged Ocean Dub by Dare Segun Falowo and The Good Unknown by Stephen Volk in her Top Five books she didn't review for The Guardian last year!
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18th June 2024:
New paperbacks
We are pleased to make available paperback reprints of Time of Passing by John Gaskin and The Quest for Corvo by A.J.A. Symons. Both are also available as ebooks.
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13th June 2024:
New Publication
We are delighted to announce the publication of a new collection of short stories by John O'Donogue, The Servants and Other Strange Stories.
Time of Passing
We are also pleased to announce that John Gaskin's sold out 2023 collection of short stories, Time of Passing, is now available as a paperback.
We are pleased to have in print by John Gaskin in paperback:
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9th June 2024:
Out of print
We regret to report that The Quest for Corvo by A.J.A. Symons is now out of print as a limited edition hardback.
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7th June 2024:
Wormwoodiana
We can recommend a couple of recent posts on the Wormwoodiana blog, both about two of our authors:
Mr. Priestley Fears Not: J.B. Priestley on L.P. Hartley's 'Night Fears'
Silent Harlequinade - Oliver Onions' 'Ghosts in Daylight'
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20th May 2024:
Low Stock
Please note, we are low in stock of:
Caged Ocean Dub by Dare Segun Falowo
The Quest for Corvo by A.J.A. Symons
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26th April 2024:
Out of Print
Time of Passing by John Gaskin is now sold out as a limited edition hardback. A paperback edition will follow.
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15th April 2024:
Aurealis Reviews
Aurealis have reviewed two Tartarus Press titles.
Of Stephen Volk's The Good Unknown they write:
"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."
Of The Collected Macabre Stories of L.P. Hartley:
"The handsome hardback duo of The Collected Macabre Stories, Volume I & II, would enhance the shelves of any reader of weirdness, but it’s the stories that count. For all his formality and precision, Hartley knows how to produce shudders. For fans of articulate terror."
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9th April 2024:
My Life as an Alien review
My Life as an Alien by Seraj Assi is the subject of a perceptive and positive review by John O'Donoghue in Critical Muslim magazine:
"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."
Low Stock
Please note, we are low in stock of copies of Time of Passing by John Gaskin.
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3rd April 2024:
Dark Arts by Eric Stener Carlson
We are pleased to announce that Dark Arts by Eric Stener Carlson is now available again, now as a paperback.
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13th March 2024:
Time, A Falconer
Mark Valentine's biography of Sarban, Time, A Falconer, is now back in print as a paperback.
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13th February 2024:
Out of Print
We are sorry to report that we have now sold the last few copies of Ghost Stories of M.R. James. All orders previously placed have now been posted.
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7th February 2024:
The Peacock Escritoire reviewed
Aurealis 167 has reviewed The Peacock Escritoire with At Dusk by Mark Valentine:
"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."
The Masques of Satan back in print
Please note that Reggie Oliver's short story collection Masques of Satan is available as a paperback once more.
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31st January 2024:
Out of Print
Please note that The Ghost Stories of Oliver Onions is now out of print.
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25th January 2024:
The Ghost Stories of M.R. James
We are delighted to announce the publication on 8th February of Ghost Stories of M.R. James. Ghost Stories of M.R. James is a celebration of best of the author’s fiction, but to give a flavour of his academic work we include two newly transcribed essays, one from the beginning of his career, and the other from near the end: ‘Occult Sciences’ and ‘On Demonology’. Both demonstrate James’s deep knowledge of arcane and occult matters. Illustrated with six wood engravings by Keith A. Pettit.
Orders are now being taken. Our new book is limited to 500 copies at £45 (including free p&p).
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12th January 2024:
Out of Print
We are sorry to report that All the Murmuring Bones by Angela Slatter is now out of print.
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11th January 2024:
Time of Passing reviews
Time of Passing by John Gaskin has recently received two new enthusiast reviews:
"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
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4th January 2024:
Angela Slatter’s Sourdough World Mosaic Collections
Congratulations to Angela Slatter on her seven-book deal with Titan Books! You can read the full story in The Bookseller.
We have thoroughly enjoyed working with the wonderful Angela Slatter for the past thirteen years, during which time she has allowed us to publish Sourdough and Other Tales, The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings, The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales and All the Murmuring Bones. Sourdough and Tallow-Wife were both finalists for the World Fantasy Award for Best Collection, and Bitterwood won the award!
We have also been able to publish trade paperbacks of Angela’s collections, and it is about time for more widely available mass-market editions of her books. Titan Books have undertaken to do that as part of their remit of publishing Angela’s other novels set in this universe, All the Murmuring Bones, The Path of Thorns, The Briar Book of the Dead, 2025's The Crimson Road, and soon three new novels as part of a seven-book deal. As a result, there will be no more Tartarus trade paperbacks of the collections, nor any ebooks available. There are some small stocks of All the Murmuring Bones left, so if you’re determined to have one of these increasingly rare things, then make haste!
It’s early days yet, so there is no firm timeline for when the Titan edition will happen, but please be patient and do keep an eye on Angela’s social media accounts for announcements.
Thank you, Angela, for working with us, and here’s wishing you continuing success in the future!
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1st January 2024:
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to all our customers! We have a big announcement to make later this month about a new publication we have been working on. We are also putting a number of old titles back into print. Details to follow...
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31st December 2023:
The Good Unknown recommended
Stephen Volk's The Good Unknown is recommended at Nation/Cymru by Matthew G Rees. " ’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."
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26th December 2023:
The Good Unknown reviewed
Stephen Volk's The Good Unknown has received a great review from Mario Guslandi at Hellnotes: "A splendid book."
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26th December 2023:
Out of Print
Please note that Sourdough and The Tallow Wife by Angela Slatter are now out of print with Tartarus Press.
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14th December 2023:
The Good Unknown reviewed
Stephen Volk's The Good Unknown has received a great review from Phil Smith at Mythogeography:
"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."
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11th December 2023:
Robert Aickman: A Biography reviewed
There is a good, lengthy review of Ray's Biography of Robert Aickman available at IZ Digital.
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7th December 2023:
Dream Fox reviewed
Rosalie Parker's Dream Fox and Other Strange Stories has received a glowing review from the British Fantasy Society. Tori Borne writes:
'Dream Fox and Other Strange Stories is an enigmatic tour de force, which does weird right ... this collection is superb.'
The Good Unknown recommendation
Ashley Pharoah, co-creator of BBC TV's Life on Mars has written of Stephen Volk's The Good Unknown and Other Ghost Stories: 'A fabulous collection. (The) Dickens story is worth the price alone. Glorious.'
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6th December 2023:
The Good Unknown, Back in Print
We have now reprinted Stephen Volk's The Good Unknown and Other Ghost Stories as a print on demand paperback. It is available direct from Tartarus Press, or Amazon.
The Good Unknown has recently been reviewed by Kit Power at Ginger Nuts of Horror:
"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."
Stephen Volk has also been interviewed by Gingernuts of Horror here.
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2nd December 2023:
Fortean Times review
Ray Russell's Robert Aickman: A Biography, has received a very favourable review in the new issue of the Fortean Times (December 2023. Issue number 439), which concludes by calling the biography 'compelling'.
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23rd November 2023:
The Peacock Escritoire with At Dusk
The Peacock Escritoire with At Dusk by Mark Valentine is now available as a paperback direct from Tartarus Press, and through Amazon.
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15th November 2023:
The Good Unknown
We hope to have available a paperback edition of Stephen Volk's The Good Unknown and Other Ghost Stories in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, great reviews are still coming in:
"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
"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
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14th November 2023:
Out of Print
We are sorry to report that the following titles are now out of print as hardbacks:
The Good Unknown and Other Ghost Stories by Stephen Volk
The Attempted Rescue by Robert Aickman
The House of Souls by Arthur Machen
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13th November 2023:
Low Stock
Please note, we are now low in stock of the following titles:
The Good Unknown and Other Ghost Stories by Stephen Volk
The House of Souls by Arthur Machen
We Are For the Dark by Robert Aickman and Elizabeth Jane Howard
The Attempted Rescue by Robert Aickman
The River Runs Uphill by Robert Aickman
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1st November 2023:
Sold Out
We have now sold out of Eric Hanson's macabre short story collection, What I Was Afraid Of. It remains available as an ebook.
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31st October 2023:
Aickman Discussion for Hallowe'en
Ray Russell joins Matthew Sweet, Andrew Male and Suzi Feay on Free Thinking on BBC Radio Three. It can be heard here.
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25th October 2023:
Another Great Review
Stephen Volk's The Good Unknown and Other Ghost Stories has received another great review, this time from Anthony Watson at Dark Musings:
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.
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24th October 2023:
Starred Review
Stephen Volk's The Good Unknown and Other Ghost Stories has received a 'Starred' review at Publishers Weekly:
'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.'
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18th October 2023:
New Publication: The Good Unknown and Other Ghost Stories
We are delighted to announce the publication, on 26th October, of a new collection of supernatural short stories, The Good Unknown and Other Ghost Stories by Stephen Volk. This collection explores the wide span of possibilities of the ghost story in its various manifestations—from hauntings set in the quotidian modern world, to ones that hark back to traditional, but no less chilling, tales of the past.
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16th October 2023:
The Gypsy Spiders
We are pleased to make available once more, now as a paperback, The Gypsy Spiders and Other Tales of Italian Horror by Nicola Lombardi, translated by Joe Weintraub.
As Publishers Weekly wrote:
'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.'
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13th October 2023:
The St Perpetuus Cub of Buenos Aires reviewed
The St Perpetuus Cub of Buenos Aires has been reviewed by to the ends of the world.
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11th October 2023:
Out of print
We have now sold out of the signed, limited edition hardback of The Peacock Escritoire by Mark Valentine. The ebook remains available.
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7th October 2023:
Time of Passing reviewed
Very many thanks to Michael Dirda for discussing John Gaskin's short story collection, Time of Passing, in the Washington Post yesterday:
'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.'
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25th September 2023:
Still in business!
Contrary to recent reports online, Tartarus Press is still up and running, taking orders and posting parcels, as well as working on new titles. Please note, though, that we are closed for submissions at the moment.
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21st September 2023:
New Publication: My Life as an Alien
Rather like the protagonist of the new book we’re announcing today, My Life As An Alien by Seraj Assi, we’re venturing into uncharted territory. Despite its title, this excellent debut novel belongs more in the literary mainstream than many of our previous publications, although being experimental and unconventional. We hope you’ll enjoy it. Publication date: 29th September 2023.
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20th September 2023:
Black Gate Review
There is a great review for The Collected Macabre Stories by L.P. Hartley, at Black Gate, by Mario Guslandi: "a real feast of macabre fiction penned by a great master from the past who deserves to be fully rediscovered by today’s readers."
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11th September 2023:
Low Stock
We are low in stock of What I Was Afraid Of by Eric Hansen.
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1st September:
New Booksellers offering Tartarus Press Books!
We are delighted that we have a number of new dealers selling our books:
Arcane Offerings, 4 Freeman Ridge Rd, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679-4229, USA. Website.
The Bookery, 326 Main Street, Placerville, CA, 95667, USA
Miskatonic Books, 2400 Saddleback Dr., Laurel, MT 59044, USA. Website.
Ravens End Books, 843 Somerset Ave, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 1E5, Canada. Website.
Do check our Links page for all the other dealers.
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26th August 2023:
Literary Hauntings review
Literary Hauntings, our ghost story gazetteer, has received a very good review in Northern Earth:
"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."
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24th August 2023:
Low Stock
Please note, we are now low in copies of Dark Arts by Eric Stener Carlson
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23rd August 2023:
Out of print
Please note that The Gypsy Spiders and Other Tales of Italian Horror by Nicola Lombardi is now unavailable as a limited edition hardback, although it remains in print as an ebook. Hardbacks may still be available through some of our dealers.
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18th August 2023:
A new John Gaskin short story collection
We are delighted to announce the publication of Time of Passing, the fifth volume of John Gaskin’s acclaimed ‘Tales of Twilight and Borderlands’. This new collection contains nine entirely new stories, along with four which first appeared in a previous collection and an anthology. Infused with an almost uncanny understanding of things past and to come, and enlivened by touches of sardonic humour, John Gaskin’s stories are firmly in the tradition of the classic English ghost story and tales of the unknown.
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14th August 2023:
Dream Fox review
Ian Holloway has reviewed Rosalie Parker's Dream Fox and Other Strange Stories at Wyrd Britain:
"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."
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12th August 2023:
Aurealis Review
There has been a new review of The Ferry of Souls by A.L. Salmon, edited by Johnny Mains, in Aurealis #161: '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.'
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29th July 2023:
Oddly Weird Fiction Review
Caged Ocean Dub by Dare Segun Falowo has received a rave review from Nancy Oakes at Oddly Weird Fiction:
"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."
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14th July 2023:
Supernatural Tales Review
David Longhorn has written a great review of Caged Ocean Dub at the Supernatural Tales blog:
"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."
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12th July 2023:
Back in Print
We are delighted to bring back into print The Collected Macabre Stories of L.P. Hartley. Hartley's stories form an important part of British supernatural fiction in the twentieth century, rivalling those by Oliver Onions, Walter de la Mare, Sarban and Robert Aickman. This new edition is presented as two hardback volumes printed lithographically, with head and tailbands, ribbons, and dustwrappers, in a slipcase.
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11th July 2023:
Sold Out
Please note that we have now sold out of the first, hardback limited edition of Unholy Tales by Tod Robbins.
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26th June 2023:
Sold Out
Please note that we have now sold out of the first, hardback limited editions of Ezra Slef by Andrew Komarnyckyj, Against the Grain Again by Brendan Connell and Time, A Falconer by Mark Valentine.
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23rd June 2023:
Dare Segun Falowo interviewed and Caged Ocean Dub reviewed
Rick Kleffel has reviewed Caged Ocean Dub by Fare Segun Falawo at his Narrative Species blog, writing:
"Embracing folklore, realism, surrealism, science fiction and even poetry, Falowo’s fearless stories are electrifying, terrifying and a joyous reading experience."
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14th June 2023:
Dream Fox review
Aurealis # 161 has published a wonderful review of Rosalie Parker's Dream Fox, writing:
"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."
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13th June 2023:
Caged Ocean Dub review
Interzone have published a very positive, thoughtful review of Caged Ocean Dub by Dare Segun Falowo. Gautam Bhatia writes:
"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."
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2nd June 2023:
The Washington Post
There is a great round-up by Michael Dirda of new fiction at The Washington Post, including:
Caged Ocean Dub by Dare Segun Falowo. For the author to be compared with Amos Tutuola, Ben Okri and Gabriel García Márquez is quite an achievement.
Dream Fox by Rosalie Parker, whose short stories are described as "excellent".
And The Peacock Escritoire by Mark Valentine. "Draws on his extensive reading in forgotten authors and books"
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26th May 2023:
Dream Fox reviews
Dream Fox, the new collection of stories by Rosalie Parker has received a glowing review from David Longhorn at the Supernatural Tales website. He concludes: "a collection of strange stories that never fail to interest and, considered as a whole, represent a considerable creative achievement."
Also,
Rick Kleffel has interviewed Rosalie Parker about Dream Fox for his Narrative Species blog. There's also a very positive review of the collection. He writes: "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."
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19th May 2023:
Caged Ocean Dub review
Aurealis #159 have published an enthusiastic review of Caged Ocean Dub by Dare Segun Falowo:
"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 . . ."
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15th May 2023:
Dark Arts review
Dark Arts by Eric Stener Carlson has been very favourably reviewed in Aurealis #160: '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.'
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4th May 2023:
New Publication: Caged Ocean Dub
We are delighted to announce the publication of Caged Ocean Dub, a new collection of eighteen weird, vivid, beautiful stories by Dare Segun Falowo, rising star of African Literature. This collection of supernatural short stories will delight those who are seeking a new voice in the genre. Falowo's stories explore Nigerian life, culture and belief through the prism of the writer’s extraordinary imagination. The stories range from the historical slipstream of ‘Eating Kaolin’, to the gleaming horror of ‘Ngozi Ugegbe Nwa’, in which a strange and beautiful mirror wreaks havoc on the life of a young Lagos model, to the lysergic science fiction of ‘Convergence in Chorus Architecture’.
Publishers Weekly have reviewed the book and write: "Falowo’s transporting debut collection combines the fantastical, the spiritual, and the everyday to vivid effect." Caged Ocean Dub will be reprinted later this year as a trade paperback by Android Press.
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Out of Print!
Please note that we have now sold out of limited edition hardback copies of Londonia by Kate A. Hardy and One Morning by Jessica Hagy. Further copies may well be available through some our our dealers. Both remain available as ebooks, and Londonia is also available as a paperback.
26th April 2023:
New Reviews
Nancy Oakes at Oddly Weird Fiction has reviewed Eric Stener Carlson's Dark Arts, which she describes as "...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."
Alvaro Zinos-Amaro in his 2022 Year in Review at Locus has written of Robert Aickman: A Biography: "...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'."
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24th March 2023
The Peacock Escritoire with At Dusk by Mark Valentine
We are pleased to announce the publication of The Peacock Escritoire with At Dusk by Mark Valentine. This new Tartarus Press edition of The Peacock Escritoire, a very rare collection of tales first published in 2011, adds previously uncollected stories. In addition, we include At Dusk, a sought-after collection of brief vignettes of interwar European writers and visionaries, described by Michael Schmidt of PN Review as ‘a very interesting set of cameo meditations’.
Robert Aickman: A Biography
A new, revised edition of Robert Aickman: A Biography is now available as a jacketed paperback, direct from Tartarus Press. In addition, an unjacketed paperback edition can be ordered from Amazon.
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26th February 2023
Dream Fox
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].'
Rue Morgue
Literary Hauntings has been reviewed by Dejan Ognjanovic in Rue Morgue, Issue 211: '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.'
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24th February 2023
New Blog Post
Rosalie has written a new post at the Tartarus Press Blog.
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16th February 2023
New Publication
We are delighted to announce the publication of Dream Fox and Other Strange Stories by Rosalie Parker. The book is published as a signed, limited edition hardback, and ebook.
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12th February 2023
Out of Print
Please note that Ringstones by Sarban is now out of print as a hardback book. The collection remains available as an ebook.
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9th February 2023:
Literary Hauntings reprint
Literary Hauntings, our gazetteer of literary ghost stories from Britain and Ireland, is now available as a paperback. You are welcome to buy copies direct from Tartarus Press (and our usual dealers) Printed lithographically, with a jacket, for £20 (inc p&p internationally), it is also available direct from Amazon as a print on demand paperback at a slightly reduced price, but please note that the Amazon edition does not come with a jacket. Because international post is somewhat slow at the moment, overseas customers might want to consider this option.
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Paperback editions
We are delighted to also bring back into print as paperback editions, The Ferry of Souls by A.L. Salmon, Petals and Violins by D.P. Watt and Copsford by Walter J.C. Murray.
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International Post
We understand that some customers outside the United Kingdom have yet to receive books ordered late November and early December. Delays were originally due to intermittent postal strikes in the UK, and were exacerbated by a "cyber incident" suffered by the Royal Mail early this year. However, the Royal Mail now say that post is moving again, and we have reports of books from late last year now beginning to arrive with customers. We would like to thank everyone for their patience over the last few months.
Please note that our international prices include post and packing with an untracked Royal Mail service. If you would like parcels sent on a tracked service, then please let us know at the time of ordering and we can send a Paypal invoice for the additional cost.
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Watkins event
Apologies again to those who attempted to see Ray read from and discuss his Fifty Forgotten Books at Watkins Books in London in January. It had to be cancelled at the last minute due to a problem with the trains.
The event has now been rescheduled and will take place on Friday 3rd March, 17:30. (Arthur Machen's birthday!) It is a free event and we'd love to see you, if you can make it. More details are available here.
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Dark Arts Online Reading
Eric Stener Carlson's online reading of Dark Arts has been rescheduled to Saturday, 18th February. That's 2 p.m. Ohio time or 8 p.m. Swiss time, or 7 p.m. UK time. Please sign up in advance using this link.
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14th January 2023:
Postal disruption
Our apologies to overseas customers who ordered books from us in late November and throughout December (including Literary Hauntings and The Ferry of Souls). Intermittent postal strikes here in the UK have led to a backlog so that our parcels appear to have only started leaving the country in the last week. A very few parcels have arrived with customers, and we hope that others will continue to do so over the next few weeks.
Further postal disruption
Due to a "cyber incident" the Royal Mail report severe disruption to Royal Mail International Export Services. As of today they will not accept any mail to overseas customers. There is no way of telling how long it will take to rectify the problem. For the next week or so we will hold on to orders from customers outside the UK, but if the problem is not resolved soon, we will have to find alternative means of shipping books.
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30th December 2022:
Out of print
Please note that The Ferry of Souls by A.L. Salmon is now out of print as a limited edition hardback. Copies may still be available through our dealers. A new paperback edition is planned for January 2023.
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19th December 2022:
Out of print
Please note that Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography, is now out of print. Copies may still be available through our dealers. A new paperback edition is planned for January 2023.
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16th December 2022:
Guardian review
Eric Stener Carlson's short story collection, Dark Arts has been reviewed by Lisa Tuttle in The Guardian: 'A traditional structure and simple yet elegant style add to the impression that these modern tales could be timeless classics.'
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11th December 2022:
Out of Print
Please not that Literary Hauntings: A Ghost Story Gazetteer is now out of print. A new paperback edition is planned for 2023.
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8th December 2022:
Low Stock
We are low in stock of the following titles:
Literary Hauntings: A Ghost Story Gazetteer
The Ferry of Souls by A.L. Salmon
Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography by R.B. Russell
Londonia by Kate A. Hardy
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1st December 2022:
Literary Hauntings: A Ghost Story Gazetteer
We are delighted to announce the publication of Literary Hauntings: A Ghost Story Gazetteer. It is a guide to the real-life locations for great fictional ghost stories from M.R. James to Lisa Tuttle, from Peter Bell to Mrs Oliphant. Each entry gives directions to the location, and is illustrated. This first edition is limited to 350 copies.
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12th November 2022:
Dark Arts reviewed
Dark Arts by Eric Stener Carlson has been positively reviewed by Mario Guslandi at Horror World: '... exquisite, lyrical ... beautiful, offbeat.'
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7th November 2022:
We are back!
Our apologies to those who would have liked to order books over the last month, but a family bereavement necessitated taking some time away. We are now open for business once again, and have a number of exciting items of news to share:
New publication: We are delighted to announce the publication of The Ferry of Souls by A.L. Salmon, introduced by Johnny Mains. Salmon was the author of a number of beautifully-written tales of the supernatural, strange and macabre. Salmon is fascinated by the supernatural and spiritual side of life while being a sceptic, and also a lover of nature and the countryside, so that he might be located somewhere between Arthur Machen and Walter Murray.
Paperback reprints: We are delighted to announce paperback reprints of Londonia by Kate A. Hardy and two volumes by Mark Valentine, The Fig Garden and The Nightfarers.
Dark Arts: Eric Carlson's new short story collection, Dark Arts, has received a very favourable review from Publishers Weekly. They conclude: "These subtle, oblique tales are sure to appeal to fans of weird fiction."
Fifty Forgotten Books: Ray's new book published by And Other Stories has received very positive reviews in Publishers Weekly, The Spectator, The Irish Times, The Yorkshire Post, The Complete Review and at The Endless Bookshelf.
Times Literary Supplement: In the TLS Margaret Drabble has reviewed An Attempted Biography by R.B. Russell, which she describes as "clear-eyed and dispassionate". She also writes of Aickman: "Equally strange, enigmatic and unclassifiable is the appeal of his fiction, which now has me unaccountably in thrall." She describes Go Back At Once as "entertaining".
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18th September 2022:
Sold Out
Please note that Uncanny Tales by F. Marion Crawford is no longer available as a limited edition hardback. It remains available as an ebook.
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7th September 2022:
New publication
We are delighted to announce the publication, on 15th September of a new collection of short stories by Eric Stener Carlson, Dark Arts.
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5th September 2022
Out of print
The Nightfarers by Mark Valentine is now out of print as a limited edition hardback. The ebook is still available. Both The Nightfarers and The Fig Garden by Mark Valentine will be available soon as paperbacks.
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25th August 2022:
Low Stock
We are running low on copies of Londonia by Kate A. Hardy, The Nightfarers by Mark Valentine and Uncanny Tales by F. Marion Crawford.
Londonia was described by Publishers Weekly as "Enchanting . . . Hardy’s almost hopeful view of the world’s inevitably chaotic future lifts this entertaining and well-told tale."
Wyrd Britain described The Nightfarers as "a stunning collection of stories . . . hugely recommended."
Uncanny Tales is, of course, a classic of the genre and needs no further recommendation!
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22nd August 2022:
Fifty Forgotten Books launch
We are hoping to announce a couple of other events for the publication of Fifty Forgotten Books, but the first arranged is at Sheffield Central Library, where Tartarus Press began!
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10th August 2022:
The New York Sun Review
Carl Rollyson has reviewed Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography in The New York Sun:
"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."
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4th August 2022:
Sarban back in Print
We have now reprinted The Doll Maker and The Sound of His Horn by Sarban. Already in print is Ringstones, and Mark Valentine's excellent biography of Sarban, Time, A Falconer.
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29th July 2022:
Youtube reading
Rosalie Parker's story, 'Dear John', from her collection Through the Storm, is read at EnCrypted Classic Horror on Youtube by Jasper L'Estrange. Recommended listening!
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28th July 2022:
What I Was Afraid Of
Eric Hanson's collection What I Was Afraid Of receives a great review at Narrative Species: '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.'
The website also includes a fascinating interview with Eric Hanson.
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21st July 2022:
World Fantasy Awards finalist
Congratulations to Angela Slatter, whose The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales is a finalist in the World Fantasy Awards this year. Of the other books in Angela's series, Sourdough and Other Stories was also a finalist, The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings was previously a winner.
And don't forget that All the Murmuring Bones is also still available as a limited edition hardback.
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20th July 2022:
Morbid Tales reviewed
Quentin S. Crisp's Morbid Tales may have been first published in 2004, but this cornerstone collection of strange tales is still available in paperback, and has been recently, very positively reviewed at the Jildy Sauce website. "I greatly enjoyed these marvellously Morbid Tales, not a few of which I have reread with relish."
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15th July 2022:
The British Library
We have written about our Aickman researches at the British Library on the BL’s blog.
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10th July 2022:
Out of print
Mark Valentine's The Fig Garden is now out of print as a limited edition hardback. An ebook is stillavailable, and we hope to reprint the book as a paperback in due course. Don't forget that his previous collection of stories, The Nightfarers, is still available!
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9th July 2022:
A definitive assessment
Barry Forshaw has reviewed Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography at CrimeTime, writing that it is a "definitive assessment" of Aickman: "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."
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8th July 2022:
What I Was Afraid Of
Eric Hansen's collection of strange and uncanny tales, What I Was Afraid Of, has been reviewed in Aurealis, 152: "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."
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9th June 2022:
Fifty Forgotten Books
R.B. Russell's Fifty Forgotten Books will be published in September by And Other Stories. A hybrid memoir/book about books, it describes Ray's passion for books from his teenage reading of Arthur Machen, H.P. Lovecraft and Penguin Modern Classics, through the creation of Tartarus Press and the setting up of various literary societies. Along the way he recommends fifty books that have meant a great deal to him, but which may not be so well-known to other readers.
We recommend buying the book from the And Other Stories website, although it is available internationally through Amazon. (N.B. It will not be available through Tartarus Press.)
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8th June 2022:
The Book Collector:
In the new issue of The Book Collector, Peter Cooper praises Mark Valentine's books of essays, published by Tartarus Press. He writes that they: "...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."
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31st May 2022:
Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography new review
At Blackgate.com Mario Guslandi writes of Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography:
"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."
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20th May 2022:
Sold Out!
We have now sold out of the last remaining copies of The Way Things End by Charles David and Monsieur de Phocas by Jean Lorrain.
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17th May 2022:
The Fig Garden and Other Stories by Mark Valentine
We are delighted to announce the publication of The Fig Garden and Other Stories by Mark Valentine. These beguiling stories evoke the possibility that there are places where we may encounter another reality, rich, mysterious, sometimes alluring, sometimes perilous.
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9th May 2022:
Last issue of Wormwood
Wormwood 38, published later this week, will be our last issue. After nineteen years we have decided to call it a day, so as to concentrate on other projects. We would like to thank Mark Valentine for his wonderful work as editor, our many contributors, and our readers. We hope you've all enjoyed the journal as much as we have publishing it.
Please note, if you would like to order more than three copies of Wormwood (any in-print issues) please email us and we can send a paypal invoice reflecting postage savings.
An Attempted Biography reviewed by Reggie Oliver
Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography has been reviewed by Reggie Oliver in Wormwood 38. Reggie very generously writes:
"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
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5th May 2022:
Eric Hanson at DreamHaven
Eric Hanson, author of What I Was Afraid Of, will be reading from his book at DreamHaven in Minneapolis on May 12th. Details can be found here.
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3rd May 2022:
Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography reviewed
Dejan Ognjanovic has reviewed our Aickman biography in Rue Morgue magazine, writing:
"...insightful, revealing information about a true master of horror".
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2nd May 2022:
Out of Print
We regret to report that Clarimonde by Théophile Gautier is now out of print.
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25th April 2022:
Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography reviewed
"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
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18th April 2022:
What I Was Afraid Of reviewed
What I Was Afraid Of by Eric Hanson has been reviewed in the Star Tribune by Laurie Hertzel:
"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."
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11th April 2022:
Strangers and Pilgrims by Walter de la Mare
We are delighted to bring back into print Strangers and Pilgrims by Walter de la Mare. This collection of classic supernatural tales is now available as two volumes in a slipcase. Publication 18th April 2022.
Damage review
A great review for Rosalie Parker's short story collection, Damage, in the new edition of Aurealis (#149):
"With a leery eye on the unusual and the irrational in everyday life, the stories in this collection yank the reader in with an unyielding grasp. From orphaned children to scheming confidence tricksters, characters demonstrate Rosalie Parker’s skill at immediate definition of people, place and plot. . . Readers who enjoy eerie and thoughtful stories will adore this compilation. Damage is a collection of intriguing, strange stories by a writer who flexes their narrative power with superb command."
Narrative Species reviews
We have only just noticed Rick Kleffel's very positive reviews at Narrative Species for Through the Storm and Waiting for the End of the World.
Rick writes of Through the Storm that the book is:
"...a collection of short stories that embrace the form with a sense of poetry, urgency, variety and intensity to evoke a carousel of emotions of in the reader."
Rick writes of Waiting for the End of the World:
"Russell is an expert at making us love his characters, and he creates scenes on the page that will live in readers’ memories right alongside their own. As for his elements of the fantastic, Russell manages the unusual feat of creating something that seems grittily realistic, while at the same time being wildly, inventively imaginative. Suffice it to say that your charmed smile will give way to a dropped jaw more often than you will suspect. The combination is utterly unique; I’ve never read anything quite like it."
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8th April 2022:
Low Stock and Out of Print
We are low in stock of the following titles:
Clarimonde and Other Stories by Gautier, Theophile
Monsieur de Phocas by Lorrain, Jean
The Way Things End by Charles David
We have now sold out of:
Green Thoughts by John Collier.
Wormwood 22
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22nd March 2022:
The Washington Post
Michael Dirda has reviewed Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography in The Washington Post:
"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. . . ."
Zoom Talk
Edward Parnell (author of the acclaimed Ghostland) will be hosting an online Zoom talk by Ray Russell and Rosalie Parker this Thursday evening (24th March, 8pm UK time). We will be talking about Robert Aickman's life and work, with a Q&A session afterwards. Ticket holders will also be emailed a link to a recording of the talk that will then be available to watch at their leisure for the next couple of weeks.
Tickets are available here.
What I Was Afraid Of
Eric Hanson's new collection of strange and unsettling stories, What I Was Afraid Of, has been recommended by Airmail:
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
Blog
We have blogged again, this time on the subject of Robert Aickman and the enigmatic 'Eve', one of the great loves of his life (discussed at the end of The Attempted Rescue).
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7th March 2022:
What I Was Afraid Of
We are pleased to announce the publication, on March 10th, of What I Was Afraid Of, a new collection of macabre short stories by the artist Eric Hanson. It is an exploration of the dark, strange and sinister, and is highly recommended!
What I Was Afraid Of is a sewn hardback book of 237 pages, printed lithographically, with illustrated boards, head and tailbands, and d/w. 300 copies. ISBN 978-1-912586-37-0. The limited edition hardback is £40.00 inc. free p&p worldwide. The ebook, direct from Tartarus or from Amazon, is £4.99.
The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales
Angela Slatter's acclaimed The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales is back in print as a trade paperback.
"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
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20th January 2022:
'Dust' reading
You can now hear a reading by Jasper L'Estrange of 'Dust' by Rebecca Lloyd (from her first collection Mercy and Other Stories) on Spotify and Youtube.
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17th January 2022:
Gypsy Spiders review
The Gypsy Spiders and Other Italian Tales of Horror by Nicola Lombardi has received a very good review at Publishers Weekly. They write:
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.
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14th January 2022:
Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography
We are pleased to announce the forthcoming publication of Robert Aickman: An Attempted Biography, the first full-length biography of this fascinating author, and co-saviour of Britain's inland waterways. The book is a sewn hardback book of 396 + vi pages, including an index, and a 20pps plate section. Bound in wibalin cloth stamped in silver and gilt, with silk ribbon marker, head and tailbands, and dustwrapper. It is limited to 500 numbered, signed copies.
The book will be officially published 3rd February. We are taking advance orders from now.
We have discussed the Biography at the Tartarus Press blog.
And Ray has been interviewed about it at Wormwoodiana.
She Sleeps
Russell's first novel, She Sleeps, previously available from PS Publishing is now available in paperback from Tartarus Press.
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30th December 2021:
Reviews and interviews
Angela Slatter's Lodellan tales, and specifically All the Murmuring Bones, are the subject of a review by Rick Kleffel at Narrative Species. Follow the link to also listen to, or download, an interview with Angela. Rick writes:
"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."
Elsewhere, The Complete Review (one of the longest-running and most noted literary blogs) has reviewed Robert Aickman's novel Go Back at Once:
"Good fun, and an enjoyable read."
It has also been reviewed by Publishers Weekly, in the new And Other Stories paperback edition, without noticing the previous Tartarus Press publication. They write: "...the overall effect is mesmerizing. This unconventional story gets by on the author’s sly wit."
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22nd December 2021:
Happy Christmas!
We would like to wish everybody a very Merry Christmas. We will not be able to post any orders, or send out ebooks for a few days. Normal service will be resumed before the New Year.
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18th December 2021:
Gypsy Spiders Review
The Gypsy Spiders and Other Tales of Italian Horror by Nicola Lombardi (translated by Joe Weintraub) has received a very wonderful review at Oddly Weird Fiction: 'Absolutely brilliant and very, very highly recommended.'
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15th December 2021:
The Washington Post
Michael Dirda has written a wonderful recommendation for The Ghost Stories of Oliver Onions in The Washington Post:
'Beautifully designed, this two-volume set will probably elicit considerable mental consternation. While the little angel perched on your right shoulder chirps, “The perfect present,” that impish red devil on your left will snakily hiss, “Keep it yourself. You know you want to.” Luckily, whatever you decide will leave someone extremely happy.'
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15th December 2021:
Sold Out
The limited hardback editions of The Sound of His Horn and Other Stories by Sarban, Copsford by Walter J.C. Murray, and The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales by Angela Slatter have now sold out, although the ebooks remain available. Reprints are planned for 2022.
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1st December 2021:
Low Stock
We are low in stock of the following titles:
The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales by Angela Slatter, Green Thoughts by John Collier, and Copsford by Walter J.C. Murray
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29th November 2021:
Paperback reprints
We have now reprinted, in paperback, Reggie Oliver's A Maze for the Minotaur, and Mark Valentine's Sphinxes and Obelisks. Additionally, we have also reprinted as a paperback, Rosalie Parker's short story collection Damage, previously published in hardback by P.S. Publishing.
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23rd November 2021:
Wormwood 37
We apologise for the slight delay in the autumn publication of Wormwood 37. It can be ordered now, and will be posted at the beginning of next week.
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16th November 2021:
New publication
We are delighted to announce the publication of The Gypsy Spiders and Other Tales of Italian Horror by Nicola Lombardi (translated by Joe Weintraub). This collection of stories is a masterpiece of Italian fiction, and a must for all readers of intelligent contemporary horror. Lombardi’s novelisations of the Dario Argento films Profondo Rosso and Suspiria, are well known.
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27th October 2021:
Out of Print
We are sorry to report that the following books are now out of print as limited edition hardbacks:
A Maze for the Minotaur by Reggie Oliver
Figurehead by Carly Holmes
The Clockworm by Karen Heuler
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18th October 2021:
New Book
We are delighted to announce the publication of an excellent new novel by Angela Slatter: All the Murmuring Bones. It was published earlier this year as a paperback by Penguin, but we are publishing the first hardback edition, limited to 300 copies.
All The Murmuring Bones is set in the same world as Slatter's previous Tartarus Press books, The Bitterwood Bible, Sourdough and Other Stories and The Tallow Wife.
In a Publishers Weekly 'Starred' review it was called a 'Stunning gothic adventure . . . Anyone who likes gutsy heroines, beautiful language, and well-wrought worlds won’t want to miss this.'
The Guardian wrote: '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.'
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17th October 2021:
Low Stock
We are getting low in stock of copies of A Maze for the Minotaur by Reggie Oliver.
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A Maze for the Minotaur reviews
Two new reviews for A Maze for the Minotaur by Reggie Oliver:
"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
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16th October 2021:
Sphinxes and Obelisks reviews
Two new reviews for Sphinxes and Obelisks by Mark Valentine:
"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
These are in addition to a review by Michael Dirda in The Washington Post:
"Valentine—an exceptionally genial excavator of half-forgotten and eccentric books."
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10th October 2021:
Ezra Slef Review
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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20th September 2021:
Low Stock
We are now low in stock of The Clockworm by Karen Heuler
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8th September 2021:
Out of print
Please note that Sphinxes and Obelisks by Mark Valentine is now out of print as a limited edition hardback. It is still available as an ebook.
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31st August 2021:
Out of print
Please note that Hieroglyphics by Arthur Machen is now out of print.
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31st August 2021
Free pdf
You can now read the 'Preface' and 'Chapter I' of Against the Grain Again by Brendan Connell here.
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31st August 2021:
Low Stock
We are low in stock of the following titles:
Figurehead by Carly Holmes
Sphinxes and Obelisks by Mark Valentine
Hieroglyphics by Arthur Machen
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24th August 2021:
New publication
We are delighted to announce the first publication of Against the Grain Again by Brendan Connell. In this fine-tuned pastiche, Brendan Connell pays tribute to J.K. Huysmans and his masterpiece, À rebours, offering a novel of hyacinth-drenched decadence, double-dyed in mysticism and infernalia.
This highly enjoyable book will appeal to all admirers of fin-de-siècle decadent literature.
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8th August 2021:
Interview
Charles David has been interviewed about his wonderful novel, The Way Things End, at NightTrain.
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1st August 2021:
Out of Print
Please note that The White Hands by Mark Samuels is now out of print.
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29th July 2021:
Ezra Slef
Andrew Komarnyckyj's Ezra Slef is reviewed here by Rick Kleffel, with a fascinating interview with the author at Narrative Species.
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25th July 2021:
Los Angeles Review of Books
The Los Angeles Review of Books publishes a long, considered essay about Arthur Machen that gives a positive mention of our Arthur Machen Gazetteer, Occult Territory, along with other Tartarus Press titles.
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9th July 2021:
Low Stock and Out of Print
Please note that The Sand-Man and Other Night Pieces by E.T.A. Hoffmann is now out of print, and we are low in stock of copies of the paperback of The White Hands by Mark Samuels.
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28th June 2021:
New Reggie Oliver collection!
On 8th July we will be publishing a new collection of short stories by Reggie Oliver: A Maze for the Minotaur. This is the eighth volume of stories by Reggie Oliver to be published by Tartarus Press and marks the fact that we have published over one hundred of his tales.
(Please note that although we originally intended to publish 400 copies, 450 were printed, and have been numbered thus.)
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25th June 2021:
Rave review
"Oh, but this book is such a joy to read!" David's Book World on Ezra Slef, the Next Nobel Laureate in Literature by Andrew Komarnyckyj
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10th June 2021
The Ghost Stories of Oliver Onions
We are delighted to announce a new, revised publication of The Ghost Stories of Oliver Onions. This time we have published the book in two volumes, in a slipcase, and we have included a substantial folk-horror novella ‘Gambier’.
Wormwood 36
We will be publishing Wormwood 36, next week. The new issue contains Lisa Tuttle on the mystery of Regina Miriam Bloch, Iain Smith on Baudelaire, Wilde, Machen and the prose poem, Laura Helyer on Aickman and the poetry of the ghost story, Mat Joiner on M John Harrison’s The Course of the Heart, Douglas A. Anderson on The Strange Genius of David Lindsay, The Wormwood Interview: David Tibet, and reviews by Reggie Oliver and John Howard.
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21st May 2021
Occult Territory paperback
Occult Territory: An Arthur Machen Gazetteer by R.B. Russell has now been reprinted in paperback. The first edition was featured in the Times Literary Supplement.
'...a delightful pictorial scrapbook' The New York Review
'This long-planned labour of love will be welcomed by Machen readers interested in the links between locale and literature.' The Fortean Times
'... it’s an enchanting guide through a life less ordinary.' Horla
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20th May 2021
Out of print
We regret to announce that Tree Spirit and Other Strange Tales by Michael Eisele and House of the Flight-helpers by Philomena van Rijswijk are now out of print as limited edition hardbacks.
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17th November 2021:
Locus review for The Tallow-Wife
Paula Guran reviews The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales by Angela Slatter in the online edition of Locus:
"Each story stands alone, a gleaming gem to enjoy individually, but they also fit together to become an even richer treasure"
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16th May 2021:
Waiting for the End of the World and Through the Storm
Copies of Waiting for the End of the World by R.B. Russell and Through the Storm by Rosalie Parker, both published by PS Publishing, are available through our website.
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13th May 2021:
Two reviews to brighten the day
Sphinxes and Obelisks by Mark Valentine is discussed at length by Michael Dirda in The Washington Post. He writes that Valentine is ...
"... an exceptionally genial excavator of half-forgotten and eccentric books."
and
Ezra Slef by Andrew Komarnyckyj gets a great review at Whispering Stories, who write...
"The book is a delight."
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6th May 2021:
New Review
A great new review for The Way Things End by Charles David at the BFS website. "As a debut novel, this is excellent."
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26th April 2021:
Low Stock
We are now low in stock of the following books:
Tree Spirit and Other Strange Tales by Michael Eisele
House of the Flight-helpers by Philomena van Rijswijk
And we are out of print of
Strange Tales III edited by Rosalie Parker
The Girl With the Peacock Harp by Michael Eisele
Occult Territory: An Arthur Machen Gazetteer by R.B. Russell
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17th April 2021:
The Tallow Wife and Other Tales reviewed
Angela Slatter's The Tallow Wife and Other Tales is reviewed by Mario Guslandi at Black Gate: "Wonderful prose and ... enticing narrative style, where words are musical notes and the stories are symphonies"
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12th April 2021:
New Mark Valentine essays collection
A new collection of mainly bookish essays by Mark Valentine, Sphinxes and Obelisks, will be available on 15th April, 2021.
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11th April 2021
The New Inn Hall Deception reprinted
The New Inn Hall Deception by John Gaskin is available again as a paperback, direct from Tartarus Press, or through Amazon.
7th April 2020:
Washington Post review
Michael Dirda writes today in The Washington Post of Ezra Slef by Andrew Komarnyckyj, "It’s a joyful book, packed with surprises."
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1st April 2021:
Locus review
Angela Slatter's new collection of short stories, The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales has been reviewed by Paula Guran in Locus:
"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."
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25th March 2021:
Ezra Slef recommended
Ezra Slef: The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature by Andrew Komarnyckyj is recommended by Paul Brazil: "A cracking read and highly recommended."
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24th March 2021:
Out of print
The Hidden Back Room by Jason A. Wyckoff is now out out of print as a limited edition hardback, but is still available as a paperback and ebook.
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15th March 2021:
Bloody Baudelaire
Bloody Baudelaire by R.B. Russell is now available as a paperback, as well as an ebook.
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14th March 2021:
Low Stock and Out of Print
We are now low in stock of:
The Girl With the Peacock by Michael Eisele
The Hidden Back Room (hardback) by Jason A. Wyckoff
We have now sold out of:
The New Inn Hall Deception by John Gaskin
The Buckross Ring by L.A.G. Strong
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9th March 2021:
The Tallow-Wife
Anglea Slatter's The Tallow-Wife receives a great review in Aurealis #136: "The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales is a deliciously sophisticated and layered collection."
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8th March 2021:
The House of Souls
We have reprinted Arthur Machen's classic collection of supernatural, horror and mystical tales, The House of Souls.
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5th March 2021:
The Collected Connoisseur
The Collected Connoisseur has been reviewed at Oddly Weird Fiction, where they conclude:
"I am also in complete awe of Valentine and Howard's visionary writing here and elsewhere. Every reader of the weird, the fantastical, and of the occult should have The Collected Connoisseur sitting on his or her shelves. No collection would be complete without it. "
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1st march 2021:
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly have given The Tallow-Wife by Angela Slatter a very good review:
"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."
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1st March 2021:
Out of Print
Please note that The Cosy Room is now out of print as a limited edition hardback. It remains available as an ebook.
27th February 2021:
European customers, please note that customs fees may now be chargeable on some books. We are very sorry, but this is out of our control, and you should make allowances for this possibility when placing orders. We are no longer able to sell through Amazon in Europe.
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9th January 2021:
The Tallow-Wife
We are delighted to announce the first publication of Angela Slatter's new collection of short stories, The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales, illustrated by Kathleen Jennings, and with an Introduction by Helen Marshall. It will be published 18th February 2021.
Each limited edition hardback copy comes with a postcard signed by the author.
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27th January 2021:
More great reviews
More great reviews for Ezra Slef: The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature by Andrew Komarnyckyj:
"An outstanding read." Rae's Reading Lounge
"A landmark read." Des Lewis
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19th January 2021:
Ezra Slef recommendations
Ezra Slef: The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature by Andrew Komarnyckyj was recommended by the author and critic John Llewellyn Probert on social media yesterday:
"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."
This was followed today by a wonderful review in the Manchester Review of Books, which sums up by calling it:
"This is a damn fine novel."
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15th January 2021:
Sample Ezra Slef available
Read the opening of Ezra Slef at minor literature[s]
Alternatively, an excerpt is available here as a pdf
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11th January 2021:
First publication of 2021
We are delighted to announce the publication, on 14th January, of Ezra Slef: The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature by Andrew Komarnyckyj. This great new novel introduces Humbert Botekin, writing the definitive biography of renowned author, Ezra Slef. But when the self-absorbed Botekin fails to notice he may have made a pact with the devil, his world collapses around him...
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7th January 2021:
Out of print
We regret to report that Petals and Violins by D.P. Watt, The Autobiography of Arthur Machen, and Strange Tales II are now all out of print as a limited edition hardbacks. They are still available as as ebooks.
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1st January 2021:
Happy New Year!
We are pleased to announce that Past Lives of Old Books is now available as a paperback.
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10th December 2020:
The Nightfarers
Mark Valentine's short story collection The Nightfarers has been very positively reviewed at Wyrd Britain, who conclude:
"It's a stunning collection of stories that once again displays the scope of the gentleman's imagination and is, as ever, hugely recommended."
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4th December 2020:
Out of Print
Mirror Dead by Magda McQueen is now out of print.
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2nd December 2020:
Oddly Weird Fiction
A great review of Mark Valentine's The Nightfarers has been published at the Oddly Weird Fiction blog: "The Nightfarers is an exquisite collection of stories from a writer of incredible genius and talent."
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26th November 2020:
Out of Print
Strange Tales: Tartarus Press at 30, edited by Rosalie Parker, is now out of print as a hardback limited edition. It remains available as an ebook.
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24th November 2020:
Out of Print
We regret to announce that Past Lives of Old Books by R.B. Russell is now out of print. It remains available as an ebook, and we intend to reprint as a paperback in due course.
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23rd November 2020:
Arthur Machen back in print
We have now brought back into print The Secret Glory by Arthur Machen.
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23rd November 2020:
New Review
Strange Tales: Tartarus Press at 30 has been reviewed by Mario Guslandi at the British Fantasy Society website:
"Let me tell you right away that this is one of the best anthologies I’ve had the opportunity to read in years. The quality of the included tales is quite high, there are no misfires, and the book is a real treat for anyone fond of good short fiction."
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22nd November 2020:
Low Stock
We have added to our Low Stock Page:
Past Lives of Old Books by R.B. Russell
Mirror Dead by Magda McQueen
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30th October 2020:
Go Back At Once
We are delighted to announce the first ever publication of Robert Aickman's novel Go Back At Once on 5th November 2020. It is a limited edition hardback, uniform with our other Robert Aickman editions.
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30th October 2020:
Wormwood 35
Wormwood 35 will be published 5th November 2020. The new issue includes Jane Jakeman on Melmoth the Wanderer, Colin Insole on The Blind Owl, Thomas Kent Miller on Shaka Zulu, Peter Bell on C.C. Vyvyan, John Howard on Visa for Avalon, and reviews by Reggie Oliver and John Howard
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28th October 2020:
The Washington Post
Strange Tales: Tartarus Press at 30 is featured in Michael Dirda's Halloween choices in The Washington Post.
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27th October 2020:
A 'starred' review
The Way Things End by Charles David has received a 'starred' review at Publishers Weekly. "This unsettling horror novel is a must for David Lynch fans."
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23rd October 2020:
Out of Print
We are sorry to report as out of print as limited edition hardbacks, Orpheus on the Underground by Rhys Hughes, and Pauliska, or, Modern Perversity by Jacques-Antoine Révéroni, baron de Saint-Cyr.
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14th October 2020:
One Morning
A great review of One Morning by Jessica Hagy can be found at Narrative Species, written by Rick Kleffel (with an accompanying conversation). He writes that One Morning is "... an astonishing accomplishment, a novel that follows one perception after another to craft a vivid portrait of environmental memory echoing from one decaying life to the next. Disturbing, poignant and alive with the beauty of human struggle trapped in economic runoff, One Morning is a page-turner that ends up haunting the reader."
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13th October 2020:
Out of print
We are sorry to report that Dark World edited by Timothy Parker Russell is now out of print as a paperback. It is still available as an ebook.
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12th October 2020:
Out of print
We are sorry to report that Strange Tales IV is now out of print and unavailable
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9th October 2020:
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly have given a very good review to Strange Tales: Tartarus Press at 30. "These formally beautiful stories showcase the best of Tartarus Press and are ones to savor.".
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9th October 2020:
Out of Print
We are sorry to report that The London Adventure by Arthur Machen is now out of print as a limited edition hardback. It remains available as an ebook.
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5th October 2020:
Low stock
A few more books are low in stock and may well sell out before Christmas (these things are difficult to judge), including
The London Adventure by Arthur Machen
Orpheus on the Underground by Rhys Hughes
Pauliska, or, Modern Perversity by Jacques-Antoine Révéroni, baron de Saint-Cyr
Dark World edited by Tim Parker Russell
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4th October 2020:
Out of Print
Glen Cavaliero's Justice of the Night
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13th September 2020:
Publishers Weekly reviews
Publishers Weekly have published very positive reviews of two recent Tartarus Press books. First, Petals and Violins by D.P. Watt:
"Watt creates terrifying situations in prosaic settings in this superior collection. . . . The standout is 'Blood and Smoke, Vinegar and Ashes,' which gains its power through Watt’s artful incremental ratcheting up of the tension. . . . Fans of daylight horror will be eager to seek out more of Watt’s work." (Publishers Weekly)
And also, Past Lives of Old Books, by R.B. Russell:
"Lovers of obscure authors and literature will welcome this eclectic collection of mostly previously published essays from British editor Russell His easy, accessible style is a delight to read." (Publishers Weekly)
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12th September 2020:
Out of print
We regret to announce that The Collected Macabre Stories of L.P. Hartley is now out of print.
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11th September 2020:
Tartarus Press is 30!
Tartarus Press is 30, and to celebrate we have published a new anthology of contemporary fiction, Strange Tales: Tartarus Press at 30. It contains stories by many authors we have published over the years, and some new writers. All copies are signed by Rosalie Parker and Ray Russell.
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