Darrell Schweitzer je americký autor, redaktor a esejista zaměřený na oblast spekulativní fikce. Jeho tvorba se často soustředí na temnou fantasy a horor, ačkoli se věnuje i sci-fi a fantasy. Schweitzer je také plodným autorem literární kritiky a editorem sborníků esejí o různých autorech v jeho oblíbených žánrech.
Po ztrátě vlastního hradu se sir Julián, pronásledován neustálou představou Pekla, které ho čeká, vydává na svou křížovou výpravu. Potkává kentaury a lamie, kouzelníky i lámy. Zamiluje se do krásné upírky…
Philip Kenan is battling a series of bad jobs -and the monsters from H.P. Lovecraft's fiction go with him. Philip's first confrontation with the monsters set in motion a bizarre chain of events that finally sent his girlfriend Amelia packing. Now the battle rages from the dank, cramped sweatshop of Philip's former place of employment, Ralph's One Day Résumés, to the gleaming, deadly corridors of corporate giant Pelidyne. Can he save Amelia this time, or will the monsters triumph and consign all humanity to an existence of grim servitude?
Set against the backdrop of Emperor Commodus' reign, the narrative delves into the intense palace intrigue and the decadence of Roman society. It follows a determined protagonist striving for ultimate power and control over the civilized world. The story captures the brutal realities of the era, enriched by an introduction from scholar Darrell Schweitzer, providing historical context and depth to the unfolding drama.
In a hauntingly surreal setting, the dead mysteriously wash ashore each night, prompting the living to incorporate these corpses into their daily lives. Families and individuals alike are compelled to transport the bodies, adapting their routines to accommodate the ever-growing presence of death. This bizarre custom, enforced by an enigmatic authority, raises questions about societal norms and the nature of existence, as the community grapples with the macabre reality of their existence and the unchanging cycle of life and death.
Darrell Schweitzer has been three-times nominated for the World Fantasy Award, twice for Best Collection, and once for the novella "To Become a Sorcerer," which forms the first four chapters of this book. He is also the author of The White Isle, The Shattered Goddess, and nearly 300 short stories, many of which are collected in such volumes as Tom O'Bedlam's Night Out, Transients, Refugees from an Imaginary Country, Nightscapes, and The Great World and the Small. An expert on fantastic fiction, who has written books about Lord Dunsany and H.P. Lovecraft, he is also co-editor of the legendary Weird Tales magazine. The Mask of the Sorcerer is one of the ten best fantasy novels of the past generation. The plot is compelling and moves at breathtaking pace. The characters are intriguing, multi-dimensional, lovingly drawn. The fear is chilling, the excitement intense. But mostly The Mask of the Sorcerer is about magic. True magic. Magic that rings in the bones and the soul, magic that very few contemporary writers can understand or create. Darrell Schweitzer is a sorcerer, and his knowledge of magic is awesome. The Mask of the Sorcerer is authentic, a beacon shining above a sea of imitations. Unique as all great creations are unique, it stands alone." -- Morgan Llywelyn
