Gene Wolfe Knihy

Magazín F&SF; je již šedesát let jedním z nejlepších zdrojů fantastické povídky ve světě. Česká edice vám v úzké spolupráci s americkou redakcí nabízí léty prověřenou klasiku i příběhy těch nejlepších autorů žhavé současnosti. Každé čtvrtletí se tak spolu s námi můžete ponořit do barvitých světů ničím neomezované spisovatelské fantazie.

„Válka je nový svět s novými zákony, ba dokonce novou geografií, a její krajinou obcházejí monstra zvaná bitvy.“ Někdejší mučitelský tovaryš Severián už prošel upadající megapolí i městem duchů, podzemním vladařským palácem i vězeňskými kobkami, pampami i velehorami, a z nutnosti i vlastní vůle při tom směřoval stále severněji, do míst, kde armády Společenství snad už od nepaměti odrážejí útoky nepřátel z Askye – státu usilujícího vymýtit každou stopu lidské individuality. Nyní se Severián ocitá přímo ve válkou zpustošené krajině, v lazaretu i v samotných řadách vojska, obyčejným kavaleristou však dlouho nezůstane... V závěrečném díle tetralogie poodhalí Severián tajemství svého původu, dobere se pravé podstaty Smiřitelova spáru a shledá, že být dvěma lidmi v jednom těle byl pro něj pouze začátek.

Mučitelský tovaryš Severián pokračuje ve své pouti do provinčního města Traxu, kam jej představitelé cechu poslali do vyhnanství poté, co projevil laskavost odsouzenkyni na smrt a porušil tak cechovní pravidla.Cestou by však také chtěl znovu nalézt milovanou Dorkas a vyhledat oprávněné majitelky Smiřitelova spáru, mocné relikvie, která se mu shodou okolností dostala do rukou. Snaha dostát svým závazkům ho provede nebezpečným dolem, kde se místo rudy těží pozůstatky vzdálené minulosti, skrytými zákoutími vladařského sídla i rozvalinami města, jehož dávný velekněz se Severiánovi pozoruhodně podobal…Gene Wolfe nestaví stále nová překvapení do cesty pouze svému hrdinovi, nýbrž také čtenářům. Ti se tak v druhé části tetralogie Kniha Nového Slunce mohou těšit na svébytné převyprávění mýtu o Théseovi, divadelní hru, v níž se spolu se Severiánovým osudem záhadně a pokrouceně odráží také osud celého světa, nebo na poťouchlé citáty z klasických děl.

Ohromný spletitý žalář vyhloubený ve skále, v němž si bez denního světla odpykávají trest stovky či tisíce vězňů – taková je Vinkula města Traxu, jejíž správy se ujal mučitelský tovaryš Severián. Jedná se pro něj o druhou šanci pokorně uplatnit znalosti a dovednosti, které mu cechovní mistři vštěpovali už odmala.Další osudový zvrat však na sebe nenechá dlouho čekat a Severián se znovu stává psancem čelícím dlouhé řadě nestvůr: ohnivému přízraku slídícímu po jeho stopě, šelmě vstřebávající s masem obětí také jejich osobnost, dvouhlavému tyranovi i starým známým, které mylně pokládal za neškodné a politováníhodné. A každý krok jej přibližuje k frontové linii na severu…Ve třetím díle tetralogie Kniha Nového Slunce pokračuje pouť plná nebezpečí a pokušení, na níž se Severián učí lépe rozumět světu i sám sobě a postupně odhaluje obrysy velkého úkolu, před nímž stojí a k němuž jeho pouť horami i džunglemi umírajícího světa směřuje.

Ve vzdálené minulosti, kdy Slunce pozvolna vyhasíná, putuje Urzemí člen Cechu mučitelů Severian. Své dobrodružné zážitky ukládá do paměti, aby je později zvěčnil v Knize Nového Slunce, kterou píše již jako Autarch. Mučitelův stín, první díl pentalogie Kniha Nového Slunce, je vědeckofantastický román s prvky fantasy. První díl pentalogie se odehrává v daleké budoucnosti v Urzemi, kde způsob života a úroveň civilizace má archaický ráz.

THE SANDMAN is the most acclaimed and award-winning comics series of the 1990s for good reason: a smart and deeply brooding epic, elegantly penned by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by a rotating cast of comics' most sought-after artists, it is a rich blend of modern myth and dark fantasy in which contemporary fiction, historical drama, and legend are seamlessly interwoven. The saga of THE SANDMAN encompasses a series of tales unique in graphic literature and is a story you will never forget. FABLES & REFLECTIONS follows the Lord of Dreams through nine remarkable tales as he touches lives from the mists of the past to the nightmares of the present. In these episodes, kings and spies, emperors and actors, ravens and werewolves all share their stories and their dreams--dreams of life and love, and of power and darkness. FABLES & REFLECTIONS is the sixth volume of eleven in THE SANDMAN LIBRARY. These books can be read in order or as individual volumes. Description from back cover

Recently voted the greatest fantasy of all time, after The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun is an extraordinary epic, set a million years in the future, on an Earth transformed in mysterious and wondrous ways, in a time when our present culture is no longer even a memory. Severian, the central character, is a torturer, exiled from his guild after falling in love with one of his victims, and journeying to the distant city of Thrax, armed with his ancient executioner's sword, Terminus Est. This edition contains the second two volumes of this four volume novel, The Sword of the Lictor and The Citadel of the Autarch.

The Best of Gene Wolfe is the definitive collection of the best of Gene Wolfe’s short fiction. One of the greatest writers in genre (and literary fiction) of the 20th century, Gene Wolfe was a national treasure who produced the finest and most significant body of short fiction in the SF and fantasy field over the last fifty years. The Best of Gene Wolfe is an amazing retrospective collection of his short fiction, selected by Wolfe himself. Too many award winners and Best Of stories to list here; just as a sample we have "The Island of Dr. Death and Other Stories", "The Fifth Head of Cerberus", "Petting Zoo", "The Tree Is My Hat", "Seven American Nights", and "A Cabin on the Coast." Incredible tales from a writer who challenged and amazed. Who revolutionized the genre. And whose stories will stand the test of time. “Wolfe is our Melville.”—Ursula K. Le Guin

The two novels combined in this omnibus (Caldé of the Long Sun and Exodus from the Long Sun) comprise the second half of Gene Wolfe's long novel, The Book of the Long Sun.

Hailed as "one of the literary giants of SF" by the Denver Post, Gene Wolfe has repeatedly won the field's highest honors, including the Nebula, the Hugo, and the World Fantasy awards. Peace is Gene Wolfe's first full-length novel, a work that shows the genius that later flourished in such acclaimed works as The Fifth Head of Cerberus and The Book of The New Sun. Originally published in 1975, Peace is a spellbinding, brilliant tour de force of the imagination. The melancholy memoir of Alden Dennis Weer, an embittered old man living out his last days in a small midwestern town, the novel reveals a miraculous dimension as the narrative unfolds. For Weer's imagination has the power to obliterate time and reshape reality, transcending even death itself. Powerfully moving and uncompromisingly honest, Peace ranks alongside the finest literary works of our time.

This omnibus of "Nightside of the Long Sun" and "Lake of the Long Sun" is this "modern-day Homer" ("Washington Post Book World") at his best.

Latro forgets everything when he sleeps. Writing down his experiences every day and reading his journal anew each morning gives him a poignantly tenuous hold on himself, but his story's hold on readers is powerful indeed. The two previous novels, combined in Latro in the Mist (Soldier of the Mist and Soldier of Arete) are generally considered classics of contemporary fantasy.Latro now finds himself in Egypt, a land of singing girls, of spiteful and conniving deities. Without his memory, his is unsure of everything, except for his desire to be free of the curse that causes him to forget. The visions Gene Wolfe conjures, of the wonders of Egypt, and of the adventures of Latro as he and his companions journey up the great Nile south into unknown or legendary territory, are unique and compelling. Soldier of Sidon is a thrilling and magical fantasy novel, and yet another masterpiece from Gene Wolfe.

The first historical dictionary devoted to science fiction,Brave New Words:The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction shows how science-fictional words and their associated concepts have developed over time , with full citations and bibliographic information. Not just a useful reference and an entertaining browse, this book also documents the enduring legacy of science fiction writers and fans.

This title provides a tale of wonders by one of the field's greatest writers.

Seznámit čtenáře s antologií Locus – To nejlepší z fantasy a science fiction a nehýřit přitom samými superlativy je obtížné. Jde totiž o pečlivě sestavený výběr mistrovských povídek fantastického žánru posledních třiceti let. Kniha vychází z množství skvělých prací odměněných cenou Locus, což je ocenění udělované každoročně čtenáři stejnojmenného odborného magazínu, jenž je ve světě pokládán za patrně nejdůležitější zdroj informací o literární fantastice. Editoři Jonathan Strahan a Charles N. Brown na sebe vzali nelehký úkol vybrat z vítězných povídek ty nejlepší a zároveň nejpopulárnější příběhy. Vznikl tak výběr, který přímo demonstruje sílu žánru – jeho tematickou rozmanitost, čtenářskou atraktivitu, myšlenkovou i stylistickou volnost a především sílu ničím neomezované autorské představivosti. Jste-li příznivcem literární fantastiky, není proč váhat, a pokud je pro vás science fiction a fantasy pouze únikovým čtením plným nesmyslných vesmírných bitev a kouzelných amuletů, přesvědčte se, že i tyto žánry mají, stejně jako obecná literatura, svoje hlubiny a vrcholy. A tato kniha přináší jednoznačně pouze vrcholná díla od těch nejlepších autorů.

Fourteen audacious explorations of the fantastic, the magical and the horrific by one of SF's greatest writers. Contents: - The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories (1970) - Alien Stones (1972) - La Befana (1973) - The Hero as Werewolf (1975) - Three Fingers (1976) - The Death of Dr. Island (1973) - Feather Tigers (1973) - Hour of Trust (1973) - Tracking Song (1975) - The Toy Theater (1971) - The Doctor of Death Island (1978) - Cues (1974) - The Eyeflash Miracles (1976) - Seven American Nights (1978) Cover illustration by Bruce Pennington

The Shadow of the Torturer is the tale of young Severian, an apprentice in the Guild of Torturers on the world called Urth, exiled for committing the ultimate sin of his profession -- showing mercy toward his victim.The Claw of the Conciliator continues the saga of Severian, banished from his home, as he undertakes a mythic quest to discover the awesome power of an ancient relic, and learn the truth about his hidden destiny.The Book of the New Sun is unanimously acclaimed as Gene Wolfe's most remarkable work, hailed as "a masterpiece of science fantasy comparable in importance to the major works of Tolkien and Lewis" by Publishers Weekly, and "one of the most ambitious works of speculative fiction in the twentieth century" by The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Shadow & Claw brings together the first two books of the tetralogy in one volume.

Of all mortals, Latro was the least favoured - or the most. The wound that had destroyed his memory had given him the ability to see the unseen: the world of the gods, the demi-gods and the fabulous. Each day events were entered on a scroll so that the next morning he could know his friends, his rivals and have some understanding of what had gone before. He had fought with Xerxes at Thermopylae and been driven from Athenian Greece. Now with his companions, Io the slave girl and Seven Lions the African warrior, he was travelling among the Thracians and the Amazons, seeking both his future and his past. Soldier of Arete is the sequel to Gene Wolfe's award winning Soldier of the Mist.

The long awaited sequel to Gene Wolfe’s four-volume classic, The Book of the New Sun. We return to the world of Severian, now the Autarch of Urth, as he leaves the planet on one of the huge spaceships of the alien Hierodules to travel across time and space to face his greatest test, to become the legendary New Sun or die. The strange, rich, original spaceship scenes give way to travels in time, wherein Severian revisits times and places which fill in parts of the background of the four-volume work, that will thrill and intrigue particularly all readers of the earlier books. But The Urth of the New Sun is an independent structure all of a piece, an integral masterpiece to shelve beside the classics, one itself.

When young augur Patera Silk emerges from his exploration of the underground passages of the Whorl, it is to find Viron engulfed in revolutionary violence - and himself hailed as leader of the uprising. As war threatens Silk's world, the Long Sun itself seems to undergo ominous changes.

First published in 1972, this SF masterpiece has been out of print for most of a decade. Now, this "subtle, ingenious, and poetic book" (Ursula Le Guin) entertains a new generation of readers with the story of two far-flung sister planets and a man's quest to find remnants of a lost.

Back in print after two decades, this fantasy tells of a young man who lives in a village deep in the forest in medieval times. Mark finds himself torn between his hero worship for charming highwayman Wat and his growing suspicion of Wat's cold savagery. And Mother Cloot, who may have sorcerous powers, works in equally suspicious ways--perhaps for evil, perhaps for good.

Wolfe, whose tetralogy The Book of the New Sun was the most acclaimed science fiction work of the 1980s, offered his second collection of short fiction in 1990 to universal acclaim. This is a hefty volume of over 30 unforgettable stories in a variety of genres-- SF, fantasy, horror, mainstream-many of them offering variations on themes and situations found in folklore and fairy tales, and including two stories, "The Cat" and "The Map," which are set in the universe of his New Sun novels. Wolfe's deconstructions/reconstructions are provocative, multilayered, and resonant. This embarrassment of literary riches is a must for all Gene Wolfe fans, and anyone who loves a good tale beautifully told.

Exodus from the Long Sun concludes Gene Wolfe's masterful sci-fi epic series, the Book of the Long Sun It is the far future, and the giant spaceship, The Whorl, has traveled for forgotten generations toward its destination. Lit inside by the artificial Long Sun, The Whorl is so huge that whole cities can be seen in the sky. And the gods of The Whorl have begun to intervene in human affairs. An entirely unexpected future awaits as Patera Silk and the other inhabitants are confronted with the world of an alien race. Wolfe's great work is complete, with the mysterious fullness of life itself.

The Washington Post has called Gene Wolfe "the finest writer the science fiction world has yet produced."This volume, Castle of Days, joins together two of his rarest and most sought after works--Gene Wolfe's Book of Days and The Castle of the Otter --and add thirty-nine short essays collected here for the first time, to fashion a rich and engrossing architecture of wonder.

Contents:How the Whip Came Back (1970)Of Relays and Roses (1970)Paul's Treehouse (1969)St. Brandon (excerpt from "Peace") (1975)Beautyland (1973)Car Sinister (1970)The Blue Mouse (1971)How I Lost the Second World War and Helped Turn Back the German Invasion (1973)The Adopted Father (1980)Forlesen (1974)An Article about Hunting (1973)The Changeling (1968)Many Mansions (1977)Against the Lafayette Escadrille (1972)Three Million Square Miles (1971)The War beneath the Tree (1979)La Befana (1973)Melting (1974)

Nearly a decade after completing his four-volume epic, Gene Wolfe returns to science fiction with a monumental multi-volume mega-novel of mystery, war, and revolution. Set in the Whorl, a world inside a giant starship sent from Urth to colonize a distant planet, this new work builds on Wolfe's acclaimed previous writings, which have established him as a leading figure in fantasy and science fiction. His earlier contributions to this universe have been recognized as significant landmarks in contemporary American literature, drawing comparisons to the major works of Tolkien and Lewis. Wolfe's ambitious narrative unfolds in a realm filled with wonders, where gods, humans, aliens, and machines coexist, leading to mysterious adventures both in space and within the human spirit. The ship-world's origins are steeped in legend, and it is governed by enigmatic gods who communicate with their followers through large screens. The human inhabitants, altered by eons of time, remain familiar yet distinct. The story follows Patera Silk as he navigates the demands of these gods, promising to engage readers seeking fresh and innovative perspectives in science fiction. This new saga marks the beginning of what is poised to be a significant contribution to the genre for the decade ahead.

There Are Doors is the story of a man who falls in love with a goddess from an alternate universe. She flees him, but he pursues her through doorways to the other place, determined to sacrifice his life if necessary for her love. For to love her . . . is to die.

This collection of all new short fiction by thirteen of today's top science fiction writers represents a memorial to the late Terry Carr and includes contributions by Ursulia K. Le Guin, Roger Zelazny, and Robert Silverberg, among others

Latro, a mercenary soldier from the north, has suffered a head wound in battle but has developed the ability to see and converse with all of the invisible gods, goddesses, ghosts, demons, and werewolfves that inhabit the land.

A young man in his teens is transported from our world to a magical realm that contains seven levels of reality. Very quickly transformed by magic into a grown man of heroic proportions, he takes the name Able and sets out on a quest to find the sword that has been promised to him, a sword he will get from a dragon, the one very special blade that will help him fulfill his life ambition to become a knight and a true hero.Inside, however, Able remains a boy, and he must grow in every sense to survive the dangers and delights that lie ahead in encounters with giants, elves, wizards, and dragons. His adventure will conclude in the second volume of The Wizard Knight, The Wizard.With this new series, Wolfe not only surpasses all the most popular genre writers of the last three decades, he takes on the legends of the past century, in a work that will be favorably compared with the best of J. R. R. Tolkien, E. R. Eddison, Mervyn Peake, and T. H. White. This is a book---and a series---for the ages, from perhaps the greatest living writer in (or outside) the fantasy genre.

Edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio, "Stories" is a groundbreaking collection that features diverse tales from renowned authors. This anthology expands the boundaries of imaginative fiction, challenging misconceptions and showcasing the power of storytelling to transform perspectives and ignite appreciation for exceptional literature.

Magic lives in remarkable realms – and in the short fiction of today's top fantasists. In this fifth breathtaking volume of the year's best flights of the fantastic, award–winning editors David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer present a dazzling new array of wonders – stories that break through the time–honored conventions of the genre to carry the reader to astonishing places that only the most ingenious minds could conceive. In the able hands of Neil Gaiman, Kage Baker, Tim Powers, and others, miracles become tangible and true, impossible creatures roam unfettered, and fairy tales are reshaped, sharpened, and freed from the restrictive bonds of childhood. Lose yourself in these pages and in these worlds – and discover the power, the beauty, the unparalleled enchantment of fantasy at its finest.

The box is heavy, locked, and very old. The only clue to its contents is the name written in gold upon its lid: PANDORA. Bright teenager Holly Hollander is understandably curious about what's inside, but when the box is opened, death is unleashed . . . and Holly is the only one who can solve the deadly puzzle.

Sbírka fantastických povídek nejlepších amerických autorů fantasy a sci-fi s tématem Vánoc.

"Free Live Free," said the newspaper ad, and the out-of-work detective Jim Stubb, the occultist Madame Serpentina, the salesman Ozzie Barnes, and the overweight prostitute Candy Garth are brought together to live for a time in Free's old house, a house scheduled for demolition to make way for a highway. Free drops mysterious hints of his exile from his homeland, and of the lost key to his return. And so when demolition occurs and Free disappears, the four make a pact to continue the search, which ultimately takes them far beyond their wildest dreams. This is character-driven science fiction at its best by a writer whom, at the time of its first publication, the "Chicago Sun-Times" called "science fiction's best genuine novelist."

Gene Wolfe presents Lovecraftian noir fiction!

Antologie, která měla otřást science fiction scénou stejně bouřlivě, jak tomu bylo v 60. letech u Nebezpečných vizí editora Harlana Ellisona. Ovšem doba se změnila a počátkem 21. století jen těžko někdo dokáže vyvolat podobnou revoluci v žánru, jenž je i přes všechna více či méně platná tabu tou nejotevřenější scénou pro vyjádření neobvyklých myšlenek. Zajímavé je sledovat, jak si jednotliví autoři poradili s editorským záměrem, jenž po nich požadoval dosáhnout extrémů své literární tvorby. Najdete zde hned několik skutečně excelentních příběhů…

Castleview, an Illinois town, has a phantom castle that Will Shields sees on his first night there, an experience that involves him in murder and mysterious, life-threatening events, because the castle belongs to Morgan Le Fay

Interlibrary Loan is the brilliant follow-up to A Borrowed Man: the final work of fiction from multi-award winner and national literary treasure Gene Wolfe Hundreds of years in the future our civilization is shrunk down but we go on. There is advanced technology, there are robots. And there are clones. E. A. Smithe is a borrowed person, his personality an uploaded recording of a deceased mystery writer. Smithe is a piece of property, not a legal human. As such, Smithe can be loaned to other branches. Which he is. Along with two fellow reclones, a cookbook and romance writer, they are shipped to Polly’s Cove, where Smithe meets a little girl who wants to save her mother, a father who is dead but perhaps not. And another E.A. Smithe... who definitely is.

Avram Davidson was one of the great original American writers of this century. He was literate, erudite, cranky, Jewish, wildly creative, and sold most of his short stories to genre pulp magazines. Here are thirty-eight of the best: all the award-winners and nominees and best-of honored stories, with introductions by such notable authors as Ursula K. Le Guin, William Gibson, Peter S. Beagle, Thomas M. Disch, Gene Wolfe, Poul Anderson, Guy Davenport, Gregory Benford, Alan Dean Foster, and dozens of others, plus introductions and afterwords by Grania Davis, Robert Silverberg, Harlan Ellison, and Ray Bradbury.

Sir Able has returned to the world of Mythgarth, following his fight with the dragon Grengarm. In order to meet his beloved Aelf queen again, he must overcome giants, gods, heroes and a sorceress who tries repeatedly to seduce him.

This is a great book--comprised mostly of essays written about halfway through the publishing schedule of the four New Sun books--about Gene Wolfe's experiences and impetus and all kinds of other stuff about why and how he wrote such a masterpiece. It includes Urth humor and a lexicon of the words he used (every one of which is/was an actual word used at one time--a well known trait of Gene.) A must have, though a hard find, for any Gene Wolfe fan. And if you're not a fan, go be one, okay? It's way worth it.

You are familiar with the salt of the earth. But did you know there is an even finer, more delicate essence? Take wisdom and imagination, responsibility and beauty, and mix them together in arcane proportions to form a rich and peculiar brine. The resulting water of life is an emotional muddy liquid, filled with existential sediment swirling in the light of secret reality and reflecting prismatic colors of hope and wonder. If allowed to evaporate- escape, flee, ascend into the ether and join the music of the spheres-what remains is the quintessence; a precious concentrate that is elusive and volatile, neither fully solid nor so illusory as to be devoid of pithy substance. It is the Salt of the Air. In this debut collection from the critically acclaimed author of Dreams of the Compass Rose and Lords of Rainbow, the sixteen stories are distillations of myth and philosophy, eroticism and ascetic purity. Dipping into an ancient multi-ethnic well, they are the stuff of fantasy-of maidens and deities and senior retirees, of kings and artists and con artists, of warriors and librarians, of beings without a name and things very fey indeed. . . .

Introduction by Terry Carr Four Ghosts in Hamlet (1965) novelette by Fritz Leiber The Dybbuk of Mazel Tov IV (1974) story by Robert Silverberg One at a Time (1968) story by R.A. Lafferty Displaced Person (1948) story by Eric Frank Russell If Something Begins (1971) story by Raylyn Moore They Live on Levels (1973) story by Terry Carr The Horse with One Leg story by George Alec Effinger Kazam Collects (1941) story by C.M. Kornbluth Feather Tigers (1973) story by Gene Wolfe

In this thought-provoking collection of short stories, some of the most ingenious talents in science fiction explore the secret lives of the aliens who walk among us....Includes stories by:Philip K. Dick Gene Wolfe Paul J. McAuley Pat Cadigan Theodore Sturgeon Kim Newman and others!ix • Preface (Aliens Among Us) • (2000) • essay by Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois1 • The Other Celia • (1957) • shortstory by Theodore Sturgeon21 • Residuals • (1997) • novelette by Paul J. McAuley and Kim Newman48 • Eight O'Clock in the Morning • (1963) • shortstory by Ray Nelson55 • Expendable • (1953) • shortstory by Philip K. Dick62 • The Reality Trip • (1970) • shortstory by Robert Silverberg83 • Decency • (1996) • shortstory by Robert Reed100 • The Mindworm • (1950) • shortstory by C. M. Kornbluth117 • Popeye and Pops Watch the Evening World Report • (1996) • shortstory by Eliot Fintushel128 • The Autopsy • (1980) • novella by Michael Shea171 • Or All the Seas With Oysters • (1958) • shortstory by Avram Davidson183 • Angel • (1987) • shortstory by Pat Cadigan202 • Among the Hairy Earthmen • (1966) • shortstory by R. A. Lafferty216 • I'm Too Big but I Love to Play • (1970) • novelette by James Tiptree, Jr.236 • The Hero as Werwolf • (1975) • shortstory by Gene Wolfe254 • Motherhood, Etc. • (1993) • novelette by L. Timmel Duchamp

Gene Wolfe and Neil Gaiman invite you to explore the Shambles, a historic Chicago neighborhood that survived the Great Fire of 1871. Known for its unique attractions, the Shambles includes the Cereal House with its Terribly Strange Bed—don’t forget to fill out the 'next of kin' form if you stay overnight. The House of Clocks features an impressive collection of 20,000 timepieces, best experienced on the hour. Visit the infamous H.H. Holmes' House, where the bars on his children's windows remain, and take a breather at Saunders Park, complete with gardens, statuary, and the notorious Petting Zoo—though it’s wise not to bring your own pets. In the spirit of Charles Addams and Edward Gorey, Wolfe and Gaiman guide you through the Shambles, revealing the best dining spots (and those to avoid) along with tips on where to start your tour and when to make a hasty exit. Described as a place of dark magic and danger, the Shambles is a must-see for adventurous sightseers. This edition features a whimsical cover by Gahan Wilson and illustrations by Randy Broecker and Earl Geier, adding to the allure of this captivating locale. Come along and discover the secrets waiting for you!

A teenager passed from Earth to a magical realm of even worlds, where he was soon given a hero's adult body and the name Able. Forced to act as a man, inside he remained a boy, even as he set out to find his destined sword and become a knight.

A novel of the fantastic set in an imagined country in Europe An American writer of travel guides in need of a new location chooses to travel to a small and obscure Eastern European country. The moment Grafton crosses the border he is in trouble, much more than he could have imagined. His passport is taken by guards, and then he is detained for not having it. He is released into the custody of a family, but is again detained. It becomes evident that there are supernatural agencies at work, but they are not in some ways as threatening as the brute forces of bureaucracy and corruption in that country. Is our hero in fact a spy for the CIA? Or is he an innocent citizen caught in a Kafkaesque trap? Gene Wolfe keeps us guessing until the very end, and after.

The Bronze Age. The era of Troy, of Gilgamesh, of the dawning of human mastery over the earth. For decades, fantasists have set tales of heroism and adventure in imagined worlds based on the real Bronze Age, from the "Hyborean Age" of the Conan stories to the Third Age of Middle-earth.Now bestselling science fiction and fantasy author Harry Turtledove, a noted expert on the ancient world, teams up with author and Egyptologist Noreen Doyle to present fourteen new tales of the real Bronze Age from some of the best writers in science fiction.In The First Heroes: here is Gene Wolfe's mock-journal of a man from the future who travels with figures out of history and mythology; Judith Tarr's tale of a a town that sends its resident goddess to try to learn the secrets of the morose God of Chariots; Harry Turtledove's story about mythological beings witnessing the devastating effect of the first humans on the Earth's natural order; and a poignant new story from the late Poul Anderson, in which a modern scholar is sent to the late Bronze Age to witness the end of an era, emerging with memories from the past as vibrant and intact as those from his accustomed life.

In this companion guide, Michael Andre-Driussi illuminates Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun and Book of the Short Sun science fiction series through dictionary-style entries on the characters, gods, locations, themes, and timelines of the novels. Gate of Horn, Book of Silk , is organized in two parts, with the first half covering the Long Sun series ( Nightside the Long Sun , Lake of the Long Sun , Caldé of the Long Sun, and Exodus from the Long Sun ) and the second half covering the Short Sun series ( On Blue's Waters , In Green's Jungles , and Return to the Whorl ). "Languages of the Whorl," a section between the two parts, covers all the dialect, slang, and foreign terms used in the books—thieves' cant, flier language, Tick's talk, and more. Ten maps and diagrams are included. This is Michael Andre-Driussi's third guidebook to the rich tapestries of Gene Wolfe's worlds. As fans of of Lexicon Urthus and The Wizard Knight Companion have noted, each book is not only a convenient tool to look up a term while re-reading the novels but also an enjoyable read in its own right, from A to Z.

In a contemporary town in the American midwest where he has no connections, Bax, an educated man recently released from prison, is staying in a motel. He writes letters to his brother and to others, including a friend still in jail, to whom he progressively reveals the intriguing pieces of a strange and fantastic narrative. When he meets a real estate agent who tells him he is, to his utter surprise, the heir to a huge old house in town, long empty, he moves in. He is immediately confronted by an array of supernatural creatures and events, by love and danger.His life is utterly transformed and we read on, because we must know more. We revise our opinions of him, and of others, with each letter, piecing together more of the story as we go. We learn things about magic, and another world, and about the sorcerer Mr. Black, who originally inhabited the house. And then knowing what we now know only in the end, perhaps we read it again.

Lexicon Urthus is an alphabetical dictionary for the complete Urth Cycle by Gene Wolfe: The Shadow of the Torturer; The Claw of the Conciliator; The Sword of the Lictor; The Citadel of the Autarch; the sequel Urth of the New Sun; the novella Empires of Foliage and Flower; the short stories "The Cat," "The Map," and "The Old Woman Whose Rolling Pin Is the Sun"; and Gene Wolfe's own commentaries in The Castle of the Otter. The first edition was nominated for a World Fantasy Award. This second edition includes over 1,200 entries. When the first edition was published, Science Fiction Age said: "Lexicon Urthus makes a perfect gift for any fan of Wolfe's] work, and from the way his words sell, it appears that there are many deserving readers out there waiting." Gary K. Wolfe, in Locus, said: "A convenient and well researched glossary of names and terms. . . . It provides enough of a gloss on the novels that it almost evokes Wolfe's distant future all by itself. . . . It can provide both a useful reference and a good deal of fun." Donald Keller said, in the New York Review of Science Fiction: "A fruitful product of obsession, this is a thorough . . . dictionary of the Urth Cycle. . . . Andre-Driussi's research has been exhaustive, and he has discovered many fascinating things . . . it is] head-spinning to confront a myriad of small and large details, some merely interesting, others jawdropping."

OTHER VOICES, OTHER DOORS gathers the finest stories, poems, and non-fiction from Patrick O'Leary over the last two decades. This collection is a unique celebration of the transformative power of storytelling, blending the fantastic with the mundane. Disturbing yet amusing, frank, and original, it marks O'Leary's first (and likely last) compilation of his work, featuring a foreword by Gene Wolfe. O'Leary explores a range of topics, from Van Morrison and vasectomies to the essence of being alive in a wondrous world. Readers are invited to engage deeply with his writing. Critics praise the collection for its zany yet serious nature, showcasing the multifaceted brilliance of O'Leary as a deeply humane and original writer. The kaleidoscopic imagination on display allows readers to dive into any piece—be it a short story, essay, or poem—only to lose track of time as they become engrossed. Despite the challenges of finding shorter works in today's publishing landscape, collections like this endure, thanks to small presses and dedicated authors. Wolfe's introduction sets the stage for O'Leary's quirky versatility and depth, creating an enticing invitation to explore this captivating collection.

Think all heroes have washboard abs? Think all heroines wear Size 3 Junior Petite? Think again! Come join Gene Wolfe, Elizabeth Anne Scarborough, Jane Yolen, Jody Lynn Nye, and Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, who along with nineteen other authors, introduce you to some of the funniest, wildest, sexiest, most powerful, and normal (considering these are science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories) fat people on earth and a few other planets. Meet a pirate named "Valkyrie" and a cardsharp named "Fat Moriah". Meet a xeno-fitness instructor and an earth-mage who don't apologize for taking up space. Meet fat cats on a mission and a very different kind of vampire. Meet characters for whom "plus-size" is about body size and heart. Brought together in this first-of-its-kind collection are stories that raise the set point on adventure and redraw the picture of "the hero" along the way. Tales of power and abundance that prove that heroes and heroines come in all sizes.

The 2006 World Fantasy Convention book, issued in honor of the Robert E. Howard centenary.

This daring, star-packed collection challenges the boundaries of modern fantasy with all-original stories from bestselling, award-winning authors Patricia McKillip, Orson Scott Card, Neil Gaiman, Harry Turtledove, Gene Wolfe, and others.

The Death of Doctor Island (Oct 1973) Awards:1974 Hugo Award - Best Novella (Nomination)1974 Locus Poll Award - Best Novella (Place: 1)1974 Nebula Award - Novella (Win)

13 verhalen van bekende/beroemde SF-schrijvers uit het Engelstalige taalgebied.

Tom pierwszy trylogii "Księga Krótkiego Słońca", a zarazem kontynuacja ostatniej tetralogii autora. Napisana błyskotliwym językiem, pełna znaczeń historia science fiction.

nº 03, edicion 2003, traduccion de M. Blanco, 146 y 70 paginas respectivamente, tapa blanda, en buen estado

Come la ruvida cartolina olografica in grado di restituire con una sensibile inclinazione lo sviluppo tridimensionale dell’immagine, le vicende di Severian, apprendista artigiano della corporazione dei Torturatori, si muovono tra paesaggi medievali e architetture avveniristiche. Sullo sfondo la Torre di Matachin, luogo d’iniziazione ai segreti della casta che ammette come unici adepti i figli delle proprie vittime; in primo piano, l’amore per la condannata Thecla, motore propulsore della storia, che condurrà il protagonista lontano da Nessus, la Città Immortale; ed è in cammino sulle vie dell’esilio, con la spada del Maestro come unica compagna, che Severian tenterà la riscossa contro l’imperscrutabile potere dell’Autarca... Primo volume del ciclo Il Libro del Nuovo Sole, L’ombra del torturatore è una prova narrativa sontuosamente immaginifica, capace di mettere d’accordo i cultori della fantasy e della fantascienza.

Rien de plus banal que de se faire abandonner par celle que l'on aime. Dans le cas de Green, le départ de Lara a pourtant quelque chose de bizarre, d'énigmatique. À commencer par le mot qu'elle lui a laissé et où elle lui explique qu'"il y a des portes" qu'il ne doit absolument pas franchir. Green, qui ne songe qu'à retrouver Lara, aurait-il emprunté par mégarde une de ces portes ? Toujours est-il qu'il se retrouve dans un monde quelque peu décalé par rapport au sien. La monnaie y est différente, on y trouve des poupées à l'effigie d'une "déesse" qui ressemble étrangement à Lara et, selon toute apparence, faire l'amour avec une femme y est mortel pour l'homme. En revanche, l'hôpital psychiatrique où le conduisent ses mésaventures a des airs de famille avec celui où il est arrivé à Green de faire quelques séjours...

"Wolfe przywodzi na myśl Vance’a z jego poetycką bujnością obcych światów; w przewijającej się przez cały cykl zagadce tożsamości pobrzmiewają echa Borgesa; posępny i przejmujący ton opowieści kojarzą się z Melville’em. A jednak w kontynuacji swojego arcydzieła Wolfe pozostaje sobą i jak zwykle po mistrzowsku prowadzi czytelnika przez olśniewający, nowatorski, sugestywny labirynt swojej historii." Lucius Shepard "Czytając książki Gene’a Wolfe’a znajdujemy się w podobnej sytuacji jak Dorotka, kiedy przekroczyła próg domu i pierwszy raz znalazła się w Oz. Świat z czarno-białego nagle staje się kolorowy; tętni barwami, jakich nigdy wcześniej nie widzieliśmy. Na każdym kroku czekają nas nowe cuda. Jesteśmy gotowi natychmiast porzucić czerwone pantofelki, ponieważ światy kreowane przez Wolfe’a za każdym razem okazują się o wiele lepsze niż rodzinny dom." Jonathan Carroll

Gene Wolfe kolejny raz dowodzi swojego mistrzostwa w sztuce tworzenia światów, niewiarygodnej umiejętności budowania postaci i opowiadania historii w historiach zarazem bawi nas i edukuje, z równą wprawą i skutecznością. Ta książka to triumfalne zakończenie "Księgi Krótkiego Słońca", łączącej się bezpośrednio z najpopularniejszym dziełem autora, "Księgą Długiego Słońca". "Powrót do Whorla" to trzeci - po "Na wodach Błękitu" i "W dżunglach Zieleni" - tom ambitnej trylogii SF Gene’a Wolfe’a.