The Averoigne Legacy

NOT THE END OF THE STORY The lore of Averoigne didn’t end with Clark Ashton Smith. Over the decades other writers, fascinated by this “Lovecraft country” of medieval France, added their own contributions. For the first time collected together into one volume, you can read over two dozen poems and stories of Averoigne (including some never before published) by Mythos authors like DJ Tyrer, Richard Tierney, Brian McNaughton, Michael Minnis, and James Chambers. Revisit Vyônes and Périgon, meet Luc le Chaudronnier and Azédarac once again,as old foes like the Gargoyles of Vyônes Cathedral and the Colossus of Ylourgne return to wreck more havoc. But new threats are always lurking in the shadows. Join the peasantry of Averoigne in their struggles to survive in their cursed, monster-haunted homeland as they face threats ranging from ghostly cats to man-eating ogres. Tales of harpies and werewolves, witches and necromancers, changelings and cockatrices await you, as well as villains of the more human variety like fanatical Inquisitors, heretical cults, and druids serving dark gods. Includes the following short stories: THE ORACLE OF SADOQUA by Ron Hilger THE WEDDING OF SHEILA-NA-GOG by G. Arthur Rahman & Richard L. Tierney THE CULT OF THE SINGING FLAME by David Reid Ross THE DOOM OF AZÉDARAC by Ron Hilger THE PINK FLOWER OF SAINT ZÉNOBIE by Aaron Hollingsworth HUGH THE DISCERNING by Garnett Elliott THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF GHOSTLY CATS by Michael Minnis UNHALLOWED GROUND, UNHOLY FLESH by James Chambers THE LITTLE AND THE BIG by Michael Minnis THE PASSING OF BELZÉVUTHE by Simon Whitechapel THE BUTCHER OF VYÔNES by Michael Minnis BLACK ART IN VYÔNES by Keith Chapman THE COCKATRICE OF CORDELIERS by Michael Minnis CLOTAIRE OF THE CROSS by Colin Harker SYMPOSIUM OF THE GARGOYLE by Simon Whitechapel THE QUARRY by Simon Whitechapel THE GARGOYLES OF NOTRE DAME by Matthew Baugh THE RETURN OF THE COLOSSUS by Brian McNaughton THE MUSE OF AVEROIGNE by Ron Hilger & Henry J. Vester III THE FELL FÊTE by Manuel Arenas BOUFONOULA by D.J. Tyrer A HONEYMOON IN AVEROIGNE by Trevor O. Childers ... PLUS over a dozen poems of Averoigne by H.P. Lovecraft, DJ Tyrer, Ashley Dioses, Wade German, Cardinal Cox, Ron Shiflet and others, AND a Map of Averoigne by multiple Hugo-award winning artist Tim Kirk!

The lore of Averoigne didn't end with Clark Ashton Smith. Over the decades other writers, fascinated by this "Lovecraft country" of medieval France, added their own contributions. Read over two dozen stories and poems of Averoigne (including some never before published) by Mythos authors like DJ Tyrer, Richard Tierney, Brian McNaughton, Michael Minnis, and Ron Hilger. Revisit Vyônes and Périgon, meet Luc le Chaudronnier and Azédarac once again, as tales of harpies and werewolves, ogres and giants, changelings and cockatrices await you!

ENTER THE HAUNTED LAND OF AVEROIGNE Collected into one volume are all of Clark Ashton Smith's short stories of Averoigne, the sinister, monster-haunted province of medieval France. Werewolves and satyrs stalk the dark forests, witches and necromancers lurk in the swamps, and gargoyles and giants terrorize the cathedral city of Vyônes in the heart of Averoigne. Even the holy Abbey of Périgon is defiled by cursed statues and demons from the stars. Come, explore the mysteries of Averoigne... if you dare. Includes these stories by Clark Ashton Smith: Mother of Toads The Maker of Gargoyles The Holiness of Azédarac A Night in Malnéant The Colossus of Ylourgne The Enchantress of Sylaire The Beast of Averoigne The Mandrakes A Rendezvous in Averoigne The Disinterment of Venus The Satyr The End of the Story Averoigne (poem) ...and a map of Averoigne by Tim Kirk!

CAN A HANDFUL OF HEROES STOP AN APOCALYPSE CENTURIES IN THE MAKING? Escaped gladiator-slave Simon of Gitta returns to Judea — during the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth — on a mission to avenge the deaths of his parents, seeking revenge in blood against the Roman officials who committed the murders and sold Simon into slavery. But as Simon travels the Holy Lands with his mentor Dositheus and their students Menander and llione, they gradually become entangled in a complex occult plot designed to call down a monstrous alien entity to herald a new aeon on Earth. The mysterious time traveler John Taggart (from Tierney's The Winds of Zarr) also becomes involved with Simon as their separate quests converge toward a common goal of saving all life on Earth from extinction. But can a handful of travelers really thwart a covert scheme backed by the power of the Roman Empire? As the apocalyptic supernatural events slowly unfold, Simon and his allies are in a race against time to prevent the devastation of the world. Using mystery cults and early Christian Gnosticism as his vehicle, with meticulously researched Roman history and Biblical scholarship, this is author Richard Tierney’s magnum opus: an epic Lovecraftian alternate history dark fantasy novel that features Tierney's most famous characters, Simon of Gitta and John Taggart. This novel will appeal to fans of historical fantasy and sword & sorcery fiction in the vein of Robert E. Howard, and the elements of cosmic horror and the Cthulhu Mythos will satisfy many fans of H.P. Lovecraft.

RACE FOR THE RING OF THE GODS Romans have crossed the border into Germania and stolen Andvaranaut, the Ring of the Gods. Depending upon who possesses it and how it is used, it could allow Rome to conquer the world—or destroy the world altogether. Osric, the son of a benign Germanic sorcerer, has entered Roman territory on a quest to reclaim the Ring and its destructive magic power. But, unknown to Osric, the sorceress Frigerd has also come to Rome to steal the Ring for the evil Cult of Heid, who wants to use it to bring about Götterdämmerung and end the world—and Frigerd is willing to kill anyone who stands in her way. Even worse, the Ring is held by none other than the Roman Emperor Tiberius, who wants to learn its secrets and exploit its power. To regain the Ring, Osric must penetrate the most heavily-guarded Imperial Palace in the world—and do it before Frigerd does. In a search and chase that leads from the prisons and palaces of Imperial Rome to the desolate and dangerous Isle of Capri, the battle for Andvaranaut unfolds and then explodes. Who will live to see the day after… and will that day be worth living for? If you enjoy historical fiction, sword and sorcery, or adventure fantasy, then read Heir of Darkness today!

A FEARED AND HATED LORD AND LADY In a remote village in pre-revolutionary France, the peasant children are wasting away and dying, and no one knows why. Many fear the reclusive and disliked Sieur and Dame De Blois, long rumored to be sorcerers and shapeshifters, may be responsible. When finally a heartbroken mother seizes an axe to fight back, the increasing conflict between peasant and aristocrat comes to its ultimate and deadly conclusion. This is H.P. Lovecraft's epic poem, a short story told in verse displaying his signature blend of expressive language and vivid, gothic imagery.

Gerard was on his way to meet the beautiful Fluerette when he wandered into Averoigne's forest… a place of mystery and danger… (note: single title, non-omnibus edition)

When the pulp magazine Weird Tales appeared on newsstands in 1923, it proved to be a pivotal moment in the evolution of speculative fiction. Living up to its nickname, “The Unique Magazine,” Weird Tales provided the first real venue for authors writing in the nascent genres of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Weird fiction pioneers such as H. P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert Bloch, Catherine L. Moore, and many others honed their craft in the pages of Weird Tales in the 1920s and 1930s, and their work had a tremendous influence on later generations of genre authors. In The Unique Legacy of Weird Tales: The Evolution of Modern Fantasy and Horror, Justin Everett and Jeffrey Shanks have assembled an impressive collection of essays that explore many of the themes critical to understanding the importance of the magazine. This multi-disciplinary collection from a wide array of scholars looks at how Weird Tales served as a locus of genre formation and literary discourse community. There are also chapters devoted to individual authors—including Lovecraft, Howard, and Bloch—and their particular contributions to the magazine. As the literary world was undergoing a revolution and mass-produced media began to dwarf high-brow literature in social significance, Weird Tales managed to straddle both worlds. This collection of essays explores the important role the magazine played in expanding the literary landscape at a very particular time and place in American culture. The Unique Legacy of Weird Tales will appeal to scholars and aficionados of fantasy, horror, and weird fiction and those interested in the early roots of these popular genres.