Dark Fantasy Short Stories

From the savage steppes of Nagali to the heart of intrigue in Quing Tzu, this anthology is packed with tales of the supernatural, of action and adventure. Set in the same world as the epic fantasy Convent series, beginning with A Dead Wizard’s Dream, this collection of 11 original fantastical short stories explores lands heretofore unseen in the series.

From astronauts in deep space to the ghosts of the Civil War, New York Times best-selling author Alethea Kontis creates worlds of wonder and delight, of weirdness and despair, of whimsy and darkness. Here are 20 stories and poems that will transport you to the magical dangerous worlds you've always known should exist, but have never quite been able to find.

Crimson, the bloodthirsty, sadistic King of Hearts, is a villain. Or at least he’s supposed to be. That’s just how things work in Wonderland, a strange, fanciful place filled with heroes and villains who always seem to be at odds. Crim is in a very dark place after the hero Alister Kingsley wins the Wonderland joust and marries Madeline Hatter. He should have known better than to hope for true love since villains don’t get "happy endings". But there’s something fishy afoot.

Getrude Bennet has been called the "most important woman writer of fantasy between Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1759-1797) and C.L. Moore (1911-1987)". This is a complete collection of short stories by the woman who first explored the dark fantasy worlds of the modern era. This book contains tales that were originally published in Weird Tales, Argosy, and All-Story Weekly between 1918-1923.

Contained in this deceptively short volume are many, many little stories, largely in assorted scifi/fantasy/speculative fiction settings (and don't get us started on the Fairy Tales). They're often satirical, frequently sharp-edged, sometimes poison-tipped, and what's worse is, none of them show proper respect and reverence to Heroes, much less Goodness, Truth, and Light. This is clearly Very Bad, and you should stay far away from this book.

A dark faerie tale anthology featuring eight short stories by well-received and upcoming authors, delivering new faerie tales and dark twists on inspired tales. Follow a young soldier trying to rescue his parents from the clutches of city enforcers, a talented young artist who is given a quill with magical properties, a princess who joins a team destined to rid the world of its hidden evils, and more.

Written in the dark days of World War I, join Lord Dunsany as he spreads the dreams that we cannot leave to die. Dunsany was the most influential writer in the genre that came to be known as fantasy, which his stories set trends for that continue to this day.

An old king with nothing left to lose is lured to the site of his greatest victory by a long-forgotten enemy seeking revenge. The last dragon-slayer and the last dragon, brought together with just one anticipated outcome, but what if they have more to ask of each other? A brave knight cursed to know love as no other, but to never have that love returned in kind. The wild west as you've never seen it before. Two ancient warriors body-stealing through time. These are just some of the stories in this collection from award-winning author Brian A. Hopkins.

Samantha Moon gets in touch with the creature inside of her and takes a trip beyond where she's ever gone before, deep into the revelations of her inner self, and into the black vastness of outer space. She risks everything to discover just how powerful she is, and finally connects with a deeper truth inside of her - a truth that will unlock something unexpected and powerful.

A beer run becomes an interdimensional excursion. Two men settle their differences after discovering an extraordinary secret in the wilderness. A woman faces the bureaucracy of a digital afterlife. A grieving man seeks to know where his wife was reincarnated. Strange lights in the sky transform the lives of a small town. God and the devil play billiards for people's souls. A teenage deity's science project sprouts a startling discovery. These and more dream-like detours into the surreal, interstitial, and inexplicable await within. Chock full of gooey, mind-bending goodness.

Food. We use it to celebrate, to provide both comfort and energy, and to show our love. There’s something about mixing a pinch of this and a dash of that to create something new. And when you pair it with the perfect drink...'chef’s kiss'. Stories can do the same thing. They can be a celebration, bring us comfort and energy, and help us express our love. And when the perfect character is paired with the perfect plot...well, then you have something worth devouring. So take a place at the table, and let’s see what’s on the menu.

From the dark and decadent mind of Em Dehaney come eight tales of sea foam secrets and sweet treats. Nothing is quite what it seems, but everything is delicious. This is Food of the Gods.

Captain Torren, the warden of the Dormigan Prison, knows that the mysterious Prisoner 34 is much more dangerous than the authorities think. Torren does his best to guard him, going so far as to break some of his orders, but the new governor's sudden wish to personally inspect the prison threatens to destroy the shaky balance the warden has achieved. Will the Prisoner comply and help Torren through the inspection? What will he ask in return? And will he keep his word?

They call the Malar Dorah unbreakable. Five centuries it stood unconquered until foul trickery cracked its gates. Now, it is the final bastion of a retreating northern army, and the culmination of a long-raging war. The warlord Belerod stands at the Dorah's doorstep with a horde at his back, set on testing the meaning of unbreakable with his golems.

After an altercation with Lord William Holward, while defending her brother, Cora is sentenced to die the next day. But that night a stranger appears with a job offer for her.

Drei unheimliche Geschichten mit Anklängen an die "Schwarze Romantik" von Linda Budinger ("Cotton Reloaded", "Das Schwarze Auge"). Einfühlsam gelesen von Karen Schulz-Vobach. Stefan erfährt durch Zufall von einem bronzezeitlichen Urnenfeld, das bei archäologischen Grabungen freigelegt wurde. Nachts macht er sich auf, um die Schätze die er dort vermutet, zu heben. Doch er rechnet nicht mit dem Fluch des Geisterkessels!

This lighthearted tale is the first of ten that will ultimately be compiled into an anthology titled "Denny's Tales". This tale, and a few others, will be available individually, through Kindle Direct Publishing.

Blackwater is a collection of two tales of horror and dark fantasy. In "Mercury Rain", a soldier fighting a new enemy learns the importance of holding on to his memories. "Blackwater", the title story of the collection, is an homage to Stephen King's short story, "Graveyard Shift", and it tells the tale of Paul Hawkins, a mine worker who disturbs something terrifying in the Blackwater Hills of Durham, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1976.

Previously available on audio cassette from Darkscribe Press, this collection was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1992. Dark Dixie collects the following works of southern horror by author Ronald Kelly. This audiobook includes all the stories from the original audio and several more: Introduction by Ronald Kelly (2010); "Yea, Though I Drive", previously published in Cold Blood (1991); "Miss Abigail's Delicate Condition", previously published in Noctulpa (1988); "The Cistern", previously published in Cemetery Dance; and five more.

Welcome to a mystical age of cruelty, hexes, and treachery, where malicious magic rules, and you are but a single necromancer’s spell away from eternal terror. From malevolent medieval magicians to the Wild West witches, this spellbinding volume by a master of the macabre is packed with frightening fables guaranteed to send a supernatural chill down your spine.