Stories from the Plague YearsFrom the author of the Bram Stoker Award–winning Dawn Song: “The kind of horror that gets under your skin and picks away at your brain” (Tor.com). Stories from the Plague Years is the first fiction collection from award-winning fantasy author Michael Marano. Nine tales arranged in a haunting symphony that guide readers through a tour of the darkest landscapes of human existence. Here, fury and hate grow so strong, they cannot be held within one man’s body, and manifest themselves to devastating effect. Cities contain second, unseen cities populated by the vengeful ghosts of those who died too soon. Countries fall to famine and war. But these are also the tales of love lasting beyond death, love existing beyond all hope, and friendships never forgotten. Within are the widely praised stories “Winter Requiem,” “The Siege,” and the controversial “Burden,” as well as two original novellas, including the Shirley Jackson Award–nominated “Displacement.” Marano, acclaimed for his evocative voice, paints lush portraits both terrifying and tender, injecting even the darkest of fantasies with a punk rock sensibility and a touch of the humane. With Stories from the Plague Years, he presents snapshots of a time when our world collided with evil, sickness, and self-destruction, and left behind lasting scars on those who dared to survive. “Few horror authors are better equipped to write about madness than Marano. With an expansive vocabulary, a tenacious commitment to poetic prose, and a willingness to follow whatever discursive paths his whim takes, Marano is an acquired taste—but without doubt possessed of a unique talent.” —Booklist |
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Allen arms asked become blood body breath called Catherine changed child close cold coming dark David dead death didn’t Doctor door dream dropped Ears eyes face Father fear feel felt flesh floor gaze ghost give glass hand head hear heard held hold hurt Justice killed knew leave light living look Marie memory metal mind mirror Mother Mother and Father mouth moved never night once pain painted past play pressed pulled reached remember screams seemed seen shadow shared sick sight skin sleep smell smoke soul sound speak stand steps stood stop street thing thought told took touched turned voice walked wall watching window wish wood