Damnable Tales: A Folk Horror Anthology

Product Information

Overall a disappointing collection, just because something is set in the wilderness and maybe has a wee bit of devil worship (hail Satan) does not make it Folk Horror. A fabulous opportunity wasted. What is it about these stories of the uncanny, many of them written over a century ago, that make them so appealing to contemporary readers? In his Introduction to Damnable Tales, the novelist Benjamin Myers offers a clue: ‘They take place in worlds we recognise as once-removed from our realities. These are the settings of our ancestors, and therefore are still carried somewhere deep within us now: remote villages and darkened lanes, lonely woodlands, obscure country houses and crumbling cemeteries. Places where the crepuscular light is eternally fading and in which the inanimate or the dormant is slowly stirring.’ One of the joys of anthologies is squabbling with the editor's choices, but I can't quibble with these. If you want an intro to the world of folk horror, this is probably it. The illustrations are great, too, and really add to the atmosphere of the book. Fresh off the printing press once more, here’s my latest lino print for Damnable Tales. This time, it’s ‘Man-Size in Marble’ by Edith Nesbit, first published in the December issue of Home Chimes magazine, 1887. A newly married couple relocate to the country (always an unwise move where Folk Horror is concerned!), and fall foul of the local legend of the shapes “that walked in their marble… Concerning the dark folklore of Gavon’s Loch, and the sinister practice that can be held at a certain spot on a certain night…

Damnable Tales: A Folk Horror Anthology - Goodreads

Clarinda Hartley experiences an increasingly uncanny couple of evenings out on countryside walks whilst avoiding her fiancée’s family… The subtitle says ‘A Folk Horror Analogy’, and that description is kind of loose, since some of the tales are more folky than others, and a few are dubiously horrific at all. The Withered Arm was also a very interesting story, with almost a time travel/sensing the future paradox of the two main characters harming each other unintentionally, in ways that depend on the actions of the other... And the idea of someone having magical powers beyond their control, that others are more aware of than they are, was really well done Fresh off the printing press once more, here’s my latest lino print for Damnable Tales. This time, it’s ‘Man-Size in Marble’ by Edith Nesbit, first published in the December issue of Home Chimes magazine, 1887. A newly married couple relocate to the country (always an unwise move where Folk Horror is concerned!), and fall foul of the local legend of the shapes “that walked in their marble”. Anthologies don’t get much better than this masterful assembly of 23 horror shorts, first published between 1872 and 1964…This is a book that demands to be read aloud—perhaps on a darkening winter evening before a roaring fire.”— STARRED review, Publishers WeeklyThis anthology of Folk Horror Tales curated and illustrated by Richard Wells, has the most hauntingly beautiful imagery to accompany diverse and Damnable Tales about the horrors of the ages. The Ash-Tree" - M. R. James. Misfortunes plague residents of a country estate. The conclusion of this story was creepy and fun in the best way. Interesting motifs that I was unaware of or unaware of the pervasiveness of. For example the idea that someone who is unbaptised is in danger from supernatural forces, the fear of the ancient inhabitants of Britain. Also interesting seeing past centuries' perception of Halloween, and some folklore/practices I was not aware of such as sin eating. Anthology Title: Damnable Tales: A Folk Horror Anthology• (2021) • anthology by Richard Wells Contents (view Concise Listing) The Devil of the Marsh' by H.B Marriott-Watson, first published in the collection ‘Diogenes of London, and other Fantasies and Sketches’, 1893.

Damnable Tales - A Folk Horror Anthology - Unbound

These are damnable tales, selected and beautifully illustrated by Richard Wells. They stalk the moors at night, the deep forests, cornered fields and dusky churchyards, the narrow lanes and old ways of these ancient places, drawing upon the haunted landscapes of folk-horror."— Kev Harrison, This Is Horror A rakish cad gets his just deserts when he’s bewitched by a mysterious young woman whilst out on a country stroll. One of the lighter (and shorter) tales in the anthology, with a fun sting… I had to keep pulling myself away from it so I didn’t finish it in one sitting . . . An incredible book."— Annie Kapur, Vocal MediaThe Lady on the Grey" - John Collier. Playboy proud of his list of conquests tries to catch up with his main competition. This was probably the most fun story in the collection. But as this collection shows, writers of uncanny fiction were dabbling in the dark side of folklore long before. These twenty-two stories take the reader beyond the safety and familiarity of the town into the isolated and untamed wilderness. As with any anthology, the stories are of mixed quality. There are 23 short stories in this volume, and each is accompanied by its own newly commissioned woodcut style lino print at the beginning of each tale. Relatos ambientados en aldeas remotas, castillos abandonados e islas perdidas donde habitan extraños personajes, cultos paganos y dioses malévolos. Historias que nos recuerdan al hombre de mimbre y es que aquí se hayan probablemente todos los cuentos que dieron lugar al subgénero del folk horror.

Damnable Tales: A Folk Horror Anthology a book by Richard Wells.

There was none of that eerie foreboding that you get from communities just outside the modern world going balls deep into some old school religion much to the horror of the modern watchers on. There was nothing unexplained and just down right creepy. Blood on Satans Claw these stories ain’t. lino prints completed! Here’s my final lino print for Damnable Tales. It’s for Arthur Machen’s ‘The Shining Pyramid’, first published in the May & June editions of The Unknown World magazine, 1895. When Mr. Vaughan discovers strange symbols on the grounds of his country dwelling, he drags his friend Mr. Dyson away from bustling London to help him solve the mystery, which may be… Really more of a 3.5 stars. Some of these stories really rip, some are total duds. One is written in Scots so I couldn't even understand it. And what a book it is: a considerable and considered selection, and delivered handsomely. When I heard it was being crowd-funded I was a bit wary of what the quality would be like, but there’s no complaint here. It is solidly constructed and well presented. The subtle touch of adding an earthy red to some of the chapter openings is just a little thing, but I found it nice attention to detail. And the illustrations are superb. Sharply printed, and the old woodcut style suits the material. There is a quirkiness and humour to some which suits folk horror tales really well, yet – even so – the image for Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Thrawn Janet’ is rather disturbing (and also my favourite illustration in the book). Most of these stories were written by English authors and I basically learned that the scariest place to them was the moors and the scariest people were the Scots.The Music on the Hill" - Saki. "She looked on the country as something excellent and wholesome in its way, which was apt to become troublesome if you encouraged it overmuch." Ha! Finally, the spooky books have arrived ! Do doubt you'll all be recieving your copies very soon.Thanks again to the good folk at Unbound, and to everyone who supported the project. Hopefully you'll be as pleased with the finished tome as I am! This a beautiful book with some real gems of stories. Every story is accompanied with its own linocut by Richard Wells add something really special as well. Tales Accursed is the second collection of classic supernatural stories selected by the artist Richard Wells. Each of the eighteen tales is accompanied by one of Richard’s striking lino-print illustrations. The collection will feature classic stories from masters of supernatural fiction including M.R. James, Sheridan Le Fanu, and Arthur Machen, alongside lesser known voices in the field including Eleanor Scott and Margery Lawrence and popular writers less bound to the horror genre, such as Thomas Hardy and E.F. Benson.

Damnable Tales: A Folk Horror Anthology - Goodreads Damnable Tales: A Folk Horror Anthology - Goodreads

Gavon’s Eve, by E. F. Benson, first published in the 13th January edition of The London Illustrated News, 1906. A classic Folk Horror plot, with the ignorant bourgeoisie townsfolk relocating to the country and failing to respect ancient country traditions… Fresh off the printing press once more, here's the latest lino printed illustration for Damnable Tales. the most memorable part of this story is that the narrator kept calling his wife "p***y" and that made me laugh Un libro fantástico y la primera gran recopilación de horror rural que he tenido el placer de leer.

I had to keep pulling myself away from it so I didn't finish it in one sitting . . . An incredible book' Annie Kapur, Vocal Media This richly illustrated anthology gathers together classic short stories from masters of supernatural fiction including M. R. James, Sheridan Le Fanu and Arthur Machen, alongside lesser-known voices in the field including Eleanor Scott and Margery Lawrence, and popular writers less bound to the horror genre, such as Thomas Hardy and E. F. Benson.