Dark Tales of Lost Civilizations [Paperback]

Eric J. Guignard (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2012

Darkness exists everywhere, and in no place greater than those where spirits and curses still reside. Tread not lightly on ancient lands that have been discovered by this collection of intrepid authors.
 
In DARK TALES OF LOST CIVILIZATIONS, you will unearth an anthology of twenty-five previously unpublished horror and speculative fiction stories, relating to aspects of civilizations that are crumbling, forgotten, rediscovered, or perhaps merely spoken about in great and fearful whispers.
 
What is it that lures explorers to distant lands where none have returned? Where is Genghis Khan buried? What happened to Atlantis? Who will displace mankind on Earth? What laments have the Witches of Oz? Answers to these mysteries and other tales are presented within this critically acclaimed anthology by the enclosed authors.
 
 
BLURB:
 
"Bright new voices offer chilling glimpses of the darkness beyond mere night."
 
-David Brin, author of Earth, The Postman, and Otherness.
 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
 
Introduction by Eric J. Guignard
Angel of Destruction by Cynthia D. Witherspoon
The Door Beyond the Water by David Tallerman
To Run a Stick Through a Fish by Mark Lee Pearson
Quivira by Jackson Kuhl
Directions by Michael G. Cornelius
Quetzalcoatl's Conquistador by Jamie Lackey
Königreich der Sorge (Kingdom of Sorrow) by C. Deskin Rink
Gestures of Faith by Fadzlishah Johanabas
Bare Bones by Curtis James McConnell
British Guiana, 1853 by Folly Blaine
The Nightmare Orchestra by Chelsea Armstrong
The Funeral Procession by Jay R. Thurston
Requiem by Jason Andrew
Gilgamesh and the by Mountain by Bruce L. Priddy
Buried Treasure by Rob Rosen
The Small, Black God by Caw Miller
In Eden by Cherstin Holtzman
We Are Not the Favored Children by Matthew Borgard
Rebirth in Dreams by A.J. French
Whale of a Time by Gitte Christensen
Sins of our Fathers by Wendra Chambers
The Talisman of Hatra by Andrew S. Williams
Sumeria to the Stars by Jonathan Vos Post
The Tall Grass by Joe R. Lansdale
The Island Trovar by JC Hemphill
(with interior illustration by Ron Perovich)

Editorial Reviews

Review

This is a brilliant anthology of 25 stories that will capture the hearts and imagination of anyone who grew up like I did on a diet of Boys Own Adventures, Alan Quatermaine and other tales of derring-do. Grab a copy of this book and let your imagination run free for time.
 
--Ginger Nuts of Horror, book reviews: thegingernutcase.blogspot.com.

As a boy, some of my favorite stories were those of lost lands and civilizations... Eric J. Guignard brings back a bit of that magic with Dark Tales of Lost Civilizations, an anthology mixing the values of pulp fiction with contemporary standards of fresh description...
 
--Steve Rasnic Tem, Author of Deadfall Hotel, amongst others. m-s-tem.com

...Most of the stories are written in a suggestive style, relying on the reader's own imagination to take the plunge from speculation to horror. This element keeps the collection rooted in the possible, making it scarier, perhaps, than the current saturation of seductive monster-based and slasher fiction.

-- Sheila Shedd, Monster Librarian

About the Author

Eric J. Guignard writes dark and speculative fiction from his office in Los Angeles.

He has over fifty publishing credits for stories and articles in magazines, journals, and anthologies. His most recent writing credits include "Stupefying Stories Magazine," "+Horror Library+ Vol 5" (Cutting Block Press), "The Horror Zine Magazine," and "Indie Gypsy." He's a member of the Horror Writer's Association, the Greater Los Angeles Writer's Society, and is also the Horror Genre Correspondent for "Men's Confidence Magazine."

Although his passion is for fiction, he's also a published essayist and editor, including this year's acclaimed collection, "Dark Tales of Lost Civilizations," which was nominated for the 2012 Bram Stoker Award. His most recent anthology is "After Death..." (April 2013, DARK MOON BOOKS). Look for his first novella, "Last Case at a Baggage Auction," to be released in September, 2013 (JournalStone Publishing).

Visit Eric at: ericjguignard.com or at his blog: ericjguignard.blogspot.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 270 pages
• Publisher: Dark Moon Books; 1st edition (March 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0983433593
• ISBN-13: 978-0983433590
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,055,506 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A really great group of stories September 25, 2012

By Peter D. Schwotzer

Format:Paperback

I was very intrigued when Eric contacted me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing his anthology "Dark Tales Of Lost Civilizations". Ever since I was a young boy and read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost World" I have been fascinated by lost civilizations. The thought of discovering a lost world, especially as a boy, was and still is terribly exciting to me.

I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised at the quality and depth of the stories in this collection. Did I like every story...well...no, but such is the case with most anthologies I read. I always have my favorites and some I don't enjoy quite so much. But this in no way takes away from the book. I found the stories to be very well written, filled with interesting characters and places.

If you love tales of lost civilizations you would be hard pressed to find a better group of tales gathered in one place.

That being said, here are a few of my favorites from the book;

Directions by Michael G. Cornelius; This was my favorite story in the collection. For those of you who follow my reviews and know me know how much of an influence "The Wicked Witch Of The West" had on shaping my love of being scared, horror and monsters.

This is a simply fabulous take on the Oz Witches mythos and is one of the best short stories I've read this year.

Königreich der Sorge (Kingdom of Sorrow) by C. Deskin Rink; A really great story of the Nazi's unquenchable search for power and what they discover. A really frightening tale of desecration and evil better left undisturbed.

The Nightmare Orchestra by Chelsea Armstrong; A first time published author presents a terrifying and unique look at the dreams that haunt us.

The Funeral Procession by Jay R. Thurston; Genghis Khan, who hasn't heard of this amazing and feared conqueror. This tale takes you on a journey with an archaeology team in search of the burial ground of Genghis Khan and what they discover.

The Tall Grass by Joe R. Lansdale; In this tale Mr. Lansdale again shows us his considerable talents and why he is one of the best in the business. This story is atmospheric and frightening and shows that when someone tells you not to stray to far...don't.

These were just a few of my favorites in the collection. I am sure you will find your own.

"Dark Tales Of Lost Civilizations" is a great group of stories, especially for those of us that love tales of adventure and discovery, even if some of the discoveries are horrific. You would be remiss if you didn't give this anthology a try and I highly recommend it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars You Will Dig This Anthology of Archeological Terrors July 15, 2012

By J. L. Comeau VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Just when I thought that every avenue of theme anthology had been exhausted, I receive a brand-new antho that has me flipping pages with enthusiasm. As the cover states, this is "An anthology of horror and speculative fiction stories unearthing our forgotten worlds and societies." Cool! I dig archeology, so I certainly dug into DARK TALES OF LOST CIVILIZATIONS with gusto. And I wasn't disappointed. Mr. Guignard has chosen some great stories, some by newer writers (even first publication,) and some by established authors, such as East Texas horror dynamo, Joe R. Lansdale, who turns in a surprisingly Lovecraftian tale of the turn-of-the-20th-century West. You'll find strange desert-buried societies, angry deities, the truth about Atlantis, gods who abandon the worshippers who have abandoned them, ancient powers that come to life with unpleasant consequences, nightmare creatures that escape into reality, excavations of lost tribes that were best left buried, Nazis who plunder the past for the glory of the Fatherland, Spanish explorers in a very New World, jungle paleontologists who dig up a horror, Genghis Khan's final burial place, vast underwater worlds, the forlorn stories of the Witches of Oz, and much, much more! Here are 25 ripping good yarns of adventure, misadventure, and marvels that would have made Jules Verne stand up and cheer! Pulpy, exciting, mysterious and gripping, DARK TALES OF LOST CIVILIZATIONS is a thrilling journey into lands of mysteries and terrors. The editor opens the expedition with a beguiling introduction and precedes each story with a paragraph about each author and why the story was chosen for the anthology. This is great summer reading! Enjoy!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent horror anthology June 29, 2012

By Resa

Format:Paperback

I was first approached to review this anthology for my e-zine Zombie Coffee, and initially I was a little wary about it. History has never been my favorite subject, which led to historical fiction being one of my least favorite genres. Still, I decided to give this anthology a try because something about it intrigued me, and I'm very glad I continued reading because there are some gems in this book I'm glad I had the chance to discover.

Dark Tales of Lost Civilizations is a horror/speculative fiction anthology that focuses on lost civilizations and unanswered mysteries. Have you ever wondered what happened to the lost city of Atlantis? Wondered what power erased whole civilizations from the face of the ancient world? Considered that some ancient powers aren't lost but just dormant? If so than this is the anthology for you. You'll find a wide array of authors from the popular names you'll recognize, to the lesser known, to the newly published. I have to admit there were some stories I didn't like personally, but all the stories are well written and diverse. That's my favorite thing about anthologies, while you may not like everything there's something for everyone.

Here are a few of my favorites:

"The Nightmare Orchestra" by Chelsea Armstrong takes nightmares to a personal level. What if the things which populate our nightmares used to live out in the real world? Well, Armstrong answers that question in a well crafted short story that will have you waking up in the middle of the night for new reasons...

"The Small, Black God" by Caw Miller takes you on an adventure in newly discovered ruins where the black god of ego begins to call to the scholars unearthing the ruins. Miller crafts a very unique tale that will leave you wondering what kind of retribution would the black god take on your ego...

"We Are Not the Favored Children" by Matthew Borgard is another story I loved. It deals with a society that has revolved around gods, only to find out that not only have they abandoned their religion, but their gods have abandoned them.

If none of these stories sound like ones you'd enjoy never fear. At 240 pages Dark Tales of Lost Civilizations is home to many other short stories for you to unearth for yourself. Eric Guignard has put together a diverse collection of stories for your reading pleasure and it would make a great addition to your summer reading list. Especially if your summer plans include a visit to the ruins of any ancient civilizations...