Middle Unearthed: The Best Fantasy Short Stories 1800-1849 - Softcover

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft; Dickens, Charles

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1933747536 ISBN 13: 9781933747538

Publisher: Bottletree Books Llc, 2015

Synopsis

Before there was a lovable green ogre called Shrek and a bespeckled wizard named Harry Potter, there were the best fantasy short stories published in English during the first half of the nineteenth century. These 10 excellent stories were uncovered by awarding-winning editor Andrew Barger from old magazines and forgotten journals. Andrew provides a list, at the back of the collection, of the stories considered for the anthology. Andrew further includes background introductions to each story and author photos, where available. But his treatment of some of the earliest stories in the genre gets even better with annotations of the stories, which allows readers to peek behind the stories. Read the best fantasy short stories by some of the world's greatest authors, including Mary Shelley, Charles Dickens and Washington Irving.

1836 "The Story of the Goblins Who Stole a Sexton," by Charles Dickens is thought by many to be a precursor to A Christmas Carol given the subject matter and goblins that a certain grouchy sexton meets on Christmas Eve.   

1839 "The Kelpie Rock," by Joseph Holt Ingraham draws on the prior writings of Washington Irving in the Hudson River Valley while giving the world one of the best fantasy stories by an American during this important period in the genre.

1831 "Transformation," by Mary Shelley is the best fantasy short story by the famous author of Frankenstein.

1819 "Rip Van Winkle," by Washington Irving gives a look into the American Revolution by one of America's most famous authors and is also the oldest story in the collection.

1824 "Lilian of the Vale," by George Darley is a haunting fantasy short story that is the cornerstone of all modern fairy stories.

1835 "The Doom of Soulis," by John MacKay Wilson recounts a haunting legend of a wizard that will not soon be forgotten.

1827 "The Dwarf Nose," by Wilhelm Hauff provides one of the best dwarf short stories ever written by one of Germany's most talented authors who died way before his time.

1829 "Seddik Ben Saad the Magician," by D.C. is a mystical story that conjures thoughts of Arabia, astrology, and the black arts.  

1845 "The Witch Caprusche," by Elizabeth F. Ellet tells a haunting fantasy story of a witch and the thirst for power that leads to a bitter end.

1837 "The Pale Lady," by George Soane recounts a peculiar visitor who comes to stay at a castle that came only stem from the mind of one of the most underrated English fantasy authors of the nineteenth century.

About this title

About the Author

Andrew Barger is the award-winning author of THE DIVINE DANTES trilogy that follows the characters of THE DIVINE COMEDY through modern times and COFFEE WITH POE: A NOVEL OF EDGAR ALLAN POE'S LIFE. He is the editor of EDGAR ALLAN POE ANNOTATED AND ILLUSTRATED ENTIRE STORIES AND POEMS, BLOODEATH: THE BEST VAMPIRE STORIES 1800-1849, 6A66LE: THE BEST HORROR SHORT STORIES 1800-1849, and SHIFTERS: THE BEST WEREWOLF SHORT STORIES 1800-1849. Andrew's first short story collection is MAILBOXES - MANSIONS - MEMPHISTOPHELES: A COLLECTION OF DARK TALES. He is a leading voice in the Gothic literature space. Please visit him at AndrewBarger.com and at his blog: AndrewBarger.Blogspot.com.

Edition details

• Publisher: Bottletree Books Llc
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1933747536
• ISBN 13: 9781933747538
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 236
• Editor: Barger Andrew