David Tallerman – författare

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In DARK TALES OF LOST CIVILIZATIONS, you will unearth an anthology of twenty-five previously unpublished horror and speculative fiction stories, relating to aspects of civilizations that are crumbling, forgotten, rediscovered, or perhaps merely spoken about in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 following authors.

“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)

Experience five stunning science fiction visions of the future. From pay-to-play immortality to simulated reality, from crowdsourced AI to multiverse theory, these Tor.com novellas have everything you could ask for. Featuring: The Burning Light by Bradley P. Beaulieu and Rob ZieglerDisgraced government operative Colonel Chu is exiled to the flooded relic of New York City. Something called the Light has hit the streets like an epidemic, leavings its users strung out and disconnected from the mind-network humanity relies on. Chu has lost everything she cares about to the Light. She’ll end the threat or die trying. The Warren by Brian EvensonX doesn’t have a name. He thought he had one—or many—but that might be the result of the failing memories of the personalities imprinted within him. Or maybe he really is called X. Proof of Concept by Gwyneth JonesOn a desperately overcrowded future Earth, crippled by climate change, the most unlikely hope is better than none. Governments turn to Big Science to provide them with the dreams that will keep the masses compliant. The Needle is one such dream, an installation where the most abstruse theoretical science is being tested. Everything Belongs to the Future by Laurie PennyA bloody-minded tale of time, betrayal, desperation, and hope that could only have been told by the inimitable Laurie Penny. Patchwerk by David Tallerman Fleeing the city of New York on the TransContinental atmospheric transport vehicle, Dran Florrian is traveling with Palimpsest-the ultimate proof of a lifetime of scientific theorizing. When a rogue organization attempts to steal the device, however, Dran takes drastic action.At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Fleeing the city on the TransContinental airship, Dran Florrian is traveling with the Palimpsest-the ultimate proof of a lifetime of scientific theorizing.When a rogue organization attempts to steal the device, however, Dran takes drastic action. But his invention threatens to destroy the very fabric of this and all other possible universes, unless Dran-or someone very much like him-can shut down the machine and reverse the process.

Meet Easie Damasco: rogue, thieving swine, and total charmer

Even the wicked can’t rest when a vicious warlord and the force of enslaved giants he commands invade their homeland. Damasco might get away in one piece, but he’s going to need help.

Big time.

“A fast–paced, witty and original fantasy, reminiscent of Scott Lynch and Fritz Leiber.” —Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of Empire in Black & Gold

“Fast-paced, quick-witted, engaging; as apt a description of Easie Damasco, reluctant hero, as of the novel itself.” —Juliet E. McKenna, author of the The Tales of Einarinn series.

Fleeing the city of New York on the TransContinental atmospheric transport vehicle, Dran Florrian is traveling with Palimpsest-the ultimate proof of a lifetime of scientific theorizing.When a rogue organization attempts to steal the device, however, Dran takes drastic action. But his invention threatens to destroy the very fabric of this and all other possible universes, unless Dran-or someone very much like him-can shut down the machine and reverse the process.At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Altapasaeda, capital of the Castoval, is about to be besieged by its own king—and where else would luckless, somewhat reformed thief Easie Damasco be but trapped within the city''s walls? Faced with a war they can''t win and a populace too busy fighting amongst itself to even try, the Castovalian defenders are left with one desperate option. Far in the northern lands of Shoan, rebels have set up the young prince Malekrin as a figurehead in their own quest to throw off the king''s tyrannical rule. One way or another, the prince must be persuaded to join forces.

Once again, all hope lies with Damasco and his sticky-fingered approach to problem solving, along with his long suffering partner, the gentle giant Saltlick. But this time it''s a human being that needs stealing, with his own desires and opinions, and events only grow more complicated as Damasco realises that he and the rebellious young prince have more in common that either would admit.

Meet Easie Damasco: thief, liar…and lately, reluctant hero

But whatever good intentions Damasco may have are about to be tested to their limits, as the most valuable—and dangerous—object in the land comes within his light-fingered grasp.

Add in some suicidally stubborn giants, an old enemy with dreams of empire, and the deadliest killer in two kingdoms on his heels, and Easie’s chances of staying honest—or even just surviving—are getting slimmer by the hour.

“Damasco resembles a landlocked version of Jack Sparrow… The atypical backdrop, self-aware style and downplaying of magics bring to mind the contemporary fantasies of Scott Lynch and Joe Abercrombie.” —SFX Magazine

Brought to you by Penguin.Lies and double-crosses, secret police and explosions, a carriage chase, a mattress stuffed with cash and a one-eyed master of disguise...In 1907, the revolutionary Joseph Djugashvili - who would later take the name Joseph Stalin - met with an old friend, a clerk at the Tiflis branch of the State Bank of the Russian Empire, for a glass of milk. Over talk of national pride, the spirit of the new century and Djugashvili''s poetry, they agreed the beginnings of a plan. With the aid of the Outfit, Djugashvili''s hardened crew of "expropriators," they would pull off the biggest, bloodiest and most daring robbery in Georgia''s history, and ruthlessly change the direction of the Bolshevik revolution forever... © David Tallerman (P) Penguin Audio and Rebellion Publishing 2022

Sharks – the ultimate predators, masters of their watery domain, a world that is entirely alien and inhospitable to man. So many aspects of the shark are associated with humankind’s most primal fears. The tell-tale dorsal fin slicing through the water, the dead eyed-stare, the gaping jaws full to unforgiving teeth, the remorseless drive to kill and feed… Inspired by such classic pulp movies as Jaws and Deep Blue Sea – as well as such ludicrous delights as Sharknado and Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus – the stories contained within are rip-roaring page-turners and slow-build chillers that celebrate all things savage, pulp and selachian. Covering the whole range of speculative fiction genres, from horror and Steampunk, through to SF and WTF, these are stories with bite! Come on in. The water’s fine…