A stunning new paperback edition of the supernatural horror cult classic of weird fiction that inspired H.P. Lovecraft and HBO’s True Detective —featuring gorgeous sprayed edges and an art deco design. 4 unforgettably unsettling tales about a play that drives its audiences to madness as it explores themes of the supernatural, spirituality, and the potentially corrosive influence of belief in the afterlife. I cannot forget Carcosa where black stars hang in the heavens; where the shadows of men's thoughts lengthen in the afternoon... I pray God will curse the writer, as the writer has cursed the world with this beautiful, stupendous creation, terrible in its simplicity, irresistible in its truth — a world which now trembles before the King in Yellow. Uncanny, macabre, and unsettling, the 4 tales contained in this beautiful new edition of Robert W. Chambers’s supernatural classic are arguably the greatest ever written in the weird fiction genre. They are linked together by a play, The King in Yellow , whose second act reveals truths so terrible and beautiful that it drives all who read it to bitter despair. Across each story, the book spreads like an infectious disease, from city to city, from continent to continent. Its wicked pages violate no definite principles, or doctrine. It cannot be judged by any known standard. Yet, although all acknowledge The King in Yellow as a supreme achievement of art, all feel that human nature cannot bear the strain, nor thrive, on words which in which the essence of purest poison lurks. Influencing generations of writers since their first publication in 1895, from the renowned master of cosmic horror H.P Lovecraft to the creators of HBO's True Detective , these stories are a rediscovered classic of weird fiction and supernatural horror. "Altogether one of the greatest weird tales ever written." —H.P. Lovecraft "A beautiful gift edition of this cult classic of supernatural fiction. . . These four macabre, uncanny and unsettling stories are some of the most thrilling ever written in the field of weird fiction. . . The King in Yellow is a "must-read" for connoisseurs of the genre, highly recommended." —Midwest Book Review "Lovecraft fans and connoisseurs of the weird will enjoy discovering this pioneering author." — Booklist "A fantastic classic horror novel... written by a master hand." — Looking Glass Reads "One of the most important works of American supernatural fiction" —E.F. Bleiler, author of The Guide to Supernatural Fiction Robert W. Chambers (1865-1933) was an American author and artist. He was a prolific writer and enjoyed great success during his lifetime, with an output comprising works of romance, adventure and science fiction, as well as some books for children. However, it is principally for his weird and supernatural stories, and in particular this collection, which is regarded as one of the most important works of American supernatural fiction, that he is remembered today. Toward the end of the year 1920 the Government of the United States had practically completed the pro- gramme, adopted during the last months of President Winthrop’s administration. The country was apparently tranquil. Everybody knows how the Tariff and Labor questions were settled. The war with Germany, incident on that country’s seizure of the Samoan Islands, had left no visible scars upon the republic, and the temporary occupation of Norfolk by the invading army had been forgotten in the joy over repeated naval victories, and the subse- quent ridiculous plight of General Von Gartenlaube’s forces in the State of New Jersey. The Cuban and Hawaiian investments had paid one hundred per cent and the territory of Samoa was well worth its cost as a coaling station. The country was in a superb state of defence. Every coast city had been well supplied with land fortifications; the army under the parental eye of the General Staff, organized accord- ing to the Prussian system, had been increased to 300,000 men, with a territorial reserve of a million; and six magnificent squadrons of cruisers and battle-ships patrolled the six stations of the naviga- ble seas, leaving a steam reserve amply fitted to control home waters. The gentlemen from the West had at last been constrained to acknowledge that a college for the training of diplomats was as neces- sary as law schools are for the training of barristers; consequently we were no longer represented abroad by incompetent patriots. The nation was prosperous; Chicago, for a moment paralyzed after a second great fire, had risen from its ruins, white and impe- rial, and more beautiful than the white city which had been built for its plaything in 1893. Everywhere good architecture was replacing bad, and even in New York, a sudden craving for decency had swept away a great portion of the existing horrors. Streets had been widened, properly paved and lighted, trees had been planted, squares laid out, elevated struc- tures demolishe