Best of
Dark-Fantasy

2006

Hellboy: The God Machine


Thomas E. Sniegoski - 2006
    The identity of the perpetrator is a complete mystery until Hellboy and Liz Sherman -- acting on an unlikely tip from a ghost -- foil a museum heist attempted by crude, robotic constructs inhabited by human spirits. One of these freed human spirits offers to help Hellboy track down those who imprisoned him: a fanatical order of psychics obsessed with creating a new messiah, one that will bring about a new stage of evolution for mankind -- whether mankind is willing or not. Now only Hellboy and his colleagues stand between a vulnerable humanity and an evil, vengeful god.

Hellboy: Unnatural Selection


Tim Lebbon - 2006
    . .""A werewolf stalks the streets of Baltimore . . .""A griffin slaughters a herd of horses in Madrid . . ."Weird sightings of cryptozoological and mythological creatures abound around the globe. Sometimes the creatures simply appear and then vanish again, content merely to put in an appearance. Other times they make themselves known to entire cities, and leave their mark. Damaged buildings. Scars on the landscape. The occasional death.Then suddenly, the death toll escalates. One by one Hellboy and his friends at the BPRD are dispatched to avert disaster. Hellboy encounters a dragon in Brazil. Abe Sapien tackles a giant alligator in Venice. Liz Sherman faces off against a phoenix in the Mediterranean.But in dawning horror they realize it's all a distraction -- heralding nothing so much as an event of apocalyptic proportions . . .

The Blade Itself


Joe Abercrombie - 2006
    Caught in one feud too many, he’s on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian – leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies. Nobleman Captain Jezal dan Luthar, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules. Inquisitor Glokta, cripple turned torturer, would like nothing better than to see Jezal come home in a box. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendship. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government, if he can stay alive long enough to follow it. Enter the wizard, Bayaz. A bald old man with a terrible temper and a pathetic assistant, he could be the First of the Magi, he could be a spectacular fraud, but whatever he is, he's about to make the lives of Logen, Jezal, and Glokta a whole lot more difficult. Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood.

Subversive Beauty


Luis Royo - 2006
    This new book by Luis Royo promises to be his best yet, focusing on exotic fantasy body art and piercing as only Royo can create.

The Enchanted World of Jessica Galbreth


Jessica Galbreth - 2006
    This is the hardcover edition with 160 high-quality glossy pages, and 152 images, including many of her popular series.

The Vampire Files, Volume 2


P.N. Elrod - 2006
    In the wake of my resurrection as a member of the bloodsucking undead, I chose to put my investigative reporting talents to good use as a PI in Chicago; I've got my work cut out for me.Mingling with society's artsy crowd isn't my favorite pastime, but someone's got to navigate their way through the world of big money and bigger egos to find the killer of a young talent who deserved more than to be laid out on a canvas.My snooping has gotten me in occasional trouble with both sides of the law, so I'm used to cops and mobsters using me for target practice. But my thirst for the red stuff is getting out of control. I'm not sure what scares me more: the price on my head, or the darkness gnawing at my gut.And if that desire isn't bad enough, there's the hot-blooded daughter of a client who has big eyes for yours truly--and a jealous boyfriend.

Shadowland


Kim Deitch - 2006
    It was discovered by a seven-year-old boy named Al Ledicker, and the story that followed is one that veteran underground cartoonist Kim Deitch (Boulevard) has chronicled for the last 20 years in a series of interrelated stories that have appeared in a variety of magazines. Collected for the first time, Shadowland offers a narrative which ranges from the late 19th century to (more or less) the present day. Delineated in Deitch's charming, uniquely retro style, Shadowland is a tumble down the rabbit hole of sexy Hollywood starlets, little green (actually, gray) aliens, flying pigs and performing elephants, incest, murder, and eternal youth.

Alabaster


Caitlín R. Kiernan - 2006
    Caitlín R. Kiernan first introduced Dancy in the pages of her award-winning second novel, Threshold (2001), then went on to write several more short stories and a novella about this unlikely heroine, each a piece, of which, has become an epic dark fantasy narrative. Alabaster finally collects all these tales into one volume, illustrated by Ted Naifeh (Gloomcookie, Courtney Crumrin)

Doré's Dragons, Demons and Monsters


Gustave Doré - 2006
    This collection of more than ninety illustrations dramatically demonstrates the amazing inventiveness of this remarkable nineteenth-century artist.His fanciful portrayals of sea serpents, fire-breathing dragons, lost souls suffering endless agonies, and scores of other grotesque images were originally drawn for The Bible, Paradise Lost, Don Quixote, The Divine Comedy, and other great works of literature. An excellent reference and an exceptional supply of royalty-free graphics for use by artists and craftspeople, these magnificent illustrations will delight lovers of fine art and anyone fascinated by creatures of myth and fantasy.

Liber Lilith: A Gnostic Grimoire


Donald Tyson - 2006
    A lost Gnostic creation text, rediscovered by chance in a secondhand bookshop in Berlin, contains shocking revelations that turn the biblical story of Genesis on its head. It was not the God of the Old Testament who created Adam from the things of the earth, but Lilith, the Queen of Hell and Mistress of Demons, and it was Lilith who visited Eve in the form of a wise serpent to free her from her prison of ignorance by feeding her the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge.Incorporated with the creation text is a complete Gnostic grimoire describing a potent system of sex magic by which Lilith may be summoned for erotic union. Sex with Lilith is said to grant the magician certain occult gifts, leading ultimately to complete spiritual liberation.The diary of the unfortunate German magician who rediscovered this lost Gnostic text and made experiments with the grimoire portion is appended as a caution to those who might regard the caresses of Lilith as no more than an amusing diversion. Be warned! Her love is never given lightly, and once received, cannot be casually cast aside.First published by Starfire Publishing in 2006, this novel was one of our best-selling titles. We are pleased to have reached agreement with the author for a reprint. With a new cover image, and a fresh, clearer typesetting, this fascinating novel is of octavo format, 308 pages long, and is limited to 900 copies.The standard edition, ISBN 978-1-906073-26-8, is a sturdy and resilient paperback. Printed on good quality paper and bound as sewn sections, it has laminated covers and is priced at £17.99. Postage and packing is an additional £4.00 within the UK, £7.00 within European countries outside the UK, and £12.00 elsewhere. For customers in Canada and the USA, the standard edition should be ordered from Holmes Publishing, our distributors there. For all customers not in Canada or the USA, payments can be made directly by Paypal to starfire.books@btinternet.com (in Sterling only) or by accessing the Paypal shopping cart here. Payment can also be made (again, in Sterling only) by a cheque drawn on a UK bank, or by International Money Order or Banker’s Draft. Cheques, money orders or drafts should be made payable to ’Starfire Publishing Ltd.’ and posted to Starfire Publishing Ltd., BCM Starfire, London WC1N 3XX, United Kingdom.

Don't Rest Your Head


Fred Hicks - 2006
    days? Or is it weeks now? It's hard to remember. You've been so busy with... well, whatever it is that's been keeping you awake. Then one night you're walking down the block toward your apartment, when you realize there's a new building on your street. A new building, somehow... in between two buildings that used to be side by side... that's impossible, isn't it? You pause to take a closer look. It's a bar. The sign says "Serious Moonlight", and a bright white moon blinks through the phases from new to full and back again, waxing and waning with the buzz of neon. It's been a stressful week. Or is it month now? It's hard to remember. But you could sure use a drink. So you cross the street and step inside.The citizens of The City welcome you with open arms. After all, you're one of them now. With all the gifts and curses that come with being Awake in a world of sleepers.Just be careful. The Nightmares you've been dodging haven't forgotten about you. They're waiting, just around the corner; waiting for you to nod off- and then they'll have you.They won't wait much longer.Whatever you do... don't rest your head.

Dawn: Three Tiers (Dawn, #3)


Joseph Michael Linsner - 2006
    His dangerous liaisons bring him up against the three faces of the Goddess. Is Dawn a virgin, a queen or a whore? Is Darrian the earthly manifestation of Death, the Horned God? On his quest for Dawn, Darrian faces dragons, fights duels and shatters mirrors. Will Dawn ultimately make his dreams come true, or his nightmares a reality?

Hellspawn: The Ashley Wood Collection


Ashley Wood - 2006
    The collection features Hellspawn issues #1-10, a cover gallery, a new never-before-seen cover from Ashley himself, as well as tons of behind the scenes extras! Plus: great writing from fan favorites Brian Michael Bendis and Steve Niles.