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These two authors penned tales of crime, insanity, and the supernatural. While some stories are lighter in tone (like The Ghost-Ship and The Amazing Hieroglyphics), many leap straight into the darkness via murder and madness. In The Conjurer, a magician finds his trick works too well; in The Coffin Merchant, salesmanship reaches a whole new level; in The Moon-Slave, a princess is led by her love for dance to make a very rash vow; in The Undying Thing, a ghastly creature fulfils an old prophesy; and in The Grey Cat, man and beast are fixed in a hateful impasse. 22 stories by Richard Middleton are followed by 15 tales by Barry Pain.
About the author
Born in the colonies, educated in England, Richard Middleton is a member of the Society of Archer Antiquaries and now lives in the Colonies again.His wife, who edited out all the vainglorious bits of this biography (which is why it is now so short), has declined (refused point-blank) to have The Practical Guide to Man-Powered Bullets dedicated to her, and only wishes it recorded that she is a saint for putting up with all Richard's experimental weapon-making activities.Though Richard's interest always returns to the simple catapult, over the last 30 years he has made countless bows, crossbows, and even airguns to study the velocity and trajectory patterns of their missiles. He likes to test things for himself rather than to believe handed-down orthodoxies - an attitude not without its costs, some might add.
