Flame Tree Publishing

With a new introduction, this collection of Slavic tales is based on the oral storytelling traditions of the peoples of Eastern Europe, from the Polish and the Slovaks to the Macedonians, Croats, Czechs and Serbians, with roots in ancient folklore and influenced by the Viking traders who settled in Kiev in the early middle ages. Stories abound with mountains, magic palaces and temples in such incredible tales as 'The King of the Toads', 'Vassilissa the Cunning', 'The Frog Princess' and 'The Feather of Bright Finist the Falcon'. Also includes 'The History of Vampires in the Slavic World'. The Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories, the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure.

Odysseus is the cunning wanderer from the fall of Troy, breaker of oaths and teller of tales. His story is immortalised in Homer's Odyssey and will endure as long as humanity, forever capturing the imagination, not least because of the entities he meets along the way: the savage Cyclops Polyphemus, the enticing Sirens, and fearsome Scylla and Charybdis. He is considered a hero, but do we see him as the ancients did? Is he truly a hero when we know that – like many male heroes of myth – he was a killer, an adulterer, a liar and an all-round deceiver? Created through open submissions and supported by an extensive introduction examining the origins of Odysseus, this is a wonderful new book in the best tradition of Flame Tree's collectable hardcover editions. Introductory essay by Silvia Montiglio, and foreword by Edith Hall. The modern authors whose stories feature in this book are: Benjamin Cyril Arthur, Konstantin Asimonov, John Capetanos, Brenda W. Clough, Marlaina Cockcroft, Travis Earl, Ayden June Fitzgerald, Katie Frendreis, Rayne Hall, Jovel Royal, Sara Itka, Naomi Jae, Kiera Mathis Jones, L.G. Merrick, Kevin Potter, Ruth Knafo Setton, Brendan Smith and Rod A. White. About the series: Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a legendary, mythological or folkloric figure, with new stories alongside a comprehensive introduction which tells the original tales and emphasizes ancient and modern connections, tracing history and stories across continents, cultures and peoples. New and emerging writers from open submissions reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well known stories, complementing the specially commissioned story of the origins and the cultural background from the era. The first titles are Medusa, Odin, Circe, Anansi, Achilles, Morgana le Fay, Loki and Aphrodite.

Time – at once fleeting and eternal – is a tricksy, intangible dimension. A Breath of Time, part of Flame Tree's exciting new series of Romantic Fantasy titles, is a collection filled with stories of lost loves, love discovered, love unreachable unless Time itself is conquered; stories of time-bending, time traveling, time distorting; of alternate history and parallel timelines, of ancient forests returning to haunt the present and great adventures through dreams and timeless mountain tops, all with hearts beating to the rhythm of romance.

The Valkyries – fierce daughters of battle, riders of storm and shadow. They choose the slain and carry souls to glory, moving between mortal and divine. These fierce but angelic warrior goddesses escort half of those who have died in battle to Odin's hall of heroes: Valhalla. There they receive the heroes with horns of mead. But there is so much more to these heavily symbolic beings. The Valkyries are many and amorphous, some are named and famous – Brunhild (powerful and defiant), Gunnr (courageous in battle), Skuld (a Norn but also a Valkyrie) to name a few – while others exist in the shadows. This new collection features stories that tell the Valkyries’ own back stories, and echo their power: tales of fate, war, sacrifice and the mythic eternal. Stories selected from open submissions explore and expand on the classic tales and imagine completely new narratives. With an extensive new introduction to the ancient origins and stories, this powerful new title offers fresh perspectives on compelling characters. Introductory essay by Nancy Marie Brown, and foreword by Jóhanna Katrín Fri?riksdóttir. The modern authors whose stories feature in this book are: Ryaan Akmal, Don Bisdorf, Kay Hanifen, Ikechukwu Henry, E.K. Larson-Burnett, JB Riley, Laura Shenton, Nina Shepardson, Zac Sherman, D.L. Stille, Susanna Fraser Stone, Deborah Tapper, Benjamin Thomas, M.M. Williams, Mae Wilmarth, Johanna Wittenberg and Ernie Xu. About the series: Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a legendary, mythological or folkloric figure, with new stories alongside a comprehensive introduction which tells the original tales and emphasizes ancient and modern connections, tracing history and stories across continents, cultures and peoples. New and emerging writers from open submissions reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well known stories, complementing the specially commissioned story of the origins and the cultural background from the era. Existing titles are Medusa, Odin, Anansi, Circe, Achilles, Morgana le Fay, Aphrodite and Loki.

Dragons may be fierce but they are symbols of great power, and the bond between human and dragon, once forged, can never be broken. Or can it? Can romance deal a deathly trail of vows abandoned, or forgotten, and can realms beyond our time conjure tales of Dragon Lords, warrior princesses and great rivalries? Modern writers have sought to explore these questions and more, in a new anthology of enchanting romantic fantasy fiction. Strong-willed, independent leads navigate epic fantasy worlds and emotionally charged quests, featuring lyrical romance, and of course, majestic dragons.

Little treasures, the FLAME TREE COLLECTABLE CLASSICS are chosen to create a delightful and timeless home library. Each stunning, gift edition features deluxe cover treatments, ribbon markers, luxury endpapers and gilded edges. The unabridged text is accompanied by a Glossary of Victorian and Literary terms produced for the modern reader. A gorgeous new edition. More tales from the iconic Baker Street consulting detective and his trustworthy friend Dr Watson. In this final collection of short stories to feature Sherlock Holmes, the pair live up to their enduring popularity among crime classic fans. Stories include The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire, The Problem of Thor Bridge, The Adventure of the Creeping Man, and more, all originally published in The Strand in the 1920s.

This beautiful collection with a new introduction compiles Edgar Allan Poe’s most terrifying and otherworldly works. Included are the very first modern detective stories, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Mystery of Marie Roget and The Purloined Letter. As well as these are the most famous of Poe’s works, including The Pit and the Pendulum, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Premature Burial and The Tell-Tale Heart.

Also known as Yî Ching or The Book of Changes, I Ching is an ancient Chinese text of vast historical and cultural influence. Spanning the fields of divination, cosmology, morality and philosophy, with strong links to Confucianism, it has been interpreted in many different ways over the centuries and ultimately demonstrates an early attempt to understand the world and the human place within it. Reviving James Legge's classic nineteenth-century translation, this compact and accessible edition includes an illuminating introduction that casts fresh light on this fascinating text.

The Art of War has been a source of great strategical inspiration throughout the ages. Focusing on military strategy, psychology and tactics, each section concentrates on a different facet of warfare and draws out important themes such as communication, strength and positioning. Believed to have been written by Chinese strategist Sun Tzu, The Art of War is highly regarded amongst Chinese culture, but its enduring wisdom has had a far-reaching impact all over the world. Includes an extended introduction.

The folklore of Finland is somewhat unexplored, but it is bursting with life and wonder. These stories of heroes, the natural world, kinship and myth have been retold and preserved though time. This collection brings together these traditional tales with the national epic of poetry, the Kalevala, offering a window into the rich tapestry that makes up the lore of Finland. The Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure.

With their enchanting, natural powers and often fragile beauty, faeries and nymphs can be found in myths and tales from around the world. These captivating stories invoke their roots in nature and magic, as well as their turbulent interactions with the human world. Faeries and nymphs are both mythical beings, but they have distinct characteristics. Nymphs can be found in Greek mythology and are considered to be nature spirits. They inhabit various natural environments such as mountains, groves, springs, rivers, valleys, and grottoes. Some nymphs are also connected to trees (Dryads) or bodies of water like seas, rivers, and springs (Oceanids, Nereids, and Naiads). Faeries, on the other hand, have a broader mythology. They appear in folklore and literature from various cultures, ranging from Chinese to Roman, slavic to Korean. In some traditions, fairies are known as the "Fair Folk", a term encompassing various magical beings with supernatural qualities. They can be good or bad, benevolent or mischievous but are generally depicted with magical abilities, such as enchantment, shape-shifting, and flying. This truly is a wonderful collection of tales which brings together these two enchanting supernatural forces.

Gorgeous Collector's Edition. Readers of Beowulf and Gawain and the Green Knight will find much to enjoy in The Song of Roland, among the finest and oldest works of French literature. When a bitter act of betrayal leads to a surprise attack from the Saracen army, the great Frankish warrior Roland must lead Charlemagne's forces to fend off the attackers in the Battle of Roncevaux Pass. This Flame Tree Collector's Edition brings together two English translations of the famous epic poem, one version in verse and another in prose, eliciting new insights into the medieval work. A grand struggle between honour and betrayal, courage and cowardice, justice and treason - Roland's plight remains resonant today.

A powerful dark science fiction collection in a stunning edition, bringing back the revolutionary Afrocentric Sauútiverse. Co-editors Eugen Bacon, Stephen Embleton and Cheryl S. Ntumy bring us a powerful and haunting collection of short stories from the groundbreaking Sauútiverse, following the success of Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology. Sauúti Terrors tells of the doomed, the damned, the shunned, the cunning, the destroyers, the noxious, and more, in the worlds of the living, the in-between and the dead. Unravel the darkest stories in the deepest parts of the Sauúti five-planet system with its two suns, and orbiting a binary star. Bringing together African and African diaspora writers, the collection features five-time Bram Stoker Award winner and recipient of the Bram Stoker Lifetime Achievement Award Linda D. Addison and other prominent speculative fiction authors, including T.L. Huchu, Xan van Rooyen, Jamal Hodge, Ishola Abdulwasiu Ayodele, Wole Talabi, Mazi Nwonwu, Kofi Nyameye, D.S. Falowo, Shingai Njeri Kagunda, J. Umeh, Moustapha Mbacké Diop, Miguel O. Mitchell, DaVaun Sanders and Nerine Dorman.

An impressive new anthology of horror stories exploring what it means to be ‘witch’, including the rediscovery and reclaiming of that power, its links to nature, and witchcraft mythology from around the world. Award-winning anthologists Marie O'Regan and Paul Kane have commissioned and chosen an outstanding selection of tales, with contributions from authors including Ally Wilkes, Eliza Chan, Angela Slatter, Gabriella Buba and Lisa L. Hannett. Five brand new stories have also been selected from a popular open submissions call.

A gorgeous Collector's Edition of Welsh folk and fairy tales, including lesser-known local legends as well as popular tales from different regions. This new collection is created for the modern reader. Wales is rich in lore and myth and a myriad of stories have been shared and reimagined through generations. From the legends of 'Pedws Ffowc and St Elian's Well' to the 'Pwca of the Trwyn', these stories are brimming with cunning folk, fae and faraway lands - enchanting readers and reflecting the rich cultural heritage of Wales. With a new introduction.

Ghosts and spirits abound in this glorious gift edition of Irish tales, building on the history, mythology and the folklore of the Emerald Isle. Stories include The Child That Went with the Fairies, The Canterville Ghost, The Last of Squire Ennismore, and more. A range of celebrated Irish authors from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries offer mystical, atmospheric tales of lost souls and haunted landscapes.