The Agonizing Resurrection of Victor Frankenstein, and Other Gothic Tales

dr. locrian

dr. locrian

Town Manager
Staff member
475018409_632887102419698_6788828469447900310_n.jpg


In The Agonizing Resurrection of Victor Frankenstein, and Other Gothic Tales, Thomas Ligotti breathes unholy life into classic horror’s most iconic figures and the characters inspired by them. The flash fiction tales within this slim collection celebrate and depart from the tropes and trappings of supernatural literature.

The opening section, "Three Scientists," reveals the ultimate ambitions of Dr. Moreau (The Island of Dr. Moreau), Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein), and Dr. Jekyll (Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). Their creators are tethered to the monstrous consequences of their fruitless endeavors, while their creations are cursed with the knowledge of their own grotesquery. Ligotti’s retellings transform these tales of hubris run amuck into meditations on the terrible price of creation and the awful inevitability of its ruin.

Later in the collection, Ligotti reimagines villains like Count Dracula, Lawrence Talbot (The Wolf Man), and the Phantom of the Opera as figures trapped within endless cycles of unrequited love, betrayal, and despair. These stories worsen the bad endings of these famous bugaboos beyond their literary origins, forcing them to endure far more terrible destinies.

Even Ligotti’s original creations draw inspiration from art and literature. In “The Superb Companion of André de V., Anti-Pygmalion,” Ligotti twists Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, turning the concept of crafting an ideal into a grim act of self-destruction. Meanwhile, “The Ever-Vigilant Guardians of Secluded Estates” channels the Gothic isolation and morbidity of Poe, trapping its protagonist inside a looping hell of recurring scenes and suicidal reflections.

Ligotti’s genius in this collection lies not just in creating short, sharp renderings of classic horror characters and the figures inspired by them, but in the self-indicting clarity with which he depicts their agonies, making each page a journey into desolation and madness. These remarkable tales are, in true Ligottian fashion, morbidly sardonic and unrelentingly bleak.

This definitive edition features Chiroptera Press’ characteristic attention to detail, exquisite art, and lush craftsmanship. It also features some of Ligotti’s rare, early stories, which originally appeared in Fantasy Macabre, Grimoire, and the legendary Silver Scarab edition of Songs of a Dead Dreamer (1985). The Agonizing Resurrection of Victor Frankenstein, and Other Gothic Tales is essential for Ligotti readers and devotees of Gothic and literary horror alike.

Sales kick off this Thursday for one of our most beautiful books to date. Cover art and interior illustrations by Paul Romano. Synopsis above by the masterful Jon Padgett. Art and edition reveals through the week.
Click to expand...
 
The only immediate question I have is how many editions are going to be produced? The originals are expensive caused by lack for supply, are you going to be doing anything so the the average person will be able to afford to get and read this collection finally?
 
Does this edition have anything by Ligotti not in the Subterranean Press edition? If not I will be skipping this publication.


For the last poster, you can get an ebook of the aforementioned book for about 3$

Agonizing Resurrection of Victor Frankenstein eBook - Subterranean Press


As I have previously written, if Ligotti is not making new material what we need is a hardcover of TL's uncollected writings rather than ever more luxurious editions of publications already available.
 
I believe Chiroptera is going to release an affordable paperback at some point, though I’m not certain. The contents are the same as Subterranean, though some minor errors in that edition have been corrected.
 
Ligrotesque said:
As I have previously written, if Ligotti is not making new material what we need is a hardcover of TL's uncollected writings rather than ever more luxurious editions of publications already available.
Click to expand...

This! I really hope after they done 'Teatro Grottesco' they will publish something like that. I do own the Centipede Press and the Silver Salamander (Lettered) editions, so i don't think i will go for this.....
 
1F791AA9-AB16-4BC1-8C01-6733CB97EE63.jpg


Standard hardcover - 300x copies available - $60 each
Deluxe signed hardcover 110x copies available - $95 each
Deluxe signed slipcase edition - 90x copies available - $200 each
Lettered clamshell edition of 26x copies - 7x copies are available - $700

What edition is the above image?
 
bendk said:
1F791AA9-AB16-4BC1-8C01-6733CB97EE63.jpg


Standard hardcover - 300x copies available - $60 each
Deluxe signed hardcover 110x copies available - $95 each
Deluxe signed slipcase edition - 90x copies available - $200 each
Lettered clamshell edition of 26x copies - 7x copies are available - $700

What edition is the above image?
Click to expand...

I assume that's the slipcase edition. The clamshell looks like this:

GOTHICTALES.jpg


Specs:

* 6"x 9"

* 94 pages

* Smyth-sewn binding with head and tail bands

* Tipped in signature page signed by the author and the artist

* Linen quarter binding with synthetic leather boards

* Hand marbled end papers

* Custom clamshell case with hand made wooden cover

* 12" x 18 giclee print of the cover art signed by the artist

* Offset printed on acid-free archival paper

* Printed in Lithuania and bound in USA
Click to expand...
 
Beautiful. Out of my price range, I'm afraid. I would have to know specifics about each edition in order to purchase a copy.
 
Shockingly, preorders opened at Psilowave simultaneously.

Unsurprisingly, by the time I noticed, the signed and slipcase books, of which 20 and 10 respectively were made available to purchase through Psilowave, were gone.

I put in my order for a standard hardcover. Not a minute too soon, I think.

There is something sublimely masochistic about all this. Can't wait for the months to pass and the book to reach me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top