In a world dedicated to pleasure, one young rebel sets out on a forbidden quest. Published for the first time in a single volume, Tanith Lee's duet of novels set in a hedonistic Utopia are as riveting and revolutionary as they were when they first appeared two decades ago.

It's a perfect existence, a world in which no pleasure is off-limits, no risk is too dangerous, and no responsibilities can cramp your style. Not if you're Jang: a caste of libertine teenagers in the city of Four BEE. But when you're expected to make trouble--when you can kill yourself on a whim and return in another body, when you're encouraged to change genders at will and experience whatever you desire--you've got no reason to rebel . . . until making love and raising hell, daring death and running wild just leave you cold and empty.

Ravenous for true adventures of the mind and body, desperate to find some meaning, one restless spirit finally bucks the system--and by shattering the rules, strikes at the very heart of a soulless society. . . .

A story by Tanith Lee unveils a voice alone, a true Scheherazade, someone with a distinctive vision of the world and who explored that world, or those worlds to be accurate, with a highly perceptive and mindful set of eyes.

From the introduction, 'An Awareness of Worlds', by Mike Ashley

This anthology of twenty-eight tales comprises all the short stories by Tanith Lee that were published in the seminal magazine Weird Tales during her lifetime. Some of them are previously uncollected, and appeared in print only in the magazine, so will be new to many of Tanith's fans.

Tanith Lee's highly-respected and influential work spanned every genre, and this sumptuous collection demonstrates the range of her versatility. From the dark high fantasy of 'The Sombrus Tower', through the Arthurian-influenced 'The Kingdoms of the Air', the achingly beautiful 'Stars Above, Stars Below' of a science-fantasy Mars, the sinister retelling of a fairy tale in 'When the Clock Strikes', the real-world mysteries of 'The Unrequited Glove' and 'Arthur's Lion', and the almost whimsical steampunk of 'The Persecution Machine', The Weird Tales of Tanith Lee showcases the myriad styles of the writer rightly known as the High Priestess of Fantasy.

From Publishers Weekly Tanaquil, whose only talent is the ability to fix things, lives in the isolated desert palace of her mother, the sorceress Jaive. When an inquisitive peeve--one of the palace pets--unearths a cache of strange, sparkling bones, Tanaquil uses them to piece together a unicorn's skeleton. A stray blast of Jaive's magic brings the creature to life, and it escapes to the desert, followed by Tanaquil and the peeve. Free at last from her mother's wizardry, Tanaquil embarks on a series of adventures that culminate in the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. A magical journey that mirrors a teenager's coming-of-age is hardly a new plot device, but experienced SF writer Lee allows events to unfold at their own pace, revealing unexpected twists along the way. The combination of self-assured storytelling and the near-tangible evocation of a quirky world will have much appeal for fantasy devotees. As in the novels of Robin McKinley ( The Hero and the Crown; The Blue Sword ), an understated current of feminism runs throughout. Illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 12-up. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal Grade 7-12-- Tanaquil may be the daughter of a sorceress, but she can't do any magic--or so she thinks--and she finds life in her mother's castle very dull and lonely. Her one skill, that of mending things, leads her to piece together a pile of old bones found in the desert and unknowingly bring back to life a black unicorn that needs Tanaquil to help it return to its own, more perfect world. In the process of doing this, Tanaquil finds a sister, and discovers what her own powers really are. The plot of The Black Unicorn is in no way as simple as this description. It is complex and twisting, and while readers may not be sure where they're going, they'll never be bored. Lee's lush and highly visual style and her down-to-earth sense of humor are a constant entertainment. Her imagination is boundless, whether in recreating the life of desert nomads or describing a castle full of magical devices all gone slightly awry. The static cover illustration, with rearing unicorn and silver-gowned heroine, does not begin to convey the special flavor of this stylish, humorous fantasy. --Ruth S. Vose, San Francisco Public Library

Once upon a time there was a mirror. . . .

So begins this dark, unusual retelling of the story of Snow White by the writer reviewers have called the Angela Carter of the fantasy field--a whole novel based on a beloved story, turning it into a dark and sensual drama full of myth and magic.

Arpazia is the aging queen who paces the halls of a warlord's palace. Cold as winter, she has only one passion--for the mysterious hunter who courts the outlawed old gods of the woodland. Coira is the princess raised in the shadow of her mother's hatred. Avoided by both her parents and half forgotten by her father's court, she grows into womanhood alone . . . until the mirror speaks, and blood is spilled, and the forest claims her.

The tragic myth of the goddess Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, stolen by the king of the underworld, is woven together with the tale of Snow White to create a powerful story of mothers and daughters and the blood that binds them together, for good or ill. Black queen. White maid. Royal huntsman. Seven little folk who live in the forest. Come inside, sit by the fire, and listen to this fairy tale as you've never heard it told before.

Once upon a time there was a mirror, and a girl as white as snow. . . .

Tanith Lee is one of the most thought-provoking and imaginative authors of our time. In this unforgettably poignant novel, Lee has created a classic tale--a beautiful, tragic, sensual, and ultimately triumphant love story of the future.

Love is made of more than mere flesh and blood. . . .

For sixteen-year-old Jane, life is a mystery she despairs of ever mastering. She and her friends are the idle, pampered children of the privileged class, living in luxury on an Earth remade by natural disaster. Until Jane's life is changed forever by a chance encounter with a robot minstrel with auburn hair and silver skin, whose songs ignite in her a desperate and inexplicable passion.

Jane is certain that Silver is more than just a machine built to please. And she will give up everything to prove it. So she escapes into the city's violent, decaying slums to embrace a love bordering on madness. Or is it something more? Has Jane glimpsed in Silver something no one else has dared to see--not even the robot or his creators? A love so perfect it must be destroyed, for no human could ever compete?

The exciting sequel to the acclaimed Black Unicorn...

A madly colorful and exuberantly fantastic tale.-Locus

Fast paced and action packed... It is sure to be a hit.-Booklist

Lee's language is wonderfully descriptive and lyrical; and as usual, her female characters are real and compelling. -Voice of Youth Advocates

Journeying across different lands, the young member Tanaquil and her familiar, a quarrelsome talking peeve, learn of the empress Veriam, who wishes to conquer from one sea to the next. Tanaquil is shocked to learn that the woman called Conqueror and Child-Eater is in fact her half sister, Lizra.

Remembering the powerful effect the black unicorn had on her people, Lizra has constructed a tremendous mechanical unicorn of gold as a symbol of her conquest.

The only problem is that it doesn't work-and Lizra commands Tanaquil to make the steam-powered unicorn move. Now Tanaquil must choose between assisting in brutal conquest or risking the ire of her powerful sister.

A vampiric Snow White whose pious stepmother is her only salvation....

A supernatural Cinderella who strikes at midnight, leaving behind a prince mad with desire....

A sleeping beauty never meant to be woken...

In her World Fantasy Award-nominated short story collection, Red as Blood, Tanith Lee deconstructed familiar fairy tales, recapturing their original darkness and horror in haunting new interpretations. Behind gilded words and poised princesses, she exposed a sinister world of violence, madness, and dangerous enchantments.

With Redder than Blood, Lee resumes the tradition of twisting tales. Among its nineteen tales, this volume explores unnerving variations of Beauty and the Beast, The Frog Prince, Snow White, and other classics, including three never-before-published stories.

A recognized master fantasist, Tanith Lee has won multiple awards for her craft, including the British Fantasy Award, the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, and the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Horror.

What if Snow White were the real villain and the wicked queen just a sadly maligned innocent? What if awakening Sleeping Beauty would be the mistake of a lifetime -- of several lifetimes? What if the famous folk tales were retold with an eye to more horrific possibilities? Only Tanith Lee -- Goddess-Empress of the Hot Read (Village Voice) could retell the world-famous tales of the Brothers Grimm (and others) as they might have been told by the Sisters Grimmer This special edition, put together for the 30th anniversary of the original edition, adds a new Grimmer fairy tale written especially for this volume

Tanith Lee is one of the finest writers to ever grace the field of speculative fiction. The author of around 100 novels and several hundred short stories, she wrote two episodes of the iconic TV series Blake's 7, was the first woman to win the British Fantasy Award - which she followed with two World Fantasy Awards, shortlistings for all manner of accolades including Nebula and BSFA Awards - and in 2013 she received a 'Lifetime Achievement Award' from the organisers of World Fantasycon...

Tanith has left an incredible legacy. I would never dream of attempting to compile a 'Best of' collection, so instead I've let others do so for me.

TANITH BY CHOICE features many of her finest stories, as chosen by those who knew her.

Contents:

1. Introduction by Ian Whates
2. Red As Blood
3. The Gorgon
4. Bite-me-Not or Fleur de Fur
5. Jedella Ghost
6. Medra
7. The Ghost of the Clock
8. Cold Fire
9. The Crow
10. White As Sin, Now
11. After the Guillotine
12. Taken at His Word
13. The Isle is Full of Noises

With contributions from Storm Constantine, Craig Gidney, Mavis Haut, Stephen Jones, John Kaiine (Tanith's widower), Vera Nazarian, Allison Rich, Sarah Singleton, Kari Sperring, Sam Stone, Cecilia Dart-Thornton, Freda Warrington, and Ian Whates, each story is accompanied by a note from the person responsible for selecting it explaining why this tale means so much to them.

She took the rose and lifted it. It had a strange hot smell in the cold of the cave. It brushed her mouth and broke. She felt the burning blood go over her lips and down her chin. It had no taste, and yet... She raised her hand, in the cup of which all the blood had gathered and drank it down. No more than water. Yet water in thirst. It was not water, but fruit. It was wine. She must have more... 'There will be more, ' he said.

Tanith Lee was writing grimdark fantasy even before it was known as a genre. Gritty, savage and darkly erotic, Vivia is one of the author's darkest - and finest - works. Immanion Press is proud to bring it back into print with this second edition.

Vivia, the neglected daughter of a vicious warlord, discovers strange, lightless caverns deep beneath her father's castle. Here she finds an entity she believes is a living god and, in her loneliness, seeks its favour. After war and disease devastate her father's lands, Vivia is taken captive by the hedonistic Prince Zulgaris. Kept as his concubine, Vivia intrigues the cruel, eccentric prince. He sees in her aloof indifference something to match the darkness of his own soul, unaware of what she once invoked and how it changed her. She drinks blood and feeds without remorse upon the young girls that Zulgaris brings to her.

In the great city of Starzion, Vivia begins to understand her own nature. To Zulgaris she is a plaything, treasured like the bizarre contraptions he keeps in hidden workrooms and the unspeakable mutations of human flesh he conceals beneath his palace. But in this callous, barbaric land, where life means very little, and the spectre of the plague haunts the alleys and markets of even the greatest city, circumstances can change very quickly. No life is safe, and treachery abounds. Perhaps, in such a brutal world, only remote pitiless creatures like Vivia can survive unscathed. But at what cost?

Tanith Lee was one of the most influential and admired writers of the 20th Century. Since her first novel in 1971, right up to her death in 2015, her works resonated with generations of readers. She left behind an incredible legacy: a body of work which embraces every facet of the fantastic. From vampires to ghosts, fairies to robots, science fiction to fantasy and horror and back again: no-one could write like Tanith Lee

Telos Publishing is proud to present this special collection of 26 key works from Tanith's vast short story archive. Personally selected by her husband, the artist John Kaiine, these stories will touch your heart. They will caress your soul before ripping it from your body ... they will change the way you look at the world.

'A beautiful writer ... spot-on, with moments of wry humour amid her smooth, elegant prose; she gives the impression of days-of-yore and a faraway world, and tackles her creation's weird eroticisms, without ever being tempted into going over the top.' The Guardian

'Quite astonishing: unrelentingly skilful, unputdownable ... Accept no substitutes.' John Clute

'One of the most intelligent and powerful writers in fantasy.' Publishers Weekly

A collection of nineteen splendid Tanith Lee tales hand-picked by the author. These extraordinary journeys into Lee's hugely popular fantasy worlds span thirty-one years of her extraordinary writing career and including four never-before-published stories: 'Clouden', 'Book Cover', 'Jade-Eye' and 'Questorday'. The tales in this anthology, saturated with magical color and light, have been compared to the writings of William Morris or Lord Dunsany. Sometimes disturbing, always beguiling, they will spirit readers into imaginary realms like no others.

Rachaela has never known her father - he was a taboo subject as far as her mother was concerned. All Rachaela's mother had ever said was 'Keep away from the Scarabae', her father's tribe. Were they bad people, or simply disapproving of the woman who'd born his child?

After her mother's death, Rachaela realises she is being stalked by agents of the mysterious Scarabae family. They want to meet her. Despite her instincts to keep away from the Scarabae, she ultimately relents and is taken to the rambling, isolated house near the sea, where the Scarabae live in baroque seclusion. The inhabitants of the house are very old, and most are extremely eccentric, if not demented. And how many of them are there, exactly? The fading splendour of the house closes around Rachaela like a stifling womb, and she's given no explanation for this m nage of bizarre oldsters, who are like creatures from an earlier age, and certainly not normal. Is there something supernatural to the Scarabae, or are they merely lost in delusion?

When Rachaela finally meets Adamus, a beautiful and apparently young man who claims to be her father, events take a darker turn. The Scarabae have a purpose for Rachaela - but this is nothing like she'd imagined. The family has been hounded across centuries and continents, until finally, the last of them, mostly weak and old, have ended up in this hidden corner of England, with only a reluctant, fearful ally to aid them. Rachaela must decide what to do - comply, or run while she still can. Her greatest fear is that she does not have a choice.

First published in 1992, and long out of print, Immanion Press is proud to release this new edition, which includes seven illustrations and an introductory essay by Storm Constantine.

Raised in a swamp by a mad witch, poor Louisa grew up with one goal in mind: to marry a wealthy man, then inherit his lands and money by whatever means it takes. And Louisa may well succeed, for she is a stunning beauty with the manners of an angel. At last she sets off to make her fortune . . . and with the help of her vial of undetectable poison, she soon finds her first victim. A dazzlingly dark fantasy, as only Tanith Lee could write it

Tanith's work is lush and rich with beauty, darkness, and sensuality. More than almost anyone else whom I have ever read, Tanith's work sounds like it was meant to be read aloud, perhaps while huddled around a fire in the dark forest or in the quiet and still air within an ancient temple.

Jeremy Brett, (Cushing Memorial Library & Archives, Texas A&M University)

Tanith Lee wrote fifteen stories for the acclaimed US genre magazine 'Realms of Fantasy', which ran from 1994 to 2009 and was founded and edited by her close friend, Shawna McCarthy. Venus Burning: Realms collects all these stories in one volume for the first time, some of which only ever appeared in the magazine and will therefore be new to some of Tanith's fans.

The stories in this collection are among her best work, in which Tanith takes myth and fairy tale tropes and turns them on their heads. You might find fantasy swordsmen (Woman in Scarlet), vampires (Israbel), werewolves (Moonblind), dragons (The Children of his Old Age), ghostly dolls (Doll Skulls) and tales reminiscent of the Arabian Nights (I Bring You Forever), but these are nothing like stories of those genres you've read before. Lush and lyrical, deep and literary, Tanith Lee created fresh poignant tales from familiar archetypes. This book also includes three previously uncollected stories from her Flat Earth mythos.

We published fifteen of Tanith Lee's brilliant works. All of those wonderful, mystical, gorgeous, glorious stories are in this volume, and I'm so glad that Immanion Press is sharing them with new (and old) readers.

Shawna McCarthy - founder and editor of 'Realms of Fantasy'

In a rich, complex epic set in a grim fantasy world, Tanith Lee explores in her distinctive style the excesses of religion as well as the dark pagan roots of earlier times. There are disturbing similarities between the rites of apparently conflicting beliefs - the blood and body of Christ and the divine blood of the World Tree.

While the Christerium might believe it wields the greater power and keeps the people under control through brutality and oppression, the older cunning ways lie hidden in every forest glade and in the hearts of those who worship the Great Tree, nourished by the blood of willing sacrifice. But then the Tree is destroyed, in the midst of a sacred rite, unleashing a potent and vengeful magic.

From the ruin of this atrocity, the enigmatic dark priest Anjelen arises. He deftly works his way into the heart of the Christerium, bewitching its most powerful administrators. He is like an angel, beautiful and charismatic - yet to be feared. People are drawn to follow him into any darkness he claims to be the Light of God. The rites he introduces to the inner cabal of the Christerium change all who take part in them, not least invoking a thirst for blood.

Characters with mysterious origins, damaged in body and mind, assemble to enact a world-changing drama. Anillia wakes within an old abbey, knowing she is 15 years old, but with no idea who she is or how she got there. She feels safe with the ageing nuns until sons of a local forest clan arrive at her sanctuary, claiming she is their sister, lost long ago in the woods. She is married off to a local clan leader, thereby becoming part of Anjelen's plan. Mechail, the crippled son of a powerful forest lord is murdered yet rises from death to follow an unknown destiny. It seems he was never quite human to begin with. Jasha, a wild woods girl, more animal than human is drawn into Anjelen's entourage, witness to strange and terrifying events, knowing she too has a part to play in the savage rites of blind belief and raw desire.

This vivid, macabre epic was only ever published in the UK in a hardback edition - to most readers it will be a completely new title, which Immanion Press is proud to present in two paperback volumes, with illustrations by Danielle Lainton and cover art by John Kaiine.

Tanith Lee wrote hundreds of short stories in her lifetime, many of which appeared only in small press magazines and anthologies, and other rare publications. A great many of these pieces have remained uncollected, unseen by a wider readership. Strindberg's Ghost Sonata and Other Uncollected Tales is the first of three anthologies to be published by Immanion Press that will showcase a wide selection of these sought-after tales.

From the horror fantasy of 'Persian Eyes' set in ancient Rome, via the fantastical fairy-tale realm of 'Among the Leaves So Green', through the frozen landscape of 'Cold Spell' and into the doomed city of 'The Woman', this collection spans the genres of horror and fantasy, showcasing Tanith Lee's ability to conjure wondrous, vivid and mysterious worlds. The book includes a story that has never been published before - 'Iron City', which was written in 1987 - as well as two tales set in Tanith's Flat Earth mythos; 'The Pain of Glass' and 'The Origin of Snow', the latter of which only ever appeared briefly on the author's now defunct web site.

This collection presents a jewel casket of twenty stories, and even to the most avid fan of Tanith Lee will contain gems they've not read before.

Contents:

Strindberg's Ghost Sonata, Among the Leaves so Green, Beauty is the Beast, Ceres Passing, Cold Spell, Elvenbrood, Felidis, Goldenhair, Herowhine, In the Balance, Iron City, Last Drink Bird Head, The Origin of Snow, The Pain of Glass, Persian Eyes, Question a Stone, The Three Brides of Hamid-Dar, A Tower of Arkrondurl, Two Lions, a Witch and the War-Robe, The Woman

Artemesia is the daughter of a pirate queen, and she's sick of practicing deportment at the Angels Academy for Young Maidens. Escaping from the school, she hunts up her mother's crew and breezily commands them out to sea in a leaky boat. Unfortunately, Art's memories of her early life may not be accurate-her seasick crew are actors, and Art's infamous mother was the darling of the stage in a pirate drama. But fiery, pistol-proof Art soon shapes her men into the cleverest pirate crew afloat. And when they meet the dread ship Enemy and her beautiful, treacherous captain, Goldie Girl, Art is certain that her memories are real. The Seven Seas aren't large enough for two pirate queens: Art will have the battle of her life to win her mother's title--and the race for the most fabulous treasure in pirate lore. This gaudy, outrageous tale sparkles with swordplay, skullduggery, and salty language--not to mention over-the-top comedy!

A refreshing, tongue-in-cheek, tangled tale that will entice readers who crave adventure and fantasy.--SLJ

'A time of dragons' might conjure the image of a fantastical medieval world, with knights dark and light, clever sorcerers and witches, doomed kings and charmed innocents. Love might seem to be very much a part of such a world, where passions rage and honour fires the blood. But the truth is that dragons come in many guises, even into modern times. As does love.

Love and the dragon go hand in hand: the hot fiery breath of desire and the madness that takes possession of the senses; the dragon sleeps within but may be awakened. Sometimes the beast is subtle, sometimes fearsomely overt in its endeavours to control the human heart, to intimidate, to conquer. Love itself can be a dragon.

Even in Tanith Lee's most fantastical fairy tale worlds and medieval fantasies, the beating heart within her stories reveal aspects of the human condition - its weaknesses and strengths, its passions, its yearning. In this volume of tales, most of which have not been collected before, the author takes up her sword to face the dragons - not to slay them, but to see their stories reflected in the blade. For be sure they each have one to tell...

With an introduction by Craig Laurence Gidney