When the fog of war lifts, what ancient magic and terrible truths are revealed?
This collection features the most celebrated and controversial short fiction of Arthur Machen, the Welsh master of cosmic and supernatural horror. Machen's stories explore the unsettling belief that ancient forces--pagan, strange, and often sinister--lie just beneath the veneer of modern life.
The centerpiece of this volume is The Bowmen, one of the most famous pieces of short fiction ever written. Originally published during the early days of World War I, the story recounts a mysterious, phantom army of English archers from the Battle of Agincourt who miraculously appear to save British troops at the bloody Battle of Mons. What began as a fiction quickly exploded into a real-life legend, widely believed by soldiers and civilians alike to be an actual miracle.
Alongside this foundational work of modern myth-making, Machen presents other potent tales that blur the line between reality and the arcane.
A mesmerizing collection that captures Machen's unique genius for weaving true belief, profound horror, and literary history into unforgettable works of the supernatural.