Tales of the Grand Guignol from Centipede Press
Just as they hooked me with The Agonizing Resurrection of Victor Frankenstein (mentioned here), Centipede Press has again ensnared my mind by revealing pre-orders for Tales of the Grand Guignol, a collection of works by French author Maurice Level (Wikipedia). A combination of bizarre writing and wicked art, plus the limited run of 100 copies, has led me to click the wrong buttons today and now I wait impatiently for this to land in my hands.
Maurice Level (1875-1926), was a French writer of fiction and drama who specialized in short stories of the macabre which were sometimes staged by le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol, the repertory company in the Pigalle district devoted to melodramatic productions. Level’s short stories are strong on obsession and violence. Their surprise endings are reminiscent of the stories of Guy de Maupassant, and their gratuitous acts and mindless brutality, may be seen as precursors of thriller fiction and slasher films.
This collection has a stamped cover by Jason C. Eckhardt and some interior black & white illustrations. The book is edited and introduced by S. T. Joshi.
The edition is limited to 100 copies for sale. Each numbered copy is signed by S. T. Joshi and Jason C. Eckhardt.
Related articles
- Centipede Press’ “Masters of the Weird Tale” by Karl Edward Wagner (battlegrip.com)
- Centipede Press is Dangerous (battlegrip.com)
