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As the title implies, these pages deal with authors who lived and wrote a long time ago, and whose works are not often reprinted in our own time. Several resources exist on the Internet for authors living today, but dead authors tend to gradually fall into oblivion and be forgotten as their works are consigned to the limbo of out-of-print. In order to remedy this situation somewhat, these pages have been created. They focus mainly on classic authors and their works, but also covers a few related topics. While only a few other web-sites like this one exist one the 'net, it is the author's wish that this set of pages will help the visitor become more informed and help the writers covered here receive more readers and attention.

Several links to works of horror literature in the public domain have been gathered onto the following page. It contains links to stories and novels by Ambrose Bierce, Robert W. Chambers, William Hope Hogdson, H. P. Lovecraft, to name just a few. It also offer texts which are not easily accessible, all of which are compressed for ease of viewing.

In the hope of his work helping the reader find more information about writers and books worth reading, the author has written several pages dealing with now neglected authors of fantastic fiction, most of which are still highly readable despite their age. Several of these writers are to the author's knowledge not covered anywhere else.

Algernon Blackwood John Buchan James Branch Cabell Robert W. Chambers Walter de la Mare E. R. Eddison M. R. James Matthew Gregory Lewis H. P. Lovecraft Arthur Machen Charles Robert Maturin Abraham Merritt Clark Ashton Smith

The following section might not be written, or at least it will not be written for a very long time, since the author is severely pressed for time. These genres will be studied, the major and minor contributors to them will be studied, and on the whole they will serve as introductions into these fields of fantastic literature. But first, the existing pages will be finished.

• Decadence
  
• Fantasy
  
• Gothicism
  
• Poetry
  
• Romanticism
  
• The weird tale
  
• Vampire fiction

• The linked Supernatural Horror in Literature

The following is a list of authors of fantastic fiction who might be considered to be classics. The list includes sections on horror, fantasy, vampire fiction, poetry and miscellany. Beside each author is a link to another web-page dealing more extensively with that particular author. Note that not all authors have received separate pages. Any additions to this list are welcomed.

• A list of classic fantastic fiction

In addition to literature, the fantastic has for a long time been an influence on artists and musicians. The following two pages deal with these aspects of the fantastic. Observe that both pages are unfinished and will only be completed by the help of contributors.

• The fantastic in art through the ages
  
• The fantastic in music through the ages

In order to understand the roots of fantastic literature, one must go back to the very first appearance of the fantastic in the written word. These first examples are the myth cycles and legends of antiquity and before. Although these works might not be considered truly fantastic, they are nonetheless important sources of inspiration. This page is not completed, but an almost complete version of it is incorporated into the list of classic fantastic fiction.

• Ancient, classic and old literature

The Internet abounds with useful resources concerned with fantastic fiction, but is often not so useful when the classic are involved. However, this page of links contains several other web-pages worth visiting, and which can help the reader learn more about almost all aspects of fantastic fiction. Any links to these pages are of course appreciated and reciprocated. This page also contains all the web rings this page is a part of.

• Links and web rings

Awards given to this page and reviews of it can be found on the following page.

• Awards and reviews

If you have any comments on these pages, links, suggestions and additions, and the like, feel free to send the author a letter.

No less than people have visited this page since it went online. And for that transgression against the laws of the gods they have all wound up in the ninth ring of Inferno.

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Gaily bedight, A gallant knight, In sunshine and in shadow, Had journeyed long, Singing a song, In search of Eldorado. But he grew old- This knight so bold- And o'er his heart a shadow Fell as he found No spot of ground That looked like Eldorado. And, as his strength Failed him at length, He met a pilgrim shadow- "Shadow," said he, "Where can it be- This land of Eldorado ?" "Over the Mountains Of the Moon, Down the Valley of the Shadow, Ride, boldly ride," The shade replied- "If you seek for Eldorado !"

Let the red dawn surmise What we shall do, When this blue starlight dies And all is through. "Oh Thou who burn'st in heart for those who burn In Hell, whose fires thyself shall feed in turn; How long be crying, "Mercy on them, God !" Why, who art thou to teach and He to learn ?"

Along the shore the cloud waves break, The twin suns sink behind the lake, The shadows lengthen In Carcosa Strange is the night where black stars rise, And strange moons circle through the skies, But stranger still is Lost Carcosa Songs that the Hyades shall sing, Where flap the tatters of the King, Must die unheard in Dim Carcosa Song of my soul, my voice is dead, Die though, unsung, as tears unshed, Shall dry and die in Lost Carcosa