Showing results by narrator "Matthew Schmitz" in All Categories

Mazes and Labyrinths is a look into the origin and mystery of mazes. From ancient stone carvings, Minoan palaces to today's hedge-maze, Matthews chronicles the history of the maze. With devoted scholarship to "the lure of the labyrinth," W. H. Matthews has composed an exhaustive history of mazes and labyrinths from antiquity to the present.

The Gods of Pegana is the first book by Anglo-Irish fantasy writer Lord Dunsany, published on a commission basis in 1905. The book is a series of short stories linked by Dunsany's invented pantheon of deities who dwell in Pegana, and was a huge influence on authors such as Lovecraft and Tolkien. This is one of my favorite works of weird fantasy fiction by Lord Dunsany, and is a masterful cosmological piece of indulgent prose that actually contains some sublime wisdom between the lines.

The Thing on the Roof, written by Robert E. Howard in 1932, is a chilling tale that masterfully blends elements of Lovecraftian cosmic horror with Howard’s signature sense of adventure and danger. First published in Weird Tales in 1932, this story exemplifies Howard’s ability to craft narratives that delve into forbidden knowledge, ancient relics, and the inevitable consequences of tampering with forces beyond human comprehension.

Clark Ashton Smith (January 13, 1893-August 14, 1961) was an American writer and artist. He achieved early local recognition, largely through the enthusiasm of George Sterling, for traditional verse in the vein of Swinburne. As a poet, Smith is grouped with the West Coast Romantics alongside Joaquin Miller, Sterling, and Nora May French and remembered as "The Last of the Great Romantics" and "The Bard of Auburn".

One of the greatest thinkers on the origins of Christianity and a renowned expert on Gnostic and Hermetic literature presents, in this snug volume first published in 1907, the lost teachings of Jesus. Not found in the canonical Gospels and, indeed, frequently dismissed as blasphemous or heretical or "reworked" by later editors to comply with perceived tradition, this beautiful hymn is not just of interest to Christian mystics but to anyone who values wise words well spoken. For those interested in mysticism, Gnosticism, and esoteric traditions.

Translated as Thus Spake Zarathustra, this book is a work of philosophical fiction written by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. It was published in four volumes between 1883 and 1885. The protagonist is nominally the historical Zoroaster.

One of the best-known Arthurian stories—adapted many times into verse, prose, games, and film. It recounts an adventure undertaken by King Arthur’s famous nephew, Sir Gawain, who is brave and the model of knightly grace. When a mysterious knight in green armor issues a challenge to the Round Table, the gallant Gawain volunteers to do battle for his king, beginning an adventure that explores chivalric tradition, loyalty, and the virtue of forgiveness, as well as alchemical symbolism and the psychological process of individuation.

The Burden of Isis, being the laments of Isis and Nephthys, translated from the Egyptian by James Teackle Dennis, was first published in 1910. This edition is from a reprint in 1918. Includes "The Laments of Isis and Nephthys", "The Chants", and "Hymn to Osiris-Sokar".

Clark Ashton Smith was a poet, sculptor, painter, and author of fantasy, horror, and science fiction short stories. It is for these stories and his literary friendship with H. P. Lovecraft, from 1922 until Lovecraft's death in 1937, that he is mainly remembered today.

The Book of Enoch is an ancient Hebrew apocalyptic religious text, ascribed by tradition to the patriarch Enoch who was the great-grandfather of Noah. The Book of Enoch contains unique material on the origins of demons and Nephilim, why some angels fell from heaven, an explanation of why the Genesis flood was morally necessary, and prophetic exposition of the thousand-year reign of the Messiah.

The Descendant, written by H.P. Lovecraft in 1927, is a brief and tantalizing fragment that hints at a larger, untold story steeped in ancient horrors, forbidden knowledge, and the weight of ancestral guilt. Unpublished during Lovecraft’s lifetime, this unfinished piece explores themes central to his mythos, such as the peril of delving into arcane mysteries and the fragile boundary between human understanding and cosmic terror.

The Cats of Ulthar, written by H.P. Lovecraft in 1920, is a short yet striking tale that showcases his ability to blend dark fantasy with moral allegory. First published in Tryout in 1920, the story is a haunting meditation on justice, retribution, and the mystical bond between cats and the arcane. It occupies a unique place in Lovecraft’s body of work, weaving a fable-like narrative that retains the eerie undertones characteristic of his writing.

The Alchemist, written by H.P. Lovecraft in 1908, is one of his earliest works, showcasing his budding talent for atmospheric storytelling and his lifelong fascination with themes of ancestral guilt, curses, and the occult. Set in a decaying, isolated castle in the heart of medieval France, this gothic tale is steeped in the dark traditions of vengeance and supernatural retribution.

Cool Air, written by H.P. Lovecraft in 1926, is a chilling tale that masterfully blends gothic horror with the scientific and psychological themes characteristic of Lovecraft's work. First published in Tales of Magic and Mystery in 1928, this story explores the fragility of human life and the lengths to which one might go to preserve it, set against the backdrop of a decaying New York City apartment.

The Beast in the Cave, written by H.P. Lovecraft in 1905 when he was just 14 years old, is one of his earliest forays into the world of macabre fiction. Despite its brevity and the youthfulness of its author, this tale demonstrates Lovecraft's early talent for crafting an atmosphere of suspense and his fascination with the grotesque and the unknown.

Brought to you by Altrusian Grace Media and AGM Storytime. Narration by Matthew Schmitz. Sound Design by Milan Jeftic (aka The Russian Comic Book Geek). "The Frost-Giant's Daughter" is one of the original fantasy short stories about Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard. The story is set in the fictional history of the Hyborian Age and details Conan pursuing a spectral nymph across the frozen tundra of Nordheim.

“The Garden of Fear” explores reincarnation, anthropology, theology, and evolution, through the quest of James Allison as Hunwulf, living a life that was once his own. It’s a riveting tale of primordial love and cosmic memory, set in a landscape both surreal and dangerous. The story begins with James Allison, who possesses a unique ability to recall his past lives. As he lies on his deathbed, he vividly remembers being Hunwulf, a member of the Æsir tribe.

The Diary of Alonzo Typer is a haunting story crafted by H.P. Lovecraft in collaboration with writer William Lumley. Written in 1935, it unfolds in the form of a found manuscript—a diary belonging to Alonzo Typer, an investigator who vanishes after exploring an eerie, abandoned mansion steeped in mysterious and occult history. This story combines Lovecraft’s fascination with ancient evils, forbidden knowledge, and crumbling old New England settings with Lumley’s intense interest in mysticism and the supernatural.

The Curse of Yig, a horror tale by H.P. Lovecraft, delves into the folklore and dark superstitions of the American Midwest. The story follows the narrator, an investigator intrigued by tales of a curse surrounding Yig, the snake god of Native American lore. As the narrator delves into the history of this malevolent deity, he encounters unsettling accounts of madness, transformation, and death. Central to the story is the tragic tale of settlers Walker and Audrey Davis, whose fear of snakes and belief in Yig’s curse leads them down a path of terror and doom.

Ascribe the work to Georgius Aurach de Argentina (sometimes Anrach) and date it to 1475. There are versions in Latin, German, French, and Italian, and one in English in the British Library.