Penumbra No. 4 (2023) - by Peter Straub & John Langan (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The fourth issue of Penumbra, Hippocampus Press's acclaimed journal of weird fiction, criticism, and poetry contains an abundance of short and powerful tales from such leading writers as Geoffrey Reiter, Michael Aronovitz, Joe Pan, and Scott J. Couturier. The issue also highlights the work of weird writers around the world, from Harris Coverley and Dmitri Akers (Australia) to Norbert Góra (Poland) to Arthur Staaz (Northern Ireland).

Among the articles in the issue, Deborah Bridle studies two stories by China Miéville for their probing of the fraught issue of climate change. Peter Straub's work is analyzed by John C. Tibbetts; his article includes extracts of an interview with Straub. James Goho discusses the weird work of the Irish writer Dorothy Macardle, Marcos Legaria examines lesser-known writings by C. L. Moore, and David Rose illuminates the work of Brian McNaughton. Darrell Schweitzer presents a groundbreaking interview with leading contemporary weird writer John Langan. In a special section, the pulp writer Anthony M. Rud's story of Australian terror, "Bunyips in the Mulga," is reprinted, with analyses of that work by the Australian scholars Ellen J. Greenham and Duncan Norris.

This issue of Penumbra also features the verse of a dozen poets, including Ann K. Schwader, John Shirley, Leigh Blackmore, Wade German, and DJ Tyrer. All in all, the issue provides a rich and varied feast for the devotee of the weird.