New Releases by Christopher Golden

A secret sect of the Catholic Church, armed with an ancient book of the undead called The Gospel of Shadows, has been slowly destroying vampires for centuries. Now the book has been stolen, and the sect races to retrieve it before their purpose is discovered: a final purge of all vampires. As the line between saints and shadows grows ominously faint, private eye Peter Octavian is drawn into the search. And he''ll do anything to find the book ... for Peter Octavian is also a vampire. Ostracized by his kindred for refusing to take part in the ''blood song'', he cannot stand by and watch while they are destroyed. In a deadly game with a driven, sadistic assassin, the trail leads to Venice at the time of carnival, where the Defiant Ones, as the vampires are known, are engaged in a savage battle for their lives. Filled with plot twists, mystery, sex and violent death, Of Saints and Shadows is a spine-tingling thriller which opens the door to the world of The Shadow Saga.

What if you were given a map to a magic that could change the worst moment of your life...for a price? From two all-stars of dark fantasy, Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon, coauthors of Mind the Gap, comes this terrifying new thriller of magic and dangerous passions, where an ordinary man searches the magical landscape of an extraordinary city for the chance of a lifetime. Barely six months after leaving New Orleans, history professor Max Corbett is returning to a place he hardly recognizes. The girl he’d loved—and lost—is dead, and the once-enchanted city has been devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Max has not thought much beyond Gabrielle’s funeral—until a strange old man offers him a map, and an insane proposition . . . “Forget all the stories about magic you think you know. . . .” It looks like an ordinary tourist map, but the old man claims that it is marked with a trail of magical moments from New Orleans’s history that just might open a door to the past. But it is a journey fraught with peril as Max begins to uncover dark secrets about both his dead love and the city he never really got to know. How is Gabrielle linked to an evil group from the city’s past? And can Max evade them long enough to turn back the clock and give Gabrielle one last chance at life? From the Trade Paperback edition.

From celebrated comic artist Mike Mignola and award-winning novelist Christopher Golden comes a work of gothic storytelling like no other. Reminiscent of the illustrated tales of old, here is a lyrical, atmospheric novel of the paranormal—and a chilling allegory for the nature of war. “Why do dead men rise up to torment the living?” Captain Henry Baltimore asks the malevolent winged creature. The vampire shakes its head. “It was you called us. All of you, with your war. The roar of your cannons shook us from our quiet graves…. You killers. You berserkers…. You will never be rid of us now.” When Lord Henry Baltimore awakens the wrath of a vampire on the hellish battlefields of World War I, the world is forever changed. For a virulent plague has been unleashed—a plague that even death cannot end. Now the lone soldier in an eternal struggle against darkness, Baltimore summons three old friends to a lonely inn—men whose travels and fantastical experiences incline them to fully believe in the evil that is devouring the soul of mankind. As the men await their old friend, they share their tales of terror and misadventure, and contemplate what part they will play in Baltimore’s timeless battle. Before the night is through, they will learn what is required to banish the plague—and the creature who named Baltimore his nemesis—once and for all.

Bestselling author Christopher Golden brings his epic, innovative trilogy, the Veil, to an astonishing conclusion as the mythic realm of heroes and monsters becomes the site of humanity’s last—and greatest—showdown. In the world of the legendary, every myth and folktale is real. That is what Oliver Bascombe learned on the other side of the Veil, where humanity''s legends have hidden away for centuries. But even legends have legends, and Oliver has learned of a prophecy that many believe he and his sister, Collette, have come to the Two Kingdoms to fulfill. Before they can discover the truth, the Bascombe siblings must help to stop an apocalyptic war that threatens to destroy the Two Kingdoms, unravel a conspiracy, and prevent a powerful sorcerer from severing the world of humans from the realm of the legendary forever. But first Oliver will have to plot an escape from an impregnable palace dungeon where he and his allies have been imprisoned . . . for regicide. As old heroes and friends ally themselves for one last battle, even older enemies stand arrayed against them. Is humanity ready to face its legends head-on? For Oliver Bascombe, the price may be dearer than even he could ever imagine. From the Trade Paperback edition.

Happily married for three years, Michael and Jillian Dansky find their lives and marriage transformed forever by an encounter with a lost little girl who leads them to a house haunted by a mysterious force that transforms Jillian into a cruel and vindictive woman and forces Michael into a dangerous quest to unravel the dark mystery surrounding him. Reprint.

From a master of horror, dark fantasy, and suspense comes a compelling and uniquely original work of paranormal suspense in which one man finds himself trapped in a web of ever-shifting reality which threatens to remake the whole of the world—unless he can find a way to stop it. For Will James, facing his tenth high school reunion is far from his finest hour—especially since his life has not gone exactly as he planned. Dumped at the altar by his high school sweetheart and with his dreams of being a prize-winning reporter dashed by his job at a Boston tabloid, he is not sure he is ready to face his former peers. But what he does find at the reunion is far more than he bargained for. He soon learns that one of his buddies had died several years back—even though Will had received an e-mail from him only a few days before. It is not long before other people Will was convinced were alive are turning out to be dead as well—or married to other people, or childless where they used to have children. And new memories are swarming in to replace what Will is convinced was his old life, until he no longer knows what is real and what is not. The only thing he does know for certain is that he has to figure out why he alone remembers snatches of another life before everything dissolves into this new, darker reality. From the Trade Paperback edition.

Hellboy, a bloodred, cloven-hoofed demon raised by the United States government, is a top field agent for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. He questions the unknown -- then beats it into submission. In the upper reaches of the Himalayas, Hellboy''s ex-girlfriend, archaeologist Anastasia Bransfield, believes she has found the location of the legendary "Dragon King Pool" -- thought to be the ancient dwelling of an evil dragon who inflicted horrific devastation on the land and its people. Every year the villagers would sacrifice a child to placate the beast, until one day an unlikely hero fought the dragon and won, bringing peace and prosperity to the land. But Anastasia''s triumph at her discovery is short-lived. Soon unearthly creatures are seen lurking around the dig site, someone is sabotaging the excavation with dire results, and the young daughter of one of the dig leaders goes missing. It looks like a job for Hellboy -- but his toughest challenge might be putting his past with Anastasia behind him....

The bestselling author of "The Boys Are Back in Town" returns with the first book in an exciting new trilogy, set in a land in which legends have become reality.

“A fabulously entertaining combination of Victorian conventions, sensuous undertones, and some seriously evil magic.” –Charlaine Harris, author of Dead to the World, on Ghosts of Albion: Accursed Before you can save Albion, you must destroy the poison in its black heart. William and Tamara Swift’s newfound sorcerous powers as Protectors of Albion pale before the demonic forces threatening Britannia. But William and Tamara have formidable allies in Lord Byron, Queen Bodicea, and Lord Admiral Nelson–England’s noble, notorious Ghosts of Albion. Responding to a plea from Cornwall, Tamara discovers that the rumors of young women, both human and fairy, vanishing without a trace are horribly true. Instead of hard clues, she uncovers only whispers of witches, infernal abductions, and a pyre of innocents planned for the solstice. Indeed, Tamara has never faced a more dangerous task–for the legendary land of King Arthur’s Camelot also harbors dark, bloody deeds and a waking evil. Soon nothing, not even mighty Albion, will be safe from the deadly peril. Amber Benson, who immortalized Tara in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Christopher Golden, Bram Stoker Award—winning author of the Shadow Saga, have created a voluptuous, twisted thriller. Based on the BBC Web series that became a smash hit in England, Ghosts of Albion: Witchery brings to life a sizzling, ninteenth century world of fiends, phantoms, and spine-tingling terror. Praise for Ghosts of Albion: Accursed “Demons, bodice-ripping passion, and some good old murky London gloom; all one can ask for in a dark night’s reading.” –Kirkus Reviews “Equal doses of dark humor and genuine horror.” –Library Journal From the Trade Paperback edition.

"The Complete Stephen King Universe is the only definitive reference work that examines all of Stephen King?s novels, short stories, motion pictures, miniseries, and teleplays, and deciphers the threads that exist in all of his work. This ultimate resource includes in-depth story analyses, character breakdowns, little-known facts, and startling revelations on how the plots, themes, characters, and conflicts intertwine" -- publisher website (February 2007).

Even death could not stop Britain’s greatest defenders. In 1838, William and Tamara Swift inherit a startling legacy from their dying grandfather, transforming them into the Protectors of Albion, mystical defenders of the soul of England. But the shocked, neophyte sorcerers also inherit unique allies in their battle against the dark forces. Fighting alongside them are the famous–even infamous–Ghosts of Albion: Lord Byron, Queen Bodicea, and Lord Admiral Nelson. When strange and hideous creatures appear in the slums of London, an unholy plague threatens to launch an epic battle that may rage all the way to Buckingham Palace . . . and beyond. Time is running out as William and Tamara must learn whether their friends will stand beside them, or seduce and betray them. From Amber Benson, known for her dramatic portrayal of Tara in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Christopher Golden, Bram Stoker Award—winning author of The Shadow Saga and Wildwood Road, comes a vengeful tale of demons, vampires, and ghosts set in nineteenth-century London. Based on the smash BBC Web series that took England by storm, Ghosts of Albion is a horror adventure laced with dark humor and darker lusts. From the Trade Paperback edition.

In this thrilling finale to the OutCast quartet, Alhazred''s death has caused a weakening in the dimensional barrier that keeps the Wurm out of Arcanum. Now the Wurm have their chance for revenge upon the mages. Can Timothy and Cassandra end their feud?

First in a new quartet. Timothy is the only person in existence without magical powers, and has spent most of his life hidden on a remote island. When Timothy is finally taken back to the city of his birth, he is marked for death. Timothy can''t imagine what threat he poses. He wields no power--or does he?

The demon paranormal investigator known as Hellboy, looking into a discovery in Sweden, has a massive iron hammer fused to his stone right hand that brings him visions of another life he never lived while he struggles against the return of the king of the frost giants.

Buffy and her gang of Scoobies head to Los Angeles to face a pure demon army that is set on destroying Angel as revenge for the death of Doyle.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer''s own Amber "Tara" Benson takes up scripting duties on these collected stories of everyone''s favorite Wiccan couple with the help of writer Christopher Golden (Angel, Buffy TVS: The Watcher''s Guide, BPRD).

Stone-Cold Killer One night while on patrol, the Slayer and her friends are outnumbered and receive aid from a totally unexpected source: Buffy''s old flame, Pike. He and Buffy had a complex relationship back in Los Angeles, when the Chosen One was first called. Now, Pike has arrived in Sunnydale, on the run from a stone demon with a grudge. Faced with this blast from the past, Buffy finds herself caught between her history with Pike...and her future with Angel. But there''s little time to contemplate this situation as vamp activity rises and Giles, in particular, becomes the target of mysterious, brutal attacks. Buffy suspects a deeper connection between old friends and new enemies. With the help of her friends, Buffy unmasks the evil entities -- and discovers that even a Watcher can be watched....

Could the Council have something to do with water beast that hit the Sunnydale scene?

When the first volume of the official Buffy the Vampire Slayer Watcher''s Guide was published in January 1999 it was hailed by critics and fans alike as the best episode guide of its kind. Volume Two was voted SF and Fantasy Non-fiction Book of the Year for 2000 by the readers of SFX, the world''s biggest science fiction entertainment magazine. Crammed with statistics, comment, analysis, interviews, quotes, dialogue, pictures and inside-story behind-the-scenes information which can be found nowhere else, the two books combined offer the most complete package available to the series which has taken television by storm. Volume one covers every episode from Season One and Season Two while voume two covers every episode from Seasons Three and Four. Buffy and Angel, Spike and Dru, Giles, Willow, Xander, Anya, and not forgetting bad girl Faith and series villains The Master, the Mayor and Adam - they''re all here in the ultimate companions to the Buffyverse.

The first day at college, my professor dropped dead. The second day, I assisted at his autopsy. Let''s hope I don''t have to go through four years of this...."When Jenna Blake starts her freshman year at Packard University, she''s not only living on her own for the first time, she''s moving closer to the father she never really knew. It''s an exciting time, filled with new faces and new challenges, not to mention parties and guys and...corpses?Jenna feels torn about her future. She''d like to be a doctor like her mother, but she can''t stand the sight of blood. Her father, a criminology professor, thinks he has the answer and sends her to interview for a job with the medical examiner -- an interview that takes place in the middle of an autopsy.When a congressional aide goes violently insane and then drops dead, the pathology team at Packard Medical Center discovers that his brain was ravaged with disease -- and loaded with insect larvae. As Jenna starts her new job, she is drawn into a web of terrifying disease, dangerous politics, and intriguing mystery. And when one of her professors ends up dead, she starts making connections even the police haven''t seen...connections which will bring her face to face with a pair of killers: one medical, and one all too human.

All Hell is Breaking Loose!Led by the fanatical Il Maestro, the Sons of Entropy are assaulting the supernatural Boston mansion that holds back the realm of monsters, and stealing the life force from the besieged Gatekeeper. In limbo, the Ghost Roads are crumbling, becoming weak and unstable where Hell and the Otherworld have begun seeping in, blurring the passages that lead to the human world. And Xander lies mortally wounded from a failed attempt to free Joyce Summers from the clutches of the zealots who hold her hostage. With the Gatekeeper rapidly weakening, Buffy sends Willow and Cordelia to escort Xander along the Ghost Roads to the Gatehouse, which may hold his only hope of survival. Meanwhile, she, Giles, and an unlikely band of allies take their fight to the very mouth of Hell itself, desperately hoping to save Joyce and repel the evil spawn before Sunnydale becomes a demonic ground zero. Only then can Buffy safeguard the Gatekeeper''s eleven-year-old heir, the only one able to prevent the ultimate destruction of humanity.

"It''s quite a mystery, isn''t it? I mean, how do you burn someone to death in public, and not have anyone notice?"Two people burst into flame, burned alive in front of plenty of eyewitnesses with no obvious cause. Spontaneous human combustion is a bizarre phenomenon, but according to published accounts, it happens. Could that be what occurred here? Or is it murder?As Jenna Blake turns nineteen, she is getting over a recent breakup and is rekindling an old flame. Between her personal life and college, she has enough on her hands. The last thing she needs is another nasty little puzzle.But the burn victims'' clothes weren''t flammable, the crime scenes reveal no evidence of arson, and none of the various witnesses can provide anything resembling a clue. In fact, she and Slick are just beginning to re-evaluate their faith in rational, scientific explanation when the fire claims another victim, and an incredible explanation presents itself. Even as they struggle with their discovery, the danger hits far too close to home....

Kevin likes Nikki. Nikki likes Pete. But Pete and his friends are not at all what they seem to be.

Intrepid college-age sleuth Jenna Blake starts investigating a string of homicidal rages by teenagers and learns that each of the killers had been given a mystery gift--a self-erasing bootleg video that alters the brain and cranks the viewer into a murderous frenzy. She must find out what was on the tape and where it came from.

An official guide to Buffy the Vampire Slayer describes the mythology and influences behind the monsters, ghouls, and characters through interviews with the creators and details of the episodes.

Willow, Xander, Oz, and Cordelia have stolen Buffy''s yearbook and are filling the pages with personal notes, funny drawings, song lyrics, short passages that flash back to key episodes, etc. Packed with all sorts of references to the show--as well as little-known secrets from behind the scenes--this "yearbook" is a must-have for all Buffy fans.

The first chapter of Buffy''s rise to slayer stardom reveals a somewhat reluctant teenager gradually accepting her role as L.A.''s protector and principle stakemaster in the face of an undead invasion.

The ultimate fan guide to "this season''s most distinctive and sharply written new show" ("Entertainment Weekly"), this official companion book includes exclusive interviews, never-before-seen photos, a day on the set journal, and more. of color photos.

In 525 B.C., the Persian king Cambyses sent fifty thousand soldiers across the conquered Egyptian desert to take an oasis city not far from where the Libyan border stands today. According to Greek history, a hurricane-force sandstorm struck near the end of their six-hundred-mile trek. The army -- all fifty thousand men -- vanished without a single trace. Fast forward to 1986. A British archaeological team, sent to the edge of the Great Sand Sea to exhume evidence of the incident, has also gone missing. So the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense is sending the world''s greatest paranormal investigator, Hellboy, to find the missing Brits and to discover what became of The Lost Army. Dark Horse is proud to present a milestone in the history of Hellboy. This illustrated novel is written by Christopher Golden, best-selling author of the book Of Saints and Shadows. Hellboy creator Mike Mignola has done sixty-eight black-and-white illustrations for the story, and those illustrations alone are worth the price of admission.