Shadow Bites

Book excerpt: A SAMPLER OF ALAN BAXTER'S DARK FICTION Horror, crime, and dark fantasy. Four complete stories and the opening chapters of six longer books from Alan Baxter's extensive back catalogue. Featuring one full novella ("Out On A Rim" from The Gulp), three entire short stories ("Crow Shine" from Crow Shine, "Simulacrum of Hope" from Served Cold, and "The Normandy Curse"), plus the opening chapters of six longer books: Devouring Dark, Hidden City, Bound, Manifest Recall, Primordial, and Blood Codex. "Alan Baxter is Australia's master of literary darkness." – This Is Horror "Alan Baxter can take horror from gonzo to heartbreaking in an instant. Good stuff… Alan Baxter can write like a m***********." – Gail Simone, best-selling author of DC's Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman, and more "Alan Baxter is an accomplished storyteller who ably evokes magic and menace." – Laird Barron, author of Swift to Chase "Baxter delivers the horror goods." – Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World "Alan Baxter is one of the best horror writers in the business." – Kealan Patrick Burke, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Turtle Boy, Kin, and Sour Candy "Step into the ring with Alan Baxter, I dare you. He writes with the grace, precision, and swift brutality of a prizefighter." – Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling author of Ararat and The Pandora Room "Alan Baxter's thrillers have complete anatomy—muscles, brains, guts, and heart." – World Fantasy Award-nominated author, Anna Tambour "Alan Baxter delivers a heady mix of magic, monsters and bloody fights to the death. Nobody does kick-ass brutality like Baxter." – Greig Beck, Internationally bestselling author "Alan Baxter's fiction is dark, disturbing, hard-hitting and heart-breakingly honest. He reflects on worlds known and unknown with compassion, and demonstrates an almost second-sight into human behaviour." — Kaaron Warren, Shirley Jackson Award-winner and author of The Grief Hole "…fantastic storytelling in the vein of Neil Gaiman or Alan Moore, but with a merciless black streak…" – Spooktapes "…if Stephen King and Jim Butcher ever had a love child then it would be Alan Baxter." – Smash Dragons "Alan's work is reminiscent of that of Clive Barker and Jim C. Hines, but with a unique flavour all of its own.” – Angela Slatter, World Fantasy, British Fantasy and Aurealis Award winner “Baxter draws you along a knife’s edge of tension from the first page to the last, leaving your heart thumping and sweat on your brow.” – Midwest Book Review