It’s hard to believe, but this anthology first appeared 28 years ago. In re-reading the stories in this gathering of the weirdest tales, I am also reminded of how strikingly fresh and original the material remains.
As its title implies, Borderlands contains fiction that resides out there on the edge, on the perimeter of what's being done in the field of horror, dark fantasy, and suspense literature. When I solicited material for what I hope will be the first of many volumes, I made it clear I didn't want stories that employed any of the traditional symbols and images of the genre. I wanted writers to expand the envelope, to look beyond the usual metaphors, and bring me something new.
Some fresh meat, so to speak.
So, dig in!
Stories by
David B. Silva * Nancy Holder * John DeChancie * Francis J. Matozzo * Bentley Little * Darrel Schweitzer * Michael Green * Poppy Z. Brite * Jeffrey Osier * John Shirley * Lee Moler * Nina Kriki Hoffman * T. E. D. Klein * Chet Williamson * Ed Gorman * Jack Hunter Daves, Jr. * Thomas Tessier * Les Daniels * David B. Silva * Karl Edward Wagner * Elizabeth Massie * Charles L. Grant * G. Wayne Miller * Joe R. Lansdale
Hard to believe, but this anthology first appeared 28 years ago. That said, we are not offering hoary old tales that have acquired the tarnish of the shopworn cliché.
In re-reading the stories in this gathering of the weirdest tales, I am also reminded of how strikingly fresh and original the material remains.
I am thankful to my new publisher for getting this initial volume and the ones to follow back into print so that a new generation of writers will be exposed to the limitless directions in which horror and dark fantasy may travel.
Read my original introduction below to learn my initial aspirations and vision for the entire series. Without varnishing my intent, I wanted to create an anthology that would take the weird tale beyond the familiar territories and not employ any of the usual tropes that writers had relied on for far too long. So start reading and let me know if you think I succeeded. (The editor can be reached at [email protected])
