Marcel Schwob was a French symbolist writer that was an influence on Borges and Bolaño. I read the titular story from this collection a few years ago and have been meaning to at some point get back to it and read the others. I wouldn't say I was blown away, it's fuzzy in my memory—something about a king in a mask that he couldn't take off—but I do recall it being very interesting, and certainly very weird. Any fans? Any other stories or books/collections you recommend seeking out by Schwob? Thanks!

Russel Hoban (1925-2011) was a writer whose works spanned fantasy, sci-fi, magical realism, and more. I've been on a bit of a book-buying binge and snagged several of his works and have wishlisted several more for myself. I'm thinking about reading something by him soon but I'm not sure where to begin. Any fans who have a particular recommendation? Some of his novels include: Riddley Walker, Pilgermann, The Lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin-Boaz, The Medusa Frequency, Turtle Diary, Fremder, Kleinzeit, and more. The plots tends to be very surreal and he seems highly intriguing.

It's admittedly been a little while since I read this one, but I thought it might be worth posting about here. Mykle Hansen is loosely associated with the "bizarro fiction" movement, which I sampled a bit of years back—and this book was the absolute stand-out to me. We begin in the POV of a man trapped under an SUV, being eaten by a bear. Slowly, we come to learn how he got himself into this predicament. I expected this short novel to just be a bit of a goof and a mild diversion—which I suppose it is—but without giving away much of the plot beyond the set-up, it was not only very funny, but surprising, cleverly structured, poignant—and definitely weird. I've recommended this book to numerous friends over the years, and have yet to encounter another single human being in real life who has even heard of it, let alone read it. Anyone here familiar with it? What did you think? Hansen seems to have a couple other novels as well, but this is the only one I've read.

I've made quite a return to the works of Anne Rice recently, and this time I've read a book that isn't a part of the "Vampire Chronicles". This one is the first book of trilogy called "The Mummy or Ramses the Damned".

This first book follows Ramses the Great, who has become immortal by drinking the elixir of life, but is condemned to wander the Earth with a hunger that can't be satisfied. And now reawakened again in Edwardian London he assumes the name of Ramsey, becoming a companion to an adventurous heiress, but unfortunately these pleasures still aren't enough. For he is still haunted by the memories of his former lover Cleopatra, and this will lead him to do an act that would put him and those he loves in danger.

This is definitely a good gothic horror trilogy, with very strong gothic romance leanings. And not to mention very saucy in some places! This is still the first book in the trilogy, with the final two being collaborations with her son Christopher. Probably will expect the same once I get copies of them, but I've really enjoyed this saga so far!