Dark Horses: Nine Writers of the Fantastical You've Probably Never Read ... but Should

Book excerpt: dark horse /ˈdärk ˈˌhôrs/ noun 1. a candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds. "a dark-horse candidate" Join editor Robert Weller for a curated tour of nine writers who always give as good as they get. From hard science-fiction (James C. Glass’ Singularity for Hire) to dark and brutal prehistoric apocalypses (Wayne Kyle Spitzer’s A Survivor’s Guide to the Dinosaur Apocalypse), from Lovecraftian horror (Bill Link’s Torchlight Parade) to zombies and horror comedy (Andy Kumpon’s Seeds of the Dead); from farcical romps near foggy moors (Ron Ford’s Dr. Jekyll in Love) to lyric and whimsical interludes (M. Kari Barr’s A Father’s Legacy). Indeed, even from absurd capers (Kevin M. Penelerick’s Brother Bob) to tales of unlikely compassion (Erik Schubach’s Scythe), you’ll be sure to find it here. So grab a seat before the starting gun fires, poor yourself a glass of strange wine, and get ready for the running of the dark horses …