Showing results by author "Emile Erckmann" in All Categories

This aptly titled collection of early weird fiction from the masters of the macabre Émile Erckmann and Alexandre Chatrian (jointly penning tales under the Erckmann-Chatrian name) includes a bevy of strange incidents and fantastical occurrences to unsettle and delight. Experiences stories praised by and served as influence on the likes of ghost story maestro M. R. James and the demented king of the eldritch horror himself H. P. Lovecraft. - Summary by Ben Tucker

Émile Erckmann and Alexandre Chatrian, more widely known by their joint nom de plume Erckmann-Chatrian, were in their time more recognized and known locally for their militaristic historical fiction. But of perhaps a more long-lasting influence was their strange and fantastical stories of the macabre where one imagines they were influenced by fellow weird writer E. T. A. Hoffmann of whom many of their stories strikes a similar feel. Noted horror authors such as M. R. James and H. P. Lovecraft have at times professed to have been fans of their work as well. Stories of the Rhine is one of ...

Weil Napoleons Russlandfeldzug von 1812 nur etwa jeder zehnte Soldat der Grande Armée überlebt, werden innerhalb kürzester Zeit 300.000 Rekruten eingezogen. Der Uhrmacherlehrling Josef Bertha aus Pfalzburg ist einer von ihnen. Dabei hat er nichts anderes im Kopf als seine große Liebe Catharina. Er will nicht in Ruhm und Ehre für Napoleon sterben. Doch sein Regiment marschiert geradewegs in die bis dahin größte Schlacht seit Menschengedenken: Die Völkerschlacht bei Leipzig von 1813.

Überraschend kehrt Napoleon im Jahre 1815 aus dem Exil nach Frankreich zurück. Nun rüstet der geniale Feldherr seine Grande Armée für einen neuen Feldzug. Auch der einfache Soldat Josef Bertha gehört zu den mehr als einhunderttausend Franzosen, die für Kaiser und Vaterland durchs Feuer gehen sollen. Dabei sehnt sich Josef nicht nach Heldentaten des Krieges, er strebt nach einem friedvollen Leben mit seiner Catharina. Doch bald marschiert er in die entscheidende Schlacht bei Waterloo.

Dive into The Man-Wolf, a captivating 38,000-word novella from the acclaimed collection, *The Man-Wolf and Other Tales*. This gothic masterpiece, penned by the talented French duo Emile Erckmann and Alexandre Chatrian, explores the haunting theme of lycanthropy. While it may be an early iteration of the legendary werewolf narrative, its roots in lycanthropy mythology stretch back to at least the first century A.D. Join us as we journey through the chilling tale and discover how it compares to contemporary werewolf stories. Narrated by James K. White, this novella offers a fascinating glimpse ...

Writing can be a lonely art. Distractions and writers block are just two of the many impediments to a burnished stream of prose. But sometimes two heads really can be better than one. Collaborating and sounding off of one another, in the right circumstances and with complimenting skills, can work wonders as these very talented duos now demonstrate.