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The White Road
When THE WHITE ROAD appeared in 1997, in the Ghost Story Press edition, it collected all the short fiction the author wanted to see preserved at that time. In this new Sarob Press edition a few of the minor, or otherwise readily available stories from the original have been left out and ‘replaced’ by a novella bringing together two of Ron Weighell’s most popular characters, ‘James Calder-Stuart’ and ‘Vallance’, and taking ideas in its plot from one of the ‘lost novels’ mentioned in the introduction to the original edition ... “Out of the Hidden Land” has been written especially for this volume. The original stories have been newly typeset and re-imagined.
Contents:
vii • Introduction to the 20th Anniversary Edition • essay by Ron Weighell
1 • The Secret Place • (1997) • short story
21 • Againbite • (1988) • short story
35 • The Boat Called Millions of Years • (1991) • short story
40 • Carven of Onyx • (1991) • novelette
59 • Laid Down and Guarded • (1994) • short story
69 • The First Turning of the Second Stair • (1986) • short story
82 • Bishop Asgarth's Chantry • (1986) • short story
91 • China Rose • (1992) • novella
107 • The Tunnel of Saksaksalim • (1994) • short story
120 • Lock Fast the Lock • (1990) • short story
131 • The Greater Arcana • (1992) • short story
144 • An Empty House • (1986) • short story
155 • The Stryx • (1989) • short story
166 • The Box Parterre • (1986) • short story
179 • Byerly Mount • (1997) • novelette
197 • Second Death • (1992) • short story
211 • The Chestnut Husk • (1990) • short story
214 • The Lycurgus Cup • (1989) • short story
222 • The Circle of the Hieroglyphs • (1991) • short story
232 • The Ram Head Ring • (1997) • short story
240 • Necropolis • (1997) • short story
244 • The Fire of the Wise • (1988) • short story
254 • Diminish Like the Word • (1986) • short story
269 • The Resurrection Brass • (1989) • short story
280 • The White Road • (1997) • novella
325 • Out of the Hidden Land • novella
THE WHITE ROAD is a Hand Numbered Lithographically Printed Limited Edition Hardcover, Bound in WHITE wibalin (fine linen style) with a blocking design to the front boards. Spine Blocking. Full Colour Dust Jacket with wrap cover art, premium Munken Cream 80gsm Bookwove, 16pp section sewn binding, head/tailbands, ribbon marker and, a first for Sarob Press, gorgeous illustrated end-papers.
Contents:
vii • Introduction to the 20th Anniversary Edition • essay by Ron Weighell
1 • The Secret Place • (1997) • short story
21 • Againbite • (1988) • short story
35 • The Boat Called Millions of Years • (1991) • short story
40 • Carven of Onyx • (1991) • novelette
59 • Laid Down and Guarded • (1994) • short story
69 • The First Turning of the Second Stair • (1986) • short story
82 • Bishop Asgarth's Chantry • (1986) • short story
91 • China Rose • (1992) • novella
107 • The Tunnel of Saksaksalim • (1994) • short story
120 • Lock Fast the Lock • (1990) • short story
131 • The Greater Arcana • (1992) • short story
144 • An Empty House • (1986) • short story
155 • The Stryx • (1989) • short story
166 • The Box Parterre • (1986) • short story
179 • Byerly Mount • (1997) • novelette
197 • Second Death • (1992) • short story
211 • The Chestnut Husk • (1990) • short story
214 • The Lycurgus Cup • (1989) • short story
222 • The Circle of the Hieroglyphs • (1991) • short story
232 • The Ram Head Ring • (1997) • short story
240 • Necropolis • (1997) • short story
244 • The Fire of the Wise • (1988) • short story
254 • Diminish Like the Word • (1986) • short story
269 • The Resurrection Brass • (1989) • short story
280 • The White Road • (1997) • novella
325 • Out of the Hidden Land • novella
THE WHITE ROAD is a Hand Numbered Lithographically Printed Limited Edition Hardcover, Bound in WHITE wibalin (fine linen style) with a blocking design to the front boards. Spine Blocking. Full Colour Dust Jacket with wrap cover art, premium Munken Cream 80gsm Bookwove, 16pp section sewn binding, head/tailbands, ribbon marker and, a first for Sarob Press, gorgeous illustrated end-papers.
- GenresHorrorWeird Fiction
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
4 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Ron Weighell
37 books12 followersRon Weighell (1950 - 2020) was a British writer of fiction in the supernatural, fantasy and horror genre, whose work was published in the United Kingdom, the U.S.A., Canada, Germany, Ireland, Romania, Finland, Belgium and Mexico.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 27, 2018
A wonderful collection. Such a sad thing that it is so hard to come by.
Ron Weighell's tales of supernatural terror and wonder (and occasional comedy) come from that path of Weird Fiction cleared by Arthur Machen and Algernon Blackwood. Stories of nature and myth, magick and ritual, Ancient Egypt and Satanic Christianity, Fair Folk who are not so fair and creatures from Greek legends that yearn to ensnare. Not for him the nihilistic cosmic horror of Lovecraft, nor the cruel psychodramas of Bierce. A little of the hallucinatory nightmare-scapes of Hodgson but none of his swooning romance. Weighell's world is darkly spiritual: one where a yearning for something more, something metaphysical, is often at the heart of his characters; a world of transcendence and unearthly gates, deep places and higher planes. Because of the coldly mechanistic yet gruelingly petty nature of today's world - one where cynicism is often mistaken for profundity and every insipid emotion is explored as if somehow meaningful - the Machen-Blackwood path is seldom trod. Thank you, author, for choosing it.
His prose is decidedly old-fashioned, favoring archaic language, rejecting and even scorning modern norms and themes. But he has a light touch, one that charms. Despite the nasty comeuppances and gruesome deaths and broken minds that end many of his stories, the book was a delight.
The titular novella was my favorite. 5 stars worth of taking Machen's The White People to the next level, starting with a bleakly Dickensian portrait of why writers like Weighell do not sell books (alas!) and ending with a fearfully awe-inspiring journey through lands beyond our ken. Beautiful, at times surpassingly strange, and ultimately quite moving.
☥ ☥ ☥ ☥ ☥ ☥ ☥
"The Secret Place" - Egyptologist Calder-Stuart's dig finds a secret tomb within a tomb; a door is opened too soon.
"Againbite" - an excommunicated Bishop's coffin is discovered; a bone amulet is unwisely removed.
"The Boat Called Millions of Years" - an old man passes into the Egyptian beyond; his greedy relatives are surprised.
"Carven of Onyx" - a Templar altar is discovered by nuns; an abbott is called to investigate an infestation.
"Laid Down and Guarded" - a cataloguer of antiquarian books finds directions; a lake hides a room.
"The First Turning of the Second Stair" - an odd couple refurbish an old house; dust entreats.
"'Bishop' Asgarth's Chantry" - an ecclesiologist breaks into an abandoned church; a medallion whispers.
"China Rose" - during the decadent '20s, a poor relative comes late to a party; energy is sapped.
"The Tunnel of Saksaksalim" - intrepid journalist Vallance explores beneath a subway; skin and hair create substance.
"Lock Fast the Lock" - a sad tale of necromancy, told at an inn; a haunted man faces his fears.
"The Greater Arcana" - a student photographs a strange array of statues; a door is both an exit and an entrance.
"An Empty House" - a parsonage is explored and clues are found; an academic is led astray.
"The Stryx" - a view onto a grey graveyard reveals an odd grey cat; a bad dad is waiting.
"The Box Parterre" - a mansion is inherited and a garden restored; topiary become playful.
"Byerly Mount" - Ms. Vallance conducts research into crop circles; a young girl finds a cool space, out of the heat.
"Second Death" - in strange Quarsa a cult seeks its goddess; through a strange cave travels a misshapen man.
"The Lycurgus Cup" - a goblet for wild Dionysus; a panther for curious Ms. Vallance.
"The Circle of the Hieroglyphs" - a sturdy young painter paints a manor; a spyglass sees all - an affecting experience
"The Ram Head Ring" - an inheritance comes at long last to a slovenly decadent; a ring is taken, and then taken again.
"Necropolis" - She chooses Quarsa; a plague descends.
"The Fire of the Wise" - a man tracks his fey friend through fey London; all dross is purged.
"Diminish Like the Word" - a bibliophile is cursed; Doctor Northwoode curses back.
"Resurrection Brass" - a noble couple plan on returning; Doctor Northwoode intervenes.
two novellas:
"The White Road" - In his heart it would always be a sacred way, a symbol of undiscovered wonder, and of his own literary quest.
"Out of the Hidden Land" - Electra Vallance and James Calder-Stuart investigate a disappearance; a change is wrought.
Ron Weighell's tales of supernatural terror and wonder (and occasional comedy) come from that path of Weird Fiction cleared by Arthur Machen and Algernon Blackwood. Stories of nature and myth, magick and ritual, Ancient Egypt and Satanic Christianity, Fair Folk who are not so fair and creatures from Greek legends that yearn to ensnare. Not for him the nihilistic cosmic horror of Lovecraft, nor the cruel psychodramas of Bierce. A little of the hallucinatory nightmare-scapes of Hodgson but none of his swooning romance. Weighell's world is darkly spiritual: one where a yearning for something more, something metaphysical, is often at the heart of his characters; a world of transcendence and unearthly gates, deep places and higher planes. Because of the coldly mechanistic yet gruelingly petty nature of today's world - one where cynicism is often mistaken for profundity and every insipid emotion is explored as if somehow meaningful - the Machen-Blackwood path is seldom trod. Thank you, author, for choosing it.
His prose is decidedly old-fashioned, favoring archaic language, rejecting and even scorning modern norms and themes. But he has a light touch, one that charms. Despite the nasty comeuppances and gruesome deaths and broken minds that end many of his stories, the book was a delight.
The titular novella was my favorite. 5 stars worth of taking Machen's The White People to the next level, starting with a bleakly Dickensian portrait of why writers like Weighell do not sell books (alas!) and ending with a fearfully awe-inspiring journey through lands beyond our ken. Beautiful, at times surpassingly strange, and ultimately quite moving.
☥ ☥ ☥ ☥ ☥ ☥ ☥
"The Secret Place" - Egyptologist Calder-Stuart's dig finds a secret tomb within a tomb; a door is opened too soon.
"Againbite" - an excommunicated Bishop's coffin is discovered; a bone amulet is unwisely removed.
"The Boat Called Millions of Years" - an old man passes into the Egyptian beyond; his greedy relatives are surprised.
"Carven of Onyx" - a Templar altar is discovered by nuns; an abbott is called to investigate an infestation.
"Laid Down and Guarded" - a cataloguer of antiquarian books finds directions; a lake hides a room.
"The First Turning of the Second Stair" - an odd couple refurbish an old house; dust entreats.
"'Bishop' Asgarth's Chantry" - an ecclesiologist breaks into an abandoned church; a medallion whispers.
"China Rose" - during the decadent '20s, a poor relative comes late to a party; energy is sapped.
"The Tunnel of Saksaksalim" - intrepid journalist Vallance explores beneath a subway; skin and hair create substance.
"Lock Fast the Lock" - a sad tale of necromancy, told at an inn; a haunted man faces his fears.
"The Greater Arcana" - a student photographs a strange array of statues; a door is both an exit and an entrance.
"An Empty House" - a parsonage is explored and clues are found; an academic is led astray.
"The Stryx" - a view onto a grey graveyard reveals an odd grey cat; a bad dad is waiting.
"The Box Parterre" - a mansion is inherited and a garden restored; topiary become playful.
"Byerly Mount" - Ms. Vallance conducts research into crop circles; a young girl finds a cool space, out of the heat.
"Second Death" - in strange Quarsa a cult seeks its goddess; through a strange cave travels a misshapen man.
"The Lycurgus Cup" - a goblet for wild Dionysus; a panther for curious Ms. Vallance.
"The Circle of the Hieroglyphs" - a sturdy young painter paints a manor; a spyglass sees all - an affecting experience
"The Ram Head Ring" - an inheritance comes at long last to a slovenly decadent; a ring is taken, and then taken again.
"Necropolis" - She chooses Quarsa; a plague descends.
"The Fire of the Wise" - a man tracks his fey friend through fey London; all dross is purged.
"Diminish Like the Word" - a bibliophile is cursed; Doctor Northwoode curses back.
"Resurrection Brass" - a noble couple plan on returning; Doctor Northwoode intervenes.
two novellas:
"The White Road" - In his heart it would always be a sacred way, a symbol of undiscovered wonder, and of his own literary quest.
"Out of the Hidden Land" - Electra Vallance and James Calder-Stuart investigate a disappearance; a change is wrought.
April 29, 2020
The characters in Weighell’s stories are cut from the same mold as those of M.R. James or Lovecraft; bibliophiles, antiquarians, and journalists with a passion for solving queer mysteries. And often in a very Jamesian way find themselves in strange, remote corners of the British isles, investigating some occult books or old manuscripts. The Egyptian setting is recurring throughout the collection and the themes of ancient curses and forgotten gods of the desert lend a wonderful atmosphere to the stories. There are also some more fantasy-tinged tales here, which reads very similar to the fantasies of Clark Ashton Smith. These tales are quite good, and Weighell seems more than capable of telling a ripping fantasy yarn, but I find these tales less interesting than the ghostly or macabre tales in the collection. Weighell also has a wonderful flair for writing memorable characters, not only the protagonists in the tales but also the smaller characters seem to have a small quirk about them that makes them stick out.
The stories in The White Road are rooted mostly in the more traditional ghost story of M.R. James but sprinkled with the influences of Machen, Lovecraft, and Smith. However, Weighell has a keen grip on the genre and makes the stories his own with some excellent atmosphere, deep references to occult lore, and evocative prose.
The stories in The White Road are rooted mostly in the more traditional ghost story of M.R. James but sprinkled with the influences of Machen, Lovecraft, and Smith. However, Weighell has a keen grip on the genre and makes the stories his own with some excellent atmosphere, deep references to occult lore, and evocative prose.
Read
June 1, 2019This is a placeholder review - as I was trying to polish off stories from a section of my "to read" list ("We-Williamson"). I will read the rest of the collection eventually, but for now here's the review of the novella, "The White Road."
A soulful, aesthetic, philosophical author tries to make his mark in the writing scene of London, but repeatedly meets failure - either his work is deemed too deep, too long-winded or not cynical enough. He turns from his humane path to darker, more corrupting work - and then flees, dejected at what his dark imagination has created. Back in Wales, he takes up with friends of his youth - a scholarly Professor and his attractive daughter - but the Professor is involved in research into faerie lore, which eventually turns up a notebook full of coded, visionary language. After the Professor disappears and then returns, oddly changed, the author himself pursues clues from the notebook, entering into a bizarre and dangerous otherworld.
I liked this, but it was a qualified like. The majority of the story is an extended riff on the strange and disturbing visionary content of Arthur Machen's "The White People" and succeeds at creating that same feeling of an abstract and malignant "secondary world" full of beings and powers barely explicable by their own strange nomenclature ("Voorish domes", "Aklo" and the like) - with perhaps just a bit too much attempt to make sense of Machen's gnomic original (the ending, which is hopeful and involves a rescue through time and dimensions, tips the story more into the fantasy genre than horror, really). I really liked the first quarter, with the author trying and failing to succeed at a career when he runs up against dull editors and public apathy, only to momentarily unleash his worst tendencies. Not bad.
A soulful, aesthetic, philosophical author tries to make his mark in the writing scene of London, but repeatedly meets failure - either his work is deemed too deep, too long-winded or not cynical enough. He turns from his humane path to darker, more corrupting work - and then flees, dejected at what his dark imagination has created. Back in Wales, he takes up with friends of his youth - a scholarly Professor and his attractive daughter - but the Professor is involved in research into faerie lore, which eventually turns up a notebook full of coded, visionary language. After the Professor disappears and then returns, oddly changed, the author himself pursues clues from the notebook, entering into a bizarre and dangerous otherworld.
I liked this, but it was a qualified like. The majority of the story is an extended riff on the strange and disturbing visionary content of Arthur Machen's "The White People" and succeeds at creating that same feeling of an abstract and malignant "secondary world" full of beings and powers barely explicable by their own strange nomenclature ("Voorish domes", "Aklo" and the like) - with perhaps just a bit too much attempt to make sense of Machen's gnomic original (the ending, which is hopeful and involves a rescue through time and dimensions, tips the story more into the fantasy genre than horror, really). I really liked the first quarter, with the author trying and failing to succeed at a career when he runs up against dull editors and public apathy, only to momentarily unleash his worst tendencies. Not bad.
January 17, 2024
This rarity, containing some of the finest Jamesian horror pieces, is a jewel. It contains twenty six pieces, two of which are novellas, and several of the others are longish stories that are full of exquisite imagery, lyrical narratives, muted erudition, and flashes of breathtaking horror.
Definitely recommended.
Definitely recommended.
January 5, 2021
This is a truly great book, as I hope I have shown throughout my review. I only wish I could have repaid the author by liking the last story.
The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long to post here.
Above is its conclusion.
The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long to post here.
Above is its conclusion.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews