Paradoxes From Hell

by Thomas Ligotti

Chiroptera Press is proud to present a brand-new chapbook by contemporary weird fiction author, Thomas Ligotti. Paradoxes from Hell is comprised of two prose poems and a short story, each revised by the author for this edition. Contents include: “This Degenerate Little Town,” “I Have a Special Plan for this World,” and “Paradoxes from Hell”. Both “This Degenerate Little Town” and “I Have a Special Plan for this World” were last published by Dutro in 2006 and have been out of print since. “Paradoxes from Hell” originally appeared in 1983 in Grimoire Magazine and is virtually unknown to Ligotti fans. This volume also includes new illustrations by artist and Cadabra Records founder, Jonathan Dennison.

Genres: Horror, Poetry, Weird Fiction, Short Stories, Lovecraftian

58 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

Thomas Ligotti is a contemporary American horror author and reclusive literary cult figure. His writings, while unique in style, have been noted as major continuations of several literary genres—most prominently Lovecraftian horror—and have overall been described as works of "philosophical horror", often written as philosophical novels with a "darker" undertone which is similar to gothic fiction. The Washington Post called him "the best kept secret in contemporary horror fiction"; another critic declared "It's a skilled writer indeed who can suggest a horror so shocking that one is grateful it was kept offstage."

Reviews

[Perry Ruhland]

Very happy to finally read the title piece, but sad that it means I have one less unread Ligotti story.

[Zac Hawkins]

Unearthed and neglected Ligotti is even more exciting to me than 'new' Ligotti, a weathered stone at the bottom of a charnel case of masters trinkets and oddities. The fact Chiroptera are only just beginning on their quest to unearth and publish long OOP tales from my favourite living author brings me such (much to the authors dismay, I'm sure) joy.

[William Southwell-Wright]

2 Poems and a Short Story. All Ligotti of the highest quality, the real feel-good stuff.

[Jeff]

This slim volume collects two early works in verse from Thomas Ligotti, as well as one early prose piece. All of the pieces are of interest to the devoted Ligotti fan, but for me the clear standout is "This Degenerate Little Town", which uses unmetered blank verse to express the author's concerns with startlingly clarity:

The greatest secret,
Which appears in no religious doctrine
And is found nowhere
In the world's overburdened library
Of myths and fables
Nor receives the slightest mention
In any philosopher's system
Or scientist's speculation --
The greatest secret,
Perhaps the only secret,
Is that the universe,
All of creation,
Owes its existence
To a degenerate little town.

Those opening lines state the case beautifully, and the rest of the piece is every bit as direct and incisive.

[Rabid_Scanner]

I knew I had something special with this book when I started reading passages from the book to my wife. I have come to the realisation that the older I become the more Ligotti’s work lingers in my brain. Definitely he’s one of our greatest living writers and he should be celebrated more, I think we deserve a few adaptations for the big screen instead of that Stephen king slop that’s being constantly fed to us.

[Cameron]

Exceedingly obscure and enigmatic Ligotti prose. Can't wait to see what else comes from this union.

[Michael (Horror Gardener)]

It was then I began to envision a darkness, that was long before the dark of night, and a strangely shining light, that owed nothing to the light of day.

[Internet]

'I Have a Special Plan' is one of Ligotti's best, and the recording with Current 93 must be heard for fans of weird fiction and cosmic horror. 'This Degenerate Little Town' is also top-notch. I wasn't personally impressed by the title piece, though. It's a little too abstract and thematically on the nose for my taste. It's interesting to note how little the themes in that story (from 1983) deviate from those in his more recent work, though - right from the beginning, Ligotti has seen something most people would happily hide from.

[Khaos]

These two prose poems and the short story feel like a little preview for what later would become "The Conspiracy Against the Human Race". Ligotti's writing is elegant, mesmerizing and bleak. Darkness that enlightens.

[Vicente Ribes]

Una historia y dos poemas narrativos son lo que podemos encontrar en este pequeño libro que trata de recuperar textos de Ligotti perdidos en antologias antiguas. La historia no esta mal pero mucho mejores los poemas, sobretodo I have an special plan for this world. Para muy seguidores de Ligotti.

[Amber Loptien]

Probably not the best read in our current climate, but it was interesting and artistic in its interpretations.
Feels like something Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham would discuss over a complicated roast “pork” dinner while eye fucking each other.

[Hsu Jui-Ting]

Some of the most simply ordained incantations of horror ever woven into text, repurposed here now in a lovely edition. There is no pretense, yet the shudder remains inviolable and present all the same.

[David]

Chiroptera Press. PB with stiff card dj. #353/600. limited/signed. death/nihilism/depressive realism. poetry/splenic prose. 48pp. bookmark included.

I felt it lacked the weight of his longer prose, to be honest. Lacks a variety of compelling imagery compared to his stories, here mostly ruminations and postulations. Straight forward use of language, blank verse.

[Eric]

I was so excited to be able to get a signed copy of this. Top form Ligotti. Brilliant as always and the master of this genre.

[William]

So darkly beautiful, so Ligotti. There is really no one else quite like him.

[Curtis]

This dude needs to get laid already.

[Stefan]

Some of the most well constructed examples of nihilistic poetry that the English language can hope to produce.

[Alex Budris]

Two poems and an essay, or maybe a parable. Signed and numbered; chapbook style. Softcover with jacket. A finely produced book. Ligotti, as always (if you can stomach him), is great.