Collected Speculative Works Fitz-James O'Brien

This three-volume set of Fitz-James O’Brien’s fiction is the most comprehensive collection of his horror and supernatural writings to date. It offers valuable material for readers of fantastical literature, featuring works never previously collected and some appearing for the first time outside their original publications.

Vol. 1: An Arabian Night-mare and Others (1848-1854)

“O’Brien’s early death undoubtedly deprived us of some masterful tales of strangeness and terror.” – H. P. Lovecraft

An Arabian Night-mare and Others (1848-1854) gathers O’Brien’s earliest speculative fiction. The collection opens with the eerie poem “Forest Thoughts”, a meditation on dark Gothic themes, and concludes with the story “A Peep Behind the Scenes”, which explores the metaphorical theater of life. Between these bookends, readers will find poems, fragments, and stories that delve into liminal spaces, nightmares, wild fantasies, and the unsettling theme of mental deterioration. This collection showcases O’Brien’s early fascination with the blurred boundaries between reality and imagination.

Vol. 2: The Diamond Lens and Others (1855-1858)

“Fitz-James O’Brien is the most important figure after Poe and before Lovecraft in modern horror literature.” – Jessica Amanda Salmonson

The Diamond Lens and Others (1855-1858) collects O’Brien’s earliest speculative fiction written in America. This volume marks his initial exploration into what would become his signature genre—tales of the outré and macabre. Within its pages, readers will encounter tales and poems of fantastical spirits, monomania, nightmarish hallucinations, and dark fantasy. The collection culminates with “The Diamond Lens”, the story that catapulted O’Brien to national recognition. This volume captures the further development of his unique style and thematic preoccupations.

Vol. 3: What Was It? and Others (1858-1864)

“[When O’Brien] turned to science fiction and fantasy, he began to display the full force of his truly outstanding talents.” – Sam Moskowitz

What Was It? and Others (1858-1864) showcases O’Brien’s finest speculative fiction, reflecting his growth as a writer. This collection includes “What Was It?”, featuring an encounter with a strange invisible creature, “The Lost Room”, regarded as one of the greatest weird stories ever written, and “The Wondersmith”, where animated puppets are used for diabolical revenge. These stories cemented O’Brien’s legacy, demonstrating his mastery of the genre and his ability to craft unsettling, imaginative narratives that have endured through time.

Hardback three-volume edition limited to 300 copies.