Rosalie Parker

Rosalie Parker's first book follows in the English tradition of subtle weird fiction, Robert Aickman and Arthur Machen being obvious influences. Graced with modern and elegant language, this small collection of short stories evokes an intimate, tranquil and homey atmosphere, its rustic coziness embedded in both fluid unburdened writing and liminal contemporary setting. Concerning the latter, the book’s eight stories take place on the fringes of our world – villages, suburbs, the show more countryside – and dispense with the frantic rhythms of modern life which exists only as a distant echo.

The promise of the supernatural (largely of the folklore quality) lies behind every nook and corner, takes many forms (some of them original twists of familiar tropes), yet there is never a direct, definite revelation. Some of the stories -in accordance to Aickman's manner- have very abrupt endings; therein lies a thorn – several of these finales (In the Garden, The Supply Teacher, The Old Knowledge) are executed in a rough manner, creating a bumpy transitional sensation. Despite this shortcoming, the Old Knowledge and Other Strange Tales is proven a spectacular debut, modern subtle weirdness done right.

Favourite stories: The Rain, The Cook's Story, The Picture show less

A slim volume of excellent weird and eerie tales. Treading the fine line between the conventional creep and the enigmatic story, Parker brings just the right touch of strangeness to pull off her twisted endings that I often did not see coming.

Exquisitely well written and concise this was a nice little book that sat in my TBR pile for far too long it seems.

Not as representative of the eerie or uncanny as previous volumes, but a greater variety of story. More surreal and a good number of just strange experimental seeming short prose pieces. They all have a plot, of a sort, but to say many are surreal and enigmatic would even be a bit of an understatement.

There were a few science fiction, oh okay, let's call them speculative fiction entries, that partook of the Dickian or Tiptree feel.

Overall I was not as captivated by this volume in the series, show more but it was still well worth the money and you will find that Parker's anthologies are quite unique in this genre/type of collection of original stories.

The book is beautifully produced, more elaborately than its younger siblings, with a fully embossed and colored binding and a full color frontispiece. As usual a beautiful production by Tartarus at a competitive price for a limited edition and it will look great on your shelf with all those other mostly cream colored Tartarus volumes. show less