The Queen of Faith is the opening act of Mark Teppo's first collection, The Court of Lies. These six stories dive deep into childhood fairy tales, swap spit with Lovecraftian monstrosities, rail against the world from atop a burning soapbox, offer a means to influence people and make friends via a plate of cookies, and warn of the danger that lies in inviting dreamers to sit at your table. These are stories of liars, heartbreakers, and fabulists; the way they see the world is undoubtedly the way it truly is.
At least one sentence of the previous paragraph is true. Welcome to the Court of Lies. The Queen suggests you place your trust in her . . .
The Hollow Prince is the second act of Mark Teppo's first collection, The Court of Lies. These six stories wander into strange cities—urban spaces where wolves live, where the sky bends back on itself, and where the back alleys hide dangerous remnants of old dreams. These are stories of liars, heartbreakers, and fabulists; the way they see the world is undoubtedly the way it truly is.
Welcome back to the Court of Lies. The Hollow Prince is your guide, and you should not trust his disarming smile . . .
If Angels Fight includes fourteen stories, written over the last twenty-five years, beginning with Bowes’ first published short fiction, “On Death and the Deuce.” These stories deal, among other things, with time travelers in 1950s U.S. suburbia, Vampire Fashion design and the marriage of Heaven and Hell. Many are set in various incarnations of New York City. Four of these stories appeared on Nebula short lists. “There’s a Hole in the City,” won the Million Writers and International Horror Guild awards. The tile story, “If Angels Fight,” won the World Fantasy Award.
“On Death and the Deuce,” “The Ferryman’s Wife,” “The Mask of the Rex,” and “There’s a Hole in the City,” were adapted into chapters for Bowes’ novels, Minions of the Moon, From the Files of the Time Rangers and Dust Devil on a Quiet Street. We see them here in their original form.
