Roads

This limited edition "facsimile" reprint volume is a complete and 
detailed reproduction of the original first edition (published by  Arkham
House in 1948), fully authorized, and packaged in a deluxe  gift box that
includes a booklet with detailed biographical  information about the author
and illustrator. The dust jacket and  gift box bot

This limited edition "facsimile" reprint volume is a complete and 
detailed reproduction of the original first edition (published by  Arkham
House in 1948), fully authorized, and packaged in a deluxe  gift box that
includes a booklet with detailed biographical  information about the author
and illustrator. The dust jacket and  gift box both feature the beautiful
metallic gold ink of the original  Arkham House edition.

"I have not tried to paint the portrait of a man, but merely to 

present a personality and hazard a guess as to the motivation that 

makes Santa Claus the wondrous figure he is-a figure who more than 

any other exemplifies the beauty of selflessness."-Seabury Quinn
Drawing
upon the original Christian legends that coalesced over  centuries into the
familiar, jolly form of Saint Nicholas, pulp  fiction pioneer Seabury Quinn
weaves a spellbinding new origin for  this most beloved of children's icons
in his classic novella Roads.

First published in the January 1938 issue of Weird Tales, this re-imagining
of Santa Claus has been hailed by genre historian Sam  Moskowitz as "the
greatest adult Christmas story written by an  American." Ten years after
its initial publication, Roads reappeared  as a handsome hardcover book
from Arkham House, the groundbreaking  speculative fiction publisher
founded in 1938 by August Derleth and  Donald Wandrei-an edition which
featured beautiful new  illustrations by the legendary fantasy artist
Virgil Finlay.

Divided into three sections, Quinn's tale begins in the days of the 
Roman Empire, where the mighty gladiator Claus-a barbarian from  the frozen
Northland-has just finished his term of service in the  province of Judea.
On the journey back to his homeland, Claus chances  upon a poor family
under attack and saves them from a murderous band  of soldiers. With this
selfless act, his life is changed forever.
Claus goes on to travel further
than he ever could have imagined.  Crossing from one end of the Empire to
the other and back again, he  eventually outlives the power of Rome and the
dark ages that follow  it, and witnesses the rise of new civilizations on
its former lands. Immune to the effects of time, Claus accumulates the wisdom of
many  lifetimes before discovering the final road he is destined to
follow  -- a path which will lead him to his true calling, and fulfill a
promise made to one very special child on behalf of all the children  of
the world.