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Tales from the Dark Tower
ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO ENTER HERE--Vampires who dwell deep within forbidden crypts, lost souls who wander mist-shrouded cemeteries, and gargoyles of living stone. Herein lie the dark legends scribed long ago. These tragic tales of myth and forbidden lore chronicle a sinister legacy, as it unfolded in the forgotten past, and the curse that yet lurks within the shadow of the Dark Tower. This lavishly illustrated anthology features 13 sinister and darkly alluring tales based upon the gothic artwork of Joseph Vargo. Each story in this unique anthology is woven together to create a new and compelling saga of vampire lore. Also look for the sequel "Beyond The Dark Tower" and "The Dark Tower"music soundtrack by Nox Arcana.
280 pages, Paperback
First published April 20, 2000
22 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Vargo
19 books47 followersFor more information about Joseph Vargo, please visit the following websites:
* Monolith Graphics (art, books, publisher): http://www.monolithgraphics.com
* Nox Arcana (music): http://www.noxarcana.com
* Joseph Vargo (artist): http://www.josephvargo.com
* The Cabinets of Doctor Arcana (game): http://www.doctorarcana.com
* Monolith Graphics (art, books, publisher): http://www.monolithgraphics.com
* Nox Arcana (music): http://www.noxarcana.com
* Joseph Vargo (artist): http://www.josephvargo.com
* The Cabinets of Doctor Arcana (game): http://www.doctorarcana.com
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 20, 2022
Review of the entire series.
Synopsis: Vampires who dwell deep within forbidden crypts, lost souls who wander mist-shrouded cemeteries, and gargoyles of living stone. Herein lie the dark legends scribed long ago. These tragic tales of myth and forbidden lore chronicle a sinister legacy, as it unfolded in the forgotten past, and the curse that yet lurks within the shadow of the Dark Tower. This lavishly illustrated anthology features 13 sinister and darkly alluring tales based upon the gothic artwork of Joseph Vargo. Each story in this unique anthology is woven together to create a new and compelling saga of vampire lore.
Review: If Edgar Allan Poe wrote an epic fantasy saga, I imagine it would've looked something like this. A masterpiece of the gothic, complete with gloomy and broken characters, paranoia and melancholy seeping through every page and hauntingly vivid descriptions of dark fantasy landscapes, monstrosities and mythology. Vampires, vengeful ghosts, gargoyles, haunted architecture, bloody sword battles, cursed maidens, this book is a love letter to the foundations of the gothic fiction genre told in the style of horrific fairy tales.
Synopsis: Vampires who dwell deep within forbidden crypts, lost souls who wander mist-shrouded cemeteries, and gargoyles of living stone. Herein lie the dark legends scribed long ago. These tragic tales of myth and forbidden lore chronicle a sinister legacy, as it unfolded in the forgotten past, and the curse that yet lurks within the shadow of the Dark Tower. This lavishly illustrated anthology features 13 sinister and darkly alluring tales based upon the gothic artwork of Joseph Vargo. Each story in this unique anthology is woven together to create a new and compelling saga of vampire lore.
Review: If Edgar Allan Poe wrote an epic fantasy saga, I imagine it would've looked something like this. A masterpiece of the gothic, complete with gloomy and broken characters, paranoia and melancholy seeping through every page and hauntingly vivid descriptions of dark fantasy landscapes, monstrosities and mythology. Vampires, vengeful ghosts, gargoyles, haunted architecture, bloody sword battles, cursed maidens, this book is a love letter to the foundations of the gothic fiction genre told in the style of horrific fairy tales.
August 19, 2020
Loved it! Dark tales centering on a village and its tower. Atmospheric tales of death, of ghosts, of vampires, and especially the loneliness of vampires, all woven together around one central character , Lord Brom. I got the kindle version, which sadly lacks the art work that inspired the stories, but, for around $3, it was a lot of value for a little money. It became a little thematically repetitive near the end, but I will still get to volume 2 and 3 sometime soon.
September 29, 2014
5 stars for Tales from the Dark Tower illustrated by Joseph Vargo
Ghostly, macabre adventure; highly recommended for any read reader willing abandon hope and enter an abandoned Dark Tower
Vargo’s History of Splendid, Dark Design:With that quote, a reader should expect a set of well designed, interconnected tales, and the anthology Tales from the Dark Tower delivers. Illustrated and co-authored by Joseph Vargo, this extends to Vargo’s media empire (the illustration portion shared with co-author Christine Filipak who form “Monolithic Graphics” … makers of spooky calendars and The Gothic Tarot, and the music brand “Nox Arcana” discussed below).
This book was inspired by James Pipik (another coauthor) who proposed connecting Joseph’s art with a string of stories. Vargo agreed. In all there are eight collaborating authors (six from Ohio) teaming up to deliver thirteen ghost tale/adventures.
Connecting all these tales is the titular Dark Tower looming over the town of Vasaria. Prepare to venture with: ghosts, crusaders, succubi, vampires, gargoyles, and humans (both pitiful and honorable). Each successive story builds on the previous to unveil a rich history of a truly wondrous, dark place. The underlying story-arc is so well designed, the “voice” of the stories seems the same (despite the variety of authors). Some read as classic ghost stories; some as fairy tales; some as high-octane Sword & Sorcery. All are aimed at chipping away at the fantastic mystery of the Tower.
More Dark Tower: You’ll be left satisfied about Lord Brom’s (main character) inclusion into the Dark Tower, and still you will want more! Thankfully, there is an illustrated sequel : Beyond The Dark Tower.
But wait…there is even more! A Dark Tower Soundtrack: Vargo’s music talents fuel Nox Arcana Music, which has decades of experience producing Movie Soundtracks and Concept albums saluting all things weird (Edgar Allen Poe, Lovecraft, Zombies, Haunted Houses, Spooky Carnivals, Bram Stoker's Dracula, etc.). Many horror and fantasy writers listen to his work as they create. One may expect a Dark Tower album, and there is! The music album has 19 tracks, most with names corresponding to the chapter titles.
Ghostly, macabre adventure; highly recommended for any read reader willing abandon hope and enter an abandoned Dark Tower
“This world in made of stories, to its core. And because the world is made of stories, you must be very cautious which tales you believe, which ones you tell and which ones you listen to. The right story, or the wrong one, can change you forever.” Russell Novotny co-author
Vargo’s History of Splendid, Dark Design:With that quote, a reader should expect a set of well designed, interconnected tales, and the anthology Tales from the Dark Tower delivers. Illustrated and co-authored by Joseph Vargo, this extends to Vargo’s media empire (the illustration portion shared with co-author Christine Filipak who form “Monolithic Graphics” … makers of spooky calendars and The Gothic Tarot, and the music brand “Nox Arcana” discussed below).
This book was inspired by James Pipik (another coauthor) who proposed connecting Joseph’s art with a string of stories. Vargo agreed. In all there are eight collaborating authors (six from Ohio) teaming up to deliver thirteen ghost tale/adventures.
Connecting all these tales is the titular Dark Tower looming over the town of Vasaria. Prepare to venture with: ghosts, crusaders, succubi, vampires, gargoyles, and humans (both pitiful and honorable). Each successive story builds on the previous to unveil a rich history of a truly wondrous, dark place. The underlying story-arc is so well designed, the “voice” of the stories seems the same (despite the variety of authors). Some read as classic ghost stories; some as fairy tales; some as high-octane Sword & Sorcery. All are aimed at chipping away at the fantastic mystery of the Tower.
More Dark Tower: You’ll be left satisfied about Lord Brom’s (main character) inclusion into the Dark Tower, and still you will want more! Thankfully, there is an illustrated sequel : Beyond The Dark Tower.
But wait…there is even more! A Dark Tower Soundtrack: Vargo’s music talents fuel Nox Arcana Music, which has decades of experience producing Movie Soundtracks and Concept albums saluting all things weird (Edgar Allen Poe, Lovecraft, Zombies, Haunted Houses, Spooky Carnivals, Bram Stoker's Dracula, etc.). Many horror and fantasy writers listen to his work as they create. One may expect a Dark Tower album, and there is! The music album has 19 tracks, most with names corresponding to the chapter titles.
July 24, 2016
Amazing book !, found myself reading these stories till late, and listening to the dark ambient music from Nox Arcana (Joseph Vargo and William Piotrowski) (album-the dark tower). This is one of my favourite books that i have read twice.
December 1, 2012
I ran across this book in Hot Topic years ago, and just recently ran by it again. As far as horror short story anthologies go, this is definitely at the top of my list. The stories are dark, creepy, and beautiful, and absolutely steeped in atmosphere. The illustrations included are gorgeous. Overall it's not just the stories that are high-quality, but the book itself. For anyone who likes horror, I really recommend this one.
December 27, 2012
Another book I couldn't put down. I have been a fan of Nox Arcana's music since I was 15, which in itself tells of dark tales, and inspires a more gothic creativity. I couldn't pass up buying their first book. Combined with listening to another group I'm also a fan of, Midnight Syndicate's "Born of the Night" cd, draws you deep into the dark realm of these ghastly tales.
April 1, 2010
I love this book, its well written with creative and descriptive tales and the artwork is amazing and really brings the characters to life. This is a book that simply oozes darkness and brooding and terror and torment, a must for those who prefer a more sinister read
October 12, 2021
Me ha gustado bastante la idea de este libro. Está compuesto por pequeñas historias que hacen las veces de capítulos, ya que aunque se contienen en sí mismas, todas siguen un mismo hilo o arco común. El libro está escrito por ocho personas que se van alternando, y a veces combinando, para ir escribiendo las historias. Además, cada una de ellas gira en torno a una o dos ilustraciones de Joseph Vargo, que es quien planteó el proyecto. ¡Me ha parecido una idea de lo más interesante!
Por supuesto, al estar escrito a varias manos hay estilos que me han gustado más que otros, y lo mismo ocurre con las historias. Pero en general lo he disfrutado bastante, y no ha habido ninguna historia en concreto que no me haya gustado. Es gótico a rabiar, con vampiros, fantasmas, gárgolas, bosques tenebrosos y maldad humana, en una ambientación siniestra y oscura bajo la sombra de una torre llena de horrores.
Entre las historias, creo que la que diría que más me ha gustado ha sido "Sanctuary", que tiene un toque de cuentacuentos siniestro muy chulo. La primera en su mayoría también me gustó mucho. En general las historias están bien aunque se note cambio de unas a otras. Breves y entretenidas,
En fin, un proyecto muy interesante y una buena lectura para octubre.
Por supuesto, al estar escrito a varias manos hay estilos que me han gustado más que otros, y lo mismo ocurre con las historias. Pero en general lo he disfrutado bastante, y no ha habido ninguna historia en concreto que no me haya gustado. Es gótico a rabiar, con vampiros, fantasmas, gárgolas, bosques tenebrosos y maldad humana, en una ambientación siniestra y oscura bajo la sombra de una torre llena de horrores.
Entre las historias, creo que la que diría que más me ha gustado ha sido "Sanctuary", que tiene un toque de cuentacuentos siniestro muy chulo. La primera en su mayoría también me gustó mucho. En general las historias están bien aunque se note cambio de unas a otras. Breves y entretenidas,
En fin, un proyecto muy interesante y una buena lectura para octubre.
April 1, 2013
One of my all-time favorite book. The writing, the artwork, the gothic themes. I felt as though I was among life-long friends while reading it.
September 20, 2012
I picked this up at a Hot Topic a long time ago because I liked the art. I expected the stories would be garbage, but I actually enjoyed it
October 5, 2016
Strange writing and very creepy atmosphere. Love it!
November 8, 2020
This is another book that’s been on my shelf for some time that I finally decided to read. I was a fan of the artist when I was younger and was interested to see what stories he and the other authors would conjure for this anthology. Some stories were a hit, some less so. There were a fair bit of cliches sprinkled throughout the book but there were also moments of pleasant surprise regarding plot elements. Continuity was mostly there though I felt uncertain at times how the strings connected throughout the different stories, mainly involving the new Baron. Some stories are more violent and graphic in nature but their use felt natural and not like the writer was looking for shock value. Overall, the book was a fun read for the Halloween season.
November 18, 2023
A decent collection of medieval vampire tales centering around the accursed lord of the dark tower. The stories are uneven due to their varied authorship. Vargo stands out — his imagery is more evocative and the pacing is better, with more conflict. Many of the other authors fill their tales with pale moons, skeletal tree limbs, mournful cemeteries, and baleful cries but little to no plot or character. On the whole, not much happens in this book and it’s mainly setup.
Unlike the superior Darklore Manor, there are no scares here; it’s more of a dark fantasy. The mythology Vargo has created is solid and compelling, with strong threads of Christian faith woven throughout; something I could appreciate and which underscored Brom’s solitary struggles against the forces of darkness.
Unlike the superior Darklore Manor, there are no scares here; it’s more of a dark fantasy. The mythology Vargo has created is solid and compelling, with strong threads of Christian faith woven throughout; something I could appreciate and which underscored Brom’s solitary struggles against the forces of darkness.
December 9, 2021
I was withdrawing this book from the system at work (the library) and I figured I'd give it a read before it hit the book sale shelf. I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would (I did not have high expectations haha). I'm a sucker for a vampire story. See what I did there...sucker...🧛♀️🦇
September 16, 2020
Quite an amazing book. Finished it within a few days, just couldn’t put the book down. The stories kept drawing me in like a seductive siren beckoning me to read more and more.
July 29, 2021
I enjoyed this book very much, so much that when I lost it; I had to buy a new one!
January 10, 2019
Picked this up because I've been a fan of Joseph Vargo's art and music for a long time. It was alright, but I felt myself being left disappointed throughout a chunk of it. This book is a series of short stories revolving around the titular Dark Tower, which is home to vampires, ghosts, and all sorts of paranormal drama.
A lot of the stories were mostly interested in tying themselves to Vargo's already existing artwork. I've been told the artwork in the book is beautiful, however I read this on kindle, and was unable to see any of it. But, knowing the art in question, I can imagine why this would greatly improve the reading experience for some people. The writing is at times mediocre and cliché, but this book makes for a good, quick Halloween read.
One thing I did find a bit meh is the book's female characters, who typically all fell into the stereotypical tropes of maiden, loyal wife, wild sexy woman, and crone, and who had stereotypical "lady downfalls", such as being too vain. I hope the next two books in the series do a little better than that.
Would highly recommend reading while listening to the accompanying album The Dark Tower, by Vargo's band Nox Arcana. It made the reading experience several times more enjoyable for me.
A lot of the stories were mostly interested in tying themselves to Vargo's already existing artwork. I've been told the artwork in the book is beautiful, however I read this on kindle, and was unable to see any of it. But, knowing the art in question, I can imagine why this would greatly improve the reading experience for some people. The writing is at times mediocre and cliché, but this book makes for a good, quick Halloween read.
One thing I did find a bit meh is the book's female characters, who typically all fell into the stereotypical tropes of maiden, loyal wife, wild sexy woman, and crone, and who had stereotypical "lady downfalls", such as being too vain. I hope the next two books in the series do a little better than that.
Would highly recommend reading while listening to the accompanying album The Dark Tower, by Vargo's band Nox Arcana. It made the reading experience several times more enjoyable for me.
June 16, 2013
The rating reflects my enjoyment of the stories themselves, but some of the writing was poor. However either the writing improved over the course of the book or I just got used to it. Appropriate for Halloween reading!
September 8, 2016
The writing is only so-so, but the art is gorgeous.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews