Black Altars

by Mark Samuels, Quentin S. Crisp (Introduction)

Black Altars is a collection of six weird fiction stories.

Contents:
- Introduction by Quentin S. Crisp
- Lichen
- Nephilim (previously published in Stephen Jones's collection Visitants)
- Patient 704 (revised/altered version of this story appears in author's Glyphotech)
- Mysteries of the Abyss (first published in Dagon magazine in 1989)
- The Ailuromorph
- Dedicated to the Weird

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

85 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Mark Samuels (1967-2023) was a British writer of weird and fantastic fiction in the tradition of Arthur Machen and H. P. Lovecraft. Born in deepest Clapham, South London, he was first published in 1988, and his short stories often focus on detailing a shadowy world in which his protagonists gradually discover terrifying and rapturous vistas lurking behind modernity. His work has been highly praised by the likes of Thomas Ligotti and Ramsey Campbell and has appeared in prestigious anthologies of horror and weird fiction on both sides of the Atlantic.

Reviews

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Rainfall book Cloud 14.

Contents:

Foreword by Quintin S. Crisp

"The Lichen"
"Nephilim"
"Patient 704"
"Mysteries of the Abyss"
"The Ailuromorph"
"Dedicated to the Weird"

Contains the great line "Harry, my eyes don't belong to me anymore."

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read pretty much everything else ever published by Mark, it was a delight to finally read his long out-of-print second collection, BLACK ALTARS, now newly republished by Zagava (though as I understand it, some of the stories have been substantially revised: I remember years ago on his Patreon being able to read both the original "Dedicated to the Weird" and the new version, which appears in this present volume, and unsurprisingly, the new version was far more accomplished). While that story is clearly the highlight of this collection (and its sentence "for I have always been dedicated to the weird" could almost serve as an epitaph of Samuels' literary career), there are still other riches to be found in this slim volume of six stories: I particularly enjoyed "The Ailuromorph," which, should one ever to assemble a collection of cat-themed horror stories in the future, would be a fool to overlook this effort.

[Justin Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my review of The White Hands and Other Tales, I had nothing to say but gushing praise. Afterwards I made sure I had all of Mr. Samuels's work on my shelf. Black Altars was published in 2003, the same year as The White Hands, yet is definitely the collection of his earlier work.

Black Altars is a very small collection, weighing in at only 85 pages. There are six stories within, only two of which have been reprinted and one that has been published previously (albeit in 1989!). The book is extraordinarily difficult to find, because it only had the single, small print run. The bad news is that Mark Samuels is not really happy with the stories, so has no plans of ever reprinting the volume.

I think that may be a little extreme, because the stories within are not bad. The stories pale in comparison to the stories in The White Hands. Let me be clear, they are NOT bad stories. They read as more of a showcase of potential rather than polished stories.

After a wonderful introduction by fellow writer of the weird Quentin S. Crisp, the stories begin with Lichen. This one was one of my favorites of the collection, and is a science-fiction horror reminiscent of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Nephilim is the second story, and one of two which has been reprinted. This story featured in Stephen Jones's collection Visitants, and is about a man haunted by dreams so dark that his hair goes white. As he seeks answers it becomes apparent that he's fading from one world into another.

Another favorite, Patient 704, is the second story Samuels found to be worthy of reprinting. A revised/altered version appears in Glyphotech, the author's third collection. The story itself deals with an inspector and his investigation into a psychiatric "rest home". The man finds himself assimilated into the horror of the place, which involves a group obsession with a TV signal broadcasting disturbing and repetitive images of a mystery patient. The story was excellent, and I look forward to reading the revised version and seeing the differences.

Mysteries of the Abyss was first published in Dagon magazine in 1989 and follows a man driven mad by "connecting the dots" in various occult tomes and science books. Whatever dark truth he glimpsed was enough to turn him into a wandering, homeless drunk.

The Ailuromorph seemed like a mixture between Lovecraft and Ligotti. An insomniac in a dull corporate environment (Ligottian) takes late night strolls when he comes across a strange building that the neighborhood cats seem to gravitate towards (Lovecraft's cats).

The book finishes with another personal favorite, Dedicated to the Weird. Following an introduction written by a fictitious author, the story is told in the form of e-mails from a disgraced, failed writer who is holed up in a creepy, small town which is very much like Lovecraft's Innsmouth. This story may have been the best one in the collection, and I really hope Samuels decides to allow this one to see print again someday.

I understand that Samuels as a writer has the right to not allow his works to be reprinted, and as great as his other works are I can almost understand why he would choose not to have this collection reprinted. On the other (white) hand, the stories are NOT bad. They are just not at the level of his other works. Regardless, I would like to see the book reprinted someday, so Samuels fans can have a chance to see how far he has come as a writer.

Originally appeared on my blog, The Arkham Digest.

[Vultural · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samuels, Mark - Black Altars

Slim collection that Mark would only grudgingly allow to be reprinted. Some feel like youthful works, but he needn’t have worried over that. They are all good.

Visionaries, mystics and an astronomer fill the gentleman’s narration in “The Lichen”. Kropeki, the mystic, is of the most unfortunate kind, foretelling doom and gloom that are, worse, contagious.

Glanville Home, an imposing brick structure where the well-heeled and well-off sojourn to recover from whatever maladies, real or imagined, trouble them. The sort of establishment our investigative journalist – shall we call him “Patient 704” – ought never to step foot inside.

The night wanderer, the solitary insomniac, who shares dark alleyways and waysides with, what else, cats. A league of felines all paying fealty to “The Ailuromorph”. One of those eerie homages to Bast that HPL would have applauded.

Mentioning Lovecraft, the closing story “Dedicated To The Weird” also bear the fingerprints of the Providence scribe. Through a series of letters to Beatrice, Henri notates the isolated hamlet where he has holed up, writing furiously. The village is odious, the inhabitants corruptions of humanity. Henri senses he cannot tarry overlong. Nonetheless, loathsome town fuels his imagination.

An inducement for those wavering: Two sources (QC & JP) confirmed that Mark revised two stories. The last one only somewhat, but the first one extensively. Rest easy, friend of Machen.

[Franco · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read this slim book and it wil lsurely be an early work by the author but it's great to me and it surely will need a reprint in a way or another for all the numerous fans and collectors who are looking to grab a copy.

[Andrew Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as polished as Samuels’ later work but worth a read and it’s interesting to see how he develops some of his ideas - a common one for Samuels that there are things parallel to our reality that occasionally pierce through the surface and infect or take over life entirely.

Read the Zagava reprint, which may have been slightly revised from the 2003 edition.

RIP to one of my favourite authors.