Down the Long Night

by William F. Nolan

Five Star First Edition Mysteries

William F. Nolan has written a cornucopia of short stories that range from the noir crime genre to twisted alien fairy tales. His versatility, wit and ingenuity are showcased in this volume of twelve tiny tales of terror, including stories of a psychic tangling with a cult of New Guinea cannibals, a young gang member drag racing his leader for the prize of the gang leader's woman, a superhero talking to a reporter about the death of his sidekick, and a sociopath who leaves a trail of death and destruction on his way to visit Ma on her birthday....And Snow White finally gets to tell her version of the story.

Contents:
• Introduction by Ed Gorman
• Preface by William F. Nolan
• Pirate's Moon (1987)
• Death Drag (1964)
• The Most Exciting Night of His Life (1998)
• The Beast of Bubble City (1997)
• A Good Day (1997)
• Fyodor's Law (1994)
• Die, Clown, Die! (1988)
• I'll Get Away with It (1998)
• Hi, Mom! (1992)
• Silk and Fire (1999)
• Once Upon a Time
• Down the Long Night (1957)

197 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

William F. Nolan is best known as the co-author (with George Clayton Johnson) of Logan's Run -- a science fiction novel that went on to become a movie, a television series and is about to become a movie again -- and as single author of its sequels. His short stories have been selected for scores of anthologies and textbooks and he is twice winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Special Award from the Mystery Writers of America.

Nolan was born in 1928 in Kansas City Missouri. He attended the Kansas City Art Institute and worked as an artist for Hallmark Cards. He moved to California in the late 1940s and studied at San Diego State College. He began concentrating on writing rather than art and, in 1952, was introduced by fellow Missouri native (and established writer) Ray Bradbury to another young up-and-coming author, Charles Beaumont. Moving to the Los Angeles area in 1953, Nolan became along with Bradbury, Beaumont, and Richard Matheson part of the "inner core" of the soon-to-be highly influential "Southern California Group" of writers. By 1956 Nolan was a full-time writer. Since 1951 he has sold more than 1500 stories, articles, books, and other works.

Although Nolan wrote roughly 2000 pieces, to include biographies, short stories, poetry, and novels, Logan’s Run retains its hold on the public consciousness as a political fable and dystopian warning. As Nolan has stated: “That I am known at all is still astonishing to me... "

He passed away at the age of 93 due to complications from an infection.

Reviews

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for Edgar Allan Poe fans.