Christopher Conlon (editor), Poe's Lighthouse

Poe's Lighthouse

Christopher Conlon (editor)

Cemetery Dance, Apr 2006, $40.00, 330 pp.

ISBN: 158767128X

The underlying theme of this superb collection is modern authors completing a fragment written by Edgar Allen Poe; sort of like Natalie Cole singing Unforgettable with her father Nat King Cole. In the Introduction, Christopher Conlon explains that just before his death, Poe, though depressed and an alcoholic, was still writing, but never finished his last work. That fragment (included in the introduction) and his strong literary r sum s, serve as the basis for the twenty-three tales that make up POE'S LIGHTHOUSE. The contributions are fascinating just to follow the various interpretations that led to the stories. On top of that obvious allure, the compilation is well written with a who's who contributing their interpretation. Interestingly, the stories run the speculative fiction gamut to include fantasy, Gothic, horror (of course), romantic suspense, mystery and science fiction; all this from the fragment, as the authors stayed true to Poe and to their particular writing style. This is a well written homage, as the light shines on Poe evermore.