John Harrison, one of the youngest of the young Turks of the New Wave science fiction/ fantasy movement, wrote The Pastel City (1971) as an anti-fantasy, a sword and sorcery epic that would frustrate the expectations and disturb the complacency of devotees of the watered-down Tolkien and third-rate Howard and Leiber imitators that flooded the fiction market of the time. The Viriconium novels and stories are infused with a haunting genius that never falters.” -K.J.M.

He possesses the eye of a painter, the ear of a bard, and a rigorous and playful intellect. John Harrison is a true master of English prose. “Harrison’s Viriconium sequence is the jewel in the crown of 20th-century fantasy, a work that proves irrefutably that fantastic literature can be Art with a capital A, holding its own alongside the very finest writing of our time, or any other.” -Elizabeth Hand, author of Mortal Love It is truly one of a kind and will continue to haunt you in the best possible way for years.” -Jonathan Carroll, author of White Apples The breadth of vision and imagination alone in these books is unparalleled.

“Brilliant, beautiful, and absolutely essential reading. This omnibus collection from the author of Light is canon-reading for those who wish to know the genre's roots, as well as the heights, to which it can aspire.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “The world that Harrison depicts is intricate and authentic, peopled with a multitude of strange yet lifelike characters-a combination which serves to make his richly imagined empire of Viriconium feel very real indeed. Back in print after a long absence, these singular tales of a timeless realm and its enigmatic inhabitants are now reborn and compiled to captivate a whole new generation. Set in the imagined city of Viriconium, here are the masterworks that revolutionized a genre and enthralled a generation of readers: The Pastel City, A Storm of Wings, In Viriconium, and Viriconium Nights. A magnificent city existing on the ringes of the past, and on the brink of destruction, Viriconium Īvailable to American readers for the first time, this landmark collection gathers four groundbreaking fantasy classics from the acclaimed author of Light.

Viriconium nights