Casting the Runes, and Other Classic Stories of the Supernatural
About this audiobook
English author Montague Rhodes James (1862–1936) is considered by many aficionados the unquestioned master of the modern ghost story, and several of his tales have served as source material for multiple creepy film versions. He broke new ground by abandoning many of the conventions of gothic mysteries and substituting contemporary settings, situations, and characters. Nevertheless, as a Cambridge medieval scholar, James was steeped in the esoteric lore of the Middle Ages, and he applied that scholarship brilliantly to his stories.
The four stories in this compilation not by James are meant to serve as prime illustrations of the best work of a few of his contemporaries and immediate antecedents.
Contents include:Casting the Runes – M. R. JamesWailing Well – M. R. JamesRats – M. R. JamesMezzotint – M. R. JamesCount Magnus – M. R. JamesNumber 13 – M. R. JamesOh, Whistle and I’ll Come – M. R. JamesThe Monkey’s Paw –W. W. JacobsGreen Tea – Sheridan Le FanuThe Screaming Skull – F. Marion CrawfordHow Love Came to Professor Guildea – Robert Hichens
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About the author
M. R. James (1862–1936) was an English medieval scholar and provost of King’s College, Cambridge and Eton College. He is best remembered for his ghost stories, which redefined the genre. He abandoned the many gothic clichés of his predecessors and opted for more realistic, contemporary settings. His characters and plots, however, reflected his own antiquarian interests. Accordingly, he is known as the originator of the “antiquarian ghost story.”
W. W. Jacobs (1863–1943) is considered a master of the macabre tale, mostly for his work The Monkey’s Paw, a classic horror short story. He was a master at weaving terror and suspense into scenes of everyday life. Nevertheless, his popularity in his own lifetime arose mostly due to his amusing maritime tales of life along the London docks.
Francis Marion Crawford (1854–1909) was an American writer famed for his classic weird and fantastic stories.
Stefan Rudnicki first became involved with audiobooks in 1994. Now a Grammy-winning audiobook producer, he has worked on more than five thousand audiobooks as a narrator, writer, producer, or director. He has narrated more than nine hundred audiobooks. A recipient of multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards, he was presented the coveted Audie Award for solo narration in 2005, 2007, and 2014, and was named one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices in 2012.
J. Paul Boehmer is an American actor best known for his numerous appearances in the Star Trek universe. Hkis audiobook narrations have garnered nine AudioFile Earphones Awards and two prestigious Audie Awards for Best Narration, besides being a finalist for the Audie Award in 2012 and 2015. Between narrations, he is active in regional theaters across the country. His television appearances include guest spots on Nip/Tuck and Numb3rs.
Gabrielle de Cuir, award-winning narrator, has narrated over three hundred titles and specializes in fantasy, humor, and titles requiring extensive foreign language and accent skills. She was a cowinner of the Audie Award for best narration in 2011 and a three-time finalist for the Audie and has garnered six AudioFile Earphones Awards. Her “velvet touch” as an actor’s director has earned her a special place in the audiobook world as the foremost producer for bestselling authors and celebrities.
Justine Eyre is a classically trained actress who has narrated many audiobooks, earning the prestigious Audie Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She is multilingual and known for her great facility with accents. She has appeared on stage, with leading roles in King Lear and The Crucible, and has had starring roles in four films on the indie circuit. Her television credits include Two and a Half Men and Mad Men.
