Flame Tree Fiction

Book Cover Artist

Whelan's work has graced book covers from novelists like Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Michael Moorcock, Poul Anderson and, most famously, Anne McCaffrey, bringing both author and artist unassailable respect among fantasy devotees. He has also won countless awards and accolades for his work, which he describes as ‘communication’, in a sense being an intermediary between the author’s words, vision and intention and the expectation and understanding of the reader or viewer. This viewpoint means that the symbolism of his work is as important as the actions and events that make up the subject matter.

On a quest to experience the mythical, mystical, magical and macho all at once? Look no further than to the works of fantasy artist Ken Kelly. A work by Kelly is an invitation into the wonderful world of imagination, of warriors and dragon art, as he offers viewers a direct route into faraway places and primal battlefields that burst at the seams with vivacity.

'I have been fascinated by dark, mysterious and magical fantasy worlds since I was a child.' (Anne Stokes)

The world of Gothic Art: a mysterious realm of darkness, filled with infinite possibility; a realm in which beauty can be discovered in the most obscure, unpredictable places.

Cris Ortega produces phenomenal and mesmerising gothic fantasy art and steampunk art on a variety of subjects, but in many cases depicting women, around whom an air of beauty, mystery, emotion and magic can be built. The Spanish-based digital artist has had her work featured widely in all sorts of publications, book covers and posters, as well as in video games.

Another creepy story from Robert E. Howard, this one from Weird Tales, February 1928. Howard wrote a series of supernatural stories, heavily influenced by Algernon Blackwood, Arthur Machen and H Rider Haggard. 

Robert E. Howards creepy tale of dark adventure is probably one of his best. Alongside Conan, Howard’s stable of awkward, courageous and determined heroes also includes Bran Mak Morn a Pictish King whose landscape is riven with ancient threat, uber-musclar battles and the mutterings of supernatural beings. Bran Mak Morn distinguishes himself by his intelligence and craftiness, ruling in much the same way as Kings of ancient Babylonian city states. Indeed Howard’s other stories cover a pre-Summerian landscape, with images and sources drawn from the golden crucible, that source of all ancient civilisations, Mesopotamia.

From Weird Tales October 1937, here's a story of immense power, written by a master of weird fiction—a tale of a revolting horror in the cellar of an old house in New England.

From Astounding Stories in February 1932 comes another creepy story, an underwater adventure, with the mystery of undiscovered creatures and hints of Jules Verne lurking everywhere. H. G. Winter was the pseudonym for the Editor of Astounding Stories, Harry Bates. He and his assistant editor, Desmond Hall created filler stories fro several issues in the early 1930s.