An exceptional addition to the stunning, richly-rewarding short story collections of Flame Tree’s Gothic Fantasy series, with intriguing and thrilling tales from both new submissions and ancient sources. Plato’s Lost Atlantis thought-experiment began in Timaeus with the idea of a perfect society lost to the world, but it has haunted the speculative mind for over 2000 years, bearing powerful narratives of Francis Bacon’s New Atlantis and the Utopian tales of Thomas More, Samuel Butler, William Morris, Charlotte Perkins Gilman and in modern times, TV series and short stories galore. An imaginative tour-de-force that examines the nature and desires of humanity, from Antiquity to the present day. New, contemporary and notable writers featured are: Ash Arya, Rose Beardmore, Leah Cypess, Niya M.K. Davis, Deborah L. Davitt, Tracy Fahey, Isobel Granby, John Linwood Grant, David Hankins, M.K. Hutchins, Karl Sade, Silas Leavitt, Kwame M.A. McPherson, Damien Mckeating, John Moralee, Barry Neenan, Spencer Orey, Erica Ruppert, C.R. Serajeddini, Zach Shephard, Calie Voorhis, and Lucy Zhang. These appear alongside classic work by Francis Bacon, Lord Dunsany, Clark Ashton Smith, Jules Verne and more. The gorgeous editions of Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories, the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure. Jennifer Fuller (foreword) is a Communications and Training Lead at Sierra 7 where she works to provide high-quality trainings and communications support for Veterans Affairs. Previously, she was a college professor serving at Jackson State University, Idaho State University, and Warner University. Her previous book Dark Paradise was a work of literary criticism that explored the Pacific islands through the lens of nineteenth-century literature. Her love of islands (and science fiction) is a theme that carries through much of her work, including her current co-authored project Beyond Atlantis: Islands of Imagination.

Examines the way in which the British transformed the Pacific islands during the nineteenth century The discovery of the Pacific islands amplified the qualities of mystery and exoticism already associated with 'foreign' islands. Their 'savage' peoples, their isolation, and their sheer beauty fascinated British visitors across the long nineteenth century. Dark Paradise argues that while the British originally believed the islands to be commercial paradises or perfect sites for missionary endeavours, as the century progressed, their optimistic vision transformed to portray darker realities. As a result, these islands act as a 'breaking point' for British theories of imperialism, colonialism, and identity. The book traces the changing British attitudes towards imperial settlement as the early view of 'island as paradise' gives way to a fear of the hostile islanders and examines how this revelation undermined a key tenant of British imperialism - that they were the 'superior' or 'civilized' islanders. Key Features The first monograph to trace the Pacific islands as represented through the lens of British fiction and non-fiction across the long nineteenth century Examines texts written by Pacific islanders and published in the British press Significantly broadens our understanding of the British Pacific by analysing understudied Pacific texts and authors alongside more canonical works

Examines the way in which the British transformed the Pacific islands during the nineteenth century The discovery of the Pacific islands amplified the qualities of mystery and exoticism already associated with 'foreign' islands. Their 'savage' peoples, their isolation, and their sheer beauty fascinated British visitors across the long nineteenth century. Dark Paradise argues that while the British originally believed the islands to be commercial paradises or perfect sites for missionary endeavours, as the century progressed, their optimistic vision transformed to portray darker realities. As a result, these islands act as a 'breaking point' for British theories of imperialism, colonialism, and identity. The book traces the changing British attitudes towards imperial settlement as the early view of 'island as paradise' gives way to a fear of the hostile islanders and examines how this revelation undermined a key tenant of British imperialism - that they were the 'superior' or 'civilized' islanders. Key Features The first monograph to trace the Pacific islands as represented through the lens of British fiction and non-fiction across the long nineteenth century Examines texts written by Pacific islanders and published in the British press Significantly broadens our understanding of the British Pacific by analysing understudied Pacific texts and authors alongside more canonical works