Prepare for a journey through fact, fiction and outright puzzle down the dark lanes of upstate legacy. Shadows of the Western Door is Mason Winfield's original supernatural survey of Western New York. Colorful, provocative and sometimes electrifying, this unique study always entertains. After this walk on its wilder side, Western New York will never quite look the same!
In this intriguing book, E.H. Gombrich, who was one of the world’s foremost art historians, traces how cast shadows have been depicted in Western art through the centuries. Gombrich discusses the way shadows were represented—or ignored—by artists from the Renaissance to the 17th century and then describes how Romantic, Impressionist, and Surrealist artists exploited the device of the cast shadow to enhance the illusion of realism or drama in their representations. First published to accompany an exhibition at the National Gallery, London, in 1995, it is reissued here with additional color illustrations and a new introduction by esteemed scholar Nicholas Penny. It is also now available as an enhanced eBook, with zoomable images and accompanying film footage.
One of the feature stories of the Cthulhu Mythos, "The Shadow Out of Time" is the tale of a professor of political economics that is thrown into a mind-shattering journey through time and space, while his body is held hostage by an alien mind. Horrified and panic-stricken by the implications of his experiences, he hopes against all reason and evidence that he has merely lost his mind.
Zacharias invites readers to follow him on this journey through his life and into the lives of others, and see how he has become more convinced with each year that Jesus Christ is the one who came to give us life to the fullest and to point us to the freedom and beauty of truth for everyone--easterner or westerner--all over the world.
Perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden, Lindsey Davis, Steven Pressfield, this breathtaking and captivating novel brings the Crusades to life in all their triumphant and tragic glory. 'Gripping from the first page, the reader is swept up in this colourful and convincing portrayal of an Emperor and his realm under siege.' - Ink 'Superb read. Thoroughly enjoyed it' -- ***** Reader review 'Highly enjoyable read' -- ***** Reader review 'Brilliant.' -- ***** Reader review 'Holds your interest from [the first] to the last page' -- ***** Reader review ******************************************************************** AN ASSASSIN IS ON THE LOOSE...AND AN EMPIRE STANDS IN PERIL Byzantium, 1096: When a mysterious assassin fires his arrow at the Emperor, he has more than a man in his sights; as the keystone of a crumbling empire, if he falls, then the mightiest power in Christendom will be torn apart. Aware of the stakes, the Emperor hires Demetrios Askiates, the unveiler of mysteries, to catch the would-be-killer. But Demetrios is entering an unknown and mysterious world and must edge his way through a glittering maze of treachery and deceit before time runs out. Nor are all enemies within the city walls. With the Turks rampant across Asia, the Emperor has sent to the west for mercenaries to reinforce his position. When a great army, tens of thousands strong, appears before the gates, he gets more than he bargained for. The first crusaders have arrived, intent on making their fortunes in war, and they have no allegiance to an empire they eye with jealousy and suspicion. As the armies of east and west confront each other, and the assassin creeps ever closer to his prey, Demetrios must untangle the golden web of intrigue which surrounds the Emperor before the city - and the empire - are drowned in blood.
Brings the paranormal beings and places of the Iroquois folklore tradition to life through historic and contemporary accounts of otherworldly encounters • Recounts stories of shapeshifting witches, giant flying heads, enchanted masks, ethereal lights, talking animals, Little People, spirit-choirs, potent curses, and haunted hills, roads, and battlefields • Includes accounts of miraculous healings by shamans and medicine people such as Mad Bear and Ted Williams • Shows how these traditions can help one see the richness of the world and help those who have lost the chants of their own ancestors With a rich history reaching back more than one thousand years, the six nations of the Iroquois Confederacy--the Mohawk, the Oneida, the Onondaga, the Cayuga, the Seneca, and the Tuscarora--are considered to be the most avid storytellers on earth with a collection of tales so vast it would dwarf those of any other society. Covering nearly the whole of New York State from the Hudson and Mohawk River Valleys westward across the Finger Lakes region to Niagara Falls and Salamanca, this mystical culture’s supernatural tradition is the psychic bedrock of the Northeast, yet their treasury of tales and beliefs is largely unknown and their most powerful sacred sites unrecognized. Assembling the lore and beliefs of this guarded spiritual legacy, Michael Bastine and Mason Winfield share the stories they have collected of both historic and contemporary encounters with beings and places of Iroquois legend: shapeshifting witches, strange forest creatures, ethereal lights, vampire zombies, cursed areas, dark magicians, talking animals, enchanted masks, and haunted hills, roads, and battlefields as well as accounts of miraculous healings by medicine people such as Mad Bear and Ted Williams. Grounding their tales with a history of the Haundenosaunee, the People of the Long House, the authors show how the supernatural beings, places, and customs of the Iroquois live on in contemporary paranormal experience, still surfacing as startling and sometimes inspiring reports of otherworldly creatures, haunted sites, after-death messages, and mystical visions. Providing a link with America’s oldest spiritual roots, these stories help us more deeply know the nature and super-nature around us as well as offer spiritual insights for those who can no longer hear the chants of their own ancestors.
Are ghosts real? Are there truly haunted places, only haunted people, or both? And how can we know? Taking neither a credulous nor a dismissive approach, this first-of-its-kind book solves those perplexing mysteries and more--even answering the question of why we care so very much. Putting aside purely romantic tales, this book examines the actual evidence for ghosts--from eyewitness accounts to mediumistic productions (such as diaphanous forms materializing in dim light), spirit photographs, ghost-detection phenomena, and even CSI-type trace evidence. Offering numerous exciting case studies, this book engages in serious investigation rather than breathless mystifying. Pseudoscience, folk legends, and outright hoaxes are challenged and exposed, while the historical, cultural, and scientific aspects of ghost experiences and haunting reports are carefully explored. The author--the world's only professional paranormal investigator--brings his skills as a stage magician, private detective, folklorist, and forensic science writer to bear on a topic that demands serious study.
The western New York state Great Lakes region serves as a scenic setting for supernatural traditions, incidences, and folklore. Avenging specters, demon-tortured roads, holy miracles, weird psychic events, prehistoric power sites, ancient curses, Native American shamans, active battlefields, ghost ships, black dogs, haunted monuments, and the phantoms of Rochester’s famous—all are part of the legacy of Rochester and the lower Genesee. Supernatural historian Mason Winfield and the research team from Haunted History Ghost Walks, Inc., take us on a spiritual safari through the Seneca homeland of the “Sweet River Valley” and the modern city in its place. After their survey of Rochester’s super natural history and tradition, “the Flour City” will never look the same. Includes photos!
“Fine adventure” in the complete New York Times–bestselling fantasy trilogy from the legendary million-selling author and creator of Drizzt Do’Urden (Terry Brooks). This “worthy, entertaining addition to fantasy literature” tells the epic saga of a righteous warrior/avenger who battles an evil wizard, dragons, and cyclopean armies to liberate an imperiled kingdom (Starlog). The Sword of Bedwyr: Luthien Bedwyr vows to rescue the beleaguered land of Eriador from the evil reign of Wizard-King Greensparrow. But first Luthien must secure two weapons from a dragon’s lair: a legendary sword and a blood-red cape that renders its wearer invisible. Aided by a halfling thief, an ancient mage, and a beautiful elf slave, Luthien prepares for insurgence as the Crimson Shadow. Luthien’s Gamble: With the rallying support of enslaved humans, defiant peasants, and Fairborn elves, Luthien has forged a path for the freedom of his kingdom as the avenging Crimson Shadow. But when his tyrannical adversary makes a bid for peace by calling back his army of cyclops, Luthien suspects the evil wizard is setting a trap. The Dragon King: Luthien Bedwyr’s alter ego wields a magical sword and wears a scarlet cape that renders him invisible. But his greatest enemy, the evil Wizard-King, has a counterpart of his own: an unstoppable, bloodthirsty colossus of a dragon. Now the ultimate battle for a kingdom will reach its spellbinding endgame in the rousing finale to a trilogy “filled with memorable characters and compelling action” (Terry Brooks).
Pull up a chair or gather 'round the campfire and get ready for creepy tales of ghostly hauntings, eerie happenings, and other strange occurrences from times past! Appalachia folklore traditions are kept alive in these expert retellings by master storyteller S.E. Schlosser and through artist Paul G. Hoffman's evocative illustrations. You'll meet ghosts and witches, hear things that go bump in the night, and feel an icy wind on the back of your neck on a warm summer evening. The stories in this entertaining and compelling collection will have you looking over your shoulder again and again.
