El
Dia De Los Muertos (2002)
A novella by Brian A. Hopkins
Afterword by Brian A. Hopkins
Cover art by John Picacio
2002 Bram Stoker Award Winner
Locus Magazine 2002 Recommended Read
2002 International Horror Guild Award nominee

SYNOPSIS:
Just outside of Mexico City is the market Iztapalapa and a hill
where every 52 years the Aztecs once performed their New Fire Ceremony.
The ancient rites haven't been enacted for hundreds of years ...
but this year, on the Day of the Dead, archeologist Richard Bennington
will awaken the old Aztec gods in an attempt to save his marriage
by resurrecting the daughter he lost in an earthquake. What Bennington
has forgotten, however, is that neither gods nor man can be trusted.
Just how far will he go to recapture what he's lost? In this original
novella, join award-winning author Brian A. Hopkins as he examines
the manipulation of Fate and the preservation of all that we hold
dear. Also included are several appendices touching on subjects
covered in the book, and an afterword by the author.
Available in two states:
500 numbered hardcovers signed by the author |
$30
SOLD OUT |
15 lettered, leatherbound, traycased hardcovers
signed by the author and artist |
$150
SOLD OUT
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A book that scares even its author! |
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The lettered edition, housed in a black
leather-covered traycase with special gold stamping to front,
and a satin ribbon to assist in lifting out the book.
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"Tight, crisp, and fast, with not a word
wasted ... the best novella to ever cross my desk. As soon as I
was finished, I wanted instantly to reread it. This is one story
that has stuck with me long after I was done compulsively turning
the pages; a full week after finishing it, I am still in awe."
GREEN MAN REVIEW
"EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS by Brian A. Hopkins is one of those
reads where once you finish the last page, you start the story again
to enjoy the book on a deeper level. It is that good."
CNN.com (Read
the full review.)
"A small masterpiece, a novella with tremendous
emotional depth, an atmospheric tale of loss and all the wrong paths
to redemption. This is one of the best dark fantasies of the year,
in a beautiful hardcover edition, well worth the effort of tracking
down."
Tim Pratt, LOCUS Magazine
"Wow. That just about sums up my reaction to this novella.
It's hard to put into words, but the effect it has on you is nothing
short of tackling an emotional assault course. As for the book itself,
Earthling's production values are tremendous ... it'll be a hugely
collectible item in years to come: trust me. EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
is, without a doubt, one of the best stories I've ever read. Very
highly recommended."
Paul Kane, TERROR TALES
"A powerful, serious, and excellent piece of work."
Ed Gorman
"A searing journey into the mythic soul of
Mexico and the intolerable heart of loss."
James Morrow
"One of the most intriguing, atmospheric,
and compelling novellas you'll ever read."
Gary A. Braunbeck
"An unforgettable journey into the heart
and past of Mexico."
Steve Rasnic Tem
"Hopkins, a master of terror, is at the top
of his form with this one."
Jack McDevitt
"A powerful story, and one that won't leave
you quickly, or easily."
David Niall Wilson
"An incredible, fascinating tale ... Hopkins
can write from his heart to his reader's soul."
Yvonne Navarro
"A great blend of the literate and mythic,
the grotesque and spellbinding."
Charlee Jacob
"A rich work ... it should be sampled carefully,
then wolfed down."
Ed Bryant
"This is Brian's best work to date and is
an award nominee for sure."
BARYON Magazine
"A superb example of the best of the small
press in action ... a gorgeous package."
The Chiaroscuro
"Gripping ... yet another example of Brian
A. Hopkins's excellent writing."
The Alien Online
"I read, with real headlong pleasure, Brian
Hopkins's EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS, a fine evocation of place, character,
and the Aztec mythos: a love story, a travelogue, a history lesson,
a horror story, and a tragedy bundled into one compelling narrative."
Michael Bishop
"His depictions of grief and horror are so
genuine you can't help but feel them yourself. That's what good
writing is all about - something for the head and something for
the gut. Hopkins delivers both."
Garrett Peck, CEMETERY DANCE
"EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS is a subtle, well-crafted
work of power and grace, which conveys a depth of feeling rarely
displayed in genre fiction. Expertly paced, it carefully builds
towards the shocking pyrotechnics of its surprising climax."
Hank Wagner, HELLNOTES
"Probably the finest story Brian Hopkins
has ever written. Intelligent and well-executed, it builds to a
stunner of an ending. The horror of death is juxtaposed against
the horrors of life in an enthralling story that also explores history,
mythology, and profound differences between the cultures of Mexico
and the US."
Paula Guran, CEMETERY DANCE
"...so brilliant and terrifying that I can
hardly find words to describe it. If you read only one book in the
year 2002, horror fans, make sure it's this one."
J.L. Comeau, Count Gore's Creature
Feature
"An ambitious work, this book, both in terms of the narrative
itself and the physical presentation, highlighted by a spectacular
piece of jacket art."
Edward Bryant, LOCUS
CONGRATS to Gwen Nicklaus
on winning the MUERTOS contest - she won a PC copy of the traycased
lettered edition!
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