The most Marc Laidlaw stories ever assembled in one book... Known as co-creator of the blockbuster HALF-LIFE video game series, and veteran writer of the esports phenomenon Dota 2, Marc Laidlaw is primarily a writer of short stories—horror, fantasy, and science fiction. But while his work has appeared in many popular magazines and several landmark collections over the last 40 years, it has never been collected in any form until now. 51 stories. Over a quarter of a million words. This is, quite simply, the most Marc Laidlaw thing ever. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION THE FAIL EARLY SPAWN OF THE RUINS TISSUE RATTLEGROUND THE PEAK OMNI SNEAKERS 400 BOYS THE RANDOM MAN SEA OF TRANQUILLITY MUZAK FOR TORSO MURDERS SHUCK BROTHER FAUST FORWARD NUTRIMANCER THE LIQUOR CABINET OF DR. MALIKUDZU GOOD ‘N’ EVIL, OR, THE ONCE AND FUTURE THING LOAVES FROM HELL LOVE COMES TO THE MIDDLEMAN MIDDLEMAN’S RENT THE FARMER ON THE WALL BRUNO’S SHADOW YOUR STYLE GUIDE—USE IT WISELY MARS WILL HAVE BLOOD UNEASY STREET THE DEMONSTRATION HIS POWDER’D WIG, HIS CROWN OF THORNES THE FIRST-PERSON READER WARTORN, LOVELORN GASOLINE LAKE WUNDERKINDERGARTEN THE VULTURE MAIDEN GREAT BREAKTHROUGHS IN DARKNESS TERROR FAN THE DIANE ARBUS SUICIDE PORTFOLIO THE BLACK BUS MAD WIND TO LIE BETWEEN THE LOINS OF PERKY PAT NETHER REACHES TOTAL CONVERSION THE NEW HALF-LIFE & LESSONS HALF-LEARNED SLEEPY JOE CELL CALL FLIGHT RISK JANE SWEETMEATS EVALUATION OF THE HANNEMOUTH BEQUEST AN EVENING’S HONEST PERIL THE VICAR OF R’LYEH LENG BEYOND 2010: OVER THE INFLUENCE POKKY MAN THE BOY WHO FOLLOWED LOVECRAFT FORGET YOU BONFIRES THE FRIGID ILK OF SARN KATHOOL THE GHOST PENNY POST THE FINEST, FULLEST FLOWERING AFTERWORD