Nathan Peaslee knows something is terribly wrong. Every night his dreams show him glimpses of an alien world-glimpses that seem more like memories than mere nightmares. Could his nightly visions predict a true and approaching danger? This collection includes three thrilling tales by H. P. Lovecraft, the master of speculative horror fiction, and one bonus story inspired by his work. These stories have been carefully abridged, lightly illustrated, and adapted for younger readers (recommended ages 10 and up). But rest assured, we haven’t dialed back the terror!

In these pages, you’ll find four mind-bending stories:

The Outsider is a Lovecraftian classic with an unforgettable twist. A mysterious person wakes in a menacing castle and tries to piece together his life story. Can he escape to the outside world?

The Cats of Ulthar is a haunting fable that’s perfect for those who love-or fear-cats. A strange caravan stops in a troubled town. Little do the villagers realize that their pets are about to encounter an ancient magic.

The Shadow Out of Time is one of Lovecraft’s best-known novellas, a masterpiece that combines psychological horror with cosmic science-fiction. Nathan Peaslee, a professor of economics, must solve a mystery taking place in his own mind. It’s his only chance to reclaim his life-and save humankind from impending doom.

The Gift From the Deep explores a young girl’s summer trip to the forbidding town of Innsmouth. All is going well until she receives an unwelcome gift that suggests something old is awakening beneath the waves.

About the Author Matthew MacDonald is a science and technology writer with dozens of books to his name. He’s written for a who’s-who list of tech publishers, and is particularly known for his books about building websites and writing code. His adaptation of H. P. Lovecraft began as a Halloween project for his three daughters.

H. P. Lovecraft was an American writer who wrote stories that blended the conventions of the horror fiction, science fiction, and weird fiction genres. Lovecraft was relatively unknown during his lifetime, and not commercially successful. But his writing achieved widespread prominence after his death. His works inhabit a fictional universe whose lore is known as the Cthulhu mythos. Since his death, aspects of the Cthulhu mythos have been adapted into films, video games, role-playing games, board games, and the stories of other writers. This would have satisfied Lovecraft greatly, as he encouraged others to use, adapt, and extend his fictional universe.