Can Such Things Be?

Name: Can Such Things Be?
Price: 18.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9798256209247

✍️ Ambrose Bierce

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$18.00

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A collection of twenty-four chilling supernatural tales by Ambrose Bierce.

This volume presents a complete set of short fiction focused on the uncanny. Bierce uses his background as a soldier to ground these ghost stories in a stark, realistic tone. The narratives avoid sensationalism, instead offering precise descriptions of hauntings and spectral encounters. Key stories include "Moxon's Master" and "An Inhabitant of Carcosa." The text is organized to showcase the full range of his eerie output from 1893. Each tale stands alone yet contributes to a cohesive atmosphere of isolation and dread. The physical book features an original painting on its cover.

Key Themes

haunted houses things half-seen cold

Literary Context

Ambrose Bierce was a soldier and satirist known as the grimmest ironist in American letters. This 1893 collection reflects his unique perspective, blending supernatural elements with a realistic, unsentimental view of death and existence derived from his experiences.

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

H.P. Lovecraft · Shirley Jackson · Edgar Allan Poe · Robert Aickman

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Horror Fiction

🏛 Solocosmo Press 📅 2026 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9798256209247

📝 Description: Can Such Things Be?

Ambrose Bierce brings his sharp satirical eye to the supernatural in this collection. As a soldier and ironist who witnessed the brutal realities of war, he writes ghosts with a cold precision that feels more like a warning than a fantasy. The volume contains twenty-four tales gathered from his 1893 work. These stories explore haunted houses, entities half-seen in darkness, and the chilling emptiness of the grave. Readers will find familiar titles such as "The Death of Halpin Frayser," where a body moves without its soul, and "The Damned Thing," featuring an invisible presence in wheat fields. The collection also includes "The Moonlit Road," which presents conflicting accounts of a single death, and "An Inhabitant of Carcosa." Each narrative is spare and exact, avoiding melodrama for a quieter, more unsettling dread. This edition is bound behind an original painting. It suits those who appreciate the gothic tradition and the American literary legacy of Ambrose Bierce. It may not appeal to readers seeking comfort or traditional horror tropes. The stories remain as cold as the subject matter they describe.

💎 Our verdict on Can Such Things Be?

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

This collection stands as a testament to Bierce’s ability to weave dread through spare, exact prose rather than melodrama. The editor has curated twenty-four tales that collectively establish a cohesive atmosphere of isolation and spectral encounter. By grounding the uncanny in realistic tones, the book offers a refreshing alternative to typical genre fare. It suits readers who enjoy psychological horror and the legacy of American short fiction. The original cover art adds a tangible layer of gothic aesthetic to the experience. While not for everyone, it remains a chillingly effective examination of death and the unknown, executed with the cold precision of a man who has seen too much.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

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Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate the subtle, intellectual side of horror will find immense value in this collection. Bierce eschews sensationalism for cold precision, offering a unique perspective where ghosts feel less like fantasy and more like grim warnings. This volume is ideal for those interested in the American Gothic tradition and the psychological depth of early supernatural fiction. It appeals to readers who prefer quiet dread over loud scares, valuing atmospheric isolation and stark realism. The inclusion of key stories like 'An Inhabitant of Carcosa' makes it essential for fans of cosmic unease. Those seeking comfort or traditional tropes may find it too austere, but others will discover a masterful exploration of the unseen world through a soldier’s weary, ironic lens.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

This collection stands as a testament to Bierce’s ability to weave dread through spare, exact prose rather than melodrama. The editor has curated twenty-four tales that collectively establish a cohesive atmosphere of isolation and spectral encounter. By grounding the uncanny in realistic tones, the book offers a refreshing alternative to typical genre fare. It suits readers who enjoy psychological horror and the legacy of American short fiction. The original cover art adds a tangible layer of gothic aesthetic to the experience. While not for everyone, it remains a chillingly effective examination of death and the unknown, executed with the cold precision of a man who has seen too much.