🩸 Horror Fiction

Tales Vol. 5: In the Time of the King

✍️ Shawn M Tomlinson
Reader Score
4.4
(1 review)
$24.95
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A storm-bound struggle to retrieve a forbidden text from a locked collection.

The narrative focuses on a desperate attempt to access restricted knowledge during a power outage. The protagonist must use a lighter to read 'Aichlan's Deimos' within the darkened Lab. This volume contains essays spanning a thousand years, offering clues about Xith and Lily Dale. The plot emphasizes the physical danger of the storm and the metaphysical threat of the entity. Tomlinson uses the setting of The Lab to create a sense of isolation and urgency. The story does not provide easy answers but rather highlights the risk of interacting with ancient texts. The reader witnesses the careful process of unlocking the bookcase and the subsequent struggle to read in the dark. This method creates a claustrophobic atmosphere that mirrors the internal panic of the characters. The work is suitable for fans of immediate, high-stakes supernatural fiction.

Key Themes
forbidden knowledge supernatural entities atmospheric horror
Literary Context

The text draws on gothic traditions of locked libraries and dangerous tomes. It references a setting called The Lab where restricted books are kept. The narrative incorporates elements of ancient essays and modern survival scenarios. This blend creates a unique space for supernatural fiction that relies on immediate physical threats rather than distant lore.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
H.P. Lovecraft · M.R. James · Clive Barker
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Lulu.com 📅 2018 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781387870561

📝 Description: Tales Vol. 5: In the Time of the King

Shawn M Tomlinson presents a narrative centered on survival against supernatural forces. The story follows an unnamed narrator who rushes into The Lab during a violent storm to access a locked bookcase containing dangerous volumes. This collection includes texts that are not meant for general readership, such as the deep red 'Aichlan's Deimos.' The protagonist seeks this specific volume to find a method for sending Xith back to its origin after the creature consumed Lily Dale. The narrative relies on atmospheric tension and the immediate threat of electrical failure during a critical moment. Tomlinson structures the plot around the urgency of retrieving knowledge from old essays written across various time periods, ranging from recent years to a millennium ago. These 'about books' offer insights into past events rather than direct historical records. The work appeals to readers who enjoy atmospheric horror and supernatural mystery. It may not suit those seeking structured academic analysis or traditional fantasy world-building. The focus remains on the immediate peril faced by the characters and the obscure nature of the texts they consult. The story concludes with the narrator using a lighter to read in the dark, highlighting the fragility of their situation. This approach grounds the supernatural elements in tangible, physical details like keys, locks, and flickering light sources.

💎 Our verdict on Tales Vol. 5: In the Time of the King

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Tomlinson effectively utilizes the setting of The Lab to generate intense isolation and urgency. By focusing on the desperate retrieval of 'Aichlan's Deimos' during a power outage, the narrative creates a palpable sense of peril. The use of a lighter to read in the dark serves as a powerful metaphor for fragility against cosmic threats. This approach suits readers seeking atmospheric horror and supernatural mystery without academic density. The emphasis on the physical struggle to unlock the bookcase adds tangible stakes to the metaphysical danger. It is a tight, focused exploration of forbidden knowledge that prioritizes mood and immediate survival over extensive lore.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who enjoy immediate, high-stakes supernatural fiction will find this narrative compelling due to its claustrophobic atmosphere and urgent pacing. The story appeals to those fascinated by the metaphysical threats hidden within ancient texts and the physical dangers of accessing restricted knowledge. Fans of psychological horror will appreciate the internal panic mirrored by the external storm. The focus on tangible details like keys, locks, and flickering light grounds the supernatural elements in reality, offering a visceral reading experience for those who prefer atmospheric tension over traditional world-building or easy answers.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
H
Horror Reads editorial team

Tomlinson effectively utilizes the setting of The Lab to generate intense isolation and urgency. By focusing on the desperate retrieval of 'Aichlan's Deimos' during a power outage, the narrative creates a palpable sense of peril. The use of a lighter to read in the dark serves as a powerful metaphor for fragility against cosmic threats. This approach suits readers seeking atmospheric horror and supernatural mystery without academic density. The emphasis on the physical struggle to unlock the bookcase adds tangible stakes to the metaphysical danger. It is a tight, focused exploration of forbidden knowledge that prioritizes mood and immediate survival over extensive lore.

✍️ More books by this author Shawn M Tomlinson

Tales Vols. 1-4: In the Mind of the King
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Shawn M Tomlinson
Tales Vols. 1-4: In the Mind of the King
$32.95
78
Read →
Tales Vols. 1-4: In the Mind of the King
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Shawn M Tomlinson
Tales Vols. 1-4: In the Mind of the King
$54.95
78
Read →
Phenomenal Stories, Vol. 1, No. 3 - Special Collectors' Edition
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Shawn M Tomlinson
Phenomenal Stories, Vol. 1, No. 3 - Special Collectors' Edition
$35.95
81
Read →
Phenomenal Stories, Vol. 1, No. 2 - Special Collectors' Edition
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Shawn M Tomlinson
Phenomenal Stories, Vol. 1, No. 2 - Special Collectors' Edition
$29.02
78
Read →
Lost Carcosa, Winter 2018, Vol. 1, No. 1
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Shawn M Tomlinson
Lost Carcosa, Winter 2018, Vol. 1, No. 1
$24.10
78
Read →
Tales Vol. 1: In the Wake of the King
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Shawn M Tomlinson
Tales Vol. 1: In the Wake of the King
$14.95
78
Read →

🏛 Books from this publisher Lulu.com

Forty Seven
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.3
T L Bryant
Forty Seven
$17.07
69
Read →
The King in Yellow
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Robert W Chambers
The King in Yellow
$15.95
78
Read →
Deepside
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Raul P P Weston
Deepside
$40.00
81
Read →
Les Elus
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Jade Coll
Les Elus
$39.52
78
Read →
Wild Strawberry: A Zombie Apocalypse: The Complete Trilogy
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
T a Donnelly
Wild Strawberry: A Zombie Apocalypse: The Complete Trilogy
$38.31
78
Read →
Kilmartin
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Raymond Walker
Kilmartin
$45.46
86
Read →

You might also like

See more →
Lost Carcosa, Winter 2018, Vol. 1, No. 1 ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.4
1
Shawn M Tomlinson
Lost Carcosa, Winter 2018, Vol. 1, No. 1
$24.10
78
Read →
In the Court of the Yellow King ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.4
1
Shawn M Tomlinson
In the Court of the Yellow King
$29.95
78
Read →
Museo Mortis ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Mark J Ruyffelaert
Museo Mortis
$24.97
86
Read →
Carmilla ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
Carmilla
$24.99
86
Read →
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Robert Louis Stevenson
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
$25.06
86
Read →
Metamorphosis ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Franz Kafka
Metamorphosis
$25.50
86
Read →
Home Genres
Cart
Wishlist