The Smoking Leg and Other Stories

Celebrated science fiction author Brian Stableford has praised John Metcalfe's stories saying they "build up a unique sense of unease" and critically acclaimed horror author T.E.D. Klein has said of Metcalfe that he is a "writer of subtle, finely crafted supernatural tales". While Metcalfe may not be very well known nowadays, he is considered a significant influence on weird fiction, filling his stories with bizarre mystery and creeping dread. The title story is truly strange and wholly unique in the broad expanse of weird fiction while several stories included involve a pervasive sense of melancholy with a sinister dose of the macabre such as the masterful "Crowcastle", the twisted and mysterious "The Flying Tower" and the truly tragic "The Backslider". Stories like "The Double Admiral" and "The Bad Lands" cast an eery atmosphere and embrace the weird like few others while stories such as "Lure" and "The Glamour Hunter" are more psychologically complex tales of obsession and fate. If you've never walked the dark path with Metcalfe, isn't it about time you did? (Summary by Ben Tucker) (7 hr 12 min)