Often the line between science fiction and the weird tale defies detection. Because some science fiction can also be tales of horror and some terror tales can be science fictional. That is why you will find among the authors in this latest selection of the best horror stories of the past year some names familiar to SF: HAL CLEMENT, R.A. LAFFERTY, ARTHUR BYRON COVERAnd you will also find some names best known for their triumphs in producing gooseflesh a la Lovecraft and Poe: BRIAN LUMLEY, JOSEPH PAYNE BRENNAN, RAMSEY CAMPBELLAnd there are names that belong to readers of fantasy in all its many forms: FRITZ LEIBER, AVRAM DAVIDSON, FRANK BELKNAP LONGYou will find many more, too, because this is the very special 4th Series of the one and only annual of horror tales produced in America.

“BLOODCURDLING ENJOYMENT”—WestworldExcellent reviews, such as that above, greeted Gerald Page’s previous selections of the best weird and horror stories of the year . . . and similar acclaim is sure to greet this latest volume. For undoubtedly this one is the best thus far, with thirteen tales that range the scale of terror from tingles in the spine to hair-raising nightmare-makers.Among the authors represented here are bestsellers like Stephen King of Salem’s Lot and The Shining, prize-winners like Charles L. Grant of Nebula honor, new masters like Michael Bishop of Beneath the Shattered Moons, and Tanith Lee of The Birthgrave and The Storm Lord. There are the old masters such as Manly Wade Wellman, Russell Kirk, and Ramsey Campbell. Add the skills of Lisa Tuttle, Janet Fox, David Drake and others, and you can be sure that once again THE YEARS BEST HORROR STORIES will gain the sort of praise it has had before:“This is the best ‘Best’ anthology of the lot.”—Yandro“Especially haunting”—Wilson Library Bulletin“Entertaining and very readable”—Kliatt“A fine selection.”—Bestsellers