Supernatural Tales

I received a physical review copy of this book . R(ay). B. Russell is best known as the co-founder of Tartarus Press, which has achieved global renown for high-quality limited editions. But he is also a prolific author, and this latest collection showcases his talent in the realm of short fiction. The term 'strange stories' is inevitably reminiscent of Robert Aickman, and that author's influence is arguably present here and there. But as I progressed through the volume, I felt other authors - L.P. Hartley, Arthur Machen, and Walter de la Mare in particular - held more sway.  The title story is arguably a manifesto for the volume. A writer researching a biographical subject encounters someone referred to simply as The Poet. This in turn leads the protagonist to the eponymous Sanctuary, a kind of encampment/colony for creative types. There is a somewhat Machenesque encounter that helps shake the writer's rationalist world view. He does not stay in the colony, but it seems...