|
|
True Tales of Terror in the Caves of the World
Paul Jay Steward, 2005
Paperback, 5½ x 8½, 141 pages
ISBN: 0-939748-61-4
Published by Cave Books
$10.95
CONTENTS PAGE
PREFACE
They say that truth is stranger than fiction, and this book proves it. These stories will stretch the imaginations of the best fiction writers. Discover which cave contains the remains of more than 30,000 people, or the cave in which the police find a woman’s body cut into eight pieces, and her head encased in cement. Can you imagine entering a cave and finding human limbs hanging from the walls and ceiling, and barrels of remains pickled for human consumption? How about finding a cave whose walls were painted with the blood from torture victims, or the ceiling blackened from the burning of human flesh?
The stories in this book will take you on a journey across the globe and into the depths of the Earth where some of the most vile and cruelest acts imaginable have been committed. You have been warned.
“Paul Steward tells a must-read set of cave stories that will scare the daylights out of you while the horror will impel you to turn the pages fast. Yes, caves are dangerous and can snuff out lives in a wink, and this heightens the emotional impact of this book. It intertwines the mysteries of caves and motives and will cause readers to think deeply about the role of alienation between environments and relationships.”
—Roger W. Brucker, Coauthor of Beyond Mammoth Cave; Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins; The Longest Cave; The Caves Beyond
“In this remarkable compilation and examination of the topic, Steward takes the reader on a tour-de-force journey into the darkest recesses and depths of the earth, of the human mind, and of human cruelty.”
—Wm. Michael Mott, Author of Caverns, Cauldrons, and Concealed Creatures
“Paul Steward’s new book is not one that you want to read while deep underground—for you will soon be afraid to stay there! This collection of horrific stories from around the globe is a unique volume of chilling tales. Locations of weirdness, murder and the unexplained include: Lobelia Cave in West Virginia, Carlsbad Caverns, Castle Royal Caves, Dead Man’s Hole, Devil’s Hole in New York, Massacre Cave, the Bell Witch Cave, Mark Twain Cave, and many more!”
—Troy Taylor, Author of Down in the Darkness; President, American Ghost Society
REVIEWS
Click on title for full review.
Amazon.com, February 13, 2006
“Mr. Steward deals in facts, which makes these chilling accounts all the more disturbing.”
— John Eric Ellison, Author of Wind Cave and Descending Circles: Ascending Earth
Amazon.com, December 31, 2005
“For those of us not comfortable with crawling on our bellies in the dark and, sometimes, terrifying interior of the earth this book will satisfy your curiosity.”
—Gary R. Varner, Author of Menhirs, Dolmen and Circles of Stone: The Folklore & Magic of Sacred Stone
Speleology 5, December 2005, British Cave Research Association
“American cavers appear to be a race apart. Paul’s hobby is collecting ghastly stories of disasters in caves.”
—Tony Oldham, Author of The Caves of Scotland
Cave Research Foundation Quarterly Newsletter, November 2005
“Unlike Steward’s fictional work (Tales of Dirt, Danger, and Darkness), this new book is a factual and eclectic collection about underground deaths. . . . There are numerous stories of persons being trapped in caves and there murdered (by fires set at the entrance, by guns and bombs, by starvation) . . . . accidents and suicides, unresolved disappearances, even a few seemingly paranormal events.”
—Sue Hagan, Caver, Missouri
Speleonet.com, August 2, 2005
“His most recent book is True Tales of Terror in the Caves of the World (which I highly recommend). It’s jam packed full of gory details the cover promises and is the kind of book that can be read and re-read in bits and pieces over time, yielding years of spine tingling satisfaction.”
—Brett Johnson, Editor of Speleonet.com
Descent magazine, UK, August 2005
“Paul Steward has documented some of these gory topics, collecting tales of terrible fact from around the world—all of them linked to caves. . . . Only when you recall that they are true, that truth is often stranger and uglier than fiction, that these were real massacres and macabre acts, does the meaning behind them bite.”
—Chris Howes, Editor of Descent magazine, UK
NSS News, June 2005
“In True Tales, the author presents a fascinating collection of true horror stories and legends centered within the especially dark corners of the world—caves.”
—Don Dunham, Caver, Missouri
Pack Rat Scat, Summer 2005
“If your taste runs to the macabre, this is the book for you.”
—Danny A. Brass, Author of Rabies In Bats
Unraveling the Secrets, April 21, 2005, EDITOR’S PICK: BOOK OF THE MONTH
“Had I read this book before my recent trip into the caves of West Virginia, I might have spent more time looking over my shoulder.”
—Dennis Crenshaw, Editor of Unraveling the Secrets
Hellnotes Newsletter, July 21, 2005
“Steward’s prose is crisp and direct, with a journalistic precision.”
—Brian A. Hopkins, Author of Lipstick, Lies, & Lady Luck, Bram Stoker Award Winner
Amazon.com Review, July 13, 2005
“Expect horrific murders, psychotic acts, sadistic torture and suicides mixed in with the gentler side of humanity such as gangsters, common crooks and pirates. Just your average day underground.”
—Todd Borg, Author of Tahoe Ice Grave, Tahoe Killshot, Tahoe Deathfall, Tahoe Blowup
Texas Caver Newsletter, Fall 2005
“An impressive amount of research, documented by the extensive list of references . . . Massacres, murders, suicides, mysterious disappearances. Well-written, if you like that sort of thing.”
—Bill Mixon, Caver, Texas
|
|