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)
Genre(s): Horror & Supernatural Fiction
Language: English
| Section | Chapter | Reader | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Play 01 | The Smoking Leg | Ben Tucker |
00:27:40 |
| Play 02 | Picnic | Ben Tucker |
00:24:22 |
| Play 03 | Nightmare Jack | Ben Tucker |
00:41:44 |
| Play 04 | Paper Windmills | Ben Tucker |
00:34:07 |
| Play 05 | Crowcastle | Ben Tucker |
00:31:42 |
| Play 06 | Convalescent | Ben Tucker |
00:12:01 |
| Play 07 | The Tunnel | Ben Tucker |
00:19:47 |
| Play 08 | The Double Admiral | Ben Tucker |
00:25:58 |
| Play 09 | The Grey House | Ben Tucker |
00:19:24 |
| Play 10 | Tide-Borne | Ben Tucker |
00:29:04 |
| Play 11 | Hairsbreath | Ben Tucker |
00:15:15 |
| Play 12 | The Sister Speaks | Ben Tucker |
00:12:20 |
| Play 13 | The Bad Lands | Ben Tucker |
00:26:12 |
| Play 14 | Proxy | Ben Tucker |
00:19:10 |
| Play 15 | The Glamour Hunter | Ben Tucker |
00:23:55 |
| Play 16 | Lure | Ben Tucker |
00:30:15 |
| Play 17 | The Flying Tower | Ben Tucker |
00:18:52 |
| Play 18 | The Backslider | Ben Tucker |
00:20:55 |