The Night Land, a Story Retold

An adventure of both science fiction and fantasy—one of the great love stories--this is William Hope Hodgson's masterpiece, rewritten for the modern reader. Penned in 1912, The Night Land is considered by many to be a work of genius, but one written in a difficult, archaic style that readers often find impenetrable. As a labor of love, James Stoddard has rewritten Hodgson's book to bring it to a wider audience. The story opens in the 19th century, but quickly moves to the far future, where the sun has gone out, leaving the world in a darkness broken only by strange lights and mysterious fires. Over the ages, monsters and evil forces have descended to the earth, compelling the surviving humans to take refuge in a great pyramid of imperishable metal built in a miles-deep chasm. The monsters surround the pyramid in a perpetual siege lasting for eons, waiting for the moment when its defenses will fail. But one man, born out of his time, must leave the pyramid to seek his long-lost love though all the perils of the Night Land.
**About the Author
James Stoddard’s debut novel, "The High House" won the Compton Crook Award for best Fantasy novel by a new author, placed in the Locus Top Ten for best SF/Fantasy book of the year, and was named one of five finalists for the Mythopoeic Award, an award given to works reflecting the spirit of the writing of C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and J.R.R. Tolkien. His short stories have appeared in prominent science fiction and fantasy magazines. "The Battle of York" was selected for inclusion in Eos Books’ "Year’s Best Science Fiction 10;" "The First Editions" appeared in the "Year’s Best Fantasy 9" anthology, published by Tor Books.