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Welcome to Gates of Imagination - where classic tales get a second life through your headphones! 🎧 Ever wanted to experience Lovecraft's cosmic horrors while doing the dishes? Or maybe dive into Wells' time-traveling adventures during your morning commute? Well, you're in the right place! We're bringing public domain masterpieces straight to your ears, focusing on the weird, the wonderful, and everything in between. Here's the best part: all our audiobooks are completely FREE and unabridged - because who likes paying for stories that are already in the public domain? Plus, you get the full experience, exactly as the author intended! New stories materialize every weekday, bringing you fresh doses of literary greatness to fuel your imagination. So plug in those earbuds and join our growing community of audiobook enthusiasts. After all, these stories weren't meant to gather dust on library shelves - they were meant to be experienced!
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In the Valley of Nis, where moonlight barely pierces through dense foliage, lies a mystery of a long-forgotten civilization. Among ancient palace ruins, beneath moss and ivy, an enigmatic dialogue unfolds between the Daemon of Memory and the Moon's Genie about the mysterious race that built these monumental structures. In this poetic tale, H.P. Lovecraft weaves a melancholic narrative about the transience of human greatness, where present and past intertwine into an unsettling whole.
In the spring of 1919, New York City bursts with victory parades, glittering parties, and the illusion of prosperity. But beneath the surface, returning soldiers, fallen aristocrats, and restless idealists drift through a world that no longer fits them. Over the course of a single night, lives intertwine in unexpected ways—exposing the fragile dreams, hidden desperation, and haunting disillusionment of a generation caught between glory and ruin.
Lieutenant Herman Brayle was the kind of soldier one never forgets—tall, striking, and always fearless under fire. His bravery bordered on defiance, earning both admiration and quiet concern from his fellow officers. In the chaos of the Civil War, his choices stand out—but when the moment of truth arrives, his final act speaks louder than any battle cry. Ambrose Bierce weaves a haunting tale of war, pride, and the subtle line between courage and recklessness. Can a single letter seal a man’s fate?
In the mysterious mansion of Mr. Abney, the hearts of vanished children continue to beat. Young Stephen must uncover the macabre secret behind this phenomenon before he becomes the next victim. Can love and revenge endure beyond the grave? M.R. James’s “Lost Hearts” weaves a chilling tale where mystery and the occult intertwine in unforgettable ways. Will Stephen unravel the enigma and save his own heart? Find out! 🌑🖤 .
At John Mortonson's funeral, everything goes as expected—mourners offer condolences, the minister delivers his eulogy, and the widow weeps over her loss. But as the final notes of the hymn fade away, something happens that makes everyone recoil in horror. Ambrose Bierce, master of macabre and irony, invites you to a funeral that will not soon be forgotten…
In a bustling Kansas cattle town, Steve Allison - known as the Sonora Kid - finds himself in deadly peril. As a trail boss responsible for delivering a massive sum of money back to the ranch, he becomes entangled in a dangerous conspiracy. When the town fills with hostile buffalo hunters and violence hangs in the air, the Kid must face not only brutal adversaries but also uncover who's really behind the plot on his life. Robert E. Howard, the creator of Conan the Barbarian, delivers a gripping tale of betrayal, violence, and justice in the wild world of the American frontier.
The unlucky traveler loses his way and ends up at a dilapidated estate. The owner of the property tells him the story of when, in his youth, he brought his wife back from a trip to France. The woman brought ruin to the household and its residents. No one knew what she truly was.
The tale of a negligent and lazy village gravedigger who receives a harsh lesson and realizes that diligent fulfillment of duties pays off. The idea for the story was sent to Lovecraft by C. W. Smith, the publisher of the magazine "The Tryout" (in which the text was first published – the last case when Lovecraft's story would appear first in an amateur newspaper). The publisher of "Weird Tales" rejected the story, even though it seemed tailor-made for the magazine's undemanding readership. The likely reason for this reluctance was the macabre nature of the text, which dealt with the deceased, and it was precisely because of such themes in one of Lovecraft's stories that "Weird Tales" had problems with the authorities."
"Markheim" is a dark tale of crime, mysteries, and the choices that shape our destinies. In an antique shop on Christmas Eve in London, Markheim commits a dreadful act – murder. But is it just an ordinary crime? Or is there something more hidden behind it? When a mysterious man appears in the shop, Markheim must make a decision that will change his life forever. Will he choose light or darkness? Find out for yourself in this intriguing story of sin and temptation.
A snappy backwoods romp: Jemina Tantrum runs a hidden still in the Kentucky hills until a smooth-talking outsider stirs up her world of feuds and moonshine. Fitzgerald winks at every frontier cliché- guns, grudges, and a spark of mischief - spinning them into a cheeky, fast-moving tale with surprising warmth.
John Bartine owns a watch—an old, heavy timepiece passed down through generations of his family. It’s just a watch, right? And yet, every night, he feels an irresistible urge to check it… and every time, a creeping sense of dread takes hold. Especially as the hands near eleven. Is it just superstition? Or is something far more sinister ticking beneath the golden case?
In the heart of mythical Hyborian Africa, Conan the Cimmerian sets out in search of the legendary Jewels of Gwahlur, hidden in the ancient city of Alkmeenon. In this tale full of intrigue and danger, Conan must face cunning adversaries, treacherous priests, and supernatural guardians of the treasure. Will he manage to obtain the priceless jewels, or will he be defeated by the forces that protect the secrets of Alkmeenon? "Jewels of Gwahlur" is a classic tale of adventure, betrayal, and relentless struggle for survival.
Set in a future where humanity is colonizing planets across the Solar System, the story follows a soldier stationed on Venus. Tasked with recovering a crystal of vital strategic importance, he soon finds himself caught in a trap laid by the planet’s native, lizard-like inhabitants — a deadly labyrinth of invisible walls. The original version of the story, written by the young Kenneth Sterling (based on the idea from Edmond Hamilton's story "The Monster-God of Mamurth"), was half as long. Lovecraft rewrote the work, preserving as many original elements as possible. The writers adorned "In the Walls of Eryx" with playful references to known individuals in their surroundings (for example, "effjay weeds and slimy ackmanths" are references to the disliked Forrest J Ackerman).
A man seeking peace in a Parisian church encounters something far more sinister. During the service, he notices a mysterious, pale figure with a dark, menacing gaze that seems to be following him. Soon, reality begins to blur as he’s drawn into a nightmare filled with haunting visions and unanswered questions. Forced to confront his deepest fears, he slowly realizes that some forces cannot be escaped… especially when they lead him to the fabled gates of Carcosa.
Ebony and Crystal is a dreamlike journey through beauty, terror, longing, and wonder. In these poems, Clark Ashton Smith weaves visions of forgotten worlds, impossible cities, ancient gods, and loves that burn long after time itself has faded. His language shimmers with sensuality and cosmic dread, moving effortlessly from intimate emotion to vast, otherworldly landscapes.
Explorer and scientist Elstead embarks on an extraordinary mission - to become the first person to descend five miles beneath the ocean's surface in a specially constructed steel sphere. Despite his companions' skepticism, he believes in the success of his bold experiment. However, what he discovers in the dark depths will surpass his wildest imagination and forever change our understanding of the underwater world. In this classic tale, H.G. Wells combines adventure with science fiction, taking readers on a fascinating journey to places where no human has ever ventured before.
In the autumn streets of Milan, where cold winds descend from the mountains and electric lights pierce the early darkness, we meet a group of young officers trying to rebuild their lives after their front-line experiences. Every afternoon, they gather at an old, beautiful hospital for rehabilitation, where under the guidance of a Major - once Italy's greatest fencer - they attempt to restore function to their wounded bodies.
Setting out on a peaceful journey through the mystical hills of Hind Head, the protagonist is unprepared for an encounter that will forever alter his view of reality. What begins as a moment of solitude and reflection transforms into a series of unsettling events, culminating in a strange meeting with three enigmatic children whose actions seem almost supernatural. In Gibbet Hill by Bram Stoker, beauty and dread intertwine as nature's grandeur meets the darkest corners of the human spirit, leaving no one untouched.
Herbert West is a brilliant but disturbing scientist who has dedicated his life to conquering death itself. Together with his assistant, he conducts increasingly dangerous experiments, attempting to revive the deceased through a specially formulated serum. His obsessive quest for fresh corpses takes him from university halls through the battlefields of World War I to the darkest corners of Boston. With each new experiment, West descends deeper into madness, unaware that his own creations might one day return to haunt him.
“Gods of the North” (also known as “The Frost Giant’s Daughter” or "The Frost King’s Daughter") is one of Robert E. Howard’s earliest Conan stories. Set in the icy lands of Nordheim in the far north, it follows Conan, a young warrior from Cimmeria, as he becomes the sole survivor of a battle. Amidst the snowy landscape, he encounters the beautiful, naked daughter of Ymir, Atali, who tries to seduce him. The tale is rich with vivid descriptions and Howard’s masterful prose, though unfortunately, it is too short. It’s not just a story of swordplay and strategy; it also showcases Conan’s bardic and storytelling skills.
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