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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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After a month spent in the harsh, sun-drenched mountains, two skiers return to the valley, craving shade, cold beer, and the simplicity of everyday life. But the peace of the May morning is disrupted by an unusual encounter and a dark tale that slowly emerges through conversations in a rural inn. Where does the routine of life end, and where does the unease begin—an unease that not even the taste of a favorite drink can silence?
A sharp-tongued slice of the American Civil War from Ambrose Bierce, “An Affair of Outposts” follows a governor hungry for pageantry and a captain who’d rather find an honorable end than a patriotic slogan. When a skirmish in the Tennessee woods turns ugly, cool commands and brittle pride collide with the messy truth of battle, and loyalties - North, South, and personal - get tested the hard way. Bierce brings his trademark sting: soldiers who look like ghosts before they fall, politicians who love the review stand more than the rifle pit, and a hero whose heart isn’t in the cause but won’t step back from duty. It’s brisk, bitter, and oddly tender in flashes - the kind of war story that swaps brass-band romance for powder smoke and moral whiplash. Perfect for readers who like their historical fiction lean, unsentimental, and unnervingly modern.
In the small kingdom of Khauran, the beautiful and just Queen Taramis rules. However, her life is turned upside down when her twin sister, Salome, returns from exile to seize the throne. Salome, known as a witch, will stop at nothing to gain power. In this epic tale of betrayal, magic, and struggle for survival, Conan the Barbarian faces one of the toughest challenges of his career. Will he manage to save the kingdom and restore the rightful queen to the throne? "A Witch Shall Be Born" is an unforgettable journey into a world of sword and sorcery, where every step could be the last.
As their world sinks, they reach for the stars. On the brink of Atlantis's final cataclysm, two visionary brothers—Hotar and Evidon—abandon all hope of saving their dying world. In a gleaming, moonlike craft of their own design, they set course for Sfanomoë—Venus—drawn by dreams of escape and renewal. Their journey through the void is a triumph of science and imagination. But what awaits them on that distant, unearthly world is stranger and more wondrous than they could ever have foreseen…
In this intriguing tale by Ambrose Bierce, we meet a mysterious man who observes a silent army marching across the Stone River battlefield one moonlit night. His disorientation and unease grow as he tries to make sense of the reality around him. The story leads us through a series of enigmatic events, including an encounter with a country doctor who seems to know more than he's willing to reveal. "A Resumed Identity" is a masterfully constructed story about time, memory, and the mysteries of the past, where nothing is quite what it initially appears to be.
A Victim of Higher Space by Algernon Blackwood plunges readers into a riveting tale of Dr. John Silence, an enigmatic investigator of the extraordinary. When Racine Mudge, a peculiar and unnervingly thin gentleman, arrives at Dr. Silence’s doorstep, he brings with him a baffling plight tied to the very fabric of existence itself. As layers of this uncanny case unfold, the lines between dimensions blur, revealing a chilling reality beyond the grasp of human comprehension.
In a remote, snowbound military outpost, a taciturn major and his young orderly navigate a world where silence carries as much weight as gunfire. What begins as a casual conversation soon reveals unexpected, simmering tensions—are these innocent questions, or does something deeper lurk behind the major’s words? “A Simple Enquiry” offers a hushed but striking glimpse into the complexities of human connection under the shadow of war, where even the smallest gesture can harbor profound secrets.
A quiet landscape, a halted army, and a single rider who dares to cross into the unknown. As soldiers hold their breath on the edge of battle, one young officer steps forward — not with orders, but with purpose. Is it courage or madness? Ambrose Bierce, Civil War veteran and master of grim irony, delivers a haunting meditation on heroism, sacrifice, and the unfathomable cost of war. In this vivid and suspenseful tale, silence speaks louder than gunfire, and one man's ride becomes a legend.
On a remote island hidden beyond the trade routes, the crew of the Black Falcon discovers a strange, ancient vessel—an artifact from the ocean depths, perhaps even from fabled Atlantis. When the seal is broken and the scent of unknown spices fills the air, a feast begins—one unlike any they've ever known… and one they may never forget.
In the dark, untamed forests of Cheat Mountain, a young Federal officer stands watch, surrounded by the ghostly whispers of an endless night. His task is simple: protect his comrades from unseen foes. But as the shadows close in and the silence grows deafening, the line between reality and imagination begins to blur. What starts as a routine vigil soon spirals into a chilling confrontation with the supernatural—or perhaps the depths of his own mind.
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson are the most famous detective duo in the world. Like every story, theirs also has a beginning. Find out how their legend started. "A Study in Scarlet" is the beginning of the tale of Sherlock Holmes, whom we get to know through Dr. Watson - his faithful friend and the narrator. In this volume, Sherlock Holmes is asked by the police to help solve a mysterious murder. At Brixton Road, under number 3 Lauriston Gardens, the body of a man is found without any injuries or signs of robbery. The case becomes even more unusual with a mysterious ring and the word "RACHE" painted on the wall in blood. Will the world's most famous detective be able to unravel this mystery? Inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle created a series about Sherlock Holmes that has captivated people's imaginations worldwide for almost 150 years. "A Study in Scarlet" is the first volume of adventures featuring the brilliant and eccentric detective. The novel was first published in 1887 in "Beeton's Christmas Annual" and was later released as a book the following year.
According to S.T. Joshi, it is "probably Lovecraft's best humorous story". The tale was undoubtedly inspired by the lighthearted jokes made by Lovecraft's acquaintances in the amateur journalism association, who humorously claimed that he was born two centuries too late. Largely based on James Boswell's biography of the titular scholar, "The Life of Samuel Johnson", this story, written in 18th-century English, is a humorous narrative told by Littlewit, a 228-year-old poet (Lovecraft being 200 years younger at the time). Most of the anecdotes, enriched with fictional elements and the narrator's involvement, are directly taken from "The Life of Samuel Johnson". Although it is uncertain, the text may have been written even before "The Tomb" and "Dagon." The story was published in "United Amateur" under the pseudonym Humphry Littlewit, Esq., thus using the name of the narrator.
In the dark recesses of the province of Averoigne, where mists intertwine with legends, and night conceals secrets, vampires, witches, and ancient powers meet. In this tale full of intrigue and danger, heroes face a choice between light and darkness. Will love and courage be enough to survive this encounter in Averoigne?
William Campbell's life has become a frantic race against a burlesque troupe, a pursuit he's losing—badly. When his race comes crashing to a halt in chilly Kansas City, Campbell finds himself stranded in bed, comforted only by a bottle and a peculiar fascination with sheets. Hemingway’s sharp, understated prose crafts a compelling snapshot of a man teetering on the edge, struggling with his demons and finding solace in the strangest places. Darkly humorous and quietly profound, "A Pursuit Race" will linger long after the finish line is crossed.
"A Psychical Invasion" by Algernon Blackwood is a gripping tale about Dr. John Silence, an unconventional physician specializing in paranormal cases. When a concerned woman approaches him about her friend, Felix Pender, a once-successful humorist now crippled by a strange affliction, Silence is drawn into a mystery beyond ordinary medical explanation. Pender, who suddenly loses his ability to write and is overwhelmed by a terrifying presence in his home, faces a force that is slowly erasing his talent and will to live. Dr. Silence must confront powerful supernatural entities to save Pender's soul before it’s too late.
In the summer of 1874, William Jarrett, a New York businessman, chooses to return from Liverpool aboard the sailing vessel "Morrow". On board, he meets a mysterious English traveler, Janette Harford, who makes an inexplicable impression on him. What begins as an ordinary Atlantic crossing transforms into an extraordinary experience on the border between wakefulness and dreams, reality and the supernatural. In this captivating tale, Ambrose Bierce weaves together threads of family secrets, unexplained coincidences, and paranormal phenomena, raising questions about the nature of human consciousness and the boundaries between the possible and impossible.
In the haunting tale of "A Night in Malnéant," a nameless wanderer stumbles upon a city shrouded in mist and mystery. As he navigates its shadowy streets and encounters its solemn inhabitants, he discovers that the entire town is eerily preoccupied with the impending funeral of a woman named Mariel—a name that strikes terror into his heart. Tormented by memories of a love lost and a guilt that has followed him across time and space, he is drawn deeper into the city's labyrinth, where reality and nightmare blur. "A Night in Malnéant" is a chilling exploration of remorse, memory, and the inescapable grip of the past. Will the wanderer find peace, or will he be forever trapped in this spectral city of sorrow?
A Jug of Sirup by Ambrose Bierce | Can Such Things Be? | AudiobookIn the quiet village of Hillbrook, the passing of Silas Deemer, a well-respected merchant, should have been a somber yet routine affair. But when strange occurrences draw attention to his closed shop, whispers of the impossible ripple through the community. What begins as a curious incident soon spirals into a chilling mystery that shakes the townsfolk to their core.
A Horseman in the Sky by Ambrose Bierce | Short Story AudiobookIn the heart of the American Civil War, young soldier Carter Druse faces an impossible choice. As he awakens from sleep on his outpost, he spots a lone horseman, perfectly poised at the edge of a cliff—a soldier of the enemy. With his rifle trained, Carter must decide: should he kill the stranger and fulfill his duty, or will a far more personal truth make the shot impossible? In this gripping tale of war, honor, and heart-wrenching decisions, A Horseman in the Sky blurs the line between enemy and family.
A Martian Odyssey by Stanley G. Weinbaum | First Contact AudiobookFirst contact rarely goes like the brochures promise. When chemist Dick Jarvis of the Ares expedition is stranded on Mars, his slog across empty deserts and bone-cold nights becomes an odyssey through impossible ecologies and minds that don’t think like ours - plus one unforgettable traveling companion named Tweel.
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