A masterpiece of modern Gothic literature, Something Wicked This Way Comes is the memorable story of two boys, James Nightshade and William Halloway, and the evil that grips their small Midwestern town with the arrival of a "dark carnival" one Autumn midnight. How these two innocents, both age 13, save the souls of the town (as well as their own), makes for compelling reading on timeless themes. What would you do if your secret wishes could be granted by the mysterious ringmaster Mr. Dark? Bradbury excels in revealing the dark side that exists in us all, teaching us ultimately to celebrate the shadows rather than fear them. In many ways, this is a companion piece to his joyful, nostalgia-drenched Dandelion Wine, in which Bradbury presented us with one perfect summer as seen through the eyes of a 12-year-old. In Something Wicked This Way Comes, he deftly explores the fearsome delights of one perfectly terrifying, unforgettable autumn. --Stanley Wiater


From Library Journal
Something Wicked is Avon's latest installment in its ongoing series of reprints of Bradbury's works in quality yet affordable hardcover editions. Appearing in 1962, this is the story of a diabolical carnival that wreaks havoc on the lives of the people of a small Illinois town, much like the one in which Bradbury grew up. This edition also sports a new afterword by the author. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The carnival rolls in sometime after midnight, ushering in Halloween a week early. The shrill siren song of a calliope beckons to all with a seductive promise of dreams and youth regained. In this season of dying, Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show has come to Green Town, Illinois, to destry every life touched by its strange and sinistery mystery. And two boys will discover the secret of its smoke, mazes, and mirrors; two friends who will soon know all to weel the heavy cost of wishes... and the stuff of nightmare.

FROM THE CRITICS

Chicago Tribune

"Ray Bradbury can evoke nostalgia for a mythic, golden past or raise goosebumps with tales of horror... He is very good at what he does."

Portland Oregonian

"A master... Bradburyhas a style all his own, much imitated but never matched."

Flint Journal

"Bradbuy crosses over the ines that divide various genres... His true vocation is that of spinning yarns, some fanciful, others morbid, and yet others laced with an undeniable sense of hope."

Nashville Tennessean

"In literary circles, Ray Bradbury can validly be called a living legend... Since he was eight years old, he wanted to become amagician. And that's what he is."

Time