Very few of these early tales are known today, even to connoisseurs of the field. Although some have been reprinted in small editions by university and speciality presses, even those penned by the bestselling writers of their day often remain obscure to the scholars and historians of modern fantastic literature.

Finding descriptions of the books or information about the authors is difficult at best. Classics of Fantastic Literature provides nearly 200 essays about these early works, arranged alphabetically by author and then by title. Each entry includes bibliographical data, a detailed plot summary, and background information on the author, where appropriate. A comprehensive index provides complete access to the material.

Scholars and readers alike will welcome this new guide to the literature.