The first bite is only the beginning.Twenty of today's favorite writers explore the intersections between the living, dead, and undead. Their vampire tales range from romantic to chilling to gleeful — and touch on nearly every emotion in between.Neil Gaiman's vampire-poet in "Bloody Sunrise" is brooding, remorseful, and lonely. Melissa Marr's vampires make a high-stakes game of possession and seduction in "Transition." And in "Why Light?" Tanith Lee's lovelorn vampires yearn most of all for the one thing they cannot have — daylight. Drawn from folk traditions around the world, popular culture, and original interpretations, the vampires in this collection are enticingly diverse.But reader beware: The one thing they have in common is their desire for blood.

The first bite is only the beginning.Twenty of today's favorite writers explore the intersections between the living, dead, and undead. Their vampire tales range from romantic to chilling to gleeful — and touch on nearly every emotion in between.Neil Gaiman's vampire-poet in "Bloody Sunrise" is brooding, remorseful, and lonely. Melissa Marr's vampires make a high-stakes game of possession and seduction in "Transition." And in "Why Light?" Tanith Lee's lovelorn vampires yearn most of all for the one thing they cannot have — daylight. Drawn from folk traditions around the world, popular culture, and original interpretations, the vampires in this collection are enticingly diverse.But reader beware: The one thing they have in common is their desire for blood.

IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT…For decades, the apocalypse and its aftermath have yielded some of the most exciting short stories of all time. From David Brin’s seminal “The Postman” to Hugh Howey’s “Deep Blood Kettle” and Tananarive Due’s prescient “Patient Zero,” the end of the world continues to thrill.This companion volume to the critically acclaimed WASTELANDS offers thirty of the finest examples of post-apocalyptic short fiction, with works by:Ann AguirreMegan ArkenbergPaolo BacigalupiChristopher BarzakLauren BeukesDavid BrinOrson Scott CardJunot DíazCory DoctorowTananarive DueToiya Kristen FinleyMilo James FowlerMaria Dahvana HeadleyHugh HoweyKeffy R. M. KehrliJake KerrNancy KressJoe R. LansdaleGeorge R. R. MartinJack McDevittSeanan McGuireMaureen F. McHughD. Thomas MintonRudy Rucker & Bruce SterlingRamsey ShehadehRobert SilverbergRachel SwirskyGenevieve ValentineJames Van PeltChristie YantAward-winning editor John Joseph Adams has once again assembled a who’s who of short fiction, and the result is nothing short of mind-blowing.