Let the Old Dreams Die

A classic short story collection from the writer called Sweden's Stephen King that continues the breathtaking story begun in the internationally acclaimed classic Let the Right One InBecause of the two superb films made of John Ajvide Lindqvist's vampire masterpiece Let the Right One In, millions of people around the world know the story of Oskar and Eli and of their final escape from Blackeberg at the end of the novel. Now at last, in "Let the Old Dreams Die," the title story in this absolutely stunning collection, we get a glimpse of what happened next to the pair. Fans of Let the Right One In will have to read the story, which is destined to generate much word of mouth both among fans and online."Let the Old Dreams Die" is not the only stunner in this collection. In "Final Processing," Lindqvist also reveals the next chapter in the lives of the characters he created in Handling the Undead. "Equinox" is a story of a woman who takes care of her neighbor's house while they are away and readers will never forget what she finds in the house. Every story meets the very high standard of excellence and fright factor that Lindqvist fans have come to expect. Totally transcending genre writing, these are world class stories from possibly the most impressive horror writer writing today.

From Publishers Weekly

In Lindqvist&'s commendable first short-fiction collection, people often are not what they seem, usually to a horrifying degree. The Border tells of a customs agent whose relationship with a suspected smuggler uncovers extraordinary truths about the agent&'s heritage. The celebrities whom a paparazzo photographer thinks he is snapping in Itsy Bitsy reveal pedigrees that are as eerie as they are inexplicable. A drowning victim who dies but is resuscitated in Eternal/Love comes back to his lover as something else, although still in human form. In addition to these tales of deceptive identities and their unsettling natures, the book features Final Processing, a sequel to Handling the Undead, and the title tale, a sequel to Let the Right One In that riffs poignantly on that novel&'s romantic relationship between a young boy and a vampire girl. Segerberg&'s translation is murky in places, but the originality of Lindqvist&'s ideas shines through. (Oct.)

From Booklist

Lindqvist’s short stories pack the same emotional punch as his novels. This collection includes sequels to two of his best-known works, Let the Right One In and Handling the Undead. Both are pleasing, if frightening, epilogues to their respective stories. Aside from those, there are atmospheric tales of people with strange origins and things to hide in The Border, urban monsters in A Village in the Sky, and the terrible thing a woman finds while house-sitting in Equinox. There’s also Eternal/Love, which explores the true horror of immortal love. Suffice it to say—this is only a small sampling of the stories presented here—that Lindqvist’s short pieces are terribly effective horror fiction, both in the sense of being deeply unnerving and rarely safe to read any night, and also in the sense of exploring the hidden, shadowy facets of human emotional lives. These are excellent examples of the form, and well worth reading—just not alone in a cold, dark house. --Regina Schroeder

New York Post on Little Star

“Dubbed the Stephen King of Sweden, Lindqvist lives up to the billing with a chilling tale of two teenage girls who team up as a terrifying singing duo bent on revenge against anyone who has ever crossed them.”

MTV.com on Little Star

“A future horror classic and a firm pronouncement that John Ajvide Lindqvist is a force to reckoned with. Brilliant. A true horror story.”

BloodyDisgusting.com on Little Star

“As good a horror novel as I've read all year...Truly establishes Lindqvist as a horror heavyweight. Intermittently touching, disturbing, and horrifying.”

Daily Mirror (UK) on Harbor

“Sweden's answer to Stephen King.”

About the Author

JOHN AJVIDE LINDQVIST is the author of Handling the Undead, Harbor, and Little Star. Let the Right One In has been made into critically acclaimed films in both Sweden and the US. The Swedish filmwon top honors at sixteen film festivals around the globe. Stephen King called the American remake, titled Let Me In, "A genre-busting triumph. Not just a horror film, but the best American horror film in the last twenty years."

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