Carrion Comfort Dan Simmons

A tale of survival, power and the unyielding fight against darkness, Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons explores the depths of human nature—and its capacity for both destruction and hope.

Saul Laski is trapped in the horrors of the Chelmno extermination camp, a cog in the monstrous machinery of Hitler’s Final Solution. But in the shadow of unimaginable human cruelty, Saul confronts a force that operates on an entirely different plane of terror—an ancient evil that thrives in the chaos of history’s darkest moments.

Driven to survive at any cost, Saul embarks on a harrowing journey through decades of history, uncovering the chilling truth about a secret society lurking behind the world’s most horrific events. These shadowy beings, wielding an uncanny psychic power, manipulate humanity from the inside. They infiltrate minds, bend wills, and feed off emotions, compelling others to commit acts of unthinkable violence. Each year, three of their most formidable members convene to orchestrate their campaign of chaos and bloodshed. But this year, something has gone wrong. Saul’s relentless pursuit has brought him to the heart of their conspiracy, setting the stage for a confrontation that will expose humanity’s darkest instincts. As the stakes rise, the ultimate battle between predator and prey unfolds, threatening the very future of the world.

First published by Dark Harvest in 1989, Dan Simmons received universal praise from his contemporaries and peers for Carrion Comfort. Stephen King claimed, “Carrion Comfort is one of the three greatest horror novels of the 20th century. Simple as that.” Guillermo del Toro has also named the novel as one of his favorites, proclaiming, “Epic in scale and scope but intimately disturbing, Carrion Comfort spans the ages to rewrite history and tug at the very fabric of reality. A nightmarish chronicle of predator and prey that will shatter your world view forever. A true classic.” James Rollins stated, “Carrion Comfort is one of the scariest books ever written. Whenever I get the question asked Who’s your favorite author? my answer is always Dan Simmons,” while David Morrell writes, “Carrion Comfort is one of the few major reinventions of the vampire concept, on a par with Jack Finney’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend, and Stephen King’s ’Salem’s Lot.”

Carrion Comfort won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel, the Locus Poll Award for Best Horror Novel and the August Derleth Award for Best Novel.

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About the Editions

Our edition of Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons is presented in three states: Artist, Numbered and Lettered. The editions measure 6” x 9” and feature twelve full color oil painting illustrations by Kai Lun Qu, as well as an introduction by Dan Simmons from the 20th Anniversary edition. The text is set in Linotype Fairfield, with Antina for display, and is printed by offset lithography with a spot color on all section and chapter pages. Interior design & typography by award-winning designer Jason Dewinetz. The editions are printed on Cougar Natural and Mohawk Superfine, and are published in two volumes each.

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A Note on the Typography

The type for this edition was selected out of a desire to balance a fine press typographical approach for the text, with a genre-specific aesthetic for the display type. Linotype Fairfield, designed by Alex Kaczun and Rudolf Ruzicka was chosen due to its classic, highly readable serif design, which complements the fine press sensibilities of the edition. Its timeless elegance allows the intricate narrative to unfold without distraction, while providing a solid foundation for immersive reading.

In contrast, Antina by type designer Tony Di Spigna was chosen for the display type, perfectly capturing the horror and thriller elements central to the story. Its sharp, elongated forms evoke a sense of unease and tension, reflecting the novel’s dark, supernatural themes, and the vampire aesthetic. Together, these typefaces create a balance between traditional typography and the genre-specific demands of science fiction and horror.

The Artist edition is published in two volumes and is limited to 750 copies with a dust jacket illustrated by Kai Lun Qu. The jacket illustration is designed to create a continuous image across the front covers of each volume. It is a full cloth binding with a foil blocked cover and Rainbow paper endsheets. Signed by Kai Lun Qu, the edition is housed in a cloth covered slipcase and is printed offset on Cougar Natural.

The Numbered edition of 250 copies is a handbound Bradel binding with a goatskin spine. The boards are covered in black Mulberry paper, also known as Kozo paper. It is made from the inner bark fibers of the kozo tree. Cotton strings randomly crisscross each other and subtle water dimpling appears between the strings, created during the handmade process. The strings in the paper are symbolic of the invisible threads of control exercised by the “mind vampires” in the story who control others by manipulating their thoughts and actions. The cover features a foil blocked leather label.

The edition is printed by offset lithography on Mohawk Superfine and is published in two volumes with a tipped in fold-out of the Artist edition dust jacket art. It is housed in a cloth covered clamshell enclosure with velour lined trays and a foil blocked leather spine label. This state is signed by Dan Simmons and Kai Lun Qu.

The Lettered edition is limited to 26 copies and is a full goatskin binding with laser cut American Holly veneer squares inset into the cover. This chessboard motif echoes the literal and metaphorical chess games played by the manipulators in the novel. Endsheets are paste papers custom made for this edition by renowned paste paper artist Marie Kelzer. Head & tail bands are handmade with leather.

The edition is printed by offset lithography on Mohawk Superfine and is published in two volumes with a tipped in fold-out of the Artist edition dust jacket art. It is housed in a cloth covered clamshell enclosure with velour lined trays. The cloth is Dubletta, a woven cotton fabric with a matte surface and a two-tone look. This state is signed by Dan Simmons and Kai Lun Qu.

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Matching Numbers & Letters

A Matching Pre-Order email is sent to owners of our previous publication (Gormenghast) at 9:00 A.M. PT on the day of announcement. If you did not receive the email, contact us here. If your order is not received before the deadline, your designated number or letter will be assigned to the new owner.

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Order Limits

Please be aware of the order limits for our editions. You can read more about this in the Order Limits article on our support site.

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Ten of Twelve Illustrations by Kai Lun Qu