The most Marc Laidlaw stories ever assembled in one book… Known as co-creator of the blockbuster HALF-LIFE video game series, and veteran writer of the e-sports phenomenon Dota 2, Marc Laidlaw is primarily a writer of short stories—horror, fantasy, and science fiction. But while his work has appeared in many popular magazines and several landmark collections over the last 40 years, it has never been collected in any form until now. 51 stories. Over a quarter of a million words. This is, quite simply, the most Marc Laidlaw thing ever.

The incredible talents of Marc Laidlaw have brought us sharp-edged satire and edge-of-your-seat suspense, but nothing in the known world can prepare readers for the unsettling horror of The 37th Mandala. The mandalas spawn in the sickness of our souls. They have always been among us, unseen and uncalled. Those few occult masters who have encountered them have known to leave them alone. When a cynical New Age charlatan named Derek Crowe learns of them, he sees an opportunity for big bucks. All he needs to do is turn the mandalas into guardian spirits with a message of joy—and fortune will be his. And Derek’s success will be our undoing.