RORY HUGHES - WRITER, JOURNALIST

New novel, Theseus 34, out now

Theseus 34 by the writer, Rory Hughes

Theseus 34 follows the twisted trials of a nameless man hired to research the depths of human desire for a dark web organisation. The disappearance of his partner leads him down a path of confusion and horror, a journey mirroring Theseus’s through the labyrinth. Pornography, morality, mythology, mind control and every fetish imaginable all play a part in his descent; and as the sinister intentions of the organisation become clearer, so his grasp on reality becomes weaker.

'dense, disturbing, intensely intelligent and crams more styles and sensations into one book than even Joyce managed in Ulysses'

- Simon Whitechapel

'A breathtaking descent into a digital urban hell'

- Sirius Reviews

'An extraordinary writer'

- Charles Pinch, Senior Editor at Fleas on the Dog zine'

'A striking piece of work'

- John Trefry, author of Plats'

'Kafka for the 21st century'

- Sebastian Vice, Outcast Press'

'Probably the darkest novel we've published.'

- D.M. Mitchell (co-founder of Incunbula Media])

'Buy this book before it gets banned!'

- D.M. Mitchell (co-founder of Incunbula Media)

'Hughes's chilling examination of the depths to which we can descend when consumed by our cravings is a haunting portrayal of the human capacity for self-destruction'

- Lasha Bolkvadze

Full review by Simon Whitechapel

About the Author

A photo of the writer and journalist, Rory Hughes, author of Theseus 34

Rory Hughes is a Croydon-based writer, journalist and commercial fisherman. His transgressive novel, Theseus 34 was released through Incunabula Media in 2024, and has been described as "a breathtaking descent into a digital urban hell", and by Incunabula Media co-founder D.M. Mitchell as "the darkest [novel] I've ever published

His challenging short stories have appeared in publications such as BlazeVOX, Angel Rust, Fleas on the Dog, A Thin Slice of Anxiety, The Rye Whiskey Review, Vine Leaves Press, Literally Stories and Horror Sleaze Trash.

He is the reviews/feature editor for underground music zine Astral Noize, writing album and live reviews, features and interviews; as a guitarist and producer, he has been releasing electronic, noise, rock and metal music since 2007 and is the founder of experimental music label Sun Hole Records.

A photo of the writer and journalist, Rory Hughes, author of Theseus 34 A photo of the writer and journalist, Rory Hughes, author of Theseus 34 A photo of the writer and journalist, Rory Hughes, author of Theseus 34

Other Titles

Scape by the writer, Rory Hughes

A collection of surreal, hallucinogenic and highly questionable short stories and poetry. The short stories were originally chapters for a novella, Scape, that was scrapped in 2015

Short Stories

Short and Flash Fiction

  • ‘It Was Like You Saw the Devil in Something and Just Kept Going’ (Literally Stories, 2022)
  • ‘The Lad’ (Angel Rust Magazine, 2022)
  • The Whiskey Sour (Fleas on the Dog, 2022)
  • ‘Chameleons’ (BlazeVOX, 2022)
  • 'See Yourself’ (Horror Sleaze Trash, 2022)
  • ‘Deicide’ (The Squawk Back, 2023)
  • ‘The Glazier’ (A Thin Slice of Anxiety, 2023)
  • ‘Lemonade Hair’ (The Rye Whiskey Review, 2023)
  • ‘Burker’ (A Thin Slice of Anxiety, 2023)
  • ‘Loathsome’ (Horror Sleaze Trash, 2023)
  • The Four Horsemen (Fleas on the Dog, 2023)
  • ‘The Grind’ (BlazeVOX, 2024)
  • ‘The Man Was Red’ (Urban Pigs Press, 2024)
  • Microfiction

  • ‘Angel’ (50 Give and Take, 2022)
  • ‘Portrait’ (50 Give and Take, 2022)
  • Articles

  • Streams of Blood: Is Spotify CEO Daniel Ek to Join the Ranks of Corporate Murderers? (2022)
  • Interviews

    Interview with Editor Charles Pinch
    Discussing the publication of Hughes's short story, 'The Whiskey Sour', in Fleas on the Dog, Issue 12