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The Weiser Book of Horror and the Occult: Hidden Magic, Occult Truths, and the Stories That Started It All
Frightful fiction by masters from Lovecraft to Stoker to Crowley to Poe.
Packed with stories selected and introduced by one of todays leading esoteric scholars, this book will do more than make your toes curl and your skin crawl. These tales reveal hidden truths and forbidden pursuits, and divulge the secrets of magical initiation. Covering topics from rituals to hauntings to the Devil himself, this one-of-a-kind volume includes selections from:
Aleister Crowley * Ambrose Bierce * Arthur Machen *Edgar Allan Poe * Robert W. Chambers * Ralph Adams Cram * H.P. Lovecraft * Dion Fortune * Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton *Bram Stoker
As Lon Milo DuQuette writes in his introduction, horror takes its time. It creeps in, seeps in, and lingers. These stories will stay with you, biting at your heels from the shadows. Don’t say we didn’t warn you…
Packed with stories selected and introduced by one of todays leading esoteric scholars, this book will do more than make your toes curl and your skin crawl. These tales reveal hidden truths and forbidden pursuits, and divulge the secrets of magical initiation. Covering topics from rituals to hauntings to the Devil himself, this one-of-a-kind volume includes selections from:
Aleister Crowley * Ambrose Bierce * Arthur Machen *Edgar Allan Poe * Robert W. Chambers * Ralph Adams Cram * H.P. Lovecraft * Dion Fortune * Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton *Bram Stoker
As Lon Milo DuQuette writes in his introduction, horror takes its time. It creeps in, seeps in, and lingers. These stories will stay with you, biting at your heels from the shadows. Don’t say we didn’t warn you…
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2014
140 people are currently reading
831 people want to read
About the author
Lon Milo DuQuette
126 books505 followersLon Milo DuQuette is an American singer-song writer, author, lecturer, and occultist, best known as an author who applies humor in the field of Western Hermeticism.
Born in Long Beach, California and raised in Columbus, Nebraska, he was an aspiring studio musician and recording artist in the 1970s, releasing two singles and an album, Charley D. and Milo, on the Epic Records label.
He married to his high school sweetheart, Constance Jean Duquette. They live in Costa Mesa, California and have one son, Jean-Paul.
Since 1975 he has been a National and International governing officer of Ordo Templi Orientis, a religious and fraternal organization founded in the early part of the 20th century. Since 1996 he has been the O.T.O.'s United States Deputy Grand Master and one of the most visible members of the Order. He is also an Archbishop of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, the ecclesiastical arm of O.T.O.
Born in Long Beach, California and raised in Columbus, Nebraska, he was an aspiring studio musician and recording artist in the 1970s, releasing two singles and an album, Charley D. and Milo, on the Epic Records label.
He married to his high school sweetheart, Constance Jean Duquette. They live in Costa Mesa, California and have one son, Jean-Paul.
Since 1975 he has been a National and International governing officer of Ordo Templi Orientis, a religious and fraternal organization founded in the early part of the 20th century. Since 1996 he has been the O.T.O.'s United States Deputy Grand Master and one of the most visible members of the Order. He is also an Archbishop of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, the ecclesiastical arm of O.T.O.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 6, 2014
The first thing you should know about this anthology of short fiction written in the late 19th and early 20th centuries is that “horror” of that time period does not in any way resemble horror of the modern era. Despite offerings from several, like H. P. Lovecraft and Poe, who are considered early masters of the genre, I didn’t find these stories particularly horrific. In fact, more than once I reached the end of a story and wondered where the plot had disappeared to and what was supposed to be the big deal. Much of the action revolves around people (generally men) in positions of privilege encountering things outside their experience. While the very idea of such things existing might have been cause for chills during the Victorian era, it falls flat today, when writers in all genres routinely push the boundaries of what we consider possible. The expository style of the time unfortunately renders what could be fascinating rather dry, and the intellectual tone of most of the stories creates such a disconnect between mind and spirit in the reader that it’s hard to care about the characters. At least, it had that effect on me.
The second thing to bear in mind is that the stories included have only the most tenuous relationship to “the occult.” Three of the featured authors, Aleister Crowley, Arthur Machen, and Dion Fortune, were indeed practicing occultists. Another, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, had ties to the spiritualist movement. But though the editor claims the rest also were linked with anything from The Rosicrucians to The Golden Dawn, I could find nothing in my own research to substantiate this. The subjects of the stories themselves run the gamut from hauntings, to curses, to telepathy, alchemy, and reanimation—all standard tropes, but again, nothing I consider especially occult.
I do not recommend reading the introduction if you appreciate good writing. I myself would rather bang my head repeatedly against a brick wall than go through that again. It’s written in what I guess DuQuette imagines is an imitation of the authors he admires, and it’s so full of hyperbole that I wondered if he intended self-parody. Or maybe he meant to emulate Tales from the Crypt. In the end I concluded that he actually took himself seriously. Do yourself a favor and skip it.
A major oversight in my opinion was that, of thirteen stories, only two were written by women. Since I’m active in a community which promotes women writers of horror, I can assure you that there were plenty of women writing in the genre from the 18th century on, and most of them wrote better than the authors collected in this book. There’s no excuse these days for such imbalance, and it's one of my major problem with Modern Occultism and Esotericism.
I've never heard of the editor before, though he looks like a nice guy and he seems to be respected in Occult circles. I found the way he fawned over some of the authors he included distasteful, and his limited view irritated me. I guess if you're extremely fond of writers like Lovecraft and Poe (I'm not) you will probably enjoy this book, bearing in mind that it is a narrow sample of what's available. Otherwise, give it a miss.
The second thing to bear in mind is that the stories included have only the most tenuous relationship to “the occult.” Three of the featured authors, Aleister Crowley, Arthur Machen, and Dion Fortune, were indeed practicing occultists. Another, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, had ties to the spiritualist movement. But though the editor claims the rest also were linked with anything from The Rosicrucians to The Golden Dawn, I could find nothing in my own research to substantiate this. The subjects of the stories themselves run the gamut from hauntings, to curses, to telepathy, alchemy, and reanimation—all standard tropes, but again, nothing I consider especially occult.
I do not recommend reading the introduction if you appreciate good writing. I myself would rather bang my head repeatedly against a brick wall than go through that again. It’s written in what I guess DuQuette imagines is an imitation of the authors he admires, and it’s so full of hyperbole that I wondered if he intended self-parody. Or maybe he meant to emulate Tales from the Crypt. In the end I concluded that he actually took himself seriously. Do yourself a favor and skip it.
A major oversight in my opinion was that, of thirteen stories, only two were written by women. Since I’m active in a community which promotes women writers of horror, I can assure you that there were plenty of women writing in the genre from the 18th century on, and most of them wrote better than the authors collected in this book. There’s no excuse these days for such imbalance, and it's one of my major problem with Modern Occultism and Esotericism.
I've never heard of the editor before, though he looks like a nice guy and he seems to be respected in Occult circles. I found the way he fawned over some of the authors he included distasteful, and his limited view irritated me. I guess if you're extremely fond of writers like Lovecraft and Poe (I'm not) you will probably enjoy this book, bearing in mind that it is a narrow sample of what's available. Otherwise, give it a miss.
Read
December 15, 2020A decent starter pack if you're interested in early to interwar occult stories. Not the Chambers I'd have chosen, and The Testament of Magdalen Blair is a crushing bore.
January 25, 2015
I received a copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway and was excited to read it. The book contains several famous names (Poe, Lovecraft, Stoker, Doyle) and a lot of other authors from the late 1800s and early 1900s. My favorite story in the book was from Aleister Crowley (turn of the century) with The Testament of Magdelan Blair in which the narrator takes us into the mind of a dying man and travels beyond the grave. It was also great to read the early work by Lovecraft (written as a teenager) and A Dream of Red Hands by Bram Stoker. DuQuette chose a nice range of stories to include and introduced authors with a succinct biography. It is clear that he has a passion for the genera and communicates that well.
As noted by several other reviewers, I wouldn't really classify these works as "horror" in the modern sense of the word. Quite a few of the tales fall into the trope of "scientists comes around to believing in the occult", though keeping in mind that these are really the forerunners of this trope help. The most that can be said about some of them is that they are "eerie" or "odd"...not particularly horror. Further, from the introductions of authors, it seems that most, if not all, of them were evidently members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a 19th century magician's society.
On an unrelated note - it would be nice if the Goodreads page for this book would include all of the authors as "contributing author" rather than simply listing DuQuette. I would like to be able to quickly click to the GR page of the individual authors.
As noted by several other reviewers, I wouldn't really classify these works as "horror" in the modern sense of the word. Quite a few of the tales fall into the trope of "scientists comes around to believing in the occult", though keeping in mind that these are really the forerunners of this trope help. The most that can be said about some of them is that they are "eerie" or "odd"...not particularly horror. Further, from the introductions of authors, it seems that most, if not all, of them were evidently members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a 19th century magician's society.
On an unrelated note - it would be nice if the Goodreads page for this book would include all of the authors as "contributing author" rather than simply listing DuQuette. I would like to be able to quickly click to the GR page of the individual authors.
November 13, 2014
First off, I have to mention (by the rules) that I received a copy of this book through a giveaway Weiser hosted on GoodReads.com
With my reading being halfway taken with literature textbooks, this book fits in perfectly. The set-up is a short introduction of the author and then a key piece of literature by them in the horror genre with occult tones but not focused in one movement (Realism, Naturalism, Gothic, etc). Going through the book made me wish more of these stories had made into the Norton Anthologies of English and American Literature because they add so much more depth the literary movements covered. Not including the horror elements through all literary movements makes the subjects covered in classes very bland. The only hint of horror is the study of the Gothic movement in a short section. While this text doesn't go into the movements of the time they were written, there are mentions of the periods.
This text is going on my literature study shelf. Aside from the occult tones, which is often overlooked when talking about spiritualism that inspired society, the horror aspects are additions to what inspired authors outside of the mainstream. Many studies in literary movements forget the darker aspects of human life and works. In this collection, you'll find a contemporary to Louisa May Alcott who wrote horror and was a lead female author often overlooked. Included is also a story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle of Sherlock fame.
With my reading being halfway taken with literature textbooks, this book fits in perfectly. The set-up is a short introduction of the author and then a key piece of literature by them in the horror genre with occult tones but not focused in one movement (Realism, Naturalism, Gothic, etc). Going through the book made me wish more of these stories had made into the Norton Anthologies of English and American Literature because they add so much more depth the literary movements covered. Not including the horror elements through all literary movements makes the subjects covered in classes very bland. The only hint of horror is the study of the Gothic movement in a short section. While this text doesn't go into the movements of the time they were written, there are mentions of the periods.
This text is going on my literature study shelf. Aside from the occult tones, which is often overlooked when talking about spiritualism that inspired society, the horror aspects are additions to what inspired authors outside of the mainstream. Many studies in literary movements forget the darker aspects of human life and works. In this collection, you'll find a contemporary to Louisa May Alcott who wrote horror and was a lead female author often overlooked. Included is also a story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle of Sherlock fame.
March 20, 2015
This is a collection of classic Gothic stories, some of which I'd read before, and all by excellent authors so what's not to like? I also actually enjoyed the intro by the editor where he talks about the day he first discovered horror in a book of Poe stories while a miserable 9-year-old uprooted from California to Nebraska in the 1950s. That day he not only discovered horror but started searching for his own writing voice, which is pretty great.
October 28, 2017
This is a collection of the very best spooky stories with occult flavors. Each story is a perfect gem chosen from the work of the selected masterful storyteller.
I loved every minute spent in this “other” world. I’m so sad now that it’s done.
But I have a new list if authors and I’ve launched my quest to seek them out and read more of their work!
Excellent!
I loved every minute spent in this “other” world. I’m so sad now that it’s done.
But I have a new list if authors and I’ve launched my quest to seek them out and read more of their work!
Excellent!
July 20, 2024
If you're like me, reading the title and synopsis, you may assume this is a collection of exclusively horror stories, but it's definitely 50/50 between horror and occult, with many stories combining the two, but not all. This is a long-winded way of saying, it's not all horror. Some of these stories are just occult. Don’t go in expecting to get your pants scared off.
I really enjoyed this collection, but I have a history of reading old stuff, so I think I may have a higher tolerance than most. That said, some of these tales are WORDY, but many of them are also brilliant. I don't have much experience in the occult, so I actually thought the stories that leaned hard into that were interesting.
Now, even though nobody asked me to, I'm going to go through each story:
The House and the Brain by Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton
This one is a classic, haunted house tale but with a fascinating twist. It starts with a man who is somewhat educated in the occult hearing of a haunted house, and so he decides to go stay overnight to check it out. I can’t get into much more without spoilers.
I feel like this story is the most mixed bag. I love the way it handles what is usually a stock and standard type of horror story. It’s original, at least to me, but it’s also from the mid 1800s and as such is sooo wordy. I loved the haunted house scenes and the investigation into it. I didn’t love the long drawn-out explanations of occult practices. That said, if you are reading this book, you’ll have to get used to lengthy explanations.
Casting the Runes by M.R. James
M.R. James is a titan of ghost tales and a collection of his stories is on my to-read shelf. However, this particular tale didn’t excite me or my girlfriend particularly. DuQuette advises in his forward to read it out loud, but it is pretty long to read out loud in one sitting. I was glad I had my water bottle. It follows a man who gives a bad review to an amateur occultist, until the affronted occultist comes for revenge.
This is almost more of an action story than a horror story, and it’s one of the selections that I would say is more about the occult. It’s ok, but the modern reader in me found it difficult to invest in what seemed rather mundane in the end. What I mean is, the occultism obviously isn’t mundane, but the situations and tasks related to the occultism were a little unimaginative.
Luella Miller by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
Luella Miller was a fun addition. Not particularly scary, but novel, and it held my attention. The story is fairly straightforward. It’s about a beautiful woman who can’t care for herself and thus slowly sucks the life out of the people around her … literally. Many of these occult stories can get pretty esoteric but this one was easy to read and overall I liked it. Not a ton to say. I thought it was a good time.
An Inhabitant of Carcosa by Ambrose Bierce
This was my first Ambrose Bierce and definitely not my last. It’s a very a short (4 pages) tale of a lost person wandering through a wasteland. How does that wasteland relates to our world? That’s for the reader to find out.
It was so short I don’t have a lot to write about but the writing was engrossing to me and I wanted more. Ambrose Bierce has been added to my to-read list.
No. 252 Rue M. Le Prince by Ralph Adams Cram
You can tell this one was written by an architect, because it’s mostly descriptions of a creepy, but very cool, old building, with some gloopiness at the end. It’s been a while since I read this one, as it took me about two and half weeks to read the whole collection, but I’m pretty sure it starts with a guy visiting his friend and his friend wants to show him this crazy, old house that he has access to. Things go downhill from there.
As for a review, I remember enjoying this one well enough but it didn’t stick with me. I had to skim it again before writing this to remember anything about it.
The Testament of Magdalen Blair by Aleister Crowley
I didn’t know THE Aleister Crowley wrote short stories but here we are. The Testament recalls the titular character, who happens to be psychic, as she marries, tests out her abilities, and then is forced to watch her husband die, through his own eyes.
I think this one will be controversial, because it’s so dense and wordy. Crowley likes big words, lots of big words, and he does love to wax poetic about metaphysical concepts. This is not for everyone, but I absolutely loved it. What a strange tale. I can’t wait to read it again.
The Messenger by Robert Chambers
I was excited to read some Chambers, as I had heard of him but had never read. The Messenger is about a guy who is either a detective or a rich guy playing detective in Brittany, France. He’s a staunch non-believer in the occult and paranormal when he starts looking into a murder, despite what all the townsfolk around him say, but he has a long night ahead of him.
Like I said, I was hungry for my first Chambers but this was only so-so. I like his sense of craft and he writes more clearly than many of the writers above, but this whole thing feels like a fairly standard horror short. I imagine I’ll find stories I enjoy more if I get an all-Chambers collection.
The Ring of Thoth by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Yes, this is the Sherlock Holmes guy. Apparently, he was also into the occult. Who knew? I didn’t.
The story is about a student who falls asleep in the Egyptian wing of a museum in London (I think it’s in London) and witnesses some fantastical events that I can’t really get into without spoiling it.
The British people’s obsession with ancient Egypt is the primary vehicle behind this tale. I’m interested the history, but less in the magic and mummification and stuff like that. Egypt-fever has massively declined since Doyle’s time and that dates this story quite a bit. It’s fine.
A Dream of Red Hands by Bram Stoker
Similar to Chambers, I was totally into reading some Stoker. “Red Hands” is like more romantic, or tragic, than horror. Though it has references to christian theology, so maybe that’s why it’s in this book. It’s about a man who meets another down-on-his-luck fellow who dreams every night he won’t get into heaven.
It’s a short and sweet one. I appreciate the sentiment but I wasn’t blown away. Apparently Stoker wrote more romance than horror, despite being known for Dracula. A lot of these authors wrote in a lot of different genres beyond the one they ultimately get known for.
Ligeia by Edgar Allen Poe
Woof, I don’t remember anything from this one, and I’m a huge Poe fan. *skims* Ok, this one is hard to follow, at least for me. It’s Poe at his most ornate and excessive and next year my goal is to read all of EAP, so I look forward to rereading it and hopefully retaining it a bit better. I couldn’t even give satisfactory plot summary. A guy a loves his woman, she dies. The “conqueror worm” poem is in this, which is a pretty damn good poem imo. I dunno, it didn’t stick with me. Maybe I was tired when I read it.
At the Home of Poe by Frank Belknap Long Jr.
This is a prose poem about EAP’s house, fittingly immediately after Poe’s contribution. It’s a nice poem and a nice break from some of the more abstract entries of the collection.
The Alchemist by H.P. Lovecraft
I read Lovecraft’s oeuvre earlier this year so I’ve read this before. (sorry for the unnecessary French, these stories are having an effect on me). The Alchemist is about a young man born into a doomed line of royalty. As his manor decays around him, he decides to look into this curse himself.
Lovecraft wrote this when he was 16 or 17 and it was actually the first story in the collection I read earlier this year. I did not like it at all, tbh, the first time I read it. I had a better time with it on the second run, but the ending is tremendously bad. Sorry. My guess is DuQuette picked this out of Lovecraft’s collection because it’s about alchemy, and thus the occult, but it’s just ok. Maybe a little worse than ok.
Dickon the Devil by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
Dickon’s story wraps up the stock-standard ghost stories in this collection. It’s about a guy who ends up staying in a supposedly haunted house, (surprise) and one of the caretakers is a mentally-disabled young man with a dark secret.
It’s fine. I didn’t dislike it but I’m not inspired to look up more Le Fanu for now.
The White People by Arthur Machen
This is the big one. Arthur Machen may not be as famous as other authors here but this particular story I think is the most famous of the collection, and with good reason. It starts off slow, with an almost inpenetrable discussion of philosophy for the first 5 pages or so. I had to keep going back to reread it to make sure I was understanding the point. But after that, things get WEIRD and it’s so good. I don’t want to talk at all about the plot, but it reads like a dark, dark fairy tale and I loved it. I will be coming back to this one very soon and Arthur Machen is on my to-read list for sure.
The Sea Lure by Dion Fortune
The Sea Lure is not at all horror, but it is very occult. A doctor tries to treat a woman who appears to be gaining bullet holes in her but nobody is shooting her. Then later, he works with a man who lives in a cool-as-hell apartment in the side of a cliff facing the ocean. That’s the best I can do for a plot synopsis. It makes sense, I swear.
I liked this. Like I said, it’s not horror in the least but it’s to-the-point, which is a nice change from most of the tales in the collection and I would look up Dion Fortune in the future. She’s got a good style.
I really enjoyed this collection, but I have a history of reading old stuff, so I think I may have a higher tolerance than most. That said, some of these tales are WORDY, but many of them are also brilliant. I don't have much experience in the occult, so I actually thought the stories that leaned hard into that were interesting.
Now, even though nobody asked me to, I'm going to go through each story:
The House and the Brain by Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton
This one is a classic, haunted house tale but with a fascinating twist. It starts with a man who is somewhat educated in the occult hearing of a haunted house, and so he decides to go stay overnight to check it out. I can’t get into much more without spoilers.
I feel like this story is the most mixed bag. I love the way it handles what is usually a stock and standard type of horror story. It’s original, at least to me, but it’s also from the mid 1800s and as such is sooo wordy. I loved the haunted house scenes and the investigation into it. I didn’t love the long drawn-out explanations of occult practices. That said, if you are reading this book, you’ll have to get used to lengthy explanations.
Casting the Runes by M.R. James
M.R. James is a titan of ghost tales and a collection of his stories is on my to-read shelf. However, this particular tale didn’t excite me or my girlfriend particularly. DuQuette advises in his forward to read it out loud, but it is pretty long to read out loud in one sitting. I was glad I had my water bottle. It follows a man who gives a bad review to an amateur occultist, until the affronted occultist comes for revenge.
This is almost more of an action story than a horror story, and it’s one of the selections that I would say is more about the occult. It’s ok, but the modern reader in me found it difficult to invest in what seemed rather mundane in the end. What I mean is, the occultism obviously isn’t mundane, but the situations and tasks related to the occultism were a little unimaginative.
Luella Miller by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
Luella Miller was a fun addition. Not particularly scary, but novel, and it held my attention. The story is fairly straightforward. It’s about a beautiful woman who can’t care for herself and thus slowly sucks the life out of the people around her … literally. Many of these occult stories can get pretty esoteric but this one was easy to read and overall I liked it. Not a ton to say. I thought it was a good time.
An Inhabitant of Carcosa by Ambrose Bierce
This was my first Ambrose Bierce and definitely not my last. It’s a very a short (4 pages) tale of a lost person wandering through a wasteland. How does that wasteland relates to our world? That’s for the reader to find out.
It was so short I don’t have a lot to write about but the writing was engrossing to me and I wanted more. Ambrose Bierce has been added to my to-read list.
No. 252 Rue M. Le Prince by Ralph Adams Cram
You can tell this one was written by an architect, because it’s mostly descriptions of a creepy, but very cool, old building, with some gloopiness at the end. It’s been a while since I read this one, as it took me about two and half weeks to read the whole collection, but I’m pretty sure it starts with a guy visiting his friend and his friend wants to show him this crazy, old house that he has access to. Things go downhill from there.
As for a review, I remember enjoying this one well enough but it didn’t stick with me. I had to skim it again before writing this to remember anything about it.
The Testament of Magdalen Blair by Aleister Crowley
I didn’t know THE Aleister Crowley wrote short stories but here we are. The Testament recalls the titular character, who happens to be psychic, as she marries, tests out her abilities, and then is forced to watch her husband die, through his own eyes.
I think this one will be controversial, because it’s so dense and wordy. Crowley likes big words, lots of big words, and he does love to wax poetic about metaphysical concepts. This is not for everyone, but I absolutely loved it. What a strange tale. I can’t wait to read it again.
The Messenger by Robert Chambers
I was excited to read some Chambers, as I had heard of him but had never read. The Messenger is about a guy who is either a detective or a rich guy playing detective in Brittany, France. He’s a staunch non-believer in the occult and paranormal when he starts looking into a murder, despite what all the townsfolk around him say, but he has a long night ahead of him.
Like I said, I was hungry for my first Chambers but this was only so-so. I like his sense of craft and he writes more clearly than many of the writers above, but this whole thing feels like a fairly standard horror short. I imagine I’ll find stories I enjoy more if I get an all-Chambers collection.
The Ring of Thoth by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Yes, this is the Sherlock Holmes guy. Apparently, he was also into the occult. Who knew? I didn’t.
The story is about a student who falls asleep in the Egyptian wing of a museum in London (I think it’s in London) and witnesses some fantastical events that I can’t really get into without spoiling it.
The British people’s obsession with ancient Egypt is the primary vehicle behind this tale. I’m interested the history, but less in the magic and mummification and stuff like that. Egypt-fever has massively declined since Doyle’s time and that dates this story quite a bit. It’s fine.
A Dream of Red Hands by Bram Stoker
Similar to Chambers, I was totally into reading some Stoker. “Red Hands” is like more romantic, or tragic, than horror. Though it has references to christian theology, so maybe that’s why it’s in this book. It’s about a man who meets another down-on-his-luck fellow who dreams every night he won’t get into heaven.
It’s a short and sweet one. I appreciate the sentiment but I wasn’t blown away. Apparently Stoker wrote more romance than horror, despite being known for Dracula. A lot of these authors wrote in a lot of different genres beyond the one they ultimately get known for.
Ligeia by Edgar Allen Poe
Woof, I don’t remember anything from this one, and I’m a huge Poe fan. *skims* Ok, this one is hard to follow, at least for me. It’s Poe at his most ornate and excessive and next year my goal is to read all of EAP, so I look forward to rereading it and hopefully retaining it a bit better. I couldn’t even give satisfactory plot summary. A guy a loves his woman, she dies. The “conqueror worm” poem is in this, which is a pretty damn good poem imo. I dunno, it didn’t stick with me. Maybe I was tired when I read it.
At the Home of Poe by Frank Belknap Long Jr.
This is a prose poem about EAP’s house, fittingly immediately after Poe’s contribution. It’s a nice poem and a nice break from some of the more abstract entries of the collection.
The Alchemist by H.P. Lovecraft
I read Lovecraft’s oeuvre earlier this year so I’ve read this before. (sorry for the unnecessary French, these stories are having an effect on me). The Alchemist is about a young man born into a doomed line of royalty. As his manor decays around him, he decides to look into this curse himself.
Lovecraft wrote this when he was 16 or 17 and it was actually the first story in the collection I read earlier this year. I did not like it at all, tbh, the first time I read it. I had a better time with it on the second run, but the ending is tremendously bad. Sorry. My guess is DuQuette picked this out of Lovecraft’s collection because it’s about alchemy, and thus the occult, but it’s just ok. Maybe a little worse than ok.
Dickon the Devil by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
Dickon’s story wraps up the stock-standard ghost stories in this collection. It’s about a guy who ends up staying in a supposedly haunted house, (surprise) and one of the caretakers is a mentally-disabled young man with a dark secret.
It’s fine. I didn’t dislike it but I’m not inspired to look up more Le Fanu for now.
The White People by Arthur Machen
This is the big one. Arthur Machen may not be as famous as other authors here but this particular story I think is the most famous of the collection, and with good reason. It starts off slow, with an almost inpenetrable discussion of philosophy for the first 5 pages or so. I had to keep going back to reread it to make sure I was understanding the point. But after that, things get WEIRD and it’s so good. I don’t want to talk at all about the plot, but it reads like a dark, dark fairy tale and I loved it. I will be coming back to this one very soon and Arthur Machen is on my to-read list for sure.
The Sea Lure by Dion Fortune
The Sea Lure is not at all horror, but it is very occult. A doctor tries to treat a woman who appears to be gaining bullet holes in her but nobody is shooting her. Then later, he works with a man who lives in a cool-as-hell apartment in the side of a cliff facing the ocean. That’s the best I can do for a plot synopsis. It makes sense, I swear.
I liked this. Like I said, it’s not horror in the least but it’s to-the-point, which is a nice change from most of the tales in the collection and I would look up Dion Fortune in the future. She’s got a good style.
October 26, 2015
If you're looking for a good collection of horror stories (as I was), I wouldn't recommend this book. There are a few good things about it: it features some of the well-known horror & occult authors; it covers a range of subjects (ghosts, psychics, runes, curses, etc), and it is a good introduction to early horror. However, I didn't find most of the stories particularly scary. I expected some good horror stories with authors like Edgar Allen Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Bram Stoker, but the stories of theirs that Duquette chose were definitely not their best work. It's a decent collection of stories, but I don't feel that it lives up to its title.
January 28, 2015
I have to agree with the other reviewer in that the stories included here don't meet with modern reading expectations. The old-fashioned language and the expository stories (more telling than showing) distanced me as a reader from the stories. I found myself skimming a lot. Also, these now seem very tame, and somewhat simplistic. I did enjoy some of the stories. So an interesting read (from a writer's point of view, where you want to see some of the foundations of the genre), but not a haunting one.
October 28, 2014
some old tales that I have liked before and some that were new to me.
June 21, 2018
Fantastic anthology. Every story was good. Definitely pick it up if you like supernatural horror.
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April 2, 2025Book Review: The Weiser Book of Horror and the Occult: Hidden Magic, Occult Truths, and the Stories That Started It All
Edited by Lon Milo DuQuette
Overview
“The Weiser Book of Horror and the Occult” is a compelling anthology curated by Lon Milo DuQuette, featuring contributions from a distinguished roster of authors, including Edward Bulwer-Lytton, M.R. James, Aleister Crowley, and H.P. Lovecraft, among others. This collection serves as a panoramic exploration of the intersection between horror literature and occult philosophy, elucidating how these genres have influenced one another throughout history. The anthology succeeds in providing readers with a rich tapestry of narratives that not only entertain but also provoke reflection on the deeper meanings of magic, fear, and the unknown.
Content and Themes
The anthology is organized thematically, allowing readers to engage with the varying interpretations of horror and the occult across different historical and cultural contexts. The selected works delve into essential themes such as:
The Nature of Evil: Many contributions examine the moral and philosophical implications of evil, presenting nuanced portrayals of antagonists who embody both supernatural and human malevolence. This investigation invites readers to reflect on the nature of morality in the face of horror.
Hidden Knowledge and Forbidden Practices: The anthology portrays occultism as a source of hidden truths. Several contributors, notably Aleister Crowley, explore the allure of forbidden knowledge and the quest for enlightenment through esoteric practices, shedding light on the tension between curiosity and peril.
Fear of the Unknown: Central to horror literature is the fear of the unknown, a theme prevalent throughout the collection. Contributors such as H.P. Lovecraft and Arthur Machen articulate the existential dread associated with cosmic horror, emphasizing humanity’s insignificance in the grand scheme of the universe.
Folklore and Mythology: Many stories are rooted in folklore, blending traditional narratives with innovative storytelling. This blending highlights the cultural significance of horror and the occult as reflections of societal fears and beliefs.
Contributions and Literary Techniques
The anthology features a diverse array of literary styles, from the gothic elegance of M.R. James to the modernist experimentation of Lovecraft. Each contributor’s unique voice enriches the overall narrative, demonstrating the evolution of horror literature. For instance, Bulwer-Lytton’s early explorations of the supernatural set the groundwork for future writers, while Poe’s mastery of the macabre continues to resonate in contemporary horror.
DuQuette’s editorial guidance ensures a cohesive thematic framework while allowing individual contributions to shine. His insightful introduction contextualizes the anthology within the broader tradition of horror and occult literature, providing scholars and enthusiasts with a robust framework for analysis.
Critical Evaluation
While the anthology excels in showcasing a wide range of voices and perspectives, some readers may find that the varied publication dates of the works can lead to inconsistencies in style and thematic focus. However, this diversity can also be seen as a strength, reflecting the multilayered nature of horror itself. The inclusion of lesser-known works alongside classic texts promotes a more inclusive understanding of the genre.
Conclusion
“The Weiser Book of Horror and the Occult” is an essential anthology for anyone interested in the confluence of horror literature and occult practices. It provides a comprehensive overview of the profound ways in which these themes have shaped literary history. By bringing together a plethora of influential writers, DuQuette successfully curates a collection that invites readers to explore the depths of fear and the allure of the unknown. This anthology is highly recommended for scholars, students, and aficionados of both horror and occult literature, serving as a valuable resource for understanding the complexities of these intertwined genres.
Recommendation
Overall, this anthology stands as a significant contribution to the study of horror and the occult, offering insights that are both historically rich and intellectually stimulating. Readers will find themselves drawn into a world where the boundaries of reality blur, and the darkest corners of the human psyche are illuminated.
Edited by Lon Milo DuQuette
Overview
“The Weiser Book of Horror and the Occult” is a compelling anthology curated by Lon Milo DuQuette, featuring contributions from a distinguished roster of authors, including Edward Bulwer-Lytton, M.R. James, Aleister Crowley, and H.P. Lovecraft, among others. This collection serves as a panoramic exploration of the intersection between horror literature and occult philosophy, elucidating how these genres have influenced one another throughout history. The anthology succeeds in providing readers with a rich tapestry of narratives that not only entertain but also provoke reflection on the deeper meanings of magic, fear, and the unknown.
Content and Themes
The anthology is organized thematically, allowing readers to engage with the varying interpretations of horror and the occult across different historical and cultural contexts. The selected works delve into essential themes such as:
The Nature of Evil: Many contributions examine the moral and philosophical implications of evil, presenting nuanced portrayals of antagonists who embody both supernatural and human malevolence. This investigation invites readers to reflect on the nature of morality in the face of horror.
Hidden Knowledge and Forbidden Practices: The anthology portrays occultism as a source of hidden truths. Several contributors, notably Aleister Crowley, explore the allure of forbidden knowledge and the quest for enlightenment through esoteric practices, shedding light on the tension between curiosity and peril.
Fear of the Unknown: Central to horror literature is the fear of the unknown, a theme prevalent throughout the collection. Contributors such as H.P. Lovecraft and Arthur Machen articulate the existential dread associated with cosmic horror, emphasizing humanity’s insignificance in the grand scheme of the universe.
Folklore and Mythology: Many stories are rooted in folklore, blending traditional narratives with innovative storytelling. This blending highlights the cultural significance of horror and the occult as reflections of societal fears and beliefs.
Contributions and Literary Techniques
The anthology features a diverse array of literary styles, from the gothic elegance of M.R. James to the modernist experimentation of Lovecraft. Each contributor’s unique voice enriches the overall narrative, demonstrating the evolution of horror literature. For instance, Bulwer-Lytton’s early explorations of the supernatural set the groundwork for future writers, while Poe’s mastery of the macabre continues to resonate in contemporary horror.
DuQuette’s editorial guidance ensures a cohesive thematic framework while allowing individual contributions to shine. His insightful introduction contextualizes the anthology within the broader tradition of horror and occult literature, providing scholars and enthusiasts with a robust framework for analysis.
Critical Evaluation
While the anthology excels in showcasing a wide range of voices and perspectives, some readers may find that the varied publication dates of the works can lead to inconsistencies in style and thematic focus. However, this diversity can also be seen as a strength, reflecting the multilayered nature of horror itself. The inclusion of lesser-known works alongside classic texts promotes a more inclusive understanding of the genre.
Conclusion
“The Weiser Book of Horror and the Occult” is an essential anthology for anyone interested in the confluence of horror literature and occult practices. It provides a comprehensive overview of the profound ways in which these themes have shaped literary history. By bringing together a plethora of influential writers, DuQuette successfully curates a collection that invites readers to explore the depths of fear and the allure of the unknown. This anthology is highly recommended for scholars, students, and aficionados of both horror and occult literature, serving as a valuable resource for understanding the complexities of these intertwined genres.
Recommendation
Overall, this anthology stands as a significant contribution to the study of horror and the occult, offering insights that are both historically rich and intellectually stimulating. Readers will find themselves drawn into a world where the boundaries of reality blur, and the darkest corners of the human psyche are illuminated.
March 17, 2022
I'm going to go with 4.5, solely because when I picked up this book my head immediately went to the names like Crowley, Doyle, Stoker, Poe, and Lovecraft (probably the biggest one because I have only read one of his stories and it was long before I realized his racist tendencies so I was expecting quite a lot given the popularity he still maintains). Out of that bunch the only ones that really stuck out to me were Crowley (who was a surprise because my introduction to him was not as a writer) and Poe (who I have read but never quite formed a large attachment to).
I don't know if the picks from the others were just not as good as some of their other works but were chosen because they were less known or if this is more indicative of their writing than some of their more popular pieces. I have read Doyle before and enjoyed him and this one was not necessarily bad it just didn't leave much of an impression.
What made this book amazing were the stories of Cram, Freeman, and mostly Machen. I am so surprised I have never heard Machen's name mentioned. This story was the perfect blend of fantasy and horror and I could not put it down. It also does have some slight comments about race, as with many of the stories in this collection do, but I found myself captivated by the content.
This was a fantastic read with exposure to many voices I had yet to hear. I would highly recommend to anyone looking to read those who have influenced horror and the occult over time as well as enjoy a nice set of tales.
I don't know if the picks from the others were just not as good as some of their other works but were chosen because they were less known or if this is more indicative of their writing than some of their more popular pieces. I have read Doyle before and enjoyed him and this one was not necessarily bad it just didn't leave much of an impression.
What made this book amazing were the stories of Cram, Freeman, and mostly Machen. I am so surprised I have never heard Machen's name mentioned. This story was the perfect blend of fantasy and horror and I could not put it down. It also does have some slight comments about race, as with many of the stories in this collection do, but I found myself captivated by the content.
This was a fantastic read with exposure to many voices I had yet to hear. I would highly recommend to anyone looking to read those who have influenced horror and the occult over time as well as enjoy a nice set of tales.
November 10, 2022
Putting it bluntly, this book was a vanity project by someone who fancies himself an authority on literary horror. The stories themselves are good, but as some reviewers mentioned before, they are not the best works by the chosen authors and there's an argument to be made that some of the stories don't actually have a connection to the occult.
I'm a fan of the old horror (and am dubious of claims that they are not horror simply because not everyone is a fan of that style anymore), so I enjoyed the stories, but found the book introduction and the subsequent story intros grating and a bit pretentious. They also don't tell you much about the authors.
I can't actually recommend this book. There are better collections out there.
I'm a fan of the old horror (and am dubious of claims that they are not horror simply because not everyone is a fan of that style anymore), so I enjoyed the stories, but found the book introduction and the subsequent story intros grating and a bit pretentious. They also don't tell you much about the authors.
I can't actually recommend this book. There are better collections out there.
September 9, 2021
A very nice anthology of stories. While they’re not all supremely “horror” as some reviewers have mentioned, I felt they all had something to contribute to the genre, which was I think was more the point. Some were more boring, and some used language that was stylistically difficult to decipher at times, but there were some good gems in there that I will remember for some time. I think its worth noting too that readers should take the time to savor each story individually — unfortunately I borrowed this from the library, and had to rush through some stories due to the impending deadline of my loan.
November 19, 2021
This was fun! It was a good introduction for me to classic horror. I had only known a few authors beforehand. Several of the stories I read had a strange familiarity to them but I suppose that is likely because these stories inspired others more recently that I've enjoyed. I look forward to delving more deeply into more classic horror tales from some of the authors featured.
September 23, 2021
The stories in here are very hit or miss. Most aren’t nearly as frightening to modern readers and some feel dated. That said several are interesting (I particularly liked The Ring of Thoth and the Crowley short story).
October 22, 2025
While it is always interesting to read stories from the early authorities in horror and science fiction, their works just don't have the same horrific impact more than one hundred years later today. Still the mind of a teenage HP Lovecraft is pretty remarkable and worth the time.
June 7, 2018
A fairly good anthology of short stories that tie into the horror and occult genres. If you are a fan of either horror or occult fiction, you may well enjoy this book. I know I did.
May 10, 2023
I quite liked some but others were boring
January 30, 2025
A magical look at an age almost forgotten. It brings together many authors whose work captivates the mind and challenge the senses even for audiences of a different time!
December 6, 2022
I picked this book up within the last month or two and worked my way through it at a leisurely pace – that’s something I like about short fiction collections vs. novels. They’re much easier (to me) to read in between other longer-form books or other tasks/mental occupations. And since my primary mental occupations beyond reading lately have been the occult, this seemed like a perfect tie-in.
Now I don’t mean for this to sound like bragging, but I came into this collection with a substantial advantage over the majority of readers that might pick it up. I was already familiar with a bunch of the writers that the editor of the collection presents as being lesser-known (in fact, no offense meant to Mr. DuQuette but I didn’t learn anything that I didn’t already know from his Introduction). I’m already familiar with the complete fiction of Poe and Lovecraft, and have read at least one collection of stories each by R.W. Chambers and Ambrose Bierce as well. Earlier this year I read Bulwer-Lytton’s novel “Zanoni”, and last year I read Crowley’s novel “Moonchild”, so I was especially excited to read more of their work. The funny part is that a few of the authors who are probably best-known (Bram Stoker and Arthur Conan-Doyle) are ones I’ve never read at all; this was my first exposure to them.
First things first – all the stories contained were written between 1851 – 1922. So it’s weird that many reviewers of this book complain that these stories are ‘not scary’ because they are inherently holding them to modern horror standards. Yet there would be no ‘modern’ horror genre at all without these (and other) innovators of the past. I believe there is something to be said for atmosphere, for persistence of mood and tone, and stories of this period created more lush, well-described scenes than most modern writers are capable of doing – (modern attention spans don’t help matters either)… While I will admit that there are certainly some stories that stand out over the rest in this collection, I’d still say that across the board, these stories succeed in achieving a sense of ambiance that makes them worthwhile.
I’ve mentioned several writers already, but one I haven’t mentioned yet is Dion Fortune, whose story “The Sea Lure” was actually one of the main reasons I got this collection. I have been wanting to read Fortune’s work for a while and just haven’t gotten to it yet, so this was my first taste. It ended up being one of my favorites in here. She’s one of the most talented writers presented in this book, along with the more obvious big names. My other favorite was Bulwer-Lytton’s “The House and The Brain”, which was so obviously a precursor to Lovecraft’s style (and was written in a much more approachable way than “Zanoni”). I am biased toward Crowley because I’ve gone so deep into his writings and methods, but I genuinely thought Crowley’s story was the most psychologically terrifying in the whole collection. A perhaps unintentional but effective way to convince anyone to be cremated rather than buried, for sure. Sadly though, it confirmed Crowley's utter inability to write from the point of view of (or even about) women... And I loved Conan-Doyle’s story, “The Ring of Thoth” – sadly though I found Bram Stoker’s story pretty forgettable (but I still want to read Dracula one day). I also really liked “The Messenger” by R.W. Chambers – I have his collection “The King In Yellow” and was glad to see a different story here than the ones in there. Whereas the “Carcosa” story by Bierce is a classic, but is also the most obvious choice by him. There’s a nice little collection out there called “Ghost and Horror Stories of Ambrose Bierce” that I recommend.
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Now I don’t mean for this to sound like bragging, but I came into this collection with a substantial advantage over the majority of readers that might pick it up. I was already familiar with a bunch of the writers that the editor of the collection presents as being lesser-known (in fact, no offense meant to Mr. DuQuette but I didn’t learn anything that I didn’t already know from his Introduction). I’m already familiar with the complete fiction of Poe and Lovecraft, and have read at least one collection of stories each by R.W. Chambers and Ambrose Bierce as well. Earlier this year I read Bulwer-Lytton’s novel “Zanoni”, and last year I read Crowley’s novel “Moonchild”, so I was especially excited to read more of their work. The funny part is that a few of the authors who are probably best-known (Bram Stoker and Arthur Conan-Doyle) are ones I’ve never read at all; this was my first exposure to them.
First things first – all the stories contained were written between 1851 – 1922. So it’s weird that many reviewers of this book complain that these stories are ‘not scary’ because they are inherently holding them to modern horror standards. Yet there would be no ‘modern’ horror genre at all without these (and other) innovators of the past. I believe there is something to be said for atmosphere, for persistence of mood and tone, and stories of this period created more lush, well-described scenes than most modern writers are capable of doing – (modern attention spans don’t help matters either)… While I will admit that there are certainly some stories that stand out over the rest in this collection, I’d still say that across the board, these stories succeed in achieving a sense of ambiance that makes them worthwhile.
I’ve mentioned several writers already, but one I haven’t mentioned yet is Dion Fortune, whose story “The Sea Lure” was actually one of the main reasons I got this collection. I have been wanting to read Fortune’s work for a while and just haven’t gotten to it yet, so this was my first taste. It ended up being one of my favorites in here. She’s one of the most talented writers presented in this book, along with the more obvious big names. My other favorite was Bulwer-Lytton’s “The House and The Brain”, which was so obviously a precursor to Lovecraft’s style (and was written in a much more approachable way than “Zanoni”). I am biased toward Crowley because I’ve gone so deep into his writings and methods, but I genuinely thought Crowley’s story was the most psychologically terrifying in the whole collection. A perhaps unintentional but effective way to convince anyone to be cremated rather than buried, for sure. Sadly though, it confirmed Crowley's utter inability to write from the point of view of (or even about) women... And I loved Conan-Doyle’s story, “The Ring of Thoth” – sadly though I found Bram Stoker’s story pretty forgettable (but I still want to read Dracula one day). I also really liked “The Messenger” by R.W. Chambers – I have his collection “The King In Yellow” and was glad to see a different story here than the ones in there. Whereas the “Carcosa” story by Bierce is a classic, but is also the most obvious choice by him. There’s a nice little collection out there called “Ghost and Horror Stories of Ambrose Bierce” that I recommend.
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March 16, 2021
Good stories, but dense. Not an especially casual reach.
November 28, 2015
Eerie.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews