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Claimed!
Penguin Weird Fiction: a celebration of the very best of the weird, a store of novels and tales that for generations have delighted and horrified.
Woken from his sleep by an urgent request to attend to a new patient, Dr. John Vanaman is soon at the home of Jesse J. Robinson, a wealthy industrialist, struck gravely ill after a struggle with a burglar. The thief was after Robinson’s most prized possession, an item he obsessively a mysterious green box, etched with a single line from an unknown language. Soon, Vanaman and Robinson's courageous neice, Leilah, are drawn into an odyssey, a voyage toward the box’s ancient, terrifying origin…
The greatest novel by one of the pioneering female voices in horror writing, Gertrude Barrows Bennett’s Claimed! is a masterful intertwining fantasy, philosophy, and terror.
‘The most important female writer of speculative fiction that you’ve probably never heard of’ Worlds Without End
Woken from his sleep by an urgent request to attend to a new patient, Dr. John Vanaman is soon at the home of Jesse J. Robinson, a wealthy industrialist, struck gravely ill after a struggle with a burglar. The thief was after Robinson’s most prized possession, an item he obsessively a mysterious green box, etched with a single line from an unknown language. Soon, Vanaman and Robinson's courageous neice, Leilah, are drawn into an odyssey, a voyage toward the box’s ancient, terrifying origin…
The greatest novel by one of the pioneering female voices in horror writing, Gertrude Barrows Bennett’s Claimed! is a masterful intertwining fantasy, philosophy, and terror.
‘The most important female writer of speculative fiction that you’ve probably never heard of’ Worlds Without End
132 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1920
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887 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
September 26, 2016
At the tail end of my review of Francis Stevens' 1919 novel "The Heads of Cerberus," I mentioned that the author was now a very solid 2 for 2 with me, having loved that book as well as 1918's "The Citadel of Fear," and that I had a feeling that once I took in her 1920 novel, "Claimed," that she would be an even more solid 3 for 3. Well, as I predicted, such is indeed the case, now that I have finally read her most impressive third novel. While "Citadel" had dealt with the discovery of a lost Aztec city and battling gods (Quetzalcoatl and Nacoc-Yaotl), and the dystopian "Cerberus" with a totalitarian Philadelphia in an alternate-reality future, "Claimed" has, at its center, a mysterious green box that had been belched out of the ocean depths after a seismic event near the Azores, and the horrific events that befall its later owners. It is yet another minor masterpiece of dark fantasy, from the woman who practically jump-started the genre single-handed.
Again, Francis Stevens was the pen name of Gertrude Barrows Bennett (1883 – 1948), a Minneapolis-born widow and mother who turned to writing to support her own invalid mother and who, between 1917 and '23, came out with five novels and seven shorter pieces that are highly regarded today by discriminating fans of the fantastic. Back when, readers believed that the author was a man, possibly the pseudonym of Abraham Merritt, who was indeed a fan of hers, as was H.P. Lovecraft himself, who has been quoted as saying that "Claimed" is "one of the strangest and most compelling science fantasy novels you will ever read." Famously, sci-fi critic Sam Moskowitz has called her "the most gifted woman writer of science fiction and science-fantasy between Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and C.L. Moore." The authoress, to my mind, is criminally undervalued today, and a perusal of "Claimed" is as good a place as any to demonstrate her manifold gifts. The novel first appeared as a three-part serial in the March 6 – 20, 1920 issues of "Argosy" magazine (the original pulp magazine, as it's been called, which published from 1882 all the way to 1979, and in which Merritt and Edgar Rice Burroughs also placed much of their work), copping the cover illustration for the March 6th issue. The novel was later reprinted in the "Famous Fantastic Mysteries" pulp in April '41, and saw its first release in book form in 1966.
In the novel, the reader encounters Jesse J. Robinson, the meanest and wealthiest citizen of (the fictitious town of) Tremont, near the Delaware River; whether in Pennsylvania or New Jersey is never made explicitly clear. A collector of antiquities, the cantankerous old coot has just purchased a doozy from a local curio dealer: a foot-long green box, of unknown material and make, with an inscription on its top in scarlet letters--of an unknown alphabet--that have the most peculiar propensity of always, somehow, moving to the bottom of said box! As the days pass, Robinson and his niece, the silver-haired Leilah, become subject to strange hallucinations of the sea, and of a monstrous dark shape who threatens them in their dreams. A young doctor, John Vanaman, is called in to attend Robinson after the elderly crank is found unconscious one evening, and the young man quickly becomes enamored with the elfin niece, while falling prey to the same ghastly visitations. Soon, it is learned that the sailor who originally picked up the box near the Azores, as well as that curio dealer, have separately purchased white stallions with the aim of slitting the animals' throats in sacrifice! And when uncle and niece are abducted and brought out to sea, Vanaman conducts a heated chase via hired cargo steamer, all leading to a showdown on the Atlantic aboard a moldering trireme, oared by a crew of the dead....
Mysterious, beautifully written, at times hallucinatory, and with a creeping atmosphere of dread to spare, "Claimed" is most surely an impressive piece of imaginative work. I mentioned earlier that many readers of Stevens automatically assumed that she must be a man, and a look at the novel in question will perhaps demonstrate why. Stevens' knowledge of nautical terms certainly smacks of an experienced seaman, as does the tough talk that comes out of the sailors' mouths. The author does not shrink from the depiction of violence and bloodshed, either. As in "The Citadel of Fear," here, an ancient god appears in modern times to stir up trouble, but in "Claimed," that god is never named (although Poseidon/Neptune is strongly suggested) or even clearly seen. Much in the story goes unexplained by the tale's end, and thus, the reader never does learn the facts behind that ghostly galley and what precisely is inside the mysterious casket. The ultimate fate of old Robinson, too, is never clearly delineated. The reader must exercise his/her powers of imagination, hence, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
One thing that Francis does vouchsafe to show us, via a phantasmagoric illusion at sea, is the horrendous fate that befell the continent of Atlantis, and just how the coveted box wound up in the drink to begin with, and it really is some fascinating stuff. Vanaman, Leilah and especially old Robinson, I should add, are all well-drawn characters, with the good doctor being especially likable and sympathetic. Stevens peppers her novel with many memorable and haunting scenes, including an early exploration of the newly risen, barren island where the relic is initially found; a clairvoyant's unfortunate attempt to perform a little psychometry on the arcane object; and, indeed, the entire final 1/3 of the book, comprising as it does a tense chase at sea. The book has great sweep and drive, and is fairly relentless once it gets moving. Personally, I could not wait to get home after work to get back to it, and the evenings that I spent reading "Claimed" were very gripping ones, to be sure.
Today, the novel may be easily obtained thanks to a publisher called Sense of Wonder Press (and the book most definitely does have that elusive sense of wonder, in spades!), whose current edition is a very nice one. All lovers of dark fantasy should certainly eat this one right up. Strangely enough, though the book was written almost a century ago, it feels quite modern, and really, there is virtually nothing in it that would preclude the assumption that it is transpiring in the early 21st century. So yes, Francis Stevens is now a very solid 3 for 3 with me. And I have a feeling that when I next read the Bison Books collection entitled "The Nightmare and Other Tales of Dark Fantasy," which gathers together the Stevens novel "The Labyrinth" in addition to seven novellas and short stories, in one large 400-page volume, that the woman will be an even more impressive 11 for 11....
(By the way, this review originally appeared on the FanLit website at http://www.fantasyliterature.com/ ... a most ideal destination for all fans of Francis Stevens....)
Again, Francis Stevens was the pen name of Gertrude Barrows Bennett (1883 – 1948), a Minneapolis-born widow and mother who turned to writing to support her own invalid mother and who, between 1917 and '23, came out with five novels and seven shorter pieces that are highly regarded today by discriminating fans of the fantastic. Back when, readers believed that the author was a man, possibly the pseudonym of Abraham Merritt, who was indeed a fan of hers, as was H.P. Lovecraft himself, who has been quoted as saying that "Claimed" is "one of the strangest and most compelling science fantasy novels you will ever read." Famously, sci-fi critic Sam Moskowitz has called her "the most gifted woman writer of science fiction and science-fantasy between Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and C.L. Moore." The authoress, to my mind, is criminally undervalued today, and a perusal of "Claimed" is as good a place as any to demonstrate her manifold gifts. The novel first appeared as a three-part serial in the March 6 – 20, 1920 issues of "Argosy" magazine (the original pulp magazine, as it's been called, which published from 1882 all the way to 1979, and in which Merritt and Edgar Rice Burroughs also placed much of their work), copping the cover illustration for the March 6th issue. The novel was later reprinted in the "Famous Fantastic Mysteries" pulp in April '41, and saw its first release in book form in 1966.
In the novel, the reader encounters Jesse J. Robinson, the meanest and wealthiest citizen of (the fictitious town of) Tremont, near the Delaware River; whether in Pennsylvania or New Jersey is never made explicitly clear. A collector of antiquities, the cantankerous old coot has just purchased a doozy from a local curio dealer: a foot-long green box, of unknown material and make, with an inscription on its top in scarlet letters--of an unknown alphabet--that have the most peculiar propensity of always, somehow, moving to the bottom of said box! As the days pass, Robinson and his niece, the silver-haired Leilah, become subject to strange hallucinations of the sea, and of a monstrous dark shape who threatens them in their dreams. A young doctor, John Vanaman, is called in to attend Robinson after the elderly crank is found unconscious one evening, and the young man quickly becomes enamored with the elfin niece, while falling prey to the same ghastly visitations. Soon, it is learned that the sailor who originally picked up the box near the Azores, as well as that curio dealer, have separately purchased white stallions with the aim of slitting the animals' throats in sacrifice! And when uncle and niece are abducted and brought out to sea, Vanaman conducts a heated chase via hired cargo steamer, all leading to a showdown on the Atlantic aboard a moldering trireme, oared by a crew of the dead....
Mysterious, beautifully written, at times hallucinatory, and with a creeping atmosphere of dread to spare, "Claimed" is most surely an impressive piece of imaginative work. I mentioned earlier that many readers of Stevens automatically assumed that she must be a man, and a look at the novel in question will perhaps demonstrate why. Stevens' knowledge of nautical terms certainly smacks of an experienced seaman, as does the tough talk that comes out of the sailors' mouths. The author does not shrink from the depiction of violence and bloodshed, either. As in "The Citadel of Fear," here, an ancient god appears in modern times to stir up trouble, but in "Claimed," that god is never named (although Poseidon/Neptune is strongly suggested) or even clearly seen. Much in the story goes unexplained by the tale's end, and thus, the reader never does learn the facts behind that ghostly galley and what precisely is inside the mysterious casket. The ultimate fate of old Robinson, too, is never clearly delineated. The reader must exercise his/her powers of imagination, hence, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
One thing that Francis does vouchsafe to show us, via a phantasmagoric illusion at sea, is the horrendous fate that befell the continent of Atlantis, and just how the coveted box wound up in the drink to begin with, and it really is some fascinating stuff. Vanaman, Leilah and especially old Robinson, I should add, are all well-drawn characters, with the good doctor being especially likable and sympathetic. Stevens peppers her novel with many memorable and haunting scenes, including an early exploration of the newly risen, barren island where the relic is initially found; a clairvoyant's unfortunate attempt to perform a little psychometry on the arcane object; and, indeed, the entire final 1/3 of the book, comprising as it does a tense chase at sea. The book has great sweep and drive, and is fairly relentless once it gets moving. Personally, I could not wait to get home after work to get back to it, and the evenings that I spent reading "Claimed" were very gripping ones, to be sure.
Today, the novel may be easily obtained thanks to a publisher called Sense of Wonder Press (and the book most definitely does have that elusive sense of wonder, in spades!), whose current edition is a very nice one. All lovers of dark fantasy should certainly eat this one right up. Strangely enough, though the book was written almost a century ago, it feels quite modern, and really, there is virtually nothing in it that would preclude the assumption that it is transpiring in the early 21st century. So yes, Francis Stevens is now a very solid 3 for 3 with me. And I have a feeling that when I next read the Bison Books collection entitled "The Nightmare and Other Tales of Dark Fantasy," which gathers together the Stevens novel "The Labyrinth" in addition to seven novellas and short stories, in one large 400-page volume, that the woman will be an even more impressive 11 for 11....
(By the way, this review originally appeared on the FanLit website at http://www.fantasyliterature.com/ ... a most ideal destination for all fans of Francis Stevens....)
December 11, 2014
Maybe even 2 stars. But this is Stevens' first book, and on top of that you can sense a first rate imagination operating behind the often clunky prose. Stevens' personal story is also noteworthy, in that she turned to writing (pulp!) after the death of her explorer husband (she was a stenographer). She was also nursing another family member. The sea-chase, which dominates the last third of the book, is pretty good. The book has more than a strong whiff of Lovecraft to it, but it was written at a time when it seems doubtful he could have yet had much influence. If anything, Stevens, with her sea rooted story of an evil box, cranky (and very annoying) old man, a ghost ship, and dreams of doom, is closer to William Hope Hodgson (and Melville!). I was drawn to Stevens because I was impressed with her entry in Ann and Jeff VanderMeer's amazing anthology of weird tales which is titled The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories. So she does get better. Apparently she was an influence on A. Merritt (who I like). This novel is probably of more interest to the historian of Weird Tales than it is the general reader. It's a quick read!
Read
January 3, 2026Penguin having belatedly got in on the weird fiction reprint racket, their covers are at least enterprisingly lurid in a way that stands out from the tasteful shadows of the BL et al, but the contents are mostly familiar – Chambers, Hodgson, Blackwood. The exception is this, of which I'd never heard, and which they do no favours by nowhere that I can see noting on or in the book its original publication date of 1920. Which is to say, six years before Lovecraft wrote a certain other story about a ship happening on a volcanic island which turned out not to be new, but very old indeed, and of the terrible consequences – including dreams of vast lost cities and a terrifying, unknowable demiurge – attendant on removing a strange keepsake from that island.
Now, the obvious conclusion would be that Bennett is less famous because of her gender. But Claimed! first came out pseudonymously, and the truth is that for all it's not hard to mock Lovecraft's writing, The Call Of Cthulhu does have the edge in several respects, if not that of originality. It's shorter, for one thing, and for all its imprecise descriptions and oft-parodied adjectives, it doesn't betray those hallmarks of serialisation, the infuriating padding where, for instance, it's not sufficient that the protagonists should charter a boat – we apparently need a not remotely interesting explanation of the attendant legalities and how the boat happened to be available. It doesn't matter! Boats are available for hire, this is known! And then there are those protagonists, familiar from an earlier generation of adventure fiction and all of them deeply trying. Miserly tycoon Jesse J Robinson sets matters in motion by acquiring the mystical mcguffin; with his determination of his own superiority as proved by wealth, and insistent mantra "What I want I get, and what I get I keep", he manages, though only an old-fashioned millionaire, to be every bit as hateful as any modern billionaire. As for his niece Leilah, and square-jawed young Dr John Vanaman, who gets called in as a medical man and stays as a hopeful swain... you've seen their symmetrical, lifeless like in dozens of old adventure stories and creature features, and not once were they engaging. But when they fade into the background and Bennett gets stuck into the green box, the white horses, the scarlet cities, then it becomes clear why Claimed! was worth pulling to the surface. Infuriatingly uneven, but intermittently uncanny.
Now, the obvious conclusion would be that Bennett is less famous because of her gender. But Claimed! first came out pseudonymously, and the truth is that for all it's not hard to mock Lovecraft's writing, The Call Of Cthulhu does have the edge in several respects, if not that of originality. It's shorter, for one thing, and for all its imprecise descriptions and oft-parodied adjectives, it doesn't betray those hallmarks of serialisation, the infuriating padding where, for instance, it's not sufficient that the protagonists should charter a boat – we apparently need a not remotely interesting explanation of the attendant legalities and how the boat happened to be available. It doesn't matter! Boats are available for hire, this is known! And then there are those protagonists, familiar from an earlier generation of adventure fiction and all of them deeply trying. Miserly tycoon Jesse J Robinson sets matters in motion by acquiring the mystical mcguffin; with his determination of his own superiority as proved by wealth, and insistent mantra "What I want I get, and what I get I keep", he manages, though only an old-fashioned millionaire, to be every bit as hateful as any modern billionaire. As for his niece Leilah, and square-jawed young Dr John Vanaman, who gets called in as a medical man and stays as a hopeful swain... you've seen their symmetrical, lifeless like in dozens of old adventure stories and creature features, and not once were they engaging. But when they fade into the background and Bennett gets stuck into the green box, the white horses, the scarlet cities, then it becomes clear why Claimed! was worth pulling to the surface. Infuriatingly uneven, but intermittently uncanny.
August 30, 2025
The Horror of the Casket
7 August 2025
When I first started this, it sounded as if it was based on Lovecraft, namely what seemed to be an ancient, pre-human, city arising from the ocean, However, it ended up being mostly set in the mansion of a wealthy industrialist who had managed to get his hands on this mysterious box, a box with strange writing on it and that it didn’t seem to have a way to open.
Well, there is a connection between the opening, set in a ship off some volcanic islands, and the box, namely because one of the sailors bursts into a shop that sells antiques and curios wanting to know what happened to the box and who he sold it to. Then most of the story involves this rich man, and a young doctor who ends up getting caught up in his orbit. Actually, he comes down with an illness, and his normal doctor is out of town, so he is called out, and manages to protect him from some thieves and because is this is hired on as his live in nurse.
Like most wealthy industrialists (is there any other types – like I’m not sure if you can actually be a poverty stricken industrialist, just like you probably can’t be a poverty stricken tech-bro - though I suspect tech-bro probably has a wider meaning than an industrialist, which probably only applies to those we consider captains of industry – which is a rather nice way of describing somebody who in no doubt incredibly greedy, incredibly stingy, and incredibly unlikeable).
Actually, come to think of it, Mr Robinson does pretty much falls into that category, namely stingy, unlikeable, and greedy. In fact, his statement at the beginning – what he want’s he gets – pretty much sums him up (and sums up quite a lot of other real-life people as well, such as one owner of a social media platform who will make life difficult for women who use the platform, refusing certain overtures).
The thing with the box is that in part it sort of reminded me in part of the one ring, in the way that Mr Robinson obsesses over the box, however as it turns out, it is not so much the box having a control over him (the obsession, unlike Golum, is purely due to the fact that he has an obsessive nature as opposed to the ring actually having a curse over the creator). Yet, as it becomes clear, something, or somebody, and there are suggestions, but while ancient names are used, you sort of get the impression that it is more of a spiritual entity that wants it back.
Even though the book doesn’t explicitly say it, you could say that, with the exception of the prologue, the entire story is from the point of view of Dr Venamen, namely because he seems to always be the central character, and anything that happens away from him is generally told through another person. Well, okay, the first chapter is from the point of view of the shopkeeper, Mr Lutz, but that is basically it.
I guess the theme really comes down to theft, especially the theft of ancient artifacts. Like, we see them as curios, and stuff that we must have on display for the world to see. Things to be studied to understand how the past came about. The problem is that these artifacts actually belong to people and countries, and to remove them without their permission is tantamount to theft. Basically this is what happened with the Elgan Marbles, and many other items located in museums and universities around the world. The thing is that, I guess what the story suggests, is that in some cases, forces beyond our control, may want them back. Interestingly, a lot of her writing, did occur around the time that there was a lot of archaeological exploration around the ancient empires.
As for the book, well, yeah, it was short (something I do like when reading a book for a book club, though short books can be deceptively dense), and it was entertaining. I guess this is a thing I do love about bookclubs, and that is that is that you end up reading books that you would not normally think about reading (and this was for the horror bookclub, that I decided to go to because, well, we will also be talking about the movie Sinners).
7 August 2025
When I first started this, it sounded as if it was based on Lovecraft, namely what seemed to be an ancient, pre-human, city arising from the ocean, However, it ended up being mostly set in the mansion of a wealthy industrialist who had managed to get his hands on this mysterious box, a box with strange writing on it and that it didn’t seem to have a way to open.
Well, there is a connection between the opening, set in a ship off some volcanic islands, and the box, namely because one of the sailors bursts into a shop that sells antiques and curios wanting to know what happened to the box and who he sold it to. Then most of the story involves this rich man, and a young doctor who ends up getting caught up in his orbit. Actually, he comes down with an illness, and his normal doctor is out of town, so he is called out, and manages to protect him from some thieves and because is this is hired on as his live in nurse.
Like most wealthy industrialists (is there any other types – like I’m not sure if you can actually be a poverty stricken industrialist, just like you probably can’t be a poverty stricken tech-bro - though I suspect tech-bro probably has a wider meaning than an industrialist, which probably only applies to those we consider captains of industry – which is a rather nice way of describing somebody who in no doubt incredibly greedy, incredibly stingy, and incredibly unlikeable).
Actually, come to think of it, Mr Robinson does pretty much falls into that category, namely stingy, unlikeable, and greedy. In fact, his statement at the beginning – what he want’s he gets – pretty much sums him up (and sums up quite a lot of other real-life people as well, such as one owner of a social media platform who will make life difficult for women who use the platform, refusing certain overtures).
The thing with the box is that in part it sort of reminded me in part of the one ring, in the way that Mr Robinson obsesses over the box, however as it turns out, it is not so much the box having a control over him (the obsession, unlike Golum, is purely due to the fact that he has an obsessive nature as opposed to the ring actually having a curse over the creator). Yet, as it becomes clear, something, or somebody, and there are suggestions, but while ancient names are used, you sort of get the impression that it is more of a spiritual entity that wants it back.
Even though the book doesn’t explicitly say it, you could say that, with the exception of the prologue, the entire story is from the point of view of Dr Venamen, namely because he seems to always be the central character, and anything that happens away from him is generally told through another person. Well, okay, the first chapter is from the point of view of the shopkeeper, Mr Lutz, but that is basically it.
I guess the theme really comes down to theft, especially the theft of ancient artifacts. Like, we see them as curios, and stuff that we must have on display for the world to see. Things to be studied to understand how the past came about. The problem is that these artifacts actually belong to people and countries, and to remove them without their permission is tantamount to theft. Basically this is what happened with the Elgan Marbles, and many other items located in museums and universities around the world. The thing is that, I guess what the story suggests, is that in some cases, forces beyond our control, may want them back. Interestingly, a lot of her writing, did occur around the time that there was a lot of archaeological exploration around the ancient empires.
As for the book, well, yeah, it was short (something I do like when reading a book for a book club, though short books can be deceptively dense), and it was entertaining. I guess this is a thing I do love about bookclubs, and that is that is that you end up reading books that you would not normally think about reading (and this was for the horror bookclub, that I decided to go to because, well, we will also be talking about the movie Sinners).
September 26, 2025
Some really cool premises and images (the horses!!!! aaaaa!!!) but felt a bit clunky and rushed towards the end
Read
July 21, 2019I read this, prepping it for eventual inclusion in the WEIRD ADVENTURE NOVEL MEGAPACK from WILDSIDE PRESS. It's a very "pre-pulp" example of pulp "Dark Fantasy" (written under a pseudonym by Gertrude Barrows Bennett (1883–1948), a pioneer in the field).
My pocket synopsis is: "Aged millionaire J.J. Robinson becomes obsessed with a strange green-stone casket he finds in a curio shop, whose origins are fantastic. Now, his doctor and niece are swept up into a nightmare chase across the Atlantic in a desperate battle with eldritch forces from a drowned kingdom!" - which is also going to be the ad-copy for the MEGAPACK. But that pretty much sums up what you get here - a fairly straight ahead (not much pretension towards depth outside of some general commentary on greed and some supposition of "The Ocean" as a near-mythic, god-like being) fantasy adventure set half in the western New Jersey (on the Delaware river in a town called Tremont, presumably Trenton and near Kennington-on-the-Delaware, presumably Burlington) and half in a chase-by-ship across the Atlantic Ocean. Standard romantic sub-plot as well.
Nice points - Recurrent macabre imagery of white horses having their throats cut in the surf. The initial manifestation of the stone box’s weird capacities is well done – eerie and dream-like ( ), a scene with a psychic who gets more than she bargained for from psychometry, and the manner in which the kidnapping (which precipitates the chase) is initiated is nicely done, if old hat. Some effective, if long-winded, visionary flashbacks to the destruction of Atlantis. A nice breezy style which doesn't treat the audience as idiots and generally moves briskly.
Weak points - this being "dark fantasy", it never really exploits those eerie or macabre elements and the latter chase is kind of anti-climactic in terms of the hero's usefulness. Also, a main focus character never really gets his reckoning on-screen.
Not a bad choice for fans of early-20th Century and Pulp-era fantasy.
My pocket synopsis is: "Aged millionaire J.J. Robinson becomes obsessed with a strange green-stone casket he finds in a curio shop, whose origins are fantastic. Now, his doctor and niece are swept up into a nightmare chase across the Atlantic in a desperate battle with eldritch forces from a drowned kingdom!" - which is also going to be the ad-copy for the MEGAPACK. But that pretty much sums up what you get here - a fairly straight ahead (not much pretension towards depth outside of some general commentary on greed and some supposition of "The Ocean" as a near-mythic, god-like being) fantasy adventure set half in the western New Jersey (on the Delaware river in a town called Tremont, presumably Trenton and near Kennington-on-the-Delaware, presumably Burlington) and half in a chase-by-ship across the Atlantic Ocean. Standard romantic sub-plot as well.
Nice points - Recurrent macabre imagery of white horses having their throats cut in the surf. The initial manifestation of the stone box’s weird capacities is well done – eerie and dream-like ( ), a scene with a psychic who gets more than she bargained for from psychometry, and the manner in which the kidnapping (which precipitates the chase) is initiated is nicely done, if old hat. Some effective, if long-winded, visionary flashbacks to the destruction of Atlantis. A nice breezy style which doesn't treat the audience as idiots and generally moves briskly.
Weak points - this being "dark fantasy", it never really exploits those eerie or macabre elements and the latter chase is kind of anti-climactic in terms of the hero's usefulness. Also, a main focus character never really gets his reckoning on-screen.
Not a bad choice for fans of early-20th Century and Pulp-era fantasy.
November 4, 2024
I went back and forth between 2 and 3 stars but the ending tipped me towards 2.
I’m not sure why I finished this. It was forgettable, certainly not scary, not especially strange, and the prose was alright but often clunky. The plot construction was halfhearted and the characters’ motivations didn’t make much sense. That being said, there were some nice descriptions tucked in here and I did want to at least find out what would happen, so the plot was intriguing.
2 stars instead of 3 because of tired misogynistic literary themes (even though the author is a woman). Please I am begging you to give your single female character literally any characteristic beyond having blonde hair.
I’m not sure why I finished this. It was forgettable, certainly not scary, not especially strange, and the prose was alright but often clunky. The plot construction was halfhearted and the characters’ motivations didn’t make much sense. That being said, there were some nice descriptions tucked in here and I did want to at least find out what would happen, so the plot was intriguing.
2 stars instead of 3 because of tired misogynistic literary themes (even though the author is a woman). Please I am begging you to give your single female character literally any characteristic beyond having blonde hair.
November 4, 2024
Heerlijk atmosferische short-read uit 1920, zeker voor de fans van auteurs als Lovecraft en Clark Ashton Smith.
February 8, 2019
Though the resolution is weirdly fast, almost feeling like an editor said, 'wrap it up,' but the author still had a hundred pages planned, this is a pretty cool piece of early Weird fiction. You can see why Lovecraft was a fan, as it dealt with themes of prehistoric civilizations, sleeping gods, strange science, and madness. Francis Stevens was an early female voice in a genre that would always be dominated by male writers. This is my first experience with her, and I'm definitely planning to read more.
Want to read
December 6, 2010Available to read free in public domain here along with many more of Francis Stevens' books.
April 18, 2025
cosmic horror in haar prille begin. vet leuk om te lezen, het einde was prima maar een open einde had me meer geboeid. Heel levendig geschreven. zeker een aanrader.
May 24, 2025
very interesting example of early weird fiction. and by a woman !!! can absolutely see why lovecraft enjoyed this one.
im definitely missing the "ineffability" aspect that lovecraft would go on to perfect — the ending felt very much like the author wanted to explain every single detail in meticulous detail.
this, even though the explanations themselves were very imaginative, ironically left very little to the imagination. everything wrapped up neat and tidy with a little bow on top.
im definitely missing the "ineffability" aspect that lovecraft would go on to perfect — the ending felt very much like the author wanted to explain every single detail in meticulous detail.
this, even though the explanations themselves were very imaginative, ironically left very little to the imagination. everything wrapped up neat and tidy with a little bow on top.
May 13, 2025
Claimed! is a book that I 100% judged by its cover. I saw the charming, 1970s-toned imagery and the Penguin Weird Fiction badge of quality; that was enough to convince me to borrow it from the library. I'd never heard of Claimed! or Gertrude Barrows Bennett before, but unfamiliar paperbacks in the library's scifi section are an easy sell with me. This short novel was first published in 1920 and the plot combines Tintin adventure The Shooting Star and Dracula in roughly equal measures. A doctor named Vanaman finds himself dragged into supernatural horrors by a grumpy millionaire with a hot daughter. Said horrors revolve around a mysterious green box that Robinson, the grumpy millionaire, bought from a pawn shop and refuses to part with despite it clearly being cursed. In this respect, the plot is quite ingenious. It rapidly becomes obvious to Vanaman and the reader what should happen: the cursed box should be thrown in the sea. It isn't, for the very good reason that grumpy millionaires are entirely unwilling to give away their valuable possessions. The tension is therefore around how much worse the situation will become before Robinson reconsiders.
The plot and world-building are very pulpy, as the above summary no doubt suggests, and the characters don't have time to become more than archetypes. However the wittiness of the writing makes the narrative entertaining:
This isn't a spoiler, because Vanaman's theory is neither confirmed, denied, nor indeed mentioned again. He desires a scientific explanation of the horrors, but they seem distinctly supernatural. Although his theory isn't incompatible with subsequent events, it is a side issue when other matters are much more pressing. After an exciting chase sequence, the ending is unfortunately rather an anticlimax. Claimed! is worth borrowing from the library for a brief and fun diversion, although it's more of an adventurous romp than a chilling work of supernatural horror. An allegory for the early twentieth century confrontation between industrial technology and ecosystems could potentially be discerned, but I don't think I've got the energy for it.
The plot and world-building are very pulpy, as the above summary no doubt suggests, and the characters don't have time to become more than archetypes. However the wittiness of the writing makes the narrative entertaining:
"The secret which our modern science has groped for, but not yet found - a device for recording and reproducing thought vibrations."
Porter's brows were knit in a frown of perhaps excusable bewilderment, and as Blair's blank eyes met the doctor's the latter realised that his ingenious theorising had been intelligently followed by no one save himself. Still, that he had evolved an explanation on material grounds to satisfy even himself meant a great deal to Dr Vanaman just then.
This isn't a spoiler, because Vanaman's theory is neither confirmed, denied, nor indeed mentioned again. He desires a scientific explanation of the horrors, but they seem distinctly supernatural. Although his theory isn't incompatible with subsequent events, it is a side issue when other matters are much more pressing. After an exciting chase sequence, the ending is unfortunately rather an anticlimax. Claimed! is worth borrowing from the library for a brief and fun diversion, although it's more of an adventurous romp than a chilling work of supernatural horror. An allegory for the early twentieth century confrontation between industrial technology and ecosystems could potentially be discerned, but I don't think I've got the energy for it.
October 4, 2025
My second read from the Penguin Weird Fiction collection, CLAIMED! is full of mysterious dread.
There is a strange green box of unknown origin that seems to possess some dark power on those who are near it. A young doctor is called to the resistance of an old man and his niece one night and the story centers around the inexplicable occurrences and uncovering what this box might be.
Short but felt incredibly satisfying, and definitely moments where the creepiness is done really well.
There is a strange green box of unknown origin that seems to possess some dark power on those who are near it. A young doctor is called to the resistance of an old man and his niece one night and the story centers around the inexplicable occurrences and uncovering what this box might be.
Short but felt incredibly satisfying, and definitely moments where the creepiness is done really well.
January 16, 2022
Un roman précurseur de la Dark fantasy, très agréable à lire et même s'il est un peu marqué dans son époque il n'en reste pas moins hyper lisible aujourd'hui !
June 18, 2025
This was fun! A combination of some weird happenings and some almost swashbuckling adventure and some more.
June 22, 2025
I enjoyed this book but I don’t know why…
November 23, 2025
It's very Lovecraftian, I will give it that.
February 9, 2025
Excellent novella with a definite hint of h.p.lovecraft about it. Great cover!
May 20, 2015
Stevens's remarkable 1920 novel combines slapdash pulp conventions with genuinely impressive ideas.
Characterization is strictly by the pulpish book, and the narrative is encumbered with a painfully cliched romance. The prose is also pretty flat, achieving eloquence only with the novel's climax. But on the other hand, there is a wealth of powerful images and ideas which suggest Dunsany, Hodgson, and Lovecraft.
The novel opens with a pseudo-documentary prologue in which a lost merchant vessel comes upon an island just thrown up by volcanic action. Upon exploration, it is found to contain what appear to be monolithic ruins of fabulous antiquity. One seaman removes a strange object and takes it back to the vessel. The significance of this object and the unpleasant effects it has on its possessors form the basis of the rest of the story.
Stevens appears to have written exclusively for money, and in evident haste, but the strength of her imagination shows itself in many fine, eerie moments, and the climax is completely splendid. The ancient, rotting hulk of a ship encountered at this point by Steven's protagonist is ghastly even by Hodgson's standards, and the heroine's meeting in an unlit cabin deep inside with the strange object's rightful owner is completely memorable.
Characterization is strictly by the pulpish book, and the narrative is encumbered with a painfully cliched romance. The prose is also pretty flat, achieving eloquence only with the novel's climax. But on the other hand, there is a wealth of powerful images and ideas which suggest Dunsany, Hodgson, and Lovecraft.
The novel opens with a pseudo-documentary prologue in which a lost merchant vessel comes upon an island just thrown up by volcanic action. Upon exploration, it is found to contain what appear to be monolithic ruins of fabulous antiquity. One seaman removes a strange object and takes it back to the vessel. The significance of this object and the unpleasant effects it has on its possessors form the basis of the rest of the story.
Stevens appears to have written exclusively for money, and in evident haste, but the strength of her imagination shows itself in many fine, eerie moments, and the climax is completely splendid. The ancient, rotting hulk of a ship encountered at this point by Steven's protagonist is ghastly even by Hodgson's standards, and the heroine's meeting in an unlit cabin deep inside with the strange object's rightful owner is completely memorable.
January 11, 2026
"Fear is necessarily limited by the powers of perception and imagination. In the face of an event too monstrous, imagination grows numb, perception halts, and the mind is shut in, as it were, by a protecting cyst of sheer incomprehension."
[3.5 stars] Gertrude Barrows Bennett is still a relatively unknown pioneer of dark fantasy/cosmic horror, with her works published under the pen name Francis Stevens. This is a philosophical, "strange" novella that traverses the unknown and uncertainty of entities in the ocean. Dr. John Vanaman is assigned to look after wealthy industrialist Mr Robinson after he falls ill and becomes eerily obsessed with a strange box; one with a scarlet inscription that somehow keeps switching to the bottom when you turn the box over. The peculiar phenomenon however doesn't stop there, everyone in the vicinity of it, or people who have touched it seemed to be cursed by feverish nightmares, imagining a sea tide invading the comfort of their own home.
Dr. Vanaman tries to look for a more rational explanation but fails; and it seems that there's an ancient power that no human can truly resist. I love the first half of the book and the description of the ocean behaving like it's an intruder: "The seething hiss of what approached had come very near onrush - appalingly near, and Vanaman was afraid as he had never feared in his life before." It's "out of place," intruding on a familiar and comfortable place that Mr Robinson and his niece Leilah have long been in. There is nothing specific that materializes in that room besides the threatening ocean in their imagination, and yet that's what makes it all more terrifying. I can see how Lovecraft took a lot of inspiration from this, the whole unknown aspect and the paralyzing fear associated with it are described as such a sensory experience.
Mr. Robinson nevertheless claims (!) the box like it's his personal memorabilia, and one wonders if the box is truly cursed, or if its perceived status makes people covet it more due to the avaricious nature of humans, driving them insane. Every object needs to be possessed and if not, it's up for grabs. Humans have evolved to not "leave things as are," thinking they are always in control and the main characters of the universe. And that includes Dr Vanaman needing to find out what it actually is, and also trying to "claim" Mr. Robinson's niece, Leilah. Funnily, I find the part before the voyage and before the revelation of another world much more intriguing, the same way the unknown may be more terrifying to the characters. But I personally just think that the nautical part just has a rocky pacing and wasn't as well-written as the first half.
I also find it quite interesting how stereotypical Leilah is, she's such a useless character that's essentially a pawn to show an obsessive side of Dr Vanaman. It's surprising since this is written by a woman, but also makes me feel like Bennett as Francis Stevens was heavily overcompensating to make it more "men-friendly." Good read overall, I think it's a must-read if you want to explore more of weird fiction.
[3.5 stars] Gertrude Barrows Bennett is still a relatively unknown pioneer of dark fantasy/cosmic horror, with her works published under the pen name Francis Stevens. This is a philosophical, "strange" novella that traverses the unknown and uncertainty of entities in the ocean. Dr. John Vanaman is assigned to look after wealthy industrialist Mr Robinson after he falls ill and becomes eerily obsessed with a strange box; one with a scarlet inscription that somehow keeps switching to the bottom when you turn the box over. The peculiar phenomenon however doesn't stop there, everyone in the vicinity of it, or people who have touched it seemed to be cursed by feverish nightmares, imagining a sea tide invading the comfort of their own home.
Dr. Vanaman tries to look for a more rational explanation but fails; and it seems that there's an ancient power that no human can truly resist. I love the first half of the book and the description of the ocean behaving like it's an intruder: "The seething hiss of what approached had come very near onrush - appalingly near, and Vanaman was afraid as he had never feared in his life before." It's "out of place," intruding on a familiar and comfortable place that Mr Robinson and his niece Leilah have long been in. There is nothing specific that materializes in that room besides the threatening ocean in their imagination, and yet that's what makes it all more terrifying. I can see how Lovecraft took a lot of inspiration from this, the whole unknown aspect and the paralyzing fear associated with it are described as such a sensory experience.
Mr. Robinson nevertheless claims (!) the box like it's his personal memorabilia, and one wonders if the box is truly cursed, or if its perceived status makes people covet it more due to the avaricious nature of humans, driving them insane. Every object needs to be possessed and if not, it's up for grabs. Humans have evolved to not "leave things as are," thinking they are always in control and the main characters of the universe. And that includes Dr Vanaman needing to find out what it actually is, and also trying to "claim" Mr. Robinson's niece, Leilah. Funnily, I find the part before the voyage and before the revelation of another world much more intriguing, the same way the unknown may be more terrifying to the characters. But I personally just think that the nautical part just has a rocky pacing and wasn't as well-written as the first half.
I also find it quite interesting how stereotypical Leilah is, she's such a useless character that's essentially a pawn to show an obsessive side of Dr Vanaman. It's surprising since this is written by a woman, but also makes me feel like Bennett as Francis Stevens was heavily overcompensating to make it more "men-friendly." Good read overall, I think it's a must-read if you want to explore more of weird fiction.
January 24, 2025
Penguin have just published 5 titles in their new "Weird Fiction" range - The other 4 are the usual suspects (King in Yellow, Hope-Hodgson, Blackwood and an anthology containing Lovecraft, M.R james, Poe etc...) however I was intrigued by this final title, by an author I'd never come across before and with such a glorious surreal cover.
The story is very typical of its genre - we begin with a sea voyage where the crew come to a mysterious island - one of the sailors steals a box he finds on the island which later finds itself in the hands of a curmudgeonly old collector. The powers of darkness want it back and with the help of a handsome young doctor and his plucky ward they have to fight off the supernatural, culminating in a wonderful sea chase against a ghost ship.
Lots of classic Weird fiction tropes here: Atlantis, mysterious ancient cities, old gods and sacrifices, haunted/possessed mysterious objects, Miserly old collectors, ghost ships. Personally I felt this confused its mythologies a bit or is at best a mish-mash of other stories -
1) Atlantis / Poseidon
2) An ancient once benevolent deity who gave wisdom to mankind and was disappointed in their misuse of it - becomes wrathful. (feels OT God/Sodom & Gommorah)
3) An ancient sleeping sea god (Lovecraft)
4) Hell and the fallen 'archangel' (Milton)
5) The box containing ancient wisdom (Pandora's box)
6) Mysterious ancient Ghost ship (Hodgson)
It may not be the most original but it does have some really nice visuals - The mysterious green box with read writing that sinks to the bottom when you aren't looking, the black ghost ship with it's inwardly curving bowspirit to look like devil's horns. And lets not forget the lovely Leilah with her hair white as moonlight.
It's wonderful to see weird fiction by women back in print - British Library Tales of the Weird begun the trend with their Queens of the Abyss and rediscovering Mary Sinclair and Dorothy K Haynes, but its great that Penguin are picking up on the trend - More weird fiction please and hopefully some more obscure titles might come to light.
The story is very typical of its genre - we begin with a sea voyage where the crew come to a mysterious island - one of the sailors steals a box he finds on the island which later finds itself in the hands of a curmudgeonly old collector. The powers of darkness want it back and with the help of a handsome young doctor and his plucky ward they have to fight off the supernatural, culminating in a wonderful sea chase against a ghost ship.
Lots of classic Weird fiction tropes here: Atlantis, mysterious ancient cities, old gods and sacrifices, haunted/possessed mysterious objects, Miserly old collectors, ghost ships. Personally I felt this confused its mythologies a bit or is at best a mish-mash of other stories -
1) Atlantis / Poseidon
2) An ancient once benevolent deity who gave wisdom to mankind and was disappointed in their misuse of it - becomes wrathful. (feels OT God/Sodom & Gommorah)
3) An ancient sleeping sea god (Lovecraft)
4) Hell and the fallen 'archangel' (Milton)
5) The box containing ancient wisdom (Pandora's box)
6) Mysterious ancient Ghost ship (Hodgson)
It may not be the most original but it does have some really nice visuals - The mysterious green box with read writing that sinks to the bottom when you aren't looking, the black ghost ship with it's inwardly curving bowspirit to look like devil's horns. And lets not forget the lovely Leilah with her hair white as moonlight.
It's wonderful to see weird fiction by women back in print - British Library Tales of the Weird begun the trend with their Queens of the Abyss and rediscovering Mary Sinclair and Dorothy K Haynes, but its great that Penguin are picking up on the trend - More weird fiction please and hopefully some more obscure titles might come to light.
January 19, 2025
Bennett, under the pseudonym Francis Stevens, was an early writer of weird fiction, admired in the 1920s (H.P. Lovecraft), but long eclipsed by others in the genre (Lovecraft), and not included in a seminal overview of the weird, Supernatural Horror in Literature (Lovecraft). Even some photos of her are of doubted authenticity. She is belatedly being seen as an originator of dark fantasy, so it's nice to see that, eventually, the stars are become right for her.
I read Claimed! in a recent Penguin edition, which sadly has no critical apparatus, but does have excellent cover art. The story was first published in 1920, and is pulp rather than high literature. This doesn't have the characterisation and philosophy of slightly earlier writers, such as Blackwood, but does capture the atmosphere of the strange and otherworldly that is the mainstay of weird fiction.
In Claimed!, we have an ancient, eldritch artefact found on a mysteriously appearing then vanishing island that causes delirium and fearful visions, is associated with strange sacrifices to a sleeping deity, whose gradual awakening is heralded by madness and natural catastrophes. Lovecraft fans will recognise these as elements from his story The Call of Cthulhu, written five years after Bennett's story!
The main characters are in service to their roles in the plot, despite which I don't think they are entirely cardboard. One of the minor players had promise as a potential Psychic Detective, but sadly that fizzled out. Otherwise an engaging genre story: 4🔱
I read Claimed! in a recent Penguin edition, which sadly has no critical apparatus, but does have excellent cover art. The story was first published in 1920, and is pulp rather than high literature. This doesn't have the characterisation and philosophy of slightly earlier writers, such as Blackwood, but does capture the atmosphere of the strange and otherworldly that is the mainstay of weird fiction.
In Claimed!, we have an ancient, eldritch artefact found on a mysteriously appearing then vanishing island that causes delirium and fearful visions, is associated with strange sacrifices to a sleeping deity, whose gradual awakening is heralded by madness and natural catastrophes. Lovecraft fans will recognise these as elements from his story The Call of Cthulhu, written five years after Bennett's story!
The main characters are in service to their roles in the plot, despite which I don't think they are entirely cardboard. One of the minor players had promise as a potential Psychic Detective, but sadly that fizzled out. Otherwise an engaging genre story: 4🔱
December 28, 2022
Francis Stevens is important. The name is a pseudonym for Gertrude Barrows Bennett who was Lovecraftian before Lovecraft himself.
The following is from Wikipedia: "...[she] has been called "the woman who invented dark fantasy". Her most famous books include Claimed (which Augustus T. Swift, in a letter to The Argosy called "One of the strangest and most compelling science fantasy novels you will ever read")..."
Having gotten that out of the way, what did I think of the book? It's an odd book. It started off one way and ended up in a way I didn't expect. It's a hard book to summarize. Did I enjoy it? I was intrigued. It was so strange. A weird green box that never shows its "upside" is bought by a mean old eccentric. A doctor falls in love with the eccentric's beautiful niece, gets drawn into the drama of the box, and chaos ensues. There is pagan sacrifice, otherworldly realms, and a sea voyage reminiscent of Poe's MS Found in a Bottle. The ending is abrupt and a bit of a stretch for me, but still it's a curious work that I'm glad I read. Not sure I enjoyed it per se, but it is definitely weird.
The following is from Wikipedia: "...[she] has been called "the woman who invented dark fantasy". Her most famous books include Claimed (which Augustus T. Swift, in a letter to The Argosy called "One of the strangest and most compelling science fantasy novels you will ever read")..."
Having gotten that out of the way, what did I think of the book? It's an odd book. It started off one way and ended up in a way I didn't expect. It's a hard book to summarize. Did I enjoy it? I was intrigued. It was so strange. A weird green box that never shows its "upside" is bought by a mean old eccentric. A doctor falls in love with the eccentric's beautiful niece, gets drawn into the drama of the box, and chaos ensues. There is pagan sacrifice, otherworldly realms, and a sea voyage reminiscent of Poe's MS Found in a Bottle. The ending is abrupt and a bit of a stretch for me, but still it's a curious work that I'm glad I read. Not sure I enjoyed it per se, but it is definitely weird.
October 13, 2025
This is a somewhat more obscure Lovecraftian-type novella from 1920, so obviously I'm in. Specifically, I was playing the game Dredge and it absolutely slapped, so I wanted to pick up a book that matched in vibe - and this matched perfectly. Would definitely recommend the pairing.
Overall, it was an enjoyable story, though the writing felt a little difficult to understand at times in a way that meant it just didn't flow very well. A little bit overly-descriptive too with regard to the Lovecraftian elements, which often tend to benefit from vagueness. Still, I found it really quite interesting in the way in which it represented elements of incomprehensibility, and the final note on which it ended was really good. Glad I read it, but more from a literary-nerd-kind-of-perspective; if I was just looking for a really exciting Lovecraftian novel I might instead go for, well, Lovecraft himself, or something like John Langan. But still, super super interesting and I'm quite excited about it! Would love to explore more by Bennett.
Note: just found out that apparently she was pre-Lovecraftian and influenced him, rather than the other way around, which is so exciting!!!!
Overall, it was an enjoyable story, though the writing felt a little difficult to understand at times in a way that meant it just didn't flow very well. A little bit overly-descriptive too with regard to the Lovecraftian elements, which often tend to benefit from vagueness. Still, I found it really quite interesting in the way in which it represented elements of incomprehensibility, and the final note on which it ended was really good. Glad I read it, but more from a literary-nerd-kind-of-perspective; if I was just looking for a really exciting Lovecraftian novel I might instead go for, well, Lovecraft himself, or something like John Langan. But still, super super interesting and I'm quite excited about it! Would love to explore more by Bennett.
Note: just found out that apparently she was pre-Lovecraftian and influenced him, rather than the other way around, which is so exciting!!!!
November 6, 2018
Claimed! was esteemed by none other than H.P. Lovecraft himself for its "amazing and thrilling scenes." Sadly, he was correct to say that this novella "would have been praised to the skies" had it been written by another author. Francis Stevens was actually the pen name for Gertrude Barrows Bennet, one of the first women to break into speculative fiction. As with Lovecraft and his cosmic horror, she is even credited with developing a whole new genre: that of dark fantasy. This did not save her from lapsing into obscurity, however, and she remains largely unread even today.
Claimed! really is an impressively original story. Most of the summaries make it sound like basic pulp, with its premise of a dashing hero trying to save a beautiful woman from being kidnapped by Poseidon. In fact, the familiar name is barely used and the god is presented instead as an unimaginably ancient force of nature embodied by the sea itself, an elemental power almost beyond human comprehension. It is an existential threat, not the menace of a mere singular villain. In this way Bennet's Poseidon has more in common with Lovecraft's Eldritch Abominations (complete with requisite cultists) than anything from Greek mythology. Definitely check this book out if you enjoy early Weird Fiction from the master's own era.
Claimed! really is an impressively original story. Most of the summaries make it sound like basic pulp, with its premise of a dashing hero trying to save a beautiful woman from being kidnapped by Poseidon. In fact, the familiar name is barely used and the god is presented instead as an unimaginably ancient force of nature embodied by the sea itself, an elemental power almost beyond human comprehension. It is an existential threat, not the menace of a mere singular villain. In this way Bennet's Poseidon has more in common with Lovecraft's Eldritch Abominations (complete with requisite cultists) than anything from Greek mythology. Definitely check this book out if you enjoy early Weird Fiction from the master's own era.
December 19, 2020
A strange story with an illusive conclusion
Claimed is a mildly bizarre novel until you get to the last twenty pages, then it has only the slightest touch with reality ! Mr. Robinson hired a young man, Doctor Vananman, who, just finishing medical school, had neither established job or regular duties, came to be hired by Robinson to be a bodyguard, being paid doctor's wages .
The fantastic takes over, and at that point having a firm grip on reality takes a great plunge into water of indeterminate circumstances. The girl and her uncle were held buy pirates who frequented those waters in their haunted ship. Leilea was no more help, so she was thrown overboard., Only to be rescued the young doctor. The care of that couple, the grandfather and his special niece was apparently determined by one of them having the special green box that led to their pursuit by a haunted ship and her crew. Mr. Robinson remained on that ship with the devils own treasure.
Not my favorite kind of book!
Claimed is a mildly bizarre novel until you get to the last twenty pages, then it has only the slightest touch with reality ! Mr. Robinson hired a young man, Doctor Vananman, who, just finishing medical school, had neither established job or regular duties, came to be hired by Robinson to be a bodyguard, being paid doctor's wages .
The fantastic takes over, and at that point having a firm grip on reality takes a great plunge into water of indeterminate circumstances. The girl and her uncle were held buy pirates who frequented those waters in their haunted ship. Leilea was no more help, so she was thrown overboard., Only to be rescued the young doctor. The care of that couple, the grandfather and his special niece was apparently determined by one of them having the special green box that led to their pursuit by a haunted ship and her crew. Mr. Robinson remained on that ship with the devils own treasure.
Not my favorite kind of book!
July 5, 2025
3.5⭐️ - The uncle’s possessiveness of his niece was a bit icky along with the doctor being so horny for her. I gasped a little at the end when the doctor is all, I get what I want and he’s referring to the niece, like he has some kind of claim on her now that the uncle is gone. The whole time he proclaims to be a good guy and he’s just as greedy as the uncle.
Anyway, back to the story, I really liked the writing and descriptions of the world. It was detailed but not too much to the point of tedium. The descriptions of the uncle were so good especially when describing his mouth (the phrase “oblong mouth aperture” was used more than once).
I recommend reading this if you’re into weird fiction, but want something quick (this is 126 pages).
Anyway, back to the story, I really liked the writing and descriptions of the world. It was detailed but not too much to the point of tedium. The descriptions of the uncle were so good especially when describing his mouth (the phrase “oblong mouth aperture” was used more than once).
I recommend reading this if you’re into weird fiction, but want something quick (this is 126 pages).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2024
Fun, action-y weird horror story. Very compelling read, found myself reading it almost in one sitting.
Enjoyed the alternative history elements, and the lore around the early Earth was very cool. Overall the way that it explains but doesn't overexplain the supernatural happenings was very effective. In particular, refusing to name (while dropping some hints to identity) the entity that is the antagonist was very enjoyable. Kind of curious to research online whether my suspicion around the identity of the being is considered correct/likely...
Fairly strong characters and themes, and a good mysterious object is always fun as the centrepiece of the story. Powerful atmosphere throughout.
Enjoyed the alternative history elements, and the lore around the early Earth was very cool. Overall the way that it explains but doesn't overexplain the supernatural happenings was very effective. In particular, refusing to name (while dropping some hints to identity) the entity that is the antagonist was very enjoyable. Kind of curious to research online whether my suspicion around the identity of the being is considered correct/likely...
Fairly strong characters and themes, and a good mysterious object is always fun as the centrepiece of the story. Powerful atmosphere throughout.
February 17, 2025
[Penguin Books] (2024). SB. 126 Pages. Purchased from Waterstones.
The “Weird Fiction Series”, whilst most welcome in principle, is somewhat regurgitative in nature. What’s remotely fresh or interesting about an “Anthology” bearing the image of a tentacle on the cover, opening with “The Masque of the Red Death” and “The Monkey’s Paw”?
That said, this 1920 title’s an inspired choice. The wrapper design is abysmal, biographical details are skimpy and there’s no introduction - but it’s an enthralling, disturbing and brilliantly executed story. A “…masterful intertwining of fantasy, philosophy and terror…”, they boast, and so it is.
The “Weird Fiction Series”, whilst most welcome in principle, is somewhat regurgitative in nature. What’s remotely fresh or interesting about an “Anthology” bearing the image of a tentacle on the cover, opening with “The Masque of the Red Death” and “The Monkey’s Paw”?
That said, this 1920 title’s an inspired choice. The wrapper design is abysmal, biographical details are skimpy and there’s no introduction - but it’s an enthralling, disturbing and brilliantly executed story. A “…masterful intertwining of fantasy, philosophy and terror…”, they boast, and so it is.
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