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The King in Yellow
I cannot forget Carcosa where black stars hang in the heavens; where the shadows of men's thoughts lengthen in the afternoon... I pray God will curse the writer, as the writer has cursed the world with the beautiful, stupendous creation, terrible in its simplicity, irresistible in its truth - a world which now trembles before the King in Yellow.
The four uncanny and terrifying tales contained between these covers are all linked by their reference to a certain notorious play, a cursed, forbidden play that has spread like a contagion across the world, a play in which the second act reveals truths so terrible, and so beautiful, that it drives all who read it to lunatic despair: The King in Yellow.
These stories are some of the most thrilling ever written in the field of weird fiction. Since their first publication in 1895 they have become cult classics, influencing many writers from the renowned master of cosmic horror H. P. Lovecraft to the creators of HBO's True Detective.
Contains: ‘The Repairer of Reputations’, ‘The Mask’, ‘In the Court of the Dragon’, ‘The Yellow Sign’
The four uncanny and terrifying tales contained between these covers are all linked by their reference to a certain notorious play, a cursed, forbidden play that has spread like a contagion across the world, a play in which the second act reveals truths so terrible, and so beautiful, that it drives all who read it to lunatic despair: The King in Yellow.
These stories are some of the most thrilling ever written in the field of weird fiction. Since their first publication in 1895 they have become cult classics, influencing many writers from the renowned master of cosmic horror H. P. Lovecraft to the creators of HBO's True Detective.
Contains: ‘The Repairer of Reputations’, ‘The Mask’, ‘In the Court of the Dragon’, ‘The Yellow Sign’
160 pages, Hardcover
Published October 26, 2017
267 people are currently reading
2915 people want to read
About the author
Robert W. Chambers
666 books610 followersRobert William Chambers was an American artist and writer.
Chambers was first educated at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute,and then entered the Art Students' League at around the age of twenty, where the artist Charles Dana Gibson was his fellow student. Chambers studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, and at Académie Julian, in Paris from 1886 to 1893, and his work was displayed at the Salon as early as 1889. On his return to New York, he succeeded in selling his illustrations to Life, Truth, and Vogue magazines. Then, for reasons unclear, he devoted his time to writing, producing his first novel, In the Quarter (written in 1887 in Munich). His most famous, and perhaps most meritorious, effort is The King in Yellow, a collection of weird short stories, connected by the theme of the fictitious drama The King in Yellow, which drives those who read it insane.
Chambers returned to the weird genre in his later short story collections The Maker of Moons and The Tree of Heaven, but neither earned him such success as The King in Yellow.
Chambers later turned to writing romantic fiction to earn a living. According to some estimates, Chambers was one of the most successful literary careers of his period, his later novels selling well and a handful achieving best-seller status. Many of his works were also serialized in magazines.
After 1924 he devoted himself solely to writing historical fiction.
Chambers for several years made Broadalbin his summer home. Some of his novels touch upon colonial life in Broadalbin and Johnstown.
On July 12, 1898, he married Elsa Vaughn Moller (1882-1939). They had a son, Robert Edward Stuart Chambers (later calling himself Robert Husted Chambers) who also gained some fame as an author.
Chambers died at his home in the village of Broadalbin, New York, on December 16th 1933.
Chambers was first educated at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute,and then entered the Art Students' League at around the age of twenty, where the artist Charles Dana Gibson was his fellow student. Chambers studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, and at Académie Julian, in Paris from 1886 to 1893, and his work was displayed at the Salon as early as 1889. On his return to New York, he succeeded in selling his illustrations to Life, Truth, and Vogue magazines. Then, for reasons unclear, he devoted his time to writing, producing his first novel, In the Quarter (written in 1887 in Munich). His most famous, and perhaps most meritorious, effort is The King in Yellow, a collection of weird short stories, connected by the theme of the fictitious drama The King in Yellow, which drives those who read it insane.
Chambers returned to the weird genre in his later short story collections The Maker of Moons and The Tree of Heaven, but neither earned him such success as The King in Yellow.
Chambers later turned to writing romantic fiction to earn a living. According to some estimates, Chambers was one of the most successful literary careers of his period, his later novels selling well and a handful achieving best-seller status. Many of his works were also serialized in magazines.
After 1924 he devoted himself solely to writing historical fiction.
Chambers for several years made Broadalbin his summer home. Some of his novels touch upon colonial life in Broadalbin and Johnstown.
On July 12, 1898, he married Elsa Vaughn Moller (1882-1939). They had a son, Robert Edward Stuart Chambers (later calling himself Robert Husted Chambers) who also gained some fame as an author.
Chambers died at his home in the village of Broadalbin, New York, on December 16th 1933.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 449 reviews
July 1, 2019
As all those addicted to weird tales have known for years, The King in Yellow is one of the seminal books of modern horror fiction. It inspires, and continues to inspire. It prompted H.P. Lovecraft to create the Cthulhu mythos almost ninety years ago, and a mere five years ago it became a major reference point for HBO’s superb first season of True Detective.
Chambers conception is simple but powerful: what if there were a literary work which could—at a specific point in the perusal of the text—drive each of its readers insane? Chambers called this work –a play to be precise—The King in Yellow. Although its first act seems harmless enough . . . everyone who begins reading the second act goes hopelessly, irrevocably mad. Chambers influential idea was to write four otherwise unrelated stories of madness and the occult and then—almost casually, parenthetically—mention The King in Yellow and a few startling image from it in every one. Each of these well-crafted stories would have delivered a thrill or two on its own, but—once the mention of this sinister plays had been added—the overall effect of the four tales taken together was chilling. (Clearly, Lovecraft learned from Chambers, using The Necronomicon and the mythos itself in much the same fashion.
Chambers published these four stories in a collection called The King in Yellow in 1895, but, as they were not quite enough by themselves to comprise a substantial collection, he added six others tales, a few of which were bohemian romance tales without even a touch of the occult, and none of which mentioned The Yellow King at all. This was a mistake, for the additional stories dissipated the extraordinary effect of the four “King in Yellow” tales taken together.
Pushkin Press has now made things right, by including only those four original tales in a small attractive book of only 154 pages. If you have the time, read it in one sitting, or at least during a couple of sittings on one long winter night. You may find that The King in Yellow touches you with his madness too:
I raised my seared eyes to the fathomless glare, and I saw the black stars hanging in the heavens: and the wet winds from the lake of Hali chilled my face.
And now, far away, over the leagues of tossing cloud-waves, I saw the moon dripping with spray; and beyond, the towers of Carcosa rose behind the moon.
. . . And now I heard the voice, rising, swelling, thunder through the blaring light, and as I fell, the radiance increasing, increasing, poured over me in waves of flame . . . I head the King in Yellow whispering to my soul: “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!”
July 20, 2021
This edition of Robert W. Chambers’ The King in Yellow collects four of the original ten stories, omitting those standalone tales that don’t have anything to do with the King in Yellow “storyline” (for want of a better word). So the four left - The Repairer of Reputations, The Mask, In the Court of the Dragon, The Yellow Sign - form a kind of linked narrative here.
I’ve known about this book for a while as I’ve read HP Lovecraft before and know he was a big fan of this book and it was referenced throughout the excellent first season of True Detective. I read the INJ Culbard comics adaptation of this book a few years ago though and didn’t think much of it, so I wasn’t expecting much from this one - and, yup, it’s not that good!
The Repairer of Reputations is definitely the standout of the four as parts of it are interesting once you realise the narrator is cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, while the other three stories are just plain crap through and through. Told from the perspective of a mental patient called Castaigne, he visits a strange fellow called Mr Wilde who somehow “repairs” people’s damaged reputations. Both are completely mad and are obsessed with a cursed play called The King in Yellow - things don’t end well for either!
A sculptor mentioned in the first story is one of the main characters of the second story, The Mask. Boris Yvain, a Parisian sculptor, has discovered a new method of creating sculptures: dipping the live object into a special liquid thus turning them into a piece of living/dead art! But when the play, The King in Yellow, appears in their lives, things take a turn for the worse…
In the Court of the Dragon is about a man who has been reading the cursed play and believes a church organist is after his soul - or is it the King himself?
The Yellow Sign is about a painter and his model who get creeped out by a weird dude who stalks them, muttering about the yellow sign, and then they have strange dreams. The painter also happens to have The King in Yellow on his bookshelf.
Chambers’ writing style is overly descriptive and plodding, providing a lot of extraneous detail and little in the way of story. What would’ve been far more satisfying is if he’d explained a bit more of what this King in Yellow stuff is!! What is the play about? What makes it cursed and/or so terrible? What is the significance of these words that repeatedly crop up: Carcosa, Hastur, Aldebaran, Hyades??
We’re given little details here and there - the unnamed author supposedly shot himself after writing it, though others believe he’s still alive - but it’s not enough. I get that leaving it up to the reader’s imagination is artistic, but it can also be lazy and unimaginative on the part of the writer, which is the case here. It’s underwritten and unimpressive.
We should know who wrote the play and something of its contents at the very least. Leaving it as vague as this doesn’t make it more scary, it only makes it inscrutable. Even though the stories are tenuously linked, the connections are pointless, add nothing to one another or to a better understanding of what this King in Yellow thing is.
Which is only more frustrating because it all sounds tantalisingly good. A cursed play that drives people mad, a demonic King in Yellow with cultish followers on Earth, undead, magic, soul-taking - good, no? If only Chambers had had the wherewithal to develop it.
The world he set it in is another curious detail. The book was published in 1895 but it’s set in 1920 so it’s sci-fi-ish, and, oddly it’s a world where actual suicide booths, called “lethal chambers”, have been built and sanctioned by the government! What a bonkers detail to highlight. I guess it adds to the unreality of the piece.
I can see why Lovecraft liked Chambers so much though. They both wrote very flowery prose about vague menacing things, often in an unentertaining and boring way, they both write about a mad author creating a cursed literary work (Lovecraft’s is Alhazred’s Necronomicon), and The Yellow Sign even ends in the classic Lovecraftian mid-sentence way of his st…
If you’re curious enough to read Chambers’ King in Yellow, this is probably the best edition as it cuts the chaff and only leaves you with the linked chaff (because I’m certain none of it is good). Parts of the first story are mildly interesting and the details that crop up throughout offer up an idea of something potentially great that Chambers never realised but at least inspired others to create better works later on down the line, like Lovecraft, etc. Overall though it ain’t much and I wouldn’t have high hopes if you’re going to check out this rather feeble horror-adjacent effort.
I’ve known about this book for a while as I’ve read HP Lovecraft before and know he was a big fan of this book and it was referenced throughout the excellent first season of True Detective. I read the INJ Culbard comics adaptation of this book a few years ago though and didn’t think much of it, so I wasn’t expecting much from this one - and, yup, it’s not that good!
The Repairer of Reputations is definitely the standout of the four as parts of it are interesting once you realise the narrator is cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, while the other three stories are just plain crap through and through. Told from the perspective of a mental patient called Castaigne, he visits a strange fellow called Mr Wilde who somehow “repairs” people’s damaged reputations. Both are completely mad and are obsessed with a cursed play called The King in Yellow - things don’t end well for either!
A sculptor mentioned in the first story is one of the main characters of the second story, The Mask. Boris Yvain, a Parisian sculptor, has discovered a new method of creating sculptures: dipping the live object into a special liquid thus turning them into a piece of living/dead art! But when the play, The King in Yellow, appears in their lives, things take a turn for the worse…
In the Court of the Dragon is about a man who has been reading the cursed play and believes a church organist is after his soul - or is it the King himself?
The Yellow Sign is about a painter and his model who get creeped out by a weird dude who stalks them, muttering about the yellow sign, and then they have strange dreams. The painter also happens to have The King in Yellow on his bookshelf.
Chambers’ writing style is overly descriptive and plodding, providing a lot of extraneous detail and little in the way of story. What would’ve been far more satisfying is if he’d explained a bit more of what this King in Yellow stuff is!! What is the play about? What makes it cursed and/or so terrible? What is the significance of these words that repeatedly crop up: Carcosa, Hastur, Aldebaran, Hyades??
We’re given little details here and there - the unnamed author supposedly shot himself after writing it, though others believe he’s still alive - but it’s not enough. I get that leaving it up to the reader’s imagination is artistic, but it can also be lazy and unimaginative on the part of the writer, which is the case here. It’s underwritten and unimpressive.
We should know who wrote the play and something of its contents at the very least. Leaving it as vague as this doesn’t make it more scary, it only makes it inscrutable. Even though the stories are tenuously linked, the connections are pointless, add nothing to one another or to a better understanding of what this King in Yellow thing is.
Which is only more frustrating because it all sounds tantalisingly good. A cursed play that drives people mad, a demonic King in Yellow with cultish followers on Earth, undead, magic, soul-taking - good, no? If only Chambers had had the wherewithal to develop it.
The world he set it in is another curious detail. The book was published in 1895 but it’s set in 1920 so it’s sci-fi-ish, and, oddly it’s a world where actual suicide booths, called “lethal chambers”, have been built and sanctioned by the government! What a bonkers detail to highlight. I guess it adds to the unreality of the piece.
I can see why Lovecraft liked Chambers so much though. They both wrote very flowery prose about vague menacing things, often in an unentertaining and boring way, they both write about a mad author creating a cursed literary work (Lovecraft’s is Alhazred’s Necronomicon), and The Yellow Sign even ends in the classic Lovecraftian mid-sentence way of his st…
If you’re curious enough to read Chambers’ King in Yellow, this is probably the best edition as it cuts the chaff and only leaves you with the linked chaff (because I’m certain none of it is good). Parts of the first story are mildly interesting and the details that crop up throughout offer up an idea of something potentially great that Chambers never realised but at least inspired others to create better works later on down the line, like Lovecraft, etc. Overall though it ain’t much and I wouldn’t have high hopes if you’re going to check out this rather feeble horror-adjacent effort.
August 28, 2025
While perhaps not as popular as Edgar Allan Poe or Ambrose Bierce—-two of his literary contemporaries—-Robert W. Chambers is among the more influential 19th-century writers that helped to shape modern horror fiction. His book of short stories, “The King in Yellow”, published in 1895, is still considered to be one of the best exemplars of “weird” fiction, the progenitor of modern horror and the template for the “New Weird” genre.
Chambers experienced an uptick in popularity in the last few years due to the first season of the HBO TV show “True Detective”, in which the titular story, “The King in Yellow” played an important role in the plot. There was, thanks to the show, a resurgence in sales for the almost 130-year-old book.
In 2017, Pushkin Press published a beautiful edition of Chambers’s classic book. Be aware, though, that this edition only includes the first four stories of the original ten-story collection.
This was a conscious choice, due to the fact that the remaining six stories of the collection had very little, thematically, with the first four. It is the first four stories that act as an interconnected whole, almost like a short novella in four parts.
The first story, “The Repairer of Reputations”, sets the scene: a futuristic New York City of 1920 (keep in mind the book’s publication date of 1895), where the United States is recovering from a major war against Germany. And, yes, it is hair-raisingly creepy how prescient Chambers was about this.
The U.S. of this extrapolated 1920 is experiencing a period of immense post-war wealth and prosperity. Cities have exploded in size and population due to great technological advances. (Again, it’s damn frightening how accurate Chambers was with his predictions.) There is one disturbingly horrifying caveat to this seemingly utopian world: suicides have inexplicably risen to the point that the U.S. government has not only legalized euthanasia but has set up, around the country, buildings called Lethal Chambers where people can go to painlessly shuffle off their mortal coils.
If, like me, you are suddenly thinking, What the f…?, that’s merely the beginning of the unending weirdness.
Within each story, reference is made to a recent play entitled “The King in Yellow”, which has been banned from bookstores and libraries owing to its inexplicable capacity to drive readers literally insane and/or suicidal. Very little is revealed about the play’s contents, although what is revealed is that the so-called King in Yellow is a demonic presence that rules over a dead kingdom called Carcosa. It is the second act of the play that drives people crazy. Suffice it to say, very few people know what happens in Act Two.
I can’t in good conscious say much more about each story for fear of letting spoilers slip except that each one gets progressively more surreal and horrifying, and the banned play is always lurking about in the background as either a direct or indirect cause of the story’s events.
There is a dream-like quality to these stories which adds to both their beauty and horror. It is quite clear to see its influence on “New Weird” writers such as Paul Tremblay, Laird Barron, and Jeff VanderMeer.
It should also come as no surprise that H.P. Lovecraft once called “The King in Yellow” “one of the greatest weird tales ever written”.
Chambers experienced an uptick in popularity in the last few years due to the first season of the HBO TV show “True Detective”, in which the titular story, “The King in Yellow” played an important role in the plot. There was, thanks to the show, a resurgence in sales for the almost 130-year-old book.
In 2017, Pushkin Press published a beautiful edition of Chambers’s classic book. Be aware, though, that this edition only includes the first four stories of the original ten-story collection.
This was a conscious choice, due to the fact that the remaining six stories of the collection had very little, thematically, with the first four. It is the first four stories that act as an interconnected whole, almost like a short novella in four parts.
The first story, “The Repairer of Reputations”, sets the scene: a futuristic New York City of 1920 (keep in mind the book’s publication date of 1895), where the United States is recovering from a major war against Germany. And, yes, it is hair-raisingly creepy how prescient Chambers was about this.
The U.S. of this extrapolated 1920 is experiencing a period of immense post-war wealth and prosperity. Cities have exploded in size and population due to great technological advances. (Again, it’s damn frightening how accurate Chambers was with his predictions.) There is one disturbingly horrifying caveat to this seemingly utopian world: suicides have inexplicably risen to the point that the U.S. government has not only legalized euthanasia but has set up, around the country, buildings called Lethal Chambers where people can go to painlessly shuffle off their mortal coils.
If, like me, you are suddenly thinking, What the f…?, that’s merely the beginning of the unending weirdness.
Within each story, reference is made to a recent play entitled “The King in Yellow”, which has been banned from bookstores and libraries owing to its inexplicable capacity to drive readers literally insane and/or suicidal. Very little is revealed about the play’s contents, although what is revealed is that the so-called King in Yellow is a demonic presence that rules over a dead kingdom called Carcosa. It is the second act of the play that drives people crazy. Suffice it to say, very few people know what happens in Act Two.
I can’t in good conscious say much more about each story for fear of letting spoilers slip except that each one gets progressively more surreal and horrifying, and the banned play is always lurking about in the background as either a direct or indirect cause of the story’s events.
There is a dream-like quality to these stories which adds to both their beauty and horror. It is quite clear to see its influence on “New Weird” writers such as Paul Tremblay, Laird Barron, and Jeff VanderMeer.
It should also come as no surprise that H.P. Lovecraft once called “The King in Yellow” “one of the greatest weird tales ever written”.
August 28, 2022
Well, that was different.
I mean, both different from other books and different from what I expected.
"The King in Yellow" is a fictional book that the characters in various stories read. We readers of Chambers' book get only the barest glimpses of what what is about -- Hali, Hypnos, terrible secrets -- no plot or quotes or even much hint as to who the character of the King might be. All we know is that everyone who reads it becomes mentally disturbed in some way, or something terrible happens to them.
It was a little frustrating in that I wanted more, but I can see why Lovecraft and the Mythos folks liked this so much.
I'd been wanting to read this for a while and appreciate Pushkin putting out such a high-quality edition.
I mean, both different from other books and different from what I expected.
"The King in Yellow" is a fictional book that the characters in various stories read. We readers of Chambers' book get only the barest glimpses of what what is about -- Hali, Hypnos, terrible secrets -- no plot or quotes or even much hint as to who the character of the King might be. All we know is that everyone who reads it becomes mentally disturbed in some way, or something terrible happens to them.
It was a little frustrating in that I wanted more, but I can see why Lovecraft and the Mythos folks liked this so much.
I'd been wanting to read this for a while and appreciate Pushkin putting out such a high-quality edition.
October 27, 2023
The term "weird fiction" could have been coined to describe “The King in Yellow”. First published in 1895, and recently reissued in a deluxe "gift edition” by Pushkin Press, it features elements of horror and the supernatural and even a touch of science fiction and yet fits uncomfortably under any of these categories. It is frankly, just plain “weird”.
The book consists of four short stories which are linked by some common characters and, more importantly, by a recurring leitmotiv, a mysterious play called “The King in Yellow”. This play is, purportedly, a work of such evil genius that whoever reads its second act descends into madness and despair. Chambers uses a technique which would later greatly inspire H.P. Lovecraft (he applies it to great effect in his Cthulhu stories) – we are never actually told what the play is all about, the narrators in each story merely make vague references to its contents, leaving us to surmise what evil horrors this banned work might hold within its pages.
The first story – “The Repairer of Reputations” – is set (like the fourth) in an imagined future America of the 1920s and sets the macabre tone of the work. It is narrated by a young man just out of a mental institution, who has delusions about ruling America in allegiance with the powerful “King in Yellow”. This story recalls Poe in its portrayal of obsession and madness, leading to a bloody denouement. The second tale, "The Mask", is a sort of “Pygmalion” in reverse. Set in France, it tells of a sculptor who discovers a chemical solution which can turn live beings into statues. This story introduces a new ingredient to the mix – the bohemian milieu beloved of fin-de-siecle, decadent literature. It is not uncommon in such works to encounter a fascination with the Catholic faith, or at least, its cultural trappings. This is the case with “In the Court of the Dragon”, in which the protagonist seems to be pursued by a demonic church organist. This sinister predator is likely just a tired musician escaping to the loo during a longish sermon, but to the narrator, fresh from reading that abominable play, he comes across as a malign figure sent by the King in Yellow to claim his soul. “The Yellow Sign” takes us back to 1920s America, but we are again in a world of artists and their models. There is also the presence of a Catholic church, such that at first, the atmosphere is not far removed from that of the previous story. This time round, however, the haunting is not done by an organist but by a “worm-like” churchyard watchman who, it seems, is possessed by the King in Yellow and is after the Yellow Sign, a curious gold clasp found by the narrator’s model.
Chambers’ short story collection originally contained six other stories, but it is only the first four which are linked by the “King of Yellow” theme. So it makes sense for this edition to be limited to these four tales which, partly thanks to Lovecraft, have achieved cult status amongst lovers of weird fiction.
For a full review, including a choice of related musical works, visit:
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
The book consists of four short stories which are linked by some common characters and, more importantly, by a recurring leitmotiv, a mysterious play called “The King in Yellow”. This play is, purportedly, a work of such evil genius that whoever reads its second act descends into madness and despair. Chambers uses a technique which would later greatly inspire H.P. Lovecraft (he applies it to great effect in his Cthulhu stories) – we are never actually told what the play is all about, the narrators in each story merely make vague references to its contents, leaving us to surmise what evil horrors this banned work might hold within its pages.
The first story – “The Repairer of Reputations” – is set (like the fourth) in an imagined future America of the 1920s and sets the macabre tone of the work. It is narrated by a young man just out of a mental institution, who has delusions about ruling America in allegiance with the powerful “King in Yellow”. This story recalls Poe in its portrayal of obsession and madness, leading to a bloody denouement. The second tale, "The Mask", is a sort of “Pygmalion” in reverse. Set in France, it tells of a sculptor who discovers a chemical solution which can turn live beings into statues. This story introduces a new ingredient to the mix – the bohemian milieu beloved of fin-de-siecle, decadent literature. It is not uncommon in such works to encounter a fascination with the Catholic faith, or at least, its cultural trappings. This is the case with “In the Court of the Dragon”, in which the protagonist seems to be pursued by a demonic church organist. This sinister predator is likely just a tired musician escaping to the loo during a longish sermon, but to the narrator, fresh from reading that abominable play, he comes across as a malign figure sent by the King in Yellow to claim his soul. “The Yellow Sign” takes us back to 1920s America, but we are again in a world of artists and their models. There is also the presence of a Catholic church, such that at first, the atmosphere is not far removed from that of the previous story. This time round, however, the haunting is not done by an organist but by a “worm-like” churchyard watchman who, it seems, is possessed by the King in Yellow and is after the Yellow Sign, a curious gold clasp found by the narrator’s model.
Chambers’ short story collection originally contained six other stories, but it is only the first four which are linked by the “King of Yellow” theme. So it makes sense for this edition to be limited to these four tales which, partly thanks to Lovecraft, have achieved cult status amongst lovers of weird fiction.
For a full review, including a choice of related musical works, visit:
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
August 29, 2021
I've only recently discovered this whole King in Yellow mythos and learned of its profound influence on Lovecraft and others in the genre. The four stories here make up the core of this mythos, each featuring a narrator who is unreliable to say the least, having been struck with delusions and intense paranoia after reading the notorious second act of The King in Yellow. They are haunting and intensely disturbing, comprised of essentially first hand accounts of the insidious and maddening effects of being exposed to the material in question, more so than the specifics of what, or who, that content may actually be. Yet there are some chilling hints of cosmic horrors that lurk just beneath the veneer of reality... so maybe the narrators are not so unreliable or paranoid after all.
November 14, 2023
A foundational text in the weird fiction genre this would influence HP Lovecraft himself as well as many others. The premise is that there’s a cursed play called the king in yellow, anyone who reads it to the second act will be driven irretrievably mad.
There are four short stories that are related only by mention of the king in yellow, each one is more of the creeping dread type of horror, not a gory, violent one. The first story: the repairer of reputations is the real stand out.
This is a short book and well worth the read.
There are four short stories that are related only by mention of the king in yellow, each one is more of the creeping dread type of horror, not a gory, violent one. The first story: the repairer of reputations is the real stand out.
This is a short book and well worth the read.
December 31, 2021
I spent a week reading books from Buzzfeed's 'Books That Traumatised Readers' list to see if the books really were that traumatising. You can check it out here: https://youtu.be/8cstZzvmOgo
May 7, 2020
The first time reading this book, it came upon the form of all ten stories, in a first edition copy given to me by my Grandmother. I seem to return every ten years or so, to peek into the worlds belonging to The King in Yellow. The grand Egregore, from his tattered mantle, calling to his collective to push aside the veil. The very shroud serving as a thin protective shield from insanity itself. Utterly timeless and just as perpetual as the contract we sign to be in the presence of madness. A masterpiece of lustrously inscribed threads, manifested and now bound in this reality, to the threads in our own psyche. There is only god to cry to now.
November 5, 2018
This is a wonderful collection of four short stories that is clearly very influential in the horror/weird fiction genres but not nearly as celebrated as it should be, so it's great to see this Deluxe Edition being released. Each story is related to the mysterious King in Yellow story, which we the reader is not familiar with but we soon learn that anyone who reads the King in Yellow does not have a happy ending! These stories are very well written and fantastically crafted. Each one is quite different but is linked by the King in Yellow and there are eerie and unsettling themes throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this collection and I intend to re-read it in October because I think that would be a perfect time of year for these spooky stories!
October 18, 2017
Review: THE KING IN YELLOW DELUXE EDITION (Pushkin Press) by Robert W. Chambers
I first read this short collection 18 months ago, in April 2016, in an earlier edition, and I fell in love with the weird fiction of Robert W. Chambers. As with my first encounters with H. P. Lovecraft, John W. Campbell, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Fredric Brown, and Tim Powers, I was awed and humbled. I recognized the presence of a master. THE KING IN YELLOW tales are every bit as scarifying today as on first read. I say "scarifying," not "horrifying" or "terrifying," because the terror is so subtle, akin to sitting in a darkened house at night, and knowing, just knowing, you are not alone, but not realizing who or what. The terror is in your peripheral vision; just beyond the reach of human hearing. It's the invisible, inaudible scare that arches a cat's back and raises gooseflesh on your arms. It's just around the angle, and it's reaching for your throat.
This Deluxe Edition Is a special new edition and will be published by Pushkin Press in February 2018.
I first read this short collection 18 months ago, in April 2016, in an earlier edition, and I fell in love with the weird fiction of Robert W. Chambers. As with my first encounters with H. P. Lovecraft, John W. Campbell, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Fredric Brown, and Tim Powers, I was awed and humbled. I recognized the presence of a master. THE KING IN YELLOW tales are every bit as scarifying today as on first read. I say "scarifying," not "horrifying" or "terrifying," because the terror is so subtle, akin to sitting in a darkened house at night, and knowing, just knowing, you are not alone, but not realizing who or what. The terror is in your peripheral vision; just beyond the reach of human hearing. It's the invisible, inaudible scare that arches a cat's back and raises gooseflesh on your arms. It's just around the angle, and it's reaching for your throat.
This Deluxe Edition Is a special new edition and will be published by Pushkin Press in February 2018.
August 27, 2022
I knew the existence of The King in Yellow but I didn't want to read it - it wasn't on my wish-list, because I was afraid of it: it is classified in Weird Fantasy, with Lovecraft who is so intimidating to me!
But let's write about the cover of my edition first: it is stunning and nearly reproduces the cover of the first edition of 1895. In it, there are the four short stories that mention the King in Yellow: it is the red thread, the line of the collection. So, I didn't read (yet) the other six short stories that weren't put in this edition.
I'll write about each story individually but things in common first:
- the unreliable narrator. Each story is writing with a first person narrative which means that the reader cannot trust the character. Is he mad? Is it real? Is he sick? What is really happening? I ADORE this trope, so I was glad that it was this well done!
- creepy or morbid elements: awful characters, awful deeds, strange context – like the Lethal Chamber of the first story that adds dread to dread!– anticipation of what’s to come later in the story;
- clearly these stories are part of “fantastique” in the French sense of the term: the reader doubts the reality of what he reads from beginning to end. Even when the story is over, we don’t know if it was real or not, and we’ll never know: it is for us to choose if the character is mad or if he really lived through the situation he faces.
I loved the writing-style; some sentences are really beautiful and worth remembering, such as the quote on the back of my edition: "I cannot forget Carcosa where black stars hang in the heavens; where the shadows of men's thoughts lengthen in the afternoon[, when the twin suns sink into the lake of Hali; and my mind will bear for ever the memory of the Pallid Mask.] I pray God will curse the writer, as the writer has cursed the world with this beautiful, stupendous cration, terrible in its simplicity, irresistible in its truth - a world which now trembles before the King in Yellow."
I loved that the dread, the anxiety takes different forms in the stories – I'll develop after.
Of course, I loved that it centred on a book, a cursed one that drives its readers mad. It's great because the idea is awfully close to the reader, but also because it is kind of metaliterary: indeed, the reader will never be able to read the original play as it doesn't exist, which is a kind of curse after all!
Now, each of the stories:
I. The Repairer of Reputations
There are multiple dread factors here:
- Mr Wilde, of course: such a creepy creepy man!
- the narrator whose identity the reader discovers little by little and whose purpose he understands late in the story!
- the cat – what the fuck is happening here?!
- the capability of
II. The Mask
Probably my favourite story because it deals with art. I loved the idea of the crystal pond!
Remarquable things:
- Boris is in the story before this one so we know
- It happens in France!
- Geneviève is super strange: she has mood swings and what did she say to upset Boris this much? That, in fact,
- the ending, with
III. In the Court of the Dragon
I first loved that the story is
It is exciting, the reader is taken in the story, in this kind of race against this evil man! It clearly reads in one setting, more so that the other stories which are divided in three or four parts, and we're caught in the dread with the fact that
Concerning the ending: what is happening?
IV. The Yellow Sign
Last but not least!
It's mostly really creepy because of a precise character, the and his appearance:
I loved that it was dealing with dreams
It seems like there are special characters
Finally, the ending: it's so creepy to stop mid-sentence! But it's also coherent, logical – in fact, the reader doesn’t quite understand what happened before the final scene:
So, it was a great short story collection! I’ll read more by this author AND he did made me want to read Lovecraft AT LAST! I’m a little bit less intimidated now!
But let's write about the cover of my edition first: it is stunning and nearly reproduces the cover of the first edition of 1895. In it, there are the four short stories that mention the King in Yellow: it is the red thread, the line of the collection. So, I didn't read (yet) the other six short stories that weren't put in this edition.
I'll write about each story individually but things in common first:
- the unreliable narrator. Each story is writing with a first person narrative which means that the reader cannot trust the character. Is he mad? Is it real? Is he sick? What is really happening? I ADORE this trope, so I was glad that it was this well done!
- creepy or morbid elements: awful characters, awful deeds, strange context – like the Lethal Chamber of the first story that adds dread to dread!– anticipation of what’s to come later in the story;
- clearly these stories are part of “fantastique” in the French sense of the term: the reader doubts the reality of what he reads from beginning to end. Even when the story is over, we don’t know if it was real or not, and we’ll never know: it is for us to choose if the character is mad or if he really lived through the situation he faces.
I loved the writing-style; some sentences are really beautiful and worth remembering, such as the quote on the back of my edition: "I cannot forget Carcosa where black stars hang in the heavens; where the shadows of men's thoughts lengthen in the afternoon[, when the twin suns sink into the lake of Hali; and my mind will bear for ever the memory of the Pallid Mask.] I pray God will curse the writer, as the writer has cursed the world with this beautiful, stupendous cration, terrible in its simplicity, irresistible in its truth - a world which now trembles before the King in Yellow."
I loved that the dread, the anxiety takes different forms in the stories – I'll develop after.
Of course, I loved that it centred on a book, a cursed one that drives its readers mad. It's great because the idea is awfully close to the reader, but also because it is kind of metaliterary: indeed, the reader will never be able to read the original play as it doesn't exist, which is a kind of curse after all!
Now, each of the stories:
I. The Repairer of Reputations
There are multiple dread factors here:
- Mr Wilde, of course: such a creepy creepy man!
- the narrator whose identity the reader discovers little by little and whose purpose he understands late in the story!
- the cat – what the fuck is happening here?!
- the capability of
II. The Mask
Probably my favourite story because it deals with art. I loved the idea of the crystal pond!
Remarquable things:
- Boris is in the story before this one so we know
- It happens in France!
- Geneviève is super strange: she has mood swings and what did she say to upset Boris this much? That, in fact,
- the ending, with
III. In the Court of the Dragon
I first loved that the story is
It is exciting, the reader is taken in the story, in this kind of race against this evil man! It clearly reads in one setting, more so that the other stories which are divided in three or four parts, and we're caught in the dread with the fact that
Concerning the ending: what is happening?
IV. The Yellow Sign
Last but not least!
It's mostly really creepy because of a precise character, the and his appearance:
I loved that it was dealing with dreams
It seems like there are special characters
Finally, the ending: it's so creepy to stop mid-sentence! But it's also coherent, logical – in fact, the reader doesn’t quite understand what happened before the final scene:
So, it was a great short story collection! I’ll read more by this author AND he did made me want to read Lovecraft AT LAST! I’m a little bit less intimidated now!
February 17, 2024
Four outstandingly brilliant horror short stories that served to inspire HP Lovecraft and his Eldritch Tales; all of which revolve around the mysterious ‘King in Yellow’.
Chambers was undoubtedly a man way ahead of his time, like HG Wells, who stands undeniably as one of the founding fathers of his respective genre; namely cosmic horror.
A brilliant little book that leaves me thirsty for more of Chambers’ deliciously sinister writing. A truly seminal book in the horror genre that everyone needs to read!
Chambers was undoubtedly a man way ahead of his time, like HG Wells, who stands undeniably as one of the founding fathers of his respective genre; namely cosmic horror.
A brilliant little book that leaves me thirsty for more of Chambers’ deliciously sinister writing. A truly seminal book in the horror genre that everyone needs to read!
October 25, 2017
My first impression of The King in Yellow was that it reads with all its grandiose wording of the old classics we were required to read in English literature way back when I was young. This was my mistake as I most likely did not read the description thoroughly when I chose this book. Classics such as this tended to cause my eyes to droop more of boredom than remain alert with intrigue. Maturity has allowed me to acknowledge that while this may not be my preferred style of writing, the creativity and talent is superior. I do find it intriguing as a predecessor to the modern horror genre that I do enjoy. The shared theme between the four stories was interesting. The writing was articulate and engaging. While I appreciated each story, I can only claim to have truly enjoyed the second, The Mask. If you treasure these classics then I am sure you will find this book amazing. If, like me, this style isn’t one you enjoy then you will still surely recognize the eloquent writing, interesting stories and talent within.
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 21, 2025
Don't buy the Penguin Weird Fiction edition though - it has one story missing.
February 1, 2026
I really liked the first and last story in this sequence but the middle two not so much. I’m glad I’ve finally read this now and it really feels like a great precursor to the boom of cosmic horror.
October 30, 2019
CARCOSA TIME, BABYYY
I'll be the first person to admit that, like many, the only reason I picked up this book is because I'm an absolute fanatic for season one of True Detective (JUST season one, jesus christ, JUST season one), the absolute greatest crime drama this decade had to offer (seriously, I need to re-watch it at least every year or two otherwise I feel off, like I missed a meal or something). Notoriously, the season flirts with the possibility to taking place within the mythos of Lovecraft as well as this very book, comprised of multiple short stories in which people around the world have varying relationships with The King In Yellow, an infamous play whose second act is so depraved that it drives people insane. Even for being written in the 19th century, the unsettling qualities within these stories hold up surprisingly well, as frequently unreliable narrators and/or their close acquaintances are driven varying degrees of ~~kiNdA NuTty~~. The pattern becomes easy to anticipate, but what makes the stories work are their spellbinding language, empathetic setups, and skillful ambiguity that lends itself to an even richer, darker mythos intentionally withheld from the reader. Read in the dark with just your phone light before bed for maximum effect. Then maybe google artists' takes on The King In Yellow/Carcosa for bonus points if you really hate yourself. And maybe do so with a sixer of Lone Star or Old Milwaukee (nothin snooty) on your day off for maximum bonus points. Sheeit.
I'll be the first person to admit that, like many, the only reason I picked up this book is because I'm an absolute fanatic for season one of True Detective (JUST season one, jesus christ, JUST season one), the absolute greatest crime drama this decade had to offer (seriously, I need to re-watch it at least every year or two otherwise I feel off, like I missed a meal or something). Notoriously, the season flirts with the possibility to taking place within the mythos of Lovecraft as well as this very book, comprised of multiple short stories in which people around the world have varying relationships with The King In Yellow, an infamous play whose second act is so depraved that it drives people insane. Even for being written in the 19th century, the unsettling qualities within these stories hold up surprisingly well, as frequently unreliable narrators and/or their close acquaintances are driven varying degrees of ~~kiNdA NuTty~~. The pattern becomes easy to anticipate, but what makes the stories work are their spellbinding language, empathetic setups, and skillful ambiguity that lends itself to an even richer, darker mythos intentionally withheld from the reader. Read in the dark with just your phone light before bed for maximum effect. Then maybe google artists' takes on The King In Yellow/Carcosa for bonus points if you really hate yourself. And maybe do so with a sixer of Lone Star or Old Milwaukee (nothin snooty) on your day off for maximum bonus points. Sheeit.
July 12, 2022
For its time, there are some interesting ideas. I give it 3 stars because I don’t know what else to give it; it’s not a bad book, but it also doesn’t stand out as anything worth noting beyond it being ahead of it’s time. It was quick and painless, I’m happy to have sampled the influencer, but I’ll stick with the man he influenced: Lovecraft.
December 12, 2022
Spooky stories that are all tied together by a specific play called "The King in Yellow" that makes its readers go insane by reading it. This is a cult classic and I've been wanting to read it for a while! I think the book gets a little tiresome later on, but it definitely grabs you with its tone and narration style. Recommend to H.P Lovecraft fans! (3.5/5)
February 7, 2026
A brilliant way to spend an evening. “The king in yellow” is typically a collection of 4-7 stories, with the version I read containing the 4 most popular and well rated, these stories are vastly different in both style as well as quality and thus they should be discussed separately.
The Repairer of Reputation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Really great, Chambers captures the slide into madness with a precision that feels totally real and yet completely nightmarish. Also worth mentioning, Chambers predicting a major conflict between the USA and Germany happening in the late 1910s, 20 years before its outbreak, wasn’t on my bingo cards.
The Mask: ⭐️
- Yeah, not great. Overly romantic in a weird Romeo and Juliet kind of way. Definitely a low point, not sure how this made its way into the popular category.
In the Court of the Dragon: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Whilst being far too short and a tad under developed, this story was exhilarating and quite eerie.
The Yellow Sign: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Brilliant, again too short but so tense and well developed, the story is admittedly unnerving and incredibly well thought through. Definitely the best use of the concept of “The King in Yellow” and it’s forced insanity. One of my favourite short stories of all time, if not the favourite.
The Repairer of Reputation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Really great, Chambers captures the slide into madness with a precision that feels totally real and yet completely nightmarish. Also worth mentioning, Chambers predicting a major conflict between the USA and Germany happening in the late 1910s, 20 years before its outbreak, wasn’t on my bingo cards.
The Mask: ⭐️
- Yeah, not great. Overly romantic in a weird Romeo and Juliet kind of way. Definitely a low point, not sure how this made its way into the popular category.
In the Court of the Dragon: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Whilst being far too short and a tad under developed, this story was exhilarating and quite eerie.
The Yellow Sign: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Brilliant, again too short but so tense and well developed, the story is admittedly unnerving and incredibly well thought through. Definitely the best use of the concept of “The King in Yellow” and it’s forced insanity. One of my favourite short stories of all time, if not the favourite.
July 12, 2024
Very interesting little Borgesian set of tales. Creepy and thought-provoking to be sure. I need to read it a few more times and see where it ends up with me. I can definitely see how Chambers influenced subsequent authors who ventured into writing horror, as his ability deal with the unsaid, unseen, and undescribed and make it even scarier for the reader is a talent. Chambers was inspired by Ambrose Bierce, and in turn was inspirational to H.P. Lovecraft's fiction. This collection of four stories was, in turn, then inspirational to the creators of the wildly popular Lovecraftian Arkham Horror: The Card Game expansion campaign entitled The Path to Carcosa. Cool stuff.
Read
November 15, 2025did I decide to read the king in yellow directly after watching that minecraft arg I stumbled across the other day that Freaked Me TF Out? maybe. but I supported my public library and read a significantly influential piece of literature regardless so, really, who’s counting?
was only really interested in the king in yellow mythos and so only read the quartet of stories directly involved. and overall I had a fun time with them. I enjoyed some more than others but in general I wish we had been given just a bit more information/clarity about the central play bc it really is such an interesting idea and idk just wish it had been focused on a tad bit more overall.
was only really interested in the king in yellow mythos and so only read the quartet of stories directly involved. and overall I had a fun time with them. I enjoyed some more than others but in general I wish we had been given just a bit more information/clarity about the central play bc it really is such an interesting idea and idk just wish it had been focused on a tad bit more overall.
December 11, 2022
A collection of four short stories, loosely arranged around the theme of "The King in Yellow", a play which causes madness in the reader. Apparently inspiring to generations of later writers, and extensively referenced in modern media - ranging from prestige TV to cult classic video games.
I have to admit I didn't see what most riveted other generations of horror writers but I can understand at least the conceptual appeal - but the elements that are only alluded to can be a source of inspiration. Not everything has to be shown.
I have to admit I didn't see what most riveted other generations of horror writers but I can understand at least the conceptual appeal - but the elements that are only alluded to can be a source of inspiration. Not everything has to be shown.
October 28, 2023
Četri ērmīgi un viegli neomulīgi stāsti, kuru vienojošais motīvs ir aizliegta luga "The King in Yellow", kas lasītājus novedot līdz ārprātam. Tīri labi patika, tikai šķiet, ka autors nevarēja īsti izdomāt, kas tik šausmīgs ir tajā lugā. Viss paliek mājienu līmenī par dzeltenām zīmēm un teksta milzīgo, ļaundabīgo iespaidu. Pirmo reizi stāsti publicēti 1895. gadā un iedvesmojuši dižo Lavkraftu. Es par šo kulta klasiku un Čambersa kungu nezināju neko. Tagad baltais plankums aizpildīts ar melnām zvaigznēm Karkosas debesīs.
March 14, 2020
Even though this book is best known as the inspiration for Lovecraft's work (and the first season of True Detective), don't expect much cosmic horror and tentacled monsters. Stylewise and theme-wise, Chambers is somewhere halfways between Edgar Allan Poe and Ambrose Bierce, so expect some weird fiction, macabre terror and just a pinch of the outworldly (the titular, fictional play/book which drives people to insanity).
Pretty good!
Pretty good!
Read
October 7, 2024DNF, not giving a rating
April 10, 2018
Indescribable horror...
This is a short collection of four horror stories, all linked by a play called The King in Yellow which, we are told, reveals truths so awful that anyone who reads it will be driven to madness and despair. The first thing to say is that it appears that Chambers’ The King in Yellow collection usually includes ten stories. For this new edition, Pushkin Press have extracted the four that are linked and omitted the other six, which reviews tell me are mostly of a different style.
Each story is very short, so the entire volume isn’t much more than novella length. In truth, I found it a rather disappointing collection, with only one story that stood out for me. The awful truths contained in the play of The King in Yellow are not revealed to the reader, so fortunately at least I was spared from being driven insane. But this technique of telling the reader that there is something so awful it can’t be described – a technique used frequently in weird fiction – strikes me as a major cop-out.
Here's a brief idea of each of the four stories:
The Repairer of Reputations – a story told by a madman, driven mad obviously by having been foolish enough to read The King in Yellow. He is convinced he is entitled to become a King which involves him having to bump off the man he believes stands in his way. All very weird, but not really in a good way. I gave this one a generous 2½ stars.
The Mask – a sculptor, Boris, has discovered a solution that turns living things into the purest marble (including sweet little bunny rabbits – you have been warned, animal lovers!). Meantime Boris's friend, the narrator, is in love with Genevieve, Boris's wife. There's lots of gothic drama, high, exalted love, madness and despair, mixed together with some nice horror and just a touch of weirdness. Good stuff! I gave this one 5 stars.
In the Court of the Dragon – a man goes to church just after reading The King in Yellow. He becomes obsessed by the organist - a dark figure who keeps appearing wherever he goes. Is he paranoid, driven to madness by the play? Or is there a more sinister reason behind the organist's appearances? Hmm – I found this OK-ish, but nothing special, and gave it just 3 stars.
The Yellow Sign – An artist and his model seem to be sharing a common nightmare about the artist being in a coffin in a hearse. Needless to say, they've both read The King in Yellow, thus allowing evil and madness into their lives. This one has some quite good horror aspects, though, and a nice sense of creepiness to it. I gave it 3½ stars.
So a mixed bag. The question is – would I recommend it? In truth, not for the quality of the stories themselves on the whole, but I'm led to believe these are considered to have been influential on Lovecraft and others, and are often referenced by later writers, so I guess I'd recommend them to people who are interested in the development of weird fiction.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Pushkin Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
This is a short collection of four horror stories, all linked by a play called The King in Yellow which, we are told, reveals truths so awful that anyone who reads it will be driven to madness and despair. The first thing to say is that it appears that Chambers’ The King in Yellow collection usually includes ten stories. For this new edition, Pushkin Press have extracted the four that are linked and omitted the other six, which reviews tell me are mostly of a different style.
Each story is very short, so the entire volume isn’t much more than novella length. In truth, I found it a rather disappointing collection, with only one story that stood out for me. The awful truths contained in the play of The King in Yellow are not revealed to the reader, so fortunately at least I was spared from being driven insane. But this technique of telling the reader that there is something so awful it can’t be described – a technique used frequently in weird fiction – strikes me as a major cop-out.
Here's a brief idea of each of the four stories:
The Repairer of Reputations – a story told by a madman, driven mad obviously by having been foolish enough to read The King in Yellow. He is convinced he is entitled to become a King which involves him having to bump off the man he believes stands in his way. All very weird, but not really in a good way. I gave this one a generous 2½ stars.
The Mask – a sculptor, Boris, has discovered a solution that turns living things into the purest marble (including sweet little bunny rabbits – you have been warned, animal lovers!). Meantime Boris's friend, the narrator, is in love with Genevieve, Boris's wife. There's lots of gothic drama, high, exalted love, madness and despair, mixed together with some nice horror and just a touch of weirdness. Good stuff! I gave this one 5 stars.
In the Court of the Dragon – a man goes to church just after reading The King in Yellow. He becomes obsessed by the organist - a dark figure who keeps appearing wherever he goes. Is he paranoid, driven to madness by the play? Or is there a more sinister reason behind the organist's appearances? Hmm – I found this OK-ish, but nothing special, and gave it just 3 stars.
The Yellow Sign – An artist and his model seem to be sharing a common nightmare about the artist being in a coffin in a hearse. Needless to say, they've both read The King in Yellow, thus allowing evil and madness into their lives. This one has some quite good horror aspects, though, and a nice sense of creepiness to it. I gave it 3½ stars.
So a mixed bag. The question is – would I recommend it? In truth, not for the quality of the stories themselves on the whole, but I'm led to believe these are considered to have been influential on Lovecraft and others, and are often referenced by later writers, so I guess I'd recommend them to people who are interested in the development of weird fiction.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Pushkin Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
September 5, 2019
I'm a simple man; I see a book recommendation by H.P. Lovecraft himself, I start to read it.
This, and of course the unmistakable True Detective references made it a necessity for me. I tried to resist for a few years. But once your fate is sealed, you know you'll be attracted to this book that sparkle and glow like the poisoned diamonds of Medicis.
For me, it's difficult to categorize this book. Is it in the tradition of H.P. Lovecraft? Does it remind me of Poe? Is it weird, does it induce horror? Will it affect you the same way it affected me? All I can say is that you have to let go and flow with the weird disturbing feeling that encompasses the book.
Is it scary? I don't know, what is your biggest, existential fear? Something which you can't quite grasp, can't put a name to? Do you really believe that an idea, expressed eloquently, can be the most dangerous thing, as if it were an invisible virus?
What else is there to say? For those who want their innermost parts of their minds to be stimulated without much ado, this might be the book for you. Unless your mask isn't a mask.
This, and of course the unmistakable True Detective references made it a necessity for me. I tried to resist for a few years. But once your fate is sealed, you know you'll be attracted to this book that sparkle and glow like the poisoned diamonds of Medicis.
For me, it's difficult to categorize this book. Is it in the tradition of H.P. Lovecraft? Does it remind me of Poe? Is it weird, does it induce horror? Will it affect you the same way it affected me? All I can say is that you have to let go and flow with the weird disturbing feeling that encompasses the book.
Is it scary? I don't know, what is your biggest, existential fear? Something which you can't quite grasp, can't put a name to? Do you really believe that an idea, expressed eloquently, can be the most dangerous thing, as if it were an invisible virus?
What else is there to say? For those who want their innermost parts of their minds to be stimulated without much ado, this might be the book for you. Unless your mask isn't a mask.
June 12, 2021
I picked this book up without knowing that it was originally published in 1895 and the prose often felt modern enough that I would be taken aback for a moment when it mentioned a horse-drawn carriage or some other 19th century marker. I have a fondness for old speculative fiction that marvels at the wonders that far off years like 1919(!) might have in store and really enjoyed the general weirdness of the four stories, especially the transformative alchemical solution in The Mask and the narrator’s creepy musings in In the Court of the Dragon. The eponymous play with a second act that drives whoever reads it insane is a disturbing throughline in all of the stories and I wish there were more just so I could get a clearer idea of it and the obvious horrors it contains. I also was not aware that “weird fiction” was a genre unto itself and will be exploring this further.
December 21, 2018
I’m embarrassed how long it took me to read this wee “collection” — four short stories connected by some common characters and by the referencing of a play which makes readers go “mad.” I’m realizing the old classic horror genre just isn’t really my preferred reading. Much like We Have Always Lived in the Castle, I plodded through this short book and felt bogged down by the “older” style of writing. To each their own! For me, the second story, The Mask, was the only one I truly enjoyed and felt unnerved by. I’m glad I checked this out given how widely discussed it is in horror circles but ... I’m also glad it wasn’t any longer because I have other books I’m more excited to move on to.
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