Powers of Darkness: The Unique Version of Dracula

by Bram Stoker, A—e (Adaptation), Rickard Berghorn (Translator)

A unique version of Bram Stoker’s seminal gothic masterpiece Dracula, this novel, from the turn of the nineteenth century, is a very early anti-fascist piece of literature, criticizing the Social Darwinism and scientific racism of the time. Powers of Darkness is also a splendid horror novel twice as long as Stoker’s original.

First published in Sweden 1899–1900, very little is known about its background. Who was the signature A–e? Did Bram Stoker himself have anything to do with the creation of this mysterious Dracula manuscript? In addition to elements of political satire and international conspiracy, this edition of the story is much more violent and erotic than Stoker’s original from 1897. It should not be confused with a book of the same title published in 2017, which was an English translation of a severely abridged Icelandic version of the same novel, only about half the length of Stoker’s Dracula.

Count Draculitz (as he is called in the book) intends to spread vampirism throughout the world and conspires with kings and politicians to create a new world order with vampires as the “master race” — propelling society into a ghastly future where pagan gods are worshipped in blood rites. Many of the characters are presented in new contexts, such as the fantastically beautiful “white lady” who walks the Count’s castle, striving to lure the imprisoned lawyer Thomas Harker to his doom with her infernal “kisses”.

Both fans of classic Dracula and new readers will have a very different story to delve into, one with a completely new ending. It is translated and presented here by the discoverer of the novel, the author and publisher Rickard Berghorn. Here is also a gallery with Emil Åberg‘s original illustrations to the novel.

Genres: Horror, Vampires, Fiction, Gothic

568 pages, Hardcover

First published February 7, 1900

About the author

Irish-born Abraham Stoker, known as Bram, of Britain wrote the gothic horror novel Dracula (1897).

The feminist Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornely Stoker at 15 Marino crescent, then as now called "the crescent," in Fairview, a coastal suburb of Dublin, Ireland, bore this third of seven children. The parents, members of church of Ireland, attended the parish church of Saint John the Baptist, located on Seafield road west in Clontarf with their baptized children.

Stoker, an invalid, started school at the age of seven years in 1854, when he made a complete and astounding recovery. Of this time, Stoker wrote, "I was naturally thoughtful, and the leisure of long illness gave opportunity for many thoughts which were fruitful according to their kind in later years."

After his recovery, he, a normal young man, even excelled as a university athlete at Trinity college, Dublin form 1864 to 1870 and graduated with honors in mathematics. He served as auditor of the college historical society and as president of the university philosophical society with his first paper on "Sensationalism in Fiction and Society."

In 1876, while employed as a civil servant in Dublin, Stoker wrote a non-fiction book (The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland, published 1879) and theatre reviews for The Dublin Mail, a newspaper partly owned by fellow horror writer J. Sheridan Le Fanu. His interest in theatre led to a lifelong friendship with the English actor Henry Irving. He also wrote stories, and in 1872 "The Crystal Cup" was published by the London Society, followed by "The Chain of Destiny" in four parts in The Shamrock.

In 1878 Stoker married Florence Balcombe, a celebrated beauty whose former suitor was Oscar Wilde. The couple moved to London, where Stoker became business manager (at first as acting-manager) of Irving's Lyceum Theatre, a post he held for 27 years. The collaboration with Irving was very important for Stoker and through him he became involved in London's high society, where he met, among other notables, James McNeil Whistler, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the course of Irving's tours, Stoker got the chance to travel around the world.

The Stokers had one son, Irving Noel, who was born on December 31, 1879.

People cremated the body of Bram Stoker and placed his ashes placed in a display urn at Golders green crematorium. After death of Irving Noel Stoker in 1961, people added his ashes to that urn. Despite the original plan to keep ashes of his parents together, after death, people scattered ashes of Florence Stoker at the gardens of rest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker

Reviews

[David Madara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A previous draft of Dracula, serialized in a Swedish newspaper with the
original ink illustrations from that newspaper. Tomas Harker travels to
the castle of Count Draculitz, to oversee and arrange papers for the Count's
moving to London. There Tom is beset by many strange things and his safety
to return home is in jeopardy. Will things turn out okay?

An alternate version of the tale we all know, this version is better! I loved the
expanded scenes and scenes new to this version. Some places it is almost a
police-procedural. Some scenes are moved around from where they appear in the
"normal" version. Would this be a classic in this version? I would like to think so.
Some character names are different as you can tell from my first paragraph. My
only complaint is that the essays should be in the back of the book not the front,
endless paging through to get to the story! Recommended.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first Dracula! The prose style is very extra, in a late 19th century way, making this a better read for a long, long train journey than for cramming it the night before your book group meets. I read it, though, with considerable interest, and it did make vivid pictures in my mind.

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5

[Book Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powers of Darkness by Bram Stoker, a Swedish adaptation by A—e, is a more detailed account of Tom Harker’s journey to Transylvania to meet with Count Draculitz. This variation on the original classic provides the reader with more detail with some slight deviations from the original text. The editor of this particular retelling, W Trimble, precedes the story with a vast collection of papers. These papers explore the similarities and differences between the original Dracula and the later versions published in Sweden like Mörkrets Makter, or Makt Myrkranna (Powers Of Darkness), published in an Icelandic newspaper in the 1900s, as well as touching on numerous other variations.

Having so much information before the actual story allows the reader to understand why this retelling is different from the original. In addition, these papers touch on important and pertinent themes such as racism and assumptions about Romanians. This is evident from the offset when Tom Harker writes in his journal, “disturbed by the bat and the howling dogs, they stealthily exchanged glances and crossed themselves when they thought I was not looking.” This could be seen as a foreshadowing of the rest of the storyline, but it also assumes this is how people in these areas would behave. This is discussed in detail in the preceding papers.

The adaptation itself is still written in the same style as the original, littered throughout with the well-known imagery of the tale, such as “put her in the coffin” however, it contains some elements such as that of a beast which would have been slightly more shocking at the time it was originally published.

I am a big fan of the text published in England and enjoyed getting a more in-depth tale. This variation is perfect as a literary source, or for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge of gothic literature, especially due to the papers contained in the preface. With the change in times, the additions and this version of the story are as exciting as the first Dracula.

Powers of Darkness: the wild translation of Dracula from turn-of-the-century Sweden is a captivating take on the story of Dracula most people know. The added history included gives readers a new look at this classic story. This gothic horror novel will provide readers with more suspense and thrills than the original book.

[Swedish Dracula]

Of the much-abrreviated Icelandic translation, one reviewer said "[Reykjavik newspaper] »Fjallkonan« presented various kinds of garbage, including a long story, »Powers of Darkness«. That story would have been better left unwritten, and I cannot see that such nonsense has enriched our literature." Benedikt Björnsson (1879—1941). "Nokkur orð um bókmentir vorar", "A few words about our literature." in Skirnir, 1 December 1906, p. 346.[Translation by H. C. de Roos].

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super interesting for Dracula fans, but I don't know about for others. Definitely ripe for some gender analysis, as there are several more prominent women than in the original, and characters like Arthur's sister and the countess are particularly strong women characters, while both Arthur and Dr. Seward don't have the strength to withstand the temptations of the vampiric women.

[Ralph Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading this and while I greatly enjoyed it, I found it too long.

[Margaux666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely amazing

[Ed Henke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this Swedish version of the Dracula story. It has has longer scenes and more material than the original.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Draculitz is a Satanic Anarchist. What more could you want?! The storyline differs a great deal from Stoker’s Dracula. The changes are interesting & exciting. I really enjoyed this read.