The Fire-Spirits

by Paul Busson

The history of the first publication of this 1923 novel by Paul Busson explains why it has been one of the rarest books of its kind. John Pelan gives you the history in his introduction and it may prepare you for one of the most fascinating and frank stories to come from the Tyrol.

Genres: Horror

315 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1929

About the author

Paul Busson (1873–1924), Tyrolean and Viennese journalist and author, is well-known as perhaps the finest adventure fantasy in early twentieth-century German literature. The story of reincarnated memories in eighteenth-century Germany and France, it offers a fine integration of supernatural powers, ghosts, witchcraft, black magic, demons, and evocation of the dead; it is unique in its combination of wild imagination and realism.

Today Paul Busson seems to be forgotten in the Germanic world except as a journalist in the memory of a now very old generation. He was never known at all in English. The translations The Man Who Was Born Again and The Fire Spirits went almost unheeded, even though they appeared at a dearth-time of fantasy [late 20s]. Yet these two novels offer inimitable universes, where fantasy assumes such strong actuality that it achieves its own reality. Even after fifty years, in another language, these universes remain viable.

*text from; writersnoonereads.tumblr.com

Reviews

[Timothy Mayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the delights in reading through the KEW list is finding a real gem, a book I never would have encountered had it not been for his comments. The Fire-Spirits is such an example. Here is a book I've longed to read for the past 25+ years. It proved to be worth the wait. I would go so far to say this novel is one of the best I've read in the past year. And it's good to the last page. Hopefully, someone will bring out a new translation (the copy I borrowed was printed in 1929).
I've not been able to find much about Paul Busson, other than he was an Austrian writer and journalist who lived from 1873-1924. There's not much on him in German; he's considered and obscure writer of fantastic fiction. I know The Man Who Was Born Again, another one of his novels is available in an English.
The Fire-Spirits is a novel about Peter Storck, a young man who has traveled to the Tyrolean mountain area, now part of Switzerland and Italy. He's trying to find out what happened to his Uncle Martin, who disappeared from his house near the village of Sankt Marein. It's 1809 and the area is in the midst of the violence brought about by the Napoleonic wars. The Tyrolean region has been forsaken by it's traditional protector, the emperor of Austria, and handed over to the king of Bavaria. Add to this religion-the Tyroleans are catholic, the Bavarians protestant- and you have a deadly mix. Which is why the mountain people have no love for the Bavarian militarists and are planning a revolt.
At the village, Peter meets a number of colorful characters. The hunter Serafin Federspiel, a former university student who saw his family massacred by the french. He's the lone dissenter ("Germans shouldn't be fighting Germans!) in the village when everyone wants to take up arms against Bavaria . There's the innkeeper Christian Lergetpohrer and his niece Notburga, who ends up being Peter's housekeeper. And there is the local parish priest Father Archangelus, who urges the local populace to fight for the true faith against the foreign invaders. Early in the novel, Peter falls in love with the mysterious Julia, a woman held in awe by most of the village. To list all the interesting figures in this novel would take a score card, it's best for the reader to discover them on their own.
Peter Storck takes up residence in his Uncle Martin's house which is filled with curiosities in the study and guns in the basement. Martin Storck had been an officer in the Austrian Imperial Army before resigning after striking a french nobleman. Disgraced, he cursed the emperor and retired to the mountains. Peter soon learns that the local people believe the old officer perished when he tried to spy on the "fire-spirits", mysterious lights which appear in the mountains during the equinoxes. Legend had it the lights are the products of condemned souls who are released twice a year from hell to cool themselves in the glacier. If anyone encounters them, the interloper will be dashed on the rocks below. Peter is even shown the strange lights descending the mountains through the safe distance of a telescope.
Soon, Peter becomes involved with the hunter Serafin in a plan to discover the true nature of the lights. Are they smugglers sneaking down the mountains? Actual demonic creatures? Or something else? Survival of an ancient pagan cult is hinted at throughout the novel, but only resolved in the final chapters.
The theme of possession reoccurs through the book. The innkeeper Christian shoots a Bavarian drummer boy in an initial skirmish with royal troops and begins seeing his victim in his sleep. Peter steps off the carriage as he arrives in the village to see a priest trying to exorcise a nun. It's a theme which never is fully resolved.
The description of mountain warfare is grim. Peter and the rest of the villagers end up in an ambush on a Bavarian-French campaign which is described in gruesome detail. The sack of Innsbruck by the rebels also features prominently.
The Fire-Spirits is an forgotten masterpiece of literature. I can only hope someone will bring the English translation back into print.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

During the course of four of my recent reviews here on Goodreads--for Walter S. Masterman's "The Yellow Mistletoe" (1930), Mark Hansom's "The Shadow on the House" (1934), R. R. Ryan's "Echo of a Curse" (1939) and H. B. Gregory's "Dark Sanctuary" (1940)--I had cause to refer to editor/author Karl Edward Wagner's highly regarded list of 39 of his favorite horror books, which list did include those four titles. The Wagner 39 List, as it is known today, originally appeared in the June and August 1983 issues of "Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone Magazine," and divided its selections into three categories: 13 Best Supernatural Horror Novels, 13 Best Nonsupernatural Horror Novels, and 13 Best Science Fictional Horror Novels. These 39 selections included some very familiar titles, such as Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" (1818), but also some that KEW felt had been unjustly neglected and were in need of reintroduction. And now, this reader is here to tell you of one of the most obscure titles of those 39, the one that I have recently experienced; namely, Paul Busson's "The Fire Spirits."

"The Fire Spirits" was originally released in a German-language edition in 1923, bearing the title "Die Feuerbutze." It was not until six years later that the London-based publisher Heinemann came out with an English-language hardcover of the book, and then, sadly enough, Busson's novel would go OOPs (out of prints) for no fewer than 86 years, till the fine folks at Ramble House, spurred on by Wagner's suggestion, revived it for a new generation to appreciate. And so, this erstwhile extremely scarce item--indeed, one of the hardest books to lay hold of from that KEW list--has now become a breeze to purchase and dive into. And a most fortunate thing that is, too, as the book turns out to be one that any fan of well-written chills will certainly appreciate.

Before going on with a look at the manifold marvels to be had here, a quick word on the author himself. Paul Busson was born in Innsbruck, Austria in 1873. A journalist for most of his career, he is best remembered today for the two novels that he wrote--1921's "The Man Who Was Born Again" (released under the title "Die Wiedergeburt des Melchior Dronte") and his second effort, "The Fire Spirits"--as well as a handful of short stories. Busson passed away in 1924, just four days short of his 51st birthday. But other than these few scant facts, little else can be dredged up concerning the author's life, as far as I can make out.

Now, as to "The Fire Spirits" itself: The book is set during a period of history that I (and, I'm guessing, many others) was completely unfamiliar with...the Tyrolean Rebellion of 1809. During this time, the Napoleonic Wars were in full terrible swing, and France had, in 1806, wrested the Tyrol away from the Catholic Emperor Francis I in Vienna and given it to the Protestant King Maximilian of Bavaria, inflaming the passions of the Tyrolean peasants. Against this turbulent backdrop, the reader is introduced to a young man named Peter Storck, a Bavarian by descent who had been brought up in the Viennese capital and who has become accustomed to its cosmopolitan glamour. Peter's parents are now deceased, and when his Uncle Martin--who Storck hasn't seen since he was an infant--goes missing and is presumed dead, Peter is summoned to the small village of Sankt Marein, near Innsbruck, to take possession of Martin's house and belongings. And the roughly six months that the young man spends there, in his new home in the mountains, prove to be a most event-filled time, indeed. Peter quickly falls in love with a beautiful and mysterious woman named Julia, who lives with the brutish blacksmith Gervas Fentor. He befriends the local innkeeper, Christian Lergetpohrer, and accepts the services of the innkeeper's sister, Notburga (no, not Nutburger...Notburga), as his housekeeper...a woman whom he unfortunately impregnates. He gets to know many of the oddball locals, including Sylvana, the 15-year-old floozy daughter of the local charcoal burner, and is intrigued by an old man called the Rover, whom nobody seems to know anything about. He also becomes fast friends with a turbercular ex-student and hunter named Serafin Federspiel, who is currently unpopular because of his insistence that the planned peasant uprising is wrong, and doomed to failure. And it is from Christian and Serafin that Peter first hears of the Fire Spirits.

Twice a year, on the equinoxes, it seems, their flaming figures can be observed descending from the top of one of the lofty peaks that surround the valley. The peasants claim that on these two days of the year, the spirits in Hell are allowed to emerge and cool their flaming bodies on the glacial heights. Christian firmly avers that this is so, whereas Federspiel pooh-poohs the idea, declaring that the figures must be smugglers, or something equally mundane. Peter does get to witness the fiery forms himself on the night of the vernal equinox, but soon has other things to worry about. When the rebellion begins, Peter initially resists getting drawn into the conflict, feeling that it really isn't his fight, but ultimately he and Federspiel are compelled to enter the field of battle, and so witness all the horrors of war firsthand. As Peter reflects at one point:

"...His life had become curiously complicated in this remote village, where he had expected nothing but quietness, one day like another. Not only had he found himself in the midst of a bloody insurrection, but riddle upon riddle, whole swarms of dark mysteries had beset him, and transformed his life into a series of adventurous experiences...."

Upon returning to Sankt Marein, the two decide to get to the bottom of those Fire Spirits, Peter now being convinced that they have something to do with his Uncle Martin's disappearance. Thus, on the night of the autumnal equinox, the two young men do indeed go up to where the Fire Spirits are wont to emerge, only to discover things that will shock them to the core....

Similar to another historical chiller that I recently experienced, J. W. Brodie-Innes' "The Devil's Mistress" (1915), which was set in 17th century Scotland, "The Fire Spirits" will most likely demand a bit of work on the reader's part for a full appreciation. So yes, you will probably need a map of Europe, a dictionary, and your Google machine to help you over some of the sections, and it might be a good idea to do a cursory brushup on the history of the Tyrolean Rebellion in particular before venturing in. As always, a little work in this regard will reward your reading experience immeasurably. Busson's novel, though, even without the benefit of preliminary research, will provide a good lesson on this little-discussed chapter of history, and its incorporation of real-life players as characters (such as Andreas Hofer, the rebellion's leader) only adds to the verisimilitude. Busson's book takes its time in setting out Peter's exact situation, and its leisurely pace allows us to get to know the various Sankt Marein peasants, explore the beautiful Alpine setting, and learn about the ongoing war, both firsthand and as wildfire rumors. By the end of the novel, the reader will surely come away feeling like he/she has spent a good amount of time in the area and has a firm understanding of the vicinity.

"The Fire Spirits" is often beautifully written (and, in this case, has been impressively translated by one J. Eglington, back in 1929) and highly atmospheric, with a terrific sense of place. It has been well researched by an author who not only knew the locale intimately, but who clearly absorbed its history from an early age. His book features any number of well-crafted sequences, including Peter's first sighting of the Fire Spirits, via telescope from his uncle's study; an exploration of the nearby mountain peaks that Peter engages in with Federspiel; the lengthy segment during which Peter is forced to kill his Bavarian brethren during battle...one of the most touchingly well-done and affecting depictions of men in war that I've come across in a long while; Peter and Federspiel's discovery of ancient Roman ruins in the nearby mountains; the wondrous sequence in which they discover the startling secret of the Fire Spirits; and the moving final coda, involving Federspiel and a French captain. Masterfully done set pieces, one and all!

Busson's book is most assuredly a horror novel, although I feel that it would be something of a spoiler if I were to reveal on which of those three KEW lists it appears. I will thus leave it up to you to discover if the book's flaming entities are of the supernatural ilk or not, although John Pelan, in his otherwise wonderful introduction to this Ramble House edition, does give the answer away. (Granted, it has been fairly common knowledge since the Wagner 39 List first appeared, but I'm still going to stay mum on the subject.) But the horrors in Busson's book are not only confined to those Fire Spirits. Also on display here are demonic possession (the very first thing that Peter sees as he gets close to Sankt Marein is a young nun in the throes of Satanic possession), starvation, tales of dark superstition, mental breakdown (poor Christian, after shooting a young Bavarian drummer boy in battle, becomes completely schizophrenic with guilt), attempted murder, suicide, sickness, ghastly injuries, witch suspicions, peasant uprisings, and--surely the worst--endless war. Busson also throws in odd little touches here and there to augment his atmosphere of dread, including that possessed nun being exorcised; the message that Peter finds in his window, written in a language he has never seen before; the skeleton fifer that Uncle Martin has had attached at the side of his home's front door; the finding of Uncle Martin's ancient book of alchemical recipes; Julia's naked paganlike dance, which Peter observes while hidden in a forest glade; and the finding of an exotic tropical flower, that by rights should not be found anywhere near this Alpine valley.

Busson's novel, despite its horror elements, is never what this reader would term especially "scary," although it is consistently tense, mysterious, shocking, depressing and exciting, by turns. I can honestly say that I had no idea where the author was going with his story, or what would transpire next, from start to finish. It is a book of constant invention and surprise, and all of its characters are well-drawn, seemingly real people, down to the smallest bit players. Most readers, I have a feeling, will come away with a sense of amazement after realizing that this fine novel--something of a masterwork, really--was allowed to languish in oblivion for 86 years.

I really have very little to complain about regarding the author's sophomore effort here. Yes, some of the descriptions of the mountain terrain are a tad difficult to visualize at times, and yes, the relationship between Peter and Julia...well, the less said, the better, I suppose. Let's just hope the two never have children together. But perhaps I've already said too much. Further good news regarding "The Fire Spirits" is that this Ramble House edition is not as plagued by typos as many of the publisher's other books have been (Pelan's introduction excepted, which is, sadly, something of a mess), a fact that only enhances the reading experience.

I now would most surely be interested in reading Paul Busson's first novel, "The Man Who Was Born Again," which I see is available from Dover Books in an English translation. It's not nearly as fine a work as "The Fire Spirits," according to both Wagner and Pelan, but then again, very few books are! More than highly recommended!

(By the way, this review originally appeared on the FanLit website at https://fantasyliterature.com/ ... a most ideal destination for all fans of dark fantasy and horror literature....)

[Side Real Press · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review was previously posted on the Side Real Press website in 2013.

I entered my fiftieth year with a very 21st century gift from my wife, a Kindle. This has caused much consternation among some of my friends but I was easy convert and an e-reader definitely has its place - not least that it saves me lugging a huge screen about the place to read documents.

Another advantage is that there is a lot of interesting 'stuff' on-line, material tough to find as hard copy, theses, journal articles and the like (an e-reader saves me having to print them out onto some dead tree) and, of course, books. Which brings us to this one.

The novel featured on the Karl Edward Wagner list of The Thirteen Best Non-Supernatural Horror Novels' which in its day was regarded with raised eyebrows, partly due to the obscurity of many of the titles. The small press has revived many of the them, but Bussons novel, described by Wagner as "a strange tale of a young man’s involvement with a bewitching peasant child, mountain legends, and the quest for German unification" has not been reprinted.

On reading the items on such lists I sometimes discover that an authors neglect is sometimes justified by the prose itself. Thankfully this is not the case with Busson (though the translation reads a little oddly at times). However, like a number of others on the Wagner list that I have read, it is not really an undiscovered gem and would certainly not find a place in my own top thirteen.


 The novel is set against the backdrop of the Alps in the early 1800s in the immediate aftermath of the Napoleonic wars. Our protagonist Peter Storck, is attempting to discover what happened to his Uncle Martin, who disappeared from his house near the village of Sankt Marein supposedly for spying upon the “fire-spirits”, whose lights can be seen on the mountains during the equinoxes. Peter and a hunter Serafin attempt to discover what or who they might be. There is a love interest for Storck in the mysterious Julia, (though Storck also seduces the innkeepers niece quite early on in the book) and a young peasant girl whose role is more enigmatic.

Meanwhile a power vacuum exists in which Catholics and Protestants, French and Germans are attempting to assert their control over the area. Storck's catholic village is planning a revolt against the protestant Bavarians in what is in effect becoming a civil war.

Herein lies the problem of the novel. On the one hand, it is almost an historical romance with some mystical elements thrown in here and there. The grim life of the peasants and the battle are unflinching and well realized but take up a vast proportion of the book.

On the other hand the final section of the book becomes another beast entirely making it a psycho/mystical novel which is far stranger (and to my mind better) than the preceding 90%.

Busson's attempts to marry these two elements generally fall short. For example, in an early chapter there is a dramatic scene featuring a possessed nun and her exorcist. This could have provided an inroad to explore some psychological territory but Busson allows this moment to slip away and the incident itself is scarcely referred to again and its potential psychological significance seems to be partly forgotten by its own creator. There are a number of other occasions when he does this, perhaps in the hope that the ending will provide all the answers and provide satisfaction, but instead I left the book with a sense of frustration at the missed opportunities and the feeling that the author really wanted to write 'stranger' novel but had not the courage of his convictions to do so.

This is an enormous pity, as Busson is not short of ideas or the ability to express them.

As such, I cannot really recommend this novel, very interesting though sections of it are, but would be intrigued to read more by him.

Paul Busson (1873-1924) initially studied medicine but became a journalist based in Vienna, contributing to among others, 'Simplicissimus'. He traveled widely and saw at first hand the squalor and bitterness of WWI which certainly seems to have influenced 'The Fire Spirits'. He wrote a number of other historical novels of which only one 'The Man Who Was Born Again', was translated into English. It is said that a number of his other works also contain fantastical/mystical elements.

[Boris Cesnik · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's nothing remotely scary or horror-like as we intend today or envisioned 100 years ago. Predictability is just around the corner from every paragraph.

It's just an exercise in boredom, a cornucopia of mis-sold gothic elements. It's clear enough that the author had plenty of experience in the war but couldn't be bothered to do much research in his own 'Firer-Spirits'.

It's a real shame. All the right if not particularly original ingredients were there on hand but just shuffled in like in a bland melting pot.


I love the new cover though!