Böcker av Robert W. Chambers

Contains a series of vaguely connected short stories, which have, as the background, a monstrous and suppressed book whose perusal brings fright, madness, and spectral tragedy.

In the shadow of World War I, a group of disillusioned Americans arrives in France, drawn by a desire to make a difference. Among them is John Burley, whose quest for purpose leads him to a remote village where he encounters Maryette, the enchanting bell-mistress of Sainte Lesse. As Burley finds himself captivated by Maryette and the quaint charm of village life, sinister forces lurk in the shadows. Strange occurrences in the nearby woods and mysterious signals from the old bell tower hint at a hidden danger that threatens not only the village, but the entire war effort. Burley and Maryette must unravel the mystery and confront an unseen enemy, all while navigating their budding feelings for each other. This gripping tale of love, duty, and espionage brings to life the perils and passions of a world at war.

With an Introduction by David Stuart Davies. 'I read it and reread it, and wept and laughed and trembled with horror which at all times assails me yet'. With its strange, imaginative blend of horror, science fiction, romance and lyrical prose, Robert W. Chambers' The King in Yellow is a classic masterpiece of weird fiction. This series of vaguely connected stories is linked by the presence of a monstrous and suppressed book which brings fright, madness and spectral tragedy to all those who read it. An air of futility and doom pervade these pages like a sweet insidious poison. Dare you read it? This collection has been called the most important book in American supernatural fiction between Poe and the moderns. H. P. Lovecraft, creator of the famed Cthulu mythos, whose own fiction was greatly influenced by this book stated that The King in Yellow 'achieves notable heights of cosmic fear'.

The short fiction of Robert W. Chambers ranges from the light romantic fantasies to the darkly weird. Through all, his imagination travels across the borders of the known and unknown in nature and the supernatural. This first volume includes his stories of strange zoology and anthropology: The Harbor-Master, In Quest of the Dingue, Is the Ux Extinct?, The Sphyx, A Matter of Interest, The Man at the Next Table, The Third Eye, The Immortal, The Ladies of the Lake, One Over, Un Peu d'Amour, and The Eggs of the Silver Moon.