Gothic Classics

Of all the ghostly lore that bedevils Sleepy Hollow, none terrifies more than the galloping spectre of the Headless Horseman. Few in the haunted glen are as susceptible to the tale as the superstitious schoolmaster, Ichabod Crane. But just as bewitching - and bewildering - to Ichabod is the elusive coquette Katrina Van Tassel. On an autumn eve, Ichabod attends a harvest party, hoping to finally woo the woman of his dreams. Instead, he sees his worst nightmares come true.

First published in the English literary anthology annual The Keepsake in 1833 by Mary Shelly, master of Gothic fiction, The Invisible Girl is a story about the turbulence of secret love. Like much of her work, Shelly blends the dark and the supernatural with elements of romance and intimacy and unravels this story within a story with aplomb, and the setting of rural Wales in the early 19th century lends to the foreboding and bittersweet tone of the tale.

Fitz-James O'Brien, born in Cork, Ireland, in 1826, is considered an important early writer of science-fiction. His three probably best-known stories are included in this volume. They are “The Diamond Lens”, “What Was It?”, and “The Lost Room”.

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (1814-1873) was born in Dublin, Ireland and is acknowledged as an influential writer in the genre of gothic and supernatural fiction of the 19th century. Many of his short stories were originally published in various magazines. Here are six of them: “The White Cat of Drumgonnial”, “Dickon the Devil”, “The Drunkard's Dream”, “The Secret of the Two Plaster Casts”, “The Vision of Tom Chuff”, and “An Authentic Narrative of a Haunted House”.

"The Finest Story in the World" zeigt eine weniger bekannte Seite des großen Erzählers Kipling: sein Interesse an übernatürlichen Themen und damit seine Verbindung zum Fantasy- und Science-Fiction-Genre. Eine der unheimlichsten Erzählungen Kiplings, die auch Horror-Elemente enthält.

Oscar Wilde's only novel, given a superbly splendid modern reading by the talented Rupert Graves. Many classic Wilde quotes emanate from this horror novel.

An Historical Gothic Romance set in Paris and elsewhere in France, Germany, and Spain. A rollicking good tale from Parisian salons to Peasant feasts and more.

Sound interesting? The author thinks so too! Listen to The Haunting of Villa Gabriel and experience the compelling world of Gothic literature.

Den sagtmodige (Krotkaja) er blevet kaldt en af de mest gribende fortællinger om menneskelig fortvivlelse, som nogen sinde er skrevet. - "en ganske lille bog, men den er stor for os alle, uopnåelig stor". - Knut Hamsun. - Et latterligt menneskes drøm fortæller om en nihilist, der har besluttet at begå selvmord, fordi alt er ham ligegyldigt, men med pistolen i hånden falder han i søvn og finder i en drøm en mening i menneskets ansvar for at hjælpe og elske sit medmenneske.

Robert Louis Stevenson's masterpiece of the duality of good and evil in man's nature sprang from the darkest recesses of his own unconscious—during a nightmare from which his wife awakened him, alerted by his screams. More than a hundred years later, this tale of the mild-mannered Dr Jekyll and the drug that unleashes his evil, inner persona—the loathsome, twisted Mr Hyde—has lost none of its ability to shock. Its realistic police-style narrative chillingly relates Jekyll's desperation as Hyde gains control of his soul.

Bram Stoker’s masterpiece, in which the instantly recognisable Count Dracula plans to sate his dreadful appetites in England only to be thwarted by an intrepid band of friends, remains an enthralling story. Exploring themes of sexuality, religion, technology and good versus evil, and told through journal entries, letters and telegrams, its cultural and literary significance is undisputed.

Man weiß nicht viel vom alten Fettes - außer dass er ein trinkfester Schotte mit medizinischem Wissen ist, der nicht viel spricht. Eines Tages jedoch gibt es einen medizinischen Notfall. Als Fettes den Namen des Notarztes hört, wird er leichenblass: McFarlane! Etwa der McFarlane, mit dem Fettes damals Leichname für den Anatomiekurs auf nächtlichen Friedhöfen ausgegraben hatte? Eine wunderbar klassische Gruselgeschichte für Fans des Genres.

Was hat es mit der krummen Janet nur auf sich? Alle Bewohner des Dorfes schwören, sie sei vom Teufel besessen. Allerdings: Pastor Soulis ist ein unerschrockener Mann. Und so nimmt er sie als Haushälterin in seinen Dienst... Klassische Schauergeschichte, die seit jeher als eines der Meisterwerke des Genres gilt.

El castillo de Eppstein, una novela escrita en el más puro estilo gótico que hacía furor en el siglo xix con sus imprescindibles dosis de secretos familiares, maquiavélicos villanos, doncellas en peligro, amores apasionados y espectros vengadores. Una macabra leyenda pesa sobre la familia Eppstein desde tiempos inmemoriales: todas las mujeres que mueren en el castillo la noche del 24 de diciembre no encuentran el reposo eterno y regresan del más allá para atormentar a sus moradores. Y Albina, la bella esposa del malvado conde Maximiliano, no será una excepción.

In an isolated castle deep in the Austrian forest, Laura leads a solitary life with only her ailing father for company. Until one moonlit night, a horse-drawn carriage crashes into view, carrying an unexpected guest—the beautiful Carmilla. So begins a feverish friendship between Laura and her mysterious, entrancing companion. But as Carmilla becomes increasingly strange and volatile, prone to eerie nocturnal wanderings, Laura finds herself tormented by nightmares and growing weaker by the day.

Niemand, der ihm lauscht, kann ihn je vergessen: "Nyarlathotep" – das schleichende Chaos. Wer oder was ist "Nyarlathotep"? Ein Künstler, ein Wissenschaftler, ein Prophet... ? Nur eins ist gewiss: Wo der Ägypter auftritt, pflanzt er kosmische Furcht in die Hirne der Menschen. Was gestern noch Ahnung war, ist heute schreckliche Gewissheit. Wohin führt der Weg der Menschheit? Vom Licht ins Dunkel, aus der Stadt in die Wildnis, vorbei an den Ruinen unserer Zivilisation... mitten hinein ins Herz des Chaos.

El corazón delator (en inglés original The Tell-Tale Heart) es un cuento del escritor estadounidense Edgar Allan Poe clasificado en la narrativa gótica. La historia presenta a un narrador anónimo obsesionado con el ojo enfermo (que llama "ojo de buitre") de un anciano con el cual convive. El corazón delator es considerado generalmente un clásico de la literatura gótica, y una de las obras más importantes de su autor. Ha sido adaptado o servido de inspiración en numerosas ocasiones y en distintos medios.

Мрачный, исполненный мистического ужаса роман о священнослужителе, продавшем душу дьяволу ради любви женщины.Мэтью Грегори Льюис (1775 – 1818) был известен прежде всего, как драматург и поэт круга Байрона и Шелли.

Berenice es un cuento de terror del escritor estadounidense Edgar Allan Poe. Fue publicado por primera vez en el periódico Southern Literary Messenger, en el año 1835. Ante su sadismo espeluznante, los lectores contemporáneos se manifestaron horrorizados con la historia y expusieron sus quejas al director del Messenger. La cita que encabeza el relato, en latín, puede traducirse: «Decíanme los amigos que encontraría algún alivio a mi dolor visitando la tumba de la amada».

Guido has lost it all. At rock bottom and wandering the shore, Guido spies a misshapen creature floating toward him in the water, riding on a huge chest. The creature offers Guido a path of revenge – switching bodies for three days in exchange for the untold riches in the chest. Guido unfortunately fails to see a potential downside. Through skillful handling of the gothic motif of the doppelgänger, Shelley’s tale explores concepts that would eventually culminate into her masterpiece – Frankenstein.