J. Sheridan Le Fanu Books

I admit that I bought this primarily because I wanted to see the rendition of "Northanger Abbey", and I was not disappointed. The illustrations were charming, and the characters looked just as they ought-Henry and Catherine especially. I loved Catherine's facial expressions, and Henry was as dashing as a long-term fangirl like myself could have wished.

However, this was not the only treat in this volume. "Carmilla" was excellent, with drawings that added to the creepy atmosphere of the story, and "The Mysteries of Udolpho" adapted surprisingly well, though I thought Emily St. Aubert had a little bit of a bad '80's hairstyle. Finally, "At the Gate", the last story in the book was very sweet (though sad) and the artwork well done.

This is a wonderful volume and a great way to introduce people to the Classics. I highly recommend it.

The newest addition to the fourteen volume 'Graphic Classics' series from Eureka Productions, "Gothic Classics" is the third multi-author anthology and wonderfully showcases the short story in graphic novel format. Comprising this outstanding compilation is Ann Radcliffe's archetypal gothic novel 'The Mysteries of Udopho' adapted by the collaborative work of Antonella Caputo and Carlo Vegara; the adaption of Jane Austen's gothic parody 'Northanger Abbey' by Trina Robbins and Anne Timmons; Edgar Allen Poe's 'The Oval Portrait' as illustrated by Malaysian illustrator Leon Wan Kok; Myla Jo Closser's canine ghost story 'At the Gate' which is illustrated by Shary Flenniken; and J. Sheridan Le Fanu's famous vampire tale 'Carmilla' as presented by the team of Rod Lott and Lisa K. Weber. "Gothic Classics" is very strongly recommended to illustrated graphic novel enthusiasts, as well as fans of Radcliffe, Austen, Poe, Closser, and Le Fanu. Readers, community librarians, and graphic novel collectors should visit the Eureka Productions website for a complete listing of all the titles in their continuing and highly accomplished 'Graphic Classics' series.

I am a big fan of the Graphic Classics series, and I am an even bigger fan of the anthologies, such as "Horror Classics" and "Adventure Classics". The anthologies give us a chance to read some great tales by authors who may not be prolific enough to rate their own individual books, but who have still made a powerful and influential contribution to literature.

As expected, this latest volume, "Gothic Classes", maintains the already high bar set by previous volumes. The black-and-white comic book style is especially suited to horror, and the illustrators have a real passion for adapting the tales with appropriate illustrations. "Gothic Classics" is a bit different from others in the series, having only five tales, each in a longer format.

This edition includes:

"Carmilla" - The infamous lesbian vampire tale by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu that inspired Bram Stoker's own "Dracula". This is one of those incredibly famous stories that I have long heard about but never read. The illustrations by Lisa K. Weber are done in her usual style, showing the influence of Tim Burton's own Gothic animation style while remaining original. It was great to finally read this.

"The Mysteries of Udolpho" - Another classic of Gothic fiction, by Ann Radcliffe, that I have heard about for years. Carlo Vergara provides the perfect art-style, reminiscent of the old Graphic Illustrated series, heavy on the lace collars and dashing brigands occupying gloomy castles with dank hallways.

"The Oval Portrait" - A Poe story is always welcome, and this short piece provides a brief rest from the longer features. Illustrator Leong Wan Kok gives us a sharp portrait of an artists obsession.

"Northanger Abbey" - Jane Austen makes a rare appearance here in Graphic Classics, with her sharp send-up of the Gothic novel. The art by Anne Timmons is all sweetness and light, but everything is not what it seems. Or is it...?

"At the Gate" - A short and sweet tale by Myla Jo Closser. I must confess to have never heard of this, but that is one of the joys of the anthology format that it brings you new things you might not have discovered elsewhere. A couple of dogs chat at the gate of heaven, wondering when they will be let in. Shary Flenniken provides the cute illustrations for this heartwarming tale.

Pre-dating Bram Stoker's Dracula, this charmingly accessible vampire novel is perhaps a bit more subtle than modern novels but daring nonetheless, especially in the lesbian overtones that one might read as a cautionary message to young women of the era tempted to explore forbidden sensual impulses. Highly recommended.

Throughout the two decades from 1964 to 1984, Fontana published a remarkable skein of ghost story collections, piloted by R. Aikman and later by R. Chetwynd-Hayes, no mean supernatural authors themselves. Some of the paperbacks in this series, which winds its way up to the "20th Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories" are now collectors' items and worth over a hundred dollars apiece.

For this first book in the series, Robert Aickman selected eleven supernatural tales, including his own "The Trains." He also writes an introduction in which he states, "There are only about thirty or forty first-class ghost stories in the whole of western literature."

That's a challenge indeed, since this complete series contains well over 200 ghost stories!

These are the stories in the Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories:

"The Travelling Grave" by L.P. Hartley--This is definitely one of Aickman's 'first-class ghost stories' and it is funny in the full meaning of the phrase 'hysterically funny.' A man is invited to spend a week-end in the country, arrives late and discovers that his host and the rest of the guests are playing a game of hide-and-seek.

"The Ghost Ship" by Richard Middleton--This story is also humorous, but it lacks the hysterical edge of "The Travelling Grave." A ghostly galleon runs aground in the middle of a turnip field during a violent wind storm. Unfortunately for the peace of a nearby village, the captain and his ghostly crew are very fond of rum.

"Squire Toby's Will" by J. Sheridan Le Fanu--The roistering, hard-living Squire Toby dies, leaving his two sons at each other's throats through the provisions of his will. The younger son inherits, then discovers another will leaving the property to his older brother. While he dithers about what to do with it, the older brother dies. Two mourners enter the mansion but are never seen to leave.

"The Voice in the Night" by William Hope Hodgson--A ship becalmed in the Northern Pacific gets a strange visitor. The last line of this story is particularly horrible: "Then the oars were dipped, the boat shot out of the patch of light, and the--the thing went nodding into the mist."

"Three Miles Up" by Elizabeth Jane Howard--The English Canal System has some strange stories told about it, and this is one of the strangest and scariest. Never pick up strangers who want to hitch a ride on your boat, even if she's willing to cook and do the laundry.

"The Rocking-Horse Winner" by D.H. Lawrence--In order to help pay off his parents' debts, a little boy gets racing tips while riding his rocking horse.

"The Wendigo" by Algernon Blackwood-- This author was a pantheist and a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, eventually branching out into Buddhism and Rosicrucianism, and his stories reveal a deep, mystical appreciation of Nature, with a capital 'N.' He spent many summers in the backwoods of Canada and "The Wendigo" is probably the most eerie creation of this idyllic period of his life.

"The Crown Derby Plate" by Marjorie Bowen--Martha Pym is missing one plate from her antique Crown Derby collection. She would do almost anything to complete her set, but when the plate finally falls into her hands, she immediately gives it away. So would you, considering the source.

"The Trains" by Robert Aickman--Two lost hikers on the moors are forced to seek shelter from a rainstorm in a mansion built right over the top of a railroad. MiMi and Margaret learn quite a bit about trains from their host whose grandfather built both the house and the railroad beneath it. A woman seems to be hiding from them in the upper reaches of the house.

"The Old Nurse's Story" by Mrs. Gaskell--Here's an old classic that all ghost story connoisseurs must read at least once. A young orphan and her loving nursemaid must go to live with a distant great-aunt in Northumberland. The five-year-old soon wins over her new relative and the staff of the once-grand mansion, but who is the little girl who keeps begging her to come out and play in the storm?

"Seaton's Aunt" by Walter de la Mare--A rather unlikeable schoolboy has a repulsive aunt who seems to despise him. This is one of those moody stories where I'm never sure whether ghosts or paranoia got the upper hand.

As another reviewer said, you have to be patient to enjoy this, I think. Fairly long passages can go by seemingly without anything significant happening, but Le Fanu's writing style is very nice and definitely vintage so if you like the words you probably won't mind. It's probably true that the book could have been trimmed down by a hundred or do pages to focus on the darker, suspenseful aspects, but I don't think that melodrama was what Le Fanu was going for. He argued for it not to be classified as "sensationalist". That probably makes the book seem boring, but there are moments interspersed throughout that are very engaging and the entire latter part of the book is masterful in its anxiety and culminates in a great climax that will not disappoint. The book has sunny spots and characters, but a majority of the characters are dark and mysterious and a lot are unpleasant interactions for Maud.

Not exactly a gothic novel, and not all psychological thriller, this is a book I could see being disappointed in if you came into it thinking it was overtly either. But if you drop your expectations for what you want it to be because of what you heard it is, you probably won't regret it.

And everybody interested in seeing the original movie adaptation starring Jean Simmons should go over and vote for it to be released on DVD at [...] -- it only has 10 votes as I'm writing!

Having read the other reviews of this book I expected a thrilling gothic tale of mystery and suspense. What I got was somewhat disappointing. It certainly is an intriguing story with many interesting elements to it, not the least of which is LeFanu's masterful command of the English language. However, a few serious flaws stand out and detract seriously from the novel as a whole. One is the incredible amount of detail added. Over one hundred fifty pages elapse before Maud even enters Silas's dwelling. The conclusion is quite frightening, but to get to it one must slog through four hundred pages of building to the climax. Also it seems to me that there are far to many loose ends. For example, close to the conclusion of the novel Maud is traveling in a carriage when she hears a spectral voice whisper, "Beware the hand of Belisarius!" No explanation is given, nor does Belisarius appear during any portion of the book.
Despite these and other distractions, "Uncle Silas" has a truly shocking ending, worthy of Steven King. It should only be attempted by patient readers, but those who do read it through to the end will rarely forget it.

I really liked this one. It's a definite page-turner with a very satisfying ending. I definitely recommend reading it if you're looking for a good mystery/thriller.

It's hard for me to believe that this book has seventeen reviews. And that it still has such a high rating. Don't get me wrong, I loved every page of it. And the endnotes are wonderful in the Penguin edition I have. I'm also a big fan of Gothic literature, so I was surprised to find myself enjoying the book as much as I did. When it comes to the genre, I'm not ashamed to admit that I fall squarely in the Monk Lewis camp-- pile on the shocks, keep upping the ante, and don't stop 'till the credits are rolling.

Uncle Silas doesn't really provide any of that. The pace is deliberate, the plot is unsurprising, and there aren't any shocks to be found. But it works. Beautifully. Why? Largely because of Le Fanu's extraordinary prose. I continually found myself re-reading passages, and still quote some of my favorites to pleasantly surprised listeners.

The beauty of Le Fanu's novel, I think, is that he managed to follow the Ann Radcliffe model of the Gothic romance-- particularly with his inspired evocations of atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere-- without the anti-climactic 'revelations' that feel more like cheats to the modern reader. Uncle Silas isn't a phantasmagoric experience a la The Monk or Melmoth the Wanderer, but it is an underappreciated classic of Gothic literature, particularly in its remarkable success at turning a rather thin plot into an extended series of beautifully realized, but never overwrought, vignettes. And given the genre's reputation for poorly written overwrought-ness, that makes it a wonderful find.

This book is great for anyone who is a fan of Gothic, Victorian, or mystery novels. All of these genres come into play for an interesting story. The tone is dark, and the descriptions of the landscape help give the book a "spooky" feel. There is also an interesting tie in with the Swedenbourgs, which was informative, as well. I loved this book, and it's a shame that Sheridan Le Fanu isn't more widely read.

This was Stokers influence for his novel Dracula. It is by far the most sensual ethereal vampire story ever written. LeFanu's work can only be described as opulently poetic

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu is appreciated by Bram Stoker and M.R James, I can see why.

Le Fanu's use of atmosphere is remarkable, he builds the scenes up and up. His writings are by no means gory, but they are very horrific, due to his wonderful plot devices and descriptions.

'Carmilla' has to be my favourite of Le Fanu's wonderous stories, it is dramatic, chilling and at times quite tender. The pace is just right and the short chapters keep you hooked, and you will want to read more and more, I struggle to put this book down.

If it has one fault, it is the lack of explanation for the other 'villains' of the story, who was the strange man that entered the Masque? (I presume he was a Karnstien).

But the lack of explanation for that man, the Countess and the strange dark woman in the carriage, stimulates the brain.

I would suggest that fans of 'Dracula' should read this as Stoker himself loved the story, and even considered making his novel about a Styria Countess not unlike 'Carmilla'. A further insight into Stoker's admiration for this exquisit piece of fiction, can be seen in Stoker's short story 'Dracula's Guest'.

Also if you like the works of M.R James, then you should read this, and Le Fanu's other stories, as James uses the same style and has written a bit about Le Fanu.

James said of 'In A Glass Darkly' (the Anthology in which 'Carmilla' can be found):

"The volume called In a Glass Darkly is probably the best known, next to Uncle Silas, of all the author's works, and to those who have read it, the titles "The Familiar", "Mr Justice Harbottle", "Carmilla" and "Green Tea" will suggest the remembrance of an agreeable thrill. The two first, and "Squire Toby's Will", I should assert to be the best ghost stories in the English language"

Thank you very much for reading my review. I hope it helps.

This is a wonderful little story about a lonely little girl born into a good family (wealth, and character) who is visited and befriended by a petulant little child who turns out to be the most dangerous vampire in history. Carmilla reeks of a romance of times not seen in the urban and suburban vistas of America. Carmilla (the story, not the girl) is of a time when the darkness following sunset relegated everyone in the village to their homes and most oftn their sleeping quarters. There might be small gatherings to hear tales or sing songs, but these were not as frequent as one might imagine. Life was comprised of survivial first, community second, and recreation when one could find it. Into this mix the soft-spoken, beautiful doll who is Carmilla (the girl, not the story) enters, only to siphon off the very sanctity of a quiet little hamlet, turning it into a chilling town of death. Carmilla would have lasted in this village for quite some time had she not gotten carelss. Some speculate that she actually did not die (much like "The Laughing Jesus" controversy), but the tale is a bit ambiguous, just enough to lave doubt in the minds of the true believers.

This story is short and tightly focused on one incident, rathr than the saga of terror carmilla pread throughout her life travelling Europe. As such it leaves much to the imagination of exatly who carmillas was and how she became to be. Written before Braum Stoker ever heard of vampiers, this is simply the one of best tales of vampirism ever written.

Carmilla is the most important vampire story ever written. She predates Braum Stoker and takes us back to a time long before modern medicine, electricity, or late-night runs to Starbucks. The tale is as dark as the countryside in which it is set. To truly understand the tale however you must understand the time it was told in, and its historical evidence.

There have been thousands of verified cases of vampirism throughout history. Priests, constables, mayors, doctors, lawyers and judges, magistrates, and any number of respected members of society have set their hand (and seal) to oath stating "I have hereby witnessed what can only be described as a vampire." This has happened time and again all over the world, and Carmilla, sweet loving daughter and succubus is a queen among them. The story is labeled fiction by the uninitiated, but it is more a faction, and more than enough time has passed to let it be known anyway. Modern science would be delighted to actually have the evidence today to examine, and sadly that is the dilemma, for the vampires (including our diminutive friend Mircalla, Malarca, and others...) have long-since abandoned us. They are simply nowhere to be found. But if you ever find yourself in a small lonely town far away from modern Europe you may catch a whiff of the sent, a trail gone cold, but still possible to follow. Carmilla was there before you. Perhaps, just perhaps...

J. Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla is included in its entirety in a compilation book of Irish literature that I own. I wasn't impressed with a lot of the stuff I was looking at in it, but one day when I was ill from work, I leafed through the compilation to Le Fanu's mini novel and, once I began to read it, couldn't put it down until I was finished. This is highly unusual for me because I'm not big on gothic stories. However, this novella is addictive, fast paced, and one gets caught up in it as they read by sheer imagination when fueled by exceptionally talented writing.

I also thought the vampiress was showing strong lesbian traits, but wondered if Le Fanu could ever have gotten his work published if that were the case. No matter, as the story sucks you into its darkness (no pun intended) and you can actually feel Laura's growing despondency as Carmilla slowly drains away her life force rather than the Dracula-like depictions of quick attacks we often get in movies and the like. I think I was almost as creeped out by her violently emotional outbursts at the sound of a church choir and Laura seeming to take it in stride.

Intriguing and engaging, never dull, and able to transport the reader right to that eery place and time, Carmilla is a novella that takes a short time to read and still leaves you wanting more. Leave it to the Irish, who are responsible for most of the Holloween customs we follow today, to give us a timelessly stylish and truly frightening story such as this one!

Probably the most distinguishing characteristic of LeFanu's writing to me is that he doesn't explain why something is happening in his stories. Ghosts search through drawers, skeletons are dug up, heroes disappear, and barons die of unseen causes, and we are never told what happened. LeFanu doesn't necessarily explain the motives and occurrences of his stories and loose ends are not all tied up. At first, I was unsure about what to think; what kind of ghost story doesn't explain all the events at the end? How am I supposed to be terrified if I don't know the ultimate cause of Baron X's demise? The method of storytelling began to grow on me, though, and I now feel that a lack of resolution on every issue creates a better story. Why should the supernatural be fully explained in 20 pages? When the reader is demoted from an omniscient viewpoint to that of only an eyewitness, the tale is more compelling.

My favorite stories are probably "Sir Dominick's Bargain" and "An Authentic Narrative of a Haunted House," the former for its mood and atmosphere, and the latter for its minimalist telling. "The Haunted Baronet" is another excellent story, with strong attention to detail and background that help in the story-telling; it was a very satisfactory read. "The Fortunes of Sir Robert Ardagh" is the same story told sans background and detail, and is clearly inferior. The other stories I enjoyed based on the setting, which is 19th century Ireland, which evokes a mood much like James'. Overall, it is the sort of book that makes you wish for a warm fireplace and a stormy night.

Enjoy!

For anyone who is looking for some excellent gothic ghost-stories,this is the book to start with.Le fanu is largely forgotten by today's reading public and the television absorbed culture.They don't know what their missing out on.Poe is the American grand-daddy of the mysterious horror story,yet the French-Irishman ,Sheridan LeFanu, is on the same level too.I can only recommend this gothic horror collection for all who what to be intellectually thrilled and pleasantly chilled .All before the witching hour surrenders,at the stroke of midnight,on the Eve of All-Hallows.For another year.Delicious reading for the Autumn season,til Samhain parts for another spell.-Beware of sleep,and Beware of Cats!

Until the Dover edition of Sheridan Le Fanu's stories appeared in 1964, this nineteenth-century Irish author's tales were almost impossible to find. This is a shame, since M.R. James considered Le Fanu the best of all ghost story writers (I would put M.R. James at the top of my list, and J. S. Le Fanu, second). According to Jack Sullivan in "Elegant Nightmares: The English Ghost Story from Le Fanu to Blackwood," "...Nearly all of the early twentieth-century writers in the [supernatural story] field paced and structured their narratives in the Le Fanu manner."

This edition has an introduction by E.F. Bleiler who limns a brief biography of the author, and his influence on the ghost story writers who followed him. The sixteen stories in this collection range from 1837 to 1871. One is an essay presented as non-fiction, i.e. "An Authentic Narrative of a Haunted House." Concerning this essay, Bleiler states, "Personally, I am inclined to accept Le Fanu's strong statement that he was not writing fiction in the guise of fact, and that he is simple reproducing what others had told him."

Some of the stories are obscured by dialect, e.g. "Madame Crowl's Ghost" and parts of "The Haunted Baronet." Lines like "...twad gar ye dodder to hear him" can usually be worked out in the context of the plot and Le Fanu's stories are worth the extra effort. Quoting Jack Sullivan again, "Le Fanu's tales suggest a world in which we are unbearably alone in situations of escalating awfulness." The little maid is sleeping alone in one of Madame Crowl's chambers when the old beldame's ghost appears, "her eyes as wide as saucers, and her face like the fiend himself." Rose in "Schalken the Painter" is deserted by her guardian and minister after she begs them not to leave her alone, and she is doomed. In one of my favorite stories, "An Account of some Strange Disturbances in Aungier Street," two medical students move into a house once owned by an infamous, hanging judge. They are afraid to tell each other about their supernatural encounters for fear of being mocked--at least until one of them almost dies.

This book is the finest collection of Le Fanu stories ever compiled, and all ghost story connoisseurs should hasten to read it.

These are great stories for bedtime reading. Compared to today's scary stories, these are elegant and inspired. If you have a taste for the fiction of bygone eras -- don't draw the line with today's best sellers -- you'll find a lot of magnificent writing. I'm still reading this book, and I plan to pass it around to all my pals. PBS and British Telly buffs will adore this book.

Le fanu is the BEST writer of supernatual fiction there is...no questions!

I am the biggest fan...I collect all his works...old and new when I can find them.

The stories collected here are some rare ones indeed. The Haunted Baronet (from the Golden Friars) is a stunning gem of a novellete. Included in this volume are some very hard to come by edtions. And they have been reprinted exactly from the periodicals they were originally in.

I am sure you will not be disappointed in this book....like me you will read it again and again. The evocative power of Le Fanu is unparalled.

"Horrific." "Superb." "Dark." "Masterful." "Gothic." "Brilliant." All these words and more spring to mind when attempting to describe In a Glass Darkly. This volume contains five tales ranging in length from thirty to seventy pages which purport to record a few of the many cases of the learned psychic investigator Doctor Martin Hesselius.
The first tale, "Green Tea," is perhaps the best ever written by LeFanu. It is narrated by the Doctor himself and records the case of a young man who believes he has awakened a demonic creature bent on his destruction. Hesselius urbanely dismisses this and claims to effect a cure with nothing more than a change in diet. It is obvious that he has gravely underestimated the force assaulting his client, as the shocking conclusion shows only too well. The story is brilliantly carried out and is one of the most frightening stories I have ever read. It is widely anthologized and many readers may be familiar with it but ignorant of the majority of the tales in this book. This is a great pity as they were meant to be read together, and although each of the stories can be read on its own with great pleasure, the cumulative effect should not be missed.
After "Green Tea" there appear two traditional ghost stories, "The Familiar" and "Mister Justice Harbottle." They lack the originality of "Green Tea," but both are quite chilling in their own right. Both stories handle the theme of the vengeful ghost with marvelous skill.
The fourth tale to appear is "The Room in the Dragon Volant." I do not wish to prejudice readers against it and so will refrain from discussing this narrative. It need merely be stated that here LeFanu gives in to his weakness of adding humor to his stories. Unfortunately for us, his comedic skill was rather meager.
The last story in the book is "Carmilla," the mother of all vampire stories. The horror of this novella can hardly be overemphasized. The description of Carmilla's nocturnal visits to her victim rank among the most grisly in all literature. There is only one trifling flaw in the entire narrative. This is the bizarre stupidity of the narrator, the young woman preyed upon. But this is more than made up for by the fascinating complexity of Carmilla herself. In this story, unlike most vampire tales of the period, Carmilla becomes a character instead of a mere monster.
In conclusion, it seems fit to remark upon the interesting form in which LeFanu chose to convey his tales. They are novellas, which seem to work particularly well for the kind of story that he told. More detail is given than in regular short stories, but the book is free from the constraints of the novel. The result is a work of genius.

"Horrific." "Superb." "Dark." "Masterful." "Gothic." "Brilliant." All these words and more spring to mind when attempting to describe In a Glass Darkly. This volume contains five tales ranging in length from thirty to seventy pages which purport to record a few of the many cases of the learned psychic investigator Doctor Martin Hesselius.
The first tale, "Green Tea," is perhaps the best ever written by LeFanu. It is narrated by the Doctor himself and records the case of a young man who believes he has awakened a demonic creature bent on his destruction. Hesselius urbanely dismisses this and claims to effect a cure with nothing more than a change in diet. It is obvious that he has gravely underestimated the force assaulting his client, as the shocking conclusion shows only too well. The story is brilliantly carried out and is one of the most frightening stories I have ever read. It is widely anthologized and many readers may be familiar with it but ignorant of the majority of the tales in this book. This is a great pity as they were meant to be read together, and although each of the stories can be read on its own with great pleasure, the cumulative effect should not be missed.
After "Green Tea" there appear two traditional ghost stories, "The Familiar" and "Mister Justice Harbottle." They lack the originality of "Green Tea," but both are quite chilling in their own right. Both stories handle the theme of the vengeful ghost with marvelous skill.
The fourth tale to appear is "The Room in the Dragon Volant." I do not wish to prejudice readers against it and so will refrain from discussing this narrative. It need merely be stated that here LeFanu gives in to his weakness of adding humor to his stories. Unfortunately for us, his comedic skill was rather meager.
The last story in the book is "Carmilla," the mother of all vampire stories. The horror of this novella can hardly be overemphasized. The description of Carmilla's nocturnal visits to her victim rank among the most grisly in all literature. There is only one trifling flaw in the entire narrative. This is the bizarre stupidity of the narrator, the young woman preyed upon. But this is more than made up for by the fascinating complexity of Carmilla herself. In this story, unlike most vampire tales of the period, Carmilla becomes a character instead of a mere monster.
In conclusion, it seems fit to remark upon the interesting form in which LeFanu chose to convey his tales. They are novellas, which seem to work particularly well for the kind of story that he told. More detail is given than in regular short stories, but the book is free from the constraints of the novel. The result is a work of genius.

Perhaps the origin of the 'psychic detective' or ghostbuster genre,
with the use of Doctor Heselius as a framing character for these
stories as being part of his history of cases. Carmilla is a fine, fine
tale, with a disturbing female monster. Le Fanu is well worth
investigating for horror fans that have not done so in the past.

WARNING! My Oxford World's Classics paperback copy had pages of Thoreau's "Walden" inserted after p.158 of the story "The Room in the Dragon Volant." Missing are approx. 50 pages of the LeFanu story, so it's not like it's a bonus. I'm letting Amazon know about it, but check your copy on receipt!! Very disappointing to not know what happens, kind of like watching a thriller on TV and then the power goes out, but the broadcast stays on so you miss the middle.

I do rate LeFanu's stories 4-5 stars though. Really well-written page turners!

During a recent (first) visit to Dublin, my wonderful guide showed me Sheridan LeFanu's lovely Georgian home and turned me on to the creepy classics which the late author wrote and helped to create an entire genre of cliched horror staples we still enjoy today.

This book, however, is a collection of tedious stories...overwritten to satisfy perhaps Le Fanu's contemporary readers, but not those of today. It is unfortunate that we fans of haunted houses and chill-inducing ghost stories have become jaded with the over saturation in the medium. If you can get past comparing it with other examples and want to take your time with this slow (sadly unsuspenseful) read, you may find a few gossebumps along the way.

Ah, these books one receives as Christmas presents, no doubt the benefactors mean well....How dearly I would have loved to have settled down to a mystery about that many-storied beast, the wyvern. And, since there is a very well-depicted wyvern on the cover, and the title rather leads one to expect it, surely I was not amiss in expecting such a lark. But, alas, no wyvern - just an old family who possess the surname. And alack, no mystery - the plot and characters are as stale as ergoted rye, but without even the supernatural or hallucinogenic to excite one. Wading through this mostly banal novel was rather like touching upon several poorly copied parts of Dickens' novels with a touch of the Brontes thrown in for good measure.

The only thing that surprised me, from time to time, was the discovery that Le Fanu could be a dashed good writer when he put his mind and heart into it. He is particularly good at detailed landscapes, human psychology and lines of poetic insight. Unfortunately, these passages are too few, too far between, too often over-the-top to redeem the novel. But, as an example, one occasionally comes across a passage like the following:

"Future-present-past. The future - mist, a tint, a shadow. The cloud on which fear and hope project their airy phantoms, living in imagination, and peopled by romance - a dream of dreams. The present only we possess, man's momentary dominion, plastic under his hand as the clay under the potter's - always a moment of the present in our absolute power - always that fleeting, plastic moment speeding into the past - immutable, eternal. The metal flows molten by, and then chills and fixes for ever."p.222

But such passages are rare indeed. They pop out - if I may be permitted the trope - like audacious wyverns amidst tired, overworked prosaic basset-hounds. Altogether, more than a letdown. ---Good title though.
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J. Sheridan LeFanu is not as difficult to get into as other Gothic fiction authors are. I would definitely recommend the 'Wyvern Mystery' to anyone looking at beginning to read Gothic fiction. I would recommend to anyone, however, as a very well-rounded book. The storyline takes many exciting twists and turns, though LeFanu's slow and detailed style may find little friendliness from modern readers. Those who appreciate detail will find his intricate portraits both refreshing and beautiful. Many times I found myself smiling at the believable and realistic depictions of emotion or character traits. LeFanu definitely shows that he is not an amatuer and demands attention from modern readers. He is widely unread, but his great talents at storytelling deserve attention. The 'mystery' of the Wyvern Mystery centers around a young couple's troubles due to elopement, financial problems, and the hero's dark past that comes back to haunt them both. All this and a happy ending. I implore you to resurrect this wonderful old mystery.

LeFanu's "Wyvern Mystery" is a classic example of a Gothic mystery. During the 1860's, Gothic mysteries and horror novels were popular. Although LeFanu is not as "up there " as such notable Gothic novelists as Bram Stroker or Mary Shelley, LeFanu creates a chilling and suspenseful thriller. The tale has the typical features one finds in Gothic novels- a beautiful heroine who is in danger, a mysterious family secret, a haunted mansion, prophetic dreams, appropriate dark atmosphere and as added bonus LeFanu created a "sub-human " character who has been damaged in her past and has now become a monster out for revenge. At time reminiscent of Jane Eyre, Wyvern mystery is a must have for mystery fans of the genre. PBS broadcasted a screen adaptation on their Mystery Series. Also I recommend all other LeFanu novels and also the Gothic mystery "Lady Audley's Secret ". Enjoy.

Poor Alice! Why is her new husband so secretive? Why is the housekeeper so cool toward her? What does her brother-in-law know that he isn't telling? And what is that strange scratching noise in her bedroom at midnight?

All good questions, but don't expect answers for a few hundred pages. Le Fanu is the master of dragged-out suspense, but he really drags it out in this one, then skips 12 years, then begins what appears to be a new plot needing another few hundred pages, until he recollects that he needs to finish the book and ends everything at breakneck speed in the last few pages. You wouldn't mind so much if you cared about Alice's problems, but she's the typical innocent and passive young heroine who needs squads of people on hand to help her while she's bedridden with grief. What makes this book enjoyable is not her but the other characters: there's old Squire Fairfield; he didn't like Alice's father, but when Alice was orphaned as a child, he raised her himself. His feelings toward her seem gruff but paternal.... or are they? Mildred the housekeeper has an endless supply of proverbs and sayings; she isn't loyal or even nice... or is she? Harry the brother-in-law seems to be a simple horse trader who's happy to let his elder brother inherit Wyvern, the family estate, but he may not be as simple as he seems. And what about the mysterious, tall, opium-smoking "Dutchwoman" ....? Le Fanu excels at ambiguous motivations, only in this book, the motives are especially nebulous. I would have appreciated an afterword explaining the laws of inheritance and primogeniture in a way that would make the baby plot a little clearer.

Unfortunately, I read Le Fanu's Uncle Silas before picking up The Wyvern Mystery. Although I enjoyed The Wyvern Mystery, I felt it was not as well written and plotted as Uncle Silas. At one point, you seem to reach the climax as 'the old soldier' becomes very nasty indeed; but then she all but disappears from the book. The ending was predictable - you could see it coming from a mile off. Overall, the book was entertaining, but I would recommend Uncle Silas over this story any day.

I special ordered this book because I thought it would be really good. I read the reviews and some how got the impression that it was a sensual vampire story. It was a vampire story that dragged on a little to much. It was also vague, and not so sensual at all. I got the feeling that this story tried to capture the elegence of Dracula, but failed. I was shaken because I expected so much more.

I liked this book, but probably not quite as LeFanu intended I ought. The majority of stories are ghost tales, longer and less punchy but more engrossing than those of M.R. James, but with a very similar atmosphere. Most striking is Carmilla, an amusing Gothic story about a female vampire and her relationship with the narrator, her innocent girlfriend. Modern times have robbed the story of much of its horror, and Carmilla becomes as much an object of sympathy as a pure villain - a fact that raises new questions rather than weakening the tale. Like Gormenghast, it is easy to dismiss such writing as plain silly - much of the story IS rather daft - but the charm of the stories remains, provided that the reader enters into the spirit of the book. LeFanu's style is not great - he is rather wordy and his prose a bit "purple", but the meticulous construction of his stories makes them worth reading as exercises in plot alone. His clear love of the atmosphere he builds shows through, and it is refreshing to find a book in which the gothic is not played for laughs. Overall, this is a pleasing collection of stories with a few real highlights. Its atmosphere and style inevitably mean that it will not have much appeal to many people, but fans of the macabre and antiquated will find it a worthwhile purchase. Like Stoker's Dracula or a good Hammer film, it is highly entertaining, simultaneously chilling and slightly camp.

J. Sheridan Le Fanu is a master of ghost and horror stories. His style is gothic. The protagonist might be a young woman without family and friends. The setting is lonely and isolated, often a decaying manor or castle. A growing sense of malice and evil emerges as the story unfolds. Le Fanu was able to transform this trite formula into remarkably suspenseful stories that haunt the reader long afterwards. All thirteen tales in this collection are enjoyable on many levels: suspenseful horror, well-crafted plots, and interesting characterizations.

Le Fanu's novels are noted for their leisurely pace, for their wordy and discursive style. His short stories are tighter, but still reflect Le Fanu's care in developing the setting and the atmosphere. I enjoy Le Fanu's antiquated style; it somehow adds verisimilitude to the accounts.

The Evil Guest, the longest story in this collection, is quite successful as a suspenseful mystery, but what makes it memorable is Le Fanu's description of one man's descent into evil and eventual insanity.

The Murdered Cousin is a traditional gothic story in which a young woman is entrusted to the care of an evil uncle. Le Fanu later expanded this tale into his most popular novel, Uncle Silas.

Schalken the Painter, Green Tea, Mr. Justice Harbottle, and Sir Dominick's Bargain are among his most admired stories and are frequently encountered in anthologies. Although superficially they share a common theme about demonic visitations, all four tales offer unique, imaginative aspects that make them classics. I find Schalken the Painter and Green Tea to be especially frightening. Mr. Justice Harbottle is a story of demonic retribution, retribution fully deserved. Sir Dominick's Bargain is a conventional tale of a pact with the devil, but one with an unexpected twist.

The title story Carmilla (1871) is ranked among the classic vampire stories, along with John Polidori's The Vampyre (1819) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897). The relationship between the heroine and the female vampire is surprisingly complex, adding a dimension not found in most gothic characterizations.

Other stories in this collection include Ultor De Lacy, Wicked Captain Walshawe of Wauling, The White Cat of Drumgunniol, Madam Crowl's Ghost, Dickon the Devil, and Laura Silver Bell.

I reviewed a paperback edition (1996) published by Signet Classic. This inexpensive edition (446 pages) is a bargain.

J. Sheridan Le Fanu's lesser known novel, Checkmate, involves self-interest, dishonesty, deception, revenge, and murder. Sir Reginald Arden, worried by mortgages on Mortlake Hall, is arranging marriage of his daughter Alice, unbeknownst to her, to Lord Wynderbroke, a middle-aged, wealthy peer. Some time previously Sir Reginald had ostracized his fiery, proud, spendthrift son Richard, but nonetheless he temporarily recruits his son's efforts in disguising the family discord from Lord Wynderbroke. Richard sees advantages to himself if Alice marries Wynderbroke, and discredits Mr. Longcluse, a recently arrived wealthy gentleman that has been showing romantic interest in Alice. Meanwhile, we readers are puzzled by Mr. Longcluse's relationship with a French citizen, a Monsieur Lebas, who is unexpectedly murdered in a betting parlor. The plot is further complicated by a murder that occurred some twenty years previously. Harry, a brother of Sir Reginald, was robbed and murdered outside Mortlake Hall. And so goes the early chapters.

The atmosphere is not as dark and threatening as in Le Fanu's highly popular Uncle Silas, but early on there is a vague concern that something is not quite right. A gentleman of apparently good credentials is ultimately revealed to be a formidable, highly wicked man; his meticulous steps to achieve revenge are reminiscent of a carefully played game of chess. The solution to this Victorian mystery is perhaps a little farfetched as it involves rather fanciful surgical techniques practiced by an unethical Prussian doctor. Nonetheless, Checkmate makes good reading and I give it four stars.

Checkmate (1871) is a good example of the sensation novel, a genre popular in Great Britain in the 1860s and 1870s. The Victorian public was accustom to Gothic tales involving adultery, theft, kidnapping, insanity, bigamy, forgery, seduction and murder. However, the sensation novels authored by Wilkie Collins, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Le Fanu, and others were considered particularly shocking because these crimes take place not in fictionalized Gothic locales, but in familiar Victorian domestic settings.

As editor and owner of the Dublin University magazine, J. Sheridan Le Fanu's literary influence was substantial, but following his death in 1873 his works faded into obscurity. Fortunately for the modern reader, M. R. James, a scholar of medieval manuscripts and a writer of ghost stories himself, helped restored Le Fanu's reputation by editing and reprinting (in 1923) Le Fanu's Madam Crowl's Ghost and Other Stories. Today, Le Fanu's short stories and novels are all available in reprint editions. Some have become television screenplays. Sutton Publishing released a reprint edition of Checkmate in 2000.