The King in Yellow

Time is a flat circle in this beautiful gift edition of the cult classic work of weird fiction and supernatural horror that inspired H.P. Lovecraft and HBO's True Detective "...For we do not know what beasts the night dreams when its hours grow too long for even God to be awake." - Attributed to Hildred Castaigne, narrator of "The Repairer of Reputations." The weird tales in this slim volume are all linked by a play, the second act of which reveals truths so terrible and beautiful that it drives all who read it to despair: The King in Yellow. I cannot forget Carcosa where black stars hang in the heavens; where the shadows of men's thoughts lengthen in the afternoon . . . I pray God will curse the writer, as the writer has cursed the world with this beautiful, stupendous creation, terrible in its simplicity, irresistible in its truth-a world which now trembles before the King in Yellow. These four macabre, uncanny, and unsettling stories are some of the most thrilling ever written in the field of weird fiction, exploring themes of the supernatural, spirituality, and the potentially corrosive influence of belief in the afterlife. Since their first publication in 1895, they have become a cult classic, influencing everyone from the renowned master of cosmic horror, H.P Lovecraft, to the creators of HBO's True Detective.

Penguin Weird Fiction: a celebration of the very best of the weird, a store of novels and tales that for generations have delighted and horrified.Shot through with an unutterable sense of mystery, paranoia and dread, the King in Yellow is a linked collection of tales that swirl around a single motif: a terrible book that prompts an obsessive madness in all who look upon its pages. From a dystopian New York to the streets of Paris, these narratives offer glimpses and hints of impossible, terrifying revelations. Who is the King Yellow? What is the Yellow Sign? And where might be that ancient and famous city, Carcosa?Combining expectation-defying horror with decadent description, The King in Yellow has proven to be one of the most durable and brilliant collections of Weird Fiction ever written, inspiring countless authors, from the mythos of H.P. Lovecraft to the fantasy world of George R.R. Martin.'A classic . . . a fantastic collection of short stories' Guardian

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'. Contents: The King in Yellow The Repairer of Reputations The Mask In the Court of the Dragon The Yellow Sign The Demoiselle d'Ys The Prophet's Paradise The Street of the Four Winds The Street of the First Shell The Street of Our Lady of the Fields Rue Barrée

Widely cited as an inspiration for the first season of HBO's True Detective, The King in Yellow. Robert W. Chambers (1865-1933) was an American artist and writer, best known for his contributions to both the horror and romance genres. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Chambers studied art at the Art Students League of New York and later in Paris at the École des Beaux-Arts. Although he initially gained recognition as an illustrator, he turned to writing and achieved great success as a novelist. His early works, particularly his weird fiction, had a lasting influence on American literature, inspiring later writers such as H.P. Lovecraft. Over the course of his career, Chambers wrote prolifically across multiple genres, including historical fiction, romance, and adventure, but it is his early supernatural tales that have secured his enduring reputation.The King in Yellow, published in 1895, is a landmark collection of interconnected short stories blending horror, fantasy, and science fiction. The book centers around a mysterious, forbidden play that drives those who read it into madness. Set against eerie, dreamlike landscapes, the stories explore themes of decay, insanity, and cosmic dread. Revered for its haunting atmosphere and imaginative power, The King in Yellow has become a seminal work in the genre of weird fiction and continues to captivate readers who seek stories that blur the line between reality and nightmare.

Das frühe Meisterwerk der Weird Fiction & Vorbild für H. P. LovecraftWer das liest, verliert den Verstand - so ergeht es allen, die das Theaterstück 'Der König in Gelb' auch nur zu Gesicht bekommen, denn das fatale Werk enthält eine grässliche Wahrheit. Dieser Klassiker der Horrorliteratur ist feinster Stoff für alle, die abgründiges Entsetzen lieben. Chambers' zehn Geschichten erzählen von Wahnsinn, Liebe, Krieg und anderen welterschütternden Dingen. Sie haben Großmeister H. P. Lovecraft tief beeindruckt und stark inspiriert. Die vollständige Ausgabe aus dem Jahr 1895 erscheint hier in neuer Übersetzung.Neu übersetzt: Klassiker und Vorläufer des modernen Horror-GenresH.P. Lovecraft war tief beeindruckt von dieser Textsammlung, die als Brücke zwischen Gothic Horror des 19. Jahrhunderts und der späteren Horror-Literatur gilt Ein Schlüsseltext für das Verständnis der Entwicklung des Genres und somit ein Ein Muss für Horror-FansAtmosphärische Dichte, psychologische Tiefe, stilistische Eleganz und innovative Erzählweise (lib)

23:B&W 6 x 9 in or 229 x 152 mm Perfect Bound on White w/Gloss Lam

Reproduction of the original.

Historical Fiction set during the Revolutionary War in northern New England. The Protagonist is a spy in New York during a significant part of the war, then uses his intimate knowledge of the Native American Indians to aid the war effort during the latter part of the war. A romance is woven into the story, and the writing style is that of the late 1800's early 1900's. If one does not find the language style too challenging the book is well written and enjoyable. Recommended. (Newell) About the author: Robert William Chambers (May 26, 1865 - December 16, 1933) was an American artist and fiction writer, best known for his book of short stories titled The King in Yellow, published in 1895. Chambers was first educated at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, and then entered the Art Students' League at around the age of twenty, where the artist Charles Dana Gibson was a fellow student. his work was displayed at the Salon as early as 1889. On his return to New York, he succeeded in selling his illustrations to Life, Truth, and Vogue magazines. Then, for reasons unclear, he devoted his time to writing, producing his first novel, In the Quarter, written in 1887 in Munich. His most famous, and perhaps most meritorious, effort is The King in Yellow, a collection of Art Nouveau short stories published in 1895. This included several famous weird short stories which are connected by the theme of a fictitious drama of the same title, which drives those who read it insane. E. F. Bleiler described The King in Yellow as one of the most important works of American supernatural fiction. It was also strongly admired by H. P. Lovecraft and his circle. Chambers's main work of historical fiction was a series of novels set during the Franco-Prussian War. These novels were The Red Republic (1895, centring on the Paris Commune), Lorraine (1898), Ashes of Empire (1898) and Maids of Paradise (1903). Chambers wrote Special Messenger (1909), Ailsa Paige (1910) and Whistling Cat (1932), novels set during the American Civil War. Chambers also wrote Cardigan (1901), a historical novel for younger readers, set at the outbreak of the American Revolution. Chambers later turned to writing romantic fiction to earn a living. According to some estimates, Chambers had one of the most successful literary careers of his period, his later novels selling well and a handful achieving best-seller status. Chambers' romance novels often featured intimate relationships between "caddish" men and sexually willing women, resulting in some reviewers accusing Chambers' works of promoting immorality. Many of his works were also serialised in magazines. (wikipedia.org)