20) The Demon of the Flower by Clark Ashton Smith Plot: On the planet Lophai, humans are subject to plants, which “[resemble] fields of rooted serpents that dance eternally to an other-world music.” Humans and all flora and fauna pay tribute to the supreme flower known as Voorqual, in which a demon more ancient thanContinue reading “Review of “The Demon of the Flower” by Clark Ashton Smith Halloween Countdown”
Tag Archives: horror
Review of “Green Tea” by Joseph S. Le Fanu Halloween Countdown
19) “Green Tea” by Joseph S. Le Fanu Plot:As recorded by the medical secretary of (the fictional) Martin Hesselius, the German physician, this is one of the doctor’s many cases, beginning with a meeting of a country clergyman, the Rev. Mr. Jennings in London. Hesselius and Jennings seem to hit it off well enough. JenningsContinue reading “Review of “Green Tea” by Joseph S. Le Fanu Halloween Countdown”
Review of “The Night Wire” by H. F. Arnold Halloween Countdown
17) The Night Wire by H. F. Arnold Plot:Told by a night manager at newspaper in a western seacoast town, this is set in the days when news came in by telegraph. The narrator describes John Morgan as a “doubler,” that is, someone who can listen to two feeds and type their contents on twoContinue reading “Review of “The Night Wire” by H. F. Arnold Halloween Countdown”
Review of “The Golden Bough” by David H. Keller Halloween Countdown
16) The Golden Bough by David H. Keller Plot: Newlyweds Paul and Constance (Martin) Gallien are on a road trip through Europe to find the house in a forest that Constance dreamed of the first night they were married. Paul is “of royal blood,” something not important as it once was, but he apparently stillContinue reading “Review of “The Golden Bough” by David H. Keller Halloween Countdown”
Review of “The Secret of Kralitz” by Henry Kuttner Halloween Countdown
15) The Secret of Kralitz by Henry Kuttner Plot: As his father was dying, he warned Franz, now the twenty-first Baron of Kralitz, that the House of Kralitz was cursed. He couldn’t tell him how it was cursed and warned him against trying to seek out the nature of the curse. When it was timeContinue reading “Review of “The Secret of Kralitz” by Henry Kuttner Halloween Countdown”
Review of “The Dunwich Horror” by H. P. Lovecraft
6) “The Dunwich Horror” by H. P. Lovecraft Plot: Dunwich, Massachusetts, is a backwoods town settled by refugees from the Salem witch trials. Most people dislike it and avoid it now, though they couldn’t tell you why. Lavinia Whateley, the deformed and emotionally stunted daughter of Old Whateley, becomes pregnant and gives birth to WilburContinue reading “Review of “The Dunwich Horror” by H. P. Lovecraft”
Review of “The Double Admiral” by John Metcalfe Halloween Countdown
5) “The Double Admiral” by John Metcalfe Plot: Bishop John Charles receives a letter from an old friend, a retired admiral named Hood, inviting him up to spend a weekend at his seaside bungalow in Hampshire. John Charles hasn’t seen Hood for a while, but he’s heard rumors about him. He also knows he isContinue reading “Review of “The Double Admiral” by John Metcalfe Halloween Countdown”
Review of “Caterpillars” by E. F. Benson
4) “Caterpillars” by E. F. Benson The nameless narrator recounts how he sensed something was wrong the moment he set foot in the Villa Cascana—although it was a delightful house. When he saw letters on the table waiting for him, he thought perhaps there was some terrible news, but this was not so. The hostessContinue reading “Review of “Caterpillars” by E. F. Benson”
Review of “The Beckoning Fair One” by Oliver Onions Halloween Countdown
Plot: Forty-four-year-old novelist Paul Oleron rents the first floor of a house to finish his novel, Romilly Bishop. He has fifteen chapters. He needs a quiet, pleasant place to concentrate. The house needs a bit of sprucing up. He hires people to paint and then moves in some furniture he has in storage that hisContinue reading “Review of “The Beckoning Fair One” by Oliver Onions Halloween Countdown”
Review of “The Ambitious Guest” by Nathaniel Hawthorne: Halloween Countdown
This is the first of what I thirty-one reviews of horror/ghost short stories I have planned for October as a Halloween countdown. Enjoy and wish me luck. 1) “The Ambitious Guest” by Nathaniel Hawthorne A family runs an inn in a remote area of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. They are happy. Because theirContinue reading “Review of “The Ambitious Guest” by Nathaniel Hawthorne: Halloween Countdown”
Reviews of Old and New Stories. Mostly Old 