Algernon Blackwood, Ancient Sorceries And Other Stories

Ancient Sorceries And Other Stories is a collection of six short stories by the English writer of ghost stories and supernatural fiction, Algernon Blackwood (1869 - 1951).

Blackwood was born in Shooter's Hill, and after attending the University of Edinburgh, he enjoyed a varied life of farming in Canada, operating a hotel, mining in the Alaskan goldfields, and working as a newspaper reporter in New York City before moving to England and starting to write ghost stories. His tales became very successful, and he went on to write ten books of short stories, and he appeared on both radio and television to tell them.

Blackwood's passion for nature and the mysterious world around him captured his imagination, which is reflected within many of his short stories. H.P. Lovecraft once wrote about Blackwood "He is the one absolute and unquestioned master of weird atmosphere". Never was a truer statement made!

This compilation contains six ghostly and harrowing tales that range in length, from "A Case Of Eavesdropping" that is a mere 20 pages long, to the much longer tale "The Nemesis Of Fire", that runs for a total of 98 pages. The stories included are as follows:

The Empty House - written in 1906 (Taken from the book 'The Empty House')

Here we have a dark supernatural tale of an evil that has manifested itself into an old house that lies deserted in the middle of a street. A young man named Shorthouse decides to pay his Aunt Julia a weekend visit, which leads to them exploring the empty house in the middle of the night. The house turns out to hold terrible secrets, which torment the two curious onlookers. The story is a simple idea of a haunted house, yet holds an eerie undertone to it that keeps the reader gripped throughout the tale. Blackwood's use of suspense is fantastic, as he builds upon the mounting tension throughout their experiences within the house. A very creepy and enjoyable read.

A Haunted Island - written in 1906 (Taken from the book 'The Empty House')

This next tale is that of a ghost story set in the remote Canadian backwoods. Written from the first person point of view, the story builds from an atmospheric scenario with an underlying tension that spirals to a breath-taking conclusion that will leave you gasping. The plot sees a lone student wishing to take advantage of a desolate island in order to catch up on some much needed revision. During his time there, he encounters some ghostly visions of Indians circling the island in an ancient canoe. As the tension mounts, the harrowing situation builds to a dramatic turn of events, as the two Indian figures force their way into the house in which the student is staying. The story is packed with tension from early on, creating this powerful and disturbing tale of the supernatural.

Keeping His Promise - written in 1906 (Taken from the book 'The Empty House')

This tale concerns a young man by the name of Marriott who is a fourth year student at Edinburgh University. One night he is cramming for his finals when a friend from a long time ago knocks on the door in a terrible state. His friend is close to starvation, and so Marriot feeds him and sets him to sleep. As his friend sleeps, Marriott discovers that nothing is quite as it seems with the situation. A promise that was made a long time ago seems to have come back to haunt him - literally. This is a very intriguing and well-written short that keeps the reader gripped with the air of supernatural mystery that surrounds it.

A Case of Eavesdropping - written in 1906 (Taken from the book 'The Empty House')

This short story uses a classic haunted house situation where the unfortunate character of Jim Shorthouse finds cheap rented accommodation with a large run down building. During a rather restless night he overhears some German voices through the walls, and learns of a terrible crime that unfolds. When he finally takes action, he soon realizes that all is by no means as it seems. A very simple idea that is tackled well, creating a dark and atmospheric piece of short fiction.

Ancient Sorceries - written in 1908 (Taken from the 1908 book 'Secret Worship')

A tourist returning from a trip becomes too enchanted with a strange French town and its people to leave. He is slowly drawn more and more into their realm of secrets and talk of ancient memories. Eerie from the start, this creepy tale deals with the psychological side of horror with paranoia screaming out at you from every page. The story winds towards a weird and haunting conclusion that lingers with you for a long time to come. This is another John Silence story.

The Nemesis of Fire - written in 1908 (Taken from the book 'John Silence, Physician Extraordinary')

This final tale is by far the longest in the book. The story is a psychic detective story involving Dr. John Silence and his assistant. Written from the first person point of view of the assistant, this creepy and surreal tale involves weird happenings taking place within a large plantation that overlooks the home of a wealthy retired soldier. As the story unfolds, we learn of an ancient curse that has been placed on the surrounding area. The characterization within the tale is superb, as Blackwood keeps the reader guessing, along with the assistant at each bizarre turn of events. The story builds to a massive conclusion where everything is revealed, drawing to an end this impressive collection of haunting stories.

A truly enjoyable read from start to finish. Each short story kept me gripped and on the edge of my seat. Well worth picking up!