The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole
Description
"The Castle of Otranto," written by Horace Walpole in 1764, is often regarded as the first Gothic novel. Its initial edition claimed to be a translation of a 1529 Naples manuscript found in the library of an ancient Catholic family in northern England.
The story revolves around Manfred, the prince of Otranto, who desperately seeks to secure the castle's future for his descendants in the face of a mysterious curse.
The novel begins with the tragic death of Manfred's son, Conrad, who is fatally crushed by a gigantic helmet on his wedding day to the beautiful princess Isabella. Fearing the end of his family line, Manfred resolves to divorce his wife and marry the terrified Isabella himself.
"The Castle of Otranto" blends elements of realistic fiction with the supernatural and fantastical, introducing numerous plot twists and character types that would become staples of the Gothic genre: hidden passages, echoing trapdoors, concealed identities, and vulnerable heroines fleeing from sinister antagonists.
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The Occultist by Max Théon is a remarkable rediscovered work from the hidden history of Western esotericism, now published in book form for the first time. Originally serialized in 1899 in the Journal du Magnétisme, this unusual text blends mystical narrative with visionary occult philosophy, offering a rare glimpse into Théon’s unique cosmology and spiritual teachings. Théon—an enigmatic figure associated with the Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor and the founder of the Cosmic Movement—played a fascinating role in the development of modern esoteric thought alongside his wife Alma Théon, whose teachings together formed what became known as the Cosmic Tradition. This edition presents the text in a new English translation by Daniel Kennedy and includes an introduction by Andraž Marchetti, the companion piece “A Vision,” and a helpful glossary that illuminates Théon’s symbolic language. Blending occult speculation, mystical insight, and fin-de-siècle esoteric imagination, The Occultist offers readers and collectors a rare opportunity to engage with the writings of one of the most mysterious figures of the late-nineteenth-century occult revival.
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