The Complete John Silence Stories – Book Review

by | Aug 23, 2016 | Book Reviews, Reviews | 0 comments

the-complete-john-silence-storiesThe Complete John Silence Stories
Algernon Blackwood (Edited by S.T. Joshi)
Dover Publications
November, 2011
Reviewed by Jess Landry

One of the former British writers of supernatural tales in the twentieth century, Algernon Blackwood (1869–1951) wrote stories in which the slow accumulation of telling details produced a foreboding atmosphere of almost unendurable tension. Blackwood’s literary renown began in 1908 with the publication of a highly successful collection of stories, John Silence — Physician Extraordinary, featuring a “psychic doctor.”

The Complete John Silence Stories is a compilation of Blackwood’s titles from the cases of Dr. John Silence, originally published back in the early 1900’s. Included in the collection are six stories: “A Psychical Invasion,” where Dr. Silence is called to a house whose previous tenants still walk the halls; “Ancient Sorceries,” a story in which a man in a small French town recounts some strange happenings; “The Nemesis of Fire” introduces Silence’s assistant, Hubbard, who also narrates this tale of a haunting; “Secret Worship,” in which Silence intervenes in a near-death experience; “The Camp of the Dog,”also narrated by Hubbard; and the new-to-this-collection story, “A Victim of Higher Space,” which introduces Silence’s latest assistant, Barker.

Although Blackwood was better known for his standalone story “The Willows,” his John Silence stories can certainly hold their own. From haunted houses to threats of imminent death, each tale is masterly crafted and are each in their own right an intricate tale of quiet horrors. Fans of old school horror will love this collection from one of the late masters of the genre.

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