Haunted Castles

Horror legend Ray Russell’s haunting and macabre stories, including “perhaps the finest example of the modern Gothic ever written” (Stephen King), with a foreword by acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro Haunted Castles is the definitive, complete collection of Ray Russell’s masterful Gothic horror stories, including the famously terrifying novella trio of “Sardonicus,” “Sanguinarius,” and “Sagittarius.” The characters that sprawl through Haunted Castles are frightful to the core: the heartless monster holding two lovers in limbo; the beautiful dame journeying down a damned road toward depravity (with the help of an evil gypsy); the man who must wear his fatal crimes on his face in the form of an awful smile. Engrossing, grotesque, and completely entrancing, Russell’s Gothic tales are the best kind of dreadful. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Part of a new six-volume series of the best in classic horror, selected by Academy Award-winning director of The Shape of Water Guillermo del Toro Filmmaker and longtime horror literature fan Guillermo del Toro serves as the curator for the Penguin Horror series, a new collection of classic tales and poems by masters of the genre. Included here are some of del Toro’s favorites, from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Ray Russell’s short story “Sardonicus,” considered by Stephen King to be “perhaps the finest example of the modern Gothic ever written,” to Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House and stories by Ray Bradbury, Joyce Carol Oates, Ted Klein, and Robert E. Howard. Featuring original cover art by Penguin Art Director Paul Buckley, these stunningly creepy deluxe hardcovers will be perfect additions to the shelves of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal aficionados everywhere. Haunted Castles Haunted Castles is the definitive, complete collection of Ray Russell's masterful Gothic horror stories, including the famously terrifying novella trio of "Sardonicus," "Sanguinarius," and "Sagittarius." The characters that sprawl through Haunted Castles are frightful to the core: the heartless monster holding two lovers in limbo; the beautiful dame journeying down a damned road toward depravity (with the help of an evil gypsy); the man who must wear his fatal crimes on his face in the form of an awful smile. Engrossing, grotesque, perverted, and completely entrancing, Russell's Gothic tales are the best kind of dreadful.

An entertaining and informative guide to haunted castles around the globe.

Journey Across England's Haunted Lands Where Epic Legends, Medieval Castles and Ghoulish Ghosts Come Alive The sprawling, mysterious castles of England are incredible sights to behold, but even more captivating are the restless spirits that dwell within them. This book invites you to explore nearly 100 English castles and meet the paranormal entities that roam their grounds, from the tallest towers to the deepest tunnels. Discover fascinating stories, photos, and eyewitness accounts of hauntings across England, from the Tower of London to Oxford Castle to Castle Keep. Experience gruesome prisoners rattling their chains, ghostly maidens in shimmering gowns, and gallant knights charging on their spectral steeds. Organized by region, Haunted Castles of England provides the history of each structure, reported hauntings, and much more.

Guided by tween "ghostorian" Virgil, readers will discover fascinating facts about calamitous events throughout history as they explore castles, palaces and dungeons and those infamous figures associated with each. For instance, did you know that many castles were made out of wood painted to look like stone? Or that wealthy prisoners in the Tower of London could keep servants? The book is chock-full of details that kids will find intriguing--dungeon life for prisoners, methods of turture, and even the most popular methods of poisoning enemies. So join Virgil and the other ghostly inhabitants for an historical adventure on the dark side.

Britain's reputation for its ghostlore remains as intriguing as ever. This book is for those interested in ghostlore – and castles – and for those who wish to visit the scenes of paranormal legend. It could easily be said that in the UK we are spoilt for choice when it comes to atmospheric historic buildings and certainly Britain's many castles are liberally scattered all over the country. The castles selected in this book have been chosen for their prevalence of spectral tales and the legendary events associated with them: whether grisly executions or bloody battles, their names have become synonymous with their history. This handy pocket history and guide locates and describes over sixty haunted castles and their ghostly inhabitants. Featuring entry information, maps and photographs, and detailed research revealing where supernatural legends associated with castles mirror historical events, this book offers far more than just a collection of spooky tales.

Ancient places such as castles are filled with histories, sometimes bloody and gruesome, but always fascinating. And the 11 dark places explored in this title are sure to chill young readers’ imaginations. For example, at Chillingham Castle in England, they’ll meet John Sage, who tortured up to 50 prisoners a week. He had a tilted floor in his torture chamber, so the victims’ blood could easily drain away. John boiled some prisoners in pots and locked others away in cages with starving rats. This nonfiction narrative of evil deeds and unfortunate incidents in ancient structures, all of which are said to be haunted, will engage even the most reluctant readers.

Published in 1927: The purpose of the present work is consequently to serve as a guide to English horror-romanticism and by presenting the chief materials used by it and grouping them according to the various themes employed, to show how the main romantic movement that began at the turn of the century and is represented in all shorter expositions of the subject as a suddenly bursting wave, as a kid of spontaneous revolution, is in all essentials the outcome of an organic development with widely spread roots that penetrate deep into the past.