Gothic Horror 2: The Ghost Pirates & Carnacki the Ghost Finder

by William Hope Hodgson

Gothic Horror 2 concludes William Hope Hodgson's Trilogy with "The Ghost Pirates." The first two books, "The Boats of the Glen Carrig" and "The House on the Borderland" were published in Gothic Horror 1. Though very different in scope, each of the three books deals with certain conceptions that have an elemental kinship. The unifying theme seems to be the dreadful forces that lurk just beneath the veneer of what we, in immense folly, believe to be "reality". Malign forces may surface at any moment to drag us to destruction or worse. "The Ghost Pirates" tells the captivating tale of the ship "Mortzestus", an unlucky vessel haunted by "too many shadows". The palpable sense of creeping fear grows into climactic scenes, each one leaving the reader wondering how anyone will survive. This novel has been called `totally engrossing', `a cross between an old-fashioned sea story and the cosmic horrors of H.P. Lovecraft.' As an added bonus, Gothic Horror 2 also includes the chilling account of "Carnacki The Ghost Finder." Hodgson's stories blend horror, fantasy, and science fiction. As a beautifully written work of pure imagination, his work has few equals, and has been compared to the writings of Poe, Machen, and Blackwood. Enjoy a wild ride into the supernatural!

Genres: Horror

337 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2000

About the author

William Hope Hodgson was an English author. He produced a large body of work, consisting of essays, short fiction, and novels, spanning several overlapping genres including horror, fantastic fiction, and science fiction. Early in his writing career he dedicated effort to poetry, although few of his poems were published during his lifetime. He also attracted some notice as a photographer and achieved some renown as a bodybuilder. Hodgson served with the British Army durng World War One. He died, at age 40, at Ypres, killed by German artillery fire.

Reviews

[Ron Kerrigan]

Important reads for devotees of the genre.

The Carnaki stories are uneven, but still enjoyable. I'd heard of them for years before this collection was published. If I was rating the edition and not the actual stories, it would get 1 star. No introductions, no background to the stories or author. Poor presentation.