The Three Impostors, or, The Transmutation

by Arthur Machen

Overview

The Three Impostors; or, The Transmutations is an episodic horror novel by British writer Arthur Machen. The novel comprises several weird tales and culminates in a denouement of deadly horror, connected with a secret society devoted to debauched pagan rites. The three impostors of the title are members of this society who weave a web of deception in the streets of London—relating the aforementioned weird tales in the process—as they search for a missing Roman coin commemorating an infamous orgy by the Emperor Tiberius and close in on their prey: "the young man with spectacles".

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783987442452
Publisher:	Otbebookpublishing
Publication date:	06/10/2022
Series:	Classics To Go
Sold by:	Bookwire
Format:	eBook
Pages:	138
File size:	853 KB

About the Author

Arthur Machen, born Arthur Llewellyn Jones on March 3, 1863, in Caerleon, Wales, was a master of supernatural fiction and an influential figure in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His early life in the mystical Welsh countryside profoundly shaped his literary imagination, infusing his works with a rich sense of folklore and the uncanny.Machen's most celebrated works, such as "The Great God Pan" and "The Hill of Dreams," delve into themes of hidden realities and the thin veil between the mundane and the mystical. His writing style, characterized by lush prose and an eerie atmosphere, has left an indelible mark on the genre of weird fiction. Machen's stories often explore the idea that ancient, otherworldly forces lurk just beneath the surface of everyday life, a notion that resonated with the anxieties of his time and continues to captivate modern readers.Controversy surrounded Machen's work, particularly "The Great God Pan," which was deemed scandalous and morally corrupt by Victorian standards due to its explicit content and themes of sexual transgression. Despite—or perhaps because of—this notoriety, the novella garnered a cult following and influenced a generation of writers, including H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, and Guillermo del Toro.Machen was also a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, an esoteric society that included notable figures like W.B. Yeats and Aleister Crowley. His involvement in occult practices and his fascination with mysticism and the supernatural permeate his literary output, offering readers a glimpse into the esoteric undercurrents of his era.Arthur Machen's legacy endures as a pioneer of supernatural fiction, whose works continue to inspire and unsettle, reminding us of the mysterious and often terrifying unknown that lies just beyond our perception.
Arthur Machen (3 March 1863 – 15 December 1947) was the pen-name of Arthur Llewellyn Jones, a Welsh author and mystic of the 1890s and early 20th century. He is best known for his influential supernatural, fantasy, and horror fiction. His novella The Great God Pan (1890; 1894) has garnered a reputation as a classic of horror, with Stephen King describing it as "Maybe the best [horror story] in the English language." He is also well known for "The Bowmen", a short story that was widely read as fact, creating the legend of the Angels of Mons.