Upcoming Critical Edition: MACHEN’S THE TERROR

TERROR Front

This autumn, Darkly Bright Press will publish a new critical edition of Arthur Machen’s war-time novel The Terror. Though often considered a minor work in the Machen canon, the new edition will highlight the mythopoeic and perichoretic vision as expressed by the “Apostle of Wonder” in his unique style.

The volume will present three versions of the theological thriller:

The 1917 First British Edition with Annotations
The 1916 Evening News Serialization (First time in book form)
The 1917 Century Abridgment including the original illustrations

Also, we are pleased to include five groundbreaking essays by contemporary writers:

Some Notes on the Bibliography and Setting by Douglas A. Anderson
All Creation Groans by Fr. John Bethancourt
The Letter of Wrath: Liturgy and Prophecy by David Llewellyn Dodds
A Sombre Grove of Enigmas by Thomas Kent Miller
Traditional Wisdom in The Terror by Dale Nelson

Shorter articles focus on the second British edition and later media adaptations of the story, including an unrealized screenplay.

This October, the edition will be released in a limited, numbered hardcover edition before receiving wide trade release in 2025. Stay tuned for more information and preordering schedule.

For now, we present a new article by one of the contributors:

Mythopoeic Fantasy and Rehabilitation by Dale Nelson


THE WEEKLY MACHEN

The Calvary at Azay: But when we came marching into the ruins of Azay I had no hope of seeing the Calvary in its old place. From the ruin and desolation on every side I was quite assured the cross must have been long broken into fragments by the fire of the two armies. I was astonished when we took up our position by the river to see it still standing there, high over the land of that most horrible desolation. It was as if one had gone down into the abyss of hell and seen that there was also God.

Out of Print…

Akboritha-soft-cover-webRichard W. Rohlin’s Akboritha is now out-of-print. Some copies may be available at Eighth Day Books.


THE WEEKLY MACHEN

Moods at Margate: Unless it is absolutely a condition of your holiday happiness that you are one of an immense horde of your fellow creatures, unless you must struggle for a small portion of sand to sit on before you can feel really bright, unless a costly garret with a fine view of the chimney-pots is of the essence of your joys, now in the season of lengthening days, of sunlight that is genial without being too hot, now is the hour of the wise holiday-maker.

What Is Your Favorite Criminal Trial?

POETRY

IMG-1971Congratulations to Jesse Keith Butler, the author of The Living Law, for his recent book launch at Perfect Books of Ottawa. The event included a poetry reading by Butler and concluded successfully with the store selling its complete stock.

A Nursery-Rhyme For Paradox by Joshua Alan Sturgill


THE WEEKLY MACHEN

Talks About Books: What is your favourite criminal trial? I am all for the case of Madeleine Smith myself, though I think there is a great deal to be said for the Campden mystery, out of which Mr. Masefield made a play.

The Ideal Holiday

THE WEEKLY MACHEN

AM-halftoneThe Ideal Londoner’s Holiday: Narrow winding lanes with hedges all wild and overgrown are not convenient for motorists; and so they must go, for this is an age of progress. I always admit the progress—but I have my own opinion as to the ultimate destination of the progressive. … I suppose we must console ourselves as best we can with the red raw of the new County Lunatic Asylum, and with the thought that lunacy is greatly on the increase.

Are We Merry At All?

NEW POETRY

IṢA: The Present and Approaching Lord by Joshua Alan Sturgill


THE WEEKLY MACHEN

AM-halftoneMerry England!”: “The Middle Ages! What were the drains like in the Middle Ages? Tell me that.” He might have asked what about the motor-omnibuses, the taxi-cabs, the electric lighting, the “tubes” in the Middle Ages. And yet, granting our superiority in these and many other matters. are we merrier than of old? Are we merry at all? I have a shrewd suspicion that we have lost mirth and gained comfort—a very different thing.

AN ARTHUR MACHEN CALENDAR

The Merry Month of May