The

CLASSIC HORROR BLOG

Literary Essays on Classic Horror, Ghost Stories, & Weird Fiction

— from Mary Shelley to M. R. James —

by M. Grant Kellermeyer

May 25, 20216 min read

Fitz-James O'Brien's The Wondersmith: A Detailed Summary and a Literary Analysis

Cinematic and farsighted – a perfect subject for the pulpy comic books of ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘80s, with their over-the-top villains with...

Jul 3, 20199 min read

Fitz-James O'Brien's The Diamond Lens: A Detailed Summary and a Literary Analysis

O’Brien has not been called the “Celtic Poe” without cause. Among the most famous of his works (after “What Was It?”), “The Diamond Lens”...

Mar 21, 20197 min read

Fitz-James O'Brien's What Was It?: A Detailed Summary and a Literary Analysis

Most famous in O’Brien’s oeuvre is the following episode: “What Was It?” In the original publication (which we have included), references...

Jul 6, 20186 min read

Fitz-James O'Brien's The Lost Room: A Detailed Summary and Literary Analysis

Perhaps none of O’Brien’s tales are stranger than “The Lost Room.” A bizarre, unelucidated nightmare, it combines the conventions of the...

Jan 30, 20189 min read

Fitz-James O'Brien's Innovative, Otherworldly Fantasy and Horror Stories

On February 26, 1862 Lieutenant Fitz-James O’Brien of the Seventh Regiment of New York Volunteers was reconnoitering a battlefield in...

Oct 5, 20164 min read

31 Classic Horror Stories Every Fan Should Read in October: A Literary Advent Calender for Halloween

Why should Christmas have all the fun? Oldstyle Tales proudly presents a literary advent calendar for your favorite season. Each day has...

Mar 13, 20147 min read

7 Brilliant Irish Horror Writers to Read on St. Patrick's Day

For centuries Ireland has fostered a culture swarming in mystery, magic, and the macabre: it gave us Samhain and jack-o-lanterns, Dracula...