Algernon Blackwood concluded his stay in Switzerland (where he had lived since 1908) in 1914, writing some of his most powerful fiction. At the summit of his achievement is Incredible Adventures (1914), a series of long tales that touch upon the author’s deepest imaginative conceptions. “A Descent into Egypt” may be the most powerful story he ever wrote about that hoary land, drawing upon ancient Egyptian myth and legend. “The Damned,” by contrast, is set in England and portrays the psychological torment of those condemned to Hell by the intolerance of a religious bigot.
Many shorter tales capture the essence of Blackwood’s vision in brief compass, such as “H. S. H.” (a tale of “His Satanic Highness”); “By Water,” a grim tale of a man dying in the desert—by drowning; and “Wayfarers,” one of the author’s numerous ruminations on reincarnation. Several tales reflect Blackwood’s increasing interest in children’s fantasy, anticipating the many such tales he would begin writing in the later 1920s. In sum, this volume presents a wealth of Blackwood’s diverse array of stories on a wide array of subjects and settings, each of them meticulously crafted.
