The King in Yellow

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

8492

Title

The King in Yellow

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Robert W. Chambers' 1895 masterpiece blends Victorian realism with cosmic horror, introducing the enigmatic cult of the King in Yellow. This collection of linked stories and poems explores themes of obsession, madness, and forbidden art, creating an atmosphere of dread that haunts its characters and readers alike.

Summary up to 500 words

Set in a fictionalized, prosperous United States of the early 20th century, Robert W. Chambers' *The King in Yellow* follows a narrator recovering from a horse accident who becomes obsessed with a mysterious, cursed book of the same name. The narrative weaves together multiple tales that oscillate between the mundane and the supernatural, featuring vivid imagery of decay, madness, and a looming, malevolent force. The book itself is a cursed artifact that drives its readers to insanity, leading them to seek the lost city of Carcosa, a place where black stars hang in the heavens and twin suns sink into a lake. The stories within the book include the tragic romance of Clifford and Rue Barrée in Paris; the surreal adventures of the painter Severn and his cat in the Street of the Four Winds; and the descent into madness caused by the book's influence. The narrative structure shifts between the narrator's feverish journal entries and the contained, often tragic, stories within the book. The text describes a world where human reason is overwhelmed by a dark, alien power. The book spread like an infectious disease, barred out in some places and confiscated in others, yet its influence was undeniable. The stories culminate in a sense of inevitable doom and the triumph of a dark, alien power over human reason. The narrative explores themes of obsession, the fragility of sanity, and the allure of the forbidden. The tone is one of eerie suspense and psychological horror, with a focus on the deterioration of the human mind under the weight of supernatural influence. The book's impact is described as both beautiful and terrible, leaving a lasting mark on those who encounter it. The narrative concludes with the realization that the world now trembles before the King in Yellow, as the malevolent force has successfully infiltrated reality, turning the mundane into a nightmare of decay and despair.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Short Stories
• Horror
• American Fiction