Part of Horror Hall of Fame Novellas
First published 1941
Charles Dexter Ward, a gifted antiquarian from New England, discovers his family's dark history through genealogical research. His investigations lead him to Joseph Curwen, an ancestor who practiced witchcraft and dark magic in colonial times. Ward becomes obsessed with Curwen's occult knowledge and begins studying the forbidden rituals his ancestor used centuries ago. As Ward delves deeper into these blasphemous practices, he falls under the influence of Curwen's malevolent spirit. The dead warlock's shade possesses Ward, driving him to resurrect ancient horrors that have slumbered beneath the earth for generations. Ward must now perform the same vile ceremonies that once gave Curwen power over supernatural forces. These rituals demand a terrible sacrifice. The young scholar finds himself compelled to spill human blood to complete the dark work his ancestor began. Evil entities and malicious gods, remembered only in frightened whispers and old superstitions, stir in underground chambers beneath cursed ground. Ward's pursuit of forbidden knowledge threatens to unleash these abominations upon an unprepared world.
Genres: classic-literature, american-fiction, 20th-century, horror, dark-fantasy, gothic-horror
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, dread-filled, eerie, obsessive, suspenseful
Tropes: ancestral-curse, obsession-with-forbidden-knowledge, possession, resurrection
Setting: New England
Period: Colonial times, 20th century
176 pages · Paperback · Creation Oneiros Books
Content warnings: death, gore, violence