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Arthur Machen
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The Hill of Dreams: Autobiographical Novel Kindle Edition

by Arthur Machen (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 68 ratings
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Arthur Machen (1863-1947) was a Welsh author and mystic of the 1890s and early 20th century. He is best known for his influential supernatural, fantasy, and horror fiction. His book The Great God Pan has garnered a reputation as a classic of horror (Stephen King has called it "Maybe the best horror story in the English language")
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  1. Print length
    100 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    e-artnow
  5. Publication date
    July 8, 2019
  6. File size
    2183 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07V582XPF
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ e-artnow (July 8, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 8, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2183 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 100 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ B0B9LH4PK8
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

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Arthur Machen

Arthur Machen

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Discover the masterful storytelling of one of the most influential horror and fantasy writers of the 20th century - Arthur Machen.

In this collection of Machen's most renowned works, readers will be transported to eerie, otherworldly landscapes where ancient legends and occult forces come to life. From the spine-tingling horror of "The Great God Pan" to the dreamlike fantasy of "The White People," Machen's tales are sure to delight fans of the supernatural, the weird, and the macabre.

This book includes some of Machen's most beloved stories, such as "The Red Hand," "The Hill of Dreams," and "The Novel of the Black Seal," as well as lesser-known gems that are sure to become favorites. Whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer to Machen's work, this collection is a must-read for anyone who loves spine-tingling tales of horror and the supernatural.

So come explore the strange and fascinating world of Arthur Machen, and see why his influence can be felt in the works of such writers as H.P. Lovecraft, Neil Gaiman, and Stephen King.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
68 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Nathan C. Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars I had never read Arthur Machen before. This book ...
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2016
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I had never read Arthur Machen before. This book lives up to its title. The dreamworld is both dark, vivid, and strange. And the main character is definitely an archetypal tortured artist that most of us creative folk can very much relate to. And I did not expect it to end the way it did. Well worth the read.
2 people found this helpful
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Lynn Walker
4.0 out of 5 stars Lyrical
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2006
"The Hill of Dreams" is arguably Machen's finest work, and that is saying something. While there is definitely a story and most especially interesting characterization, the star feature of this jewel of a novel is Machen's rich descriptive prose, virtually prose poetry. It possesses exactly the dreamlike quality the story demands, and becomes a dream itself, a vision of rural beauty, into which the reader may enter. The lush prose, which seems to be supporting the story as a river supports and carries a boat, is eventually seen to have been a necessary tool, and all the elements of story-telling come together at the finale to round off a work of terrible beauty.
16 people found this helpful
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Penda, Lord of Mercia
3.0 out of 5 stars A bit Too Long
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2019
I enjoyed the book, and I enjoy Machen's work in general. My one and only problem is that it needed some editing, Some parts were a bit longwinded and tedious. I know that Edwardian fiction was generally written in a more poetic style than modern prose, but some parts of the book are so long winded that I get lost. There is a lot of great comments about the Edwardian class system though.
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Maritess
5.0 out of 5 stars Pleasantly Surprised
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2013
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Thought this book was out of print, but was pleasantly surprised that it was available for ordering. Bought as a gift & recipient was elated at my purchase. Packed sufficiently enough & arrived rather quickly. Great job!
One person found this helpful
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Joe Pawlowski
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully atmospheric
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2019
In Arthur Machen’s The Hill of Dreams, a young writer is haunted by the presence of a ruin near his rural home. Whenever he visits the ruin, it carries him off to ancient Rome. His visions are vibrant and sensual and all-encompassing. Years later, when he moves to London, the pressure to write something of literary merit and the isolation of being friendless in a metropolis takes their toll on him. He becomes drawn into a whirlpool of altered realities that threaten not only his sanity but his life. The Hill of Dreams is a marvelously atmospheric novel that has influenced writers from Lord Dunsany to Henry Miller.
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Scrimshaw
5.0 out of 5 stars A Dark Visionary Tale
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2013
The Hill of Dreams, often considered the Welsh Horror author Arthur Machen's masterpiece, is surprisingly not a horror novel but a semi-autobiographical novel about a young man named Lucian Taylor struggling to be a successful writer in 1890's London. While the story is generally not considered as horror, it is indeed quite dark in some places and very psychological in nature. The pages are filled with poetic, visionary prose which describes the misty green hills, rivers, and open fields in very descriptive detail, as well as the simply country folk he is raised amongst in the welsh countryside. During both his childhood and adulthood he is very imaginative and curious about the world and how it works and why things and people are the way they are. He often considers himself an outsider amongst society and often imagines himself living in Ancient Britain during the time of the Romans living in a villa surrounded by pagan deities, beautiful exotic gardens, and clear fountains. It is made clear, especially during his time in a small apartment in London, that he isn't completely "there" as he often wanders around the streets in the dead of winter, spends days working on his manuscript, and exhibits masochistic pleasure at whipping himself with thorns. He is also estranged from his family and friends, refusing or forgetting to visit, even during holidays, which he feels sorry for, but still makes no attempt to contact them, intensely focused on suffering for his work. The Hill of Dreams is not an easy or light read, and it is of course dated, being written at the turn of the century, but if you're a fan of Arthur Machen, and enjoy his more famous horror works, such as The Great God Pan and The White People, then I'm sure you'll love The Hill of Dreams, as it is clearly of the same style and substance, and is truly a masterpiece of literature.
One person found this helpful
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M Dilemma
1.0 out of 5 stars Worst edition - completely shameful!
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2010
I purchased this edition of Hill of Dreams published by Wildside Press and after only 10 pages in I had to stop because I encountered half a dozen spelling errors. I contacted them to make them aware of the problems and they claimed it's not theirs but that it's an "Alan Rodgers" book (even though it has their logo, web site and ISBN number). I wasn't looking for a refund but this fear might explain why they reacted this way; and Mr. Rodgers doesn't answer his emails in any case.

I want to caution anyone who might be tempted to purchase books from these people. They do nothing to enhance the literary merit of so-called "supernatural fiction" and may in fact hurt it.
Dover puts out a very affordable and reasonably priced edition but there are other options such as a forthcoming edition from Parthian Press:

http://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Machens-World-Library-Wales/dp/1906998167/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264024508&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Great-God-Pan-Hill-Dreams/dp/0486443450/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264024461&sr=8-3
13 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Forlorn
5.0 out of 5 stars Nostalgie, Mystik und Ekstase - Arthur Machens Meisterwerk!
Reviewed in Germany on January 26, 2017
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Die von mir gekaufte Ausgabe (Library of Wales vom Parthian Verlag) kann ich nur herzlichst weiterempfehlen. Vorwort und erklärende Endnoten sind ausgezeichnet (im Gegensatz zu Fußnoten stören sie nicht den Lesefluss) und für den Preis kann man sich auch nicht über die Produktionsqualität ärgern. Doch nun zum Buch selbst.

Lucian Taylor ist der Sohn eines Klerikers im walisischen Monmouthshire (im Buch als Gwent bezeichnet, der Name des mittelalterlichen Königreiches) in dem Gebiet um Caermaen. Als introvertierter Junge mit einer Affinität für Bücher - besonders diejenigen, die seine Lehrer als "unwholesome" bezeinchnen würden - genießt er das Leben auf dem Land und besonders das naheliegende römische Fort auf dem Hügel. Nach einer mystischen (und mythischen) Erfahrung fängt er an zu schreiben, doch unter größten Selbstzweifeln und Mühen.

Der Wohlstand der Familie geht langsam zur Neige und Lucian kann nicht mehr die Universität besuchen, doch er lässt sich nicht runterkriegen und schickt ein Manuskript zu einem Verlagshaus. Nach einigen Rückschlägen, die mit diesem Manuskript zusammenhängen, erlebt er eine weitere mystische Vision im nahen Walde. Auf dem Rückweg trifft Lucian auf ein Nachbarsmädchen, in die er sich stracks verliebt, doch müssen sie die Liebe geheim halten. Lucian entwickelt eine obsessive Liebe zu diesem Mädchen und erdenkt sich eine Traumwelt aus - Avallaunius. Nach einer unverhofften Erbschaft begibt sich Lucian nach London um sich dort als Autor zu etablieren, doch London sollte sich als Ort voller Mystizismus und Einsamkeit entpuppen...

The Hill of Dreams ist Machens schamlose Autobiographie im Pelze eines Romans. Doch ist es auch gleichzeitig sein unumstrittenes Meisterwerk. Voller Liebe zu dem Wales seiner Jugend bis hin zu der Isolation und den Drogen & Tabakkonsum in London beschreibt Machen authentisch ein Leben, das man nur mit einer Affinität zum fantastischen und ungesehenen wahrnehmen kann. Hinter der bröckelnden Fassade eines Hauses steckt mehr als das bloße Auge des Realisten sieht. Auch die Anfänge des Autors sind mit all den Problemen beschrieben, die man sich nur vorstellen kann: Schreibblockaden, fehlende Inspiration und Unzufriedenheit über das Geschriebene sind Facetten des Daseins eines Autors, die Machen perfekt beschreibt.
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ipli
5.0 out of 5 stars Good writing.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 22, 2014
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A breath of fresh air, Machen writes exceedingly well and draws you slowly into a strong tale of the supernatural. These days in this genre there is a lot of horrendously written crap from people who just want to scare you and haven't got a clue about subtlety. Real horror is psychological, it doesn't go for the jugular, it slowly draws you in. The quality of the writing matters too, Machen was a real poet and had a lot of knowledge about the supernatural worlds, and experience. A delight all in all to read.
3 people found this helpful
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Ms. Erica Wildwood
4.0 out of 5 stars Strange and haunting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2014
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Machen returns to his favourite (fictional?) landscape with a kind of swooning story that nevertheless grips you with its dreamlike atmosphere. Freudians would love this. They'd be able to spend a lifetime analysing it. A curiosity that I downloaded out of curiosity. Start Classics market these Machen tales as novels: they are really longish short stories or at most novellas, i.e. less than 50,000 words. Still, they're only £0.73. I wouldn't have downloaded them if they cost any more than that.
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Nigel Marshall
3.0 out of 5 stars Worth pondering in dark rural landscapes
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 18, 2014
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Young Lucian strives to become a great writer by trying to express his occult visions whilst becoming increasingly tormented and at odds with humanity. Tremendously good on its evocation of visions entangled with and inspired by ancient landscapes - strong enough to drive me out onto our local ancient fort. Less good on it's characterization such that I never really cared for the central protagonist - perhaps it was the third person narrative. There was enough in this that I would read another one and I will continue to ponder this one when out in the land.
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Rivertothesea
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting book. A little difficult to read sometimes as ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2016
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Interesting book. A little difficult to read sometimes as seems to ramble, but then the sun comes out and the intensityof the prose is almost hallucinagenic
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