I've never read a book of stories by Algernon Blackwood before, but I'm very familiar with his work. I have dozens of short horror collections, many of which contain at least one of his classic weird tales. I'm sure over the years I've read all four of the stories collected here, but it's nice to have these all in one eBook — especially when it was provided by NetGalley.

From the description:

1. Ancient Sorceries — a traveller stops in a remote French hill town and soon finds himself unable to leave; there is something strangely feline about the inhabitants, he notices, and they all seem to be watching him very closely.

2. The Listener — a lodging house guest feels himself observed by a malevolent presence. Soon it transpires his room’s previous occupant is watching him from beyond the grave, and is envious of the very flesh on his bones.

3. The Sea Fit — an old retired ship’s captain’s ravings build to a terrifying climax, as he offers himself up as a sacrifice to the cruel gods of the sea.

4. The Willows — two friends on a canoeing trip spend a terrifying night on a lonely willow-covered island, haunted by the strange trees and sinister shapes in the water.

"Ancient Stories" is the best, with its witchy atmosphere. It was the inspiration for the original "Cat People" movie from 1942 (add that one to your Halloween watch list). The last story, "The Willows," is probably the most unnerving of the collection.

So why only three stars? For a hardcover release of what they're calling a "Deluxe Edition," where are the missing classics? When I think of Algernon Blackwood stories , I immediately expect to see "The Wendigo," "Secret Worship," and "The Glamour of the Snow," among others. The stories here are solid, but a "Deluxe Edition" needs to deliver all the great tales of this British horror grandmaster.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The new edition of Ancient Sorceries is weird and attractive at the same time. You can read one story at a time, perhaps in the evening before bed and they will make you restless but at the same time you will be curious about what you cannot see and cannot understand.

I will try to review the individual stories starting from:

1. Ancient Sorceries: 4 ⭐️
A tourist decides to abandon the train he was traveling on and stop in a small village in France.
After a while he realizes that the inhabitants are strange, silent, almost feline and pretend to ignore him.

This first story opens the anthology in style, it intrigued me, almost hypnotized me. It made me feel exactly like the protagonist, trapped in a kind of numbness.
I really liked it, especially the final chapter (but you have to read it to understand what I’m talking about, I don’t want to do spoilers).

2. The Listener 3⭐️
A man has recently moved into his new home but there is something wrong. Very often at night he dreams that a presence enters his room and during the day he hears strange noises coming from the floor above. Will it all be the result of his imagination?

The story is different from the others because it’s written in the form of a diary but unfortunately the ending was disappointing.

3. The Sea Fit 2.5 ⭐️
An old ship’s capitain’s offers himself as a sacrifice to the pagan sea gods but there are other people who get involved in this rite and things will only get worse.

I didn't particularly like this story, I found it confusing! But I liked the fact that events unfolded with a crescendo of unease and fear.

4. The Willows 4.5 ⭐️
Two man go on a canoe trip down the Danube River. In every place they visit there aren’t any sign of human habitation and civilisation.
Everything goes according to plan until they spot an isle and decide to camp there.
From that moment everything starts to go wrong and the sense of restlessness of the two protagonists continue to increase.. they have understood that something bad is coming for them.

This is an amazing creepy story, my favourite of the entire anthology. It’s really well written!


To conclude I recommend this anthology to all those who like the horror/weird genre and to anyone who likes to read short but intense stories.

This is a good creepy collection of four stories, spine tingling and unearthly. In the title story, a man gets off a train and finds himself in a strange town where the people display catlike behaviour. In ‘The Listener’ a lodger is haunted by a previous tenant. ‘The Sea Fit’ is about the nature of the sea and old sea gods. The final story, ‘The Willows’ set on an ever dwindling island in a flooding Danube, two canoeists here sounds from the surrounding willows, something from another dimension wants a victim. The writing is excellent with good pacing. The stories drew me in to the character’s fears and beliefs making me want to know what was going on.

I really loved these short stories. I had only read one story by Blackwood (“The Willows”) previously and was excited to get my hands on more. Blackwood’s prose is beautiful, with strange, wonderful premises and some truly shiver-inducing moments. “I want your body; I want its covering. I’m waiting for it, and listening always” (127). Is that a good line or what? Even for a modern reader, his takes on haunted houses and ghosts are fresh.

Whoever made the choices for this collection (there was no editor or team credited in the book) did an absolutely fantastic job. Though four may not seem like much, Blackwood’s stories are moreso novellette/novella length than short story length (the collection is 253 pages long). Four stories is the perfect length, not dragging on for too long or being so large as to be intimidating.

The four stories chosen provide an excellent sampling of Blackwood’s work for someone new to Blackwood. While they are all supernatural and weird, they explore different aspects of the supernatural: “The Listener” is a gothic ghost story, “The Sea Fit” and “Ancient Sorceries” concern the ancient occult and paganism, and “The Willows” (with its focus on awe and horror stemming from nature) contains elements of the Romantic, though it of course is first and foremost Weird fiction. Although widely different in terms of subject, in themes they are tied, with a throughline of isolation, entrapment, and the danger of place running as an undercurrent below them all.

The only criticisms I have are minor. “Ancient Sorceries” is one of his John Silence stories, a character sometimes referred to as an occult Sherlock Holmes. I will say that as someone unfamiliar with his work this story was a little confusing at first, as the reader is expected to have some familiarity with John Silence already. The opening paragraph hitting me with “John Silence, the psychic doctor” then immediately moving on was disorienting. However, because Silence and his work is not crucial to understanding the narrative, it was not something that interfered with being able to follow the narrative. While an introductory note or section discussing the stories included or Blackwood as an author would have gone a long way towards preventing that confusion, it’s not something I think the collection requires. After all, my questions were easily cleared up with a quick Google search. Additionally, while “The Listener” is one of my favorites of the collection (topped only by “The Willows”), the narrative cuts off rather suddenly at a revelation regarding the identity of the ghost, leaving the narrator’s story to end abruptly, something that holds it back from being as good as “The Willows.”

Blackwood’s work is often compared to Lovecraft, and while I can certainly see that comparison and agree, I would also compare his work to Shirley Jackson. More specifically, the slow build of tension, pervasive feelings of isolation, and the influence of place and setting in these stories reminded me greatly of We Have Always Lived in the Castle and The Haunting of Hill House. If you enjoy slow, subtle, weird horror and are interested in the works of Blackwood, this collection by Pushkin Press is an excellent introduction to his work. Five stars; I may just be tempted into picking up a physical copy, should I come across one. My next foray into Blackwood will be into his John Silence stories, as the line “John Silence, psychic doctor” hit me like a fright train and has not left my thoughts since.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for providing a digital review copy of Ancient Sorceries!

To start with the things I enjoyed about this book is the beautiful, polished writing style. The author’s sentences and paragraphs showed years and years of experience and skill; it could be imagined vividly. I in particular liked the second entry the most out of the three, which had an easy flow to it.
However, as good as the descriptions in this book were, most of the times they dragged on and on, which added nothing to story or the setting. This in turn made it hard to get through this book. Further, even though this book is supposedly “horror” it did not have the eerie and chilling background that was promised.
The book cover was gorgeous, but unfortunately at this instance, I did not enjoy the book as much as I expected to.

Algernon Blackwood is a favourite author of mine and so I was quite pleased to have the opportunity to review this book.

'Ancient Sorceries' contains four of Algernon Blackwood's better known tales - Ancient Sorceries, The Listner, The Sea Fit, and The Willows.
It should be noted for fans of the author that it does not contain all of the stories included in Blackwood's 'Ancient sorceries and other weird stories (1927)' as I had assumed it would.

Blackwood, an inspiration of H. P. Lovecraft, excels in the art of atmospheric horror and leans heavily into humanity's fear of the unexplained.

Written in the early years of the twentieth century, these stories have a distinctively Victorian style, especially in regards to the tone and language. Unfortunately, it does mean that they also contain some of the unfavourable and, occasionally, bigoted views and beliefs of that era.

As far as an introduction to Blackwood's stories, I worry that the story order may deter some readers if they are unaccustomed to Victorian literature.
I personally always recommend newcomers to start with The Willows as I feel it provides an easier introduction to the Victorian writing style and to Blackwood's preference for slowly building tension through multiple subtle occurrences.

The book is bound by a gorgeously illustrated cover that I just have to have on my bookcase.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a free digital copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to read this but the formatting was such a chaotic mess I simply couldn't. ARC or not, there's no excuse for how badly this was put together. Like a toddler with glue or something.

Title: Ancient Sorceries, Deluxe Edition
Written by: Algernon Blackwood
Pub Date: 6 Sep 2022
Published by: Pushkin Press
Genre: Essays & Collections | General Fiction (Adult) | Horror


Unfortunately, at only 18 pages in I have decided to DNF this book. If someone spends the guts of three pages describing a woman as fat I'm out.

In my opinion of of the prime examples as to why some classics should stay in the past. Fat shaming has no place in 2022. Why was it that the female character had to be the fat one?!

What fat people can't be flexible? Or quick or graceful? I would tell Blackwood where to go where he alive today.

I feel so strongly about this topic, there for I will not be finishing this book. Which is a shame as I was enjoying the writing style.

Glad I did not buy this book. Though I do love the cover art.

While I enjoyed reading this book for the historical value of the stories, I have to admit that was the primary source of my enjoyment--they aren't stories that I would have picked up and read by a modern author. I would have given this four stars, but the formatting of the ebook is embarrassingly bad (unacceptably so when there are a million programs that will produce a clean, legible ebook with the click of a button).

I find Algernon Blackwood’s writing very smooth with tension slowly building giving you a sense that the characters are drifting further and further into a bad situation. Like a vintage version of the movie The Blair Witch Project.
Some of these stores have a H P Lovecraft feel to them also, which I loved.

The characters are exceptionally well written, and the story has a chilling atmosphere, and a excellent example of his work.

I would recommend this book if you like a good classic gothic story.

*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.*

I couldn't get into this book, and I suppose Lovecraftian-esque writing is just not my thing. Other than that, it seemed well written.

"A beautifully produced new edition of Blackwood’s weirdest supernatural stories, including "The Willows," highlighted by H.P. Lovecraft as "the single finest weird tale in literature."

Lauded as one of our greatest storytellers, and inspiring generations of writers from H.P. Lovecraft to Tolkien to Stephen King, Algernon Blackwood left a legacy as one of Britain's greatest conjurors of weird and supernatural stories. Blackwood’s inimitable style puts readers right in the middle of the story, with visceral and nature-inspired fear that lies just beyond the real, often in the form of a nameless dread.

This beautifully produced edition, with a stunning cover and thoughtful design and layout to ensure the most enjoyable reading experience, features four of his most unnervingly curious tales:

Ancient Sorceries - a traveller stops in a remote French hill town and soon finds himself unable to leave; there is something strangely feline about the inhabitants, he notices, and they all seem to be watching him very closely…

The Listener - a lodging house guest feels himself observed by a malevolent presence. Soon it transpires his room's previous occupant is watching him from beyond the grave, and is envious of the very flesh on his bones.

The Sea Fit - an old retired ship's captain’s ravings build to a terrifying climax, as he offers himself up as a sacrifice to the cruel gods of the sea.

The Willows - two friends on a canoeing trip spend a terrifying night on a lonely willow-covered island, haunted by the strange trees and sinister shapes in the water."

So much yes at the new edition. LOOK at that cover!

I've never heard of Algernon Blackwood before finding this book on NetGalley. I love going back and checking out some of the classic horror stories. Seeing how different they are to now days, and I enjoyed Algernon writing style it reminded me of H. P Lovecraft's style which I love. Some of the stories where better then others but you get that will books like these.

I got my copy of this from NetGalley and Pushkin Press. Unless they clean up the ebook version, I recommend the pdf or a print copy, otherwise it's unreadable.

I can't believe I've slept on Algernon Blackwood for as long as I have - loving horror as much as I do, especially cosmic and ghost stories, I should have been reading him already! This book includes Ancient Sorceries, The Listener, The Sea Fit, and perhaps Blackwood's most favorite short, The Willows.

All were very good. Blackwood has a way of really bringing the atmosphere, or vibe of a story, to life. I love a storyteller who can elicit a physical reaction in me when reading their work... and while all of these stories succeeded in that regard, it was Ancient Sorceries that really got me. I deeply love The Willows and totally understand why it's so popular, and it definitely a foundational story in the genre of cosmic horror, but Ancient Sorceries just felt so magical and evil. Maybe it's because it's the middle of summer and I read it a sunny, hot day, but I just really, really felt that world.

I'm looking forward to reading more of his stories!! Nightmare fuel for sure.

This is such a weird book. I didn't know what was happening most of the times and was really confused about the story. One thing I really liked though was the writing style, which quite surprised me in a good way. Also, this book has so many good quotes, so that is interesting. Overall, it was not an enjoyable experience for me..
Thank you Net Galley.

This was a nice collection of stories, although not every one of them caught me the same way.

Ancient Sorceries is about a man who takes a split second decision to get off the train and stay a night at a nice and quiet little town. Weird things start happening soon, though. This story was probably my least favourite, which is sad, because it is the opening story. It felt a bit long and rushed at the same time. The way the author kept mentioning certain creatures also ruined the twist for me. The fact that its about a 44 year old man falling in love with an "innocent 17 year old girl" also gave me quite the ick.

The Listener was my favourite story of the book - perhaps I am more a fan of 'visual' horror than pure vibes alone. It has a weird and abrupt ending - although I understand why it ended that way. It made me think about it for a very long time.

The Sea Fit wasn't fully my cup of tea - I am not that fond of sailor stories in horror - but the ending and the pagan aspect did make up for it. It had a good and semi surprising ending.

The Willows is the short story Lovecraft himself liked the most apparently, and I can definitely see why. This story however is a tad too long for me, and I only started getting invested around the last thirty pages, when the plot started to hurry up and things were actually happening - although I understand you need the build up for it to feel scary.

All in all, a good collection of stories if you're into "old" horror, but perhaps I was not fully in the mood for this right now.

Wow...just wow. Algernon Blackwood is right up there with H.P. Lovecraft, Tolkien, and Stephen King. Blackwood captures the feels and atmosphere of weird fiction. This is out just in time for spooky season.

the writing style is just not for me. Not a fan. I just could not get into the stories at all and it was a struggle to read. I love horror. I love Poe. This didn’t work for me though. Maybe I am just too used to contemporary writing now and can’t go back.

The majority of the short stories in Ancient Sorceries revolve around the premise that the narrator is chilled to the bone when they realize that their firmly held belief in material realism cannot be explained away when it pertains to something supernatural and, therefore, they're terrified. It's VERY easy to see why Lovecraft cites Blackwood as an inspiration.

The Willows is BY FAR the most unsettling and haunting read I can remember experiencing in a very, very long time, so I think it's worth picking up this collection just for that story alone. 4/5 stars!

I had never heard of or read Algernon Blackwood before this collection, and I’m so glad I stumbled upon this book because I thoroughly enjoyed his writing. I did think certain stories were much better than others, but overall it was a great reading experience.

Here are my thoughts about the individual stories:

1. Ancient Sorceries: This was by far my favorite of the collection. It really just had everything I enjoy in a classic short horror story - wonderful writing and atmosphere, mystery and foreboding, and certain supernatural elements that I love (but I won’t spoil it by saying what they are.) This was a 10/10 story for me.

2. The Listener: This one had a very strong start, but the ending was abrupt and rather disturbing, and not in a fun way. I was left just feeling a bit confused and unsatisfied.

3. The Sea Fit: This was my least favorite of the bunch. It was very short, at least, but I found it to be boring and unmemorable.

4. The Willows: This was probably my second favorite. The set-up at the beginning was quite slow, but once it reached the climax at the end I was really caught up in the claustrophobic and menacing atmosphere. I only wish we had gotten more of that, and less of the clunky build-up.

Finally, my thoughts on this edition in particular. I really like the cover. The fonts (especially the title fonts) are really beautiful and pleasing to the eye. There was a handful of obvious errors/typos in my ARC edition that hopefully will be caught and corrected before the official publication. Other than that, I think it was really lovely.

Thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC.