Reviews

The Three Impostors by Arthur Machen

livingdeadenby's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

ajmarquez's review against another edition

4.0

Machen, has a very interesting way to pull you into the stories. Even when the stories end up being not that great. A very character driven stories, full of emotions that makes you relate to the character and want to know what will happen. The way Machen builds horros is subtle, relaying more in what can’t be seen. And that is the mastery of his craft, until the horror is described and then the surprise element is gone.

The Black Seal stands out as the best story, very gripping and with a really interesting thesis. It opens the door to so much more.

One can see the effects of this story in “The Call of Cthulhu” from Lovecraft for example.

The way Machen described the nature, the auditory images and the use of nature’s sounds to describes the environments is magical.

It’s an interesting material on which the main characters are some sort of a critique of the high class of the times (I think). While the rest is not superb, it’s enjoyable and a MasterClass on atmosphere and print emotion on characters.

mariejosed's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

hotsake's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This was an entertaining book and while I've only read the one book by Arthur Machen I can see his influence on Lovecraft. Machen's offers similar macabre thrills that the later Lovecraft wrote but with non of the poetic flair. 

tallbox's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

paulcowdell's review against another edition

5.0

Second reading, and this is even nastier and insinuating than before.

nlgn's review against another edition

5.0

"Fantastic horror. A wonderful set of stories with a very stylish linking device. While the initial impact of the denouement may be muted; the true depth of the horror only becomes apparent on subsequent reflection (and, again, preferably a rereading)."

bizarrepirate's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

bergenslabben's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

lele_gr's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

3.5