The King in Yellow (Magill’s Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature)
At a glance:
- Author: Robert W. Chambers
- First Published: 1895
- Type of Work: Stories
- Type of Plot: Science fiction—alternate history
- Time of Work: 1870-1920
- Setting: New York, New York, and Paris, France
- Genres: Short fiction, Science fiction, Alternate history
- Subjects: New York, North America or North Americans, Northeast, U.S., United States or Americans, France or French people, Nineteenth century, New York City, Paris, 1910’s, 1920’s, Books, Truth, Corruption
- Locales: New York, NY, Paris, France
The Plot
The King in Yellow is a combination of fantasy and romance fiction; the fantasy pieces have won and maintained the works reputation. These stories have two central themes. One is the existence of a sinister, banned book, also known as The King in Yellow, that has the ability to morally corrupt or spiritually destroy all those who read it. The second theme is that the fictional book within Robert Chambers’ work is based on the almost unknown truth that there is an actual “King in Yellow” who comes from beyond the stars and whose unseen, baleful...
[The entire page is 960 words long]
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