Customer Reviews

Clairvoyance and Occult Powers (World Cultural Heritage Library)

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I first discovered the Travelman series of book pamphlets in anewsstand in London's Paddington Station...the size and shape of apaper road map, these are an ideal and absolutely unique format for reading while you commute on the subway, bus, or train. They're much easier to use (and more entertaining!) than any road map I've ever handled, however...they unfold easily bit-by-bit, never awkwardly, and each contains a classic short story. Bram Stoker's "The Judge's House" is a classic Victorian-era ghost story heavy on atmosphere and foreshadowing--and rats. Is the ancient, rat-infested home that Malcolm Malcolmson is renting actually haunted by the vengeful spirit of a hanging judge? (Well, it wouldn't be much of a Stoker story if it weren't, would it?) The Travelman format is ideal for a half-hour commute and the unique concept will have your fellow travelers asking what you're reading and where you got that interesting looking mini-book. There are many more in the series available in the US, including stories by P.G. Wodehouse, Arthur Conan Doyle, Ruth Rendell, Ian Fleming, Dorothy Parker, Roald Dahl and Oscar Wilde... the format is fun, and they make great literary gifts.

Malcolm Malcolmson is preparing for his examination, and wants somewhere isolated to undertake his studies. When he finds a large, isolated old house, it seems to fit the bill. And when he is told that the locals fear the old house, he gives it no thought whatsoever. However, when he starts to see a large and malevolent rat with a piercing stare, he begins to suspect that there is more here than meets the eye. Is the evil old judge, who used to own the house, making his presence felt? And, what, if anything, can Malcolm do to protect himself?

This book is actually a short story, written in 1891 by that master of horror, Bram Stoker. The story is very good, with some good suspense, and a wicked ending. I liked the story a lot, and all I have against it is that it is so short. Like I said, Bram Stoker was the master, and this story helps show why.