Great Reads Horror & Fantasy box set

The use of horror as a story element is somewhat curious and interesting. The idea of consuming media meant to scare you or at the very least make you nervous sounds absurd. Many behavioural experts are of the belief that scary stories give us the possibility to explore our fears in a safe environment. An added bonus to this is the rush of adrenaline received whilst reading ghost stories late at night. For those that can appreciate a good scare, Arcturus offers a Horror & Fantasy box set, containing classic horror stories that have stood the test of time. These are the eight books you receive with your purchase.

The Woman In White - Wilkie Collins

"The fool's crime is the crime that is found out and the wise man's crime is the crime that is not found out"

In 19^th century London, art teacher Walter Hartright starts his new job as the tutor of Laura Fairlie. The two shortly fall in love together, but Laura wishes to honour her father’s wishes and plans to marry Sir Percival Glyde. It’s clear very early on that her fiancé marries with ill intent, and the plot thickens when one night our hero Walter is confronted by “the woman in white”  on the streets of London. What follows is a quest to discover the truth about Sir Percival and his charming friend Fosco.

Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka

"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect"

The story starts with traveling salesman Gregor Samsa’s awakening from an awful nightmare. To make matters worse, our protagonist discovers that he’s turned into a grotesque insect. Shame begins to overcome Gregor as he starts to think about how his family will react to his new condition. He decides to stay locked in his room for the time being, and overthink his current situation. One of Kafka’s most famous works and a compelling story on isolation and the limits of sympathy, available in both Dutch and English.

The Lovecraft Compendium - H.P. Lovecraft

"I am writing this under an appreciable mental strain, since by tonight I shall be no more"

H.P. Lovecraft is one of the most influential authors of the 20^th century, with many writers and movie producers taking inspiration from his works. Classics such as John Carpenter’s The Thing or Ridley Scott’s Alien fall in the genre of Lovecraftian Horror. A central theme is an eldritch truth of which humanity is not supposed to be aware. Take “The Thing” for example, the story never explains what this creature actually is or what its motives are. The Lovecraft Compendium contains the five most noteworthy works of H.P. Lovecraft, which are:

• The Call of Cthulhu
• Dagon
• the Dunwich Horror
• The Whisperer in Darkness
• The Haunter of the Dark 

Our bookstore also offers a beautiful hardcover edition of the collected works of H.P. Lovecraft: The Necronomicon. The Dutch translations of his stories can be found in Fantastische verhalen.

Dracula - Bram Stoker

"There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights"

This aristocratic vampire is probably one of the most well-known villains in literary history, as is the book that shares his name. When Count Dracula decides to migrate from his castle in Transylvania to London, he hires the Englishman, Jonathan Harker, to aid him. Jonathan soon discovers the nefarious habits of his client, who turns out to be a cold-blooded predator. A genre-defining story that set the standard for vampire stories. We offer a cloth-bound hardcover edition by Penguin Publishing and a special edition hardcover version by Chiltern Classics. A Dutch translation of Dracula is also available.

Classic Tales of Horror - Edgar Allan Poe

"Even with the utterly lost, to whom life and death are equally jest, there are matters of which no jest can be made"

Edgar Allan Poe is famous for his melancholic prose. Classic tales include three of his horror stories, which are:

• The Fall of the House of Usher
• The Masque of the Red Death
• The Pit and the Pendulum 

A great introductory text by a ground-breaking author. For a complete collection of the works of Edgar Allen Poe, we offer a paperback edition by Penguin Publishing.

The Turn of the Screw - Henry James

"He uttered the cry of a creature hurled over an abyss"

A nameless governess moves to a country house to watch over two orphaned children. Upon arriving, she experiences a paranormal presence. The children deny the existence of such a presence, making their new attendant distrust the situation even more. She starts to question everything around her and wonders if her paranoia is justified. A short classic that’s also available in hardback. A Dutch translation is also available on our online store.

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley 

"Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change"

The young scientist Victor Frankenstein develops an obsession with immortality and is set on a quest to defy death. He starts plundering the last resting grounds of the deceased to create a new life. Having done the impossible, Frankenstein looks with disgust at his new monstrous creation. This creature soon develops more hatred toward Frankenstein as he is faced with cruelty. A tragic tale of loneliness and inhumanity. Due to its popularity, this book is available in many forms. Among which is a Chiltern Classic hardcover edition.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson

"Good and evil are so close as to be chained together in the soul" 

Aside from being classic, this novel contains commentary on the human psyche. An English judiciary worker researches the strange behaviour of his old friend doctor Henry Jekyll. The doctor has discovered a concoction with which he can explore a darker side of himself but finds out that he’s lost complete control of himself. A thrilling story that is available in both English and Dutch.

Other box sets 

Arcturus offers multiple box sets, including a Mystery box set and an Adventure box set. Orders placed on business days before 16:00 can be delivered the next day. Checkout our terms on our FAQ page for more information.