In the Court of the Dragon - Robert W. Chambers

Halloween is here – that wonderful time of year when trick-or-treaters in colourful costumes roam the streets… along with other less wholesome things. In honour of the occasion, the third episode of our second season is a horror story by Robert W. Chambers. It’s called In the Court of the Dragon and was originally published in Chambers’ 1895 collection of short stories, The King in Yellow.

The story is one a group of four, which all involve a fictional play called The King in Yellow. It takes place in 19th century Paris and tells of a man being stalked by a sinister being after daring to read some of the play, which is infamous for its tendency to drive people insane. Chambers does an excellent job of building tension and the locations are vividly described, including the eponymous Court of the Dragon, where a terrifying confrontation takes place. Chambers moved away from horror in his later years with varying degrees of success, but his King in Yellow tales were enough to secure his place among the genre’s greatest luminaries. H.P. Lovecraft was an admirer of them, citing them in his Supernatural Horror in Literature essay and even incorporating parts of them in his own Cthulhu mythos, and they continue to inspire writers to this day.

As always we’ve put together an immersive soundscape to bring the story to life, so step into the Back of the Bookshelf carriage and grab hold of something as you hurtle back through the years for another thrilling adventure.