Published in the end of 19th century, to be more precise in 1895, this collection of horror and mystic stories became a real hit and one of the most famous and successful works of Robert W. Chambers. The mere fact that Howard Philips Lovecraft and many other writers read and adored The King in Yellow shows that it is not a second-rate work.
It might be just an assumption but one may say that The King in Yellow contains some autobiographical elements, for some stories take place in Paris, a city where Robert W. Chambers studied. It definitely helps the author to recreate atmosphere of Paris and immerse readers in it, help them to feel it.
Why is this work so fascinating? First of all, this literary work is famous for its unsurpassed atmosphere of suspense. A reader can’t help but wonder what is going to happen next. Even if a story describes absolutely trivial events, a reader feels that there is something strange, unknown and frightening awaits him/her sooner or later. The author does masterfully play with basic human’s fears, making us shudder. Chambers’ universe is a dark, mysterious world, something one can see in the most bone-chilling nightmares and then wake up screaming at the top of his/her lungs, trying to catch breath. What kind of world is that? This is the place where laws of logic don’t work at all. The author plays with the most disturbing and off-limits themes. The Lethal Chambers could be a perfect example. Here is the topic almost everyone dreads and almost no one like thinking about. Unlike our contemporary world, where there are armies of psychologists, support groups and the whole pharmaceutical industry to help people with mental disorders and physical disabilities, the government - with the society’s blessing – builds the lethal chambers, where every willing one can find his/her last shelter by the means of committing suicide, because their death is going to benefit the society. Isn’t it cynical or horrible? Chambers invites us to have a look at evil, unhappiness, mystery and insanity. It is a horrible but also rather mesmerizing world, for it is difficult to drag a gaze from it. Although the King in Yellow consists of 10 practically independent stories united by the common motif, the author manages to create such an elaborate scheme of characters that one can’t help but wonder whether this or that character is a new one or he/she migrates from a previous story.
This collection of stories is a must read for everyone who likes horrors, mysteries or loves American literature. The idea, the language the author uses, literary devices he fills his short stories with are simply wonderful. Not only plot but Chambers’ style fascinates. Chambers is one of those writers, who lay foundation of American horror literature. He made a wonderful contribution, for even now 122 years after the publication of this collection of horror stories is still scary and capable of making somebody’s blood run cold.
