The Castle of Otranto and Other Stories

The Castle of Otranto is the author's main work, the first Gothic novel in history, published in 1764. Over the feudal lord Manfred's lineage, who seized the Castle of Otranto through treacherous murder, hangs a prophecy: family members will own... this castle only as long as it is passed down through the male line. When Manfred's only son dies under mysterious and horrifying circumstances, the cruel father decides to marry his son's fiancée against her will to secure an heir. However, the girl has protectors, and not all of them belong to the world of mortals... In addition to The Castle of Otranto, the collection includes the story of Maddalena and surreal, darkly humorous Hieroglyphic Tales.