The King in Yellow

[Teresa Edgerton]

I've seen four dramatizations of Rebecca 1940, 1979, 1997, 2020 (which I think is probably all of them), and liked the Jeremy Brett/Joanna David version the best.

All versions have great casts, but overall I think that one is the stand-out. Though the 1940 black-and-white film does do the brooding atmosphere the best (but are we really supposed to look at luminous Joan Fontaine and think, "Oh yes, she's a drab little thing"? I mean, really?), and I enjoyed seeing Joanna David's daughter, Emilia Fox, reprising her mother's role in the 1997 version, I felt 1979 was the most faithful to the book.

(And thanks, Pyrebrat for providing that title. )

 

[The Big Peat]

I enjoyed the collection but yes, it's not the easiest. I found the first five stories zipped by and from there it started to pall. Or at least so my review says.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

It was that or Jane Ayre, something by Thomas Hardy (couldn’t decide which as Jude and Tess are too miserable) or Pat Conroy’s (who @TheDustyZebra introduced me to years ago when she bought me the heartbreakingly outstanding Beach Music) South of Broad.

I didn't much care for South of Broad, and why aren't you reading The Prince of Tides, hmm?

As for Thomas Hardy, I'm partial to Return of the Native, but it may not be for everyone (nor even to me, again, after quite a few years).

 

[Fried Egg]

My thoughts after reading the collection (around 14 years ago):

This is very much a book of two halves. The first half contains a set of stories linked by a vague connection to the "King in Yellow", a book within a book, that seems to invoke madnes in those that read it. Or does it just attune the reader to madness already in the world?

The second half contains stories that appear to have no bearing on the King in Yellow whatsoever and I recall having read somewhere that these stories were not in the original edition. If true, one can only wonder why they were added because they are so different. Where the first five stories are classic weird fiction at it's best with elements of horror, the later five are more tales of friendship and romance.

I would rate the first half five stars and the latter only three. Hence the four stars overall. All in all I would say this collection is worth reading if only for the first half.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

So I have been reading the anthology Under Twin Suns: Alternate Histories of the Yellow Sign, that Phyrebrat mentioned earlier.

Usually when I start a SFFH book I read it all the way through before going on to something else along the same lines, but with an anthology I may read only a few stories at a time, and alternate it with other reading. That's what I've been doing here (alternating with Emily Wilde, for some lighter, brighter reading). So far the stories are well-written, suitably disturbing, but for me none of them have the same imaginative spark as the inspiration stories by Chambers (the first four stories in The King in Yellow). Maybe that was inevitable. I started this book looking for something I can't quite describe and so far (having read about a third of the stories) haven't found it here—but I'm going to forge on a little longer in hopes that something will turn up.

 

[Rafellin]

A little late to the party, but as it's a topic close to my heart, do excuse me wading in.

tl;dr - it's no surprise to struggle with reading it. Simply put, this is one of those works that either engages you within moments or will never touch you.

I first read the King in Yellow while coming to the end of my H.P. Lovecraft fascination phase, as it was one of the books that inspired him. (I even tracked down and read the Ambrose Bierce tale that inspired Chambers afterwards.) Fortunately, I was a young, voracious reader back then. If I tried to wade through it now, I doubt I'd have the patience. Fiction from around the late 1800s can be hard work for little real reward.

While the quality of stories within certainly varied, what enchanted me was the atmospheric effect the cumulative reading had upon me - a sort of distancing from accepted reality, if you will. (Yes, I read it in one session. Then did it again the following day.)

To this day, no book has had that level of impact on me. It's fair to say it has haunted me ever since. I still have a treasured hardback edition from 1919 on the shelf.

My collection Stars of Black is evidence of the impact the King in Yellow has had on me. It takes the original, non-Hastur-related version of the King and places his malign influence in a modern context, or at least tries to (after all, it's not for me to make the final call on success or failure - that's up to my readers).

Finally, for those who find late 1800s/early 1900s speculative fiction intriguing, you might like to try these two books.

The Beetle by Richard Marsh - 1895 - recommended in part - the opening sections about being destitute are superb. The rest may not impress as much (although it did outsell Frankenstein for a while).

The Doomsman by Van Tassel Sutphen - 1905 - a post-apocalyptic story with an approach not as novel as could be expected. Be aware that the casual racism within this is appalling in places.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I didn't quite finish Under Twin Suns. The last story was long and rambling and didn't seem to go anywhere, and though it had some striking imagery, I tired of even that, and DNF.

As for the rest of the anthology, the editor asked for stories inspired by "The Repairer of Reputations" and/or "The Yellow Sign." As a result, most take place in the dystopian America imagined by chambers in TRoR, only set several decades later, when things have gone from very bad to very much worse. Individually, these new stories were all well done, but taken altogether, I felt like there wasn't enough in the way of fresh inspirations to carry an entire anthology. (I think I might have enjoyed it more had a few stories based on "The Mask", "The Court of the Dragon,"or "The Street of Four Winds" been included . . . at least they would have added more variety.) But that is just my personal reaction. Other readers might well be pleased with the anthology just as it is.

 

[Phyrebrat]

didn't much care for South of Broad, and why aren't you reading The Prince of Tides, hmm?

Well, I struggle to read actual books nowadays instead of kindle but I adore Conroy’s style so I thought I’d try SOB.

In the end I gave up on KIY and went on to read The Great Gatsby which I’ve never read. I’m enjoying it because it’s the first book I’ve ever read where I’ve felt kinship with the characters; Jay Gatsby and the narrator display very ADHD/ADD behaviour and it’s really nice to see in print. Esp in a classic.

I’m halfway through and nothing’s happened but it’s still enjoyable.

I’ve not started the KIY modern antho that Teresa has finished because I’m a bit fatigued reading short anthos and the only one I was looking forward to was John Langan’s.

But often (very often) when I revisit titles I’ve struggled with I find them far easier to engage with and ‘get’. This has happened with Lovecraft, CAS, Machen, Stoker, M R James over the years and when I’ve gone back to try again I’ve loved them.

Whether this is a neurodivergent thing or something else, I don’t know but I’m sure I’ll give both another go in the future.

 

[Randy M.]

Whether this is a neurodivergent thing or something else, I don’t know but I’m sure I’ll give both another go in the future.

Maybe a neurodivergent thing, but also maybe a maturing thing. Some books thrown at us in school, or that we stumble across in our search for good reading, turn out to be above our heads. We either aren't experienced enough, or educated (in the broadest sense, including recognizing more about the people around us) enough to appreciate a given book. Going back later, we find the riches it offers. (Or we don't. I mean, some books just aren't that good. )

 

[ablackenedrose]

We either aren't experienced enough, or educated (in the broadest sense, including recognizing more about the people around us) enough to appreciate a given book. Going back later, we find the riches it offers.

This was my exact experience with re-reading a lot of the books I had to read in high school.

Except Wuthering Heights. I still hate Wuthering Heights.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Oh, I should admit that I am going through these classics as a 52 year old. I didn’t struggle with any classics at school so I don’t think it’s a maturity thing — maybe I’ll hit a second puberty, but it’s more likely male perimenopause

 

[BAYLOR]

I’ve not read past the foreword/intro so cannot comment yet but I picked it up because of John Langan’s having contributed.

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I love that cover , It's very disturbing.