The Castle of Otranto - Horace Walpole - 1976 Folio edition

A lovely Folio edition of this foundational masterpiece of Gothic fiction. Horace Walpole unleashes a tale of supernatural terror, forbidden passion, and ancient prophecy within the haunted walls of The Castle of Otranto. When a massive helmet mysteriously crashes from the sky, crushing Conrad, the heir to the principality, it sets in motion a chain of increasingly strange and horrifying events. His father, the usurping Prince Manfred, desperate to preserve his line, embarks on a frenzied quest that will bring his family to the brink of destruction. Through moonlit corridors and secret passages, readers encounter walking portraits, bleeding statues, mysterious apparitions, and dark family secrets. First published in 1764, this pioneering work introduced many of the elements that would define Gothic literature: the ancestral curse, the brooding castle, the innocent maiden in peril, and the blending of the supernatural with the psychological. In this thrilling tale of ambition, desire, and retribution, Walpole created not just a novel but an entirely new genre, whose influence would be felt for centuries to come. "The Castle of Otranto" remains a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling and the art of the sublime. - The Castle of Otranto - Horace Walpole. Introduction by Devendra P. Varma; Lithographs by Charles Keeping Printed 1976, Folio Society, London Hardcover. Approx,. 6x9in. 143pp. In good vintage condition. Comes with a battered slipcase that's falling apart.