cover image Classic Black Magic from Dennis Wheatley

Classic Black Magic from Dennis Wheatley

Dennis Wheatley. Prion (Trafalgar Square, dist.), $35 (720p) ISBN 978-1-853-75790-7

In a world where Satanism is more risible than terrifying, these three horror novels may leave many wondering why Wheatley (1897–1977) is regarded as a leading figure in 20th-century supernatural writing. “The Devil Rides Out” (1934) opens well; a French exile, the Duke de Richleau, and a brash American, Rex Van Ryn, are surprised when their old compatriot Simon Aron misses a reunion dinner at the duke’s London flat. When they seek him out, the pair find him under the influence of a Satanist (a character based on Aleister Crowley). De Richleau and Van Ryn must not only rescue their friend but fight off the Angel of Death himself. The prose is often florid (“Suddenly, at last, the horrid silence was rent”) and the characters too insubstantial to engage readers. Those failings are also abundantly in evidence in “To the Devil a Daughter” (1953) and “Gateway to Hell” (1970). Wheatley’s work is dated, still sometimes suspenseful but often verging on silly, and no longer chill-inducing. (June)