Wagner the WehrWolf George WM Reynolds 9781532960208 Books
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This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.
Wagner the WehrWolf George WM Reynolds 9781532960208 Books
Written in 1846-47, shortly after serialization of the popular Varney the Vampire and playing off the alliteration (much as was done some time after in more comedic characters such as Mickey (the) Mouse and Bugs (the) Bunny), this an interesting tale and, like Varney, itself serialized before publication as a bound work. But unlike Varney - written by several authors and involving a number of disparate plots - Wagner is a coherent, focused tale with a distinct beginning and end.It is not at all a horror story about a "Wher-Wolf" but is rather the equivalent of a modern "Soap Opera", set mostly in pseudo-historical Florence, the Ducal city-state, at the beginning of the sixteenth century, with fingers reaching into the Ottoman Empire and its rousting-out of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John from the Island of Rhodes (where they were known as the Knights of Rhodes) causing their retreat to Malta (thus leading to their being known thereafter as the Knights of Malta where another author of another book written eighty years later imagined a certain bejeweled falcon having been fashioned by them as a gift to the king of Spain). Into this historic setting the author, G.W.M. Reynolds, adds a touch of the fantastical allowing him to delve into certain moralities of his place and time - early Victorian England. There are multiple plot lines, a few too many coincidences, and murders and jealousy and duplicity and family secrets and a couple of skeletons in the closet.
Reynolds was a prolific, and very widely read, widely published and widely translated author in his day - though pretty much forgotten now - and he was very liberal-minded for that time and place, introducing into the work issues of class distinction, race and religion and treating them - for the most part - in egalitarian fashion, although certain prejudices do show through. His language is somewhat florid - as was typical in the author's day - and is perhaps even moreso as the story takes place in the 1500's so that there appear not a few "thees" and "thous". But the writing is compelling none the less, often with beautiful descriptions, and the story moves quickly and interestingly.
There is honestly not much of lycanthropy in the tale at all, and the transformation has nothing to do with the phases of the moon but instead occurs at sunset on the last day of each month ... go figure. This curse is the price paid by an old, lonely man for his rejuvenation and this is how the book begins. But then we are brought forward some ten years or so, and we meet Fernand Wagner as young - almost godlike in appearance - rich beyond measure - and with an intellect beyond mortal bounds - gifts of Satan himself who appears during the tale as failed temptor of Wagner who in the end finds peace - but Wagner does not play much of a role in the actual events of the story - which involve much more the children of a certain Florentine Count (one of whom becomes the love interest of Wagner) and a dark family secret that leads the tale into introduction of the various and sundry people of that city and of Constantinople, and of Sicily and elsewhere - good and bad, noble and common - with whom the main characters come into contact.
We meet bandits and nuns and Inquisitors and adulterers and murderers and spies and soldiers and slaves and even Doctor Faustus and Christian Rosenkreuz (who did not, as the historians tell, us die in 1484 but - for purposes of this story at least - lived to a much more ripe age than that which is reported). While many of the characters introduced are pure or purely evil, there is complex development and evolution of character in at least some of the main subjects, including perhaps the most intriguing and complex character of all - the Count's daughter - who to my mind is the star of the show.
She - the love-interest of Wagner who hesitates to reveal his secret to her - has secrets of her own. She also appears to have somewhat jarred the Victorian author himself, as his descriptions of her often approach the erotic. However, there is - as might be expected of the times - no foul language, no graphic sex or violence (albeit several murders and other acts of violence occur, but without too graphic a discourse). There is undoubtedly a dated feeling in the style of the author, but the book - which is lengthy - is a surprisingly "easy" read and pretty much of a "page turner". If one is amenable to works of the time, this will prove a worth-while read - but it is not by any means a "horror" story about a werewolf - it is far more of a morality play involving all-too-human characters.
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Wagner the WehrWolf George WM Reynolds 9781532960208 Books Reviews
I am enjoying the book, but my copy (printed 1973 Dover Publications) the printing is very small and no Dick Collins intro. My book is about .5 inch thick, but I think I might order the 1.3 inch thick copy.
I was reading the 'Philosophy of Horror,' which had in the first chapter a reference to this book. I have the same last name, so I was instantly curious. I have only read a quarter of the book so far, so I cannot give a complete review, but I like what I have read.
Several stories within a story, so this book sometimes feels long. However, the characters are engaging as are the subplots. I would rather have more about the werewolf, but the author treats him just like another character. The book must be read with an understanding that the author's views and style are from the mid 1800's.
I'm definitely hooked with the great masters of mystery the occult of the late 18th and throughout the 19th century. The magnificent narrative prose is, at times, quite intricate and elevated written but then, thankfully, the Fire includes a dictionary where you can highlight and instantly get the definition of such words. It is an enriching and engaging experience. Regarding Wagner, the Wehr-Wolf is nothing but amazing to meet the first werewolf in literature. This genre is not only entartaining but a true literary experience.
You could see that this Romantic Gothic genre is the definite source of today's thriller masters.
A fabulous Gothic novel that deserves far more recognition than it has received. Not only is there a werewolf, but Faust and Christian Rosencreutz, founder of the Rosicrucians, makes an appearance. This book is a significant document in the history of Gothic fiction and provides a bridge from the Rosicrucian novel and the Gothic origins to later works like Dracula. If I ever update my book The Gothic Wanderer, I will include a chapter on it.
There's just not enough werewolf to justify calling it "Wagner the Werewolf". Unlike Dracula, who also remains hidden in much of his tale, Wagner does not leave a menacing presence when away. With the exception of the surprisingly sympathetic portrayal of a Jewish moneylender the characters are not really people the reader can like, Wagner himself made a deal with Satan's slave to regain his youth, the woman he loves murdered an imagined rival and had her brother's love turned over to a convent straight out of Lewis' "The Monk", there are also assorted thieves, liars and opportunists throughout. Despite the flaws it is a fairly quick read and is far from deserving to be called a "penny dreadful".
Written in 1846-47, shortly after serialization of the popular Varney the Vampire and playing off the alliteration (much as was done some time after in more comedic characters such as Mickey (the) Mouse and Bugs (the) Bunny), this an interesting tale and, like Varney, itself serialized before publication as a bound work. But unlike Varney - written by several authors and involving a number of disparate plots - Wagner is a coherent, focused tale with a distinct beginning and end.
It is not at all a horror story about a "Wher-Wolf" but is rather the equivalent of a modern "Soap Opera", set mostly in pseudo-historical Florence, the Ducal city-state, at the beginning of the sixteenth century, with fingers reaching into the Ottoman Empire and its rousting-out of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John from the Island of Rhodes (where they were known as the Knights of Rhodes) causing their retreat to Malta (thus leading to their being known thereafter as the Knights of Malta where another author of another book written eighty years later imagined a certain bejeweled falcon having been fashioned by them as a gift to the king of Spain). Into this historic setting the author, G.W.M. Reynolds, adds a touch of the fantastical allowing him to delve into certain moralities of his place and time - early Victorian England. There are multiple plot lines, a few too many coincidences, and murders and jealousy and duplicity and family secrets and a couple of skeletons in the closet.
Reynolds was a prolific, and very widely read, widely published and widely translated author in his day - though pretty much forgotten now - and he was very liberal-minded for that time and place, introducing into the work issues of class distinction, race and religion and treating them - for the most part - in egalitarian fashion, although certain prejudices do show through. His language is somewhat florid - as was typical in the author's day - and is perhaps even moreso as the story takes place in the 1500's so that there appear not a few "thees" and "thous". But the writing is compelling none the less, often with beautiful descriptions, and the story moves quickly and interestingly.
There is honestly not much of lycanthropy in the tale at all, and the transformation has nothing to do with the phases of the moon but instead occurs at sunset on the last day of each month ... go figure. This curse is the price paid by an old, lonely man for his rejuvenation and this is how the book begins. But then we are brought forward some ten years or so, and we meet Fernand Wagner as young - almost godlike in appearance - rich beyond measure - and with an intellect beyond mortal bounds - gifts of Satan himself who appears during the tale as failed temptor of Wagner who in the end finds peace - but Wagner does not play much of a role in the actual events of the story - which involve much more the children of a certain Florentine Count (one of whom becomes the love interest of Wagner) and a dark family secret that leads the tale into introduction of the various and sundry people of that city and of Constantinople, and of Sicily and elsewhere - good and bad, noble and common - with whom the main characters come into contact.
We meet bandits and nuns and Inquisitors and adulterers and murderers and spies and soldiers and slaves and even Doctor Faustus and Christian Rosenkreuz (who did not, as the historians tell, us die in 1484 but - for purposes of this story at least - lived to a much more ripe age than that which is reported). While many of the characters introduced are pure or purely evil, there is complex development and evolution of character in at least some of the main subjects, including perhaps the most intriguing and complex character of all - the Count's daughter - who to my mind is the star of the show.
She - the love-interest of Wagner who hesitates to reveal his secret to her - has secrets of her own. She also appears to have somewhat jarred the Victorian author himself, as his descriptions of her often approach the erotic. However, there is - as might be expected of the times - no foul language, no graphic sex or violence (albeit several murders and other acts of violence occur, but without too graphic a discourse). There is undoubtedly a dated feeling in the style of the author, but the book - which is lengthy - is a surprisingly "easy" read and pretty much of a "page turner". If one is amenable to works of the time, this will prove a worth-while read - but it is not by any means a "horror" story about a werewolf - it is far more of a morality play involving all-too-human characters.
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