Dracula - (Penguin Speculative Fiction Special) by Bram Stoker (Hardcover)

About the Book

"When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase a London house, he makes horrifying discoveries in his client's castle fterwards, disturbing incidents unfold in England: a ship runs aground on the shores of Whitby, its crew vanished; beautiful Lucy Westenra slowly succumbs to a mysterious, wasting illness, her blood drained away; and the lunatic Renfield raves about the imminent arrival of his 'master.' In the ensuing battle of wills between the sinister Count and a determined group of adversaries - led by the intrepid vampire hunter Abraham van Helsing - Bram Stoker created a masterpiece of the horror genre, probing into questions of identity, sanity and the dark corners of Victorian sexuality and desire"--

Book Synopsis

Bram Stoker's iconic and immortal tale of desperate battle against a powerful, ancient vampire, with a foreword by acclaimed director Robert Eggers, in a new Penguin Classics hardcover, a Penguin Speculative Fiction Special.

A Penguin Classic Hardcover

One of Library Journal's Best Books of the Year

When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase a London house, he makes horrifying discoveries in his client's castle. Soon afterwards, disturbing incidents unfold in England: a ship runs aground on the shores of Whitby, its crew vanished; beautiful Lucy Westenra slowly succumbs to a mysterious, wasting illness, her blood drained away; and the lunatic Renfield raves about the imminent arrival of his "master." In the ensuing battle of wills between the sinister Count and a determined group of adversaries - led by the intrepid vampire hunter Abraham van Helsing - Bram Stoker created a masterpiece of the horror genre, probing into questions of identity, sanity and the dark corners of Victorian sexuality and desire.

Penguin Speculative Fiction Special is a hardcover series of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and more published by Penguin Classics. Featuring custom endpapers, specially commissioned cover art, and introductions by scholars and notable figures, these collectible editions celebrate classics that invite us to ask, "What if?" and that, through bold imagination, alternative visions, and magical realms, transform our perception of our world.

Review Quotes

"These days, it's distressingly easy for modern-day vamp fans to forget where it all began. That's why this annotated Dracula is such a gift; Mort Castle reminds us that the novel's legacy lies with its author's monstrous talent, intelligence, and imagination. This is a must for any emerging writer's reference bookshelf." --Alison Lang, Rue Morgue Magazine

About the Author

Abraham 'Bram' Stoker (1847 - 1912) was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and joined the Irish Civil Service before his love of theatre led him to become the unpaid drama critic for the Dublin Mail. He went on to act as as manager and secretary for the actor Sir Henry Irving, while writing his novels, the most famous of which is Dracula.

Robert Eggers (foreword) is an American filmmaker and production designer. He is best known for writing and directing the historical horror films The Witch (2015) and The Lighthouse (2019), as well as The Northman (2022) and the forthcoming Nosferatu (2024). His films are noted for their folkloric elements, as well as his efforts to ensure historical authenticity.

Karen Winstead (introduction) is professor of English at Ohio State University. She is the author and translator of a number of books, including Fifteenth-Century Lives: Writing Sainthood in England (2020), and teaches on Special Topics in Film and Literature ("Monsters Without and Within") and Special Topics in Popular Culture ("Vampires").