INVADERS FROM THE DARK (1925)

INVADERS FROM THE DARK (1925) – Halloween Month continues here at Balladeer’s Blog with this horror story written by Fanny Greye Bragg aka “Greye La Spina” for her skill at weaving. Invaders from the Dark was first published in the iconic pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1925, then republished in revised form in 1960.

Regular readers may remember my review of the 1918 novel The Ghost Garden, in which a female ghost and a witch fight over a mortal man they both love. This 1925 tale features a similar love triangle among supernatural figures.

In 1920s New York City, Portia Delore marries a magic practitioner named Howard Differdale, but Differdale’s sorcery forbids the pair from consummating their marriage. Portia learns a great deal of magic from her spouse, but a lady has desires, and after Howard’s death (dare I say “Howard’s End?”) Portia’s are aimed at handsome Owen Edwardes.

She has competition from Russian Princess Irma Andreyevna Tchernova, a werewolf by choice. The ladies woo Owen, with Princess Tchernova even trying to lure the real estate man into becoming a werewolf himself via mystical plants and spells. The princess takes to preying on children and cops.

Portia uses her own abilities, including travel via her astral body, to discover the Russian’s plans and try saving Owen and having him for herself. The princess has peculiarities like red-spotted eyes, ordering a lot of red meat and keeping wolves for pets.

Tchernova also has a manservant named Sergei and a female servant named Agathya.  

SPOILER: A jealous suitor of the Russian Princess kills her in the end.

FOR MY REVIEW OF THE 1931 NOVEL THE WOLF IN THE GARDEN, ABOUT A WEREWOLF IN 1790s AMERICA CLICK HERE.

FOR MY LOOK AT TWO DETROIT WEREWOLF LEGENDS FROM HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO CLICK HERE.

FOR MY REVIEW OF THE WERWOLVES (1898), A CANADIAN STORY ABOUT A PACK OF WEREWOLVES IN THE 1700s CLICK HERE.

FOR MY REVIEW OF THE FEMALE-WRITTEN 1896 STORY THE WEREWOLF CLICK HERE.

FOR MY REVIEW OF HUGUES THE WEREWOLF, AN 1838 STORY ABOUT A BRITISH WEREWOLF CLICK HERE.