The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers

Shot through with an unutterable sense of mystery, paranoia and dread, the King in Yellow is a linked collection of tales that swirl around a single motif: a terrible book that prompts an obsessive madness in all who look upon its pages. From a dystopian New York to the streets of Paris, these narratives offer glimpses and hints of impossible, terrifying revelations. Who is the King Yellow? What is the Yellow Sign? And where might be that ancient and famous city, Carcosa? 

Combining expectation-defying horror with decadent description, The King in Yellow has proven to be one of the most durable and brilliant collections of Weird Fiction ever written, inspiring countless authors, from the mythos of H.P. Lovecraft to the fantasy world of George R.R. Martin. 

‘A classic . . . a fantastic collection of short stories’ Guardian 

Penguin Weird Fiction: a celebration of the very best of the weird, a store of novels and tales that for generations have delighted and horrified.