The Penny Dreadfuls: Tales of Horror: Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Picture of Dorian Gray

By Bram Stoker, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and Oscar Wilde

Blood, gore, murder, and sinVictorian literature’s darkest horrors await you.

The penny dreadfuls were cheap nineteenth-century English stories that featured gothic, lurid, disturbing, and tantalizing content. These horror serials cost a penny per issue, hence their name: penny dreadfuls. The penny dreadfuls often paid homage toand even inspiredmany of the more famous narratives of the horror genre.

This book pairs three obscure yet influential penny dreadfuls with three of the most notorious literary giants of the nineteenth century: Dracula, Frankenstein, and Dorian Gray, all in one authentic collection of the best Victorian gothic horror ever written. Originally published at a time when dramatic scientific discoveries sparked a cultural fixation on the paranormal, these stories remain timeless in their uncanny ability to prey upon our primal fear of that which is strange, violent, and unknown.

This book contains a total of six haunting tales:

Dracula by Bram Stoker
Dracula’s Guest by Bram Stoker (Dracula’s original first chapter, not published until after Stoker’s death)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Wagner the Wehr-Wolf by George W. M. Reynolds
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Varney the Vampire by Thomas Preskett Prest

Curl up with The Penny Dreadfuls on a dark, moonless night and rediscover these chilling classics.

Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade, Yucca, and Good Books imprints, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in fictionnovels, novellas, political and medical thrillers, comedy, satire, historical fiction, romance, erotic and love stories, mystery, classic literature, folklore and mythology, literary classics including Shakespeare, Dumas, Wilde, Cather, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
• Release date: May 5, 2015
• ISBN: 9781634501156

Bram Stoker

Bram Stoker (1847–1912) grew up in Ireland listening to his mother's tales of blood-drinking fairies and vampires rising from their graves. He later managed the Lyceum Theatre in London and worked as a civil servant, newspaper editor, reporter, and theater critic. Dracula, his best-known work, was published in 1897 and is hailed as one of the founding pieces of Gothic literature.  

Reviews for The Penny Dreadfuls

[dariazeoli · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While I liked this book, I felt like the last half of it really dragged as Van Helsing and his group of willing accomplices made arrangements to travel to finally find and rid the world of Count Dracula. The pace really bored me at some points and I think that is the reason I could put this book down over a six-week period in favor of something else.

[capriciousreader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I did it, I did it! I finally read DRACULA!!!

[chellebearss · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Although I am a big horror fiction reader and devour everything I can find about Vampires and Werewolves, I had never actually gotten around to reading Dracula. I am happy that I can now say I have read it, although I don't think I would read it again. I did enjoy the story and how it was written as a collection of journals and news entries. "If ever a face meant death - if looks could kill - we saw it at that moment."

[lgandt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Much better than any of the films, no matter how good some of those are, this is the best version.*Update* I do wish someone sometime would give this book its do justice and make a decent film adaptation. Some are close but still lack so much.

[ngabriel_52 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Still scary.

[5eva5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The story, told in an epistolary format, of infamous Count Dracula's attempt to settle in England, and the battle to thwart this attempt, and finish the vampire, by a small group of righteous people, led by equally well-known Professor Abraham Van Helsing. I've seen numerous film-versions based on this story, but this is the first time I've managed to get through the original and I must say it's absolutely fantastic. There isn't much new to say about the actual story since most people are fully aware of what a great and monumental literary masterpiece it is, but I must note that the (unabridged) full-cast audio-version with Alan Cumming and Tim Curry is absolutely excellent and highly, highly recommended.

[chriskrycho · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Delightfully well-written, modern in pacing, unusual in form. Very good.

[sullywriter_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Read this for a college course called The Literature of Evil.

[seldombites · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read many vampire stories, from the scary (Salem's Lot) to the romantic (Twilight) but, despite it's age, this is by far the creepiest vampire novel I have read. In fact, this is the only vampire story that has ever disturbed my sleep. The old-world language and diary format lend it an air of tension to this novel that is lacking in other vampire books that I have read. Most horror books are scary, but fairly predictable. Not so, Bram Stoker's Dracula. I found this story to be intriguing and enthralling and I found myself unable to put it down. This is the original vampire novel and, in my opinion, still the best.

[chrishall57_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I remember when I was about 11 or 12 years old rummaging through a second hand bookshop in Egham. I had this urge to buy a book, my first ever book that I'd paid for with my own money. After much faffing about I settled upon a rather aged and dog-eared paperback by Bram Stoker titled Dracula. I don't remember the cover but I do remember the smell. There's a very distinct smell about second hand books, which gets more distinct the older they get!

Back then I took maybe two days to read it from cover to cover and really enjoyed it. Re-reading it nigh on 38 years later on the Kindle I find I have lost none of the enjoyment. It's an excellent book that keeps you with the story all the way through. It's also interesting to see how cinema has changed the story when it's been adapted by Hammer and Hollywood, it's often been made much more sexualised and at the same time less horrific. Perhaps the closest film regarding Dracula in 'feel' to me would be Polanski's 'The Dance of the Vampire Killers'.

If you haven't read it then do. Free on ebook readers as well!

[jawalter · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

eBook

It's hard, at this point in my life, not to feel as though I've already read this book. The Dracula story has been told and retold and reimagined and reinterpreted so many times that it was kind of shocking to realize I've never actually dealt with Stoker's original work.

That said, I don't feel that I have too much to say about it. Vampires and sex and blood and superstition and science and religion ... it's all kind of played out. The most unexpected part of the book was the relish Stoker seems to have taken in writing an epistolary work. There are letters, diaries, shorthand accounts, phonographic recordings, telegrams, and newspaper articles, and not only is this how Stoker chooses to tell the story, it's how the characters try to tell the story.

The characters, as much as the author, are fascinated by more than just the account of their experiences. They are fascinated by how they record those experiences, commenting frequently on their methods. A not-insignificant portion of the story is actually just the main characters reading one another's writing and transcribing an additional copy.

It seems strange that a book about vampires would get so excited about writing in shorthand or transcribing a phonographic cylinder, but it does make sense for these people to react to the supernatural with the logical and rational response of simply recording their observations.

[britt84 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I recently discovered that I do not actually own a copy of 'Dracula', which horrifies me! I was really quite convinced I did...As a fan of gothic literature, 'Dracula' is of course mandatory reading. I really love the novel, and the diary style in which it is written, which gives you a great insight into the thoughts and ideas of the characters in the novel. Well-written, mysterious and a real page-turner. Still one of my favourites...Really need to buy it some time! :/

[carmenere_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Finally, I finally read the classic Dracula by Bram Stoker which has spawned a genre onto itself!Very atmospheric novel which begins with Count Dracula preparing for his departure from Transylvania and his arrival to London with the help of young solicitor Jonathon Harker. The reader doesn't quite know all that transpired while Jonathon was trapped in Dracula's castle but it left him a scarred man. Once he's back in London and recovering in the care of his loving new wife, Mina, Dracula, once again rears his otherworldly head and preys on the one Jonathon loves.I found Stokers characters, for the most part, strongly defined. Although, at times, Jonathon and his friends seem like the Keystone Kops as they attempt to capture and defeat Dracula and there is more verbage than action, I can see how Victorian readers would find this novel titillating. I certainly recommend this novel, not too ghoulish, gorey nor frightful.

[cyderry · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have a hard time with classics, I don't like books with vampires, so why then did I enjoy the 1897 classic novel about the vampire to top all vampires, Count Dracula? I won't go into the plot, I'm sure that there are many descriptions that are far better than I could write, but I will try to explain my feelings about this book.First, I have to say that I've never watched the movie so I had no idea of the tale that would be related, so I was enveloped into the story at the very beginning, travelling through what is described as a beautiful land but with residents that are frightened of something, but no idea what.The story was captivating, how this group came together to defeat this evil creature and save the lives of women and children that were threatened. However, the characters were, IMO, a little two dimensional and the style was a little difficult to follow in a few areas, but overall, I liked the story being told in their diaries and letters. At the time of the original publication, I would imagine that Victorian England was scandalized by the behavior of Dracula and his victims, because even though there may have been discussions of folklore related to vampires, I doubt there were few books telling the tales.So for me this classic was a winner. But don't think that I will be searching or reading more vampire literature, I think I've had made fill.

[tess_schoolmarm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After reading for 55+ years, I thought it about time to read the "real" Dracula and I'm glad I did.The book is intriguing and suspensful without being gory or bloody. A lot of history about Dracula is given and also explains why he does what he does. The book is written as diary entries by all the major characters; gives great perspective.The only negative comment is that some of the journal entries use less than proper grammar (he has brain of child, he weak, etc. This detracts from the otherwise well-written book.

[jechtshot · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dracula was not at all what I expected; and I mean this in a good way. I made presumptions early on that this would be a dated, heavy, wordy, literary and somewhat boring tale of the Vampire Dracula and thus hesitated cracking open this book for many years. However, once I read the first page and realized that the story was told from the viewpoint of multiple characters via personal journals, diaries, memorandums etc... my interest was piqued. The story of Dracula is pretty tame overall, but if you have been hesitating to read it for reasons similar to those described above, I would dust off your copy and read the first couple of pages. My guess is that you will get sucked into Mr. Stoker's world just as I did.

[midkid88 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this in about 1.5 hours while subbing and I found that it was a very simple story introducing Dracula and then finishing him off. It starts out following Jonathon where you are first introduced to Dracula. He is a very smart and cunning person who traps Jonathon and then leaves for London to try his hand there. I found it was an interesting read that compelled me to the end to know exactly what happens.

[mirrani_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I must say I have not read the original Dracula, what I am reviewing now is the free Kindle version, which I knew had been reported as improperly edited, modernized, and "dumbed down" for today's audience. To be honest, I could tell these things as I was reading it. There were times when I thought, "Certainly the first edition didn't use language like this, it's far too modern!"That said, I quickly became involved in the edited version all the same. There are so very many versions of Dracula out there that you have to be willing to accept that you won't get the original every time you encounter it. If you approach the edited version knowing that, you will probably enjoy the experience. You might even enjoy it enough to pick up the "proper" version and read that too, which is something I am looking forward to doing.

[the_hibernator · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This review is for the Audible Edition of Dracula, narrated by Alan Cumming et. al. (Wow, I just used et. al. in a review. That makes me pretty darned special.) In this classic novel, a group of acquaintances must rid themselves of the sinister Count Dracula who has descended upon London with the eager desire to create a flock of bloodsucking fiends. This is my second reading of the novel--the first being when I was a young teenager. This time, I was impressed by Stoker's ability to set a dark mood and maintain it through the entire book. There was always some creepy fog or a terrified dog or a creepily sleep-walking woman to spook the reader. The full-cast performance was delightful. It really brought the various characters to life.

[otterpopmusic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Two things. First - Buffy (and everything else) have trained me to expect a climactic battle. Not so here. They just got him in the box, snicker-snack! Second - this book could have been shorter if Van Helsing would have gotten right to the point every single time he opened his mouth. Oh, one more thing - the intro by Elizabeth Kostova is really good.

[1d1books · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is one of my favourite novels. I studied this in S6 when doing Sixth Year English (now called Advanced Higher) and I've read it again since. It's fantastic - even if the romance between Mina and the three (!) suitors is a little unbelievable.

[est2lm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dracula ended up being very different than what I was expecting- not in a bad way, though. I finished it within a week. It was a quick read!

I love how the story is told through a variety of mediums - journals, letters, newspaper clippings, telegrams, and a phonograph diary; the switch between perspectives was labeled in this edition, which helped in maintaining clear whose thoughts we are reading. I really enjoyed how sometimes the journal entries of two or more characters are from the same moment in time but tell two different perspectives, observations, and set of concerns. The different kinds of integrated text also adds an element of suspense for the reader; like the characters, we have to put the pieces of the puzzle together, but unlike the characters, we have a variety of sources from which to draw our own inferences and conclusions.

The cast is diverse - each with different backgrounds, talents, and personalities. I particularly enjoyed that Mina Murray contributes a lot to the investigation instead of solely being a victim that needs to be rescued. Even though she is paced in a situation of distress, she continues to find ways to make contributions and to keep her companions safe.

For the times, I say the plot is innovative and thrilling. Really a classic of a horror romance that along with Frankenstein will fit nicely into your October reading list.

[asukamaxwell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What can I say that hasn't already been said about Dracula? It's a classic for a reason. I first read this book many years ago and had forgotten all of the little details of the story. So while reviews have already been written many times over, I will say this:Wilhelmina, if you can believe it, is more progressive as a female heroine in the book than how she is portrayed in films or television. In the book, she never falls in love or is smitten by Dracula. From the moment she realizes what he is and what he has done, she is repulsed and disgusted by him. She fears and loathes Dracula, and never fully succumbs to his will. He turned her best friend into one of the Un-dead, she cannot imagine a worse fate. Lucy's death, and the safety of her own immortal soul are what drives her to find Dracula. Thus, Dr. Van Helsing, her husband, and all of the other gentlemen in The Campaign, consider her a vital member of the team. They consistently stress in their journals and memorandums that she is brave, strong, and a steadfast rock in times of crisis. Her optimism and hope often keep the team from falling into doubt. She is a "train-fiend," and aids the men in the chase after Dracula with her knowledge of train schedules. She also gathered together, in order, all notes, journal entries and clues concerning Dracula in order to track him down. This was no easy feat and absolutely brilliant as Van Helsing gladly admits. There are times when the men leave Mina in the dark concerning The Plan of Campaign for fear of her sanity and well-being, but they soon realize that they cannot accomplish the deed without her assistance. Thus Mina Harker has become one of my favorite characters in classic literature, a far cry from being a helpless victim.

[rebeccaclaresmith-1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

As much as I wanted to read this all the way through, I ended up discarding it because it was too heavy and slow for my taste, unfortunately.

[sopoforic · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

(I read this for Coursera's SF&F class, taught by Prof. Eric S. Rabkin.)

The story wasn't too bad, and I liked where the author paid attention to plot details, like the explanation people made up for the anaemic kids, and where they discuss finding and destroying the boxes of earth that Dracula brought with him--and particularly where it's mentioned that he might hide one of them underground and thereby be very safe indeed.

Unfortunately, the book was really too long for my taste. I mean, I certainly am happy to read a book twice this long and more--that's no trouble--but there just wasn't enough happening in Dracula to hold my interest. Interminable conversations during which they decide to have more conversations just don't grab me.

After reading this, I watched the movie with Bela Lugosi, and I've got to say that if I hadn't already read the book, that movie would have been incomprehensible. It looked like they just cut random segments out and stuck the rest together. The book is definitely better. For that matter, Nosferatu is better, and I really didn't like that movie, either.

[mlyons1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Read it. With the lights on. In broad daylight. But read it. Seriously.

[mwohlfrom · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have a love hate relationship with this book. I was forced to read it twice in my life once in high school and again in college. I hated being forced to read this book but in the end I didn't hate the actual book itself. My college class gave me a different perspective of the story which allowed me to enjoy it more.

[bryndahlquis · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Second time reading:Dracula will always be a classic. It really is a horrifying story, painful and beautiful and deep. Admittedly, sometimes Van Helsing's long monologues get tedious and occasionally you just want to tell them all to get on with it, but all that aside... it's pretty brilliant.Probably my favorite part of Dracula is Renfield. During the later parts of the book, I found my attention wandering and I think it's because Renfield wasn't in the last half very much at all, and he was always so interesting. I think perhaps once the characters started figuring everything out, I kind of lost interest. I'm not sure why.

[samarnold1975 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was my first audiobook read which was an interesting experience. I chose audiobook after starting reading Dracula and the realising that I did not like the copy I had. I have to say as a fan of vampire novels I don't know why it took me so long to get the original vampire masterpiece. A masterpiece this book certainly is. I love the poetic writing of Stoker and how he can set an eerie scene whilst keeping the gore to a minimum. The characters are well written and are also fairly well know for anyone who has watched any Dracula / Van Helsing films.I urge anyone who hasn't read this classic to pick up a copy and read the original of all vampire novels.

[n.t.embe · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Now this is what a vampire book should BE like! Please, if you have ANY self-respect, read this book. It's absolutely fantastic!



Writing - 4 out of 5
Wonderfully written. The writing isn't actually that difficult to get through. It's not a read that goes at breakneck speeds, but it's still fast and relatively easy! The only times where I got slowed up in the book was in the places where various heavy accents or dialects came in and weighed the words down as you tried to puzzle over what they meant. But I feel that this was intentional by the author, and so it's one of those things you have to suffer through to get to the full awesomeness of this book. Still, from description and atmosphere. UNF. So sexy. Seriously.


Setting - 5 out of 5
Man does Bram Stoker know how to set a scene! That one scene on the ship--holy crap it was terrifying! I was actually scared it was that intense! And the castle, the forest paths, the way that the rooms were invaded, how the characters were all cast. Talk about eerie and exciting! If there's one thing this man knows how to do, it's how to set the stage for the characters to play on. Absolutely enjoyed this aspect of the book. He did a great job in setting up the environment for the book to play out in.


Story - 4 out of 5
It can get a little, and I repeat, only a little redundant at times. Similar things happen, but the loop-de-loop is all part of a plan. You get something unusual in these stories too. The older the work, usually the less the action, especially when it comes to classics. This is one of those few I read that had quiet a bit of action. And action with purpose and with suspense. It was a very interesting read, and there was a uniqueness to the story that you think you know, but don't fully understand until you pick up this book. We all know that Dracula is a vampire. But the amazing part is that the word Vampire doesn't even APPEAR in the story until it's more than halfway along! Even further if I remember correctly! It's a story that's more mystery, suspense, survival, and horror than anything else! And Bram Stoker does a brilliant job of unfolding it, in the weirdest, most twisted and unusual ways. There's always a strange light cast on everything. And it's a unique read that you just have to experience for yourself to understand.


Characters - 5 out of 5
Wheeeeeeeeeeee~! I love them all. They're all so WEIRD. And they have that same interesting concept of innocence that you see in some dated writing, where they don't know what's going on, and they can't fathom that some things could possibly happen, whereas we today, who are used to these things, see them quite clearly before us. But at the same time, that's what adds the flavor to this book, and to the characters that we see interacting.

I didn't put a Main and Side character section, because it's hard to differentiate in this story. The point of view switches between five to even six characters at times, and each of them have their own sets of knowledge and beliefs, their own attempts to survive and help, and their own parts to play and add to the story. At some point they all come together and form a union, all their stories no longer just "interacting" but sinuous between one another. Where one story stops, the other now continues, and it's no longer several different stories, but one story told by many different characters.

The characters themselves are not absolutely complicated, but they do have their own fascinating little aspects and traits that make them themselves. Some are weaker in some things, some are defined by class and origin, and others are made up of who they support and how they support them. It's a nice change of pace to see also that we have a strength in the female characters that mixes the "typical" feminine damsel in distress situation with a deeply female intenseness, a power that only a woman could bear and wield. Bram Stoker, for all this mild shortcomings, does not fall short on making the women in this book, just like the antagonist and the men, all a little more than what they seem to be. There's more to them than the sum of their parts, you could say. And it creates an intriguing, unusual path for them all to tread in this tumultuous environment.


The Mythology and Lore - 5 out of 5
I've got to say, one of the things I loved about this book was ALL of the footnotes! Oh my GOD there's so much information that you can learn from them! And the book itself too! It goes through the history of the myths about vampires, about their powers and their origins. It talks about some classic things that we still keep in mind today about their weaknesses and strengths, but it surprises you in some situations with information that I, at least, personally had never heard of or known about! It's so great to read a book that actually explains these things and tells you about them! If there's nothing else you look into this book for, absolutely read it for the lore, because it's going to teach you all the basics about true vampire mythology, and I--who love to know the origins of supernatural and fantastic beings--found a looot to learn in this book there. You've gotta read it! Especially since most people today are retardedly uneducated about the first thing with them. *Nod to Stephanie*



All this being said, my average rating for this book is 4.6, being rounded up for awesome to a 5 out of 5 rating.


Advice on Reading: Some people may be off put by the age and style of the way this book is written. I assure you, it's worth suffering through something you're not used to in order to enjoy this book. It's got a lot of things it can teach you, especially for those supernatural YA lovers today. Reading this might actually give you an idea of what quality you can get out of vampire books today. Trust me, it's worthwhile.

For anyone who wants to add a classic to their shelves, buy this book. It's well written, you can probably find it for cheap anywhere, the atmosphere of the book is great, and it's probably got some surprising twists you wouldn't expect.

For everyone else, I recommend you definitely check this out. Vampires are part of the popular culture today. At the very least, give this book a chance, because it's got a great story to tell, and I believe you can enjoy it. If you're not sure, like I said before, buying it should be pretty cheap, so even if you spend the money on it first before reading it, you won't be making a big dent in your wallet for it. Pretty much, buy the sucker if you find it for cheap. If you don't wanna risk it, you can probably find it just about anywhere. So give it a shot! Why not, after all? Especially since this is the "in" thing today. Read this sucker. ;3