Melmoth the Wanderer

Nov 13, 2025 10:22 PM

Author:Charles Maturin,Victor Sage,Victor Sage,Victor Sage

Created by an Irish clergyman, Melmoth is one of the most fiendish characters in literature. In a satanic bargain, Melmoth exchanges his soul for immortality. The story of his tortured wanderings through the centuries is pieced together through those who have been implored by Melmoth to take over his pact with the devil. Influenced by the Gothic romances of the late 18th century, Maturin's diabolic tale raised the genre to a new and macabre pitch. Its many admirers include Poe, Balzac, Oscar Wilde and Baudelaire.

Reviews

Romantic comedy at it's best

—— The Western Mail

As Kipling was to the secrets of the jungle, so is Baker to modern domesticity, equally ready with fascinating observation

—— Daily Telegraph

There is a good deal more everyday wonder here than in a hundred original miscellanies

—— Observer

This might be Baker's best yet - you're in for a treat

—— Evening Standard

Like the small, agreeable sensations it so deftly evokes, this modestly scaled story is a pleasure that can add cheer to an entire day

—— Spectator

Utterly convincing and compelling ... A stunning feat of the imagination and an absolute must-read

—— Steven Pressfield

Denys Johnson-Davies...the leading Arabic-English translator of our time

—— Edward Said

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