Biblio Library

"N" is a short horror story by Welsh author Arthur Machen.

”N” is an encounter in London of a hidden fairyland, a true psychedelic fable concerning the discovery of an alternative reality existing in the context of a humble, grey north London suburb.

Arthur Machen reflects on what would happen if the mystical were to intrude upon the everyday world we all take for granted.

In ”N” Machen places a fragment of Paradise, created from a ruined part of primordial creation, into the London suburb of Stoke Newington. 

Those who try to understand what they have seen, experience rapture, horror, or both, and they have trouble convincing others of their sanity. For Machen the surreal is so powerful that it cannot be properly comprehended. 

”N” was first published in 1934. E-Book: ePUB, 10,100 words, average reading time 50 min. Unabridged full version.

Arthur Machen (1863-1947) was a Welsh author and mystic of the 1890s and early 20th century. He is best known for his influential supernatural, fantasy, and horror fiction. His novella "The Great God Pan" (1890; 1894) has garnered a reputation as a classic of horror (Stephen King has called it "Maybe the best [horror story] in the English language"). He is also well known for his leading role in creating the legend of the Angels of Mons.