Fantasy | Lecturia

Edgar Allan Poe: The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar. Summary and analysis

“The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” by Edgar Allan Poe narrates a disturbing scientific experiment. A hypnotist, fascinated by the boundaries between life and death, decides to try to hypnotize a person at the moment of their death. To do this, he recruits Ernest Valdemar, a terminally ill man. With the help of doctors and assistants, the narrator undertakes this audacious experiment, exploring unknown territories of the human consciousness. As the process advances, the participants face inexplicable phenomena that challenge their understanding of reality and death. The story combines elements of psychological horror with a pseudo-scientific approach, creating an atmosphere of growing tension and mystery that keeps the reader in suspense until its surprising conclusion.

Jorge Luis Borges: The House of Asterion

The House of Asterion, a short story by Jorge Luis Borges, published in 1947 in Los Anales de Buenos Aires and later included in the collection El Aleph (1949), explores the life of Asterion, a mythical and enigmatic character who lives in a unique, vast and labyrinthine house. Through a first-person narrative, Asterion describes his solitary existence in this mysterious house, where he entertains himself with various games and reflections while awaiting the arrival of the promised Redeemer.

H. P. Lovecraft: The Nameless City

In “The Nameless City,” a story by H. P. Lovecraft published in 1921, the protagonist recounts his terrifying exploration of an ancient and forgotten city lost in the Arabian desert. Despite local warnings and fears about this cursed place, whose history is lost in antiquity, the man ventures into its ruins. He discovers vestiges of an unknown and deeply disturbing civilization that practiced strange rites and venerated reptilian beings there. As he explores underground temples and descending passages, he is confronted with evidence of a chilling reality that defies human comprehension.

H. P. Lovecraft: Cool Air

Cool Air is a story by H. P. Lovecraft published in 1928 in the magazine Tales of Magic and Mystery. It narrates the experience of a man who moves into a boarding house in New York, where he meets Dr. Muñoz, who lives on the floor above him. The doctor is cultured and refined, but suffers from a mysterious illness that forces him to keep his room at a very low temperature. Over time, the relationship between the two grows closer, allowing the man to discover the mystery behind the doctor’s strange behavior.

Julio Cortázar: House Taken Over

In “House Taken Over” by Julio Cortázar, Irene and her brother live in an old, spacious house inherited from their ancestors. The house, full of family memories, is meticulously cared for by both, who lead a routine and quiet life. Irene spends her days knitting while her brother takes care of the housework. One day, strange noises begin to be heard from the farthest part of the house, forcing the siblings to leave certain rooms. The sounds intensify, and the siblings are forced to confine themselves to a smaller section of the house, living in a state of growing unease.

Guy de Maupassant: The Apparition

The Apparition is a short story by Guy de Maupassant, published in Le Gaulois on April 4, 1883. It tells the disturbing experience of an elderly marquis who, at a social gathering, decides to share an event that has tormented him for more than fifty years. In his youth, an old friend asks him to retrieve some documents from his former home. On arrival, the marquis finds an atmosphere of abandonment and a gloomy environment that will be the setting for a terrifying experience that will leave an indelible mark of fear.