- Books That Became Unexpected Bestsellers Years Later - October 18, 2025
- Overlooked Women Who Changed History Without Getting Credit - October 18, 2025
- Celebrities With Surprisingly Impressive Academic Backgrounds - October 18, 2025
Horace Walpole (1717–1797) – Father of Gothic Fiction
Step inside any haunted castle in fiction, and you’re walking in Horace Walpole’s shadow. With The Castle of Otranto, published in 1764, Walpole didn’t just write a novel—he sparked an entire movement. He set his tale in a gloomy, labyrinthine castle, complete with supernatural events and tragic secrets. This wasn’t just a story; it was an invitation to explore our deepest fears and passions. His innovation was so profound that literary critics still cite him as the “father of Gothic fiction.” Walpole’s blending of medieval settings, family curses, and psychological dread laid the foundation for generations of horror writers, even influencing blockbuster movies today. The eerie tension and dramatic atmospheres we love in modern horror owe a debt to Walpole’s original vision. Without him, there might never have been a Dracula, a Frankenstein, or even a haunted house story on your favorite streaming platform.
Ann Radcliffe (1764–1823) – Gothic Atmosphere and the Female Gothic
Ann Radcliffe didn’t just write about haunted castles—she made you feel their chill. Her most famous novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho, is a master class in suspense and atmosphere. Radcliffe was known for her heroines, women thrust into terrifying circumstances, forced to rely on their wits and courage. She pioneered the “female Gothic,” focusing on women’s experiences and inner fears, which was revolutionary for her time. Critics admired her ability to evoke unsettling moods without resorting to overt violence, making her stories eerily relatable. Radcliffe’s detailed landscapes and psychological tension set a template for the modern psychological thriller. Her influence stretches from Victorian sensation novels to today’s best-selling suspense authors, proving that fear and fascination with the unknown know no gender boundaries.
William Beckford (1760–1844) – Orientalist Gothic Horror
With Vathek, William Beckford introduced readers to a different kind of darkness—one drenched in exoticism and decadence. Published in 1786, the novel plunged Gothic horror into the lush, dangerous world of the Middle East. Beckford, a wealthy eccentric, used his imagination to fill the pages with demons, lost cities, and overwhelming temptations. His work shocked polite society, not just for its horror but for its bold embrace of the “Oriental” aesthetic. Beckford’s blend of fantasy, horror, and foreign landscapes paved the way for later writers to explore settings beyond Europe’s borders. The allure of the unknown, mixed with moral decay and supernatural punishment, made Vathek a touchstone for anyone writing about cultural collision and Gothic excess. Even today, echoes of Beckford’s style can be found in horror tales that mash up Western fears with non-Western myths.
Fitz-James O’Brien (1828–1862) – Proto-Science Fiction Horror
Long before science fiction had a name, Fitz-James O’Brien was blending the genre with horror in startling ways. In stories like “The Diamond Lens” and “What Was It?,” he explored themes of invisible monsters, microscopic worlds, and scientific obsession. O’Brien’s work was ahead of its time, asking “What if?” about technology and the unknown. He took the anxiety of the scientific age and spun it into narratives that haunted readers’ dreams. Critics now recognize O’Brien as a proto-science fiction writer, a bridge between Poe and H. G. Wells. His ability to make scientific discovery terrifying anticipated the fears that would later be central to science fiction and horror alike. O’Brien’s tales remain a reminder that the scariest monsters are sometimes found in the laboratory, not the graveyard.
Cyrano de Bergerac (1619–1655) – Early Sci-Fi Satire
Before rockets and robots, there was Cyrano de Bergerac, imagining flights to the moon centuries ahead of NASA. His Other Worlds describes wild journeys to the moon and sun, filled with biting satire about Earth’s customs. Bergerac’s stories are stuffed with clever inventions and outlandish technologies, far ahead of his era’s scientific understanding. He used these tales to lampoon politics, religion, and human folly, making him one of the earliest writers to use science fiction for social commentary. His lunar voyages inspired later visionaries like Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, who cited him as a precursor. Bergerac’s blend of humor, adventure, and speculative science shows that the roots of modern sci-fi are as much about questioning the status quo as they are about exploring new worlds.
Margaret Cavendish (1623–1673) – Philosophical Sci-Fi Pioneer
Margaret Cavendish’s The Blazing World, published in 1666, is a fever dream of utopian speculation and feminist ambition. In her story, a woman finds herself in a parallel universe filled with strange creatures and scientific marvels, ultimately becoming its Empress. Cavendish didn’t just imagine new worlds—she challenged who got to rule them. Her work is now recognized as an early example of both science fiction and feminist literature. Cavendish’s philosophical musings about nature, society, and women’s roles made her a radical voice. Modern scholars credit her with anticipating themes that would later dominate speculative fiction, including gender politics and the ethics of scientific progress. Cavendish’s imagination blazed a path for women in science fiction, even if her own time barely acknowledged her.
J.-H. Rosny aîné (1856–1940) – Prehistoric and Alien Sci-Fi
The name J.-H. Rosny aîné might not ring a bell, but if you’ve ever watched a movie about primitive humans or first contact with aliens, you’re seeing his legacy. His novel La Guerre du feu (The Quest for Fire) plunged readers into prehistoric survival, while his later stories explored alien life and cosmic encounters. Rosny aîné was among the first to blend anthropology with science fiction, imagining lost worlds and otherworldly beings. His works anticipated the “planetary romance” and “prehistoric adventure” genres, predating even the earliest pulp magazines. French critics have called him the father of prehistoric fiction, and his ideas about alien “otherness” influenced both science fiction and fantasy across Europe. Rosny aîné’s vision is a reminder that our fascination with deep time and the cosmos began long before the Space Age.
Mary E. Bradley Lane (1844–?) – Forgotten Feminist Sci-Fi
Mary E. Bradley Lane’s Mizora: A Prophecy, first published in 1880, was a revelation—a vision of a society run entirely by women, powered by technology and education. Lane’s story imagines a world where science has eliminated disease, poverty, and even war, and where women are free to shape their destinies. Her ideas were so progressive that her book was almost lost to history, rediscovered only in the late 20th century. Lane anticipated debates about gender, equality, and technology that still rage today. Literary historians now see her as a forerunner of feminist science fiction, a genre that would later flourish with writers like Ursula K. Le Guin and Octavia Butler. Mizora remains a striking example of how speculative fiction can be a tool for both critique and hope.
Anna Katharine Green (1846–1935) – Mother of the Detective Novel
Anna Katharine Green beat Sherlock Holmes to the punch. Her bestseller, The Leavenworth Case, appeared in 1878, almost a decade before Holmes debuted. Green’s detective, Ebenezer Gryce, and her clever female sleuths helped shape the rules of modern mystery fiction. She pioneered the use of forensic evidence, surprise endings, and even the “locked room” plot device. Green’s meticulous plotting earned her the nickname “the mother of the detective novel,” and her influence is visible in the work of Agatha Christie and every modern crime show. Despite her popularity in her own time, Green’s name has faded from public memory, a fate she hardly deserves given her foundational role in the genre.
Emile Gaboriau (1832–1873) – French Detective Fiction Pioneer
In France, Emile Gaboriau was the Sherlock Holmes of his day. His creation, Inspector Lecoq, first appeared in L’Affaire Lerouge in 1866 and became a sensation. Gaboriau’s stories were the first in France to center on a professional detective, using scientific reasoning and psychological insight to solve crimes. His novels are full of twists, disguises, and red herrings, establishing many tropes still seen in modern crime fiction. Arthur Conan Doyle himself acknowledged Gaboriau’s influence when creating Holmes. Gaboriau’s blend of realism and suspense helped turn detective fiction into a worldwide phenomenon, yet his name is rarely mentioned outside literary circles.
Charles Felix (?-?) – Early Crime Fiction Innovator
Charles Felix is the mysterious author behind The Notting Hill Mystery, published anonymously in 1865 and now considered by some scholars to be the very first detective novel. Felix’s work introduced a complex plot involving murder, insurance fraud, and chemical poisonings, elements that would become staples of the genre. The narrative’s use of multiple documents—letters, diaries, and reports—was ahead of its time, creating a sense of realism and suspense. Felix’s innovative approach foreshadowed the modern crime thriller, making his forgotten masterpiece a hidden gem for fans of detective fiction.
George MacDonald (1824–1905) – Modern Fantasy’s Godfather
George MacDonald wrote stories that felt like dreams and parables in equal measure. His books, including Phantastes and Lilith, combined myth, fairy tale, and spiritual quest in ways no one had done before. MacDonald is often cited as the “godfather” of modern fantasy, directly inspiring C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Madeleine L’Engle. He believed that fantasy could express truths deeper than realism ever could—a radical idea at the time. MacDonald’s blending of magic, morality, and metaphysics gave fantasy its emotional and philosophical depth. His legacy lives on every time a story uses magical worlds to explore human longing and redemption.
William Morris (1834–1896) – Fantasy World-Builder
Before Middle-earth, there was the land of Morris. William Morris’s The Well at the World’s End created a fully realized secondary world, complete with its own geography, languages, and history. Morris, a designer and poet, infused his stories with romance, adventure, and a longing for a vanished past. His work laid the groundwork for the “secondary world” tradition that would define 20th-century fantasy. Morris’s blend of medievalism and innovation inspired Tolkien and other world-builders. Modern fantasy’s obsession with maps, invented languages, and epic quests can be traced directly to his pioneering spirit.
Lord Dunsany (1878–1957) – Dreamlike High Fantasy
Lord Dunsany’s tales are like stepping into a dream where gods and mortals mingle. His stories of Pegāna, written in the early 20th century, shimmer with poetic language and strange, haunting images. Dunsany’s influence on fantasy prose is legendary—H.P. Lovecraft revered him, and writers like Neil Gaiman cite him as an inspiration. He didn’t just imagine new worlds; he invented whole mythologies, complete with creation stories and pantheons. Dunsany’s lyrical, otherworldly style helped fantasy break free from realism, opening the door to the surreal and the sublime. His work is a reminder that fantasy can be as much about mood and music as it is about plot.
E. R. Eddison (1882–1945) – Epic Fantasy Stylings
E. R. Eddison’s The Worm Ouroboros is one of the great overlooked treasures of epic fantasy. Mixing the grandeur of Norse sagas with Shakespearean language and sprawling adventure, Eddison crafted a tale that feels both ancient and timeless. His work is filled with duels, quests, and tragic heroism. Eddison’s richly detailed world and elevated prose style influenced Tolkien and the entire sword-and-sorcery tradition. He showed that fantasy could be as ambitious and complex as any classical epic, setting a standard for world-building and myth-making that still challenges writers today.
Lafcadio Hearn (1850–1904) – Translating Japanese Horror & Folklore
Lafcadio Hearn was a wanderer who found a home in Japan and brought its ghostly tales to the West. His collection Kwaidan introduced English-speaking readers to Japanese kaidan—stories of restless spirits, vengeful apparitions, and haunted places. Hearn’s translations and adaptations were more than just spooky stories; they were cultural bridges, inviting Western readers to experience the beauty and terror of Japanese folklore. His work remains a key reference for anyone interested in cross-cultural horror. Hearn’s legacy endures in the way horror now freely borrows and blends traditions from around the world.
Arthur Machen (1863–1947) – Occult and Weird Fiction Master
Arthur Machen was fascinated by the hidden and the forbidden, weaving tales where the ordinary world is just a thin veil over cosmic terror. His most famous story, “The Great God Pan,” was considered so disturbing that it scandalized Victorian readers. Machen’s exploration of the occult, the mystical, and the unknown influenced H.P. Lovecraft and the entire genre of weird fiction. He believed that true horror lies in the things we can’t see or understand—a theme that has become a staple of modern supernatural tales. Machen’s stories are as unsettling now as they were over a century ago, proof of the enduring power of the uncanny.
William Hope Hodgson (1877–1918) – Weird Cosmic Horror
William Hope Hodgson’s stories are a wild fusion of science fiction, horror, and the supernatural. In The Night Land, he described a sunless future Earth stalked by monstrous entities—a vision so bleak and imaginative it still shocks readers today. His Carnacki the Ghost-Finder tales blended detective work with ghostly terror, inventing the occult detective subgenre. Hodgson’s cosmic horror anticipated themes later developed by Lovecraft, especially the idea that humanity is a fragile speck in a vast, indifferent universe. His work is a reminder that the weird and the cosmic are never far apart.
Baroness Orczy (1865–1947) – Masked Hero Archetype
Long before Batman or Zorro swung into action, Baroness Orczy’s Scarlet Pimpernel was donning a disguise to fight injustice. The Scarlet Pimpernel (1905) introduced readers to the masked hero with a secret identity—a trope that would become the backbone of superhero fiction. Orczy’s hero was clever, daring, and always one step ahead of his enemies. Her blend of suspense, romance, and swashbuckling adventure made the Pimpernel an instant sensation, inspiring countless imitators in literature, comics, and film. Orczy’s creation is the ancestor of every vigilante hero who hides behind a mask to save the day.
Edgar Wallace (1875–1932) – Proto-Action and Crime Thrillers
Edgar Wallace was the king of the pulp thriller, churning out dozens of novels filled with action, crime, and cliffhangers. His fast-paced plots and colorful villains set the pattern for the modern crime thriller. Wallace’s influence even reached Hollywood—he co-created the story for King Kong, blending adventure and horror in a way that thrilled millions. He was a master of the twist ending, keeping readers guessing until the very last page. Wallace’s knack for suspense and drama made him one of the most popular writers of his day, and his storytelling DNA can still be found in today’s action blockbusters and detective shows.
Besides founding Festivaltopia, Luca is the co founder of trib, an art and fashion collectiv you find on several regional events and online. Also he is part of the management board at HORiZONTE, a group travel provider in Germany.
