Dracula's Guest

Dracula's Guest is a short story by Bram Stoker, published after his death, that follows Jonathan Harker as he travels to Transylvania and encounters the terrors of Walpurgis Nacht. It was intended to be the opening section of Dracula but was unpublished until after Stoker's death.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 64 pages
Publication date: 28 October 2020
Publisher: Renard Press Ltd

Dracula, Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic vampire story, needs no introduction. It has been a perennial on syllabuses and screens alike, enchanting and enthralling generations. However, few of Dracula's fans have heard of Dracula's Guest, a short story following Jonathan Harker, as he makes his way to Transylvania and falls prey to Walpurgis Nacht terrors when he stops off in Munich. Unpublished until after Stoker's death, when it was collected in a volume of short stories by his widow Florence, who revealed that Stoker had intended for it to be the opening section of his great work, Dracula's Guest is the missing chapter that will captivate all fans of Stoker's dangers, from snow and wolves to night.

Introduction:
Dracula, penned by Bram Stoker in 1897, is a timeless Gothic vampire tale that has captured the hearts of audiences for generations. The story of Count Dracula from Transylvania has become a cultural icon, appearing in numerous films, TV shows, and literature adaptations. However, there is a lesser-known short story that follows Jonathan Harker, the protagonist of Dracula, as he travels to Transylvania and encounters the horrors of Walpurgis Nacht. This short story, titled "Dracula's Guest," was unpublished until after Stoker's death and was collected in a volume of short stories by his widow, Florence.

Background and Publication:
Dracula's Guest was written in the early 1890s, but it was not published until after Stoker's death in 1912. Stoker had intended for it to be the opening section of his great work, Dracula, but it was never included in the final version of the novel. It was only after his widow discovered the manuscript that it was published in 1927.

Plot and Characters:
The story follows Jonathan Harker, a young librarian who is hired by Count Dracula to catalogue his library in Transylvania. Harker travels to Transylvania, where he meets Dracula and his mysterious wife, Countess Elizabeth. As Harker begins his work, he begins to experience strange occurrences, including visions of vampires and the appearance of a mysterious woman named Mina Harker.

Walpurgis Nacht and the Terror:
One night, as Harker is staying in a hotel in Munich, he is attacked by a group of vampires. He is rescued by a mysterious woman named Van Helsing, who reveals that Harker has been caught up in the events of Walpurgis Nacht, a night when the boundaries between the living and the dead are blurred. Harker is taken to a monastery, where he is treated for his injuries and begins to recover.

Conclusion:
Dracula's Guest is a fascinating and chilling short story that adds depth to the world of Dracula. It explores the themes of horror, obsession, and the supernatural, and provides a glimpse into the mind of Bram Stoker, the author of the iconic vampire tale. While it may not be as well-known as Dracula, it is a must-read for fans of Stoker's work and anyone who enjoys a good horror story.

Weight: 82g
Dimension: 129 x 197 x 9 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781913724030