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Los poderes de la oscuridad
La versión perdida de ٰáܱ, que Bram Stoker reescribió con el primer traductor de la obra y a la vez editor en Islandia.
En 1900 el editor y escritor Valdimar Ásmundsson se propuso traducir, por primera vez en la historia, la que se convertiría en la gran obra de la literatura gótica: ٰáܱ, de Bram Stoker. Sin embargo, Ásmundsson no solo tradujo ٰáܱ sino que, con la ayuda del propio autor, escribió una versión distinta de la historia, con nuevos personajes y una trama totalmente reconstruida. Más corta, más oscura y más erótica, esta obra escrita a cuatro manos se tituló Makt Myrkranna (Los poderes de la oscuridad). Makt Myrkranna se publicó en Islandia en 1901 y contó con un prefacio de Bram Stoker, pero el texto permaneció perdido hasta que, en 2014, fue descubierto por el investigador Hans Corneel de Roos. Por fin ve la luz Los poderes de la oscuridad, la versión de ٰáܱ que reimaginaron Stoker y Ásmundsson y se escondía del mundo en Islandia... hasta ahora. Ampliamente anotada por De Roos, la presente edición proporciona al lector el fascinante contexto histórico, cultural y literario de uno de los clásicos indiscutibles de la literatura universal.
En 1900 el editor y escritor Valdimar Ásmundsson se propuso traducir, por primera vez en la historia, la que se convertiría en la gran obra de la literatura gótica: ٰáܱ, de Bram Stoker. Sin embargo, Ásmundsson no solo tradujo ٰáܱ sino que, con la ayuda del propio autor, escribió una versión distinta de la historia, con nuevos personajes y una trama totalmente reconstruida. Más corta, más oscura y más erótica, esta obra escrita a cuatro manos se tituló Makt Myrkranna (Los poderes de la oscuridad). Makt Myrkranna se publicó en Islandia en 1901 y contó con un prefacio de Bram Stoker, pero el texto permaneció perdido hasta que, en 2014, fue descubierto por el investigador Hans Corneel de Roos. Por fin ve la luz Los poderes de la oscuridad, la versión de ٰáܱ que reimaginaron Stoker y Ásmundsson y se escondía del mundo en Islandia... hasta ahora. Ampliamente anotada por De Roos, la presente edición proporciona al lector el fascinante contexto histórico, cultural y literario de uno de los clásicos indiscutibles de la literatura universal.
381 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1901
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 360 reviews
July 5, 2019
The first 2/3 are actually better than the opening part of Dracula. The horror, sexuality, and mystery are turned up and the Count is even more evil here. Indeed, he is a kind of violent social-Darwinist intent on spreading reactionary thought and undermining democracy, although that part remains in the background, almost as if to encourage a sequel.
Once the book leaves Castle Dracula it utterly falls apart and I am at a loss why Ásmundsson crammed so much into only 60 pages. Was he bored? At anyrate, the result is a book that dramatically falls apart in the final act. I have never seen anything like it. This is the Lusitania of novels. It is fast and lovely but when the end comes it is quick and terrible.
Once the book leaves Castle Dracula it utterly falls apart and I am at a loss why Ásmundsson crammed so much into only 60 pages. Was he bored? At anyrate, the result is a book that dramatically falls apart in the final act. I have never seen anything like it. This is the Lusitania of novels. It is fast and lovely but when the end comes it is quick and terrible.
September 14, 2021
Absolutely bonkers! The very idea that this book exists baffles and delights me!
In case you are confused: this is the English translation of the Icelandic translation of DRACULA.
Why, you ask?
Because 115 years after DRACULA was published in Icelandic, translated by Valdimar Asmundsson, someone realized that Valdimar had . . . taken certain liberties with the source text. Or, quite possibly, he had been given an earlier draft of DRACULA by Stoker. No one is 100% sure. What they are sure of is there is a Preface, signed by Stoker, at the beginning of Powers of Darkness, and that this book is v. v. different from the English DRACULA we all know and love.
How different?
Well, it's shorter. It's far more horrifying. And it's got a number of anecdotes that seem to be ripped from the Icelandic sagas in order to jazz up the storyline.
No, really.
This is no longer the story of Jonathan and Mina Harker, their love, and how they defeated Dracula to free Mina from his clutches. Rather it's the story of Thomas and Wilma Harker (my theory about the Thomas: Icelandic literature is big on alliteration, and "Thomas" would have provided more opportunities for that), and how Thomas spends months (and many pages) in Castle Dracula. Once he frees himself, is reunited with Wilma, they tell a friend about Dracula and he kills the guy. The end. Short, sweet, and to the point (pun intended).
The arguments for it being based on an earlier draft lie in the second half, which reads very much like an outline, and also has Mina and Lucy- Sorry: WILMA and LUCIA- meeting Dracula in the disguise of Count Szekely, introduced by Lucia's Uncle Morton, who appears and disappears from the text more suddenly than Dracula. Some of the changes (the lack of Renfield, but instead Seward goes mad after meeting the Count), seem to be indicated in notes or early drafts by Stoker. The serialized edition of Powers of Darkness (a line taken from Harker's journal) appears in an Icelandic paper only four years after the original publication in English, which is such a time crunch that you have to wonder how Valdimar could have gotten his hands on a complete copy of DRACULA, negotiated the foreign rights, and translated the lengthy novel in that short amount of time. It almost makes more sense that negotiations began earlier, and a less than complete draft was offered.
The arguments for the translator having taken matters into his own hands lie in the far more detailed descriptions of Castle Dracula- to the point where they are able to include a floor plan in this book, because the descriptions are so clear. And then there's the boobs. So many luscious white boobs! And then there's the underground naked vampire blood orgy.
You heard me.
I love DRACULA. And I loved this . . . And yes, do think that underground naked vampire blood orgies spice things up.
This was fascinating both as a book and as a literary mystery, and I am sure I'm going to be boring everyone I know to tears by talking about this for weeks to come!
In case you are confused: this is the English translation of the Icelandic translation of DRACULA.
Why, you ask?
Because 115 years after DRACULA was published in Icelandic, translated by Valdimar Asmundsson, someone realized that Valdimar had . . . taken certain liberties with the source text. Or, quite possibly, he had been given an earlier draft of DRACULA by Stoker. No one is 100% sure. What they are sure of is there is a Preface, signed by Stoker, at the beginning of Powers of Darkness, and that this book is v. v. different from the English DRACULA we all know and love.
How different?
Well, it's shorter. It's far more horrifying. And it's got a number of anecdotes that seem to be ripped from the Icelandic sagas in order to jazz up the storyline.
No, really.
This is no longer the story of Jonathan and Mina Harker, their love, and how they defeated Dracula to free Mina from his clutches. Rather it's the story of Thomas and Wilma Harker (my theory about the Thomas: Icelandic literature is big on alliteration, and "Thomas" would have provided more opportunities for that), and how Thomas spends months (and many pages) in Castle Dracula. Once he frees himself, is reunited with Wilma, they tell a friend about Dracula and he kills the guy. The end. Short, sweet, and to the point (pun intended).
The arguments for it being based on an earlier draft lie in the second half, which reads very much like an outline, and also has Mina and Lucy- Sorry: WILMA and LUCIA- meeting Dracula in the disguise of Count Szekely, introduced by Lucia's Uncle Morton, who appears and disappears from the text more suddenly than Dracula. Some of the changes (the lack of Renfield, but instead Seward goes mad after meeting the Count), seem to be indicated in notes or early drafts by Stoker. The serialized edition of Powers of Darkness (a line taken from Harker's journal) appears in an Icelandic paper only four years after the original publication in English, which is such a time crunch that you have to wonder how Valdimar could have gotten his hands on a complete copy of DRACULA, negotiated the foreign rights, and translated the lengthy novel in that short amount of time. It almost makes more sense that negotiations began earlier, and a less than complete draft was offered.
The arguments for the translator having taken matters into his own hands lie in the far more detailed descriptions of Castle Dracula- to the point where they are able to include a floor plan in this book, because the descriptions are so clear. And then there's the boobs. So many luscious white boobs! And then there's the underground naked vampire blood orgy.
You heard me.
I love DRACULA. And I loved this . . . And yes, do think that underground naked vampire blood orgies spice things up.
This was fascinating both as a book and as a literary mystery, and I am sure I'm going to be boring everyone I know to tears by talking about this for weeks to come!
October 2, 2023
For all who've read the classic by Bram Stoker, "Powers of Darkness" is the 1901 Icelandic translation of an unknown manuscript which wasn't discovered until 1986. It adds elements unseen in the other manuscripts and includes forwards from Dacre Stoker and Hans de Roos, the Dracula scholar who'd discovered it along with photos and illustrations including many of Dracula's castle. Countless footnotes fill the margins in order for the reader to have a sense of the sources.
The translated manuscript focuses on Thomas Harker rather than Jonathan from the popular version and the unique relationship he'd developed with the Count who appears with long gray hair and mustache. As expected, the Count misleads Harker about his daily routines in an effort to hide the truth. Their daily dialog is cordial, upbeat and detailed demonstrating the Count's expertise at deception. Harker had regular encounters with an alluring blonde girl while he explores the depths of the structure and in doing so, is exposed to 'pagan' ceremonies lead by the Count.
Rather than spoil the experience with specifics, suffice it to say that this is far and away different from the familiar version but gives valuable insight into the story's evolution. Having seen many recent reviews of Dracula from my GR friends, I suggest you add this to your list!
The translated manuscript focuses on Thomas Harker rather than Jonathan from the popular version and the unique relationship he'd developed with the Count who appears with long gray hair and mustache. As expected, the Count misleads Harker about his daily routines in an effort to hide the truth. Their daily dialog is cordial, upbeat and detailed demonstrating the Count's expertise at deception. Harker had regular encounters with an alluring blonde girl while he explores the depths of the structure and in doing so, is exposed to 'pagan' ceremonies lead by the Count.
Rather than spoil the experience with specifics, suffice it to say that this is far and away different from the familiar version but gives valuable insight into the story's evolution. Having seen many recent reviews of Dracula from my GR friends, I suggest you add this to your list!
May 25, 2017
Powers of Darkness is the version of Dracula found on the bookshelves (or in the databanks, as the case may be) of Star Trek’s Mirror Universe. Further evidence of how screwed up that parallel universe is.
Powers of Darkness was the product of Stoker’s collaboration with the author, an Icelander, apparently based on early notes and drafts of the Irishman’s classic novel. It is not an Icelandic Dracula translated back into English, however. At some point, Ásmundsson went off on his own tack to produce what we have here. The first part covers Harker’s (here “Thomas� not “Jonathan�) sojourn in Castle Dracula and includes far more background information and lurid detail. It illustrates, for me, what makes Stoker’s final version so much more interesting and powerful � “less is more.� Stoker’s Dracula is more terrifying in his mystery than Ásmundsson’s precisely because we Dz’t see him ripping young girls� throats out or presiding over Black Masses. We Dz’t get the background on his brides (in fact, we only get one bride in this version).
The second part, the events after Dracula reaches England, takes up the last third of the book, if that, and reads like chapter synopses and not a fleshed out story. Perhaps the author lost interest in his subject at that point?
If Stoker’s Dracula had remained a story along the lines of what’s found here, the Count would never have become the iconic figure he is, and the novel would be long forgotten except to experts in late Victorian gothic fiction. There is a certain interest in how this book came about, covered in the Introduction. And I confess to an interest in seeing the seeds from which Stoker created his vampire (akin to my interest in Christopher Tolkien’s History of Middle-earth volumes), but the story itself is lackluster and derivative and only serves to illustrate how much richer Stoker’s final product is.
Powers of Darkness was the product of Stoker’s collaboration with the author, an Icelander, apparently based on early notes and drafts of the Irishman’s classic novel. It is not an Icelandic Dracula translated back into English, however. At some point, Ásmundsson went off on his own tack to produce what we have here. The first part covers Harker’s (here “Thomas� not “Jonathan�) sojourn in Castle Dracula and includes far more background information and lurid detail. It illustrates, for me, what makes Stoker’s final version so much more interesting and powerful � “less is more.� Stoker’s Dracula is more terrifying in his mystery than Ásmundsson’s precisely because we Dz’t see him ripping young girls� throats out or presiding over Black Masses. We Dz’t get the background on his brides (in fact, we only get one bride in this version).
The second part, the events after Dracula reaches England, takes up the last third of the book, if that, and reads like chapter synopses and not a fleshed out story. Perhaps the author lost interest in his subject at that point?
If Stoker’s Dracula had remained a story along the lines of what’s found here, the Count would never have become the iconic figure he is, and the novel would be long forgotten except to experts in late Victorian gothic fiction. There is a certain interest in how this book came about, covered in the Introduction. And I confess to an interest in seeing the seeds from which Stoker created his vampire (akin to my interest in Christopher Tolkien’s History of Middle-earth volumes), but the story itself is lackluster and derivative and only serves to illustrate how much richer Stoker’s final product is.
October 15, 2020
3.5/5
Combine this with Stoker's Dracula and you have a hybrid vampire tale.
Combine this with Stoker's Dracula and you have a hybrid vampire tale.
August 18, 2019
I poteri delle Tenebre (Makt Myrkranna), la versione islandese ad opera di Valdimar Asmundsson del Dracula di Bram Stoker, non è una semplice traduzione del manoscritto dell’autore irlandese. Uscito nel 1900, tre anni dopo l’esordio del conte più affascinante della storia della letteratura, il libro nordico ne rappresenta una rielaborazione, una profonda riscrittura, che amplia il parterre di personaggi, cambia nomi, caratteri etc.., si svolge prevalentemente nello scorcio transilvano, presentando una seconda parte condensata e che abbandona la forma diaristica, lasciando il posto a un narratore onnisciente. “Il risultato è un romanzo più breve, più erotico e forse persino più ricco di suspense dell’originale�, dice la seconda di copertina. Non mi trovo completamente d’accordo con questa considerazione, ma posso affermare che questa riscoperta, e gli apparati critici ampi, rigorosi, accurati, il mistero che accompagna il manoscritto apparso a puntate sulla rivista settimanale “Fjallkonan� diretta dallo stesso Asmundsson (ha per caso, in qualche modo, Stoker contributo a questa versione islandese? La ricca introduzione spiega minuziosamente ipotesi e riscontri fattivi sorprendenti), contribuiscono a fornirci un prezioso documento letterario, ammantato da un fascino oscuro e sfidante.
June 27, 2022
Recensione originale:
Questo è un libro particolarissimo, che suscitò un certo interesse all’epoca della sua pubblicazione in Italia, nel 2019.
Cominciamo dall’inizio. È una traduzione italiana dall’inglese, a sua volta una traduzione dall’islandese, a sua volta una traduzione dallo svedese, a sua volta una traduzione dall’inglese. Vi sta girando la testa e non ci pensate per niente a prendere in mano questo libro neanche per errore? Fermatevi, non lasciatevi scappare un’opportunità e lasciatemi spiegare.
Il testo di base è di , che di certo non ha bisogno di presentazioni. Uscito nel 1897, nel 1899 fu tradotto in svedese, versione presa come base per la traduzione islandese uscita a puntate su un giornale locale nel 1900 e poi pubblicata in forma di libro nel 1901. A quanto pare, e per quanto possa sembrare incredibile, nessuno si era mai accorto, fino a qualche anno fa, che la traduzione islandese era ben lungi dall’essere una traduzione fedele dell’originale. Ma non si tratta di qualche libertà presasi dal traduttore, qualche licenza poetica o qualche errore. Non è solo il fatto che Jonathan Harker si chiama Thomas e Mina è Wilma, mentre Lucy Westenra è Lucia Western. È qualcosa che va molto più in profondità. è una riscrittura di . Probabilmente basata su appunti di Bram Stoker e probabilmente, addirittura, Stoker stesso ha in qualche modo collaborato con Valdimar per la scrittura di questo libro. Perciò, nel 2017 Hans Corneel de Roos decide di ritradurre in inglese questa peculiarissima edizione islandese, che ha solo preso spunto da quella svedese, così come ha solo preso spunto dall’originale.
Il testo è corredato da introduzione, prefazione, postfazione e oltre 400 note: una chicca per studiosi, ma anche un libro di grande interesse per tutti gli appassionati di (certamente, guardatevi bene dal leggere prima di aver letto , se proprio siete fra quei pochi che non lo hanno ancora letto).
Il romanzo di Valdimar prende a pienissime mani da quello di Stoker, ma non è lo stesso romanzo. Assolutamente. è molto più erotico e molto più dark (anche se, in quanto a sensualità dark, il battesimo di sangue di Mina per me rimane inarrivabile). La prima parte, quella dove Jonathan (qui Thomas) Harker racconta il proprio soggiorno al castello del conte Dracula, è molto più lunga dell’originale e vi sono numerose differenze. Per fare un esempio, Harker non incontra tre donne conturbanti ma una sola, bellissima donna, che vede più volte e con la quale ha incontri anche parecchio “ravvicinati�. Ma le differenze non si fermano certo qui. Il conte risulta estremamente più malevolo che nell’originale, per quanto certamente lo fosse già in origine.
La seconda parte invece è enormemente condensata (se vi interessa, de Roos indica anche la differenza quantitativa di parole tra l’originale e la “traduzione�) e sembra molto tirata via. È composta da alcuni capitoli di appena qualche pagina l’uno, dove tutto viene raccontato con grande rapidità e, verrebbe da dire, sciatteria, quasi. Renfield non compare, il dottor Seward finisce per impazzire, la stessa fine del conte è diversa da quella che ci ha dato Stoker. Diciamo pure che la seconda parte fa perdere numerosi punti al libro, mentre la prima è veramente interessante.
Per concludere, è un libro estremamente interessante per tutti gli appassionati di e potete scegliere di leggerlo come un semplice romanzo o come un inestimabile documento, seguendo tutte le 400 e passa note di de Roos. Per parte mia, sono felice di averlo letto, anche se è ovvio che il romanzo di Stoker resta inarrivabile.
Questo è un libro particolarissimo, che suscitò un certo interesse all’epoca della sua pubblicazione in Italia, nel 2019.
Cominciamo dall’inizio. È una traduzione italiana dall’inglese, a sua volta una traduzione dall’islandese, a sua volta una traduzione dallo svedese, a sua volta una traduzione dall’inglese. Vi sta girando la testa e non ci pensate per niente a prendere in mano questo libro neanche per errore? Fermatevi, non lasciatevi scappare un’opportunità e lasciatemi spiegare.
Il testo di base è di , che di certo non ha bisogno di presentazioni. Uscito nel 1897, nel 1899 fu tradotto in svedese, versione presa come base per la traduzione islandese uscita a puntate su un giornale locale nel 1900 e poi pubblicata in forma di libro nel 1901. A quanto pare, e per quanto possa sembrare incredibile, nessuno si era mai accorto, fino a qualche anno fa, che la traduzione islandese era ben lungi dall’essere una traduzione fedele dell’originale. Ma non si tratta di qualche libertà presasi dal traduttore, qualche licenza poetica o qualche errore. Non è solo il fatto che Jonathan Harker si chiama Thomas e Mina è Wilma, mentre Lucy Westenra è Lucia Western. È qualcosa che va molto più in profondità. è una riscrittura di . Probabilmente basata su appunti di Bram Stoker e probabilmente, addirittura, Stoker stesso ha in qualche modo collaborato con Valdimar per la scrittura di questo libro. Perciò, nel 2017 Hans Corneel de Roos decide di ritradurre in inglese questa peculiarissima edizione islandese, che ha solo preso spunto da quella svedese, così come ha solo preso spunto dall’originale.
Il testo è corredato da introduzione, prefazione, postfazione e oltre 400 note: una chicca per studiosi, ma anche un libro di grande interesse per tutti gli appassionati di (certamente, guardatevi bene dal leggere prima di aver letto , se proprio siete fra quei pochi che non lo hanno ancora letto).
Il romanzo di Valdimar prende a pienissime mani da quello di Stoker, ma non è lo stesso romanzo. Assolutamente. è molto più erotico e molto più dark (anche se, in quanto a sensualità dark, il battesimo di sangue di Mina per me rimane inarrivabile). La prima parte, quella dove Jonathan (qui Thomas) Harker racconta il proprio soggiorno al castello del conte Dracula, è molto più lunga dell’originale e vi sono numerose differenze. Per fare un esempio, Harker non incontra tre donne conturbanti ma una sola, bellissima donna, che vede più volte e con la quale ha incontri anche parecchio “ravvicinati�. Ma le differenze non si fermano certo qui. Il conte risulta estremamente più malevolo che nell’originale, per quanto certamente lo fosse già in origine.
La seconda parte invece è enormemente condensata (se vi interessa, de Roos indica anche la differenza quantitativa di parole tra l’originale e la “traduzione�) e sembra molto tirata via. È composta da alcuni capitoli di appena qualche pagina l’uno, dove tutto viene raccontato con grande rapidità e, verrebbe da dire, sciatteria, quasi. Renfield non compare, il dottor Seward finisce per impazzire, la stessa fine del conte è diversa da quella che ci ha dato Stoker. Diciamo pure che la seconda parte fa perdere numerosi punti al libro, mentre la prima è veramente interessante.
Per concludere, è un libro estremamente interessante per tutti gli appassionati di e potete scegliere di leggerlo come un semplice romanzo o come un inestimabile documento, seguendo tutte le 400 e passa note di de Roos. Per parte mia, sono felice di averlo letto, anche se è ovvio che il romanzo di Stoker resta inarrivabile.
September 10, 2020
El libro está lleno de paja. Trae muchísima información respecto a cómo se hicieron con el manuscrito y las cuarenta mil justificaciones de porqué creen que lo escribo Stoker. Muchas páginas aburridas después, llegas a la primera parte de la historia, la cual he de admitir que disfruté. Tiene detalles diferentes al original, aunque no cambia en mucho su esencia. Nota aparte merecen los pies de página, interminables, aburridos e innecesarios; muchos de ellos respecto a la traducción del islandés. Sin embargo, al llegar a la segunda parte se acaba el encanto. Abandonan por completo la forma epistolar y yo no encuentro ni una pincelada del libro original. De manera rápida, tajante, ridícula y casi risoria, vencen a ٰáܱ. Es como un resumen escrito por un niño de secundaria, al que se le olvidó que tenía que entregar el trabajo del libro y lo hace en la clase anterior.
Me decepcionó, aunque hay algunos detalles que valen la pena.
Me decepcionó, aunque hay algunos detalles que valen la pena.
February 10, 2018
¿Qué decir de ٰáܱ? Pues vale con tan solo considerarlo en mi top3 de todos los libros leído en mi vida. Me marco. Esa forma tan original de estar escrita, la ambientación oscura y un personaje muy carismático. Es la perfección. Mucho tiempo que deseaba su relectura, la aparición de esta novedad, supuestamente la historia de ٰáܱ modificada por otro autor, no dude.
Nos encontramos ante un libro con de 380 página, con más de 100 de análisis y ensayo de otros autores contemporáneos sobre la obra. La historia se queda en 280 página con más de 2/3 desarrollado en el castillo (para mí la mejor parte de ٰáܱ), con un final muy prematuro. Profusamente anotado.
La historia en el castillo es muy parecida a la original, no sabría decir cual es mejor. Ya solo por eso merece la pena. Sí es cierto que el último tercio es muy flojo y se nota mucha prisa por acabar.
Nos encontramos ante un libro con de 380 página, con más de 100 de análisis y ensayo de otros autores contemporáneos sobre la obra. La historia se queda en 280 página con más de 2/3 desarrollado en el castillo (para mí la mejor parte de ٰáܱ), con un final muy prematuro. Profusamente anotado.
La historia en el castillo es muy parecida a la original, no sabría decir cual es mejor. Ya solo por eso merece la pena. Sí es cierto que el último tercio es muy flojo y se nota mucha prisa por acabar.
October 24, 2020
Sin duda alguna “Los poderes de la oscuridad� es un libro imprescindible de leer para los amantes de la obra “ٰáܱ� e, incluso, a los interesados en las novelas góticas y las curiosidades literarias. Y es que estamos ante una versión del libro que surgió en Islandia de la mano del autor Valdimar Ásmundsson, y que llama la atención por las diferencias que tiene con la original y sus coincidencias con el primer borrador de la obra de Stoker. De esto, y de como pudo surgir este proyecto, es de lo que se ocupa el prologo, muy interesante y solo por el cual compensa leer este libro.
El libro se divide en dos partes: la primera abarca las escenas más icónicas de la novela original, concernientes a la estancia del abogado Jonathan Harker (que en la versión islandesa es renombrado Thomas Harker) en el castillo del conde ٰáܱ en Transilvania, y los horrores de los que es testigo. Esta parte es la más extensa de la presente novela (e incluso podríamos decir que es la novela propiamente dicha, como luego precisaremos) y también la alarga respecto al original, al cual mejora en dos aspectos: por un lado, hay más escenas oscuras o tenebrosas, y se incide más en ellas. Esto es todo un acierto, ya que de si de algo peca el libro original es que muchas veces pasa de puntillas por estas escenas, como si quisiera sacárselas de encima rápido, cuando es precisamente lo que busca el lector. Y en segundo lugar, se incide más en la personalidad y las intenciones del conde ٰáܱ, cuando en el original era, a grandes rasgos, un personaje marginal que quedaba envuelto en brumas muchas veces, y eso que la historia giraba entorno a su persona.
Pero el gran problema de “Los poderes de la oscuridad� viene cuando se llega a su segunda parte. Aquí parece que el autor tiene prisa por acabar la historia, la narración y los acontecimientos se precipitan de una manera bestial, muchos de los sucesos o temas más importantes de la novela original (Y que en la misma eran muy importantes, o incluso vitales) son tratados en apenas unas pocas líneas y apenas se profundiza en ellos, o directamente se obvian. Para empezar, la narración pasa de ser sacada de diarios, cartas, fragmentos periodísticos, o grabaciones ; a ser todo narrado por un narrador omnisciente, lo cual, a mi modo de ver, es un error, ya que esa forma de contar la trama era uno uno de los puntos fuertes del libro de Stoker, porque le daba mucho realismo y consistencia como narración. Aquí esto se pierde totalmente al pasarse a una forma narrativa más convencional. Por otra parte, con las prisas los personajes pierden toda su individualidad y no son apenas esbozados psicológicamente,lo cual es una pena ya que en el libro original esto no sucedía, te podían gustar más o menos como eran tratados, pero eran caracteres muy individualizados y muy bien esbozados. Y por último, señalar que con las prisas Ásmundsson pierde una oportunidad de oro de usar las diferencias y novedades que su novela puede aportar a la obra del vampiro más famoso de la historia, como por ejemplo los planes del Conde para dominar el mundo, sus intervenciones en la sociedad victoriana de la época, la aparición de nuevos personajes como la condesa o los detectives que ayudan en su caza y captura, y la locura del doctor Seward.
Por otra parte hay que señalar, como he dicho antes, que la edición del libro es muy buena y esta muy cuidada, ya que tiene un prólogo realmente interesante y muy completo, en el cual su autor se ocupa de todos los temas más interesantes e importantes que puedes encontrar en esta novela y sus diferencias y su nexo de union en relación con la original. También resulta muy interesante que al final de susodicho prólogo haya un plano y unas notas donde te expliquen bien cómo es el castillo del conde ٰáܱ. Pero si tuviera que ponerle un pero es que hay demasiadas notas , no al pie de página ya que se encuentran a un lado de la misma, y que aportan muchas curiosidades que permiten conocer mejor lo que se lee y la importancia del idioma islandés en lo que se que quiere decir en la historia, pero que ralentizan mucho la narración.
Sin duda alguna si eres fan de la novela de Bran Stoker, “Los poderes de la oscuridad� es un libro que debes leer si o sí, ya que resulta muy interesante para conocer el impacto que tuvo esta novela desde prácticamente sus inicios y como se ha convertido en algo vital dentro de lo que la historia de la literatura universal.
El libro se divide en dos partes: la primera abarca las escenas más icónicas de la novela original, concernientes a la estancia del abogado Jonathan Harker (que en la versión islandesa es renombrado Thomas Harker) en el castillo del conde ٰáܱ en Transilvania, y los horrores de los que es testigo. Esta parte es la más extensa de la presente novela (e incluso podríamos decir que es la novela propiamente dicha, como luego precisaremos) y también la alarga respecto al original, al cual mejora en dos aspectos: por un lado, hay más escenas oscuras o tenebrosas, y se incide más en ellas. Esto es todo un acierto, ya que de si de algo peca el libro original es que muchas veces pasa de puntillas por estas escenas, como si quisiera sacárselas de encima rápido, cuando es precisamente lo que busca el lector. Y en segundo lugar, se incide más en la personalidad y las intenciones del conde ٰáܱ, cuando en el original era, a grandes rasgos, un personaje marginal que quedaba envuelto en brumas muchas veces, y eso que la historia giraba entorno a su persona.
Pero el gran problema de “Los poderes de la oscuridad� viene cuando se llega a su segunda parte. Aquí parece que el autor tiene prisa por acabar la historia, la narración y los acontecimientos se precipitan de una manera bestial, muchos de los sucesos o temas más importantes de la novela original (Y que en la misma eran muy importantes, o incluso vitales) son tratados en apenas unas pocas líneas y apenas se profundiza en ellos, o directamente se obvian. Para empezar, la narración pasa de ser sacada de diarios, cartas, fragmentos periodísticos, o grabaciones ; a ser todo narrado por un narrador omnisciente, lo cual, a mi modo de ver, es un error, ya que esa forma de contar la trama era uno uno de los puntos fuertes del libro de Stoker, porque le daba mucho realismo y consistencia como narración. Aquí esto se pierde totalmente al pasarse a una forma narrativa más convencional. Por otra parte, con las prisas los personajes pierden toda su individualidad y no son apenas esbozados psicológicamente,lo cual es una pena ya que en el libro original esto no sucedía, te podían gustar más o menos como eran tratados, pero eran caracteres muy individualizados y muy bien esbozados. Y por último, señalar que con las prisas Ásmundsson pierde una oportunidad de oro de usar las diferencias y novedades que su novela puede aportar a la obra del vampiro más famoso de la historia, como por ejemplo los planes del Conde para dominar el mundo, sus intervenciones en la sociedad victoriana de la época, la aparición de nuevos personajes como la condesa o los detectives que ayudan en su caza y captura, y la locura del doctor Seward.
Por otra parte hay que señalar, como he dicho antes, que la edición del libro es muy buena y esta muy cuidada, ya que tiene un prólogo realmente interesante y muy completo, en el cual su autor se ocupa de todos los temas más interesantes e importantes que puedes encontrar en esta novela y sus diferencias y su nexo de union en relación con la original. También resulta muy interesante que al final de susodicho prólogo haya un plano y unas notas donde te expliquen bien cómo es el castillo del conde ٰáܱ. Pero si tuviera que ponerle un pero es que hay demasiadas notas , no al pie de página ya que se encuentran a un lado de la misma, y que aportan muchas curiosidades que permiten conocer mejor lo que se lee y la importancia del idioma islandés en lo que se que quiere decir en la historia, pero que ralentizan mucho la narración.
Sin duda alguna si eres fan de la novela de Bran Stoker, “Los poderes de la oscuridad� es un libro que debes leer si o sí, ya que resulta muy interesante para conocer el impacto que tuvo esta novela desde prácticamente sus inicios y como se ha convertido en algo vital dentro de lo que la historia de la literatura universal.
March 29, 2017
I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this book.
The rating is 3 stars for the novel Powers of Darkness but 5 stars on the historical information in the preface.
What can you say when you find all the prefacing information more interesting than the book itself? The first 67 pages of this book are filled with a wealth of information about Stoker and the original skeleton of the novel Dracula (some marked changes by the time of its publication in 1897!) and the fact that Stoker appears to have shared this outline with Icelandic writer Ásmundsson. I found this backstory to be far more interesting than the actual "translation," which is, in fact, a complete rewriting of the story of Jonathan Harker and Count Dracula. To give an example, while most of Stoker's book takes place in England, after Harker returns from his terrifying adventure in Transylvania, in Ásmundsson's hands 85% of his "translation" takes place in Transylvania, where Harper is entertained not just by the Count but by a single very seductive female vampire. So many changes from Stoker's actual book! Human sacrifices, housekeepers, ritual rooms, it goes on and on. Some of these are in Stoker's original outline, but Stoker changed or eliminated them in his final draft of Dracula (which I reread recently, prior to reading Powers of Darkness). But it appears that Ásmundsson never got the memo about the changes and just improvised his own story. For many years, this Icelandic translation stood in for Dracula! Powers of Darkness isn't even told in an epistolary form, which some may count as an improvement, but is rather told from the first person standpoint of Harker (here Thomas rather than Jonathan) or an omniscient narrator. Ásmundsson's is a shorter book, in some ways more darkly gothic. I felt Powers of Darkness lacked the wonderful character development and voicing of Stoker's Dracula. Say what you will about the epistolary style, but when well done, you really know the characters.
One thing I found rather fascinating about the backstory of Dracula was the impact that the Jack the Ripper murders may have played in how the Stoker book was received in its day. Also interesting was how Stoker's failing to copyright the book in the US led to far more interest because of the plethora of unauthorized adaptations for film and stage. All of which always led fans back to his original book. It is ironic to think that Powers of Darkness was, of course, the first of these adaptations.
The rating is 3 stars for the novel Powers of Darkness but 5 stars on the historical information in the preface.
What can you say when you find all the prefacing information more interesting than the book itself? The first 67 pages of this book are filled with a wealth of information about Stoker and the original skeleton of the novel Dracula (some marked changes by the time of its publication in 1897!) and the fact that Stoker appears to have shared this outline with Icelandic writer Ásmundsson. I found this backstory to be far more interesting than the actual "translation," which is, in fact, a complete rewriting of the story of Jonathan Harker and Count Dracula. To give an example, while most of Stoker's book takes place in England, after Harker returns from his terrifying adventure in Transylvania, in Ásmundsson's hands 85% of his "translation" takes place in Transylvania, where Harper is entertained not just by the Count but by a single very seductive female vampire. So many changes from Stoker's actual book! Human sacrifices, housekeepers, ritual rooms, it goes on and on. Some of these are in Stoker's original outline, but Stoker changed or eliminated them in his final draft of Dracula (which I reread recently, prior to reading Powers of Darkness). But it appears that Ásmundsson never got the memo about the changes and just improvised his own story. For many years, this Icelandic translation stood in for Dracula! Powers of Darkness isn't even told in an epistolary form, which some may count as an improvement, but is rather told from the first person standpoint of Harker (here Thomas rather than Jonathan) or an omniscient narrator. Ásmundsson's is a shorter book, in some ways more darkly gothic. I felt Powers of Darkness lacked the wonderful character development and voicing of Stoker's Dracula. Say what you will about the epistolary style, but when well done, you really know the characters.
One thing I found rather fascinating about the backstory of Dracula was the impact that the Jack the Ripper murders may have played in how the Stoker book was received in its day. Also interesting was how Stoker's failing to copyright the book in the US led to far more interest because of the plethora of unauthorized adaptations for film and stage. All of which always led fans back to his original book. It is ironic to think that Powers of Darkness was, of course, the first of these adaptations.
January 15, 2023
Quella col Conte in persona è sempre un'esperienza, e questa non è meno estasiante dell'originale.
Il soggiorno nel castello di Jonathan/Thomas Harker più ricco di dettagli e suspence; più veloce e didascalica la seconda parte, ma non senza suspense ed atmosfere gotiche, oltre che personaggi interessanti e situazioni addirittura create appositamente per il pubblico islandese. Come han fatto a non accorgersi di nulla per ottant'anni resterà uno dei grandi misteri dell'umanità.
Non leggetelo senza aver toccato il capolavoro di Bram. Adesso gradirei un morsetto alla gola, sì, proprio qui.
Il soggiorno nel castello di Jonathan/Thomas Harker più ricco di dettagli e suspence; più veloce e didascalica la seconda parte, ma non senza suspense ed atmosfere gotiche, oltre che personaggi interessanti e situazioni addirittura create appositamente per il pubblico islandese. Come han fatto a non accorgersi di nulla per ottant'anni resterà uno dei grandi misteri dell'umanità.
Non leggetelo senza aver toccato il capolavoro di Bram. Adesso gradirei un morsetto alla gola, sì, proprio qui.
October 19, 2022
I have read Bram Stokers Dracula a few times so when I was told about this book I got very excited. It’s rare when a manuscript from one of the world’s most notorious storytellers is “found� but was published, has been around, and read for over a hundred years and no one realized how different it was. This version of Dracula was in Icelandic and therefore no one paid much heed to it, until 1986 when Hans Corneel Del Roos (a good friend of Dacre Stoker) notices that the preface was not the only thing different�
This book will take you through a history of how the Makt Myrkranna was newly discovered and how a new version was translated and the mysteries behind how this may have come about. If you are a Dracula fan than this is a must read for you. I just couldn’t put this book down!
This book will take you through a history of how the Makt Myrkranna was newly discovered and how a new version was translated and the mysteries behind how this may have come about. If you are a Dracula fan than this is a must read for you. I just couldn’t put this book down!
October 22, 2018
The introduction giving the assumed backstory of this version got a bit long & unwieldy. I often don't enjoy reading the intros of books first because I find they often give too many spoilers of the story &/or don't make a lot of sense in what they are referring to because you (the reader) don't yet know the story & the framing around it. In this case, though, I felt it was important to read the intro so that I would have the proper background of the story going in (plus I already know the story of Dracula). I think the intro could have been shortened & parts perhaps put into an appendix instead. Minor quibbles, I know.
As for the story itself.... It's been a few years since I have read the original version of Dracula. This one is definitely different in quite a few ways & there are some intriguing changes. Here, the footnotes are excellent & very informative, just as fascinating as the story itself in many cases. This Icelandic version spends the bulk of the story focusing on Harker's stay/imprisonment at Dracula's castle; the second part of the story is almost a Cliff Notes version of the original -- an outline with a page or two for many of the major plot points that happen in England, but nothing more. So it's kind of a weird, off-kilter variation on the Dracula mythos.
In an interesting twist, I found an .
Definitely worth a read for Dracula fans, if just for the comparison/contrast of it all. Would also be of interest for those with an interest in the Icelandic language as some of the footnotes go into specific detail regarding grammar, alliteration, etc., along with comparisons to similar structure in other Nordic languages.
It was fun to add this one to my ever-growing list of Dracula-related books.
As for the story itself.... It's been a few years since I have read the original version of Dracula. This one is definitely different in quite a few ways & there are some intriguing changes. Here, the footnotes are excellent & very informative, just as fascinating as the story itself in many cases. This Icelandic version spends the bulk of the story focusing on Harker's stay/imprisonment at Dracula's castle; the second part of the story is almost a Cliff Notes version of the original -- an outline with a page or two for many of the major plot points that happen in England, but nothing more. So it's kind of a weird, off-kilter variation on the Dracula mythos.
In an interesting twist, I found an .
Definitely worth a read for Dracula fans, if just for the comparison/contrast of it all. Would also be of interest for those with an interest in the Icelandic language as some of the footnotes go into specific detail regarding grammar, alliteration, etc., along with comparisons to similar structure in other Nordic languages.
It was fun to add this one to my ever-growing list of Dracula-related books.
January 22, 2021
Cuando vi este libro me enamoré del nombre, la portada y la sinopsis, siendo brutalmente atraída por "La versión perdida de ٰáܱ , que Bram Stoker reescribió con el primer traductor de la obra y a la vez editor en Islandia."
Estaba súper emocionada de leerla, pero a medida que entraba en las páginas y quería rememorar las aventuras de Jonathan, me di cuenta que estaba equivocada. Si bien el libro tiene algunos fragmentos diferentes a la historia que conocemos, también tiene mucha información gracias a los comentarios del autor y a todos los detalles sobre el castillo que nos entregan.
Esto para mí es bastante abrumador y hace que mi lectura no sea amena. Por eso no pude disfrutarlo y por ende no fui capaz de terminarlo. Preferí dárselo a una amiga , la cuál espero lo haya disfrutado más que yo.
Creo que un libro para fans o para personas que aman tener un conocimiento extra. Así que lo recomiendo si entran en alguna de estas categorías.
Aleri
Estaba súper emocionada de leerla, pero a medida que entraba en las páginas y quería rememorar las aventuras de Jonathan, me di cuenta que estaba equivocada. Si bien el libro tiene algunos fragmentos diferentes a la historia que conocemos, también tiene mucha información gracias a los comentarios del autor y a todos los detalles sobre el castillo que nos entregan.
Esto para mí es bastante abrumador y hace que mi lectura no sea amena. Por eso no pude disfrutarlo y por ende no fui capaz de terminarlo. Preferí dárselo a una amiga , la cuál espero lo haya disfrutado más que yo.
Creo que un libro para fans o para personas que aman tener un conocimiento extra. Así que lo recomiendo si entran en alguna de estas categorías.
Aleri
October 9, 2020
I thought this was very interesting. The actual story is unevenly paced. It feels rushed, like someone told him he had to wrap it up in a week. It was cool to see the text go from English to Icelandic and back. It feels like Dracula from an alternate reality.
September 2, 2022
Allora: gli islandesi hanno letto per decenni una versione di Dracula che non corrisponde a quella pubblicata nel resto d'Europa (ma c'è ancora la questione della Svezia, sarebbe da approfondire).
I poveracci si sono persi tutta la parte londinese, ma hanno guadagnato una dettagliata cronaca della vita di Harker come ospite del conte.
Francamente mi piacerebbe una crasi tra la versione inglese e quella islandese, il Dracula del castello e i suoi servitori sono personaggi molto interessanti!
I poveracci si sono persi tutta la parte londinese, ma hanno guadagnato una dettagliata cronaca della vita di Harker come ospite del conte.
Francamente mi piacerebbe una crasi tra la versione inglese e quella islandese, il Dracula del castello e i suoi servitori sono personaggi molto interessanti!
February 23, 2025
Íslensk þýðing á Dracula frá 1901 þar sem höfundur tók sér hressilegt skáldaleyfi. Uppgötvaðist 100+ árum seinna þegar fleiri Íslendingar lærðu ensku. Ótrúlega fyndið dæmi. Mér líður smá eins og hann hafi logið á ferilskránni og svo verið fengið þetta verkefni og ákveðið að bulla sig út úr því. Útkoman er saga sem er mjög lík Dracula en samt alls ekki. Miklu styttri líka og endar mjög stuttaralega, kannski nennti hann ekki að klára að þýða?
September 25, 2020
Other than the rushed ending, this is honestly better than Dracula. Combine the entire Castle scene in this book, plus the England stuff in Dracula and you have a great novel.
May 22, 2020
I came across a Twitter thing about this book,
about how it was like a fan-fic versionof Dracula that was shorter, more erotica, punchier, and more suspenseful than the original.
I HAD to read it.
So I did.
And, omg, guys, it was SO DISAPPOINTING!
It was not more erotic. (Ok, maybe a little. And a mean, like, a very little.)
It was shorter, so there is that.
It was NOT punchier or more suspensful.
It was BORING.
Most of the book is "Thomas" Harker at castle Dracula, and after that it's, like, a synopsis of a plot rather than an actual plot. It literally sounded like I was reading from Cliff Notes instead of reading the actual story.
"This happened, and then this happened, and then that happened, and she did this, and they did that, and then it was over."
There was absolutely NOTHING about Dracula even meeting Mina (called Wilma in this version). We barely see Dracula and Lucy - it's more mentioned in passing than anything.
And the end confrontation was sooooo anticlimactic. I kept turned the page thinking there must be more, but nope.
I am so disappointed.
Honestly, just stick with the movies. Or the BBC/Netflix mini-series. That was weird, but at least it was cool.
about how it was like a fan-fic versionof Dracula that was shorter, more erotica, punchier, and more suspenseful than the original.
I HAD to read it.
So I did.
And, omg, guys, it was SO DISAPPOINTING!
It was not more erotic. (Ok, maybe a little. And a mean, like, a very little.)
It was shorter, so there is that.
It was NOT punchier or more suspensful.
It was BORING.
Most of the book is "Thomas" Harker at castle Dracula, and after that it's, like, a synopsis of a plot rather than an actual plot. It literally sounded like I was reading from Cliff Notes instead of reading the actual story.
"This happened, and then this happened, and then that happened, and she did this, and they did that, and then it was over."
There was absolutely NOTHING about Dracula even meeting Mina (called Wilma in this version). We barely see Dracula and Lucy - it's more mentioned in passing than anything.
And the end confrontation was sooooo anticlimactic. I kept turned the page thinking there must be more, but nope.
I am so disappointed.
Honestly, just stick with the movies. Or the BBC/Netflix mini-series. That was weird, but at least it was cool.
Want to read
August 30, 2022The story behind this is absolutely wild; wish I could find a copy for under 30 bucks.
My library system has this, let's goooo!! Hope it gets here in time for Halloween!!
My library system has this, let's goooo!! Hope it gets here in time for Halloween!!
November 20, 2022
This is a review of the Swedish version, not to be confused with the Icelandic one.
After I found out about this (after Makt Myrkranna, which I also want to read sometime), I figured I had to read it since I speak Swedish - so I ordered a copy. Was surprised to see that it's twice as long as Dracula! This edition has two-column pages, and less natural breaks, so it was a bit hard to read.
Plotwise it's also very different. I'd say only part 2 out of the 4 parts is the most similar to the Dracula novel that we know and love. That part also still has changes. Part 1 is a super extended stay in Draculitz' castle, we do already know that Harker (here Thomas AKA Tom) stayed there for a month, but in the English novel that part is only 4 chapters long, here it's 100 pages (without chapters).
Part 3 is very different, I liked how Mina (here Vilma) seems more independent and smarter than in the English version, while Harker seems a bit dumber, haha. This part was very long though, Jack Seward's bit in this part drags on for quite a while. Which leaves part 4 a measly 40 pages at the end, so the ending felt very abrupt and rushed.
Some of the additions in this I really liked, but some also made it drag, as it was just so long and rambling. So if Dracula had been a combination of this and what it actually became, I would have been very satisfied! I would only recommend this for hardcore Dracula fans, it's quite hard to get through, and probably not worth it for casual fans, especially those who struggled with the English one. I imagine the Icelandic version is more accessible though, as that is much shorter.
After I found out about this (after Makt Myrkranna, which I also want to read sometime), I figured I had to read it since I speak Swedish - so I ordered a copy. Was surprised to see that it's twice as long as Dracula! This edition has two-column pages, and less natural breaks, so it was a bit hard to read.
Plotwise it's also very different. I'd say only part 2 out of the 4 parts is the most similar to the Dracula novel that we know and love. That part also still has changes. Part 1 is a super extended stay in Draculitz' castle, we do already know that Harker (here Thomas AKA Tom) stayed there for a month, but in the English novel that part is only 4 chapters long, here it's 100 pages (without chapters).
Part 3 is very different, I liked how Mina (here Vilma) seems more independent and smarter than in the English version, while Harker seems a bit dumber, haha. This part was very long though, Jack Seward's bit in this part drags on for quite a while. Which leaves part 4 a measly 40 pages at the end, so the ending felt very abrupt and rushed.
Some of the additions in this I really liked, but some also made it drag, as it was just so long and rambling. So if Dracula had been a combination of this and what it actually became, I would have been very satisfied! I would only recommend this for hardcore Dracula fans, it's quite hard to get through, and probably not worth it for casual fans, especially those who struggled with the English one. I imagine the Icelandic version is more accessible though, as that is much shorter.
Read
November 25, 2024Ókei. Sko. Ég hafði ekki heyrt af því áður hvað íslenska útgáfan er ólík þeirri ensku. Ég las þessa bók fyrir tíu árum, á því sem ég hélt að væri íslenska en veit núna að var enska. Beið óþolinmóð eftir mínum manni Van Helsing meiri hluta bókarinnar og uppáhaldsatriðunum mínum með mömmu Lucy. Kemur í ljós að Van Helsing er PÍNKU LÍTIÐ HLUTVERK og atriðin með mömmu Lucy eru ekki í þessari útgáfu vegna þess að Valdimar Ásmundsson SKRIFAÐI BÓKINA SVO GOTT SEM UPP Á NÝTT. Vissu þetta allir bara? Jæja. Ég viðurkenni að ég hlustaði á hana með hálfum huga vegna þess að ég var alltaf að bíða eftir actioninu og að bréf og bækur Jonathans hættu. Þannig ég tók til dæmis ekki eftir neinum vísunum í Íslendingasögurnar sem Wikipedia heldur fram að séu í þessari útgáfu. Það var ekki fyrr en svona þremur dögum eftir að ég kláraði hana, MJÖG RUGLUÐ Í RÍMINU NOTABENE, sem ég komst að því hvað sögurnar eru ólíkar.
Ég veit ekki hvað mér finnst en ég sakna mömmu Lucy. Óræðar stjörnur af fimm.
Ég veit ekki hvað mér finnst en ég sakna mömmu Lucy. Óræðar stjörnur af fimm.
September 9, 2022
4* for the entire experience, maybe less If we only consider this rendition of the story. Reading an alternative version of Dracula, either an early draft or the creative decisions of the Islandic translator, was purely fascinating.
The part at Castle Dracula is atmospheric and threatening, very well written and pretty expensive compared to the original novel. The little bit after that reads more like some notes Bram wrote thinking "I need to remember to put all of this in my book". This leaves the novel feeling incomplete, making me wonder why not just to end after Harker's time at the castle.
The non-fiction part of this, information about translator and author plus speculations of how this work came to be, was probably the highlight for me. It was written in a way that drew me in and I already love "making of" stories.
The part at Castle Dracula is atmospheric and threatening, very well written and pretty expensive compared to the original novel. The little bit after that reads more like some notes Bram wrote thinking "I need to remember to put all of this in my book". This leaves the novel feeling incomplete, making me wonder why not just to end after Harker's time at the castle.
The non-fiction part of this, information about translator and author plus speculations of how this work came to be, was probably the highlight for me. It was written in a way that drew me in and I already love "making of" stories.
January 1, 2023
Power of Darkness is more than just a translation or an alternate take on Dracula. This annotated edition is for scholarly-minded reader, with background information and notes about Bram Stoker, the time he lived in (eco- and cultural-tourism were all the rage, though no one had coined those terms yet), and the changes to the Dracula tale that Stoker, himself, approved for the Icelandic edition.
If you skip the various introductions and history, the story is still good, thought the ending is more rushed than the original. I saw this as Stoker taking the opportunity to expand the early segments of his tale, building his world and character backgrounds. It made me wonder what other variants were out there, waiting to be discovered.
If you skip the various introductions and history, the story is still good, thought the ending is more rushed than the original. I saw this as Stoker taking the opportunity to expand the early segments of his tale, building his world and character backgrounds. It made me wonder what other variants were out there, waiting to be discovered.
May 17, 2020
What's fantastic about this isn't the book itself (though the book is very engaging, despite it's flaws) what's fantastic is that the book exists and the wonderful mystery and implications it brings to Dracula as a text and Stoker as an author. It's delightful, I love it.
April 23, 2021
Una edición muy interesante basada en la traducción (o no) islandesa de ٰáܱ. Otro punto de vista del mito más centrada en la primera parte (la estancia en el castillo) y con una segunda parte solamente esbozada.
Lo de las notas a pie es una locura, más de cuatrocientas.
Lo de las notas a pie es una locura, más de cuatrocientas.
February 19, 2025
I genuinely enjoyed this story, especially the Transylvanian episode at the Castle. I found the fever-dream like state that Harker was in constantly fascinating, all the little tid bits and characteristics of the Castle and of Dracula himself were really interesting to me as a foundation of all the vampire lore we have now. That being said, the last third of the book felt like the Spark Notes version of the story, so much happend in just a few sentences with almost no explanation and little description. Just the more reason for me to read the original Dracula and be (hopefully) charmed even more than I was by the first part of this one.
May 25, 2020
Powers of Darkness can best be described as "meta-interesting." On its own merits, it's a poor adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, but to Dracula scholars with a specific fascination with the stickiness of translation, it's a tantalizing mystery. If you love a gothic literary curiosity and have a high degree of interest in Icelandic grammar, this is well worth seeking out. For my part, I'm just salty that there's not a better book about an undead count looking to stoke the fires of fin de siecle European politics with a Satanic Social Darwinist conspiracy.
Full review on the Bad Books for Bad People podcast:
Full review on the Bad Books for Bad People podcast:
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