History Creator / AlgernonBlackwood

An early writer of the {{cosmic horror story}}, Blackwood's works combine the beauty of nature (often going into {{scenery porn}}) with various [[IndexOfGothicHorrorTropes gothic horror tropes]], as well as folklore and creatures from various religions such as the {{wendigo}}. His most famous work is probably "The Willows", which many also regard as his best. He also was an early influence on the {{occult detective}} genre of fiction with his creation "Dr. John Silence". His works sometimes played with tropes and featured {{black comedy}}.

An early writer of the {{cosmic horror story}}, Blackwood's works combine the beauty of nature (often going into {{scenery porn}}) with various [[IndexOfGothicHorrorTropes gothic horror tropes]], as well as folklore and creatures from various religions such as the {{wendigo}}. His most famous work is probably "The Willows", which many also regard as his best. He also was an early influence on the {{occult detective}} genre of fiction with his creation "Dr. John Silence". His works occasionally played with tropes and featured {{black comedy}}.

An early writer of the {{cosmic horror story}}, Blackwood's works combine the beauty of nature (often going into {{scenery porn}}) with various [[IndexOfGothicHorrorTropes gothic horror tropes]], as well as folklore and creatures from various religions such as the {{wendigo}}. His most famous work is probably "The Willows", which many also regard as his best. He also was an early influence on the {{occult detective}} genre of fiction with his creation "Dr. John Silence". His works would occasionally play with tropes and feature {{black comedy}}.

An early writer of the {{cosmic horror story}}, Blackwood's works combine the beauty of nature (often going into {{scenery porn}}) with various [[IndexOfGothicHorrorTropes gothic horror tropes]], as well as folklore and creatures from various religions such as the {{wendigo}}. His most famous work is probably "The Willows", which many also regard as his best. He also was an early influence on the {{occult detective}} genre of fiction with his creation "Dr. John Silence". His works would occasionally play with a trope and feature {{black comedy}}.

[[quoteright:193:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/algernon_blackwood.jpg]]

Algernon Henry Blackwood CBE (14 March 1869 – 10 December 1951) was a very prolific (for his time) English author of {{Horror}} and {{Fantasy}} short stories and novels, as well as a journalist and broadcasting narrator.

An early writer of the {{cosmic horror story}}, his works combine the beauty of nature (often going into {{scenery porn}}) with various [[IndexOfGothicHorrorTropes gothic horror tropes]] as well as creatures and folklore from various religions such as the {{wendigo}}. His most famous work is probably "The Willows", which many also consider his best. He also was an early influence on the {{occult detective}} genre of fiction with his creation "Dr. John Silence". His work would occasionally play with a trope and feature {{black comedy}}.

Algernon Henry Blackwood CBE (14 March 1869 -- 10 December 1951) was a very prolific (for his time) writer of {{Horror}} and {{Fantasy}} short stories and novels as well as an early writer of the {{cosmic horror story}} as well as a journalist and broadcasting narrator. His works combine the beauty of nature (often going into {{scenery porn}}) with various [[IndexOfGothicHorrorTropes gothic horror tropes]] as well as creatures and folklore from various religions such as the {{wendigo}}. His most famous work is probably "The Willows" which many consider his best. He also was an early influence on the {{occult detective}} genre of fiction with his creation "Dr. John Silence". His work would occasionally play with a trope and feature {{black comedy}}. In contrast to many other authors like him Blackwood had a genuine interest in the supernatural and actually worked as a paranormal investigator with a group of friends before he moved into writing.

* TheFairFolk: They heavily influence the countryside that is the setting for "The Trod".

* SoundOnlyDeath: Horrifically reenacted in "The Empty House."

* EldritchLocation: The setting of "The Willows." More specifically, it's set in the remote countryside around the Danube River in Romania. And there's something just ''wrong'' about it. The characters speculate that an incomprehensible dimension that does not like humans somehow borders or touches it, but they never even come close to finding out the place's actual nature.

* HeAlsoDid: In addition to his supernatural writing, Blackwood was also a radio broadcaster and wrote a great deal of children's literature, {{literary fiction}} and propaganda.

* WriteWhatYouKnow: Many of Blackwood's stories take place in New York (where he lived for a time) or feature various fictional accounts of cases investigated by him when he was part of the Psychical Research Society or things he learned from The Hermetical Order of the Golden Dawn when he was part of them. Others recapitulate (with added spooky) wilderness expeditions he'd undertake by canoe or on foot.

* {{Arcadia}} and TheSimpleLifeIsSimple: The theme of ''The Centaur'', where an Irish reporter experiences a vision of cosmic consciousness while in the Caucasus mountains. He comes back believing that humans should discard material possessions and live as close to the earth and nature as possible. Some believe him, but warn that most people won't get it unless they've experienced such a vision themselves.

* CoolTrain: The Starlight Express in ''A Prisoner in Fairyland''.[[note]]No relation to Creator/AndrewLloydWebber's ''The Starlight Express'' play. There ''is'' a play based on ''A Prisoner in Fairyland'', also called ''The Starlight Express'', written by Violet Pearn, with music by Music/EdwardElgar, who loved the story because it was so much like his own childhood fantasy world. Unfortunately the production and art direction were way off, and Pearn's script turned the story into a pageant that Blackwood, writing to Elgar, called "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_and_Crafts_movement Arts & Crafts]] pretentious rubbish stitched onto your music by a silly crank" who'd never bothered to actually read the book. The music, though, is exquisite, and is all that survives; the sets and costumes were destroyed along with the orchestra score in a UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo air raid. Elgar's manuscript score has been recorded several times and can be heard in its entirety on Website/YouTube, and often on classical music stations.[[/note]]

* CoolTrain: The Starlight Express in ''A Prisoner in Fairyland''.[[note]]No relation to Creator/AndrewLloydWebber's ''The Starlight Express'' play. There ''is'' a play based on ''A Prisoner in Fairyland'', also called ''The Starlight Express'', written by Violet Pearn, with music by Music/EdwardElgar, who loved the story because it was so much like his own childhood fantasy world. Unfortunately the production and art direction were way off, and Pearn's script turned the story into a TastesLikeDiabetes pageant that Blackwood, writing to Elgar, called "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_and_Crafts_movement Arts & Crafts]] pretentious rubbish stitched onto your music by a silly crank" who'd never bothered to actually read the book. The music, though, is exquisite, and is all that survives; the sets and costumes were destroyed along with the orchestra score in a UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo air raid. Elgar's manuscript score has been recorded several times and can be heard in its entirety on Website/YouTube, and often on classical music stations.[[/note]]