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Pharos, the Egyptian
"This powerful novel is weird and soul-thrilling." — The Scotsman. Victorian readers had a passion for tales of mystery and intrigue in exotic settings, especially those involving supernatural powers. In a chiller thought to inspire the classic horror film The Mummy, one of the era's most popular writers of sensationalistic fiction spins a sinister yarn in which a mummy's curse threatens to destroy the Western world.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1898
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115 people want to read
About the author
Guy Newell Boothby
210 books12 followersGuy Newell Boothby was born in Adelaide, South Australia, the son of Thomas Wilde Boothby, a Member of the South Australian House of Assembly. At six years of age he travelled with his mother to England and was educated at Lord Weymouth's Grammar School, Salisbury and at Christ's Hospital, London between 1874 and 1883.
When his education was over he returned to Australia where he eventually became secretary to the Mayor of Adelaide, Lewis Cohen. He was dissatisfied with his prospects in Adelaide and consequently he moved to Brisbane where he hoped his prospects would be better.
In the meantime he wrote a series of comic operas and plays, all of which were relatively unsuccessful.
He was of a roving disposition and at age 24 he travelled across Australia from north to south and later he travelled extensively in the East.
By 1894 he had married Rose Alice Bristowe and he and his wife moved to England in that year, which was notable for the publication of his first book, 'On the Wallaby, or, Through the East and Across Australia', an account of his and his brother's travels in Australia.
He was given advice and encouragement in his writing by none other than Rudyard Kipling and the year 1895 saw the publication of three novels, the most significant of which was 'A Bid for Fortune: or, Dr Nikola's Vendetta'. This introduced probably his best known character, Dr Nikola, a ruthless, unscrupulous figure, with his ubiquitous large cat, who was to feature in five of his novels over the ensuing years. The book was an instant success and brought him a certain amount of fame. Dr Nikola had first appeared in serial form in the Windosr Magazine.
Over the next 10 years he was to write another 50 books and a further five were published posthumously, the last of which was 'In the Power of the Sultan' (1908). He was so prodigious that the story circulated that he spoke his tales into a phonograph, from which they were later transcribed by secretaries.
He is perhaps remembered also for introducing one of the early gentlemen crooks of literature when he featured Simon Carne in 'A Prince of Swindlers' in 1897. Carne had originally appeared in Pearson's Magazine and as a gentleman crook he pre-dated another of his kind in A J Raffles by two years.
Boothby's novels were often set in Australia (not surprisingly) and were classed as 'fast-paced thrillers' although some felt that although exciting in plot they were 'hastily and carelessly written'. In addition they were said to have been enjoyed by those who 'care for frank sensationalism carried to its furtherest limits'. Despite these comments his books were extremely popular and made him one of the most successful novelists of his day.
Boothby, who was also a successful breeder of prize dogs, died suddenly of pneumonia at his home, Winsley Lodge, Watkin Road, Bournemouth in 1905. He left a widow and three children.
Gerry Wolstenholme
February 2012
When his education was over he returned to Australia where he eventually became secretary to the Mayor of Adelaide, Lewis Cohen. He was dissatisfied with his prospects in Adelaide and consequently he moved to Brisbane where he hoped his prospects would be better.
In the meantime he wrote a series of comic operas and plays, all of which were relatively unsuccessful.
He was of a roving disposition and at age 24 he travelled across Australia from north to south and later he travelled extensively in the East.
By 1894 he had married Rose Alice Bristowe and he and his wife moved to England in that year, which was notable for the publication of his first book, 'On the Wallaby, or, Through the East and Across Australia', an account of his and his brother's travels in Australia.
He was given advice and encouragement in his writing by none other than Rudyard Kipling and the year 1895 saw the publication of three novels, the most significant of which was 'A Bid for Fortune: or, Dr Nikola's Vendetta'. This introduced probably his best known character, Dr Nikola, a ruthless, unscrupulous figure, with his ubiquitous large cat, who was to feature in five of his novels over the ensuing years. The book was an instant success and brought him a certain amount of fame. Dr Nikola had first appeared in serial form in the Windosr Magazine.
Over the next 10 years he was to write another 50 books and a further five were published posthumously, the last of which was 'In the Power of the Sultan' (1908). He was so prodigious that the story circulated that he spoke his tales into a phonograph, from which they were later transcribed by secretaries.
He is perhaps remembered also for introducing one of the early gentlemen crooks of literature when he featured Simon Carne in 'A Prince of Swindlers' in 1897. Carne had originally appeared in Pearson's Magazine and as a gentleman crook he pre-dated another of his kind in A J Raffles by two years.
Boothby's novels were often set in Australia (not surprisingly) and were classed as 'fast-paced thrillers' although some felt that although exciting in plot they were 'hastily and carelessly written'. In addition they were said to have been enjoyed by those who 'care for frank sensationalism carried to its furtherest limits'. Despite these comments his books were extremely popular and made him one of the most successful novelists of his day.
Boothby, who was also a successful breeder of prize dogs, died suddenly of pneumonia at his home, Winsley Lodge, Watkin Road, Bournemouth in 1905. He left a widow and three children.
Gerry Wolstenholme
February 2012
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 22, 2008
One can never get enough of these late Victorian potboilers. Evil (foreign) geniuses! Damsels in distress! Loyal stout-hearted Englishmen! Dark secrets!
I've read a half dozen or so weird tales from this era that basically spring from the late 19th century appetite for all things Egyptian. Considered the height of exotica at the time, this was the age of Bram Stoker's The Jewel of the Seven Stars, Theophile Gautier's The Romance of a Mummy, Arthur Conan Doyle's "Lot 249," E.F. Benson's Image in the Sand, and Richard Marsh's The Beetle (all of which, at some point or another, I've happily devoured).
It was the age of the great Egyptologists such as Howard Carter and Gaston Maspero, following in the wake of Napoleon. Few settings seemed to fire the imagination as much as a tale set in Cairo, Luxor, or Karnak, unless, of course, it was a setting in some equally exotic Oriental locale such as China or Tibet. Then, too, it was an age obsessed with mesmerism, hypnotism, spiritualism, and a host of other -isms that now might seem quaint to us but were taken quite seriously but even eminent persons at the time.
Finally, there was the Victorian/Edwardian fascination with evil geniuses. Professor Moriarty, Fu Manchu, Count Fosco, Dracula, Dr. Nikola - these and a host of others lurked in the shadows, using their magnetism to bend others to their will and their considerable mental gifts for evil purposes.
It's no surprise, then, that a number of the potboilers of this age mined all three themes with considerable success. Just a few years before the publication of this tale, for example, was Richard Marsh's The Beetle, which at the time was even more popular than Stoker's Dracula. (The Beetle, alas, never really survived in the modern age, whereas Dracula, of course, has had a long run. However, many of the themes from The Beetle were picked up and used in "The Mummy" and other horror films.) Always there is an indignant or maligned spirit whose tomb has been violated. Often there is a curse. And, of course, any sensational tale worth its salt has a vulnerable woman who is threatened by the evil genius. Usually she is manipulated in some particularly sinister way.
Pharos the Egyptian contains all of these elements, but it takes a particularly grim turn. Still, it can't help from sounding a rather out-of-place note of hopefulness at the end, one that perhaps was demanded by the audiences of the time but which now seems almost ludicrous. Up to that point, though, it's a fairly ripping tale for those who enjoy the somewhat predictable conventions of late Victorian story telling. Parts of the tale reminded me deliciously of Poe's "Masque of the Red Death," and I wondered if Boothby had read it (most likely he had).
One other note I might add is that the 1899 edition I've got is rather lovely, if not in particularly good repair. I can't recall where I picked it up, but it has a lovely ornate gilded cover, all the original illustrations, and pages which were obviously cut by hand. It's badly foxed and the binding is quite brittle, but reading it provided a feeling of antiquity that meshed well with the tale.
I've read a half dozen or so weird tales from this era that basically spring from the late 19th century appetite for all things Egyptian. Considered the height of exotica at the time, this was the age of Bram Stoker's The Jewel of the Seven Stars, Theophile Gautier's The Romance of a Mummy, Arthur Conan Doyle's "Lot 249," E.F. Benson's Image in the Sand, and Richard Marsh's The Beetle (all of which, at some point or another, I've happily devoured).
It was the age of the great Egyptologists such as Howard Carter and Gaston Maspero, following in the wake of Napoleon. Few settings seemed to fire the imagination as much as a tale set in Cairo, Luxor, or Karnak, unless, of course, it was a setting in some equally exotic Oriental locale such as China or Tibet. Then, too, it was an age obsessed with mesmerism, hypnotism, spiritualism, and a host of other -isms that now might seem quaint to us but were taken quite seriously but even eminent persons at the time.
Finally, there was the Victorian/Edwardian fascination with evil geniuses. Professor Moriarty, Fu Manchu, Count Fosco, Dracula, Dr. Nikola - these and a host of others lurked in the shadows, using their magnetism to bend others to their will and their considerable mental gifts for evil purposes.
It's no surprise, then, that a number of the potboilers of this age mined all three themes with considerable success. Just a few years before the publication of this tale, for example, was Richard Marsh's The Beetle, which at the time was even more popular than Stoker's Dracula. (The Beetle, alas, never really survived in the modern age, whereas Dracula, of course, has had a long run. However, many of the themes from The Beetle were picked up and used in "The Mummy" and other horror films.) Always there is an indignant or maligned spirit whose tomb has been violated. Often there is a curse. And, of course, any sensational tale worth its salt has a vulnerable woman who is threatened by the evil genius. Usually she is manipulated in some particularly sinister way.
Pharos the Egyptian contains all of these elements, but it takes a particularly grim turn. Still, it can't help from sounding a rather out-of-place note of hopefulness at the end, one that perhaps was demanded by the audiences of the time but which now seems almost ludicrous. Up to that point, though, it's a fairly ripping tale for those who enjoy the somewhat predictable conventions of late Victorian story telling. Parts of the tale reminded me deliciously of Poe's "Masque of the Red Death," and I wondered if Boothby had read it (most likely he had).
One other note I might add is that the 1899 edition I've got is rather lovely, if not in particularly good repair. I can't recall where I picked it up, but it has a lovely ornate gilded cover, all the original illustrations, and pages which were obviously cut by hand. It's badly foxed and the binding is quite brittle, but reading it provided a feeling of antiquity that meshed well with the tale.
October 3, 2017
Serious pulpalooza happening here, a book I liked so much that I immediately bought Boothby's The Curse of the Snake.
Some time ago I read Richard Marsh's The Beetle, which I loved and at the time designated as the literary equivalent of comfort food. Pharos is another I'd put in that category. It also reminds me of some of the movies I'd watch as a kid -- on Saturdays I'd turn on the TV, stretch out on the sofa and watch a show called Creature Feature that ran old horror movies.Woe be to he who interrupted those few hours back then, and woe be to he who interrupts my pulpy reading time now. Actually, I think my horror-fiction reading career began back then, and it all started with this sort of delicious pulpy goodness.
It's not by chance that I mention Marsh's book here, because there is quite a bit of similarity between the two books. While the stories are different, read closely, both Pharos and Marsh's novel reflect the same sort of anxieties centering around the perceived threats to western (read British) civilization and values by an outside/alien/Other. In both books, that threat stems from Egypt, which is not surprising given the context of British imperialism at the time (it's very complicated, and I won't go into it here, but feel free to explore the web if you really want to understand what lies beneath a LOT of late Victorian pulp/horror fiction, including Bram Stoker's Dracula.) The similarities between The Beetle and Pharos don't end there, though -- both are tales of revenge and retribution, but here Boothby gives us a worst-case scenario. It's a page turner, to be sure -- not the best of literature, but who cares?
The Dover edition I have contains the original illustrations by John H. Bacon, which are exquisite; the book itself is hours of just pure, pulpy horror fun. It's not great literature -- in fact, there are some internal eyeroll causing moments, but as far as I'm concerned, it's one that really ought to be in the collection of both horror and pulp aficionados. Pharos is one of the most evil,vile, inhuman, conscienceless villains to make his way into a book; he is someone who will stop at nothing to ensure the success of his horrific plan. He is "as cruel and as remorseless as Satan himself," and god help anyone in his path.
While the mummy aspect won't remind anyone of Karloff here, the book is well worth reading and above all fun, delicious pulpy goodness. It is also a bona fide page turner that I couldn't put down, and a sheer aahhhh read that should not be missed.
http://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/2017...
Some time ago I read Richard Marsh's The Beetle, which I loved and at the time designated as the literary equivalent of comfort food. Pharos is another I'd put in that category. It also reminds me of some of the movies I'd watch as a kid -- on Saturdays I'd turn on the TV, stretch out on the sofa and watch a show called Creature Feature that ran old horror movies.Woe be to he who interrupted those few hours back then, and woe be to he who interrupts my pulpy reading time now. Actually, I think my horror-fiction reading career began back then, and it all started with this sort of delicious pulpy goodness.
It's not by chance that I mention Marsh's book here, because there is quite a bit of similarity between the two books. While the stories are different, read closely, both Pharos and Marsh's novel reflect the same sort of anxieties centering around the perceived threats to western (read British) civilization and values by an outside/alien/Other. In both books, that threat stems from Egypt, which is not surprising given the context of British imperialism at the time (it's very complicated, and I won't go into it here, but feel free to explore the web if you really want to understand what lies beneath a LOT of late Victorian pulp/horror fiction, including Bram Stoker's Dracula.) The similarities between The Beetle and Pharos don't end there, though -- both are tales of revenge and retribution, but here Boothby gives us a worst-case scenario. It's a page turner, to be sure -- not the best of literature, but who cares?
The Dover edition I have contains the original illustrations by John H. Bacon, which are exquisite; the book itself is hours of just pure, pulpy horror fun. It's not great literature -- in fact, there are some internal eyeroll causing moments, but as far as I'm concerned, it's one that really ought to be in the collection of both horror and pulp aficionados. Pharos is one of the most evil,vile, inhuman, conscienceless villains to make his way into a book; he is someone who will stop at nothing to ensure the success of his horrific plan. He is "as cruel and as remorseless as Satan himself," and god help anyone in his path.
While the mummy aspect won't remind anyone of Karloff here, the book is well worth reading and above all fun, delicious pulpy goodness. It is also a bona fide page turner that I couldn't put down, and a sheer aahhhh read that should not be missed.
http://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/2017...
January 19, 2022
A strange but entertaining Victorian novel about an Egyptian mummy. From what I’ve read, this novel is one of the sources that supposedly served as inspiration for the classic horror movie The Mummy.
Mister Forrester is an English gentleman who comes across Pharos near Cleopatra’s Needle in London. Pharos is an old Egyptian man, who laughs at a drowning man instead of helping him, leaving the man to die. Pharos intrigues him, but the beautiful young lady who accompanies the old man intrigues Forrester even more. They all eventually meet formally at a party before Pharos comes to his house and strangles Forrester until he’s unconscious. Pharos steals the precious Egyptian mummy Forrester’s father excavated a long time ago, a mummy Pharos claims is an ancestor of his. Pharos is long gone by the time he wakes up and Forrester decides to follow Pharos all across Europe, to kindly ask for his mummy back.
The plot is a bit out there to be honest, especially when the supernatural elements get introduced. The dialogue and prose can also be a bit old-fashioned and exhausting at times. But the story does move along at quite a rapid pace with a good amount of action scenes and exotic settings. And there’s definitely an entertaining mystery to enjoy here. Overall, not a bad read.
Mister Forrester is an English gentleman who comes across Pharos near Cleopatra’s Needle in London. Pharos is an old Egyptian man, who laughs at a drowning man instead of helping him, leaving the man to die. Pharos intrigues him, but the beautiful young lady who accompanies the old man intrigues Forrester even more. They all eventually meet formally at a party before Pharos comes to his house and strangles Forrester until he’s unconscious. Pharos steals the precious Egyptian mummy Forrester’s father excavated a long time ago, a mummy Pharos claims is an ancestor of his. Pharos is long gone by the time he wakes up and Forrester decides to follow Pharos all across Europe, to kindly ask for his mummy back.
The plot is a bit out there to be honest, especially when the supernatural elements get introduced. The dialogue and prose can also be a bit old-fashioned and exhausting at times. But the story does move along at quite a rapid pace with a good amount of action scenes and exotic settings. And there’s definitely an entertaining mystery to enjoy here. Overall, not a bad read.
August 17, 2010
A grand mummy novel that is reminiscent of the Universal Studios mummy movies from the 1930s and the Fu Manchu novels by Sax Rohmer, though it pre-dates them all. This is the best mummy novel I've read (admittedly there aren't many). Guy Boothby was one of the most popular authors of his day, and this fast moving story shows why. The book contains many intriguing elements that have since become standards of mummy stories and films. The revenge plot is breathtaking in its scope and fiendishness.
December 31, 2011
An excellent vintage mystery-romance-thriller.
March 6, 2014
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2014
Once upon a time, when the British Empire was at its zenith, adventure fiction and fantastical writings began to deal with the idea that London — and tacitly, all Britain — was under threat by some ancient, terrifying force (frequently from a place where Britain had established a colony). There was an immense fascination with the occult versus the modern, the venerable old kingdoms versus the new British Empire, and most of all, the diabolical arcane opponent versus the plucky, civilized Englishman. It’s a trend that gave us such well-known works as Bram Stoker’s Dracula or Henry Rider Haggard's She, but prior to these there was Guy Boothby and his mummy novel Pharos the Egyptian.
The story is fairly straightforward: a young Englishman named Cyril Forrester comes into contact with an... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
The story is fairly straightforward: a young Englishman named Cyril Forrester comes into contact with an... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
February 19, 2021
I loved this and I wasn't expecting to. Travelling to Naples, Cairo and Luxor as well as Berlin and Prague, London and Norwich even through a 19th lense of a gothic romance was a great trip in Covid times.
July 8, 2021
Too many long winded conversations about nothing. I liked the sophistication of the characters and the elegant descriptions of people, places, and things. Glamour horror is what I would use to describe this light dark academia read.
December 18, 2023
figured out early who Pharos was.
March 5, 2015
Victorian horror story, a lagging mystery,and a twist predictable from the beginning. Used Moses and the Exodus account as a spring board into occultism (in my defense that didn't come till the end of the book) and sci-fi. Just confusing. Weird and not worth the read. Sort of makes the ancient Egyptian gods power players today, while forgetting they were proved powerless in Moses' day. Read Exodus instead.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews