New Arabian Nights

By Robert Louis Stevenson and Stevenson-R L

Book Overview

"New Arabian Nights" is a foundational collection of short stories by the celebrated Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, blending elements of mystery, adventure, and the macabre. This volume, which marked Stevenson's significant entry into the realm of fiction, invites readers into a world of urban intrigue and bohemian eccentricity. The collection is famously anchored by "The Suicide Club" and "The Rajah's Diamond," two interconnected cycles of stories featuring the charismatic and enigmatic Prince Florizel of Bohemia and his loyal Master of the Horse, Colonel Geraldine.

Through these gripping narratives, Stevenson masterfully explores the dark underbelly of late Victorian society, taking readers from the foggy streets of London to the elegant salons of Paris. The stories are characterized by their sharp wit, psychological depth, and atmospheric tension, showcasing the author's early prowess in crafting compelling suspense. Beyond the exploits of Prince Florizel, the collection includes standalone tales such as the haunting "The Pavilion on the Links" and the romantic suspense of "The Sire de Mal troit's Door." "New Arabian Nights" remains a cornerstone of 19th-century literature, influencing the development of the modern short story and the detective genre with its unique blend of realism and high-stakes fantasy.

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• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1025399048
• ISBN13: 9781025399041
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Length: 250 Pages
• Weight: 1.17 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.2" x 0.6" x 6.1"

Customer Reviews

Not really the new Arabian Nights, but a fine substitute

At the heart of the book are the six (or two, depending on how you count) stories about Prince Florizel ... these stories if any capture something of what "The Arabian Nights" would have been if it had been written in the nineteenth century. The central character is an impossibly noble and high-minded Prince Florizel, who the author appears to believe in with the utmost seriousness - at least until the very end. They tend to begin with a mystery so intriguing that it doesn't even matter if the solution is less brilliant than we would have thought. "Ruritanian romance" is the best description. Ruritania itself is not so Ruritanian as this.The non-Florizel stories are none of them favourites of mine - which is merely to say that I don't rank them up there with, say, "The Bottle Imp". All of Stevenson's short fiction is worth reading.