Vathek

William Beckford

Mar 2015 · Open Road Media

About this ebook

The exotic tale of one man’s unquenchable thirst for power

Vathek, the ninth Caliph of the Abassides, took the throne at a young age. He debates the most knowledgeable scholars of the day, jailing them if they disagree with him. He possesses an evil eye that can kill lesser men with a single look. He is proud, and he is powerful. Still, he wants more—more knowledge, more power, more women. When a hideous merchant from India arrives in his court bearing glowing swords, Vathek sees an opportunity to take everything he’s ever wanted. So begins his journey east in search of ultimate sovereignty.
 
Vathek is a feverish account of debauchery and ambition that has inspired the likes of Lord Byron, H. P. Lovecraft, and Clark Ashton Smith.
 
This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.

Ratings and reviews

This book is a great lie and slander against the Islamic Caliph Al-Wathiq in Allah. I hope that it will be deleted and banned permanently!

About the author

William Thomas Beckford (1760–1844) was a novelist, an art collector, a critic, a composer, a travel writer, and a politician. Born the son of a lord mayor of London, Beckford was extremely wealthy from a young age, and was once the wealthiest commoner in England. Beckford wrote Vathek, his most well-known work, in 1786. He later gained fame for his impressive art collection, with pieces that are still on display in the world’s greatest museums today.