Vathek (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Gothic NovelBy William Thomas Beckford
Length5h 55m
About this audiobook
Vathek is a dazzling Gothic-Orientalist fantasia that follows the impious Caliph Vathek in his pursuit of forbidden knowledge, sensual excess, and supernatural dominion. Written in ornate, ironic prose, the tale blends the eighteenth-century conte philosophique with the emerging Gothic mode, replacing medieval castles with palaces, deserts, and infernal halls. Its luxuriant imagery, sardonic moralism, and fascination with transgression place it beside the works of Walpole, Radcliffe, and later Byron, while retaining the sharp wit of Enlightenment satire. William Thomas Beckford, fabulously wealthy, precociously learned, and socially notorious, was uniquely equipped to produce such a work. His knowledge of languages, art, travel literature, and Islamic and Persianate motifs nourished the book's exotic architecture, while his own reputation for extravagance and scandal shadows Vathek's portrait of appetite without restraint. Composed originally in French, the novel reflects Beckford's cosmopolitan education and his taste for aesthetic excess. Readers interested in Gothic fiction, Romantic Orientalism, or the literature of damnation will find Vathek indispensable. It is brief but richly layered: a moral fable, a work of stylistic bravura, and a troubling meditation on desire, power, and the cost of overreaching imagination.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 3.5 (9.3K)
Includes Goodreads, LibraryThing, StoryGraph, Amazon
GenreRomance, Fantasy
Length5 hrs 55 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateOct 26, 2018
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck (Annotated)
6Vathek (pt. 1)
2Introduction
7Vathek (pt. 2)
3Synopsis
8Analysis
4Historical Context
9Reflection
5William Beckford
10Memorable Quotes
More from William Thomas Beckford
Desperate MeasuresBrenda Jackson8h 59m4.7 (670)$28 · $0.00
Pride & Prejudice (Annotated)Jane Austen15h 10m4.7 (13.3K)$2 · $0.00
The Search (Annotated)Grace Livingston Hill7h 29m4.7 (1.1K)$1.99 · $0.00
The ReunionJana Deleon6h 31m4.6 (1.6K)$26 · $0.00
Something Like LoveBeverly Jenkins10h 21m4.6 (2.7K)$29 · $0.00
Wishes from the HeartSophie Mays4h 9m4.7 (344)$15 · $0.00
Blizzard ShowdownShirlee McCoy5h 16m4.6 (1.1K)$12 · $0.00
To Hold and ProtectSandra Owens7h 59m4.6 (1.1K)$8 · $0.00
Arctic WitnessHeather Woodhaven5h 46m4.6 (985)$12 · $0.00
Following the TrailLynette Eason6h 35m4.6 (2.3K)$12 · $0.00
Defending from DangerJodie Bailey5h 46m4.6 (588)$24 · $0.00
White HotIlona Andrews13h 18m4.5 (136.9K)$5 · $0.00
Explosive RevengeMaggie K. Black6h 18m4.6 (545)$12 · $0.00
Her Brand of JusticeB.J. Daniels6h 48m4.6 (1.3K)$12 · $0.00
Search And DetectTerri Reed5h 51m4.6 (706)$24 · $0.00
Driving ForceElle James4h 58m4.6 (407)$20 · $0.00
Danger in the WildernessDarlene L. Turner6h 54m4.7 (299)$12 · $0.00
Yukon JusticeDana Mentink6h 15m4.6 (751)$12 · $0.00
The Rogue WarriorCindy Roland Anderson5h 44m4.6 (410)$17 · $0.00
Her Duty Bound DefenderSharee Stover6h 30m4.6 (1.1K)$24 · $0.00
Before the Coffee Gets Cold: A Toshikazu Kawaguchi Book SetToshikazu Kawaguchi18h 55m4.5 (1.4K)$40 · $0.00
The Song of AchillesMadeline Miller11h 15m4.3 (2.3M) · 1115$29 · $0.00
Hunt of the DragonJuliette Cross9h 46m4.4 (736)$20
All This Twisted GloryTahereh Mafi11h 31m4.3 (54.6K)$29 · $0.00
Deadly GameChristine Feehan13h 20m4.3 (15.8K)$30
THE RETURN OF THE KINGJ.R.R. Tolkien21h 5m4.7 (1.2M)$7 · $0.00
WildfireIlona Andrews12h 45m4.5 (62.9K)$33 · $0.00
Lolth's WarriorR. A. Salvatore13h 20m4.6 (2.4K)$33 · $0.00
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du BoisHonoree Fanonne Jeffers29h 49m4.5 (58K)$8 · $0.00
Treasure Island (Adventure Classic with Illustrations)Robert Louis Stevenson8h 50m4.5 (11.2K)$1.99 · $0.00
Lola in the MirrorTrent Dalton13h 40m4.5 (43.9K)$33 · $0.00
Going PostalTerry Pratchett13h 36m4.5 (163.8K)$33 · $0.00
The Leo Tolstoy CollectionLeo Tolstoy9h 1m4.5 (4.9K)$10 · $0.00
Sword and ShadowMichelle Sagara16h 51m4.5 (2.2K)$40 · $0.00
The Neil Gaiman ReaderNeil Gaiman27h 3m4.5 (3.2K)$53 · $0.00
The HobbitJ. R. R. Tolkien10h 51m4.4 (4.9M)$12 · $0.00
Bad HabitAlana S. Portero5h 37m4.4 (52.3K)$24 · $0.00
Science Fiction & Fantasy CollectionH. P. Lovecraft16h 32m4.5 (2.7K)$2 · $0.00
The Last GodMichael McClung3h 43m4.5 (493)$5.10 · $0.00
The Undead PoolKim Harrison16h 13m4.4 (34.6K)$33 · $0.00
You may also like
VathekWilliam Beckford4h 52m3.6 (10.6K)$2 · $0.00
VATHEK (A Gothic Novel)William Beckford5h 3m3.6 (11.1K)$1.99 · $0.00
Vathek; An Arabian TaleWilliam Beckford4h 58m3.6 (11.1K)$2 · $0.00
The Hallowed HuntLois McMaster Bujold16h 23m4.0 (29.1K)$28
The Agamemnon of AeschylusAeschylus1h 32m4.1 (30.4K)Free
Arcadian NightsJohn Spurling11h 1m4.1 (252)$20
Time and the GodsLord Dunsany2h 57m3.9 (1.5K)$2 · $0.00
MacbethWilliam Shakespeare2h 19m4.2 (1.1M)$15
The Divine Comedy. InfernoDante Alighieri4h 18m4.2 (256.7K)$1 · $0.00
Libation BearersAeschylus1h 30m4.1 (8.4K)$3 · $0.00
The Divine ComedyDante Alighieri12h 32m4.3 (219.9K)$8 · $0.00
MacbethWilliam Shakespeare2h 7m4.1 (1.2M)$2 · $0.00
Divine Comedy - CompleteDante Alighieri11h 33m4.2 (219.6K)Free
The Simon NecronomiconUnknown Author5h 13m3.7 (7.4K)$3.50 · $0.00
Penguin IslandAnatole France8h 58m3.8 (3.9K)$20
Shepherd of HermasAnonymous4h 5m4.0 (3.7K)$1.99 · $0.00
The Iron SwordJulie Kagawa11h 11m4.1 (2.9K)$29 · $0.00
SalomeOscar Wilde1h 17m3.7 (21.8K)$2.30 · $0.00
Magician's EndRaymond E. Feist17h 5m4.4 (21.7K)$40 · $0.00
Plays of Gods and MenLord Dunsany3h 6m4.0 (133)$2 · $0.00