Powers of Darkness: The Lost Version of Dracula

In 1900, Icelandic publisher and writer Valdimar Ásmundsson set out to translate Bram Stoker’s world-famous 1897 novel Dracula. Called Makt Myrkranna (literally, Powers of Darkness), this Icelandic edition included an original preface written by Stoker himself. Makt Myrkranna was published in Iceland in 1901 but remained undiscovered outside of the country until 1986, when Dracula scholarship was astonished by the discovery of Stoker’s preface to the book. However, no one looked beyond the preface and deeper into Ásmundsson’s story. Powers of Darkness: The Lost Version of Dracula is one of the most fascinating literary rediscoveries in Gothic fiction. In 1900, Icelandic publisher Valdimar Ásmundsson set out to translate Bram Stoker’s world-famous novel Dracula. But what emerged was far more than a translation. Published in Iceland in 1901 as Makt Myrkranna (“Powers of Darkness”), Ásmundsson’s version introduced new characters, a radically reworked plot, and a tone that is darker, more sensual, and politically charged. For decades, this alternate narrative remained hidden from the world―until scholars uncovered it in the 1980s and realized its significance. Now, for the first time, Powers of Darkness brings Ásmundsson’s bold reinterpretation to English readers, complete with annotations that illuminate its cultural and historical context. Powers of Darkness presents the first-ever translation into English of Stoker and Ásmundsson’s Makt Myrkranna. It includes: marginal annotations by de Roos providing readers with fascinating historical, cultural, and literary context a foreword by Dacre Stoker, Bram Stoker’s great-grandnephew and bestselling author an afterword by Dracula scholar John Edgar Browning, Powers of Darkness will amaze and entertain legions of fans of Gothic literature, horror, and vampire fiction Perfect for fans of Gothic literature, vampire lore, and literary mysteries, Powers of Darkness is not just a companion to Dracula―it’s a provocative, standalone vision of terror and desire that will captivate readers anew.