Citadel of Fear (1918) – Two men explore in Mexico for gold. One is thankful to leave with his life. The other, left behind to die, finds evil incarnate— Aztec hounds turned loose on the modern world. Citadel of Fear – In Tlapallan, lost city of an ancient race, lay the black stone of evil incarnate. And then a man from the outside world became the agent of its awful power. . . . Chapter I – Hidden In The Hills Chapter II – The Moth Girl Chapter III – The Guardians Of The Hills Chapter IV – Tlapallan Or— Chapter V – Gold Chapter VI – The Black Eidolon Chapter VII – The Cloak Of Xolotl Chapter VIII – Before The Black Shrine Chapter IX – Maxatla Speaks Chapter X – The First Visitation Chapter XI – The Red-Black Trail Chapter XII – The Opinion Of Mr. MacClellan Chapter XIII – The Bungalow Sold Chapter XIV – The Second Visitation Chapter XV – The Third Visitation Chapter XVI – Admitted Chapter XVII – A Surprise And A Disappointment Chapter XVIII – A Voice Chapter XIX – Cliona Receives A Guest Chapter XX – The Fourth Visitation Chapter XXI – Cliona Meets A Stranger Chapter XXII – A Herder Of Goblins Chapter XXIII – The “Lord Of Fear” Chapter XXIV – A Lonely Traveler Chapter XXV – The White Beast-Hand Chapter XXVI – To Undine Chapter XXVII – Strange Victim— Stranger Conqueror Chapter XXVIII – Rival Claimants Chapter XXIX – A Golden Flask Chapter XXX – The Gate Lodge Again Chapter XXXI – A Strange Battlefield Chapter XXXII – The Battle Of The Doorway Chapter XXXIII – As One Triumphant Citadel of Fear was first published in The Argosy Weekly in 1918. Francis Stevens was the pen-name of Gertrude Barrows Bennett (1883-1948). Bennett has been credited as having “the best claim at creating the new genre of dark fantasy”. Bennett was the first major female writer of fantasy and science fiction in the United States, and has been called the most important female fantasy writer between Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and C.L. Moore. It has been said that she influenced both H.P. Lovecraft and A. Merritt, both of whom “emulated Bennett’s earlier style and themes”.
