The Light Invisible

The Light Invisible comprises Robert Hugh Benson's short stories upon subjects of the supernatural; all have a connection, obvious or subtle, to one another.

Unique and eerie, the stories within this collection originate from an aged Catholic priest known to the author. Throughout his life, the priest had experienced and seen all manner of strange and bizarre things. In converting these to stories inspired by truth, Benson weaves a subtle narrative in which every tale is connected together and indicative of the unseen powers of God, Satan and the spirits. 

While these spooky stories are not of the shocking or suspenseful kind typically enjoyed in the modern era, they still make for ideal bedtime reading for children. Deftly written, the fact that these stories were derived from true ones related by a real priest only enhances their scary qualities further. 

This short story collection is also innovative. It stands as one of the first and best examples of mystical fiction written from a perspective of Christianity. Benson tells the stories as he received them, but imbues them with his own clever and plain written style. None of them are explicitly religious, but several subtly hint of God's influence.