The Temple of Death by A.C. Benson
The Temple of Death is a novella written by A.C. Benson, first published in 1925. The story follows the protagonist, a young man named Anthony, who visits an ancient temple in Egypt with his friend and cousin, James. Upon entering the temple, they discover that it is a place of death, where all who enter are doomed to meet their end. Despite this ominous warning, Anthony and James decide to explore the temple further, leading to a series of eerie and unsettling events. Without giving too much away, the novella explores themes of mortality, the afterlife, and the human desire for adventure and discovery, even in the face of danger. The atmosphere is tense and foreboding, with a sense of impending doom hanging over the entire story. Overall, The Temple of Death is a gripping and unsettling read that will appeal to fans of classic horror and suspenseful tales.
By A.C. Benson · First published 1910 · Genre: Mystery, Horror, Adventure · 8,232 words
First lines
It was late in the afternoon of a dark and rainy day when Paullinus left the little village where he had found shelter for the night. The village lay in a great forest country in the heart of Gaul. The scattered folk that inhabited it were mostly heathens, and very strange and secret rites were still celebrated in lonely sanctuaries. Christian teachers, of whom Paullinus was one, travelled alone or in little companies along the great high roads, turning aside to visit the woodland hamlets, and labouring patiently to make the good news of the Word known.
What this Textopian page supports
The Temple of Death is listed on Textopian as a short story by A.C. Benson, dated 1910 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: A.C. Benson
- Date: 1910 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Horror, Adventure, Thriller, Fantasy
- Length: 8,232 words
- Structure: 1 section, 70 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Temple of Death by A.C. Benson
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Temple of Death?
- How does this short story by A.C. Benson fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Red Camp by A. C. Benson
- The Isles Of Sunset by A. C. Benson
- The Hill Of Trouble by A. C. Benson
- The Snake The Lepper And The Grey Frost by A. C. Benson
- Renatus by A. C. Benson
- Brother Robert by A. C. Benson
Genres
- Mystery — The title suggests that there might be an investigation surrounding the 'Temple of Death', which could suggest a mystery genre.
- Horror — The word 'Death' in the title suggests the possibility of scary elements, which is a hallmark of the horror genre.
- Adventure — The 'Temple' mentioned in the title might indicate an adventure or a quest, which is associated with the adventure genre.
- Thriller — The title suggests the possibility of high stakes and suspense, which are key elements of thriller books.
Tags
beast · came · come · could · dark · death · done · door · go · god · great · hand