Behind The Curtain
Behind the Curtain is a science fiction novel by American author Francis Stevens, first published in 1919. The novel follows the adventures of a young American, John Gordon, who is sent to a mysterious country in the Middle East called Khorassan. There, he discovers a hidden world of magic and mystery, and finds himself embroiled in a struggle between two powerful forces: the forces of good and evil. John soon discovers that the country is ruled by a powerful wizard, the Grand Vizier, who is determined to keep the secrets of Khorassan hidden from the outside world. He also discovers that the Grand Vizier is in league with a powerful demon, who is determined to use the secrets of Khorassan to gain control of the world. John must use all of his wits and courage to battle the forces of evil and save Khorassan from destruction. Along the way, he discovers the secrets of the Grand Vizier and the demon, and learns the truth about the mysterious country.
By Francis Stevens · First published 1918 · Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy · 3,412 words
First lines
IT WAS after nine o'clock when the bell rang, and descending to the dimly lighted hall I opened the front door, at first on the chain to be sure of my visitor. Seeing, as I had hoped, the face of our friend, Ralph Quentin, I took off the chain and he entered with a blast of sharp November air for company. I had to throw my weight upon the door to close it against the wind.
As he removed his hat and cloak he laughed good-humoredly.
What this Textopian page supports
Behind The Curtain is listed on Textopian as a short story by Francis Stevens, dated 1918 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Francis Stevens
- Date: 1918 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy, Romance
- Length: 3,412 words
- Structure: 1 section, 88 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Behind The Curtain by Francis Stevens
- 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 Behind The Curtain?
- How does this short story by Francis Stevens fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Haunted Woman by David Lindsay
- The Missing Angel by Erle Cox
- Nightmare by Francis Stevens
- The Mystery Of The Ravenspurs by Fred M. White
- The Great Impersonation by E. Phillips Oppenheim
- Elf Trap by Francis Stevens
Genres
- Mystery — The title 'Behind the Curtain' implies a hidden truth that needs to be uncovered, which is a common theme in mystery stories.
- Thriller — The title 'Behind the Curtain' implies a sense of danger and suspense, which are common elements of thrillers.
- Fantasy — Francis Stevens is known for writing fantasy stories, so this book may contain elements of fantasy.
- Romance — The title 'Behind the Curtain' implies a hidden love story, which is a common theme in romance stories.
Tags
Fantasy · Science Fiction · beatrice · beautiful · blood · body · brown · close · cold · curtain · dark · door