There are a lot of authors that are claimed as Edgar Allan Poe's successor. There is only one Poe and many second rate imitators. Rampo however, is an author that clearly understands Poe, that can channel Poe styling and put his own voice in the work. This story about a creepy creator of a bizarre chair that on its surface is not a scary concept, but Rampo twists this initial seed of a story into a very unnerving tale of obsession and extreme voyeurism. It's got all the Poe hallmarks: a grotesque protagonist, a dark, cold, but plush atmosphere, a broken psyche, and a truly shocking twist. These are pretty standard in most inspired works. What Rampo gets about Poe that many authors fail at is the rhythm of the story. There's a slow build up of the stories heart beat. Something that crescendos, when the story reaches a high point it drops you off a cliff. It's in the sudden change that the impact of the story is felt, not necessarily how creepy the twist is or how dark the story is. There's no limit to the depravity of the human mind. Darkness is not what makes a story unnerving, Rampo clearly understands this and like Poe is great at manipulating our emotions to break our spirit. I can't wait to consume more of Rampo's work. ( )

Tres contes d'un autor japonés amb trets d'Edgard Allan Poe, molt interessants ( )