William Beckford's 'Vathek' is a classic Gothic novel that intricately weaves together themes of power, temptation, and the supernatural. Set in the orientalized world of the Abbasid Caliphate, the story follows the tyrannical Caliph Vathek as he seeks ultimate power through dark and forbidden means. The novel's lyrical prose and vivid descriptions of the occult create a haunting atmosphere that p...