About this book
Arthur Machen's **The Angels of Mons** weaves together myth, legend, and wartime wonder in this unforgettable collection of early 20th-century tales. Originally published in 1915, Machen's pivotal short story "The Bowmen" sparked one of history's most compelling urban legends—the belief that celestial guardians protected British soldiers during the harrowing Battle of Mons in World War I. What began as a work of imaginative fiction transformed into widespread cultural phenomenon, blending patriotic fervor, reported visions, and mass belief into something far greater than its literary origins.
This collection captures a singular moment when imagination and reality intersected during wartime, exploring themes of faith, divine intervention, and the human need for hope during humanity's darkest hours. Machen's elegant prose conjures ethereal beings and supernatural protection against the machinery of modern warfare, creating a bridge between classical mythology and contemporary conflict. The author examines how stories gain power, how legends are born, and how fiction can reshape collective consciousness.
Perfect for listeners fascinated by folklore, religious symbolism, war history, and the blurred boundaries between fact and fiction, this audiobook offers both literary merit and historical intrigue. Whether you're drawn to supernatural legends, WWI narratives, or explorations of how myths emerge in modern times, Machen's haunting tales reveal the enduring human yearning for divine providence amid the horrors of war.
