
A lone, weather‑worn house stands on a desolate stretch of sand where the sea’s relentless tide meets an endless, shifting flat. The narrator’s first voyage along this western coast paints a vivid picture of quiet menace: treacherous sandbanks that can swallow a careless sailor, and a distant glow that locals call “Carne,” a warning to turn back before night falls. The landscape itself feels alive, its dunes reshaping with each wind, while the grim, gray structure watches over generations of fleeting occupants.
Amid this stark environment, a handful of characters—curious, determined, and sometimes desperate—begin to probe the mysteries hidden beneath the sands. Their early conversations hint at a purpose beyond mere survival, suggesting secret motives and a looming conflict that will test both body and spirit. The opening sets a tone of haunting beauty and suspense, inviting listeners to unravel the secrets of the coast and the enigmatic house that endures within it.
Language
en
Duration
~12 hours (694K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Charles Bowen from page scans provided by the Web Archive (University of Alberta)
Release date
2016-12-28
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1852–1941
A British journalist, hymn writer, and bestselling novelist, he wrote under the pen name John Oxenham and became especially well known for inspirational verse and fiction with a strong moral and spiritual tone.
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