If you enjoy reading novels by E. T. A. Hoffmann then you might also like the following authors:
Edgar Allan Poe wrote unusual and dark stories with imagination similar to E. T. A. Hoffmann. His short story, “The Fall of the House of Usher,” tells about a man who visits his friend in an old, creepy house.
His friend, Roderick Usher, behaves strangely, and his twin sister’s sickness casts gloom over the whole place. Things get stranger and scarier as the friendship and the house begin to fall apart.
Poe’s detailed descriptions and eerie feeling remind readers of Hoffmann’s strange tales.
Mary Shelley was an English novelist who lived in the early 1800s. She captured readers with her novel “Frankenstein,” which tells the story of Victor Frankenstein. Victor creates a creature from various dead parts.
He expects his experiment to be a great achievement, but things go wrong from the start. Shelley’s story takes readers through how Victor deals with the consequences of what he created.
If you like the dark and mysterious stories of E. T. A. Hoffmann, Shelley creates a similar feeling in “Frankenstein.”
Nathaniel Hawthorne is an author worth discovering if you enjoy stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann. Like Hoffmann, Hawthorne explores mysterious characters and strange events. One example is his novel “The House of the Seven Gables.”
In this story, the Pyncheon family suffers under an old curse. The old mansion they live in seems haunted by past crimes and dark secrets. Hawthorne mixes suspense and supernatural elements in a believable way, creating a mood that slowly draws readers into the story’s mystery.
H.P. Lovecraft is an American author known for horror and supernatural fiction. His works often explore strange and mysterious worlds beyond human understanding. A good example is “The Call of Cthulhu.”
This story follows Francis Thurston, who discovers the disturbing notes of his late great-uncle. Thurston reads accounts of eerie dreams experienced by multiple people around the world. These dreams all relate to an ancient hidden creature—Cthulhu—who sleeps beneath the ocean.
The story moves from strange sculptures to cult gatherings, as Thurston learns about dark forces humans should never awaken. Fans of E. T. A. Hoffmann who enjoy atmospheric and unsettling tales may find Lovecraft’s stories equally fascinating.
If you like E. T. A. Hoffmann, you might also enjoy Gustav Meyrink. Meyrink was an Austrian writer with a talent for stories about the supernatural and the mysterious.
His work “The Golem” shows Meyrink’s skill for creating vivid scenes of Prague’s old Jewish quarter, where strange events stir up panic and curiosity among the locals.
The story follows a man named Athanasius Pernath, who gets caught up in odd visions and secret happenings linked to the legend of a clay-made figure called the golem.
The atmosphere is dreamlike but also very tense, which helps the reader picture clearly the shadowy streets and hidden corners of this fascinating part of the city.
Hermann Hesse was a German author known for books that explore themes of self-discovery and inner journeys.
His novel “Steppenwolf” centers around a man named Harry Haller, who feels isolated from society and sees himself torn between two sides of his personality—one human and the other wild like a wolf.
The book takes readers through Harry’s search for meaning and connection as he navigates strange experiences that blur reality with imagination.
Readers who enjoy how E. T. A. Hoffmann blends ordinary life with unusual happenings might appreciate how Hesse mixes elements of fantasy and deep introspection in “Steppenwolf.”
Franz Kafka wrote fiction that brings everyday life into unexpected, dream-like situations. If you enjoy the strange worlds of E. T. A. Hoffmann, Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” could be something to explore next.
The story starts simply, as Gregor Samsa wakes up one ordinary morning and realizes he has turned into a huge insect. Kafka portrays Gregor’s thoughts and struggles clearly, taken seriously within the surreal situation.
The way Gregor’s family reacts to his transformation reveals much about human behavior. Kafka creates stories that mix reality with something strange and puzzling, a style often appreciated by Hoffmann’s readers.
Readers who enjoy E. T. A. Hoffmann may find Mervyn Peake worth exploring. Peake was an English writer and illustrator known for his imaginative worlds and detailed characters. In his book “Titus Groan,” Peake introduces readers to the castle of Gormenghast.
This massive fortress is full of tradition, madness and strange rituals. Titus, the protagonist, must navigate his bizarre family and the odd servants who live around him. The atmosphere is dark and surreal, with scenes that feel both dreamlike and slightly unsettling.
Those who appreciate Hoffmann’s unusual settings might find something interesting in Peake’s unusual style and storytelling.
Angela Carter was an English author known for her imaginative retellings of classic fairy tales with dark and magical twists. Readers who enjoy E.T.A. Hoffmann’s mix of fantasy and realism might appreciate Carter’s book “The Bloody Chamber.”
In this collection of short stories, Carter reimagines traditional tales into something new and bold. For example, in the title story, a young woman marries an unsettling wealthy man who hides frightening secrets in his mansion.
The book combines fantasy elements with strange, dream-like atmospheres familiar to the readers of Hoffmann.
The Brothers Grimm are best known for their collection of fairy tales, published as “Children’s and Household Tales.” These authors collected stories from German and European folklore, giving readers access to darker and more mysterious worlds tucked within everyday life.
A good example is “The Juniper Tree,” a tale about family tragedy and magic, where a stepmother’s jealousy leads to strange and supernatural events. People who enjoy E. T. A. Hoffmann’s imaginative use of fantasy and dark humor often appreciate the Grimm Brothers’ storytelling.
If you enjoyed reading E. T. A. Hoffmann, Ambrose Bierce might be another author worth exploring. Bierce was an American author who wrote stories filled with strange and unsettling events.
His collection “Can Such Things Be?” includes the story “The Damned Thing,” which describes an invisible creature that attacks a group of hunters. The story has a tense atmosphere and an eerie mystery at its heart.
Ambrose Bierce uses realistic settings that become slowly filled with supernatural elements, a bit similar to Hoffmann’s style in creating the unexpected out of everyday scenes.
If you enjoy reading E. T. A. Hoffmann and his dark, eerie stories, you might also appreciate Sheridan Le Fanu. Le Fanu was an Irish author known for moody, supernatural tales set in everyday situations.
His story “Carmilla” centers on a young woman named Laura who lives with her father. Soon, they encounter Carmilla, an unusual visitor whose presence triggers strange events in their isolated life. The book mixes mystery and unease, with subtle hints rather than direct scares.
It gives a curious look at how darkness might quietly sneak into ordinary life.
If you enjoy the stories of E. T. A. Hoffmann, Nikolai Gogol is an author worth reading. Gogol is known for strange, imaginative tales that mix reality and fantasy. His book “The Nose” is about a man who wakes up one day without his nose.
Shockingly, he later sees his nose dressed in a uniform and living its own life around town. If you liked Hoffmann’s blend of the weird and the humorous, Gogol’s “The Nose” is a story you should definitely pick up.
Fans of E. T. A. Hoffmann who enjoy stories about the strange and mysterious may also appreciate Robert W. Chambers. Chambers wrote “The King in Yellow,” a collection of haunting short stories.
In this book, several characters encounter a mysterious play called “The King in Yellow,” which is said to drive readers mad. Chambers creates a disturbing atmosphere with subtle supernatural elements.
The eerie setting of Carcosa, a cursed city described in the play, stays memorable long after reading. Chambers’ stories have influenced many later horror writers, especially with his imaginative plots and dream-like scenes.
If you enjoy the strange and imaginative style of authors like E. T. A. Hoffmann, you might also be interested in Bruno Schulz. Schulz was a Polish author who created dream-like and unusual stories rooted deeply in everyday life.
His book “The Street of Crocodiles” is a good place to start. In this collection, the narrator reflects on childhood memories set in an ordinary town filled with mysterious happenings and peculiar characters.
For instance, the narrator’s father experiments obsessively with strange ideas, which brings the ordinary small-town experience into remarkable new perspectives. Schulz plays with reality in a way that is both unsettling and fascinating.
His stories give a sense that reality can shift unexpectedly at any moment.