'Lazarus' is a supernatural return-of-the-living-dead short story by Leonid Andreyev that offers a ubiquitously novel, weird and nihilistic rendition of the Christian resurrection story.
Andreyev’s profound skepticism bordering on cynicism regarding Christian teachings is spearheaded by Lazarus himself, who comes back from the grave to wreak havoc upon and bring death to the living. A shockingly pessimistic tale that verges on the outer rim of nihilism and cosmic horror, 'Lazarus' is a story to be handled with care, but remains a must for Andreyev’s fans, as well as for horror aficionados.
A highly recommended read for fans of Mikhail Bulgakov, Edgar Allan Poe, Fyodor Dostoyevsky and H.P. Lovecraft.
Leonid Andreev (1871-1919) has a special place in Russian literature. Labeled by many as the father of Russian expressionism, Andreev’s style is rich and diverse, blending literary traits from the schools of Symbolism, Naturalism, and Realism. The writer’s fame is mainly felt in his translations of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard, and through his stories, written in the vein of Edgar Allan Poe. His works, often haunting, dark, and controversial, reaching for the fantastic and the grotesque, include two novels, five novellas, and a number of short stories. The most well-known of them include the story 'The Seven Who Were Hanged', the play 'Tsar Hunger' and his novel 'Sashka Zhegulev'.