The Face in the Abyss

by A. Merritt

Nicholas Graydon, a mining engineer, joins an expedition into the Peruvian Andes led by the greedy Sterrett, Soames, and Dancre to find the lost treasure of the Inca. Their journey takes a turn for the supernatural when they encounter Suarra, a beautiful woman from the hidden, ancient civilization of Yu-Atlanchi. This lost world possesses advanced biological science, allowing them to breed dinosaurs and reshape human forms into monstrous servants. As Graydon’s companions succumb to their own avarice, they are confronted by the Two Lords and the enigmatic Snake Mother who rule this forbidden land. The central conflict pits Graydon’s growing love for Suarra against the cosmic horrors and cold wisdom of an immortal race. The story follows a descent from a standard treasure hunt into a nightmare of biological manipulation and psychological testing. Ultimately, Graydon’s companions are destroyed by their own greed at the Face in the Abyss, a terrifying living monument to wealth. Graydon is spared but cast out, leading to a desperate attempt to return to the woman he loves. The tone is one of pulp adventure blended with dark fantasy and cosmic dread.