Born in Blackmore End, Essex, the son of an Anglican Priest, William Hope Hodgson was to become one of the most notable influences on 20th Century Sci-Fi and Horror. House On the Borderlands, Dream of X, and The Night Land are considered among the seminal pieces of literature in the genre. His occult themes and archaic style have made an impact many decades after his young death in 1918, having a major effect on the works of such noted storytellers as H.P. Lovecraft and Alfred Hitchcock. Were it not for Hodgson, Sci-Fi/Horror would not exist as it does today.