Cover of The Phantom Ship

The Phantom Ship

by Frederick Marryat

First published
1837
Reading level
Plain English
Price
Free

About the book

"The Phantom Ship" by Frederick Marryat is a Gothic novel published in 1839 that explores the legend of the Flying Dutchman. Philip Vanderdecken embarks on a perilous quest to save his father's cursed spirit, doomed to sail eternally after making a rash oath. Armed with a holy relic, Vanderdecken travels the world seeking his father's phantom vessel, but his mission draws supernatural doom upon all who cross paths with the spectral ship. His journey leads him through encounters with Arabian magic, demonic pilots, and the terrors of the Inquisition.

  • Sea stories
  • Horror tales
  • Immortalism
  • Flying Dutchman

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #12954. The Phantom Ship on Wikipedia.

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About Frederick Marryat