Gustav Meyrink (1868-1932) was one of the first authors in the German-speaking world to write fantastic novels. While his early works critique the bourgeois society of his time, his later works primarily explore supernatural phenomena and the metaphysical meaning of existence. Meyrink was deeply engaged with occult teachings and magical knowledge, with a particular interest in the Rosicrucians and their secret doctrines regarding the mysteries of death and rebirth. This is also true for the present novel about the life story of the invisible Christopher Taubenschlag, who is mysteriously able to impress a person while they are fully conscious and to influence them according to his will. This is a reprint of the original edition from 1921.