Upon its publication in 1897, Bram Stoker's iconic gothic horror novel was the result of years of research, and was widely praised. The story is told in epistolary form, tracing the journey of the young solicitor Jonathan Harker as he travels to the Carpathian Mountains, his subsequent imprisonment in Dracula's castle, the Count's arrival in England, and the battle fought between the vampire and a small group of men and women led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing. Stoker himself made little money from the book's success, and would die in poverty, but his legacy shows no sign of waning; the legendary figure of Dracula has spawned countless books, films, and television series. Although Stoker did not invent the vampire, he defined its modern form as we know it today.