Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The Book of Cthulhu 2

This is a stunning collection of Lovecraft inspired tales all centered around the infamous Cthulhu myth. The stories in this collection vary greatly in theme, tone, and atmosphere, but all pay homage to the great master of storytelling and world-building.

Some, like Neil Gaiman's addition "Shoggoth's Old Peculiar," make direct reference to Lovecraft and his mythos. Others, such as "Nor the Demons Down Under the Sea" by Caitlin R. Kiernan allude to the mysteries of the master with just as much skill and craft. William Browning Spencer's "The Ocean and All Its Devices" gives us the possible origins of such creatures in his heartbreaking tale of loss. Kim Newman even gives us Lovecraft noir in her excellent story "The Big Fish." There are two dozen stories here from some of the biggest names in horror. Laird Barron, Neil Gaiman, Jonathon Wood, W. H. Pugmire, and more serve up a fantastic selection of monsters. There are very few weak moments in this one and worth every slithery scale! The only catch-- you must be a Lovecraft fan. Without that, many of the stories will be a little too odd as they rely on an understanding of the original story.





1 comment:

  1. I think, actually, the book could serve as a fine introduction to those who know nothing about Lovecraft or the Mythos. We were all new to this kind of fiction, and I for one was instantly captivated, knowing little but entranced by all of the mysteries and hints and such, which fed my desire to delve deeper into the Lovecraftian genre. The strong point of the book, for me, is the excellence of story-telling.

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