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stepriot's review
4.0
It has a rough start, but there are some gems in this collection. The more mythos stories I read the more I enjoy the stories which subvert Lovecraft's racism. There are stories that ignore it or gloss over it. Then there are stories that ask why someone would choose to warship Cthulhu. I've found those stories to be more disturbing than any of the unspeakable acts performed by the cultists. While the monsters are terrible and the cosmos doesn't care the best stories, the most terrifying stories, in this collection always have a human monster.
kadomi's review
3.0
A decent anthology, with some good stories, and some that were not so great. No story really stood out as absolutely mindblowing, but there were some good ones, and only two or three that made me skim them. They all shared the criteria that they made me freaking uncomfortable reading them, the insanity lurking just below the surface. That said, it made me want to read some more Lovecraft instead of going for another Cthulhu compilation.
darkcoffeelover81's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jonmhansen's review
4.0
A good collection. Some I’d seen before, but some newer ones. I’m always surprised how different writers interpret Cthulhuness. Some are pure WTF, others are really interesting.
chmccann's review
4.0
Pretty good anthology - as you expect, there are some winners and some losers in there, but overall it was enjoyable. I listened to the audio version and I didn't really care for the narrators, so I'd recommend reading this with your eyeballs.
macthebrazen's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Rape, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Blood, Fatphobia, War, Racial slurs, Violence, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Grief, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
jeremyjfloyd's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
johnwillson's review
3.0
Huge volume of short stories of the Cthulhu mythos.
The first couple of stories are great, but things quickly go downhill from there. Some retread familiar ground. "Ooo, Deep Ones... again." Some have an unsatisfying structure, ending suddenly and with arcs unresolved. But there are a few gems, and as noted, it's a huge tome. When one tale bores, one can just skip to the next.
The first couple of stories are great, but things quickly go downhill from there. Some retread familiar ground. "Ooo, Deep Ones... again." Some have an unsatisfying structure, ending suddenly and with arcs unresolved. But there are a few gems, and as noted, it's a huge tome. When one tale bores, one can just skip to the next.
pacardullo's review
5.0
A gigantic tome of Lovecraftian goodness. A great sampler of Mythos-inspired stories in a variety of styles and tones, and not a bad one in the bunch. If you enjoy seeing what various authors can do when playing in Lovecraft's world, you'll want to check out this collection.