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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
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.
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.
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.
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.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail
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:
Complicated
Uneven. Can't say loved any story but most weren't actively terrible.
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.
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.
I'm a simple lady, I see that Silvia Moreno-Garcia contributes and I read it.
This was quite the addition to my Spooktober reading.
Like with any collection of short stories, you have some that make you sad it's not a full book, and others that you can't figure out why it's included.
I actually enjoyed most of the stories in here, it was mostly the western themed ones I didn't enjoy (that's out of personal preference than any other reason).
This was quite the addition to my Spooktober reading.
Like with any collection of short stories, you have some that make you sad it's not a full book, and others that you can't figure out why it's included.
I actually enjoyed most of the stories in here, it was mostly the western themed ones I didn't enjoy (that's out of personal preference than any other reason).