Reviews

To Rouse Leviathan by Mark McLaughlin, Matt Cardin

stephenmeansme's review against another edition

DNF; Lovecraftian with some interesting, explicitly religious twists, but more blandly "tell" rather than "show" or "hint darkly."

mamimitanaka's review against another edition

5.0

Jeez, this one was actually deeply existentially disturbing in the same breadth of Ligotti. A monstrously massive collection using Christian theology to sow cosmic horror, and in a really unique way too; I can tell Cardin is seriously well read and knows his shit when it comes to Biblical studies, and it rubs off on these stories enormously. Crazy good cosmic horror imagery here as well; like damn, "Notes of a Mad Copyist" is just, so visually and viscerally striking to me that I'm still thinking about it even after considering the entire collection. There's really no bad stories here though, this whole thing is great, with the novellas being the best examples of prose here. Beware of how damn depressing it is, this is the type of philosophical horror that will leave you feeling hollowed out for awhile, so proceed with caution. Highly recommended regardless.

alyz's review

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

caffiend12's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

naokamiya's review against another edition

5.0

Jeez, this one was actually deeply existentially disturbing in the same breadth of Ligotti. A monstrously massive collection using Christian theology to sow cosmic horror, and in a really unique way too; I can tell Cardin is seriously well read and knows his shit when it comes to Biblical studies, and it rubs off on these stories enormously. Crazy good cosmic horror imagery here as well; like damn, "Notes of a Mad Copyist" is just, so visually and viscerally striking to me that I'm still thinking about it even after considering the entire collection. There's really no bad stories here though, this whole thing is great, with the novellas being the best examples of prose here. Beware of how damn depressing it is, this is the type of philosophical horror that will leave you feeling hollowed out for awhile, so proceed with caution. Highly recommended regardless.

mamimitanaka's review

5.0

Jeez, this one was actually deeply existentially disturbing in the same breadth of Ligotti. A monstrously massive collection using Christian theology to sow cosmic horror, and in a really unique way too; I can tell Cardin is seriously well read and knows his shit when it comes to Biblical studies, and it rubs off on these stories enormously. Crazy good cosmic horror imagery here as well; like damn, "Notes of a Mad Copyist" is just, so visually and viscerally striking to me that I'm still thinking about it even after considering the entire collection. There's really no bad stories here though, this whole thing is great, with the novellas being the best examples of prose here. Beware of how damn depressing it is, this is the type of philosophical horror that will leave you feeling hollowed out for awhile, so proceed with caution. Highly recommended regardless.

donaldanthonyhicks's review against another edition

4.0

One of those collections that’s decidedly greater than the sum of its parts, as the lesser stories coalesce with the stronger to weave an overall tapestry that’s authentically and distinctly Matt Cardin’s. His writing style is sometimes tedious, but for the most part he transcends the typical cosmic-horror-Lovecraft/Ligotti-pastiche, and he does it by injecting the subgenre with a unique and philosophically-dense worldview, which in turn colors the character of the stories in charming and effective ways. Although, as I said, the collection is a touch uneven, stand-outs such as “An Abhorrence to All Flesh,” “The God of Foulness,” “Teeth,” and “A Cherished Place at the Center of His Plans” remain some of the best examples of the contemporary weird tale one can find, and cement his worth as an expert nightmare-tician. Quite a rewarding read, all told.

rknitss's review against another edition

4.0

This anthology was soooo much longer than expect. Some of them hit really really hard, impressed and horrified me (as desired) some were merely ok examples of the genre and one or two were not my thing and I speed read past them.

For an anthology this size, the fact that I can only think of one story I was simply bored by and none that I hated is really really impressive.

I almost want to purchase a physical copy just so I can reread my favorite parts and underline at will.

Every story is Lovecraftian cosmic style horror. Many, particularly in the early section, are exceedingly heavy with the references and parallels to Western Christianity. If you aren't going to be ok with either of those things, this book and these stories probably aren't gonna be for you.

starship's review against another edition

dark reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

alexkhlopenko's review against another edition

5.0

I have no words at this moment. Give me a moment.