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mamimitanaka's review
4.0
Now this is what I've been looking for. A tried and true cosmic horror novella, but it hits on all the right spots for the genre well enough that its lovely execution eclipses any overriding concern of clichés. I really like how it evokes the side of weird horror that really hones in on the sensory, New England is rendered lovingly and accurately here and there's a clear focus on nature and a painterly sense of setting; it really evokes everything I've always loved about New England and Upstate New York, especially having lived in these areas my whole life. This is pretty spooky at points but mostly just scratches that lovely itch of October night dread, I read it by candlelight as it's probably intended to be. I do think it could have benefitted from a more substantial closing statement; as it is the book just sort of ends. But it's a fun read nonetheless, and I enjoyed the metafictional touches as well, anecdotes upon anecdotes by several different narrators whose journeys intersect; cosmic horror is really good for this sort of thing it seems. Happy Halloween!
sisteray's review
3.0
Three characters from three different timelines discover spooky stuff. It's all structured like a classic M.R. James story. Only the author gets a little 1001 Nights on this and has the current character researching a center character who is in turn researching another character. Wheels within wheels.
I don't know the author's motivations, but this book felt like over the years Thomas read classic Victorian and early 20th century ghost stories and felt like he had to sort what he loved from what he didn't. To me, it feels like he was frustrated by their verbosity decided to lean into the peak moments of weirdness. I applaud the effort, it is successful, but he also made choices that left his structure rather exposed.
The novella is boiled down to tight vignettes where a chapter will have the cool short story idea and then the characters are led to the next short story idea in the next chapter. So, you get episodic disjointed elements where characters don't feel like they have agency and are just there for you to see the next cool thing. Go here, do that, see this whacked out thing. Even the resolution, took power out of the hands of the subject of the book, literally.
As a result this book kind of felt like an exercise. There is a cohesive story throughout the whole piece, and I really did enjoy it, but it felt so much like he was riffing off of other people that it was like he was doing a sequence of cover songs. Something like how a tribute band can be good, but they are still a tribute band.
The three main characters operated in near isolation so they just wondered around where the plot called for them to be. It was hard to feel anything about them as they didn't really interact with other people to reveal much about themselves, nor did they seem to have much motivation other than to do the things that the author said for them to do. The dialogue that was there wasn't great, so I guess it's better to not have much of it, than inject it into the story and make it worse.
BUT, the stuff that happened was indeed cool. There were lots of really fun moments in this that will likely stick with me for a while. The structure was daring to have three parallel stories. And it's a really short novella so I easily can forgive its weaknesses.
I don't know the author's motivations, but this book felt like over the years Thomas read classic Victorian and early 20th century ghost stories and felt like he had to sort what he loved from what he didn't. To me, it feels like he was frustrated by their verbosity decided to lean into the peak moments of weirdness. I applaud the effort, it is successful, but he also made choices that left his structure rather exposed.
The novella is boiled down to tight vignettes where a chapter will have the cool short story idea and then the characters are led to the next short story idea in the next chapter. So, you get episodic disjointed elements where characters don't feel like they have agency and are just there for you to see the next cool thing. Go here, do that, see this whacked out thing. Even the resolution, took power out of the hands of the subject of the book, literally.
As a result this book kind of felt like an exercise. There is a cohesive story throughout the whole piece, and I really did enjoy it, but it felt so much like he was riffing off of other people that it was like he was doing a sequence of cover songs. Something like how a tribute band can be good, but they are still a tribute band.
The three main characters operated in near isolation so they just wondered around where the plot called for them to be. It was hard to feel anything about them as they didn't really interact with other people to reveal much about themselves, nor did they seem to have much motivation other than to do the things that the author said for them to do. The dialogue that was there wasn't great, so I guess it's better to not have much of it, than inject it into the story and make it worse.
BUT, the stuff that happened was indeed cool. There were lots of really fun moments in this that will likely stick with me for a while. The structure was daring to have three parallel stories. And it's a really short novella so I easily can forgive its weaknesses.
chmccann's review
4.0
This is some great weird fiction. And not just the category Weird Fiction - this is really WEIRD. I loved it. So many unexpected events, characters, and elements. And while I was consistently asking myself, "Who could think this up?!" I also found it easy to follow, with a reader-friendly plot arc. Guy sets out to follow in the footsteps of an obscure occult researcher, intending only to be a tourist - take photos, sleep in the same hotel rooms, etc. And of course gets more than he bargained for!
My only complaint is that the ending could have been a little more fleshed out. However, I would rather have the somewhat open-ended resolution we got, than have the whole maguffin over-explained. Remember, this is supposed to be Weird - if some know-it-all summed up every detail of the explanation, it would ruin the vibe!
My only complaint is that the ending could have been a little more fleshed out. However, I would rather have the somewhat open-ended resolution we got, than have the whole maguffin over-explained. Remember, this is supposed to be Weird - if some know-it-all summed up every detail of the explanation, it would ruin the vibe!
naokamiya's review
4.0
Now this is what I've been looking for. A tried and true cosmic horror novella, but it hits on all the right spots for the genre well enough that its lovely execution eclipses any overriding concern of clichés. I really like how it evokes the side of weird horror that really hones in on the sensory, New England is rendered lovingly and accurately here and there's a clear focus on nature and a painterly sense of setting; it really evokes everything I've always loved about New England and Upstate New York, especially having lived in these areas my whole life. This is pretty spooky at points but mostly just scratches that lovely itch of October night dread, I read it by candlelight as it's probably intended to be. I do think it could have benefitted from a more substantial closing statement; as it is the book just sort of ends. But it's a fun read nonetheless, and I enjoyed the metafictional touches as well, anecdotes upon anecdotes by several different narrators whose journeys intersect; cosmic horror is really good for this sort of thing it seems. Happy Halloween!
johnwillson's review
5.0
So original, so creepy! It stayed with me for weeks after I finished reading it. There is a lot of Lovecraftian pastiche out there; but this is the real thing.
jgolomb's review against another edition
5.0
What a wonderful novella. It's creative, creepy and oh so very 'Lovercraft'. My only complaint (and I've seen the same from several other reviewers) is that it's too short.
The story follows a modern researcher investigating the strange happenings and disappearance of Dr. Albert Pond, using his unfinished journal as a guide. Thomas writes, "His was a documentation of a journey into an unknown New England, into an unmapped reality."
This is a story of a reality just beyond one's view. Something of the natural world, just not from our own.
I highly recommend this read
The story follows a modern researcher investigating the strange happenings and disappearance of Dr. Albert Pond, using his unfinished journal as a guide. Thomas writes, "His was a documentation of a journey into an unknown New England, into an unmapped reality."
This is a story of a reality just beyond one's view. Something of the natural world, just not from our own.
I highly recommend this read
ecebozturk's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
directorpurry's review
4.0
A jolting experience, with unsettling images explained starkly, overcoming one of the unfortunate hurdles of cosmic horror - when the upsetting thing is not described.
This novella has the perfect balance of both unexplainable moments and descriptiveness.
My only criticism is not about the story itself but some of the background color.
This novella has the perfect balance of both unexplainable moments and descriptiveness.
My only criticism is not about the story itself but some of the background color.