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ronniefinn's review
dark
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
First person, past tense for the entire boom. The prose is very dated, and while relevant from an educational perspective (on the subject of dread and lovecraftian horror), it likely fails to keep modern readers interested.
cesspool_princess's review
4.0
Ok so the concept of the Yithians is rly fascinating, the whole mind trading thing and also how fair they seem, allowing the captive to explore the grand halls and libraries (although they had their ulterior motives of having those ppl write the annals of their own world/ time's history). I am particularly fascinated by the Yithians ability to project into new bodies/ times en masse in order to avoid cataclysmic extinction events. Bc they are able to travel into the future and see what will happen this basically enables them to never go extinct bc they can always escape before their presaged destruction. I rly loved the descriptions of the gardens, the vast buildings, the city in its hayday, it was fascinating. Also i ofc loved the archeological dig leg of the journey which was very reminiscent of mountains of madness. The ending scene where he escapes into the desert was v fun/ tense. Overall I give this a 4.5 partially bc I don't think I was in as good of a mood but also (bc of that probably) this simply didnt grip me as much as at the mountains of madness or especially shadow over innsmouth. I recognize that some of the concepts are much cooler/ more novel (the yithian time brain transplant stuff) and that from a technical perspective this book is excellent and the scope is simply marvelous but It didnt leave as deep an impression as some of his other work. I think AtMoM did the archeological dig aspect better and on the whole I think I prefer the more intimate/ isolated feelings of Shadow over Innsmouth or the Dunwich Horror. I'm sure I'll revisit this in like 2 or 3 years and I will see it in a whole new light.
marmoonsinx's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
vermilion_turtles's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
so effective, so cool, i love what this does to the worldbuilding of the cthulhu mythos
subtexthater's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lapingveno's review
5.0
Classic Lovecraft.
This story is just long enough to build its suspense and gives just enough detail to paint an image without boring the reader (which is sadly a touch true for some of Lovecraft's longer works).
This is a textbook example of an unreliable narrator, and clearly makes use of what I consider the essential Lovecraftian themes: Fear of the Unknown/Different, Insanity, and Humanity's Place in an Uncaring, Ancient Cosmos.
Bravo!
This story is just long enough to build its suspense and gives just enough detail to paint an image without boring the reader (which is sadly a touch true for some of Lovecraft's longer works).
This is a textbook example of an unreliable narrator, and clearly makes use of what I consider the essential Lovecraftian themes: Fear of the Unknown/Different, Insanity, and Humanity's Place in an Uncaring, Ancient Cosmos.
Bravo!
shaneb1982's review
5.0
Certainly one of Lovecraft's most ambitious works. I love the scope and audacity of this story. Features that legendary Lovecraft descriptions that leave chills in your bones. Wonderful read.
danielmbensen's review
3.0
As with most of the horror stories I read, I loved the beginnings and was frustrated with the endings.
Why didn't these narrators do anything? Their victim-hood becomes a parody. A man has talked in his dreams with beings from the beginning and the end of the history of intelligent life on Earth, then discovers his dreams might be real. He says: "For was not this whole experience…a horror beyond all reason?" How about an honor above all reason? How about a wonder? We can cower in the fear that nothing can be alright again, or we can find faith that it will be.
Why didn't these narrators do anything? Their victim-hood becomes a parody. A man has talked in his dreams with beings from the beginning and the end of the history of intelligent life on Earth, then discovers his dreams might be real. He says: "For was not this whole experience…a horror beyond all reason?" How about an honor above all reason? How about a wonder? We can cower in the fear that nothing can be alright again, or we can find faith that it will be.
erichart's review against another edition
5.0
Another of Lovecraft's best stories beautifully illustrated by Von Sholly. Even if you know the story, the extra essays are well worth reading.