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glimnore's review against another edition
5.0
I want to dock a star, because this novella left me with more questions than answers, but I am afraid I can't bring myself to. I loved this little neo-noire story. It was haunting. It was beautiful. It was...something.
Kiernan paints atmosphere like Bob Ross paints Trees. Woven through a landscape as if they were meant to be there all along, with details so very intricate that you wouldn't even notice them at first glance. Agents of Dreamland is a lot like that. Read it to fast and you wont catch the nods, the subtle references, and fractal-like nature of the story. It's a love-letter to dark, lovecraftian horror, with a modern-Kiernian twist. It's a bit of a masterpiece that leaves me only craving more.
Kiernan paints atmosphere like Bob Ross paints Trees. Woven through a landscape as if they were meant to be there all along, with details so very intricate that you wouldn't even notice them at first glance. Agents of Dreamland is a lot like that. Read it to fast and you wont catch the nods, the subtle references, and fractal-like nature of the story. It's a love-letter to dark, lovecraftian horror, with a modern-Kiernian twist. It's a bit of a masterpiece that leaves me only craving more.
bigbookgeek's review against another edition
4.0
What a splendid tale this was! Kiernan has a way with words that draws you in and can simply hypnotize you.
It is well known that I'm a sucker for Lovecraftian tales, and I'm happy to say this is one of the better ones I've read in s long time! A must read for anybody who likes to delve into Mythos!
It is well known that I'm a sucker for Lovecraftian tales, and I'm happy to say this is one of the better ones I've read in s long time! A must read for anybody who likes to delve into Mythos!
droar's review against another edition
3.0
I've been feeling particularly lovecrafty lately (not that I'm not always feeling a little lovecrafty) and Kiernan delivers the creeping unsettlings well. She has the cerebral/nigh incomprehensibly referential language down super well & the specific flavor of bumping darkness very much works, it just feels too much like a middle episode in some larger monster of the week sitcom in a way I don't love. Like the plot goes mostly nowhere (fine on it's own) but is very obviously laying the first groundwork for the season finale arc. Would recommend for die hard lovecraft-style fans who are ok with some weird body horror.
Overall a decent creeps, but I'm not sure I'll pick up the rest.
Overall a decent creeps, but I'm not sure I'll pick up the rest.
roguemuffin's review
4.0
I would recommend this novella if you are looking for an X-Files/noir/cosmic horror type experience.
I really enjoyed it, I just wish that I had read it in larger chunks at a time or all the way thru in one or two sittings. It is an immersive read and reading a few pages here and there didn't do it justice.
The jumps between character perspectives and finer points of the plot were a little hard to follow mainly due to the language being indirect. This is part of what successfully creates the vibe and no doubt an intentional stylistic choice, it's just something to prepare for and stick with for a full experience (vs stopping and starting as I did)
Overall I'd say save this novella for when you are in the mood for an atmospheric cosmic read, then go all in and you'll have an excellent time. It definitely delivers well if you set it up for success.
CW of note: the main character drinks to cope and this is peppered throughout the story from a first person perspective.
I really enjoyed it, I just wish that I had read it in larger chunks at a time or all the way thru in one or two sittings. It is an immersive read and reading a few pages here and there didn't do it justice.
The jumps between character perspectives and finer points of the plot were a little hard to follow mainly due to the language being indirect. This is part of what successfully creates the vibe and no doubt an intentional stylistic choice, it's just something to prepare for and stick with for a full experience (vs stopping and starting as I did)
Overall I'd say save this novella for when you are in the mood for an atmospheric cosmic read, then go all in and you'll have an excellent time. It definitely delivers well if you set it up for success.
CW of note: the main character drinks to cope and this is peppered throughout the story from a first person perspective.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Alcoholism
childdeirdre's review against another edition
3.0
This story has creeped me out and I don't even know what's happened. Not my cup of tea.
roadtripreader's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The end of the world has exponential growth. - Signalman on outerspace "covid"
What's a horror without a cult, the occult and Crowley poking his nose in there for good measure? This has it all. Cultist ramblings into conspiratorial "gibberish" (that may or may not be rooted in some version of truth), a human who may or may not be of the super alien or demon variety, a host of shadowy government agencies of the three-letter variety and maybe just maybe some offworld-extraterrestrial heebie jeebies.
This novella wears many hats. An ode to X-Files, olde classic scifi-fantasy Hollywood and yet, it is also Lovecraftian in a Color out of Space sort of way. Time jumping, pop culture, classics, maybe alien, with hints of eldritch otherness round out the edges to complete this first installment
Plot/Storyline:
Effectively done "WTF did I just read" type of story. All shadows and code and skulduggery. There is a Grimm undertone. What big Eyes you have., Paradise Lost and Dantes Inferno make an appearance and it is woven into the foundations of this horror.
-0.5 Perhaps thats one too many callbacks to different literature and art pieces to create whatever eery atmosphere it is going for.
-1 I love a non linear timeline as much as any temporal Scifi fan out there. Playing tricks with time to tell a story is usually one of my favorite literary devices. It felt, at times, haphazard and yet meandering.
Characters:
I really want to say that Drew was just a dumbass, a predatorial opportunistic and ultimately dangerous cockroach. A Charismatic nutjob. Would that I could.
Favorite scene:
The best foreshadowing never seems like foreshadowing.
8 year old Signalman watching a cursed Hollywood scifi-fantasy opera thst doomed everyone involved with the production.
Favorite Quote/Concept:
Some stains sink straight through to the soul and are never coming out.
Also, are we ever going to get the answers to Signalman's questions because I for one am beyond interested in the mythos behind Immacolata Sexton:
♤Is it true what they say about your mother?About your father?
♤About Berlin and the night the Wall came down?
♤Is it true what they say about the night you were born?
You can’t be scared and hungry at the same time, he says. If you’re scared, it scares the hunger out of you.
In names is all the power of a splitting atom, and if you steal names, you steal hope
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Horror books by 2025
What's a horror without a cult, the occult and Crowley poking his nose in there for good measure? This has it all. Cultist ramblings into conspiratorial "gibberish" (that may or may not be rooted in some version of truth), a human who may or may not be of the super alien or demon variety, a host of shadowy government agencies of the three-letter variety and maybe just maybe some offworld-extraterrestrial heebie jeebies.
This novella wears many hats. An ode to X-Files, olde classic scifi-fantasy Hollywood and yet, it is also Lovecraftian in a Color out of Space sort of way. Time jumping, pop culture, classics, maybe alien, with hints of eldritch otherness round out the edges to complete this first installment
Plot/Storyline:
Effectively done "WTF did I just read" type of story. All shadows and code and skulduggery. There is a Grimm undertone. What big Eyes you have., Paradise Lost and Dantes Inferno make an appearance and it is woven into the foundations of this horror.
-0.5 Perhaps thats one too many callbacks to different literature and art pieces to create whatever eery atmosphere it is going for.
-1 I love a non linear timeline as much as any temporal Scifi fan out there. Playing tricks with time to tell a story is usually one of my favorite literary devices. It felt, at times, haphazard and yet meandering.
Characters:
I really want to say that Drew was just a dumbass, a predatorial opportunistic and ultimately dangerous cockroach. A Charismatic nutjob. Would that I could.
Favorite scene:
The best foreshadowing never seems like foreshadowing.
8 year old Signalman watching a cursed Hollywood scifi-fantasy opera thst doomed everyone involved with the production.
Favorite Quote/Concept:
Some stains sink straight through to the soul and are never coming out.
Also, are we ever going to get the answers to Signalman's questions because I for one am beyond interested in the mythos behind Immacolata Sexton:
♤Is it true what they say about your mother?About your father?
♤About Berlin and the night the Wall came down?
♤Is it true what they say about the night you were born?
You can’t be scared and hungry at the same time, he says. If you’re scared, it scares the hunger out of you.
In names is all the power of a splitting atom, and if you steal names, you steal hope
StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Horror books by 2025
neea_le_meur's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
J'ai été surprise de la finesse du livre en le récupérant à la bibliothèque et oui, il est court.
Mais dense, je veux dire DENSE
Il se passe beaucoup de choses dans ce si petit livre et bien plus encore en dehors. Hors de notre portée mais de très peu, juste assez pour qu'on puisse deviner l'ampleur de ce qui va, ou s'est déjà, passé.
Mais dense, je veux dire DENSE
Il se passe beaucoup de choses dans ce si petit livre et bien plus encore en dehors. Hors de notre portée mais de très peu, juste assez pour qu'on puisse deviner l'ampleur de ce qui va, ou s'est déjà, passé.
mabs's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
krixbee's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0