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'The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.'So begins H. P. Lovecraft's essay "Supernatural Horror in Literature," arguably the most important analysis of horror ever written. Yet while hordes of writers have created works based on Lovecraft's fiction, never before has an anthology taken its inspiration directly from the literary manifesto behind his entire mythos...until now.Like cultists poring over a forbidden tome, eighteen modern masters of horror have gathered here to engage with Lovecraft's treatise. Rather than responding with articles of their own, these authors have written new short stories inspired by intriguing quotes from the essay, offering their own whispers to the darkness. They tell of monsters and madmen, of our strange past and our weirder future, of terrors stalking the winter woods, the broiling desert, and eeriest of all, our bustling cities, our family homes.SALES POINTS* Is a unique contribution to the booming Lovecraft/Cthulhu craze that will stand out from the pack due to its one-of-a-kind premise* Features a mix of literary and genre writers to draw in a diverse readership* The concept will appeal not only to fans of Lovecraft's fiction but to a far broader base of horror readers* The television program True Detective has inspired a whole new generation to seek out smart, literary approaches to classic weird fiction… (más)
Up front, I must say Lovecraft's "Supernatural Horror in Literature" has been a touchstone for me in academic papers and in conversations about the importance and impact of horror literature for many years. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that I was exceedingly excited to get my hands on an Advance Review Copy of this collection.
I cannot say it half so well as Publishers Weekly or SFF World -- but I agree wholeheartedly with them that this collection is something different in the best of ways.
Each author selects a particular passage from Lovecraft's essay and introduces their story with a brief explanation of their relationship with that passage. This made the collection all the more enticing for me, as a reader and student of academia. It is often a valuable insight to hear the author's own voice when engaging with works that are part of a conversation, such as the conversation created between these tales and Lovecraft's essay.
The format also creates a binding thread that runs through the anthology, making every story fit. There isn't a slacker or outlier in the bunch. I was hypnotized and drawn into each story through not only the writer's craft, but the interaction between Lovecraft's essay and the author's view of it.
This anthology is the sweet spot between academic engagement and idolic entertainment.
Of the entire collection, many stories stuck with me; to pick a favorite would be an impossible task. Would I choose Grey's dabbling in using Lovecraft as a character, Jones' lycanthropic romp, or Files' exploration of things hidden in childhood? (I could honestly list EVERY author's name here and give a reason for their story to be a favorite...) But, at the end of the day, one story has stayed with me over the months - even though I've skipped it on re-reads of the collection because it creeped me out so much - and that is Nadia Bulkin's "Only Unity Saves the Damned".
No spoilers here, but if you give it a read and at first think "Oh, just another kids with a video camera horror story," think again and keep reading - that is only the frame for something much, much creepier.
I received an Advanced Review Copy of this book. ( )
'The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.'So begins H. P. Lovecraft's essay "Supernatural Horror in Literature," arguably the most important analysis of horror ever written. Yet while hordes of writers have created works based on Lovecraft's fiction, never before has an anthology taken its inspiration directly from the literary manifesto behind his entire mythos...until now.Like cultists poring over a forbidden tome, eighteen modern masters of horror have gathered here to engage with Lovecraft's treatise. Rather than responding with articles of their own, these authors have written new short stories inspired by intriguing quotes from the essay, offering their own whispers to the darkness. They tell of monsters and madmen, of our strange past and our weirder future, of terrors stalking the winter woods, the broiling desert, and eeriest of all, our bustling cities, our family homes.SALES POINTS* Is a unique contribution to the booming Lovecraft/Cthulhu craze that will stand out from the pack due to its one-of-a-kind premise* Features a mix of literary and genre writers to draw in a diverse readership* The concept will appeal not only to fans of Lovecraft's fiction but to a far broader base of horror readers* The television program True Detective has inspired a whole new generation to seek out smart, literary approaches to classic weird fiction
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(3.75)
2
I cannot say it half so well as Publishers Weekly or SFF World -- but I agree wholeheartedly with them that this collection is something different in the best of ways.
Each author selects a particular passage from Lovecraft's essay and introduces their story with a brief explanation of their relationship with that passage. This made the collection all the more enticing for me, as a reader and student of academia. It is often a valuable insight to hear the author's own voice when engaging with works that are part of a conversation, such as the conversation created between these tales and Lovecraft's essay.
The format also creates a binding thread that runs through the anthology, making every story fit. There isn't a slacker or outlier in the bunch. I was hypnotized and drawn into each story through not only the writer's craft, but the interaction between Lovecraft's essay and the author's view of it.
This anthology is the sweet spot between academic engagement and idolic entertainment.
Of the entire collection, many stories stuck with me; to pick a favorite would be an impossible task. Would I choose Grey's dabbling in using Lovecraft as a character, Jones' lycanthropic romp, or Files' exploration of things hidden in childhood? (I could honestly list EVERY author's name here and give a reason for their story to be a favorite...) But, at the end of the day, one story has stayed with me over the months - even though I've skipped it on re-reads of the collection because it creeped me out so much - and that is Nadia Bulkin's "Only Unity Saves the Damned".
No spoilers here, but if you give it a read and at first think "Oh, just another kids with a video camera horror story," think again and keep reading - that is only the frame for something much, much creepier.
I received an Advanced Review Copy of this book. (