lovecraft

September 26, 2014

If you’re a fan of Lovecraft or just like interesting, otherworldly fiction, read WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY FINE

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized daryl gregory, elizabeth story, Grigory Lukin, horror, lovecraft, novella, review, we are all completely fine

Grigory Lukin reviews Daryl Gregory’s We Are All Completely Fine.

“We Are All Completely Fine” accomplishes what Chuck Palahniuk’s “Haunted” failed to do: it weaves different stories about damaged people together into a curious narrative which, in addition to spooky horror, also features some humor and unexpected LOL-worthy moments.

If you’re a fan of H.P.Lovecraft or just like interesting, otherworldly fiction, you just might like this book.

Score: 5 stars

Read the rest of Lukin’s review on his eponymous site.

For information on We Are All Completely Fine, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story.

July 29, 2014

LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS and THE SWORD & SORCERY ANTHOLOGY among best summer reads

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized anthology, colin o'boyle, David G. Hartwell, elen datlow, fantasy, geek smash, George R. R. Martin, horror, jacob weisman, lovecraft, lovecraft's monsters, mythos, review, robert e. howard, short stories, the sword & sorcery anthology

For Geek Smash, Colin O’Boyle includes both The Sword & Sorcery Anthology and Lovecraft’s Monsters among the 7 Super Spec-fic Books for Your Summer.

In the words of Conan the Barbarian (at least, the one from the 1982 movie), here’s what’s best in life: “To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.” And you’ll see plenty of that sort of thing in this anthology of sword and sorcery stories. The tales of derring-do run the gamut in age from those written by Robert E. Howard and his contemporaries (so, around the 30s and 40s) all the way up to George R.R. Martin.

Obviously some of the older stories are a bit problematic in terms of their authors outlooks on race/gender, but I was pleased to find some strong female protagonists in there too. “Become a Warrior” by Jane Yolen, for example, features a young girl whose father–the king–is slain in battle, and rather than become the prize of the conquering army, she strikes out into the wilderness to grow in power (and plan her revenge). “The Sea Troll’s Daughter” by Caitlín R. Kiernan is another story to defy expectation, and not just in the “women can be strong characters too” category, but also because it shows that someone can physically be a monster but that doesn’t mean their behavior has to be monstrous.

The second short story collection on my list, “Lovecraft’s Monsters” is a must-read for any fans of the Cthulhu Mythos. For those of you not familiar with the Mythos, please say “Hastur Hastur Hastur” while looking into a dark mirror and a representative will be along shortly to familiarize you with the genre. Alternatively, you could click on the link above, or read the following brief description. Essentially, the Cthulhu Mythos is a shared universe centered around the world created by HP Lovecraft. It features dark, otherworldly creatures, but not in a vampires/werewolves “otherworldly” sense. Instead, Lovecraft’s monsters are strange things from beyond the stars, usually so strange that human beings who encounter them go mad from the experience.

This collection, put together by Ellen Datlow, features stories set in this shared universe, and most of them are pretty creepy. In one, a woman who can communicate with animals is asked to connect with people from the town of Innsmouth (who gradually turn into fish-human hybrids over time). In another (rather Steampunkish) tale, a group of explorers sets out into the jungle to rescue an English rose in their mechanical craft, only to learn that something evil lurks in the dark lake they find.

View the rest of O’Boyle’s selections at Geek Smash.

For info on The Sword & Sorcery Anthology, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover art by Jean-Sébastien Rossbach. Design by Elizabeth Story.

For more information on Lovecraft’s Monsters, visit the Tachyon site.

Cover and illustration by John Coulthart.

July 24, 2014

The morbidly fascinating WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY FINE

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized daryl gregory, elizabeth story, horror, lovecraft, novella, review, we are all completely fine, y logs, yzabel ginsberg

Yzabel Ginsberg on her Y Logs comments on the intriguing and gripping We Are All Completely Fine.

This was an intriguing and gripping novella, tackling a question that is probably seldom asked: what of the somewhat normal people in paranormal/supernatural stories, the ones who aren’t the powerful mage detective or powerful vampire or whatever, yet have also dealt with their share of anything-but-normal situations? What of those people’s psyche, can they ever go back to a semblance of normalcy, and how?

<snip>

The world building rests on a lot of common themes, some well-known (Lovecraftian mythos—the town of Dunnmouth being obviously reminiscent of Innsmouth), some vague enough that they could be placed basically in any series, and all morbidly fascinating in their own ways. The family of human cannibals that fed off Stan’s and his friends’ bodies, for instance, is pretty close to typical stories of that kind (like the Sawney Bean clan). The Scrimshander could be a regular psychopath touched with a bit of sight… or something else altogether. Greta’s fiery little problem could be interpreted as a variety of spirits. As a result, I felt it allowed the story to fit a lot of potential settings, and gain a kind of legitimacy.

Read the rest of Ginsberg’s review at The Y Logs.

For information on We Are All Completely Fine, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story.

July 18, 2014

LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS: A Recommendation

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized anthology, cthulhu, Ellen Datlow, horror, john coulthart, lovecraft, lovecraft's monsters, mathew ortiz caro, mattfiction, mythos, review, short stories

Matthew Ortiz Caro on his MattFiction blog recommends (but emphatically doesn’t review) Lovecraft’s Monsters.

As Lovecraft’s influence continues to flourish, an inclusive subdivision of his literary universe evolves and continues to bear fruit in today’s modern literature. Such an example is Lovecraft’s Monsters, an artistic work consisting of a medley of pieces extracted from the mythos. This anthology not only pays homage to one of literature’s most talented writers, it expands the Lovecraft mythos by stretching the boundaries of terror in a manner much different than Lovecraft. Ellen Datlow, editor of “Lovecraft’s Monsters”, said it best, “I’m far more impressed and often surprised by writers who use the mythos in ways that its creator never dreamed of.”

Happy reading….hope you enjoy this one!

For more information on Lovecraft’s Monsters, visit the Tachyon site.

Cover and illustration by John Coulthart.

July 14, 2014

Do not read LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS before bed

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized anthology, cthulhu, Ellen Datlow, horror, john coulthart, lovecraft, lovecraft's monsters, mythos, night owl reviews, review, short stories, top pick

Night Owl Reviews names Lovecraft’s Monsters a Top Pick.

I LOVED this book. I love retellings, especially horror, and these were done in a great way. From sea creatures to demons there is a story for everyone. After I read this book I read the originals and I was very happy with the way this book was written. The illustrations were my favorite and I loved that they were the originals. I am glad that I did not read this book before bed!

For more information on Lovecraft’s Monsters, visit the Tachyon site.

Cover and illustration by John Coulthart.

July 11, 2014

Years Best Books (so far): LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS edition

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized anthology, best of 2014, book riot, Complex Pop Culture, cthulhu, Ellen Datlow, horror, johann thorsson, john coulthart, lovecraft, lovecraft's monsters, matt barone, mythos, short stories

Both Johann Thorsson at Book Riot and Matt Barone at Complex Pop Culture included Lovecraft’s Monsters on their best books of 2014 (so far) lists.

Johann Thorsson at Book Riot:

Lovecraft’s Monsters, edited by Ellen Datlow

Lovecraft wasn’t the greatest of prose writers. He had some truly original ideas and made them come alive in his world, but today his writing feels a little …. clunky. Lucky for us, his ideas live on and a great deal of writers honor him by writing stories that take place in his world. Which brings us to Lovecraft’s Monsters, a collection of Lovecraft-inspired stories and poems written by some of today’s greatest genre writers. Neil Gaiman, Elizabeth Bear, Caitlín R. Kiernan and Joe Lansdale, too name a few. I’ve long been a Lovecraft fan (his stories, remember, not his prose and certainly not the man himself) and this collection is a pleaser for those of use who like the dark stuff. There’s a story in the anthology by Brian Hodge, The Same Deep Waters as You, that is the stand-out for me and still gives me shivers just thinking about it. If you like Lovecraft even a little bit, this collection is a must. –Johann Thorsson

Matt Barone at Complex Pop Culture:

Lovecraft’s Monsters, edited by Ellen Datlow (Tachyon Publications)

Like how indie filmmaker Joe Swanberg or jack-of-all-trades James Franco seemingly never sleep, always releasing new projects, genre fiction editor Ellen Datlow apparently lives in a world where days are comprised of more than 24 hours. Or she’s just the hardest working woman in the game. It’s the latter, of course—come December, Datlow will have released five new collections, all of which are dedicated to horror and, rest assured, are four-star material. She’s the reigning queen of short-form literary scares.

Datlow’s first 2014 offering, Lovecraft’s Monsters, features many of horror fiction’s best writers paying homage to the grandaddy of them all, H.P. Lovecraft. Whether they’re evoking Lovecraft’s sense of cosmic dread or directly referencing his otherworldly monster all-stars (i.e., Cthulhu, the Deep Ones, the Shoggoths), Datlow’s roster of imagination-heavy scribes avoid pastiche to create their own brands of fantastical madness. Neil Gaiman checks in with “Only the End of the World Again,” with its werewolf protagonist having a run-in with the Elder Things, Lovecraft’s sea-dwelling gods; the great Joe R. Lansdale uses musical appreciation to achieve Lovecraftian macabre with “The Bleeding Shadow,” my second-favorite story in Lovecraft’s Monsters following the enigmatic and reliably nightmarish Thomas Ligotti’s “The Sect of the Idiot,” an existential creep-show set in a strange little town.

As if the stories themselves weren’t enough, Lovecraft’s Monsters also includes original artwork by illustrator John Coulthart, each drawing more stunning than the previous one (and two of which you can see at the top of this post). Seriously, Coulthart’s beautifully grotesque images are worth the expense alone.

For more information on Lovecraft’s Monsters, visit the Tachyon site.

Cover and illustration by John Coulthart.

July 9, 2014

LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS is more than just a nod to the Cthulhu Mythos

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized anthology, Ellen Datlow, horror, john coulthart, lovecraft, lovecraft's monsters, michael dirda, mythos, review, short stories, washington post

For The Washington Post, Micheal Dirda, in his piece on horror and the specialty presses, singles out Lovecraft’s Monsters.

More than just a nod to the Cthulhu Mythos is “Lovecraft’s Monsters” (paperback, $16.95) from Tachyon Publications, edited by Ellen Datlow (who apparently never sleeps and is probably never seen in daylight). In this collection, she reprints some of the best Lovecraftian short fiction of the past 30 years, ranging from Howard Waldrop and Steven Utley’s “Black as the Pit, From Pole to Pole” (1977) to John Langan’s “Children of the Fang” (2014). Between are stories by such notable shockmeisters as Thomas Ligotti, Steve Rasnic Tem, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Joe R. Lansdale and Fred Chappell (not his classic “The Adder” but his almost novella-length “Remnants”).

Read the rest of Dirda’s article at The Washington Post.

For more information on Lovecraft’s Monsters, visit the Tachyon site.

Cover and illustration by John Coulthart.

July 7, 2014

The acclaimed best seller LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS to be reprinted

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized announcement, anthology, Brian Hodge, Caitlín R. Kiernan, cthulhu, Elizabeth Bear, Ellen Datlow, Fred Chappell, Gemma Files, horror, howard waldrop, Joe R. Lansdale, john coulthart, John Langan, karl edward wagner, kiom newman, Laird Barron, lovecraft, lovecraft's monsters, mythos, Nadia Bulkin, neil gaiman, news, Nick Mamatas, Stefan Dziemianowicz, Steve Rasnic Tem, Steven Utley, thomas ligotti, William Browning Spencer

Tachyon Publications is proud to announce a SECOND printing of Ellen Datlow’s acclaimed anthology Lovecraft’s Monsters.

Featuring a cover and interior illustrations from the award-winning John Coulthart, Lovecraft’s Monsters has received abundant praise from a variety of outlets.

“Ellen Datlow’s second editorial outing into the realm of Lovecraft proves even more fruitful than the first. Focusing on Lovecraftian monsters, Datlow offers readers sixteen stories and two poems of a variety that should please any fans of the genre.”
—The Arkham Digest

“…amazing and creative tales each with a striking illustration by John Coulthart…I fully recommend adding this nice anthology for all fans of Lovecraft.”
—Dark Corner

“Lovecraft’s Monsters, edited by Ellen Datlow and published by Tachyon Publications, is a reprint anthology of some carefully chosen and mighty fine Lovecraftian short stories, novellas and poems…. All in all it is a terrific selection of works, and one that any fan of Lovecratian works should add to their collection.”
—Fear.net

“[A]n amazing and diverse treasure trove of stories. As an avid fan of Lovecraft’s monstrous creations, THIS is the anthology I’ve been waiting for.”
—Shattered Ravings

“Where else, in one anthology, can a reader jump from roman noir werewolves to steampunk tanks in the Amazon to tales of forbidden love on the Innsmouth shore to Pinkerton agents in the Wild West?… Fortunately, we have Ellen Datlow to lead the way.”
—Hellnotes

“Editor Ellen Datlow has put together an anthology that will rock your liquid fantasies. Tachyon Publications has produced an excellent themed anthology. Lovecraft enthusiasts will plunge into the volume and be happily immersed in the content.”

—Diabolique Magazine

“Each story is a dark wonder and the volume itself is absolutely gorgeous, sumptuously illustrated throughout with steampunky-baroque original art by World Fantasy Award-winning artist John Coulthart. Lovecraft’s Monsters is a must-have for every fan of dark speculative fiction, so click on the cover graphic and grab it!”
—The Tomb of Dark Delights

“[A] delightful array of little pieces that range in mood and subject…. Unholy sacrifice, forbidden love, a private dick on the trail of a murderer—there’s something there for everyone.”
—The Jaded Consumer

“So I am telling you now, in the name of Yog-Sothoth, get this book, and prepare to lose some sleep.”
—The Bookend Family

“…an entirely enjoyable read… for Mythos devotees I would highly recommend picking it up”
—Seattle Geekly

“For Lovecraft’s Monsters, each writer had the same agenda: come up with a fresh take on one of the legendary author’s otherworldly creatures, like Cthulhu, the Shoggoths, the Elder Things and Yog-Sothoth. (Trust, they’re scarier than those tongue-twisting names suggest.) Adding to the book’s excellence, illustrator John Coulthart provided gorgeous new black-and-white artwork for each story.”
—Complex

“Lovecraft’s Monsters will appeal to fans of Lovecraft’s work, particularly his Mythos stories, and to readers of dark fiction everywhere. Datlow is an experienced and keen editor of dark fiction and has assembled a truly impressive list of stories.”
—LitReactor

“Datlow brings together some of the top SF/F and horror writers working today and has them play in Lovecraft’s bizarre world. And that’s a delight.”
—January Magazine

“There’s a lot to love in Lovecraft’s Monsters, an anthology which is both faithful and inventive at the same time. Unafraid to take risks and snazzily illustrated, this collection is proof that the Cthulhu cult remains as strong as ever.”
—Starburst

Table of Contents

Introduction by Ellen Datlow

Foreword by Stefan Dziemianowicz

“Only the End of the World Again” by Neil Gaiman
“The Bleeding Shadow” by Joe R. Lansdale
“Love Is Forbidden, We Croak and Howl” by Caitlín R. Kiernan
“Bulldozer” by Laird Barron
“A Quarter to Three” by Kim Newman
“Inelastic Collisions” by Elizabeth Bear
“That of Which We Speak When We Speak of the Unspeakable” by Nick Mamatas
“Red Goat Black Goat” by Nadia Bulkin
“Jar of Salts” and “Haruspicy” by Gemma Files
“Black as the Pit From Pole to Pole” by Howard Waldrop and Steven Utley
“I’ve Come to Talk With You Again” by Karl Edward Wagner
“The Sect of the Idiot” by Thomas Ligotti
“The Dappled Thing” by William Browning Spencer
“The Same Deep Waters as You” by Brian Hodge
“Remnants” by Fred Chappell
“Waiting at the Cross Roads Motel” by Steve Rasnic Tem
“Children of the Fang” by John Langan

For more information on Lovecraft’s Monsters, visit the Tachyon site.

Cover and illustration by John Coulthart.

July 1, 2014

LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS cover among the best

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized anthology, best fantasy and horror book covers, cthulhu, dragon age, Ellen Datlow, george contronis, horror, john coulthart, lovecraft, lovecraft's monsters, ramil sunga, review, short stories

Not sure how we missed this posting, but John Coulthart’s incredible cover to Lovecraft’s Monsters was included among George Contronis’s Best Fantasy and Horror Book Covers for April 2014.

According to the Contronis rankings, Lovecraft’s Monsters came in second for the month (behind Ramil Sunga’s impressive Dragon Age: The Masked Empire cover). But to those of us in the Tachyon universe, Coulthart’s image was unquestionably #1.

For more information on Lovecraft’s Monsters, visit the Tachyon site.

Cover and illustration by John Coulthart.

June 19, 2014

The attractive, excellent LOVECRAFT’S MONSTERS is highly recommended

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized anthology, black gate, Ellen Datlow, james mcglothlin, john coulthart, lovecraft, lovecraft's monsters, mythos, rachel fagundes, review

For Black Gate, James McGlothlin reviews Ellen Datlow’s “excellent anthology of horror stories" Lovecraft’s Monsters.

Overall, this is an excellent anthology of horror stories. That being said, I do have one small bone to pick. The book is definitely what it advertises itself to be: an anthology of Lovecraft’s monsters. But personally, I find the most engaging thing about Lovecraft’s horror stories is the mood or what is often called “cosmic indifference” or “cosmic horror.” Some of these stories definitely fit that model, but others, not so much.

Also, it is highly tenuous whether some of the creatures presented within these stories are really Lovecraftian monsters. “Red Goat Black Goat” by Nadia Bulkin is a great horror story. But is the monster there really Shub-Niggurath? And “Black as the Pit, From Pole to Pole” has only a few scenes or references to “elder things.” So the stories can be a bit shoe-horned into fitting the theme of having Lovecraftian monsters.

Not really a big deal. But I make this point in case you’re looking for an anthology that is purely Lovecraftian — you’ll feel gypped if that’s the case. But if you’re looking for a good horror anthology, one that focuses upon monsters, this one should be right up your alley. I highly recommend it!

<snip>

New to Lovecraft and his monsters, you say? Ever wonder who Shub-Niggurath, Cthuhlu, or Azathoth are? Ever curious as to what shoggoths, “deep ones,” or the Hounds of Tindalos are? Wonder no longer! There is a helpful “Monster Index” compiled in Lovecraft’s Monsters, by Rachel Fagundes, that introduces all such beasties. Besides identifying which stories within Lovecraft’s Monsters contain these creatures, the index also points to where they are first found in Lovecraft’s original stories.

I should also point out that this is a very attractive book with creepy illustrations throughout provided by John Coulthart. In fact, there is one illustration for each story and poem (Gemma Files provides two poems here). Coulthart’s work provides the cover illustration as well. These are nice little extras not usually offered in anthologies.

Read the rest of McGlothlin’s review at Black Gate.

For more information on Lovecraft’s Monsters, visit the Tachyon site.

Cover and illustration by John Coulthart.

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lovecraft

Lovecraft’s Monsters, edited by Ellen Datlow (Tachyon Publications)