Lovecraft Unbound is one of the books I flagged up in my series of Spring Cleaning posts earlier in the year (back in April I think) where I tackled the huge started but not finished pile; and was one of the titles I thought I would definitely go back to; I finally got round to picking it up again this weekend.
What’s it all about and why did I want to read it?
[…] twenty-two of today’s most respected writers of the fantastic present their visions of HP Lovecraft’s world and creations.
What did I think of it?
Like all anthologies it was patchy but the good ones were very good indeed. Some of the Lovecraftian-ness was tenuous but there were enough set in Antarctic wastes and Tibetan planes as well as ancient horrors in modern life to make it worthwhile.
Highlights for me:
- Cold Water Survival by Holly Phillips (one of the icy ones)
- In the Black Mill by Michael Chabon (though I spotted early on what the “secret” was but I’m not sure he was trying to hide it that hard)
- Commencement by Joyce Carol Oates (because, well, it’s JCO, one of my heroes)
- Mongoose by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear – probably my favourite
There is a companion volume called Lovecraft’s Monsters which has mysteriously found its way onto my Kindle app and I’m sure I’ll dip into that shortly because *whispers* Neil Gaiman’s in it, if for no other reason 🙂
Update: and in tagging this post for publication I realise that I had already written about the first five stories as part of RIP VI back in 2011, which you can read here if you so desire!
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November 16, 2014 at 11:17 pm
lynnsbooks
Would you believe that I’ve never read any Lovecraft – and, I actually have his complete works!! I must read some – have you read?? Do you have any recommendations??
Lynn 😀
November 17, 2014 at 6:43 am
brideofthebookgod
I’ve been reading him since I was *gulp* 12 which is a very long time ago (I’m sure my Mum wouldn’t have let me get the American paperback I had (and still have) if she’d seen the cover first!) Start with The Shadow over Innsmouth, but my absolute favourite is At The Mountains of Madness. Enjoy 🙂
November 19, 2014 at 7:00 am
WWW Wednesday – 19 November | Bride of the Book God
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