Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: The Taint of Lovecraft by Stanley C. Sargent, Robert M. Price, D. L. Hutchinson, Allen Koszowski, Daniel Alan Ross, Jeffrey Thomas, Peter Worthy, Richard Lupoff ISBN: 0-9659433-9-9 Publisher: Mythos Books Pub. Date: December, 2002 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $20.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (1 review)
Rating: 5
Summary: Excellent
Comment: What a wonderful book. If you are not familiar with the work of Stanley Sargent, I heartily recommend this book. For once Cthulhu Mythos aficionados can revel in a new, individual voice. Indeed, it is the distinct "voice" of each of the selections in this book that remains so impressive. That and the fact that Sargent (like Robert Bloch before him) is one of the few Mythos writers that successfully mixes horror and humor.
Probably one of the most satisfying aspects about the "Taint" is that the reader gets to sample Sargent in various aspects of his craft - from straight, Mythos horror, to subtle humor, to irreverent poetry and well-researched analysis. (The central novella, Nyarlatophis, set in ancient Egypt, is also superbly researched and delivered.) His range is as varied as is his manner of delivery - from a creepy "Live Bait," a sequel to H.P. Lovecraft's famous (and disturbing) "Shadow Over Innsmouth," to a thought provoking "Black Brat of Dunwich"-- a different interpretation of Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror." The two should be read side by side for the remarkable insights and conclusions Sargent manages to draw from Lovecraft's original story. To be honest, I found all the stories in this volume interesting and surpirsingly successful - despite their different construction and delivery. In the last story: "Double Screecher" Sargent manages to perfectly capture the claustrophobic paranoia of an insecure man in a movie theater. But don't be misled, you will think the story is going one way but then Sargent will pull the rug out from under you and go in an entirely different direction. Fabulous!
Another aspect of Sargent's savvy work that I found most appealing was his fluid style - and the individual timbre of each story which had a distinct feeling and "voice" all their own. Part of this is due to his gift of knowing how to give the reader just enough detail to prompt their mind into its own tangents of description. In other words, instead of describing something in complete detail, he gives the reader just enough key words or phrases which then propels their mind into creating its own mental scenarios. A rare gift. I found this especially impressive in such stories as "Live Bait."
If all that were not enough, the book has illustrations by D. L. Hutchinson, Allen Koszowski, Daniel Alan Ross, Peter Worthy, Jeffrey Thomas and Stanley Sargent himself! The book is also given a superb introduction by Richard A. Lupoff, which immediately establishes the quality of entertainment that will be found between the book's covers, and each story is prefaced by comments from none other than Robert M. Price - the respected and veteran Lovecraft scholar.
Do yourself a favor and get this book. Sargent is a vivid, colorful writer. It is most unfortunate that his first volume of stories, Ancient Exhumations, is now out of print.
 |
Title: Shadows Over Baker Street by MICHAEL REAVES, JOHN PELAN ISBN: 0345455282 Publisher: Del Rey Pub. Date: 30 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $23.95 |
 |
Title: New Mythos Legends by Bruce R. Gehweiler, C. J. Henderson, Tom Piccirilli ISBN: 1892669196 Publisher: Marietta Publishing Pub. Date: 01 May, 2002 List Price(USD): $15.99 |
 |
Title: The Unspeakable and Others by Dan Clore, S. T. Joshi ISBN: 1587154838 Publisher: Wildside Press Pub. Date: August, 2001 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
 |
Title: The New Lovecraft Circle by ROBERT M. PRICE ISBN: 034544406X Publisher: Del Rey Pub. Date: 30 March, 2004 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
 |
Title: Necronomicon Files: The Truth Behind Lovecraft's Legend by Daniel Harms, John Wisdom, III Gonce ISBN: 1578632692 Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser Pub. Date: August, 2003 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
