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KomradeX
Oct 29, 2011

So I picked up Future Lovecraft awhile back and haven't gotten the chance to read it yet, and somebody up thread said it was terrible, can anyone elaborate on that? I'm a huge fan of the scifi/horror genre and I'd be kind of disappointed if it did suck.

Also Book of Cthulhu I and II are awesome. Shoggoths in Bloom was so good I went and I got the anthology with that in it, and Neil Gaiman's story from the start of BoCII was amazing

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Ornamented Death
Jan 25, 2006

Pew pew!

KomradeX posted:

So I picked up Future Lovecraft awhile back and haven't gotten the chance to read it yet, and somebody up thread said it was terrible, can anyone elaborate on that? I'm a huge fan of the scifi/horror genre and I'd be kind of disappointed if it did suck.

That was me, and what I can remember at this point is that the stories were bad and not terribly true to the anthology's theme. If you want scifi/horror, pick up The Void by Brett Talley; it's as close as you can get to a novelization of Event Horizon without reading the novelization of Event Horizon, and I mean that in a good way.

Bolverkur
Aug 9, 2012

KomradeX posted:

Also Book of Cthulhu I and II are awesome.

I am this close to buying the first one on my Kindle and I need a second opinion. Most of the time these "post-Lovecraft" anthologies are mediocre and trite poo poo, so I'd rather not be completely disappointed with it. I am in the mood for reading some contemporary takes on Lovecraft's mythos, just as long as they bring something new and fresh into the mix.

Fire Safety Doug
Sep 3, 2006

99 % caffeine free is 99 % not my kinda thing

Bolverkur posted:

I am this close to buying the first one on my Kindle and I need a second opinion. Most of the time these "post-Lovecraft" anthologies are mediocre and trite poo poo, so I'd rather not be completely disappointed with it. I am in the mood for reading some contemporary takes on Lovecraft's mythos, just as long as they bring something new and fresh into the mix.

I haven't read all of it yet but so far I haven't regretted the purchase. There's both older stuff (like T.E.D. Klein's "Black Man With a Horn") and fresh takes on the mythos (the much-praised "Shoggoths in Bloom") as well as some that aren't really Lovecraft-related at all ("The Men from Porlock" by Laird Barron). Some of the stories are mediocre but I'm yet to come across a horror anthology where I enjoyed all of it equally.

You can find it for cheaper than the Amazon price as well if you Google around a bit.

Bolverkur
Aug 9, 2012

Fire Safety Doug posted:

I haven't read all of it yet but so far I haven't regretted the purchase. There's both older stuff (like T.E.D. Klein's "Black Man With a Horn") and fresh takes on the mythos (the much-praised "Shoggoths in Bloom") as well as some that aren't really Lovecraft-related at all ("The Men from Porlock" by Laird Barron). Some of the stories are mediocre but I'm yet to come across a horror anthology where I enjoyed all of it equally.

You can find it for cheaper than the Amazon price as well if you Google around a bit.

Brilliant, thanks for that! I have read none of the stories you mentioned (haven't even heard of them, eeheeeh), so I'll give it a try! After reading Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts, which I loved, I'm in the mood for some more horror short stories.

Ornamented Death
Jan 25, 2006

Pew pew!

Bolverkur posted:

Brilliant, thanks for that! I have read none of the stories you mentioned (haven't even heard of them, eeheeeh), so I'll give it a try! After reading Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts, which I loved, I'm in the mood for some more horror short stories.

Just be aware that the stories in BoC are very different from most of Joe Hill's stuff. BoC is definitely more overt horror than anything of Hill's.

CuddleChunks
Sep 18, 2004

Pththya-lyi posted:

Plus, they're doing "The Thing on the Fourble Board," a classic radio play about a group of roughnecks who drilled too deep and discovered something horrific.

Thank you for mentioning this. I listened to this piece and a couple others and they are creepy as hell. "Quiet, Please" is the name of the program and it's worth checking out a few episodes.

http://www.quietplease.org/index.php?section=episode&id=60

"Whence Came You" is another creepfest with Egyptian tones: http://www.quietplease.org/index.php?section=episode&id=37

Pththya-lyi
Nov 8, 2009

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2020

CuddleChunks posted:

Thank you for mentioning this.

Aw, shucks. The story the community theater adapted turned out to be "The Terrible Old Man," which doesn't really have any Mythos content or much cosmicism to speak of, but is still a nice short (and I do mean short) story. Thanks for the show links.

NickRoweFillea
Sep 27, 2012

doin thangs
I've gotta recommend You Shall Never Know Security by J.R. Hamantaschen. It's an amazing collection of short stories. Not all of them deal with cosmic horror, but the ones that do, including my favorite story "Truth is Stranger than Fiction" (written from the perspective of a judge writing a court opinion, trust me, it makes sense) are phenomenal.

There's a Kindle version, too, for a couple bucks less.
Also, the author is a really cool guy. He responds to every email.

Poutling
Dec 26, 2005

spacebunny to the rescue

ravenkult posted:

Classy.

I'm looking for recommendation for haunted house novels.

I've read:
Any King book.
Any Joe Hill book.
Haunting of Hill House
Legend of Hellhouse
Birthing House
House

Try the House of Lost Souls by FG Cottam. It's pretty good - Haunted House with thelemic, devil ritual magic type stuff. Alastair Crowley is a character in the book. Gethsemane Hall by David Annandale was also not bad - this one is more Lovecraft - esque in theme. If you like Southern Gothic and you can find it (it's out of print) I absolutely love The Elementals by Michael McDowell.

DFu4ever
Oct 4, 2002

Made my way through the first four Laundry Files books. I enjoyed them quite a bit, although they consistently had endings that just fell flat for me. The fourth book does leave me looking forward to the next one though.

But if I may bitch for a moment... Bob and Mo have the most uninteresting relationship. I was seriously bummed out that Ramona the succubus/half BLUE HADES didn't stick around, because their one book of dealing with each other was more interesting and entertaining to read than anything Bob and Mo have done in four books. The only really interesting aspect of Mo is her violin.

Doobie Keebler
May 9, 2005

Ornamented Death posted:

That was me, and what I can remember at this point is that the stories were bad and not terribly true to the anthology's theme. If you want scifi/horror, pick up The Void by Brett Talley; it's as close as you can get to a novelization of Event Horizon without reading the novelization of Event Horizon, and I mean that in a good way.

I just finished The Void based on this. It was like Event Horizon meets The Shining. The story was creepy and dark with an inventive plot and I'd definitely recommend it. Thanks!

TOOT BOOT
May 25, 2010

I ended up buying the Penguin books and a bunch of the recommendations in this thread. The only one I've had a chance to read through thus far is Children Of Cthulhu which had a couple of great stories but was only fair overall.

The Poppy Z. Brite one was kinda annoying, I kinda get what she was going for but I don't see why it was included other than her name being stamped on it.

TOOT BOOT
May 25, 2010

I think I actually prefer Laird Barron's more straightforward monster type stuff even if the other varieties are more well-written. This hallucinogenic dream logic style stuff really gets under my skin in an uncomfortable way, worse than Thomas Ligotti even.

Ornamented Death
Jan 25, 2006

Pew pew!

TOOT BOOT posted:

I think I actually prefer Laird Barron's more straightforward monster type stuff even if the other varieties are more well-written. This hallucinogenic dream logic style stuff really gets under my skin in an uncomfortable way, worse than Thomas Ligotti even.

That's the point, isn't it?


It's been a rough week or so for the horror world. David Silva passed away last week, James Herbert yesterday, and Rick Hautala today.

TOOT BOOT
May 25, 2010

Ornamented Death posted:

That's the point, isn't it?

Actually no, if I wanted to feel genuine horror I'd just go look at pictures of mass graves or something.

This is a topic that gets discussed periodically in the horror movie thread in cinema discusso. 'Fun' horror versus 'actual revulsion' horror.

Not saying reading Laird Barron compares to looking at pictures of war crimes but for me it definitely veers off into the 'actually uncomfortable' side.

TOOT BOOT fucked around with this message at 05:10 on Mar 22, 2013

Mr.Hell
Nov 10, 2011

TOOT BOOT posted:


Not saying reading Laird Barron compares to looking at pictures of war crimes but for me it definitely veers off into the 'actually uncomfortable' side.

I'm not familiar with Laird Barron - what stuff of his is it you're talking about here?

PrBacterio
Jul 19, 2000

TOOT BOOT posted:

Actually no, if I wanted to feel genuine horror I'd just go look at pictures of mass graves or something.

This is a topic that gets discussed periodically in the horror movie thread in cinema discusso. 'Fun' horror versus 'actual revulsion' horror.

Not saying reading Laird Barron compares to looking at pictures of war crimes but for me it definitely veers off into the 'actually uncomfortable' side.
Call me weird now but that actually makes me want to check out some of this Laird Barron guy's stuff (I've never heard of him before), what's a good place to start? (Also, pictures of mass graves and the like don't make me feel horror actually, it just makes me feel sad, I suppose...)

Ornamented Death
Jan 25, 2006

Pew pew!

PrBacterio posted:

Call me weird now but that actually makes me want to check out some of this Laird Barron guy's stuff (I've never heard of him before), what's a good place to start? (Also, pictures of mass graves and the like don't make me feel horror actually, it just makes me feel sad, I suppose...)

The Imago Sequence is the best place to start with Barron. Then move on to Occultation if you like him.

Prop Wash
Jun 12, 2010



Reading through The Weird right now and really enjoying it. The length makes it a bit of an investment but I'm about 70% through and it's been worth it so far.

PrBacterio
Jul 19, 2000

Ornamented Death posted:

The Imago Sequence is the best place to start with Barron. Then move on to Occultation if you like him.
Alright, I've started on that now, and I've got to say, I don't see any of this "really uncomfortable" stuff the other dude was talking about. These stories aren't actually badly written but so far there was nothing particularly interesting about them at all, and on top of that, they were entirely too predictable. I was expecting a little more when I read that other dude's post describing how he doesn't like his stories because they go outside of his comfort zone of "fun scary" veering too far off into "truly incomfortable-scary" territory. Is that just because this is the wrong book of his for that purpose, or what?

GrandpaPants
Feb 13, 2006


Free to roam the heavens in man's noble quest to investigate the weirdness of the universe!

Anyone have anything to say about Ligotti's Death Poems? It's up for pre-order on this publisher website, not sure if Amazon will follow suit or not:

http://www.badmoonbooks.com/product.php?productid=3621&cat=0&page=1

It's only 68 pages, though...

Ornamented Death
Jan 25, 2006

Pew pew!

PrBacterio posted:

Alright, I've started on that now, and I've got to say, I don't see any of this "really uncomfortable" stuff the other dude was talking about. These stories aren't actually badly written but so far there was nothing particularly interesting about them at all, and on top of that, they were entirely too predictable. I was expecting a little more when I read that other dude's post describing how he doesn't like his stories because they go outside of his comfort zone of "fun scary" veering too far off into "truly incomfortable-scary" territory. Is that just because this is the wrong book of his for that purpose, or what?

I think it's a personal thing. Barron's stories didn't make me uncomfortable, per se, but they do invoke a certain sense of this poo poo is really hosed up! that I can definitely see getting to some people.

Mr.48
May 1, 2007
Finished London Falling the other day and its pretty great in terms of being more on the horror side than just urban fantasy. Highly recommended.

JerryLee
Feb 4, 2005

THE RESERVED LIST! THE RESERVED LIST! I CANNOT SHUT UP ABOUT THE RESERVED LIST!
I wanted to thank this thread for turning me on to Barron. I just finished Imago Sequence and it's pretty much a given that I'll be picking up Occultation next time I visit the library. I definitely see what people say about his work being really weird but it didn't seem like more than what I know I'm signing up for when I read cosmic horror, so to speak. I've read more uncomfortable stuff in bog-standard epic fantasy novels.

Ornamented Death
Jan 25, 2006

Pew pew!

JerryLee posted:

I wanted to thank this thread for turning me on to Barron. I just finished Imago Sequence and it's pretty much a given that I'll be picking up Occultation next time I visit the library. I definitely see what people say about his work being really weird but it didn't seem like more than what I know I'm signing up for when I read cosmic horror, so to speak. I've read more uncomfortable stuff in bog-standard epic fantasy novels.

I can see where people are coming from. Reading some of Barron's stories puts me in a mental state that I have to assume is similar to taking some lightly psychotropic drugs; poo poo just gets real weird and I feel weird and weirdweirdweirdweirdOHGODSHE'SRIDINGHIMweirdweirdweird.

In a similar vein, I haven't been able to read any Ligotti for years because his work always kind of depressed me and I've been fighting actual depression for a while and I don't think I want to mix the two.

Books: they are like drugs sometimes.

Vastarien
Dec 20, 2012

Where I live is nightmare, thus a certain nonchalance.



Buglord

GrandpaPants posted:

Anyone have anything to say about Ligotti's Death Poems? It's up for pre-order on this publisher website, not sure if Amazon will follow suit or not:

http://www.badmoonbooks.com/product.php?productid=3621&cat=0&page=1

It's only 68 pages, though...

It'd be nice to own if you're looking to round off a collection or something. And the new artwork is beautiful. But the actual poems (there's around 40 in all) really don't do anything for me, personally. And, yes, it is incredibly short. I'm a huge Ligotti nut, but for that price, I'd probably pass on it.

Hedrigall
Mar 27, 2008

by vyelkin
I recently read the short story "Strappado" by Laird Barron (it's in Occultation) and HOLY poo poo. I have never felt that much dread while reading any other horror story before. It's an entirely non-supernatural story, but it freaked me the gently caress out, way more than any other Barron story I've read. My heart was pounding!

Neurosis
Jun 10, 2003
Fallen Rib
Barron's Children of Old Leech stories all creep me out. The other stuff I find hit or miss. Some of the stories with dream logic piss me off, but a lot of writers use that technique.

Neurosis fucked around with this message at 17:46 on May 21, 2013

CuddleChunks
Sep 18, 2004

JerryLee posted:

I wanted to thank this thread for turning me on to Barron. I just finished Imago Sequence and it's pretty much a given that I'll be picking up Occultation next time I visit the library.
I want to echo these sentiments since i just got Barron's "Imago Sequence" the other night and am plowing through that. The kindle version is garbage though - it has no table of contents so I just have to read read read to make it to the next story.

It's been a mixed bag and I've skipped one story almost entirely. Still, one out of several isn't too bad, I have a much worse threshold for Lovecraft.


It's not a single author but while you folks are whiling away the hours you should check out "The Horror" an audio podcast of old time radio suspense and horror stories. There are some really goofy ones and some frankly creepy stories mixed in. He releases two per week (wednesday and saturday) and they're all available online in case you want to skip around and try things out.

I recommend "The Thing on the Fourble Board", "The Demon Tree", "The Vampires Desire" and pretty much any of the "Quiet Please" stories. http://www.relicradio.com/otr/show/horror

Hedrigall
Mar 27, 2008

by vyelkin

CuddleChunks posted:

I want to echo these sentiments since i just got Barron's "Imago Sequence" the other night and am plowing through that. The kindle version is garbage though - it has no table of contents so I just have to read read read to make it to the next story.

It's been a mixed bag and I've skipped one story almost entirely. Still, one out of several isn't too bad, I have a much worse threshold for Lovecraft.

Which one did you skip?

CuddleChunks
Sep 18, 2004

Hedrigall posted:

Which one did you skip?

I flipped through Parallax. It didn't grab me and though I saw bits and pieces it took too long to get to any point before I lost interest. Nearly at the same place with The Royal Zoo but I'll try slogging through.

Hedrigall
Mar 27, 2008

by vyelkin
Well, as long as you read every word of the final story, that can be forgiven.

CuddleChunks
Sep 18, 2004

Hedrigall posted:

Well, as long as you read every word of the final story, that can be forgiven.

No problem, I'll just sit down and read "The Imago Sequence".

:catstare:

:stonk:

:cthulhu:


That'll do Barron, that'll do.

Definitely a fun book, thank you folks for the recommendation. Now to get his other stuff.

Fire Safety Doug
Sep 3, 2006

99 % caffeine free is 99 % not my kinda thing
Barron posted on his Facebook that the Night Shade mess (read background here) is moving forward in some way, so hopefully someone will fulfill my preorder for The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All soon.

Neurosis
Jun 10, 2003
Fallen Rib
I just finished Barron's The Light is the Darkness... That was an interesting take on cosmic horror. My only question is: are there any links to the Old Leech stories? The cosmic threats in each seem pretty distinct, but the feel was very similar. I haven't read all the short stories so I might not pick up on everything.

coffeetable
Feb 5, 2006

TELL ME AGAIN HOW GREAT BRITAIN WOULD BE IF IT WAS RULED BY THE MERCILESS JACKBOOT OF PRINCE CHARLES

YES I DO TALK TO PLANTS ACTUALLY

Neurosis posted:

The Light is the Darkness

Amazon Synopsis posted:

Conrad Navarro is a champion of the Pageant, a gruesome modern day gladiatorial exhibition held in secret arenas across the globe. Indentured by a cabal of ultra-rich patrons, his world is one of blood and mayhem, an existence where savagery reigns supreme while mercy leads to annihilation. Conrad's sister has vanished while traveling in Mexico. Imogene, a decorated special agent for the FBI, was hot on the trail of a legendary scientist whose vile eugenics experiments landed him on an international most-wanted list. Imogene left behind a sequence of bizarre clues that indicate she uncovered evidence of a Byzantine occult conspiracy against civilization itself -- a threat so vast and terrible, its ultimate fruition would herald an event more inimical to all terrestrial life than mere extinction. Now, Conrad is on the hunt, searching for his missing sister while malign forces seek to manipulate and destroy him by turns. It is an odyssey that will send this man of war from the lush jungles of South America, to the debauched court of an Aegean Prince, to the blasted moonscape of the American desert as he becomes inexorably enmeshed within a web of primordial evil that stretches back unto prehistory. All the while struggling to maintain a vestige of humanity; for Conrad has gazed into an abyss where the light is the darkness, and he has begun the metamorphosis into something more than human

gently caress me. That's how to sell a book, and there goes my evening.

Neurosis
Jun 10, 2003
Fallen Rib
So, I have read The Imago Sequence and Other Stories, The Light is the Darkness, The Croning, 70% of Occultation and Other Stories... I like most of the stories, but I must say that Barron's best stories are those that are mythos-building cosmic horror. The universe still feels Lovecraftian in that it takes little note of human activities, but he introduces some unique attributes: the most prominent being that while the big fish are indifferent to us in every sense, there are bottom-feeders who enjoy our suffering. They love us, as he has said several times. And they want to devour us in some fashion. Probably something involving a lot of teeth.

The second idea I get from his works is that the most forward of our species are on the precipice of becoming inhuman aliens themselves - and by doing that there is no guarantee of ascendance, but rather that they are likely to revert to something more basic. Obviously atavism is not a new idea... But the fusion with cosmic horror works really well.


I enjoyed Imago more than Occultation, but they are both very good. Barron probably sucks if you like strong female or non-archetypically masculine characters.

Neurosis fucked around with this message at 17:19 on Jun 14, 2013

Verloc
Feb 15, 2001

Note to self: Posting 'lulz' is not a good idea.

coffeetable posted:

gently caress me. That's how to sell a book, and there goes my evening.
Kindle edition is less than $5 right now too. loving sold. :cthulhu:

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Fire Safety Doug
Sep 3, 2006

99 % caffeine free is 99 % not my kinda thing

Neurosis posted:

Barron probably sucks if you like strong female or non-archetypically masculine characters.

Actually he's recently introduced a new female character who is supposed to feature in several upcoming stories. You can read the first one for free here:

http://laird-themanfromporlock.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/story-is-thank-you-to-fans-who-are.html

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