Among the Lovecraft-influenced writers, Ligotti has the reputation of being the best one, while in reality he is probably the worst (he couldn't hoDNF
Among the Lovecraft-influenced writers, Ligotti has the reputation of being the best one, while in reality he is probably the worst (he couldn't hold a candle to Robert Aickman).
While he doesn't lack in ideas and vision, his style is boring at best and obnoxiously pretentious at worst. Most of his stories put me to sleep, and the ones that didn't, often finish with an unsatisfying/anticlimactic ending.
Overrated, overblown. Do not recommend. Read Robert Aickman, Algernon Blackwood and Robert W. Chambers if you want "classic" kind-of Lovecraftian prose. ...more
This issue got a bit of low ratings and backlash on the account of many of the stories not being very Lovecraftian. This is actually kind of true, andThis issue got a bit of low ratings and backlash on the account of many of the stories not being very Lovecraftian. This is actually kind of true, and it would be a big issue for me too if they weren't so damn good. Well, some of them are. The rest are just good, without the damnation.
Without further ado, here are my favorite stories in the issue, roughly rated by awesomeness (no songs/poems, I don't do those):
The Livebearers by H. W. Wiley - I have to admit I am a tad subjective here, as I grew up with a huge aquarium and among fish-keeping circles, but this story just blew my out of my socks. It is written in a very rich style, with sentences that you can not only read, but also smell, taste, and feel. It's a page-turner of the highest degree, and even if it wasn't actually leading up to anything, I'd still consider it a great read. Luckily, it does lead to a satisfying ending, and a somewhat Lovecraftian one at that (remember kids, it's not Lovecraftian to simply namedrop Lovecraft or elements from his work, you need need to actually have a cosmic horror of some sort).
Ice in my Veins by Ken Foxe - After 40+ years of reading, watching and writing horror, I thought I've been acquainted with all sorts of terrible, anxiety inducing ideas, but here we are. So, thank you Ken, for unlocking a brand new kind of fear in me. I will never be warm again. I hope you are proud of yourself.
Sign of the Times by Liam A Spinage - It's not easy nowadays to write one of those self-perpetuating stories without it sounding very cliché, but Spinage actually managed to do just that, and also to make it modern, relevant, and vaguely Lovecraftian at that. It's also very well-written, I have to add.
Mistaken Point by Dean Wirth - Strong in imagery, atmospheric and quite enough Lovecraftian. Small town in Alaska makes for a very interesting and inspiring setting.
The Star Thieves by Galen T Pickett - The linchpin idea of this story was knowingly or perhaps unknowingly borrowed from the Three Body Problem trilogy and then skillfully adapted into a Lovecraftian themed narration. It is also pretty hilarious at moments.
Centennials by Lee Clark Zumpe - Well put-together, with a compelling main character, and a smart twist in the end.
In the Park by Scotty Milder/The Loathcrave Legacy by Mark Artanis - These two fall under the "teenagers drink and do drugs and terrible things happen" category we often seen in movie form. But somehow, whenever Hollywood makes one such movie, it always seems like the person who wrote the script was never a wild teen him/herself but instead the grumpy neighbor next door reading scarducational pamphlets full of BS. Well, this certainly doesn't apply to these stories, as both seem as authentic as possible, with plethora of personal details and realistic atmosphere. The first one is Lovecraftian, the second one isn't, but they are both pretty good and a fun read.
When the mud stops dripping by Benjamin DeHaan - The most artsy and stylish story in the issue. This one is Lovecraftian only by a stretch, and can be interpreted as purely metaphoric, which is hardly a flaw.
Things Behind the Sun by Zary Fekete - Probably the most Lovecraftian one of the bunch, and still somewhat novel.
The Cruise by CD Kester - A slice-of-life foundation, smothered with some pulpy action, and topped with a cherry of a pun (a call of Cthulhu, nice one). If CD Kester is this fun, I can't wait for DVD Kester! :D (sorry, my puns aren't as good as yours)
Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame by Carlton Herzog - Herzog, as well as his colleague Lamont A Turner, often follow the same formula: take an idea of something supernatural (pyrokinesis in this case) and then turn it to 11. And then to 12. The results may be a tad campy, but hardly ever boring.
The Mysterious Plateau of Lang Part One by Rex Mundy - A very authentic-sounding rendition of pulp adventure novels of old. The gimmick works as intended, although nothing much happens, but I am intrigued enough to look forward to reading the rest of the story.
The Open Asylum by EW Farnsworth - This was a kind of curio for me, as I really wanted to read something else from the author of the fabled Picklock Lane stories. And it didn't disappoint. While I wasn't exactly thrilled by it, I found it to have the same pleasant aroma like Picklock Lane, the weird mixture of quaint and otherworldly....more
I've actually read this book ages ago, and re-read now it to see if it still holds up. I am happy to say that it (mostly) does!
It's a collection of sI've actually read this book ages ago, and re-read now it to see if it still holds up. I am happy to say that it (mostly) does!
It's a collection of short stories set in the world of Krynn, some (mostly the ones written by authors other than Margaret Weis) better than the others.
Riverwind and the Crystal Staff by Michael Williams - I couldn't finish this. I'm not particularly fond of any poetry, least of all bad one.
The Blood Sea Monster by Barbara Siegel and Scott Siegel - A pretty good story, if not a good DragonLance story - change the name and this one could take place in any setting, as the titular monster is actually a personification of death/fate and not actually one of trademark DragonLance creatures. But it it very well-written, I found myself remembering it word-for-word as I re-read it, even after like 15+ years.
A Stone's Throw Away by Roger E. Moore - Great Tasslehoff story, great DragonLance story - great story in general. It actually impacted me so much that I've put dimension-hopping Tas in one of my D&D campaigns. My players loved it.
Dreams of Darkness, Dreams of Light by Warren B. Smith - Beautifully written and atmospheric, even if it doesn't add much to the lore.
Love and Ale by Nick O'Donohoe - I just loved this one. Pure chaos.
Wayward Children by Richard A. Knaak - Somber and sorrowful. Also good.
The Test of the Twins by Margaret Weis - Nothing here that we haven't already seen in the novels. Literally, it's the same text. I love the character of Raistlin and I would love to see him written by someone else, with, let's say, more talent.
Harvests by Nancy Varian Berberick - Nice one. It even has a twist and a point. This is how you do DragonLance adventures.
Finding the Faith by Mary Kirchoff - OMG it's the missing story from the second book, the one we only heard about! And it's... OK, I guess. Liked the setting, but the adventure itself is very humdrum.
The Legacy by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman - Again, I love Raistlin, and this one has some fine imagery (the portal and the Abyss), but it's too long and meandering, even boring at points. Just let someone else a shot at writing him.
I was much less willing to forgive this one's flaws if for no other reason other that all the really cool and interesting stuff happens off-screen. "OI was much less willing to forgive this one's flaws if for no other reason other that all the really cool and interesting stuff happens off-screen. "Oh, there was a really neat adventure about getting the magic hammer, too bad you missed it!" "Did you hear the story about how we fought walrus-men? It was super cool! But it's not in this book!"
What we are left with is the regular boring schtick: the party gets into a tavern, everyone is racist at them for no reason, they get captured (but never killed), they escape, rinse and repeat.
And the songs. Oh the songs. Margret, I'm sure you are a sweetheart, but a poet you are not....more
The OG Dragonlance chronicles are... well, not great.
They are super cheesy, meandering, derivative, unconvincing, and simply brimming with boring, onThe OG Dragonlance chronicles are... well, not great.
They are super cheesy, meandering, derivative, unconvincing, and simply brimming with boring, one-dimensional, pointless characters.
BUT! They are also charming and iconic, and those characters that aren't pointless, are absolutely great! Fizban is still the best Gandalf knockoff I've ever read (suck it Elminster!), Tasslehoff is loads of fun, and Raistlin is simply put the best wizard in fantasy literature, hands-down (though I sometimes wish he was written by a better author).
As flawed as the books are, it's kind of manageable to look past them and just enjoy the old-school D&D adventures. For the first book, at least.
My favorite stories in the issue, roughly rated by awesomeness:
Smell of Strange Fruit by McCants Meinders - Moody and eerie. I love it how Meinders doMy favorite stories in the issue, roughly rated by awesomeness:
Smell of Strange Fruit by McCants Meinders - Moody and eerie. I love it how Meinders doesn't take sides or try to preach - the main character is both the victim and the villain. And that's how you do literature.
A Friend Named Tinkle by Aaron Pfau - Nice use of the trope, it kept me guessing (and wrong at that!) all up to the macabre revelation.
Amyrran Asylum by Simon Bleaken - Bleaken is a tried and true veteran of the genre, and as expected, this story holds up to his standards. In this one, he managed to shake up the tired cliché of a creepy asylum with a different and interesting monster, unusual for this kind of setting but surprisingly fitting. With a more creative end (ends are always a bi*c to write) and a longer form, this could be a true horror classic.
Among the Warping Pillars of Skandelt - This is the kind of sh*t I regularly read Schlock! for. Weird almost to the point of non-sensical, but at the same time very visual and stimulating. Many of you will not understand it and hate it. I didn't understand it and loved it. Understanding is overrated anyway.
Raven Rock by Alex Rosenberg/School Patrol by Eamonn Murphy - I loved both of these (the writing style and the characters) up to their ends, which I found abrupt and unclear. But perhaps that's just me. ...more
Disclaimer: It's been a while since I've read this issue, and my memory of some of the stories is a bit fuzzy.
My favorite stories in the issue, roughlDisclaimer: It's been a while since I've read this issue, and my memory of some of the stories is a bit fuzzy.
My favorite stories in the issue, roughly rated by awesomeness:
Operation Tavern by Nh Van Der Haar - A splendid satire, potent, well-written and hilarious at moments.
The Jeera's Trade by Benjamin Dehaan - This one really stuck on me. A SF story that easily could've been Biblical. Great natural-sounding dialogues.
Beyond Worlds by Dan A Cardoza - Picturesque and gut-wrenchingly sorrowful.
In His Father's Footsteps by David A Riley - Very interesting theme-wise (a voodoo crime story/drama) , and well-executed. I'd love to see this story in a book or a movie form.
Finite Diversity by Susan Murrie MacDonald - Strong statement aside, it was the warmth and the obvious first-hand experience storytelling that bought me. A lot of love and detail went into these lines and it shows. And I actually learned something new!
The Pedestrians by Reuben Horn - Weird and unexpected, my favorite kind of Schlock! stories.
The Sun Machine by Stephen McQuiggan - Page-turning, brutal, gruesome in imagery, if a tad too much on the nose.
One Little Stone by Matthew Castleman - Interesting little space-crime/drama. I think I'd like the idea of the meteorite more if I hadn't just seen it in the Tree Body Problem sequel, Dark Forest, but I definitely loved the idea of space Beograd (I'm from Serbia and have lived in the aforementioned capitol for many years).
You Shall Know Bliss - Nothing quite new, but very nicely done, with some good character-giving details....more
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