Cthulhu 2000: A Lovecraftian Anthology [Hardcover]

Jim Turner (Editor), Bob Eggleton (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1995

1995 Arkham House

Editorial Reviews

Review

Lovecraft fans will relish this excellent and diverse collection of writers who base their craft on Lovecraft's themes and moods. From F. Paul Wilson's probing 'The Barrons', of a no-man's land of aliens and evil, to the surreal Basil Copper's 'Shaft Number 247', which could take place in an underground nuclear world of the future, this is marvelous and in keeping with Lovecraft's brand of horror. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Hardcover: 413 pages
• Publisher: Arkham House Publishers; First Edition edition (August 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870541692
• ISBN-13: 978-0870541698
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.7 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,533,820 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent anthology inspired, in different ways, by HPL!, July 11, 2000

By 

John Parker Marmaro "gilfaethwy" (Spring Hill, Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cthulhu 2000: A Lovecraftian Anthology (Hardcover)

Some of the reviews of this excellent anthology lead me to believe that they've missed the point. This is not an anthology of stories in the strict Lovecraftian tradition; it is rather a more disparate group of works which, more or less, were inspired by Lovecraft's work. They are in a broad spectrum of styles; the "Lovecraftian" element varies from potent to tenuous. But by and large it is a truly excellent collection. I found, of all the stories, T.E.D. Klein's "Black Man with a Horn" to be perhaps the most akin to Lovecraft's work, not in particulars so much, as in the sense of having blundered into a contact with cosmic horror, of which the protagonist becomes only slowly aware, yet which engulfs him finally. Two other stories are also very much in HPL's mode; Thomas Ligotti's "The Last Feast of Harlequin" is one of the stories that makes no overt reference to Lovecraft; yet it is a descendant of "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" in the truest sense-- it generally follows the same narrative curve and is full of parallel plot elements and moods, even though they are not specific to Lovecraft. Many others of the stories make reference, direct or oblique, to elements of the "Mythos"; Gahan Wilson's HPL has Lovecraft himself (as well as Clark Ashton Smith) as a main character. "The Barrens", "Fat Face", and "The Faces at Pine Dunes" are also excellent. And, to leaven the mixture, there are two or three humorous entries-- "The Big Fish", a sort of Maltese Falcon comes to Innsmouth, very tongue in cheek (literally as you will see!); "Pickman's Modem", often humorous though ultimately creepy; and the delightful "Love's Eldritch Ichor", which is wonderfully amusing. Of the entries I felt Poppy Z. Brite's "His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood" to be one of the least Lovecraftian, as well as being rather unpleasant; but it will appeal to gothic-teens and such. I could have wished that the preface by Jim Turner would have discussed all the stories, not only Roger Zelazny's excellent "24 Views of Mount Fuji, by Hokusai". All in all the anthology earns an A+ and is a must for any lover of horror, Lovecraftian or not!

4.0 out of 5 stars Overall, an excellent read., February 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cthulhu 2000: A Lovecraftian Anthology (Hardcover)

This anthology really has some great stuff to offer. A notable exception is Poppy Z. Brite's disappointing "His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood," which, frankly as far as I could tell had little or nothing to do with the Mythos, and it is certainly not one of her best works in general. In the humorous department, "Love's Eldritch Ichor" by Esther M. Friesner is great fun, with many of your favorite Great Old Ones yukking it up in a New York hotel room. The stars of the show here are "The Barrens" by F. Paul Wilson, T.E.D. Klein's "Black Man With a Horn," and "Shaft Number 247" by Basil Copper, along with great contributions from Ramsey Campbell, Harlan Ellison, Roger Zelazny, and 10 others. Definitley worth reading.