Dagon (Voices of the South) [Paperback]

Fred Chappell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2002 | Series: Voices of the South

Regularly cited in lists of the world's best horror novels, Dagon tells the story of Peter Leland whose ancestral secrets emerge to plunge him into a world of terror and degradation. Employing the Mythos developed by America's great fantasist, H. P. Lovecraft, this novel transforms traditional Gothic elements into an intense, scarifying, modern work.
An international bestseller, Dagon was awarded the Best Foreign Book prize by the French Academy and has ignited spirited debate about its revolutionary approach to its materials. Readers have been known to keep their house lights burning all night while reading this story.

"I am honestly convinced that Fred Chappell is one of the finest writers of this time, one of the rare and precious few who are truly 'major.'" - George Garrett, author of Death Of The Fox and The Succession.

Author of thirty volumes of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, Fred Chappell has twice won World Fantasy Awards, has appeared in over fifty anthologies, and has gathered some dozen or so literary prizes including Poet Laureate of the state of North Carolina. Retired after forty years of university teaching, he lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, and worships cats.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Fred Chappell's Dagon fuses several genres to produce a novel both scarifying and transcendent in its effect. This story of a man's swift and terrible decay might have been observed by Zola, if he wrote in the Southern Gothic mode. Yet, as a highly unusual addition to the Cthulhu Mythos of H.P. Lvecraft, it stands as one of our most respected horror novels. Awarded France's prestigious Best Foreign Book Prize by the Academie Francaise it continues to gather new devotees and fresh critical examination. More than one person has stayed awake all night to read it, turning on every light in the house.

"I am honestly convinced that Fred Chappell is one of the finest writers of this time, one of the rare and precious few who are truly 'major.'" -- George Garrett, author of Death of the Fox and The Succession --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

From the Publisher

Chappell is the Poet Laureate of North Carolina. He was born in Canton, North Carolina. He attended Duke University. He has received grants from the Rockefeller Foundation and the National Institute of Arts and Letters. A professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, he resides in Greensboro with his wife Susan.

He is known for his novels, some of which are It's Time, Lord; The Inkling; The Gaudy Place; I Am One of You Forever, and his collections of short stories. Of those, his first story collection Moments of Light is available from Boson Books. Some of Chappell's books of poetry are: The World Between the Eyes, River, Bloodfire, and Wind Mountain. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Louisiana State University Press; LSU Press ed edition (April 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807127914
• ISBN-13: 978-0807127919
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,408,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An H.P. Lovecraft story written by Faulkner, November 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Dagon (Paperback)

This is a book that takes the familiar Lovecraftian, or maybe Derlethian, scenario--a young man inherits a house, is taken over by the spirit of the place and is destroyed by obsession--and explores it with deep psychological realism. The effect is uncanny: It's almost as if the cardboard characters of the Lovecraft stories (which, don't get me wrong, I love) have come to life. In order to sustain the realistic tone, the supernatural elements all happen offstage--but if you've ever wondered what it would really be like to be enslaved by a priestess of the Elder Gods, this book is for you. This edition is out of print, but the novel is reprinted in full in The Fred Chappell Reader, which is in print. I have to wonder what fans of Chappell, who is mostly a writer of Southern Literature, make of a novel whose first words are "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn."

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best horror novels ever written, June 6, 2005

By 

discerning reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dagon (Voices of the South) (Paperback)

Hybrid literature is a tough sell, especially when one of the component genres has a following as finicky as the fans of H.P. Lovecraft. While some readers are content to read the same scenarios over and over, others might want something more.
If you are a fan of the Cthulhu mythos, I urge you to give this book a shot, despite the negative reviews on this page. If you are unfamiliar with H.P. Lovecraft, be glad to take this book on its own rewarding terms.

Both deeply disturbing and compelling, DAGON is full of images and hints of sensation that linger in the subconscious long after reading. Chappell phrases the most mundane details in the most interesting ways so that you are forced to pay attention and consider what he is describing. These details collect like drops of water, until the atmosphere is so thick with dread and oppression that it is almost unbearable, so that even after you finish the book the feeling of unease remains inescapable.

It's a subtle, short read that quietly builds to it's inevitable climax and bizarre coda. The story is on its surface simple, but the way in which it is told is a major achievement.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed bag, September 22, 2002

By 

JEB (Laurel, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dagon (Paperback)

The first half of this book is great, becoming more and more atmospheric, moody, and tense as the main character (a more realistic version of the typical Lovecraft protagonist) investigates the mystery of his home. However, after that, the book radically shifts gears and becomes a journey into madness which, while it has some good and creepy bits, becomes primarily an exercise in psychological abuse and "gross-out" horror. Ultimately, I was unsatisfied with a book which has been so highly recommended by some.