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Return to Innsmouth: A Lovecraft Comedy Novella
"Great fun. One wouldn't normally think it possible to combine Lovecraft's prose with goofball humor, but they'd be wrong." Rick Gualtieri, bestselling author of The Tome of Bill and Bill of the Dead
"Imagine a Lovecraftian tale created by the Coen brothers, and you get a taste of Return to Innsmouth's wicked brilliance." Luke Swanson, author of The Other Hamlet Brother and Spectators of War
Are you a fan of H.P. Lovecraft's spine-tingling horror, hilarious comedies like What We Do in the Shadows, and Sherlock Holmes-style detective work? If so, then you won't want to miss Return to Innsmouth - a witty, irreverent short novel that lovingly blends cosmic horror with a healthy dose of dark humor.
Join the unlikely duo of Bill and his 'friendsistant' Todd as they embark on their first-ever job together - investigating rumors of a sacrificial cult in the eerie coastal town of Innsmouth. With nods to Lovecraft's classic tale, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, and plenty of offbeat humor, this fast-paced story is a must-read for horror and comedy fans alike. So come along for the ride, and discover what happens when strange creatures collide with even stranger humans.
“I suppose it’s only fitting that strange ends come from strange beginnings, and so it was with how I first came into the acquaintance of the peculiar creature I now call my dear friend Bill..."
Cover art by the endlessly talented Max Rugers.
"Imagine a Lovecraftian tale created by the Coen brothers, and you get a taste of Return to Innsmouth's wicked brilliance." Luke Swanson, author of The Other Hamlet Brother and Spectators of War
Are you a fan of H.P. Lovecraft's spine-tingling horror, hilarious comedies like What We Do in the Shadows, and Sherlock Holmes-style detective work? If so, then you won't want to miss Return to Innsmouth - a witty, irreverent short novel that lovingly blends cosmic horror with a healthy dose of dark humor.
Join the unlikely duo of Bill and his 'friendsistant' Todd as they embark on their first-ever job together - investigating rumors of a sacrificial cult in the eerie coastal town of Innsmouth. With nods to Lovecraft's classic tale, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, and plenty of offbeat humor, this fast-paced story is a must-read for horror and comedy fans alike. So come along for the ride, and discover what happens when strange creatures collide with even stranger humans.
“I suppose it’s only fitting that strange ends come from strange beginnings, and so it was with how I first came into the acquaintance of the peculiar creature I now call my dear friend Bill..."
Cover art by the endlessly talented Max Rugers.
143 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2023
27 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Henry Hinder
7 books8 followersOne name. One man. Won no awards.
Henry Hinder is an author of several novels and novellas, specialising in dark comedy, and following in the footsteps of writers such as Bret Easton Ellis, George Saunders, Kurt Vonnegut, and Hunter S. Thompson.
hwhinder.com
Henry Hinder is an author of several novels and novellas, specialising in dark comedy, and following in the footsteps of writers such as Bret Easton Ellis, George Saunders, Kurt Vonnegut, and Hunter S. Thompson.
hwhinder.com
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 28, 2024
This was an extremely odd but very entertaining novella. When I first heard about this book, I found the concept very intriguing—Lovecraft mixed with comedy? I figured I’d have to check it out sometime just to see what that was like… so here we are.
Firstly, I think both the Lovecraftian and comedic aspects of this book were handled well. Lots of the prose and plenty of the actual content of the story feels suitably Lovecraft, with some sections feeling as if they could’ve been written by the man himself. The comedy didn’t all land, which is fine, but there were a lot of chuckle-inducing moments in here that I enjoyed. Sometimes it can feel a bit random and out there, but I think it still works much of the time. The combination of one of my favorite genres mixed with comedy made this a very entertaining book to read. The characters here are decent too. I enjoyed the interactions between Todd and Bill quite a bit. Todd works quite well as a viewpoint character, as he’s relatable enough that I felt like I was really going along the ride with him. Bill is endearing in that grumpy old man kind of way, and the juxtaposition of these two types of characters together is a common but well executed trope.
I do think the actual storyline here was the weak point for me. It isn’t bad by any means, and I enjoyed plenty of events depicted within the book. I was usually interested in seeing what would happen next, but that was more so because I wanted to see the sort of either Lovecraftian or funny thing would happen, not because I was fully invested in the plot. The plot feels more like a vessel to get the horror and the comedy to the reader, rather than a reason to read the book on its own. That’s not necessarily a big problem—some books are less plot-driven than others, or have less engaging plots than others—but it’s still the main weakness of the book, I think. I also think the comedy and the horror were pretty separate from one another. They both work well, but I would have liked to see them become a bit more intertwined. Lastly, as stated earlier, some of the comedy didn’t land but I think that’s more due the nature of comedy itself than anything else.
Overall, a solid and enjoyable book that achieved a fusion of two genres better than I thought possible. While it has its downsides, I found it very entertaining and would be interested in seeing more stories of this style.
Rating: 7.5/10
Firstly, I think both the Lovecraftian and comedic aspects of this book were handled well. Lots of the prose and plenty of the actual content of the story feels suitably Lovecraft, with some sections feeling as if they could’ve been written by the man himself. The comedy didn’t all land, which is fine, but there were a lot of chuckle-inducing moments in here that I enjoyed. Sometimes it can feel a bit random and out there, but I think it still works much of the time. The combination of one of my favorite genres mixed with comedy made this a very entertaining book to read. The characters here are decent too. I enjoyed the interactions between Todd and Bill quite a bit. Todd works quite well as a viewpoint character, as he’s relatable enough that I felt like I was really going along the ride with him. Bill is endearing in that grumpy old man kind of way, and the juxtaposition of these two types of characters together is a common but well executed trope.
I do think the actual storyline here was the weak point for me. It isn’t bad by any means, and I enjoyed plenty of events depicted within the book. I was usually interested in seeing what would happen next, but that was more so because I wanted to see the sort of either Lovecraftian or funny thing would happen, not because I was fully invested in the plot. The plot feels more like a vessel to get the horror and the comedy to the reader, rather than a reason to read the book on its own. That’s not necessarily a big problem—some books are less plot-driven than others, or have less engaging plots than others—but it’s still the main weakness of the book, I think. I also think the comedy and the horror were pretty separate from one another. They both work well, but I would have liked to see them become a bit more intertwined. Lastly, as stated earlier, some of the comedy didn’t land but I think that’s more due the nature of comedy itself than anything else.
Overall, a solid and enjoyable book that achieved a fusion of two genres better than I thought possible. While it has its downsides, I found it very entertaining and would be interested in seeing more stories of this style.
Rating: 7.5/10
June 14, 2023
This Is Pretty Insane
This reminded me a lot of Charles Stross' series called The Laundry Files. If you're a Lovecraft fan, the insanity alone in this tale should make you laugh, at least at the irony.
Todd has been sent on a mission from the Dreamlands to a very crazy and unhinged guy named Bill. Bill is allegedly a protector of sorts that battles with cosmic entities. However, Bill needs a person to anchor him to reality, and Todd unfortunately is that person. But how can a protector, whose already nuts, and his slowly-going-insane assistant, be able to battle something that is only going to make them crazier?
I did enjoy the humor in this and will be looking forward to the next one since this is book one.
Again, LovecraftIan fans, don't get upset over this not being yet another straight up horror tale based on Lovecraft's work. This is definitely different but in a good way.
This reminded me a lot of Charles Stross' series called The Laundry Files. If you're a Lovecraft fan, the insanity alone in this tale should make you laugh, at least at the irony.
Todd has been sent on a mission from the Dreamlands to a very crazy and unhinged guy named Bill. Bill is allegedly a protector of sorts that battles with cosmic entities. However, Bill needs a person to anchor him to reality, and Todd unfortunately is that person. But how can a protector, whose already nuts, and his slowly-going-insane assistant, be able to battle something that is only going to make them crazier?
I did enjoy the humor in this and will be looking forward to the next one since this is book one.
Again, LovecraftIan fans, don't get upset over this not being yet another straight up horror tale based on Lovecraft's work. This is definitely different but in a good way.
May 23, 2023
An Enjoyable Romp Through Lovecraft Country
It has its funny moments, but aside from the comedy it is an enjoyable journey into the Mythos with trips into the Dreamlands and, of course, Innsmouth. We also get a glimpse of Dagon, the Deep Ones, and the half-human, half-Deep Ones hybrids.
We are also treated to the failed experiment of turning Devil’s Reef into a tourist trap.
It has its funny moments, but aside from the comedy it is an enjoyable journey into the Mythos with trips into the Dreamlands and, of course, Innsmouth. We also get a glimpse of Dagon, the Deep Ones, and the half-human, half-Deep Ones hybrids.
We are also treated to the failed experiment of turning Devil’s Reef into a tourist trap.
May 14, 2023
Imagine a Lovecraftian tale created by the Coen brothers, and you get a taste of Return to Innsmouth's wicked brilliance.
July 12, 2024
Good read
I enjoyed this book but I didn't know if I would. It wasn't as comedic as advertised, but one of the MCs was on the annoying side. You should pick it up; even if you don't like Lovecraft, you'll enjoy the curves of this book.
I enjoyed this book but I didn't know if I would. It wasn't as comedic as advertised, but one of the MCs was on the annoying side. You should pick it up; even if you don't like Lovecraft, you'll enjoy the curves of this book.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews