When Cthulhu Met Atlach-Nacha

by Alan Ryker

He's an academic; she's an artist.He worships Cthulhu, the slumbering behemoth; she worships Atlach-Nacha, the spider goddess of dreams.Their interfaith marriage is challenging enough before the gods themselves arise and do battle. Can this couple hold their relationship together during the end of times? Through the use of both horror and domestic comedy, When Cthulhu Met Atlach-Nacha examines the boldness and beauty of declaring a permanent relationship in a chaotic world.When Cthulhu Met Atlach-Nacha is a one-act play with a run time of just under one hour.

Genres: Horror, Lovecraftian, Humor, Plays, Ebooks

49 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 9, 2011

Reviews

[Zain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Note to Self…Don’t Read a Play About Cthulhu!

Too much talking! That’s my biggest complaint about this book. I guess Cthulhu doesn’t read well in the form of a play. I just naturally assumed Cthulhu would read well in any way, shape or form.

Cuthbert and his wife Ashton, are worshiping different gods. She worships Atlach-Nacha, and he worships Cthulhu. They have their disagreements about the power of each god. Even when the world is ending, destroyed by their gods.

Because Atlach-Nacha is the God of Dreams, are Cuthbert and Ashton dreaming about the end of the world? Or is Cthulhu doing what he is called upon to do?

[Marvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inter-faith marriages are a bitch.

Trust me on this. My first marriage was inter-faith. I'm not saying which faiths but I assure you it did not involve Cthulhu. Nonetheless, there was much blasphemy and the gnashing of teeth, usually coming from my mother-in-law.

When Cthulhu Met Atlach-Nacha is a one-act play concerning relational conflict after the rise of the Ancient Ones. We are talking socially relevant stuff here. Just because Cthuhlu and Company slept through the Mayan apocalypse doesn't mean they'll sleep through the next one. And when that happens, people are going to take sides and back their favorite Dark One. Plus, there's going to be some major unspeakable horrors and ritualistic shit happening...

I can't describe it. Until you've torn a toddler apart with your bare hands and fed it to the snapping mandibles of a pair of beetle-men who were once its parents, you just can't know.

Ryker's play can be very funny. There are a lot of in-jokes so it helps to know something about Lovecraftian lore. Yet it is entertaining enough for the average reader to enjoy. It is also not a one punch line joke. There is some nice rapport between the the main characters and some really nice subtlety at the end. I'm almost tempted to say it could be re-titled Whos Afraid of Virginia Soggoth but I won't.

So here are the pluses..
1. it actually has some depth.
2. It is funny
3. Nice take-off on the Cthulhu Mythos.
4. After you read it, you'll really want to see it performed.
5. There are some good housekeeping tips from Martha Stewart.

Forget the last one, although I suspect Ms. Stewart will play a role in the real awakening of the Ancient Ones. You never know.

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no idea what to say about this one.
It was fun, quirky, weird and unique.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This play tells the story of Cuthbert and Ashton, who tell the tale of their romance. What makes their relationship challenging is this that they are devotees of different 'religions'. Cuthbert is a devotee of Cthulhu and Ashton worships the spider goddess of dreams, Atlach-Nacha.

Their story concentrates on how they met and an important event brought about by each worshipping their 'god'. There's not much horror in this story and whatever tension is created is lessened by the use of humour throughout.

Unfortunatley I wasn't a fan of the play format, it just didn't really work for me. It's an interesting story and I think Alan Ryker is a superb author but I'm sticking with his novels and novellas for my future reads.

[Netanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

CUTHBERT: You worship a god who doesn't even know you exist.

ASHTON: And you worship one who sees your mind as food, and nothing more. You're like a blade of grass worshiping a cow.

CUTHBERT: Let's just agree to disagree. (Pause) Describe the chaos to me.

Recommended for any fan of Lovecraft, When Cthulhu Met Atlach-Nacha is an incredibly witty one-act play of an interfaith marriage between two little cultists, Cuthbert and Ashton. It's sweet, it's loving, and it's bloody good. Very recommended.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun take on the Cthulhu Mythos, in the form of a short play. I liked it! Equal parts black humour and references, and a bit of tenderness. Would like to see it performed.

[James Everington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this is a hard one to review. There's very little to compare *this* to - certainly there's a lot of authors who use Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos as a background for there own stories; but there aren't many who'd so to write a relationship comedy. And probably only Alan Ryker who'd decide to do so in the form of a play...

Given that, there's much to be said - if the idea of a Cthulhu mythos relationship comedy floats your boat (and it does mine) then all you need to know is that Ryker nails it - this cleverly weaves together both elements, and is both funny and touching; even at the end genuinely moving.

If you're at all tempted, give it a go.

[Adam Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This play provides an interesting take on the Cthulhu mythos as two characters who support different Old Ones relate their relationship to the awaiting audience. The humorous way in which it is presented makes the story very engaging, even without an intimate knowledge of Lovecraftian lore. The twist at the end was completely unexpected and very well done.

If this play was ever to be produced for the stage I would definitely love to see it.

Very well written.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to repeat what other reviewers have said in that this is a tough one to review because there is so little like it. Another reviewer mentioned that he didn't think it needed to be a play, that it would have worked as a novella. I don't agree. Part of what makes this story so interesting is that it takes high and low concept storytelling and combines them, confining them within a single setting. Without that confinement, there would be a risk of the high-concept (the ensuing apocalypse) over-powering the low-concept (the relationship between the two characters). The appeal of the story comes from its emphasis on the relationship while making the apocalypse just a part of life.

I enjoyed it. It was a quick, odd little romp.

[Arshad Ahsanuddin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Morphs from light-hearted comedy to pluck-the-heartstrings drama, with lots of geeky Lovecraftian asides thrown in. However, I think it would have worked better as a short story or novella than as a play. The stage directions, while humorous and succinct in creating visual imagery, still created a sense of distance between the reader and the characters, robbing the narrative of immediacy. Even so, it was an enjoyable read, and took me back to my days of plunging into the Cthulhu Mythos with both feet.

[Bandit · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was, as most experimental theatre pieces tend to be, pretty weird. A love story unveiled during a cosmic horror style apocalypse. Kudos for originality and it was nice to actually read a horror themed play for a change, but it needed something...something extra, something that would maybe make it be more identifiably humorous or dramatic. Definitely an interesting short play, quick read, about half an hour. Makes one wonder how it would play onstage.

[Phil Gonzales · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun read. A real treat for Lovecraft fans as well as theater-goers. Ryker balances the conventions of a two-person stage-bound narrative with the scope of the "Mythos." Would love to see staged. RECOMMENDED

[Egg Head · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I was kind of unsure at first because I have a hard time following plays. The story was different that's for sure but in a very good way. The ending though was what really made it for me. that final piece to the puzzle. Anyways it's free and a really good book!

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Alan Ryker but this wasn't for me. Maybe it was because this is the script for a play. There are some interesting ideas but due to the structure I never felt involved. I would like to read this re-worked as straight prose.

[Shéa MacLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Completely bizarre. Totally weird. Oddly alluring. Strangely funny.

I have no other words. Honest. Because I have never. In my life. Read anything so weird and yet so entertaining.

[James Tuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome. Quirky, delicious fun.

[Mandy Swenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this play. It was entertaining and sprinkled freely with dread and doom.

[Dwayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick amusing read. Nice ending.

[Bill Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny at times, but really rather sad.