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Whispers from the Abyss #1
Whispers from the Abyss
On the subway, during lunch, or even under the fluorescent glow of your cubical—there is no escape! Now your slow descent into madness can follow you through the day, as well as the night. The WHISPERS FROM THE ABYSS ANTHOLOGY is the first ever H.P. Lovecraft inspired collection created specifically for readers on the go. All 33 spine-chilling tales are concentrated bites of terror which include works by Greg Stolze (Delta Green), Nick Mamatas (Shotguns v. Cthulhu), Tim Pratt (Marla Mason), Dennis Detwiller (Delta Green), Greg Van Eekhout (The Boy at the End of the World), A.C. Wise (Future Lovecraft), David Tallerman (Giant Thief), Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Future Lovecraft), John R. Fultz (Seven Princes), Chad Fifer (The H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast).
220 pages, Paperback
First published October 11, 2013
34 people are currently reading
214 people want to read
About the author
Kat Rocha
17 books21 followersCreator, Entrepreneur
Kat began her publishing career as a collaborating artist on such projects as UTOPIATES, a CATWOMAN story for BATMAN 80pg GIANT for DC Comics and TITANIUM RAIN. She produced numerous concept designs for Spartan Games and has had work featured in Interzone magazine. She began her own comic series entitled LD30: The Adventures of a Swinging Robot in 2010.
In 2011 Kat founded 01Publishing with the goal of producing the best in science fiction, fantasy, and horror of both prose and graphic story telling. 01Publishing’s catalog of books have received acclaim from the Huffington Post, SF Signal, Kirkus Reviews, Innsmouth Free Press, and The Examiner.
Besides being CEO and Editor-in-Chief of 01Publishing, Kat Rocha is a founding member of the San Diego chapter of the Horror Writer’s Association
Artist: Utopiates
Editor: Whispers from the Abyss / Whispers from the Abyss 2
Regularly appears on the following Podcast/s:
SciFi Writers Play Old School DnD
Kat began her publishing career as a collaborating artist on such projects as UTOPIATES, a CATWOMAN story for BATMAN 80pg GIANT for DC Comics and TITANIUM RAIN. She produced numerous concept designs for Spartan Games and has had work featured in Interzone magazine. She began her own comic series entitled LD30: The Adventures of a Swinging Robot in 2010.
In 2011 Kat founded 01Publishing with the goal of producing the best in science fiction, fantasy, and horror of both prose and graphic story telling. 01Publishing’s catalog of books have received acclaim from the Huffington Post, SF Signal, Kirkus Reviews, Innsmouth Free Press, and The Examiner.
Besides being CEO and Editor-in-Chief of 01Publishing, Kat Rocha is a founding member of the San Diego chapter of the Horror Writer’s Association
Artist: Utopiates
Editor: Whispers from the Abyss / Whispers from the Abyss 2
Regularly appears on the following Podcast/s:
SciFi Writers Play Old School DnD
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 6, 2017
Whispers from the Abyss is a collection of 33 tales inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft.
When Kat Rocha hit me up on twitter about Whispers of the Abyss 2, I checked out the lineup and plunked down my money, receiving this one as well in the bargain.
It seems everyone and their Deep One cousin puts out a Lovecraftian anthology these days. The thing that separates Whispers from the Abyss from the squamous pack is that the tales are pretty short, 2-10 pages, designed to be swallowed whole in a single sitting.
The subject matter and tone of the works are all over the spectrum, from dryly hilarious to chilling. Some of the stories were a little too short and needed a little more room to breath but I knew that going in. The presentation was top notch.
Like all anthologies, the stories vary in quality. A couple didn't do much for me but the collection as a whole was above average. Standouts include Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth, My Friend Fishfinger by Daisy, Age 7, The Substance in the Sound, and The Decorative Water Feature of Nameless Dread. Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth was by far my favorite tale of the collection. Much in the same vein as The Damned Highway, Dr. Gonzo heads to Innsmouth, looking for hints of Richard Nixon's corruption.
For today's reader on the go, Whispers from the Abyss is a great collection of scaly, tentacled horror. Four out of five stars.
When Kat Rocha hit me up on twitter about Whispers of the Abyss 2, I checked out the lineup and plunked down my money, receiving this one as well in the bargain.
It seems everyone and their Deep One cousin puts out a Lovecraftian anthology these days. The thing that separates Whispers from the Abyss from the squamous pack is that the tales are pretty short, 2-10 pages, designed to be swallowed whole in a single sitting.
The subject matter and tone of the works are all over the spectrum, from dryly hilarious to chilling. Some of the stories were a little too short and needed a little more room to breath but I knew that going in. The presentation was top notch.
Like all anthologies, the stories vary in quality. A couple didn't do much for me but the collection as a whole was above average. Standouts include Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth, My Friend Fishfinger by Daisy, Age 7, The Substance in the Sound, and The Decorative Water Feature of Nameless Dread. Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth was by far my favorite tale of the collection. Much in the same vein as The Damned Highway, Dr. Gonzo heads to Innsmouth, looking for hints of Richard Nixon's corruption.
For today's reader on the go, Whispers from the Abyss is a great collection of scaly, tentacled horror. Four out of five stars.
November 22, 2015
01 publishing has more than one book that is inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Whispers From The Abyss is an anthology edited by Kat Rocha that contains 33 stories that were influenced by Lovecraft. I have to admit that I haven’t read a lot of Lovecraft but being a horror fan I still enjoyed a lot of the stories in this book. What really surprised me was how different all the stories were.
Not all the stories here were gems but there was some good ones including Death Wore Greasepaint by Josh Finney. This one is about a down on his luck man named Charlie who runs a cable tv station and a clown named Wilbur who has found his life’s purpose. I love how this story uses a kids show set in the present and ties it into Lovecraft’s mythos. Who would have guessed a clown could start the apocalypse. I love how this story describes intestines coming out of a body and then a character says: “I’ll never eat pasta again.” The best thing about this story is that The Octopus King has shown me how to be happy. Read the book and you will understand.
Another good one in this collection is Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth: Richard Nixon’s Revenge by Jason Andrew. This one is set in the seventies and follows a man who is trying to find proof that Richard Nixon is evil. This is an original story that combines a little humor with a little bit of horror. I love the references to Easy Rider, Ron Jeremy and the two quotes that open the story. Anything goes in this one and it has a good twist at the end.
Also getting points for originality is My Friend Fishfinger by Daisy, Age 7 written by David Tallerman. I love that this is written from the perspective of a girl whose parents follow a god that’s different from the one she believes in. If you know Lovecraft’s work you probably know who the god is. I love how this story is told, its like seeing evil through the eyes of an innocent child who doesn’t know what she is in for. The title is deceptive and the story is short and creepy. If you like the works of Lovecraft and Weird Tales in general pick up Whispers From The Abyss and if you like this one Whispers From The Abyss 2 is also available.
Not all the stories here were gems but there was some good ones including Death Wore Greasepaint by Josh Finney. This one is about a down on his luck man named Charlie who runs a cable tv station and a clown named Wilbur who has found his life’s purpose. I love how this story uses a kids show set in the present and ties it into Lovecraft’s mythos. Who would have guessed a clown could start the apocalypse. I love how this story describes intestines coming out of a body and then a character says: “I’ll never eat pasta again.” The best thing about this story is that The Octopus King has shown me how to be happy. Read the book and you will understand.
Another good one in this collection is Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth: Richard Nixon’s Revenge by Jason Andrew. This one is set in the seventies and follows a man who is trying to find proof that Richard Nixon is evil. This is an original story that combines a little humor with a little bit of horror. I love the references to Easy Rider, Ron Jeremy and the two quotes that open the story. Anything goes in this one and it has a good twist at the end.
Also getting points for originality is My Friend Fishfinger by Daisy, Age 7 written by David Tallerman. I love that this is written from the perspective of a girl whose parents follow a god that’s different from the one she believes in. If you know Lovecraft’s work you probably know who the god is. I love how this story is told, its like seeing evil through the eyes of an innocent child who doesn’t know what she is in for. The title is deceptive and the story is short and creepy. If you like the works of Lovecraft and Weird Tales in general pick up Whispers From The Abyss and if you like this one Whispers From The Abyss 2 is also available.
February 6, 2015
This one was really hit or miss with a few gems here and there. But then you get to the last story, 'Death Wore Greasepaint' by Josh Finney, andthat's a whole other level of good.
I've never read anything by the guy before, but that's one of the scariest short stories I've ever read. Worth a star on the rating by itself.
I've never read anything by the guy before, but that's one of the scariest short stories I've ever read. Worth a star on the rating by itself.
January 19, 2014
The mythology borne of the dark imagination of American author H.P. Lovecraft, known as the “Cthulu Mythos”, has made an indelible mark on the horror and fantasy genres. While widespread fame did not arrive until after Lovecraft’s death in 1937, his legacy is continued by emerging and established authors.
Even the likes of Stephen King, in his short story N., have referenced and depicted the tentacle-faced “Great Old One” Cthulu and his return from the depths of the ocean. Throughout the work of modern writers, the monster’s grim shadow continues to fall across Lovecraft’s fictional Middle American town of Innsmouth.
Whispers From The Abyss is an impressive collection of short stories that are inspired by the Cthulu Mythos. Indeed, the god-like entity Cthulu looms large throughout. But the stories contained within vary widely in tone, with each writer approaching the mythology from a distinctly different angle. Some authors conjure Cthulu’s dark magic in a literal way and others more indirectly. So, for the uninitiated, Whispers From The Abyss works as a collection of horror stories and a detailed knowledge of Lovecraft’s writing is not required to enjoy these twisted tales.
There are some unexpected takes on the Cthulu Mythos in this book. Writer Jason Andrew successfully drops Hunter S. Thompson’s gonzo protagonist into an occult mystery in Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth: Richard Nixon’s Revenge.
Other authors cast unsettling tension through different prisms. David Tallerman does this through the voice of a child in My Friend Fishfinger by Daisy, Age 7. Jonathan Sharp creeps out the reader through the a piece of rock journalism in Nation of Disease: The Rise and Fall of a Canadian Legend.
Some of the other stories are an exercise in brevity, but still manage to pack a punch. Small and spooky stand-outs include J.C. Hemphill’s Pushing Back, Martin Hill Ortiz’s Nutmeat and Mason Ian Bundschuh’s When We Change. An extreme example is Charles Black’s The Last Tweet which, as its title suggests, is a horror story of only 140 characters.
Some of the highlights of Whispers From The Abyss are those laced with dark humour. Charles Black’s Horrorscope draws on farce. James Brogden’s The Decorative Water Feature of Nameless Dread invokes terror through a parochial radio gardening program.
A particularly vivid entry is Give Me That Old Time Religion by Lee Finney, which is masterful in building a sense of foreboding in a small word count.
Whispers From The Abyss’ finale, Josh Finney’s Death Wore Greasepaint, is particularly gruesome and deliciously twisted.
The disturbed clown working his television studio audience of children into a primal frenzy – and the horror that follows – are the most vivid and memorable from this accomplished collection.
Even the likes of Stephen King, in his short story N., have referenced and depicted the tentacle-faced “Great Old One” Cthulu and his return from the depths of the ocean. Throughout the work of modern writers, the monster’s grim shadow continues to fall across Lovecraft’s fictional Middle American town of Innsmouth.
Whispers From The Abyss is an impressive collection of short stories that are inspired by the Cthulu Mythos. Indeed, the god-like entity Cthulu looms large throughout. But the stories contained within vary widely in tone, with each writer approaching the mythology from a distinctly different angle. Some authors conjure Cthulu’s dark magic in a literal way and others more indirectly. So, for the uninitiated, Whispers From The Abyss works as a collection of horror stories and a detailed knowledge of Lovecraft’s writing is not required to enjoy these twisted tales.
There are some unexpected takes on the Cthulu Mythos in this book. Writer Jason Andrew successfully drops Hunter S. Thompson’s gonzo protagonist into an occult mystery in Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth: Richard Nixon’s Revenge.
Other authors cast unsettling tension through different prisms. David Tallerman does this through the voice of a child in My Friend Fishfinger by Daisy, Age 7. Jonathan Sharp creeps out the reader through the a piece of rock journalism in Nation of Disease: The Rise and Fall of a Canadian Legend.
Some of the other stories are an exercise in brevity, but still manage to pack a punch. Small and spooky stand-outs include J.C. Hemphill’s Pushing Back, Martin Hill Ortiz’s Nutmeat and Mason Ian Bundschuh’s When We Change. An extreme example is Charles Black’s The Last Tweet which, as its title suggests, is a horror story of only 140 characters.
Some of the highlights of Whispers From The Abyss are those laced with dark humour. Charles Black’s Horrorscope draws on farce. James Brogden’s The Decorative Water Feature of Nameless Dread invokes terror through a parochial radio gardening program.
A particularly vivid entry is Give Me That Old Time Religion by Lee Finney, which is masterful in building a sense of foreboding in a small word count.
Whispers From The Abyss’ finale, Josh Finney’s Death Wore Greasepaint, is particularly gruesome and deliciously twisted.
The disturbed clown working his television studio audience of children into a primal frenzy – and the horror that follows – are the most vivid and memorable from this accomplished collection.
December 29, 2014
A collection of short lovecraftian/mythos stories, Rocha promises us a bunch of rapid fire stories that will chill us no matter where we are reading the book.
And there's a lot of them. I actually didn't realize how many stories were in this collection until after the first four or so stories and realizing that they were only a couple pages long each. Because of there being so many, I won't go into detail with each story, but rather will review the anthology as a whole.
Rocha has collected a lot of interesting stories in this collection. I would say a good 90% of them have the lovecraftian feel the cover implies we will find within. The other 10%, though just horror stories, make up for it with sheer quality so they can easily be forgiven.
I really liked this collection. The selected stories were generally well written, their prose tight and their stories handled well. At no point did I really feel as if I were dragging my feet through a story, and honestly, even if I had, the stories themselves are so short they would have been over quick enough that I wouldn't have cared. In some stories, the horror elements were a tad weak, though thankfully those stories were few and far between for the most part.
I will say, possibly one of the best, if not the best story in this anthology was the final story involving the TV clown. It had the right level of humanistic horror mixed with a pleasant lovecraftian theme. Even though at small points it felt as if it was being dragged on, the story itself was creepy, horrific, and left me with a sour taste in my mouth. (albeit, a very good one)
So if you are a looking for an anthology with short tales you can devour on your commute to work, your private time in the bathroom, or wherever, this is a perfect anthology for you. Be you a Lovecraft fan, or simply a fan of horror tales, I suggest you pick this anthology up.
And there's a lot of them. I actually didn't realize how many stories were in this collection until after the first four or so stories and realizing that they were only a couple pages long each. Because of there being so many, I won't go into detail with each story, but rather will review the anthology as a whole.
Rocha has collected a lot of interesting stories in this collection. I would say a good 90% of them have the lovecraftian feel the cover implies we will find within. The other 10%, though just horror stories, make up for it with sheer quality so they can easily be forgiven.
I really liked this collection. The selected stories were generally well written, their prose tight and their stories handled well. At no point did I really feel as if I were dragging my feet through a story, and honestly, even if I had, the stories themselves are so short they would have been over quick enough that I wouldn't have cared. In some stories, the horror elements were a tad weak, though thankfully those stories were few and far between for the most part.
I will say, possibly one of the best, if not the best story in this anthology was the final story involving the TV clown. It had the right level of humanistic horror mixed with a pleasant lovecraftian theme. Even though at small points it felt as if it was being dragged on, the story itself was creepy, horrific, and left me with a sour taste in my mouth. (albeit, a very good one)
So if you are a looking for an anthology with short tales you can devour on your commute to work, your private time in the bathroom, or wherever, this is a perfect anthology for you. Be you a Lovecraft fan, or simply a fan of horror tales, I suggest you pick this anthology up.
April 30, 2016
This anthology solidly delivers an array of Lovecraft inspired tales. Accordingly, horror and the supernatural permeate the collection, though humor and historical fiction are well represented, too. Thankfully, most tales share a fresh perspective rising above mere Lovecraft fan fiction. The best of the bunch carve their own path through the mythos to great effect.
I've separately reviewed and rated each of the collection's component stories, giving top honors and 5 stars to Erica Satifka's "You Will Never Be the Same", an imaginative horror-sci-fi in which humans break dimensional boundaries for the sake of interstellar travel at the risk of their sanity.
My 4-star honorable mentions include: Greg Stolze's "Iden-Inshi", a humor-thriller that devolves into a horror-sci-fi. Two others which ply humor to great effect are Martin Hill Ortiz' "Nutmeat" which imagines a parasitic takeover and James Brogden's Monty Python worthy "The Decorative Water Feature of Nameless Dread". Two works of historical fiction shine through in Corissa Baker's "The Deep" which reimagines the Irish Famine as a slow supernatural horror and Jason Andrew's "Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth: Richard Nixon's Revenge", a fun detective noir. Finally, Lance Axt's "Henry" shows a young boy succumb to the sci-fi tales he reads.
Also included are:
Almand, Nicholas--"Leviathan"--3 stars
Barrows, Brandon--"Suck It Up, Get It Done"--3 stars
Black, Charles--"Horrorscope"--3 stars
Brown, Stephen--"The Thing With Onyx Eyes"--3 stars
Bundschuh, Mason Ian--"When We Change"--3 stars
Crich, Kelda--"Stone City, Old as Immeasurable Time"--3 stars
Fifer, Chad--"Afraid of Dobermans"--3 stars
Finney, Josh--"Death Wore Greasepaint"--3 stars
Finney, Lee--"Give Me That Old Time Religion"--3 stars
Fultz, John R.--"I Do the Work of the Bone Queen"--3 stars
Hemphill, J.C.--"Pushing Back"--3 stars
Jeffreys, Tim--"The Well"--3 stars
Moreno-Garcia, Silvia--"The Sea, Like Glass Unbroken"--3 stars
Pratt, Tim and Greg van Eekhout--"Secrets in Storage"--3 stars
Provine, Jeff--"The Floor"--3 stars
Rocha, Kat--"The Jar of Aten-Hor"--3 stars
Sharp, Jonathan--"Nation of Disease: The Rise & Fall of a Canadian Legend"--3 stars
Ulibarri, Sarena--"Other People's Houses"--3 stars
Wise, A. C.--"Chasing Sunset"--3 stars
Detwiller, Dennis--"Waiting"--2 stars
French, Aaron J.--"My Stalk"--2 stars
Mamatas, Nick--"Hideous Interview with Brief Man"--2 stars
Stickel, W. B.--"The Substance in the Sound"--2 stars
Wunner, Nathan--"The Neon Morgue"--2 stars
Black, Charles--"The Last Tweet"--1 star
Tallerman, David--"My Friend Fishfinger by Daisy, Age 7"--1 star
I received this anthology directly from 01 Publishing through bookreviewdirectory.wordpress.com. I've also reviewed the companion anthology Whispers of the Abyss 2: The Horrors That Were and Shall Be .
I've separately reviewed and rated each of the collection's component stories, giving top honors and 5 stars to Erica Satifka's "You Will Never Be the Same", an imaginative horror-sci-fi in which humans break dimensional boundaries for the sake of interstellar travel at the risk of their sanity.
My 4-star honorable mentions include: Greg Stolze's "Iden-Inshi", a humor-thriller that devolves into a horror-sci-fi. Two others which ply humor to great effect are Martin Hill Ortiz' "Nutmeat" which imagines a parasitic takeover and James Brogden's Monty Python worthy "The Decorative Water Feature of Nameless Dread". Two works of historical fiction shine through in Corissa Baker's "The Deep" which reimagines the Irish Famine as a slow supernatural horror and Jason Andrew's "Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth: Richard Nixon's Revenge", a fun detective noir. Finally, Lance Axt's "Henry" shows a young boy succumb to the sci-fi tales he reads.
Also included are:
Almand, Nicholas--"Leviathan"--3 stars
Barrows, Brandon--"Suck It Up, Get It Done"--3 stars
Black, Charles--"Horrorscope"--3 stars
Brown, Stephen--"The Thing With Onyx Eyes"--3 stars
Bundschuh, Mason Ian--"When We Change"--3 stars
Crich, Kelda--"Stone City, Old as Immeasurable Time"--3 stars
Fifer, Chad--"Afraid of Dobermans"--3 stars
Finney, Josh--"Death Wore Greasepaint"--3 stars
Finney, Lee--"Give Me That Old Time Religion"--3 stars
Fultz, John R.--"I Do the Work of the Bone Queen"--3 stars
Hemphill, J.C.--"Pushing Back"--3 stars
Jeffreys, Tim--"The Well"--3 stars
Moreno-Garcia, Silvia--"The Sea, Like Glass Unbroken"--3 stars
Pratt, Tim and Greg van Eekhout--"Secrets in Storage"--3 stars
Provine, Jeff--"The Floor"--3 stars
Rocha, Kat--"The Jar of Aten-Hor"--3 stars
Sharp, Jonathan--"Nation of Disease: The Rise & Fall of a Canadian Legend"--3 stars
Ulibarri, Sarena--"Other People's Houses"--3 stars
Wise, A. C.--"Chasing Sunset"--3 stars
Detwiller, Dennis--"Waiting"--2 stars
French, Aaron J.--"My Stalk"--2 stars
Mamatas, Nick--"Hideous Interview with Brief Man"--2 stars
Stickel, W. B.--"The Substance in the Sound"--2 stars
Wunner, Nathan--"The Neon Morgue"--2 stars
Black, Charles--"The Last Tweet"--1 star
Tallerman, David--"My Friend Fishfinger by Daisy, Age 7"--1 star
I received this anthology directly from 01 Publishing through bookreviewdirectory.wordpress.com. I've also reviewed the companion anthology Whispers of the Abyss 2: The Horrors That Were and Shall Be .
May 13, 2018
As a set of 33 modern Lovecraftian horror tales, Whispers from the Abyss is better than most of the collections I've read recently. There are a few stories that delved into the realm of WTFery, but these were blessedly in the minority.
There were, however, some stellar stories that made this collection stand out from the rest. "Iden-Inshi" by Greg Stolze, opens the book with a tale of illicit biomedical research for North Korean kidnappers. You know it can't end well. "Nation of Disease: The Rise & Fall of a Canadian Legend" by Jonathan Sharp was another gem, about a hardcore death band that uses the music between the stars to instill madness.
"Fear And Loathing In Innsmouth: Richard Nixon's Revenge" by Jason Andrew and "My Friend Fishfinger By Daisy, Age 7" by David Tallerman are two back-to-back stories that were simply five-star reads, and anchored the other stories with their central prominence. Lee Finney's "Give Me That Old Time Religion" ticked my fancy with its setting of the Appalachian foothills and resident snake healers and moonshiners. Good stuff. And lastly, "Death Wore Greasepaint" by Josh Finney, finalizes the collection like a pièce de résistance. Very well done.
There were, however, some stellar stories that made this collection stand out from the rest. "Iden-Inshi" by Greg Stolze, opens the book with a tale of illicit biomedical research for North Korean kidnappers. You know it can't end well. "Nation of Disease: The Rise & Fall of a Canadian Legend" by Jonathan Sharp was another gem, about a hardcore death band that uses the music between the stars to instill madness.
"Fear And Loathing In Innsmouth: Richard Nixon's Revenge" by Jason Andrew and "My Friend Fishfinger By Daisy, Age 7" by David Tallerman are two back-to-back stories that were simply five-star reads, and anchored the other stories with their central prominence. Lee Finney's "Give Me That Old Time Religion" ticked my fancy with its setting of the Appalachian foothills and resident snake healers and moonshiners. Good stuff. And lastly, "Death Wore Greasepaint" by Josh Finney, finalizes the collection like a pièce de résistance. Very well done.
July 31, 2020
I've posted mini reviews/comments on each short via Twitter (@gjkendall).
Search for #WhispersFromTheAbyss to get the run through.
I will say this was an enjoyable collection that relied more on imagery than out and out storytelling. That's no bad thing but those that want stories may be a little disappointed.
Saying that, the two strongest entries to the anthology were superb stories.
Firstly, an author I'm not familiar with, Josh Finney, knocked it out the park with Death Wore Greasepaint and secondly, my favourite story in the collection was The Decorative Water Feature Of Nameless Dread by the ever reliable James Brogden. This story had a bit of everything but mostly it appealed directly to my sense of humour.
I'd also like to single out The Floor by Jeff Provine.The flipping houses concept was intriguing esoecially once the authirs reveals his hand and we get a glimpse of a whole story waiting to be told.
Jeff, if you ever read this, I think there's a novel (a series even) based on what you have written. I'd love to see if happen.
I don't believe I've read Lovecraft so I'm not sure how these stories relate but I'd certainly be interested in the more story based material and for novices in the genre this is a collection well worth getting your tentacles on.
Search for #WhispersFromTheAbyss to get the run through.
I will say this was an enjoyable collection that relied more on imagery than out and out storytelling. That's no bad thing but those that want stories may be a little disappointed.
Saying that, the two strongest entries to the anthology were superb stories.
Firstly, an author I'm not familiar with, Josh Finney, knocked it out the park with Death Wore Greasepaint and secondly, my favourite story in the collection was The Decorative Water Feature Of Nameless Dread by the ever reliable James Brogden. This story had a bit of everything but mostly it appealed directly to my sense of humour.
I'd also like to single out The Floor by Jeff Provine.The flipping houses concept was intriguing esoecially once the authirs reveals his hand and we get a glimpse of a whole story waiting to be told.
Jeff, if you ever read this, I think there's a novel (a series even) based on what you have written. I'd love to see if happen.
I don't believe I've read Lovecraft so I'm not sure how these stories relate but I'd certainly be interested in the more story based material and for novices in the genre this is a collection well worth getting your tentacles on.
October 17, 2015
I hate Lovecraft. I really, really do. Though I've often tried, I've never been able to wade through even a single one of his short stories from beginning to end without tossing the book aside. That being said, I'm amazed that I enjoyed WHISPERS OF THE ABYSS, an anthology that was inspired by Lovecraft's work.
With one, lonely exception (which I shan't distinguish by name) all of the stories in this volume are good. In fact, some of them are VERY good. Even better, you don't have to be a fan of Lovecraft, or even to have read him, in order to enjoy them.
One of the things I particularly like about this anthology is that many of the contributors have chosen to avoid writing strictly Lovecraftian horror. Instead, a goodly number of the stories capture a similar essence (which, I assume embodies the Lovecraft element) without direct references. Those readers who insist on a more direct relationship will not be disappointed, however. There are enough mentions of Old Gods and Cthulu and Ryleh to satisfy most of the purists.
Nor will the reader find the intentional obscurity of many other Lovecraft anthologies in this volume. Though there are undoubtedly some wry "in" jokes and references, the reader's failure to understand them will not compromise his or her enjoyment of this collection one whit.
What is truly impressive about this book, is the work of editor Kat Rocha. Of the roughly twenty-eight stories, I recognized the names of only a handful of authors. Somehow, Rocha has managed to find, not only authors who are less well known than some others whose work seems to appear in anthologies all the time, but she has also managed to find more obscure talent who can actually WRITE! There do not appear to be any amateurs here and, for that reason alone, Rocha deserves praise.
To most readers, I highly recommend this volume. Lovecraft fans should consider it a "must" read.
With one, lonely exception (which I shan't distinguish by name) all of the stories in this volume are good. In fact, some of them are VERY good. Even better, you don't have to be a fan of Lovecraft, or even to have read him, in order to enjoy them.
One of the things I particularly like about this anthology is that many of the contributors have chosen to avoid writing strictly Lovecraftian horror. Instead, a goodly number of the stories capture a similar essence (which, I assume embodies the Lovecraft element) without direct references. Those readers who insist on a more direct relationship will not be disappointed, however. There are enough mentions of Old Gods and Cthulu and Ryleh to satisfy most of the purists.
Nor will the reader find the intentional obscurity of many other Lovecraft anthologies in this volume. Though there are undoubtedly some wry "in" jokes and references, the reader's failure to understand them will not compromise his or her enjoyment of this collection one whit.
What is truly impressive about this book, is the work of editor Kat Rocha. Of the roughly twenty-eight stories, I recognized the names of only a handful of authors. Somehow, Rocha has managed to find, not only authors who are less well known than some others whose work seems to appear in anthologies all the time, but she has also managed to find more obscure talent who can actually WRITE! There do not appear to be any amateurs here and, for that reason alone, Rocha deserves praise.
To most readers, I highly recommend this volume. Lovecraft fans should consider it a "must" read.
July 10, 2015
This collection of short fiction inspired by Lovecraft’s mythos is good, solid fun and a worthwhile investment of your time. As with most anthologies, few readers will be amazed by all the stories, but everyone will find something that whispers to them in the dark. The first one that started the muttering in my ear is “Nation of Disease: The Rise and Fall of a Canadian Legend” by Jonathan Sharp. I have a distinct love for Industrial and a passing appreciation for Noise. I can absolutely see bands like Einstürzende Neubauten and the one from this story receiving messages from a dreaming realm.
For good clean fun, it’s hard to beat “Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth: Richard Nixon's Revenge” by Jason Andrew. This is entertainingly gonzo conspiracy theory journalism, presenting an implausibly plausible coverup of Innsmouth’s influence on modern politics. For less clean fun (like the fun of drinking the last shot of Dewars from the ashtray) we have “Death Wore Greasepaint” by Josh Finney. It grabs the core of The Call of Cthulhu and focuses it through the dirty lens of local access television. A decidedly unique and effective take on this classic.
The ones that warmed my heart for their depth and art were "The Sea Like Glass Unbroken" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and "Chasing Sunset" by A.C. Wise. I loved the faery tale quality of GLASS, while SUNSET left me needing a shower.
For good clean fun, it’s hard to beat “Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth: Richard Nixon's Revenge” by Jason Andrew. This is entertainingly gonzo conspiracy theory journalism, presenting an implausibly plausible coverup of Innsmouth’s influence on modern politics. For less clean fun (like the fun of drinking the last shot of Dewars from the ashtray) we have “Death Wore Greasepaint” by Josh Finney. It grabs the core of The Call of Cthulhu and focuses it through the dirty lens of local access television. A decidedly unique and effective take on this classic.
The ones that warmed my heart for their depth and art were "The Sea Like Glass Unbroken" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and "Chasing Sunset" by A.C. Wise. I loved the faery tale quality of GLASS, while SUNSET left me needing a shower.
May 20, 2014
A very uneven collection of modern Cthulhu Mythos short stories. It contains some outstanding stories - Nick Mamatas' 'Hideous Interview with BriefMan' is one of the best pieces of short fiction I've read in the last couple of years; the opening piece of diarised horror by Greg Stolze 'Iden-Inshi' is excellent; and I had a special fondness for the H.P. Lovecraft/Hunter S. Thompson mashup 'Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth: Richard Nixon's Revenge'. A few others are almost as good, and as you would expect there were a good number that were okay but either unmemorable or just not to my taste.
But there are also at least five stories in this collection which - naming no names - read like half-arsed first drafts, with undeveloped ideas that go nowhere. And I'm not even beating up on the Tweet-length story, which at least has the virtue of brevity. One or possibly two clunkers I could accept, but they just kept popping up, presenting an interesting premise or character before ending abruptly having done nothing to justify their existence. Ugh.
But bonus points for the Mamatas story, which is just delightfully horrifying.
But there are also at least five stories in this collection which - naming no names - read like half-arsed first drafts, with undeveloped ideas that go nowhere. And I'm not even beating up on the Tweet-length story, which at least has the virtue of brevity. One or possibly two clunkers I could accept, but they just kept popping up, presenting an interesting premise or character before ending abruptly having done nothing to justify their existence. Ugh.
But bonus points for the Mamatas story, which is just delightfully horrifying.
December 2, 2014
Some quite excellent short stories, some less good. Very good over all.
February 14, 2021
'A Lovecraft inspired anthology' is something you're either going to be excited about or groan over at this points in time, depending on your proclivities. While there are 30 some entries in this one, it clocks in at 210 pages, so they're mostly very short and make for quick, engaging reads taken individually. The book is well put together physically, there's some great cover art I have some more general things to say about the collection/publisher, but first I want to give some shout outs to a few outstanding entries.
There's a great opening entry, 'Iden-Ishii' from Greg Stolze who you may recognize from his work with White Wolf. Jonathan Sharp's musical 'The Nation of Disease' is a nice followup to that. And of course, Chad Fifer's 'Afraid of Dobermans' is as always fantastic.
I didn't want to dig too deeply into the individual stories because when I sat down to write this and did some checking I came across some concernings. No reflection of the authors that were included, I've read (and in some cases communicated with) them lots of other places and their work is great.
But looking at 01Publishing's website, I was right off the bat assaulted by some messaging against political correctness and 'No Safe Spaces.' Which, incidentally, is also the name of the podcast that Rocha and Finney run, which is pretty aggressive in its anti-pc talk. The slogan is also on some of their graphics, which seem like sf/horror versions of a some of the skull (punisher skull, skull mask, etc.) iconography used by the far right these days. Symbolism not helped by it being flag coloured/patterned. Doing some digging on twitter, it looks like Rocha (the editor as well, for the record) has changed accounts a few times, with the most recent one talking about moving to Parler in the bio. Some of her older accounts appear to have followed accounts espousing uniting traditional conservatives and libertarians to 'take back our culture.' In some of her Youtube videos there use of the alt-right slur 'soyboy', during which Patton Oswalt of all people is pictured.
Could these all be individual red flags that ultimately amount to nothing? Sure. But taken as a collection of facts, as well as some other bits and pieces of catch phrases, rhetoric, and political figures the editors seem to follow, its cause for some concern. I have queries out to some authors that have worked with this publisher and Rocha to see if I can get anything more concrete. But at this points, especially with some of the youtube video comments about lovely, humane people, I can't endorse anything put out by this publisher. Which is a shame because I dearly love some of the authors included here. If you really want to check it out, please buy it used and don't support a publisher that endorses such problematic views. I know Chris Lackey and Chad Fifer have made the stories they had in this and the subsequent collection available as audio stories through Witch House Media and the HP Lovecraft Literary Podcast. You may want to check them out there.
There's a great opening entry, 'Iden-Ishii' from Greg Stolze who you may recognize from his work with White Wolf. Jonathan Sharp's musical 'The Nation of Disease' is a nice followup to that. And of course, Chad Fifer's 'Afraid of Dobermans' is as always fantastic.
I didn't want to dig too deeply into the individual stories because when I sat down to write this and did some checking I came across some concernings. No reflection of the authors that were included, I've read (and in some cases communicated with) them lots of other places and their work is great.
But looking at 01Publishing's website, I was right off the bat assaulted by some messaging against political correctness and 'No Safe Spaces.' Which, incidentally, is also the name of the podcast that Rocha and Finney run, which is pretty aggressive in its anti-pc talk. The slogan is also on some of their graphics, which seem like sf/horror versions of a some of the skull (punisher skull, skull mask, etc.) iconography used by the far right these days. Symbolism not helped by it being flag coloured/patterned. Doing some digging on twitter, it looks like Rocha (the editor as well, for the record) has changed accounts a few times, with the most recent one talking about moving to Parler in the bio. Some of her older accounts appear to have followed accounts espousing uniting traditional conservatives and libertarians to 'take back our culture.' In some of her Youtube videos there use of the alt-right slur 'soyboy', during which Patton Oswalt of all people is pictured.
Could these all be individual red flags that ultimately amount to nothing? Sure. But taken as a collection of facts, as well as some other bits and pieces of catch phrases, rhetoric, and political figures the editors seem to follow, its cause for some concern. I have queries out to some authors that have worked with this publisher and Rocha to see if I can get anything more concrete. But at this points, especially with some of the youtube video comments about lovely, humane people, I can't endorse anything put out by this publisher. Which is a shame because I dearly love some of the authors included here. If you really want to check it out, please buy it used and don't support a publisher that endorses such problematic views. I know Chris Lackey and Chad Fifer have made the stories they had in this and the subsequent collection available as audio stories through Witch House Media and the HP Lovecraft Literary Podcast. You may want to check them out there.
August 15, 2025
What I Did Like:
+As promised in the introduction, these are glimpses of a world that stop when you’re on the verge of seeing a monster. They’re all heightened suspense and nerves, like walking a tightrope over and over again.
+The stories are well edited to help keep the suspense and tension going. The word choice and the sentence structure only help the mood, which is always fun.
Who Should Read This One:
-If you’re a fan of super short horror sort of stories that all have a sort of Lovecraft vibe and make use of some Lovecraft places/plots/ideas … this fills that niche.
My Rating: 3 Stars
For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2025/08/...
+As promised in the introduction, these are glimpses of a world that stop when you’re on the verge of seeing a monster. They’re all heightened suspense and nerves, like walking a tightrope over and over again.
+The stories are well edited to help keep the suspense and tension going. The word choice and the sentence structure only help the mood, which is always fun.
Who Should Read This One:
-If you’re a fan of super short horror sort of stories that all have a sort of Lovecraft vibe and make use of some Lovecraft places/plots/ideas … this fills that niche.
My Rating: 3 Stars
For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2025/08/...
November 18, 2017
Whispers from the Abyss: Volume One is a wonderful anthology of dark fiction/horror based in the shared literary world of HP Lovecraft, know that first.
This anthology is a marvelous collection of weird fiction, some of it of a violent brutal nature. Some of it told in a clever manner as a series of text messages, or the classic gothic/lovecraftian journal entry trope. Stories of fish people, ancient gods and extradimensional space aboud. This is a wonderful read. I highly recommend this ebook.
This anthology is a marvelous collection of weird fiction, some of it of a violent brutal nature. Some of it told in a clever manner as a series of text messages, or the classic gothic/lovecraftian journal entry trope. Stories of fish people, ancient gods and extradimensional space aboud. This is a wonderful read. I highly recommend this ebook.
May 17, 2017
This is a brilliant idea for a Lovecraft Mythos collection, mostly flash fiction. I don't think anything in here is longer than ten pages, just enough space to show off whatever variation on the mythos the author had in mind, without having to pad it out with character arcs or plot. Neither of which were Lovecraft's strong suits.
Also, it's a great commuter book. I ride the bus to work and had never had to stop mid-story.
Also, it's a great commuter book. I ride the bus to work and had never had to stop mid-story.
November 17, 2022
There are no really bad stories here, but there are definitely a couple which were just downright baffling. Mostly a solid offering, although not all of the stories struck me as particularly Lovecraftian. One minor point is that the Kindle edition at least could benefit from some better editing. It’s nothing unforgivable, however, and I’d say this is definitely worth a read, with the final story "Death Wore Greasepaint" being an extremely unsettling descent into madness.
May 18, 2018
Loved it
This anthology delivered what it promised and more. Each unique tale brings to life its own version of H.P Lovecraft mythos. All the stories maintained their originality that would appeal to non Lovecraft fans as well. I recommend this read to people who like their stories a little weird. This book I not for the squeamish.
This anthology delivered what it promised and more. Each unique tale brings to life its own version of H.P Lovecraft mythos. All the stories maintained their originality that would appeal to non Lovecraft fans as well. I recommend this read to people who like their stories a little weird. This book I not for the squeamish.
August 11, 2019
Better than many other anthologies. A lot of mediocre stories with a sprinkling of pretty good stuff. Too many typos and errors throughout. This is common in anthologies, I've noticed.
With that said, there are some of these stories I will read again, but for most of them, once was plenty.
With that said, there are some of these stories I will read again, but for most of them, once was plenty.
October 11, 2023
This had a few good ones. I liked Iden-Inshi by Greg Stolze, Nutmeat by Martin Hill Ortiz
June 24, 2023
Read:
Afraid of Dobermans - Carl Fifer - 4/5
Afraid of Dobermans - Carl Fifer - 4/5
February 18, 2014
Like almost all modern anthologies of Lovecraft Mythos stories, this is a very mixed bag. Most of the stories were entertaining enough to hold my interest without provoking any sort of strong reaction. Some were truly interesting. A handful were so bad that I felt robbed of the time I spent reading them, even when that was only ten minutes.
As far as the latter stories are concerned, I get the feeling that the editing standards for this collection were not particularly high. I see no reason why "The Last Tweet" should have been published in any short story anthology. "Horrorscope" read like something I might have written as a high-school freshman.
The good stories more than make up for the duds, though. "Chasing Sunset" by A.C. Wise is engaging, original, and beautifully written, and Erica Satifka's "You Will Never Be the Same" is a fascinating science fiction story, even without the Mythos elements.
The rest, though they may not be as impressive, are for the most part original and interesting. Other standout stories are "Nutmeat" by Martin Hill Ortiz, "The Sea Like Glass Unbroken" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and "My Stalk" by Aaron J. French.
As far as the latter stories are concerned, I get the feeling that the editing standards for this collection were not particularly high. I see no reason why "The Last Tweet" should have been published in any short story anthology. "Horrorscope" read like something I might have written as a high-school freshman.
The good stories more than make up for the duds, though. "Chasing Sunset" by A.C. Wise is engaging, original, and beautifully written, and Erica Satifka's "You Will Never Be the Same" is a fascinating science fiction story, even without the Mythos elements.
The rest, though they may not be as impressive, are for the most part original and interesting. Other standout stories are "Nutmeat" by Martin Hill Ortiz, "The Sea Like Glass Unbroken" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and "My Stalk" by Aaron J. French.
November 14, 2018
A lot of "meh", in this collection. I'm struck by the continued injustice of Moreno-Garcia and Stolze's relative obscurity, as everything they write is reliably terrific.
A lot of authors don't seem to realise if you're going Short short fiction you can't do a classical beginning middle and end affair without it all seeming comically rushed.
A lot of authors don't seem to realise if you're going Short short fiction you can't do a classical beginning middle and end affair without it all seeming comically rushed.
December 11, 2015
This anthology is ok. It's better than some and worse than others. When it comes to the whole Lovecraft thing, it holds up on its own, but not very tall when compared to better collections like "World War Cthulhu" or "The Book of Cthulhu".
I don't know how many stories there were here, but most of them were just so-so. Never really bad, but never really all that good. At best they were standard but forgettable. Although, thankfully, none ever took very long to read.
"When Death Wore Greasepaint", "Afraid of Dobermans" and "My Friend Fishfinger" (along with 3 or 4 others) were the real standouts of this collection, while "Chasing Sunset", "Hideous Interview", "My Stalk", and "Waiting" were total bores and a waste of time.
Overall, this anthology was decent, but brought little to the table.
I don't know how many stories there were here, but most of them were just so-so. Never really bad, but never really all that good. At best they were standard but forgettable. Although, thankfully, none ever took very long to read.
"When Death Wore Greasepaint", "Afraid of Dobermans" and "My Friend Fishfinger" (along with 3 or 4 others) were the real standouts of this collection, while "Chasing Sunset", "Hideous Interview", "My Stalk", and "Waiting" were total bores and a waste of time.
Overall, this anthology was decent, but brought little to the table.
January 5, 2015
A disappointing collection of stories that mostly use Lovecraft's tropes and ideas to no great effect.
So many of these stories follow the same pattern - regular person encounters the Mythos and is quickly killed/driven mad/changed. There's no tension or uncertainty to draw you in, none of the suspense and invention that made Lovecraft's fiction work in the first place - just lots of fish men and repetition of FTAGN.
That said, there are several good stories in here - those by Greg Stolze, Nick Mamatas and Lee Finney in particular, plus a couple of others. Whether those are worth the price of admission is up to you.
So many of these stories follow the same pattern - regular person encounters the Mythos and is quickly killed/driven mad/changed. There's no tension or uncertainty to draw you in, none of the suspense and invention that made Lovecraft's fiction work in the first place - just lots of fish men and repetition of FTAGN.
That said, there are several good stories in here - those by Greg Stolze, Nick Mamatas and Lee Finney in particular, plus a couple of others. Whether those are worth the price of admission is up to you.
January 9, 2017
Sehr kurzweilige Anthologie von Lovecraft inspirierten Kurzgeschichten, mit angrnehmer Bandbreite zwischen wenigen Seiten (im Extremfall sogar nur ein Tweet) und ganz am Ende einer Novelette. Letztere war in in ihrer anarchich-derb-humorigen Art mein Highlight. Einige Geschichten waren wir immer bei so Sammlungen schwach, zwei oder drei hatten nichts mit Lovecraft zu tun, aber insgesamt eine starke Auswahl.
Currently reading
May 24, 2024"Leviathan" by Nicholas Almand - Gedeon and Ashton head out on a boat looking for a sea monster and locate the creature. Ashton is killed when he gazes upon the hideous face of the beast but Gedeon is sparred by his poor eyesight. Using his pistol, Gedeon is able to heard the monster to shore where it is beached and succumbs.
"Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth: Richard Nixon's Revenge" by Jason Andrew - Investigators seek proof of Nixon’s ties to illegal contributions from Innsmouth.
"Fear and Loathing in Innsmouth: Richard Nixon's Revenge" by Jason Andrew - Investigators seek proof of Nixon’s ties to illegal contributions from Innsmouth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2015
Enjoyable collection with some real gems, though two of the stories were marked by unfortunate contempt for rural working-class whites.
October 7, 2015
review to come
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