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Arkham Horror #20
Shadows of Pnath: Arkham Horror Series
An expert thief outwits foes old and new to defeat a sinister summoning, in this hair-raising noir-thriller from the bestselling world of Arkham Horror
Adventuress Countess Alessandra Zorzi has a new reacquiring the occult artifacts she stole to put into the safer hands of Miskatonic University. With her new apprentice, Pepper Kelly, Zorzi tracks the infamous Zanthu Tablets to Paris. But the city is rife with spies and the countess has many enemies. When Pepper is kidnapped, it becomes clear that someone is out for revenge. Zorzi must rescue her apprentice, find the tablets, and prevent an old enemy from summoning an army of vengeful ghouls from the depths of the catacombs. Stealing relics is a lot harder the second time around . . .
Adventuress Countess Alessandra Zorzi has a new reacquiring the occult artifacts she stole to put into the safer hands of Miskatonic University. With her new apprentice, Pepper Kelly, Zorzi tracks the infamous Zanthu Tablets to Paris. But the city is rife with spies and the countess has many enemies. When Pepper is kidnapped, it becomes clear that someone is out for revenge. Zorzi must rescue her apprentice, find the tablets, and prevent an old enemy from summoning an army of vengeful ghouls from the depths of the catacombs. Stealing relics is a lot harder the second time around . . .
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Published March 21, 2023
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About the author
Joshua Reynolds
313 books339 followersJosh Reynolds’ work has previously appeared in such anthologies as Historical Lovecraft from Innsmouth Free Press and Horror for the Holidays from Miskatonic River Press, and his novel, Knight of the Blazing Sun, is currently available from Black Library. He can be found at: http://joshuamreynolds.wordpress.com
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
September 12, 2024
The truth will set you free / But first, it'll piss you off (Lemon – N.E.R.D & Rihanna).
Hey, I kind of want to talk about this song I’m sure most people remember called, “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepson. Ahh, the memories. It was a smash hit by all accounts but it’s such a pure, unadulterated pop song, that I feel like people are still uncomfortable listening to it unironically today. I like it though. It’s funny, because near the end of the song, she sings the classic line, “Before you came into my life, I missed you so bad,” and I clearly remember a bunch of dude-bros trashing it, saying things like, “that doesn’t even make any sense! This song is so stupid!” You know, the usual. Even though it’s such obvious and intentional hyperbole, these critics still believed with the strongest conviction that it was a mistake on her end. That, since it was a dumb pop song, she has to be a dumb writer. Just like the misunderstood Carly Rae Jepson, our protagonists, Alessandra Zorzi and her apprentice, Pepper Kelly, are constantly dealing with that same undercurrent of condescending misogyny. Their intelligence is always underestimated by the insecure men that surround them. Despite this being a light, horror/adventure novel similar to the likes of The Mummy (the good one, not the Tom Cruise one), In many ways, what makes this book a cut above the rest is that it's about more than just the adventure, but how the characters, two women in the 1920’s, fit into the adventure. Was that a tenuous link at best? Maybe, but I love myself a good stretch, so that’s why I’m always reaching. Anyway, I had a good time with this. I especially enjoyed the main character, Alessandra. She could easily be up there with the greats! Indiana Jones, Nathan Drake, and Carly Rae Jepson, time to make way because here’s Alessandra Zorzi! She’s cool as a cucumber and always keeps the party running, not one hair out of place! And while this book isn’t all that scary, as it’s probably too action packed and grand in scope to fit strictly within the horror genre, it’s still a good time all around. It's probably more Aliens (1986) than Alien (1979). I went in expecting horror, but instead got a fun adventure full of swagger and style. This book reads like a throwback, like something straight out of an old pulp magazine. So, it’s a damn good thing that I love a lot of pulp in my orange juice.
“Then, with a great cracking and rending, the world dissolved into madness.”
Hey, I kind of want to talk about this song I’m sure most people remember called, “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepson. Ahh, the memories. It was a smash hit by all accounts but it’s such a pure, unadulterated pop song, that I feel like people are still uncomfortable listening to it unironically today. I like it though. It’s funny, because near the end of the song, she sings the classic line, “Before you came into my life, I missed you so bad,” and I clearly remember a bunch of dude-bros trashing it, saying things like, “that doesn’t even make any sense! This song is so stupid!” You know, the usual. Even though it’s such obvious and intentional hyperbole, these critics still believed with the strongest conviction that it was a mistake on her end. That, since it was a dumb pop song, she has to be a dumb writer. Just like the misunderstood Carly Rae Jepson, our protagonists, Alessandra Zorzi and her apprentice, Pepper Kelly, are constantly dealing with that same undercurrent of condescending misogyny. Their intelligence is always underestimated by the insecure men that surround them. Despite this being a light, horror/adventure novel similar to the likes of The Mummy (the good one, not the Tom Cruise one), In many ways, what makes this book a cut above the rest is that it's about more than just the adventure, but how the characters, two women in the 1920’s, fit into the adventure. Was that a tenuous link at best? Maybe, but I love myself a good stretch, so that’s why I’m always reaching. Anyway, I had a good time with this. I especially enjoyed the main character, Alessandra. She could easily be up there with the greats! Indiana Jones, Nathan Drake, and Carly Rae Jepson, time to make way because here’s Alessandra Zorzi! She’s cool as a cucumber and always keeps the party running, not one hair out of place! And while this book isn’t all that scary, as it’s probably too action packed and grand in scope to fit strictly within the horror genre, it’s still a good time all around. It's probably more Aliens (1986) than Alien (1979). I went in expecting horror, but instead got a fun adventure full of swagger and style. This book reads like a throwback, like something straight out of an old pulp magazine. So, it’s a damn good thing that I love a lot of pulp in my orange juice.
“Then, with a great cracking and rending, the world dissolved into madness.”
March 14, 2023
Alessandra Zorzi is a countess, adventuress, and thief. Though she’s attempting to leave the thievery behind her, she finds herself contacted by three different people looking for the same relic, one that she’s stolen before. With threats to her life and her trainee's life as motivation, she attempts to track down the item while dodging some of the many enemies she’s made during her career. Alessandra finds herself racing against time and death, realizing that the decisions she’s forced to make won’t just affect her, but the very safety of the world.
This book is a fun adventure set in the world created by H. P. Lovecraft. It would be most enjoyable for those who are somewhat familiar with the works of Lovecraft or the game Arkham Horror, as they provide good background information to many of the organizations mentioned, the entities discussed, and the world itself. It could probably still be enjoyable if you go in knowing nothing about these things, but I don’t necessarily recommend that.
I quite enjoyed the characters. There was a great range of personality, background, and depth throughout the entire cast. As this isn’t the first book in this series, there wasn’t much active character growth/development for the protagonist within this book, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the read. I enjoyed how action packed this work was without feeling overwhelming. The author did a fantastic job at weaving elements of Lovecraft’s original writings into this work without feeling clunky or forced, and I loved the lore surrounding the main "monsters" of this book.
If you like the world of Lovecraft, atmospheric noir reads, or are looking for some easy and entertaining reading, check out this series! You can read this book as a standalone without losing any enjoyment, though this work did reference events that occurred earlier in the series. My thanks to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for allowing me to read this work, which will be published 21 March 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This book is a fun adventure set in the world created by H. P. Lovecraft. It would be most enjoyable for those who are somewhat familiar with the works of Lovecraft or the game Arkham Horror, as they provide good background information to many of the organizations mentioned, the entities discussed, and the world itself. It could probably still be enjoyable if you go in knowing nothing about these things, but I don’t necessarily recommend that.
I quite enjoyed the characters. There was a great range of personality, background, and depth throughout the entire cast. As this isn’t the first book in this series, there wasn’t much active character growth/development for the protagonist within this book, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the read. I enjoyed how action packed this work was without feeling overwhelming. The author did a fantastic job at weaving elements of Lovecraft’s original writings into this work without feeling clunky or forced, and I loved the lore surrounding the main "monsters" of this book.
If you like the world of Lovecraft, atmospheric noir reads, or are looking for some easy and entertaining reading, check out this series! You can read this book as a standalone without losing any enjoyment, though this work did reference events that occurred earlier in the series. My thanks to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for allowing me to read this work, which will be published 21 March 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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December 12, 2022I don't know why Josh Reynolds describes himself as a writer of moderate skill and exceptional confidence. If Shadows of Pnath is any indication, in my opinion, he's a writer of exceptional skill. Few writers could come up with a tale as engrossing as Shadows.
The book starts with a bang with a prologue introducing our Big Bad, a French count with an ax to grind against ghouls and the means to grind said axe. The name of the count, and the name of the book that's at the center of all the goings-on, would be familiar to Reynolds' superlative Royal Occultist series.
The momentum established in the prologue doesn't let up as we're introduced to our heroine Alessandra Zorzi, a thief, and the young whippersnapper Pepper who are returning from Wrath of Nkai, another great book set in the same universe, also by Reynolds. We're also introduced to the spy Trish Scarborough, another returnee, this time from the short story The Red and The Black from the anthology Secrets in Scarlet.
Subsequent chapters reveal more players in the deadly game of shadows. The Scarlet Coterie [subject of the aforementioned anthology] and the Silver Twilight Lodge [another secret society] make welcome appearances - welcome because their intrigues are delightfully perverse.
But Pnath is not just a coat hanger for characters and lore from the Arkham Horror RPG. While many characters appear and a lot of lore is doled out, it's all done with minimal expository halts. And this is where Reynolds' skill shows through. He builds the world without making it seem like world-building. This is done by making sure that the exposition never gets in the way of the action and by throwing out tantalizing throwaways like Scarborough's time in Moscow. And while he wraps up all the plot threads, he does provide for new story lines in the epilogue.
In conclusion, Shadows of Pnath is an excellent addition to the Arkham Horror universe. I sincerely hope more books are written in this universe, and several more of those books are written by Josh Reynolds, a writer of exceptional skill and exceptional confidence.
The book starts with a bang with a prologue introducing our Big Bad, a French count with an ax to grind against ghouls and the means to grind said axe. The name of the count, and the name of the book that's at the center of all the goings-on, would be familiar to Reynolds' superlative Royal Occultist series.
The momentum established in the prologue doesn't let up as we're introduced to our heroine Alessandra Zorzi, a thief, and the young whippersnapper Pepper who are returning from Wrath of Nkai, another great book set in the same universe, also by Reynolds. We're also introduced to the spy Trish Scarborough, another returnee, this time from the short story The Red and The Black from the anthology Secrets in Scarlet.
Subsequent chapters reveal more players in the deadly game of shadows. The Scarlet Coterie [subject of the aforementioned anthology] and the Silver Twilight Lodge [another secret society] make welcome appearances - welcome because their intrigues are delightfully perverse.
But Pnath is not just a coat hanger for characters and lore from the Arkham Horror RPG. While many characters appear and a lot of lore is doled out, it's all done with minimal expository halts. And this is where Reynolds' skill shows through. He builds the world without making it seem like world-building. This is done by making sure that the exposition never gets in the way of the action and by throwing out tantalizing throwaways like Scarborough's time in Moscow. And while he wraps up all the plot threads, he does provide for new story lines in the epilogue.
In conclusion, Shadows of Pnath is an excellent addition to the Arkham Horror universe. I sincerely hope more books are written in this universe, and several more of those books are written by Josh Reynolds, a writer of exceptional skill and exceptional confidence.
April 8, 2023
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Shadows of Pnath: An Arkham Horror Novel by Joshua Reynolds is another great installment of the Arkham Horror series. I'm so glad I started reading these because they are right up my alley. I've never played the game, but the books are just my speed. I love the setting, the tone, and the overall atmosphere - and that's no different with this newest installment. It was good to see Countess Alessandra Zorzi and her adventure in this installment is pretty fun especially considering she's helping to put things that she had stolen into the safer hands of the university. In order to do that though she's going to have to steal them back and let's just say that proves to be a lot tougher and more dangerous the second time around. Also, it was really cool to see more of the wider world in this installment as well since we get to see the catacombs of Paris! I'm looking forward to reading more from this series in the future.
Shadows of Pnath: An Arkham Horror Novel by Joshua Reynolds is another great installment of the Arkham Horror series. I'm so glad I started reading these because they are right up my alley. I've never played the game, but the books are just my speed. I love the setting, the tone, and the overall atmosphere - and that's no different with this newest installment. It was good to see Countess Alessandra Zorzi and her adventure in this installment is pretty fun especially considering she's helping to put things that she had stolen into the safer hands of the university. In order to do that though she's going to have to steal them back and let's just say that proves to be a lot tougher and more dangerous the second time around. Also, it was really cool to see more of the wider world in this installment as well since we get to see the catacombs of Paris! I'm looking forward to reading more from this series in the future.
May 18, 2023
Some franchise fiction just doesn't capture the magic of the original property. Reynolds doesn't capture the exact same magic as Lovecraft, but he does capture a different sort of magic.
As evidenced by the plethora of his excellent Royal Occultist short stories and novels, Reynolds is a keen hand when it comes to writing tales that explore occult elements. This novel is close enough to the world of the Royal Occultist novels that you could easily imagine the protagonists of Shadows of Pnath, the Countess Zorzi and her accomplice Pepper Kelly, crossing paths with Charles St. Cyprian and Ebe Gallowglass of his Royal Occultist work.
This novel is unlike a Lovecraft story in that there is an action element that is absent in most Lovecraftian tales. Still, the book sits firmly in the Cthulhu Mythos with plenty of references to horrific deities from the shadows and explorations of distant dreamlands.
As evidenced by the plethora of his excellent Royal Occultist short stories and novels, Reynolds is a keen hand when it comes to writing tales that explore occult elements. This novel is close enough to the world of the Royal Occultist novels that you could easily imagine the protagonists of Shadows of Pnath, the Countess Zorzi and her accomplice Pepper Kelly, crossing paths with Charles St. Cyprian and Ebe Gallowglass of his Royal Occultist work.
This novel is unlike a Lovecraft story in that there is an action element that is absent in most Lovecraftian tales. Still, the book sits firmly in the Cthulhu Mythos with plenty of references to horrific deities from the shadows and explorations of distant dreamlands.
February 6, 2024
Shadows of Pnath is a return to the Countess Alessandra Zorzi character and continues about a year on after her fantastic adventure in 'Wrath of N'kai' which kicked off the new wave of Arkham Horror stories. This time, she has to steal back a book she stole before, whilst negotiating the pitfalls of multiple opposing cults who also want the book and struggling with her new understanding that the world hides a lot more shadows and secrets than she previously knew..
The Countess Zorzi is arguably the best protaganist in the franchise with one of the most well fleshed out back stories to boot and her second adventure continues to develop her character arc to show her growth into a morally improved person alongside her new best friend and apprentice from the first book - the spunky Boston cab driver Pepper.
The Arkham Horror franchise has changed a bit since it first began and whilst it still happily delves into the more obscure Mythos writings of Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith, it has become a lot more adventurous and action packed compared to the tonally darker or more atmospheric earlier novels and novellas where it felt like the characters were genuinely testing their sanity against the unknown. Shadows of Pnath - much like The Deadly Grimoire and Lair of the Crystal Fang before it - leans heavily into the newer trend, albeit building to a spectacularly monstrous finale worthy of the mythos it borrows from. Fans of Indiana Jones and more traditional adventure pulp will be right at home here and there is no shortage of action, banterous dialogue, mystery and monsters. But, as our characters outgrow their own sceptism and horror as they do here, many of the terrors become a bit too watered down.
As a result if I'm honest, I prefer the slower builds, the character innocence and the more ever-present darker tone of Wrath of N'kai and other earlier works, but I'm still enjoying these faster paced yarns. They're great entertainment and there's an increasing level of consistency across the board game and novels as other franchise characters are starting to cross over now. For example, here we have Trish Scarborough and The Red Coterie make an appearance from the Secrets in Scarlet anthology. And Carl Sanford has another cameo. Whilst I admit to also not being as closely familiar with some of the more obscure Mythos references, I have enjoyed picking up my Lovecraft, Belknap Long and Ashton Smith anthologies to explore the works further and thanks to the author's intimate knowledge with the old stories, there are plenty of Easter eggs here to pick up.
If you want a good, old fashioned bit of pulp adventure with a big epic climax and teasers of even more weird to come, then Shadows of Pnath will scratch that itch easily, although it's perhaps recommended to read some of the older books first just to get a better context for some of the characters and their back stories. I am definitely looking forward to Zorzi's third book, which I think may have been sown in this book in readiness for something quite interesting indeed..
The Countess Zorzi is arguably the best protaganist in the franchise with one of the most well fleshed out back stories to boot and her second adventure continues to develop her character arc to show her growth into a morally improved person alongside her new best friend and apprentice from the first book - the spunky Boston cab driver Pepper.
The Arkham Horror franchise has changed a bit since it first began and whilst it still happily delves into the more obscure Mythos writings of Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith, it has become a lot more adventurous and action packed compared to the tonally darker or more atmospheric earlier novels and novellas where it felt like the characters were genuinely testing their sanity against the unknown. Shadows of Pnath - much like The Deadly Grimoire and Lair of the Crystal Fang before it - leans heavily into the newer trend, albeit building to a spectacularly monstrous finale worthy of the mythos it borrows from. Fans of Indiana Jones and more traditional adventure pulp will be right at home here and there is no shortage of action, banterous dialogue, mystery and monsters. But, as our characters outgrow their own sceptism and horror as they do here, many of the terrors become a bit too watered down.
As a result if I'm honest, I prefer the slower builds, the character innocence and the more ever-present darker tone of Wrath of N'kai and other earlier works, but I'm still enjoying these faster paced yarns. They're great entertainment and there's an increasing level of consistency across the board game and novels as other franchise characters are starting to cross over now. For example, here we have Trish Scarborough and The Red Coterie make an appearance from the Secrets in Scarlet anthology. And Carl Sanford has another cameo. Whilst I admit to also not being as closely familiar with some of the more obscure Mythos references, I have enjoyed picking up my Lovecraft, Belknap Long and Ashton Smith anthologies to explore the works further and thanks to the author's intimate knowledge with the old stories, there are plenty of Easter eggs here to pick up.
If you want a good, old fashioned bit of pulp adventure with a big epic climax and teasers of even more weird to come, then Shadows of Pnath will scratch that itch easily, although it's perhaps recommended to read some of the older books first just to get a better context for some of the characters and their back stories. I am definitely looking forward to Zorzi's third book, which I think may have been sown in this book in readiness for something quite interesting indeed..
December 5, 2022
I read an e-ARC of this on Net Galley, so thank you to Net Galley, Aconyte books and Josh Reynolds for letting me read this.
I’ve read a few Arkham Horror books and this was a particularly good one! I started reading these because I like the board games (Arkham Horror but also Unfathomable and Mansions of Madness).
This book was Incredibly cinematic, this could almost immediately translate to film. It’s not a particularly long book, but the author conveys setting and atmosphere very well and very succinctly. I liked the precision of the language as it kept the pace of the book running really quickly. As this book takes place over just a few days and is a race against time, this really helped to keep the tension up.
I really liked the range of female characters, very different interests but they still manage to form shaky alliances. Alessandra Zorzi is just awesome. There are four core female characters, Alessandra, Pepper, Trish and Bera. They all have very unique voices, personalities and motivations. Alessandra is just so cool! She’s a former thief who is so calm under pressure, so elegant and composed. Pepper is a former cabbie who Alessandra has been mentoring for the last year. I won’t say too much more about the characters to avoid spoilers.
While reading this there were a few times where it felt like this followed on from another book with Zorzi in so I checked this and there is The Wrath of N’kai. In no way did not having read the earlier book stop me from understanding or enjoying the story. I’ll definitely go and read that one, but because it sounds interesting rather than because I felt something was missing. I’ve read the Arkham Horror short story collection ‘The Devourer Below’ and that did have some crossover which was fun to look out for, although again, definitely not a prerequisite to read this book.
This book raised some interesting questions about what a monster really is. It doesn’t do this directly, it more just opens the door for you to ponder this yourself. There are ghouls in this book, but their morality isn’t black or white. Conversely there are human characters who do have very questionable motives.
This does have horror elements but it wasn’t so frightening that I would raise caution. It has a few moments that are very tense or quite creepy, but it’s more on the action side of horror. It helps that the female characters are not passive at all and are constantly looking for ways to improve their situation, rather than just being helpless victims.
I thought this was a really exciting, tense novel and a great addition to the Arkham Horror world!
I’ve read a few Arkham Horror books and this was a particularly good one! I started reading these because I like the board games (Arkham Horror but also Unfathomable and Mansions of Madness).
This book was Incredibly cinematic, this could almost immediately translate to film. It’s not a particularly long book, but the author conveys setting and atmosphere very well and very succinctly. I liked the precision of the language as it kept the pace of the book running really quickly. As this book takes place over just a few days and is a race against time, this really helped to keep the tension up.
I really liked the range of female characters, very different interests but they still manage to form shaky alliances. Alessandra Zorzi is just awesome. There are four core female characters, Alessandra, Pepper, Trish and Bera. They all have very unique voices, personalities and motivations. Alessandra is just so cool! She’s a former thief who is so calm under pressure, so elegant and composed. Pepper is a former cabbie who Alessandra has been mentoring for the last year. I won’t say too much more about the characters to avoid spoilers.
While reading this there were a few times where it felt like this followed on from another book with Zorzi in so I checked this and there is The Wrath of N’kai. In no way did not having read the earlier book stop me from understanding or enjoying the story. I’ll definitely go and read that one, but because it sounds interesting rather than because I felt something was missing. I’ve read the Arkham Horror short story collection ‘The Devourer Below’ and that did have some crossover which was fun to look out for, although again, definitely not a prerequisite to read this book.
This book raised some interesting questions about what a monster really is. It doesn’t do this directly, it more just opens the door for you to ponder this yourself. There are ghouls in this book, but their morality isn’t black or white. Conversely there are human characters who do have very questionable motives.
This does have horror elements but it wasn’t so frightening that I would raise caution. It has a few moments that are very tense or quite creepy, but it’s more on the action side of horror. It helps that the female characters are not passive at all and are constantly looking for ways to improve their situation, rather than just being helpless victims.
I thought this was a really exciting, tense novel and a great addition to the Arkham Horror world!
August 15, 2023
The Shadows of Pnath by Josh Reynolds is a fun and engaging book that has the feeling of an old pulp novel.
The plot and the quirky characters are all enough to keep the book moving along at a steady pace with just enough creeps and crawls to keep you and the characters looking towards the shadows.
From the description--"Adventuress Countess Alessandra Zorzi has a new vocation: reacquiring the occult artifacts she stole to put into the safer hands of Miskatonic University. With her new apprentice, Pepper Kelly, Zorzi tracks the infamous Zanthu Tablets to Paris. But the city is rife with spies and the countess has many enemies. When Pepper is kidnapped, it becomes clear that someone is out for revenge. Zorzi must rescue her apprentice, find the tablets, and prevent an old enemy from summoning an army of vengeful ghouls from the depths of the catacombs. Stealing relics is a lot harder the second time around…"
This is part of a series, but I never really felt like I lacked information or back story that spoiled my enjoyment of the book.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #AconyteBooks, and Josh Reynolds for the copy of #ShadowsofPnath.
The plot and the quirky characters are all enough to keep the book moving along at a steady pace with just enough creeps and crawls to keep you and the characters looking towards the shadows.
From the description--"Adventuress Countess Alessandra Zorzi has a new vocation: reacquiring the occult artifacts she stole to put into the safer hands of Miskatonic University. With her new apprentice, Pepper Kelly, Zorzi tracks the infamous Zanthu Tablets to Paris. But the city is rife with spies and the countess has many enemies. When Pepper is kidnapped, it becomes clear that someone is out for revenge. Zorzi must rescue her apprentice, find the tablets, and prevent an old enemy from summoning an army of vengeful ghouls from the depths of the catacombs. Stealing relics is a lot harder the second time around…"
This is part of a series, but I never really felt like I lacked information or back story that spoiled my enjoyment of the book.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #AconyteBooks, and Josh Reynolds for the copy of #ShadowsofPnath.
December 5, 2022
I read an e-ARC of this on Net Galley, so thank you to Net Galley, Aconyte books and Josh Reynolds for letting me read this.
I’ve read a few Arkham Horror books and this was a particularly good one! I started reading these because I like the board games (Arkham Horror but also Unfathomable and Mansions of Madness).
This book was Incredibly cinematic, this could almost immediately translate to film. It’s not a particularly long book, but the author conveys setting and atmosphere very well and very succinctly. I liked the precision of the language as it kept the pace of the book running really quickly. As this book takes place over just a few days and is a race against time, this really helped to keep the tension up.
I really liked the range of female characters, very different interests but they still manage to form shaky alliances. Alessandra Zorzi is just awesome. There are four core female characters, Alessandra, Pepper, Trish and Bera. They all have very unique voices, personalities and motivations. Alessandra is just so cool! She’s a former thief who is so calm under pressure, so elegant and composed. Pepper is a former cabbie who Alessandra has been mentoring for the last year. I won’t say too much more about the characters to avoid spoilers.
While reading this there were a few times where it felt like this followed on from another book with Zorzi in so I checked this and there is The Wrath of N’kai. In no way did not having read the earlier book stop me from understanding or enjoying the story. I’ll definitely go and read that one, but because it sounds interesting rather than because I felt something was missing. I’ve read the Arkham Horror short story collection ‘The Devourer Below’ and that did have some crossover which was fun to look out for, although again, definitely not a prerequisite to read this book.
This book raised some interesting questions about what a monster really is. It doesn’t do this directly, it more just opens the door for you to ponder this yourself. There are ghouls in this book, but their morality isn’t black or white. Conversely there are human characters who do have very questionable motives.
This does have horror elements but it wasn’t so frightening that I would raise caution. It has a few moments that are very tense or quite creepy, but it’s more on the action side of horror. It helps that the female characters are not passive at all and are constantly looking for ways to improve their situation, rather than just being helpless victims.
I thought this was a really exciting, tense novel and a great addition to the Arkham Horror world!
I’ve read a few Arkham Horror books and this was a particularly good one! I started reading these because I like the board games (Arkham Horror but also Unfathomable and Mansions of Madness).
This book was Incredibly cinematic, this could almost immediately translate to film. It’s not a particularly long book, but the author conveys setting and atmosphere very well and very succinctly. I liked the precision of the language as it kept the pace of the book running really quickly. As this book takes place over just a few days and is a race against time, this really helped to keep the tension up.
I really liked the range of female characters, very different interests but they still manage to form shaky alliances. Alessandra Zorzi is just awesome. There are four core female characters, Alessandra, Pepper, Trish and Bera. They all have very unique voices, personalities and motivations. Alessandra is just so cool! She’s a former thief who is so calm under pressure, so elegant and composed. Pepper is a former cabbie who Alessandra has been mentoring for the last year. I won’t say too much more about the characters to avoid spoilers.
While reading this there were a few times where it felt like this followed on from another book with Zorzi in so I checked this and there is The Wrath of N’kai. In no way did not having read the earlier book stop me from understanding or enjoying the story. I’ll definitely go and read that one, but because it sounds interesting rather than because I felt something was missing. I’ve read the Arkham Horror short story collection ‘The Devourer Below’ and that did have some crossover which was fun to look out for, although again, definitely not a prerequisite to read this book.
This book raised some interesting questions about what a monster really is. It doesn’t do this directly, it more just opens the door for you to ponder this yourself. There are ghouls in this book, but their morality isn’t black or white. Conversely there are human characters who do have very questionable motives.
This does have horror elements but it wasn’t so frightening that I would raise caution. It has a few moments that are very tense or quite creepy, but it’s more on the action side of horror. It helps that the female characters are not passive at all and are constantly looking for ways to improve their situation, rather than just being helpless victims.
I thought this was a really exciting, tense novel and a great addition to the Arkham Horror world!
October 9, 2024
Overall, 4/5 but in the Arkham Horror Files universe, a 5/5. If this book were a movie, it would get a PG-13 rating. And it does read like a movie.
Book #20 out of 20+ titles at this point, it is one of the better choices. Josh Reynold’s third book in the world of Arkham Horror and maybe his best. Wrath of N’Kai was good too and I look forward to reading The Devourer Below. The Arkham Horror Files is really something worth exploring and I’m impressed the publishers have stuck with it for so long. This book features the two competing occult groups called the Red Coterie and the Silver Twilight Lodge. And the US Cipher Bureau caught in between but they are side action.
These books mention the previous story in the series and allude to the next one, so it would be nice to read them in order but you don’t have to. However, for those of us who plan on reading them all, it would have been nice to know the order ahead of time.
Great opening and the action kept up at a good pace. Takes place almost exclusively in France. If you want a book that takes place in Arkham, this isn’t it. Cultes des Goules is the book the bad guy wants so he can enter another world and seek revenge against those monsters that tormented his ancestors for generations. It’s like the Necronomicon but this one is unique to this guy’s family lineage. It works. And is featured in another Arkham Horror book.
The cast list is a little too long for a casual reader. The problem with a big cast is the reader forgets their personalities, appearances and purpose in life. I think even the author and editor got it mixed up once. In chapter 27 a character was in the wrong group at the wrong place- she wasn’t doing anything important or talking, but that group didn’t have her in it. I’m not surprised it got mixed up because the whole book is small groups of characters moving around different locations. After the third chapter I created a cast of characters to keep track of everything. I read a chapter or two every day for a few weeks and when I picked up the book each night I forgot exactly what was going on. Chapters are short and the characters don’t stick around any scene for too long. A group of 2-4 characters go to a place, meet another character, add or subtract a character from their group and move on to another place. And so on. But this very common in contemporary literature of all genres.
Ten (?!) Main Characters:
Compte, the main bad guy
Countess Zorzi, the occult book thief for hire (was in previous book)
Pepper, the sidekick from previous book
Trish of the US Cipher Buereau
Jules- human/ghoul (mostly just beginning and end)
Chauncey Swann of the Silver Twilight Lodge doing Sanford’s business
Madame Bera the main human-ghoul hybrid leader.
Cinabre, a book collector part of Red Coterie (rivals to Silver Twilight Lodge)
Lapp, Cinabre’s assistant
Selim, Compte’s main henchman
Can be challenging to switch between the inner thoughts of each character- maybe that was my problem- who is the chapter’s main character, what are they doing, who are they with, etc. Sometimes it’s two different character’s in the same chapter and that’s not easy to follow. If you don’t read the book everyday or stretch it out over more than a week or so, it gets confusing.
The plot works and is not too confusing but the author does what contemporary publishers like- jump between multiple locations that are supposed to be happening mostly synchronously. Basically how it works is they cut up two scenes into maybe 4-5 chapters each and rotate back and forth between the two locations so the reader feels compelled to read “just one more chapter” to continue the plot. It is a modern method to keep the reader interested. Sound familiar? All genres do it too. Sometimes the interweaving plots don't even come together and you could have skipped an entire subplot (like in Devil in the White City. But I digress)
Let me show how that looks with two scenes I made up and simplified:
Chapter 1: Jane goes to pond.
Chapter 2: Bill goes to store.
Chapter 3: Jane finds lost dog at pond.
Chapter 4: Bill buys dog food at store for his dog at home.
Chapter 5: Janes walks home with lost dog.
Chapter 6: Bill walks home with dog food and runs into Jane with dog.
Chapter 7: Jane and Bill become friends because of their mutual interest in dogs.
Chapter 8: Bill decides to help Jane find lost dog’s owner.
Chapter 9: Steve leaves back door open accidentally at his house.
Chapter 10: Jane and Bill put up flyers for lost dog.
Chapter 11: Steve realizes dog is gone.
Chapter 12: Jane and Bill meet Sara who knows dog lives someone on Elm Street.
Chapter 13: Steve sees flyers for missing dog.
Chapter 14: Jane and Bill visit Steve and return his lost dog.
Now you’ve got a group of 3.
Build on that another group of characters and you’ve got multiple plots with multiple groups of numerous characters to keep track of- and me taking notes while I’m reading like this is a college lit course.
The redeeming factor is that the competing groups and characters are not simply good or bad but ambiguity keeps it interesting and at times realistic. While the action and supernatural horror are not realistic fiction, you still want the characters to speak and act realistically- which they sometimes do and sometimes don’t.
Bottom line- a must read for Arkham Horror fans and a suggested read for fans of 1920’s action/adventure with some supernatural horror.
Book #20 out of 20+ titles at this point, it is one of the better choices. Josh Reynold’s third book in the world of Arkham Horror and maybe his best. Wrath of N’Kai was good too and I look forward to reading The Devourer Below. The Arkham Horror Files is really something worth exploring and I’m impressed the publishers have stuck with it for so long. This book features the two competing occult groups called the Red Coterie and the Silver Twilight Lodge. And the US Cipher Bureau caught in between but they are side action.
These books mention the previous story in the series and allude to the next one, so it would be nice to read them in order but you don’t have to. However, for those of us who plan on reading them all, it would have been nice to know the order ahead of time.
Great opening and the action kept up at a good pace. Takes place almost exclusively in France. If you want a book that takes place in Arkham, this isn’t it. Cultes des Goules is the book the bad guy wants so he can enter another world and seek revenge against those monsters that tormented his ancestors for generations. It’s like the Necronomicon but this one is unique to this guy’s family lineage. It works. And is featured in another Arkham Horror book.
The cast list is a little too long for a casual reader. The problem with a big cast is the reader forgets their personalities, appearances and purpose in life. I think even the author and editor got it mixed up once. In chapter 27 a character was in the wrong group at the wrong place- she wasn’t doing anything important or talking, but that group didn’t have her in it. I’m not surprised it got mixed up because the whole book is small groups of characters moving around different locations. After the third chapter I created a cast of characters to keep track of everything. I read a chapter or two every day for a few weeks and when I picked up the book each night I forgot exactly what was going on. Chapters are short and the characters don’t stick around any scene for too long. A group of 2-4 characters go to a place, meet another character, add or subtract a character from their group and move on to another place. And so on. But this very common in contemporary literature of all genres.
Ten (?!) Main Characters:
Compte, the main bad guy
Countess Zorzi, the occult book thief for hire (was in previous book)
Pepper, the sidekick from previous book
Trish of the US Cipher Buereau
Jules- human/ghoul (mostly just beginning and end)
Chauncey Swann of the Silver Twilight Lodge doing Sanford’s business
Madame Bera the main human-ghoul hybrid leader.
Cinabre, a book collector part of Red Coterie (rivals to Silver Twilight Lodge)
Lapp, Cinabre’s assistant
Selim, Compte’s main henchman
Can be challenging to switch between the inner thoughts of each character- maybe that was my problem- who is the chapter’s main character, what are they doing, who are they with, etc. Sometimes it’s two different character’s in the same chapter and that’s not easy to follow. If you don’t read the book everyday or stretch it out over more than a week or so, it gets confusing.
The plot works and is not too confusing but the author does what contemporary publishers like- jump between multiple locations that are supposed to be happening mostly synchronously. Basically how it works is they cut up two scenes into maybe 4-5 chapters each and rotate back and forth between the two locations so the reader feels compelled to read “just one more chapter” to continue the plot. It is a modern method to keep the reader interested. Sound familiar? All genres do it too. Sometimes the interweaving plots don't even come together and you could have skipped an entire subplot (like in Devil in the White City. But I digress)
Let me show how that looks with two scenes I made up and simplified:
Chapter 1: Jane goes to pond.
Chapter 2: Bill goes to store.
Chapter 3: Jane finds lost dog at pond.
Chapter 4: Bill buys dog food at store for his dog at home.
Chapter 5: Janes walks home with lost dog.
Chapter 6: Bill walks home with dog food and runs into Jane with dog.
Chapter 7: Jane and Bill become friends because of their mutual interest in dogs.
Chapter 8: Bill decides to help Jane find lost dog’s owner.
Chapter 9: Steve leaves back door open accidentally at his house.
Chapter 10: Jane and Bill put up flyers for lost dog.
Chapter 11: Steve realizes dog is gone.
Chapter 12: Jane and Bill meet Sara who knows dog lives someone on Elm Street.
Chapter 13: Steve sees flyers for missing dog.
Chapter 14: Jane and Bill visit Steve and return his lost dog.
Now you’ve got a group of 3.
Build on that another group of characters and you’ve got multiple plots with multiple groups of numerous characters to keep track of- and me taking notes while I’m reading like this is a college lit course.
The redeeming factor is that the competing groups and characters are not simply good or bad but ambiguity keeps it interesting and at times realistic. While the action and supernatural horror are not realistic fiction, you still want the characters to speak and act realistically- which they sometimes do and sometimes don’t.
Bottom line- a must read for Arkham Horror fans and a suggested read for fans of 1920’s action/adventure with some supernatural horror.
December 10, 2022
Shadows of Pnath is a books from an already established series. A darker Indiana Jones except told from a tough girl power perspective. Love the apprentice in this occult thriller adventure. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for an honest review.
February 10, 2024
After witnessing the horrors of N’kai and being threatened by a being who wears the face of a man but could hardly be further from human, professional thief Countess Alessandra Zorzi has turned over a new leaf. Alongside her new apprentice, Pepper Kelly, she has made it her business to collect as much of what she has stolen over the years to be safely hidden away in Miskatonic’s Orne Library. But when a meeting with one of her contacts goes awry and Pepper is taken hostage, Alessandra must track down a singular eldritch tome at the behest of a former target turned deadly enemy. Even if she can dodge the monsters on her trail and recover the book, will she be able to stop the Comte d’Erlette from unleashing horrors from below upon the world?
Shadows of Pnath, Josh Reynolds’ second Arkham Horror novel, is a book that I have been very much hoping to see happen since finishing Wrath of N’kai. It did not disappoint. This is both a return to Countess Alessandra Zorzi and her larcenous leanings as well as a fun combination of her past coming back to roost and that next step into the hidden world of horrors for her and Pepper both.
The contrast between Alessandra and Pepper is a delight here. Both are trapped by the Comte d’Erlette, Pepper very literally and Alessandra by her unwillingness to abandon Pepper. How they go about dealing with their situations and the people around them is where the contrast comes in. Alessandra is as much on the run as she is on the hunt, ghouls on her tail demanding that she find the book for them and threatening her seemingly twice a conversation. She is willing to use threats to make things work faster, but just as ready to try and avoid people being harmed. She has a little room to make deals. This versus Pepper who has no does not have that space for deals, but she has lived in Arkham long enough to have a level of familiarity with the hidden world and the sort of people who go poking around into it that the Countess lacks. She is physically trapped, but ready to put what she has learned from Alessandra to use in trying to escape. This leads to some nice moments of her digging for information when the Comte is talking at her, or getting information from his right-hand man after she has managed something unexpected. It leaves Pepper feeling scrappy, she knows that she is in a terrible spot but that she can fight the fear from that by being proactive and fighting back as she can.
The pacing here is solid and fairly equal attention seems to be shared between the protagonists. The solid pacing means that we get really good building tension and some solid characterization between most of the characters. The three day time limit that the Comte imposes on Alessandra helps with this a lot, there can be no wiggle room and anything that gets in her way potentially risks Pepper’s life. Meanwhile, the Comte’s plans get bigger and bigger as more is revealed and sorcery is supplemented by artillery. The build up is pretty fantastic there.
More even than the build towards this story’s climax are the bits and pieces that build towards an over arching story. The almost soft haunting that latches onto Pepper and catches her flat footed at times is wonderfully creepy. I am more than delighted to see what comes next and that there is more coming.
When it comes down to it, my only real complaint with Shadows of Pnath is Madam Bera. Reynolds usually does a fantastic job with his characters, so when the book has this antagonist who seems to be almost working against her own goals it becomes frustrating. Bera makes threats and demands and feels so much flatter as a threat when compared to the Comte d’Erlette. She and the ghouls following her are physical threats and, unfortunately, Alessandra can be frightened by them and put off by them but she cannot really be threatened by them which takes a lot of the bite out of them. Bera is also terribly one note compared to the Comte or Alessandra or any of the other notable characters in the story. She feels under baked, foolish in a way that can be explained but feels out of step with the explanation.
Ultimately, I quite enjoyed Shadows of Pnath, Reynolds writing continues to be incredibly solid and his character work here is quite nice overall. It leaves me very much looking forward to his next Arkham Horror work as well as making me want to go back and read Wrath of N’Kai again. So, while I am disappointed in Madam Bera as a character, she is a notably minor complaint. Shadows of Pnath gets a five out of five from me.
This book was provided to me through netGalley for honest review. Review has previously been posted at https://tympestbooks.wordpress.com/20...
Shadows of Pnath, Josh Reynolds’ second Arkham Horror novel, is a book that I have been very much hoping to see happen since finishing Wrath of N’kai. It did not disappoint. This is both a return to Countess Alessandra Zorzi and her larcenous leanings as well as a fun combination of her past coming back to roost and that next step into the hidden world of horrors for her and Pepper both.
The contrast between Alessandra and Pepper is a delight here. Both are trapped by the Comte d’Erlette, Pepper very literally and Alessandra by her unwillingness to abandon Pepper. How they go about dealing with their situations and the people around them is where the contrast comes in. Alessandra is as much on the run as she is on the hunt, ghouls on her tail demanding that she find the book for them and threatening her seemingly twice a conversation. She is willing to use threats to make things work faster, but just as ready to try and avoid people being harmed. She has a little room to make deals. This versus Pepper who has no does not have that space for deals, but she has lived in Arkham long enough to have a level of familiarity with the hidden world and the sort of people who go poking around into it that the Countess lacks. She is physically trapped, but ready to put what she has learned from Alessandra to use in trying to escape. This leads to some nice moments of her digging for information when the Comte is talking at her, or getting information from his right-hand man after she has managed something unexpected. It leaves Pepper feeling scrappy, she knows that she is in a terrible spot but that she can fight the fear from that by being proactive and fighting back as she can.
The pacing here is solid and fairly equal attention seems to be shared between the protagonists. The solid pacing means that we get really good building tension and some solid characterization between most of the characters. The three day time limit that the Comte imposes on Alessandra helps with this a lot, there can be no wiggle room and anything that gets in her way potentially risks Pepper’s life. Meanwhile, the Comte’s plans get bigger and bigger as more is revealed and sorcery is supplemented by artillery. The build up is pretty fantastic there.
More even than the build towards this story’s climax are the bits and pieces that build towards an over arching story. The almost soft haunting that latches onto Pepper and catches her flat footed at times is wonderfully creepy. I am more than delighted to see what comes next and that there is more coming.
When it comes down to it, my only real complaint with Shadows of Pnath is Madam Bera. Reynolds usually does a fantastic job with his characters, so when the book has this antagonist who seems to be almost working against her own goals it becomes frustrating. Bera makes threats and demands and feels so much flatter as a threat when compared to the Comte d’Erlette. She and the ghouls following her are physical threats and, unfortunately, Alessandra can be frightened by them and put off by them but she cannot really be threatened by them which takes a lot of the bite out of them. Bera is also terribly one note compared to the Comte or Alessandra or any of the other notable characters in the story. She feels under baked, foolish in a way that can be explained but feels out of step with the explanation.
Ultimately, I quite enjoyed Shadows of Pnath, Reynolds writing continues to be incredibly solid and his character work here is quite nice overall. It leaves me very much looking forward to his next Arkham Horror work as well as making me want to go back and read Wrath of N’Kai again. So, while I am disappointed in Madam Bera as a character, she is a notably minor complaint. Shadows of Pnath gets a five out of five from me.
This book was provided to me through netGalley for honest review. Review has previously been posted at https://tympestbooks.wordpress.com/20...
February 2, 2023
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Aconyte Books for an advanced copy of this book of horror and excitement set in France during the 1920's.
Thought the Old Gods seem to enjoy the comforts for New England, spending most of their time haunting the environs of Arkham, Massachusetts, evil is international, their reach infinite crossing the globe, other worlds, other times and even the land of dreams. The city of lights, grown dimmer as Paris, France becomes the latest front in the war against those from beyond, when a human takes the lessons learned in World War One could lead to dominion over those that feast on the dead, and their eldritch masters. Shadows of Pnath: An Arkham Horror Novel, by Josh Reynolds moves the adventures of stalwart heroes against the darkness to Europe, mixing familiar characters, new sects and organizations, and lots and lots of evil.
Countess Alessandra Zorzi has a new mission, a new companion, a new locale, but a lot of old enemies. Zorzi, was, well still is the best acquirer of magical artifacts, though now she does it for Miskatonic University to atone for her early thieving ways. An old enemy sets a trap for Zorzi in Paris, trapping not the the thief but her new companion and trainee Pepper Kelly. Zorzi is made a deal, find a book that Zorzi once stole from him, along with his heat, not literally but I should make that clear since this is Arkham, and bring it back to him in three days or Ms. Kelly will suffer a fate worse than death. Soon Zorzi is making new friends, joining with semi-acquaintances, in pursuit of a book that has more than one group eager to possess it. For in the shadows, creatures are stalking the Countess, creatures that feed on the dead, and will not be stopped.
Another fantastic entry in a series I look very forward to, by an author who has traveled up my list of favorite writers in quite a few different series. Reynolds has a real gift in making topical references that fit the ear, can mix humor, action, quips, and disgusting imagery, sometimes in the same sentence, and do it well. The characters are all well sketched, good, bad, or just minor. An antiquarian bookseller is given more of a backstory in his two chapter appearance, than most major characters get in 700 pages. Reynolds knows his Lovecraft and his Cthulu lore, dropping names, places and storylines from other works to fill things out in his story, and to add to the unease of the story. The plot is good, moves well, with lots of icky, lots of thrills and lots of fun. The pulp sensibility in this whole series is quite enjoyable, and I really look forward to these books.
Recommended for those that play the game these books are based on without a doubt. Also for fans of Cthulu, horror, and people who just want good stories that are fast paced and well written. I really enjoy the works of Josh Reynolds, and can't wait to read more.
Thought the Old Gods seem to enjoy the comforts for New England, spending most of their time haunting the environs of Arkham, Massachusetts, evil is international, their reach infinite crossing the globe, other worlds, other times and even the land of dreams. The city of lights, grown dimmer as Paris, France becomes the latest front in the war against those from beyond, when a human takes the lessons learned in World War One could lead to dominion over those that feast on the dead, and their eldritch masters. Shadows of Pnath: An Arkham Horror Novel, by Josh Reynolds moves the adventures of stalwart heroes against the darkness to Europe, mixing familiar characters, new sects and organizations, and lots and lots of evil.
Countess Alessandra Zorzi has a new mission, a new companion, a new locale, but a lot of old enemies. Zorzi, was, well still is the best acquirer of magical artifacts, though now she does it for Miskatonic University to atone for her early thieving ways. An old enemy sets a trap for Zorzi in Paris, trapping not the the thief but her new companion and trainee Pepper Kelly. Zorzi is made a deal, find a book that Zorzi once stole from him, along with his heat, not literally but I should make that clear since this is Arkham, and bring it back to him in three days or Ms. Kelly will suffer a fate worse than death. Soon Zorzi is making new friends, joining with semi-acquaintances, in pursuit of a book that has more than one group eager to possess it. For in the shadows, creatures are stalking the Countess, creatures that feed on the dead, and will not be stopped.
Another fantastic entry in a series I look very forward to, by an author who has traveled up my list of favorite writers in quite a few different series. Reynolds has a real gift in making topical references that fit the ear, can mix humor, action, quips, and disgusting imagery, sometimes in the same sentence, and do it well. The characters are all well sketched, good, bad, or just minor. An antiquarian bookseller is given more of a backstory in his two chapter appearance, than most major characters get in 700 pages. Reynolds knows his Lovecraft and his Cthulu lore, dropping names, places and storylines from other works to fill things out in his story, and to add to the unease of the story. The plot is good, moves well, with lots of icky, lots of thrills and lots of fun. The pulp sensibility in this whole series is quite enjoyable, and I really look forward to these books.
Recommended for those that play the game these books are based on without a doubt. Also for fans of Cthulu, horror, and people who just want good stories that are fast paced and well written. I really enjoy the works of Josh Reynolds, and can't wait to read more.
February 8, 2024
"Shadows of Pnath" by Josh Reynolds is a novel set in the "Arkham Horror" gaming universe, which is inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft's "Cthulhu Mythos." It is also a sequel to Reynolds' earlier Arkham Horror novel "Wrath of N'Kai." You don't have to have read "Wrath of N'Kai" to understand "Shadows of Pnath," but it couldn't hurt. Both are worth the time to read.
The quality of these Arkham Horror tie-in novels vary wildly. Some are excellent and capture the feel of playing the Arkham Horror universe of games while still telling a good story as well. Other Arkham Horror novels are...kind of a mess. Josh Reynolds is one of the better authors working on the Arkham Horror series of novels and short stories.
"Shadows of Pnath" picks up with the Mythos-themed adventures of master thief Countess Alessandra Zorzi in Europe with her assistant/protégé/apprentice Pepper Kelly. The Countess escaped the horrors of Arkham, Massachusetts, but not the crimes of her past.
Count Henri d'Erlette was a victim of Countess Zorzi's wiles and thievery. He has a HUGE grudge against her. Not only did she steal his most prized possession--a one-of-a-kind rare book of forbidden knowledge (as well as much of the rest of his library of eldritch tomes)--from him, she convinced him they were a couple to get access to his library. So it's definitely a personal vendetta for the Count.
The Count d'Erlette catches up to Zorzi in Europe and puts her in a bad situation. He wants that book--"Cultes Des Goules"--back that she stole from him. He has a mad plan and a dangerous ritual to enact, for which that one book is essential. This sends Zorzi into the shadowy underworld of shady book dealers and multiple secret societies who collect forbidden tomes of eldritch knowledge.
Of course, the ghouls who are the subject matter of the "Cultes Des Goules" tome have some serious opinions about getting the book for themselves, as it tells many of their secrets.
As far as the gaming universe of Arkham Horror goes, only the familiar character of Trish Scarborough shows up as part of the action. Trish represents the American government's new clandestine bureau of "magic," called The Black Chamber. Carl Sanford and the Silver Twilight Lodge (of Arkham, Mass. and around the globe) also figure into the story. This is NOT one of the Arkham Horror novels where you can play most of the main characters in one or more of the table-top games of the Arkham Horror universe.
Though it looks like there are some Countess Alessandra Zorzi card spoilers for the Arkham Horror living card game posted online...
If you're an Arkham Horror devotee or a Lovecraft fan, you'll likely enjoy "Shadows of Pnath."
The quality of these Arkham Horror tie-in novels vary wildly. Some are excellent and capture the feel of playing the Arkham Horror universe of games while still telling a good story as well. Other Arkham Horror novels are...kind of a mess. Josh Reynolds is one of the better authors working on the Arkham Horror series of novels and short stories.
"Shadows of Pnath" picks up with the Mythos-themed adventures of master thief Countess Alessandra Zorzi in Europe with her assistant/protégé/apprentice Pepper Kelly. The Countess escaped the horrors of Arkham, Massachusetts, but not the crimes of her past.
Count Henri d'Erlette was a victim of Countess Zorzi's wiles and thievery. He has a HUGE grudge against her. Not only did she steal his most prized possession--a one-of-a-kind rare book of forbidden knowledge (as well as much of the rest of his library of eldritch tomes)--from him, she convinced him they were a couple to get access to his library. So it's definitely a personal vendetta for the Count.
The Count d'Erlette catches up to Zorzi in Europe and puts her in a bad situation. He wants that book--"Cultes Des Goules"--back that she stole from him. He has a mad plan and a dangerous ritual to enact, for which that one book is essential. This sends Zorzi into the shadowy underworld of shady book dealers and multiple secret societies who collect forbidden tomes of eldritch knowledge.
Of course, the ghouls who are the subject matter of the "Cultes Des Goules" tome have some serious opinions about getting the book for themselves, as it tells many of their secrets.
As far as the gaming universe of Arkham Horror goes, only the familiar character of Trish Scarborough shows up as part of the action. Trish represents the American government's new clandestine bureau of "magic," called The Black Chamber. Carl Sanford and the Silver Twilight Lodge (of Arkham, Mass. and around the globe) also figure into the story. This is NOT one of the Arkham Horror novels where you can play most of the main characters in one or more of the table-top games of the Arkham Horror universe.
Though it looks like there are some Countess Alessandra Zorzi card spoilers for the Arkham Horror living card game posted online...
If you're an Arkham Horror devotee or a Lovecraft fan, you'll likely enjoy "Shadows of Pnath."
April 17, 2023
Thank you to Aconyte Books for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Shadows of Pnath: An Arkham Horror Novel is available now.
Shadows of Pnath is a rollicking, massively entertaining foray into the world of Arkham Horror. The very first page sets the tone, with the Comte d’Erlette (who is not a very nice character) showcasing just how evil he is. This world of less-than-savory characters, supernatural beings, and hazardous undertakings is established from the get-go. From there, the story moves on to Alessandra Zorzi, sort-of reformed thief. She’s trying to stay on the straight and narrow, but when multiple groups find her, all looking for the same thing (okay, she did steal it in the first place, but that’s beside the point), she gets drawn into a madcap adventure and a race to avoid some seriously nasty consequences.
I enjoyed the heck out myself, reading this book. The characters are all fantastic. It turns out that Shadows of Pnath is a sequel of sorts, but I was able to follow along just fine, despite not reading the previous book. I think this speaks to the setup of the book. The author gave information as the book progressed, avoiding the dreaded info dump and providing important details without bogging anything down. In fact, the excitement and fast-paced storyline never let up for a minute.
Alessandra Zorzi herself, the thief turned heroine, is a blast to read. She’s clever and tenacious and seemed to be channeling Indiana Jones (but with far more poise and moderately more success- sorry, Indy). Add in Pepper, Zorzi’s plucky apprentice/sidekick (although that relegates her to the background and she is far from just a background character), and several other great characters and there isn’t a dull moment. Each character in the female-led cast is utterly unique, with their own motivations. The twisty and tenacious alliances added an extra layer of entertainment to an already extremely readable book.
I loved the noir-meets-supernatural vibe of the book! Zorzi would have been equally at home with a Sam Spade style of narration, but instead, she pops right out of the pages into an action-packed book with a fast pace. This is a quick, engrossing read that brings the best of both noir and occult horror stories and mashes them together into a world that is just flat-out fun.
I had a blast reading Shadows of Pnath, and I’m planning to grab other Arkham Horror novels. Pick this one up. You’ll thank me.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
Shadows of Pnath is a rollicking, massively entertaining foray into the world of Arkham Horror. The very first page sets the tone, with the Comte d’Erlette (who is not a very nice character) showcasing just how evil he is. This world of less-than-savory characters, supernatural beings, and hazardous undertakings is established from the get-go. From there, the story moves on to Alessandra Zorzi, sort-of reformed thief. She’s trying to stay on the straight and narrow, but when multiple groups find her, all looking for the same thing (okay, she did steal it in the first place, but that’s beside the point), she gets drawn into a madcap adventure and a race to avoid some seriously nasty consequences.
I enjoyed the heck out myself, reading this book. The characters are all fantastic. It turns out that Shadows of Pnath is a sequel of sorts, but I was able to follow along just fine, despite not reading the previous book. I think this speaks to the setup of the book. The author gave information as the book progressed, avoiding the dreaded info dump and providing important details without bogging anything down. In fact, the excitement and fast-paced storyline never let up for a minute.
Alessandra Zorzi herself, the thief turned heroine, is a blast to read. She’s clever and tenacious and seemed to be channeling Indiana Jones (but with far more poise and moderately more success- sorry, Indy). Add in Pepper, Zorzi’s plucky apprentice/sidekick (although that relegates her to the background and she is far from just a background character), and several other great characters and there isn’t a dull moment. Each character in the female-led cast is utterly unique, with their own motivations. The twisty and tenacious alliances added an extra layer of entertainment to an already extremely readable book.
I loved the noir-meets-supernatural vibe of the book! Zorzi would have been equally at home with a Sam Spade style of narration, but instead, she pops right out of the pages into an action-packed book with a fast pace. This is a quick, engrossing read that brings the best of both noir and occult horror stories and mashes them together into a world that is just flat-out fun.
I had a blast reading Shadows of Pnath, and I’m planning to grab other Arkham Horror novels. Pick this one up. You’ll thank me.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
February 20, 2023
I was given a copy to review via Netgalley and Aconyte Books. My reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. #ShadowOfPnath #ArkhamHorror #JoshReynolds #Netgalley #AconyteBooks #BookReview
The Wrath of N’kai by Josh Reynolds was the first book by Aconyte I read and I am so glad I did. When I learnt that Reynolds was back writing for Arkham Horror but more importantly my favourite expert thief, Alessandra Zorzi was back I was more than I little excited. Thankfully Shadows of Pnath did not disappoint.
We see Zorzi return with a new vocation, securing occult artifacts she had once stolen to put in the safer hands of the Miskatonic University. With her new apprentice Pepper Kelly (another reason I adored this book), Zorzi is on the trail of the Zanthu Tablets which leads her to Paris. The task is not an easy one made more difficult when Pepper is kidnapped by an old enemy of which the countess has many. In a race against time Zorzi must rescue her apprentice, find and secure the tablets and stop an old enemy from summoning an army of vengeful ghouls from the depths of the catacombs. But if anyone is up to the task it is Zorzi.
I was overjoyed to have Alessandra and Pepper back on the page again. This dynamic duo make for such a fun noir-esque read. Add into this the horrors that only Arkham can provide and you have a rip-roaring thriller that will keep you hooked. Reynolds is brilliant at combining the historical setting and melding it with the occult horror you come to expect from the Arkham Horror games. It was a joy to see Alessandra taking Pepper under her wing and Pepper coming more into her own as a character from the previous novel. The relationship between the pair also added to the story by giving a feeling of tension of if Alessandra would be able to rescue her apprentice and friend in time.
The novel is well paced and while it is not exactly hard to see some twists coming it fits the pulpy noir genre perfectly. I also enjoyed the more sinister aspects of the horror in this one. It is more true to the genre and Lovecraftian horror than the general horror tropes. I certainly wasn’t expecting to end up liking a ghoul for example but here we are.
I loved reading this one and hope we get more adventures of Zorzi and Pepper in the future. I’d definitely read them!
The Wrath of N’kai by Josh Reynolds was the first book by Aconyte I read and I am so glad I did. When I learnt that Reynolds was back writing for Arkham Horror but more importantly my favourite expert thief, Alessandra Zorzi was back I was more than I little excited. Thankfully Shadows of Pnath did not disappoint.
We see Zorzi return with a new vocation, securing occult artifacts she had once stolen to put in the safer hands of the Miskatonic University. With her new apprentice Pepper Kelly (another reason I adored this book), Zorzi is on the trail of the Zanthu Tablets which leads her to Paris. The task is not an easy one made more difficult when Pepper is kidnapped by an old enemy of which the countess has many. In a race against time Zorzi must rescue her apprentice, find and secure the tablets and stop an old enemy from summoning an army of vengeful ghouls from the depths of the catacombs. But if anyone is up to the task it is Zorzi.
I was overjoyed to have Alessandra and Pepper back on the page again. This dynamic duo make for such a fun noir-esque read. Add into this the horrors that only Arkham can provide and you have a rip-roaring thriller that will keep you hooked. Reynolds is brilliant at combining the historical setting and melding it with the occult horror you come to expect from the Arkham Horror games. It was a joy to see Alessandra taking Pepper under her wing and Pepper coming more into her own as a character from the previous novel. The relationship between the pair also added to the story by giving a feeling of tension of if Alessandra would be able to rescue her apprentice and friend in time.
The novel is well paced and while it is not exactly hard to see some twists coming it fits the pulpy noir genre perfectly. I also enjoyed the more sinister aspects of the horror in this one. It is more true to the genre and Lovecraftian horror than the general horror tropes. I certainly wasn’t expecting to end up liking a ghoul for example but here we are.
I loved reading this one and hope we get more adventures of Zorzi and Pepper in the future. I’d definitely read them!
March 28, 2023
I love seeing new titles from the Aconyte Arkham series - because there has yet to be a bad book among them. I'm glad to say that this episode is no different.
I've enjoyed Josh Reynolds' writing for many years, and it only seems to be improving with his horror work. This book is all about atmosphere, but with a fair bit of action as well. I kept thinking 'this would make a great movie!'
I suspect that the similar comparisons will come up in different reviews of this book: notably 'Lara Croft' and 'Indiana Jones.' Because yes, there's an adventuress seeking treasure and encountering danger. Beyond that, though, the tale is its own.
Countess Alessandra Zorzi and her Boston former-cabbie companion Pepper are hunting for an artifact that turns out to be far more than just an ornament. It's mentioned by the Miskatonic University, and strange hooded figures are after it too - clearly the Great Old Ones are involved somehow!
While the heroes are brave and the baddies are rotten, every character in this is entertaining, if not necessarily likeable. The villains are insane or in thrall; everyone is working for someone else, with mysterious societies apparently pulling strings behind the scenes.
It's GREAT.
Fun from start to finish, with boat chases, fires and explosions, escapes across rooftops and chases across the globe.
It really would make an excellent movie!
As with all the other books in this series, it's a stand-alone, but definitely consistent in quality with its supernatural brethren. If you like the Mythos with a good dose of Things HPL Definitely Wouldn't Like (ie strong non-white, non-heteronormative, non-male characters) then go pick this up and enjoy.
I've enjoyed Josh Reynolds' writing for many years, and it only seems to be improving with his horror work. This book is all about atmosphere, but with a fair bit of action as well. I kept thinking 'this would make a great movie!'
I suspect that the similar comparisons will come up in different reviews of this book: notably 'Lara Croft' and 'Indiana Jones.' Because yes, there's an adventuress seeking treasure and encountering danger. Beyond that, though, the tale is its own.
Countess Alessandra Zorzi and her Boston former-cabbie companion Pepper are hunting for an artifact that turns out to be far more than just an ornament. It's mentioned by the Miskatonic University, and strange hooded figures are after it too - clearly the Great Old Ones are involved somehow!
While the heroes are brave and the baddies are rotten, every character in this is entertaining, if not necessarily likeable. The villains are insane or in thrall; everyone is working for someone else, with mysterious societies apparently pulling strings behind the scenes.
It's GREAT.
Fun from start to finish, with boat chases, fires and explosions, escapes across rooftops and chases across the globe.
It really would make an excellent movie!
As with all the other books in this series, it's a stand-alone, but definitely consistent in quality with its supernatural brethren. If you like the Mythos with a good dose of Things HPL Definitely Wouldn't Like (ie strong non-white, non-heteronormative, non-male characters) then go pick this up and enjoy.
February 28, 2023
Shadows of Pnath is a spiritual sequel to Reynolds' prior Arkham Horror novel Wrath of N'Kai. While neither of these characters are directly in the Arkham Files board game series yet the inclusion of Trish Scarborough helps nail down fans of the game and gets them invested in the characters they might not yet know if they haven't read Wrath of N'Kai.
Countess Alessandra Zorzi, with her new apprentice Pepper Kelly, is tasked with recovering an occult tome that she previously stole. A book that she stole from Compte d'Erlette, Henri-Georges Balfour. In exchange for the kidnapped Pepper, Alessandra is tasked to retrieve the "Cultes des Goules" tome which was written by the Compte's ancestor. Suddenly everyone is interested in this book and keeping it out of Henri's hands. But Alessandra needs it to save Pepper.
Shadows of Pnath was a different animal from the rest of the Arkham Horror novels that I've read. While all of the books have the eldritch horror vibe I love that they bounce around in genre. Shadows of Pnath is an adventure heist and was pretty fun to read. It did drag a tiny bit around the 60% mark but nothing really felt entirely unnecessary. I hope to read more books with these characters in the future.
4.5/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Countess Alessandra Zorzi, with her new apprentice Pepper Kelly, is tasked with recovering an occult tome that she previously stole. A book that she stole from Compte d'Erlette, Henri-Georges Balfour. In exchange for the kidnapped Pepper, Alessandra is tasked to retrieve the "Cultes des Goules" tome which was written by the Compte's ancestor. Suddenly everyone is interested in this book and keeping it out of Henri's hands. But Alessandra needs it to save Pepper.
Shadows of Pnath was a different animal from the rest of the Arkham Horror novels that I've read. While all of the books have the eldritch horror vibe I love that they bounce around in genre. Shadows of Pnath is an adventure heist and was pretty fun to read. It did drag a tiny bit around the 60% mark but nothing really felt entirely unnecessary. I hope to read more books with these characters in the future.
4.5/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 25, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for an advanced copy!
I'm afraid I had to DNF halfway through... I was so excited to read this as I love the Arkham universe and this story wasn't terrible (if terribly cliche lol) but the formatting makes this impossible to read. For three months I have tried again and again to go back to this but it is, essentially, a giant wall of text because the line spacing and indentation are too subtle. Literally the only breaks are the chapter breaks! I'm unsure if this is also an issue in the print version but I am likely to try it out, if it goes on sale - this issue IS present in the ebook, however, and no amount of fiddling with the settings my ebook apps (Kindle and NetGalley Shelf) helped to fix it.
But I would still like to comment on what I did manage to read - a fun, pulpy tale of adventure where the femme fatales are the main characters. My only issue with the content is that Reynolds leans far too hard into cliche era-speak, idioms, and metaphors. I did occasionally cringe because of it, but in the end it really leant to that pulpy feeling and I think it's intentional, given the setting and story.
I'm sad I wasn't able to finish it...
I'm afraid I had to DNF halfway through... I was so excited to read this as I love the Arkham universe and this story wasn't terrible (if terribly cliche lol) but the formatting makes this impossible to read. For three months I have tried again and again to go back to this but it is, essentially, a giant wall of text because the line spacing and indentation are too subtle. Literally the only breaks are the chapter breaks! I'm unsure if this is also an issue in the print version but I am likely to try it out, if it goes on sale - this issue IS present in the ebook, however, and no amount of fiddling with the settings my ebook apps (Kindle and NetGalley Shelf) helped to fix it.
But I would still like to comment on what I did manage to read - a fun, pulpy tale of adventure where the femme fatales are the main characters. My only issue with the content is that Reynolds leans far too hard into cliche era-speak, idioms, and metaphors. I did occasionally cringe because of it, but in the end it really leant to that pulpy feeling and I think it's intentional, given the setting and story.
I'm sad I wasn't able to finish it...
January 2, 2024
This one I picked on a whim from the shelf as a little treat. The cover drew me in with its brilliant vintage artwork and the blurb sealed the deal. And neither undersold the adventure ahead. It's been a wonderful dive into a 1920s themed adventure rich in mystery and satisfying on multiple levels. Pepper and Alessandra are wonderful, the support cast is solid and intriguing. I found myself looking forward to their interactions both with each other and with the gaggle of acquaintances and opponents that forms up along the way to the book's conclusion.
The mythos and otherworldly aspects built into the story are great fun and give birth to more questions as you read while also giving satisfying answers along the way. At the very least, I found them satisfying enough to keep me going and to rush ahead and get both the previous book in the series and to check if there are more on the horizon.
Would I buy a sequel? For sure! I definitely hope this is not Pepper and Alessandra's last hurrah, it definitely feels like there's room for more. I would also appreciate standalone adventures for several of their companion characters, especially those with mystical libraries.
A final note, several characters are implied to be or are meant to portray LGBTQ representation, including Alessandra. It's there to different degrees, it was lovely to see, and I'm keen to see how it may develop in future adventures.
The mythos and otherworldly aspects built into the story are great fun and give birth to more questions as you read while also giving satisfying answers along the way. At the very least, I found them satisfying enough to keep me going and to rush ahead and get both the previous book in the series and to check if there are more on the horizon.
Would I buy a sequel? For sure! I definitely hope this is not Pepper and Alessandra's last hurrah, it definitely feels like there's room for more. I would also appreciate standalone adventures for several of their companion characters, especially those with mystical libraries.
A final note, several characters are implied to be or are meant to portray LGBTQ representation, including Alessandra. It's there to different degrees, it was lovely to see, and I'm keen to see how it may develop in future adventures.
November 24, 2024
I loved this book, which is set in Paris during the early 1920's.
Herni-Georges Bafour, the Comte d'Erlette has something he's captured living in a tomb. He wants to use it for something, but the unseen creature isn't assisting him. He discovers that international thief Countess Zlessandra Zorzi is in Paris, trying to retire, but is teaching her protegee American Pepper Kelly. The Comte captures Pepper and tells Zorzi she has three days to gather a book she stole from him or he will kill the young woman. It's a race against time, and may bizarre and lethal characters and creatures, to get the book and save Pepper.
I love that the protagonists were strong women, and when they required help and couldn't get the job done they helped one another without backstabbing. The tension was high, the mystery and Lovecraftian vibes were immensely high, especially with the owner of a very peculiar library. The ending was a little too massive for me, but it didn't kill the overall joy I had in reading this book.
I would absolutely read other books from Arkham Horror and will actively seek out anything written by Josh Reynolds. Highest possible recommendation for this book.
Herni-Georges Bafour, the Comte d'Erlette has something he's captured living in a tomb. He wants to use it for something, but the unseen creature isn't assisting him. He discovers that international thief Countess Zlessandra Zorzi is in Paris, trying to retire, but is teaching her protegee American Pepper Kelly. The Comte captures Pepper and tells Zorzi she has three days to gather a book she stole from him or he will kill the young woman. It's a race against time, and may bizarre and lethal characters and creatures, to get the book and save Pepper.
I love that the protagonists were strong women, and when they required help and couldn't get the job done they helped one another without backstabbing. The tension was high, the mystery and Lovecraftian vibes were immensely high, especially with the owner of a very peculiar library. The ending was a little too massive for me, but it didn't kill the overall joy I had in reading this book.
I would absolutely read other books from Arkham Horror and will actively seek out anything written by Josh Reynolds. Highest possible recommendation for this book.
February 12, 2023
This review was originally published on NetGalley.com. I was given an ebook freely by NetGalley and the book’s publisher in return for a voluntary and honest review.
Shadows of Pnath: An Arkham Horror Novel
By Joshua Reynolds
I had fun reading this book. It blends pulp and horror in a great yarn. It’s definitely book 2 in a loose trilogy. Joshua Reynolds does a wonderful job of mentioning events from the previous book so you as the reader aren't lost.
Reynolds has three strong women playing the major roles in the book which is always refreshing when most of the time the women in pulp need to be rescued.
The characters had some depth but not as much as I prefer and the plot was easy enough to see coming with several obviously stupid decisions. That said it’s pulp horror and not Updike so you ignore the wrinkles and enjoy the journey. I loved the scenery of Europe for the story and wasn’t disappointed in the monsters or creepy crypt.
I will be reading the first book and hopefully the third. I give it a strong recommendation for fans of the genre.
Shadows of Pnath: An Arkham Horror Novel
By Joshua Reynolds
I had fun reading this book. It blends pulp and horror in a great yarn. It’s definitely book 2 in a loose trilogy. Joshua Reynolds does a wonderful job of mentioning events from the previous book so you as the reader aren't lost.
Reynolds has three strong women playing the major roles in the book which is always refreshing when most of the time the women in pulp need to be rescued.
The characters had some depth but not as much as I prefer and the plot was easy enough to see coming with several obviously stupid decisions. That said it’s pulp horror and not Updike so you ignore the wrinkles and enjoy the journey. I loved the scenery of Europe for the story and wasn’t disappointed in the monsters or creepy crypt.
I will be reading the first book and hopefully the third. I give it a strong recommendation for fans of the genre.
March 21, 2023
arc very kindly provided by the publishers via netgalley!
This is my first venture into this author and series, and I really enjoyed it!
I think this isn't necessarily as scary as I anticipated, but it actually ended up working in the favor of the story. I would definitely say this is more noir with horror elements. Which was so incredibly interesting to me!
As someone who has not read the other Arkham Horror novels, I can say with certainty you really do not HAVE to read the others in order to enjoy this story.
Zorzi was a strong female main character along with Pepper, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with her as she outsmarts many a men. To me, they are THE definition of a "good for her!" character!
This read like a movie, and could easily picture everything that was going on. I applaud the author for setting up a world and characters that leap so vividly off the page.
Overall, I very much enjoyed my time with this and would recommend if you are looking for something different!
This is my first venture into this author and series, and I really enjoyed it!
I think this isn't necessarily as scary as I anticipated, but it actually ended up working in the favor of the story. I would definitely say this is more noir with horror elements. Which was so incredibly interesting to me!
As someone who has not read the other Arkham Horror novels, I can say with certainty you really do not HAVE to read the others in order to enjoy this story.
Zorzi was a strong female main character along with Pepper, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with her as she outsmarts many a men. To me, they are THE definition of a "good for her!" character!
This read like a movie, and could easily picture everything that was going on. I applaud the author for setting up a world and characters that leap so vividly off the page.
Overall, I very much enjoyed my time with this and would recommend if you are looking for something different!
June 26, 2024
Если первый роман цикла строился по канонам нуара, хоть и гендерно-инвертированного (героиня, нанятая загадочным клиентом, всю книгу ходила по разным злачным местам американского города и общалась с разнородными неприятными личностями в попытках раскрыть тайну похищенной мумии), то сиквел — это чистый палп!
Здесь экшен начинается буквально с первых страниц. За Алессандрой одновременно гонятся несколько тайных обществ, граф д'Эрлетт со своей бандой головорезов, американская «Черная комната» и орда голодных гулей-каннибалов. Погони на лодках по Сене, перестрелки в графском шато под Тулузой, поединок с гулем в древнем склепе, и даже небольшая паравоенная операция по вторжению в нижние уровни Dreamlands, с автоматическим оружием и огнеметами! Должен признать, смена приевшегося Аркхема на Старую Европу была крайне удачным решением.
В целом, Рейнольдс не претендует ни на что, кроме чистой развлекаловки, но развлекает весьма профессионально. Немедленно приступаю к третьей части похождений очаровательной авантюристки. Впереди Венеция, Каркоза и Король в желтом. И надеюсь, автор наконец раскроет интригу, которую старательно накручивает вокруг смерти родителей Алессандры на парижской Рю-д’Осейль (той самой, из «Музыки Эриха Цанна»).
Здесь экшен начинается буквально с первых страниц. За Алессандрой одновременно гонятся несколько тайных обществ, граф д'Эрлетт со своей бандой головорезов, американская «Черная комната» и орда голодных гулей-каннибалов. Погони на лодках по Сене, перестрелки в графском шато под Тулузой, поединок с гулем в древнем склепе, и даже небольшая паравоенная операция по вторжению в нижние уровни Dreamlands, с автоматическим оружием и огнеметами! Должен признать, смена приевшегося Аркхема на Старую Европу была крайне удачным решением.
В целом, Рейнольдс не претендует ни на что, кроме чистой развлекаловки, но развлекает весьма профессионально. Немедленно приступаю к третьей части похождений очаровательной авантюристки. Впереди Венеция, Каркоза и Король в желтом. И надеюсь, автор наконец раскроет интригу, которую старательно накручивает вокруг смерти родителей Алессандры на парижской Рю-д’Осейль (той самой, из «Музыки Эриха Цанна»).
February 12, 2023
This is what fun fantasy is all about. If like me you like books with the style and humorous vibe of Raiders of the the Lost ARC and The Mummy then you’ll enjoy this as much as I did. Contessa Alessandra Zorzi, thief extraordinaire in both her skills and the things she steals, is trying to keep herself and her friend/protégé safe from Eldritch horrors. Thank you to Aconyte Books and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.
For more information visit marvel.com. © 2022 MARVEL
About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.
For more information visit marvel.com. © 2022 MARVEL
September 29, 2025
Shadows of Pnath is a sharper, more confident follow-up to Wrath of N’kai, delivering fast-paced pulpy fun with deeper character work and a tighter mystery. Alessandra’s dynamic with Pepper, and a few new characters, add a smidgen of emotional depth without slowing the momentum, while the shift to France refreshes the atmosphere. Reynolds leans into the weird with a surer hand, though the occasional overuse of Arkham Horror references threatens to tether the narrative too tightly to its game-based roots. Still, it’s an enjoyable, brisk tale with just enough mythos-laced intrigue to satisfy, even if the worldbuilding sometimes buckles under shared-universe constraints.
Score Breakdown:
Plot: 4
Prose: 4
Pacing: 4
Characters: 4
Worldbuilding: 3
Total: 19/25 = 3.8/5; rounded to 4.
In the end, its a cheese burger. A good cheese burger. One that is a pleasure to eat, goes down quickly, and doesn't overstay its welcome.
Score Breakdown:
Plot: 4
Prose: 4
Pacing: 4
Characters: 4
Worldbuilding: 3
Total: 19/25 = 3.8/5; rounded to 4.
In the end, its a cheese burger. A good cheese burger. One that is a pleasure to eat, goes down quickly, and doesn't overstay its welcome.
December 22, 2023
If you are triggered by tough women who pull fast ones over guys than this novel is not for you. Alternatively, if you enjoy a pulpy story about some pistol packing dames that you may enjoy this novel. Shadows of Pnath feature three women characters from the Arkham Files games from Fantasy Flight games, Countess Alessandra Zorzi, Pepper Kelly and Trish Scarborough. In this story the Countess is blackmailed into stealing a book for a French noblemen, apparently she originally stole the book from the noblemen and now he wants it back. Her adventure takes her to different parts of France and into other worlds in search of the book. Finding the book is only have the problem though, can she trust the noblemen to keep his word once she returns the book and what is he going to do with it anyway? The Countess must work with Trish and Pepper to find this out and ultimately thwart the noblemen's plans but can they?
To sum it up The Shadows of Pnath is a really pulpy Arkham horror novel. Full of shoot outs, monstrous creatures and things that man should not know. The overall story was OK and I was a bit disappointed that the Countess didn't do more thieving but the climax was actually worth it. I also listen to this on audiobook and the reader Elizabeth Klett did a great job. Three stars due to overall story but worth a read or listen to depending on your tastes.
To sum it up The Shadows of Pnath is a really pulpy Arkham horror novel. Full of shoot outs, monstrous creatures and things that man should not know. The overall story was OK and I was a bit disappointed that the Countess didn't do more thieving but the climax was actually worth it. I also listen to this on audiobook and the reader Elizabeth Klett did a great job. Three stars due to overall story but worth a read or listen to depending on your tastes.
December 29, 2022
Shadows of Pnath is an adventure full of horror. Adventuress Countess Alessandra Zorzi is a master thief, a compelling mix of Catwoman and the Tomb Raider. There is not an artifact she cannot nab but a past theft has her in hot water. An ex beau and a mark steals Alessandra's sidekick Pepper and demands the book back she stole in exchange. The Countess embarks on a mission that will leave her torn between opposing forces as shady government agents and real monsters sneak out of the woodwork trying to lay hands on a life altering book. Horror and adventure combine in a tale that embraces the supernatural. for a page turning, pulse pounding read. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.
March 17, 2023
Alessandra Zorzi is a countess, adventuress, and thief. Even if she’s trying to leave her “job” behind her, she finds herself contacted by three different people looking for the same relic, one that she’s stolen before. With threats to her life and her trainee's life as motivation, she attempts to track down the item with the enemies she’s made during her career.
I really enjoyed the characters. Their personalities, backgrounds throughout the entire cast is so fascinating. I enjoyed how action packed this work was without feeling overwhelming. The author did a fantastic job at weaving a spectacular book like this and I loved the monsters in this book.
If are looking for some easy and entertaining reading, check this out!
I really enjoyed the characters. Their personalities, backgrounds throughout the entire cast is so fascinating. I enjoyed how action packed this work was without feeling overwhelming. The author did a fantastic job at weaving a spectacular book like this and I loved the monsters in this book.
If are looking for some easy and entertaining reading, check this out!
June 26, 2024
It's been a really long time since I abandoned a piece of fiction, but this one was in desperate need of a competent editor and I just couldn't go on. First the estate is wild and overgrown, then 6 months later it's rolling manicured lawns? Okay, maybe that's a clue - but no, it's wild and overgrown again a few paragraphs later, as if the author just knew that the phrase "manicured lawns" belongs in a story about an aristocrat's estate and didn't bother to look up the meaning. Then a phrase somewhat famously coined in December of 2010 is used by character in the 1920s. I'm 99% sure we're not adding time travel to the existing muddle of a plot, so this is where I checked out.
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