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The Truth of Carcosa
In 1984, an exiled author, Salvatore Archimboldi, accepts the help of a psychotherapist to write his new book. He hopes to transform his traumatic memories into literary genius. But the resulting book, The Truth of Carcosa, is pure evil. Horrified, Archimboldi suppresses the book and wills all traces of it, his correspondence, and any copies to be totally destroyed.
Long after Archimboldi's death, in a chaotic age of resurgent nationalism and violence, one of the only havens for his work is the ALI, the Archive for Literary Investment, where a biographer and his protégée search through Archimboldi’s correspondence for clues on the evil manuscript as they attempt to stop unscrupulous firms with their own plans for the manuscript.
Told from the perspective of a madman obsessed with The Truth of Carcosa and a ragtag group of friends, it becomes clear that this book is more than a book—and that it might be the answer to a bewildering set of questions: Why is the Archive so desperate to preserve Archimboldi's work? Why do so many corporations seem hellbent on seizing any scrap of this mysterious manuscript—and at whatever cost? What are the strange, dancing monsters that appear wherever Archimboldi's work is discovered?
And who—or what—is the Yellow King?
Long after Archimboldi's death, in a chaotic age of resurgent nationalism and violence, one of the only havens for his work is the ALI, the Archive for Literary Investment, where a biographer and his protégée search through Archimboldi’s correspondence for clues on the evil manuscript as they attempt to stop unscrupulous firms with their own plans for the manuscript.
Told from the perspective of a madman obsessed with The Truth of Carcosa and a ragtag group of friends, it becomes clear that this book is more than a book—and that it might be the answer to a bewildering set of questions: Why is the Archive so desperate to preserve Archimboldi's work? Why do so many corporations seem hellbent on seizing any scrap of this mysterious manuscript—and at whatever cost? What are the strange, dancing monsters that appear wherever Archimboldi's work is discovered?
And who—or what—is the Yellow King?
- GenresHorror
464 pages, Hardcover
First published January 13, 2026
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251 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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December 15, 2025With the recent resurgence in Robert W. Chambers-inspired cosmic horror, such as the wonderful A Game in Yellow from Hailey Piper and the epic sword-and-sorcery spin in Jonathan Maberry's Kagen the Damned novels, I had high hopes for Jacob Rollinson's debut.
The Truth of Carcosa unfolds in dual narratives, one half being your traditional third-person presentation and the other an epistolary via a written report from which the book gains it's name. It starts off as a nicely literary work, and the near-future setting of a London in the throes of a civil war against the far-right fascists that have seized control makes for one hell of a relatable and compelling entry point given our current state of affairs.
Sadly, nearly a hundred pages in, Rollinson's Carcosa has shed any sense of immediacy and poignancy, along with the more interesting aspects of its setting. What started off with compelling promise has given way to the slowest of slow burns, with each page becoming a lead weight upon the narrative. Twenty-one percent in, and I've lost absolutely all interest. I'm bored and finding little reason to pick up this book again, so I'm out.
The Truth of Carcosa unfolds in dual narratives, one half being your traditional third-person presentation and the other an epistolary via a written report from which the book gains it's name. It starts off as a nicely literary work, and the near-future setting of a London in the throes of a civil war against the far-right fascists that have seized control makes for one hell of a relatable and compelling entry point given our current state of affairs.
Sadly, nearly a hundred pages in, Rollinson's Carcosa has shed any sense of immediacy and poignancy, along with the more interesting aspects of its setting. What started off with compelling promise has given way to the slowest of slow burns, with each page becoming a lead weight upon the narrative. Twenty-one percent in, and I've lost absolutely all interest. I'm bored and finding little reason to pick up this book again, so I'm out.
November 11, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for the e-ARC. I greatly appreciate it!
THE TRUTH OF CARCOSA is a unique take on THE KING IN YELLOW and his shadowy realm, Carcosa. I loved the references and Easter eggs throughout the story. It’s clear by the analyses of the original stories within this book that the author is an admirer of the Yellow Mythos, and handles the motifs exceptionally well. The manner in which the turmoil unfolds immerses the reader instantly, and how the separate lives of all the characters interweaved and came together in the end was beautifully done. I definitely look forward to revisiting this book on publication date.
THE TRUTH OF CARCOSA is a unique take on THE KING IN YELLOW and his shadowy realm, Carcosa. I loved the references and Easter eggs throughout the story. It’s clear by the analyses of the original stories within this book that the author is an admirer of the Yellow Mythos, and handles the motifs exceptionally well. The manner in which the turmoil unfolds immerses the reader instantly, and how the separate lives of all the characters interweaved and came together in the end was beautifully done. I definitely look forward to revisiting this book on publication date.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
wildly wild and weird ride throughout. the plotting works well and is quite effective, and it felt very grounded in the mythos while offering its own interpretation. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews