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No Light in August: Tales from Carcosa & the Borderland
From depression era America, to fantasy worlds similar and yet different from our own. Journey into the realm of the Yellow King.
There are many roads to Carcosa, which one will you take?
Featuring eight short stories and two novelettes inspired by the King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers, as well as Lovecraftian elements, 'No Light in August' also includes illustrations by Brazilian comic artist Pedro Elefante.
Bonus material: Concept art and development sketches.
There are many roads to Carcosa, which one will you take?
Featuring eight short stories and two novelettes inspired by the King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers, as well as Lovecraftian elements, 'No Light in August' also includes illustrations by Brazilian comic artist Pedro Elefante.
Bonus material: Concept art and development sketches.
189 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2014
11 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 14, 2015
No Light In August is a welcome dark addition to the growing oeuvre of Chambers inspired ‘Yellow King’ mythos fiction. Those readers familiar with Chambers’ work will recognize elements and tropes at play here that both add to and originate from the King in Yellow world. In a lesser writer, we might find such prose a weak homage, but here in NLIA Robinson effectively adds to the mythos fiction surrounding Chambers’ infamous ‘Yellow Sign’ writings with this well-written collection. This foreboding collection will also appeal to True Detective fans who will no doubt recognize the allusion to characters and events of the TV series in stories such as ‘No light in August.’ When reading this I could easily envisage this as an episode from the popular TV series - kudos to the author. One of my favorite stories and the most effective in my opinion is ‘Otherwhere,’ which reads like the bastard lovechild of a ménage à trois with Lovecraft, Coleridge and Melville presiding over the dictation of said event. Some of the stories end rather abruptly while others read as stand-alone works. But in saying that, when read as parts of a whole, the author’s stylistic technique renders the collection as one complete work, whereby the stories connections and commonalities become apparent. All in all, this is a very good, well-written and clever collection of stories, that extend the growing mythos of The Yellow King and all its manifestations. I would love to read a novel/novella in this vein from R.L. Robinson. Mention must be made of the fantastically evocative artwork (cover and interior) by talent artist, Pedro Elefante. Solid 4.5 stars.
October 13, 2014
"No light in August" is a collection of stories written by R. L. Robinson. The common thread of the various tales is the Yellow King, a reference to the 1895 collection by Robert W. Chambers, which has inspired or influenced many great writers of Horror and Science Fiction, including Stephen King, H. P. Lovecraft or Robert Silverberg. Having Chambers' work in common as their inspiration, it's no coincidence that Robinson's work brings to mind certain elements of Lovecraft's Cthulu Mythos.
As you read each story, you will meet a new set of characters who inhabit a different time or a different world. What makes these tales stand out in their genre is the strong voice and meticulous sense of place that the author brings to each character and story.
As each story is told, a new piece of a complex mosaic is uncovered, giving the reader a new glimpse of a dark and foreboding universe, filled with things we know little about.
Read these stories and discover the many ways evil hunts us down.
As you read each story, you will meet a new set of characters who inhabit a different time or a different world. What makes these tales stand out in their genre is the strong voice and meticulous sense of place that the author brings to each character and story.
As each story is told, a new piece of a complex mosaic is uncovered, giving the reader a new glimpse of a dark and foreboding universe, filled with things we know little about.
Read these stories and discover the many ways evil hunts us down.
February 25, 2015
This collection of short tales is a chill and eerie one. Some of these stories have sent out tendrils that have wormed their way under my skin, and I shan’t soon forget them. There’s a sense of weird ancestry in the stories’ allusions to Poe, Bierce, Chambers, and Hope Hodgson. But Robinson writes in a spare prose that owes more to noir writing than it does to eldritch tradition of supernatural fiction, where language is frequently fustian and bloated. This mixture of homage and innovation makes for a compelling read.
Another formal oddity, often used to sinister effect, is that the tales stop just short of the truly dreadful ends which they build towards. This is a far subtler device than revealing the thing of horror, as it means threads are left harrowingly untied, and the reader’s mind is riddled with dread notions. There are also links between the tales, and this means their awful implications gain cumulative power to unsettle over the course of the collection.
This is a potent set of short tales. Readers of weird horror will find much to shudder over here.
Another formal oddity, often used to sinister effect, is that the tales stop just short of the truly dreadful ends which they build towards. This is a far subtler device than revealing the thing of horror, as it means threads are left harrowingly untied, and the reader’s mind is riddled with dread notions. There are also links between the tales, and this means their awful implications gain cumulative power to unsettle over the course of the collection.
This is a potent set of short tales. Readers of weird horror will find much to shudder over here.
October 18, 2014
No Light in August is a collection of shorts stories with some dark twists to them. I found this a great read and liked how the stories are short and punchy, so if you only had time for a quick read you still got your fix.
I found some of the stories left you wanting more which is a great sign for any reader and author, Also having the illustrations also gave you so much more to the story and made you connect more with what you were reading.
This is a great book for anyone who enjoys darker stories or is looking to try this genre, as they can choose to read one or all of these dark tales.
I found some of the stories left you wanting more which is a great sign for any reader and author, Also having the illustrations also gave you so much more to the story and made you connect more with what you were reading.
This is a great book for anyone who enjoys darker stories or is looking to try this genre, as they can choose to read one or all of these dark tales.
February 6, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this one-of-a-kind imaginative mix of unique and innovative horror stories featuring a fascinating variety of characters, settings, times, and circumstances. No two stories are alike and each one could stand alone successfully. These are exciting, yet challenging reads, with no easy answers, which make the reader think about what happened and what it means long after he/she has finished each story. I highly recommend this collection for fans of horror and fantasy genres, in addition to any reader who enjoys a unique, challenging, entertaining read.
April 29, 2015
As Yellow King/Carcosa collections go, this one is top-notch. Very well written, with excellent use of varied and interesting settings and spaces. The use of illustration is perfect and fitting, as is their style. True to fiction of the Lovecraftian variety, there's nowhere for these characters to go but down -- and, while that usually makes the trajectories predictable, Robinson's stories take the eerily-scenic route to the bottom of the void. If you like Chamber's The King in Yellow, you should read this collection.
October 2, 2014
This book has a set of stories that range in mood from dark to lighter....although they all have some darkness. Each story makes you think and Robert Robinson's writing style leads the mind to conjure vivid images whilst reading, and you feel like you are there with the characters. Some stories were a little harder to read, however, once I reached the end, there was always a reward.
An excellent set of stories if you like something different!
An excellent set of stories if you like something different!
March 24, 2015
An interesting romp through the Carcosa mythos that ultimately felt like it fell a little short. The author has an amazing ability to create compelling imagery and scenes, but for more than a few short stories the overarching plot left me disappointed.
I am definitely looking forward to more work from the author, but felt like this could use some more polish.
I am definitely looking forward to more work from the author, but felt like this could use some more polish.
April 9, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Excellent! A collection of short sinister and compelling stories. My imagination was on an adrenaline rush. No two stories are eerily the same....
April 12, 2017
С одной стороны, не совсем понятно, почему сборник описывается как продолжающий тему Короля в желтом. Далеко не всегда чувствуется связь. С другой стороны, прочитал с удовольствием. В паре мест даже что-то похожее на беспокойство ощутил - давно такого не было при прочтении "ужастиков"
June 30, 2016
This is an enjoyable, yet unsettling read. The stories are, as advertised, all weird and odd. They leave you thinking, exploring the concepts further in your own mind. And that can be where the true terror is unleashed.
Sometimes I have an issue with stories that end without fully developing their themes because too often it stems from the author's incompetence, laziness or failed attempts at cleverness. That's simply not the case in these stories which unfold more effectively as snippets of nightmares. For many of the stories, I chose to stop and go think and ruminate about them for a time before continuing on to the next.
There were a couple of stories I'd love to see as full length books because I was so intrigued with character and concept. And there were a few stories I thought could've benefitted from some further development still in the short story mode to prevent loss of mood or to develop the character/environment enough that you'd choose to continue thinking about it long after the ending.
Overall I enjoyed reading this and felt it was a good example of this genre. I mostly like being immersed in this odd and disturbing world. I did receive this book at a free or discounted price in exchange for my honest review.
Sometimes I have an issue with stories that end without fully developing their themes because too often it stems from the author's incompetence, laziness or failed attempts at cleverness. That's simply not the case in these stories which unfold more effectively as snippets of nightmares. For many of the stories, I chose to stop and go think and ruminate about them for a time before continuing on to the next.
There were a couple of stories I'd love to see as full length books because I was so intrigued with character and concept. And there were a few stories I thought could've benefitted from some further development still in the short story mode to prevent loss of mood or to develop the character/environment enough that you'd choose to continue thinking about it long after the ending.
Overall I enjoyed reading this and felt it was a good example of this genre. I mostly like being immersed in this odd and disturbing world. I did receive this book at a free or discounted price in exchange for my honest review.
February 9, 2015
R.L. Robinson's short stories read like an impressionist painting; they're not spelled out for you every step of the way, but the way they are written forces your mind to fill in the gaps, leaving each story not only eerie as a complete work, but personal, as they force you to complete them in your mind. You'll see what I mean when you get to Otherwhere, which is my favourite of the lot. The length of each tale is just right for a single sitting, which is good because they are compelling enough to keep you entranced from beginning to end! There's a little bit of everything in here, so there's something for everyone, and there's something for every mood. On top of that, it's coupled with just *fantastic* artwork that is a perfect complement to the writing style.
August 7, 2016
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a new author for me, and I have to say that I'm impressed. I see a hint of Stephen King hidden in there, and I will have to read more of his stuff.
This was quite the genre bender and I'm not sure exactly where it fits in.
This was a new author for me, and I have to say that I'm impressed. I see a hint of Stephen King hidden in there, and I will have to read more of his stuff.
This was quite the genre bender and I'm not sure exactly where it fits in.
October 8, 2015
Really good companion to Chambers King in Yellow: captures the same creepy essence: just would have liked s few more stories!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews