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The Mall of Cthulhu
A decade ago, college student Laura Harker was saved from a fate worse than death at the hands (and fangs) of a centuries-old vampire priestess and her Satanic minions. Her rescuer, an awkward, geeky folklore student named Teddy, single-handedly slew the undead occupants of the Omega Alpha sorority house, spurred into heroic action by fate itself, inexorably intertwining his and Laura's destinies. After navigating her way through law school, Laura is now a junior FBI agent assigned to the Bureau's Boston office. Unfortunately, she finds her job involves more paperwork than adventure. When Ted stumbles onto a group of Cthulhu cultists planning to awaken the Old Ones through mystic incantations culled from the fabled Necronomicon, he and Laura must spring into action, traveling from Boston to the seemingly-peaceful suburbs of Providence and beyond, all the way to the sanity-shattering non-Euclidian alleyways and towers of dread R'lyeh itself, in order to prevent an innocent shopping center from turning into... The Mall of Cthulhu!
248 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2008
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September 29, 2019There are only a handful of Lovecraftian books I've enjoyed and this is one of them. Good fast read, probably better if you know the mythos but reasonably enjoyable if you only have a vague idea of what Cthulhu, et. al, are.
April 7, 2008
A genuinely funny page-turning horror novel with very likable main characters. Fans of Christopher Moore will really like this.
October 1, 2022
Overall, a pretty fun book. The key here is to know what tickets you bought(a phrase my wife and I use often) the book is called the mall of Cthulhu. It isn’t Shakespeare, but it is fun. Yes the main character seems a bit whiny, but if I had to kill a warren of vampires in college I would probably have some ptsd / social anxiety issues too. There is a moderate amount of toilet humor in the book, that doesn’t bother me, but I know it is off putting for several people and definitely targets this book to a bit of an older audience. I would maybe let my 16 year old read this, but definitely not my 13 year old. It reads quickly and the pace of the book is pretty fast without feeling like it skips all over the place. I recommend this book as long as you keep in mind what you are reading and you are a fan of the h.p. Lovecraft stories.
March 10, 2011
It's obviously a first novel, and there are certainly several parts that I really didn't need to read about. For instance there are a couple of bathroom scenes that certainly didn't need to be in there as fully as they were. It's one thing to mention that the character "really has to pee," while on surveillance. It makes it a little more real to us. It's quite another to talk us through the bathroom scene.
Sorry, just had to get that out of the way first. Now back to more thorough things. The story itself is based on H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulu stories in the first place. Here I am forced to admit that H.P. Lovecraft is another classic author in which I am woefully under read, having read absolutely nothing of his. And though I did not necessarily enjoy all aspects of this book (as shown above) I did like some of the insights and critiques of his work; so I will probably pick up a piece or two of it, and try it.
Otherwise, there were several pop culture references, some only obvious to geeks. And no. I won't share any of these, if you really want to know about it go and read it.
Some of those pop culture references are cliche, as are some of the devices in the book. On the other hand, there were several things to find enjoyable about the book; and I think in the long run he could grow to be a great author.
It does have some unique slants on some of urban fantasy. The monsters are just monsters, for one thing. Humans are bad guys. And the people that kill monsters actually have nightmares. That last is actually present in some of the better horror urban fantasy writers.
I also haven't read a whole lot of urban fantasy with a stronger male lead in one of the kick butt positions so that was interesting.
If you like X try Y:
Of course there's the fore mentioned H.P. Lovecraft, which is what I plan to pick up when I get a free moment.
As far as other urban fantasy with a male lead, I would suggest: The Bedlam's Bard series by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edgehill. The first book is Knights of Ghosts and Shadows.
Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin is the first in the Jaz Parks series, and involves humans as the good guys (though there are some monsters as good guys) and, well, let's just say "another striking similarity." Shh, don't tell anyone; it's a secret.
Other than that most of my urban fantasys consider the monsters to be much more human. Of course Cthulu himself is larger then life, and if you want something along those likes try starting with Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon. The deeper you get into the series the more bigger than life the heroes and monsters get.
What other urban fantasies involve male leads with violent nightmares and the monsters only as bad guys?
Sorry, just had to get that out of the way first. Now back to more thorough things. The story itself is based on H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulu stories in the first place. Here I am forced to admit that H.P. Lovecraft is another classic author in which I am woefully under read, having read absolutely nothing of his. And though I did not necessarily enjoy all aspects of this book (as shown above) I did like some of the insights and critiques of his work; so I will probably pick up a piece or two of it, and try it.
Otherwise, there were several pop culture references, some only obvious to geeks. And no. I won't share any of these, if you really want to know about it go and read it.
Some of those pop culture references are cliche, as are some of the devices in the book. On the other hand, there were several things to find enjoyable about the book; and I think in the long run he could grow to be a great author.
It does have some unique slants on some of urban fantasy. The monsters are just monsters, for one thing. Humans are bad guys. And the people that kill monsters actually have nightmares. That last is actually present in some of the better horror urban fantasy writers.
I also haven't read a whole lot of urban fantasy with a stronger male lead in one of the kick butt positions so that was interesting.
If you like X try Y:
Of course there's the fore mentioned H.P. Lovecraft, which is what I plan to pick up when I get a free moment.
As far as other urban fantasy with a male lead, I would suggest: The Bedlam's Bard series by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edgehill. The first book is Knights of Ghosts and Shadows.
Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin is the first in the Jaz Parks series, and involves humans as the good guys (though there are some monsters as good guys) and, well, let's just say "another striking similarity." Shh, don't tell anyone; it's a secret.
Other than that most of my urban fantasys consider the monsters to be much more human. Of course Cthulu himself is larger then life, and if you want something along those likes try starting with Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon. The deeper you get into the series the more bigger than life the heroes and monsters get.
What other urban fantasies involve male leads with violent nightmares and the monsters only as bad guys?
July 10, 2012
I think it's safe to say that anyone who chuckles at the title will enjoy the book.
An easy read, which gets right down to business--it assumes you've seen enough people slowly figuring out that supernatural forces really menace us that you don't need that part spelled out, and want to get straight to cultists, beheadings, vampire sororities, and loners investigating these evildoers by scarfing free Wi-Fi at local coffee shops. The constant Mall/Coffeeshop/Unnameable-Terror-from-Beyond juxtaposition provides most of the underlying humor, but there are a few pretty good jokes on top of that.
A gnawing complaint though: For a book that takes as long to read as a watching a 2-hour TV pilot, is that sometimes it feels like it was a TV pilot, with the promise of future adventures a little too obviously built in.
I'm still not sure if the R'lyeh were *intended* to sound like being trapped in a shopping mall, or if my dislike of shopping malls is that idiosyncratic.
An easy read, which gets right down to business--it assumes you've seen enough people slowly figuring out that supernatural forces really menace us that you don't need that part spelled out, and want to get straight to cultists, beheadings, vampire sororities, and loners investigating these evildoers by scarfing free Wi-Fi at local coffee shops. The constant Mall/Coffeeshop/Unnameable-Terror-from-Beyond juxtaposition provides most of the underlying humor, but there are a few pretty good jokes on top of that.
A gnawing complaint though: For a book that takes as long to read as a watching a 2-hour TV pilot, is that sometimes it feels like it was a TV pilot, with the promise of future adventures a little too obviously built in.
I'm still not sure if the R'lyeh were *intended* to sound like being trapped in a shopping mall, or if my dislike of shopping malls is that idiosyncratic.
August 1, 2009
A fairly amusing tale of two people thrown together by an improbable event who never quite manage to separate themselves - and a decade later find themselves facing off against a cult determined to bring the Old Ones back. With some newly found friends, and a quasi arm of the FBI, they have to save humanity from their own worse nightmare - and non-Euclid geometry.
"Not the angry white people again. I hate the angry white people....DC doesn't want to hear that the angry white are a terrorist threat, because too many angry white people voted for the current administration." (sort of sums up the GWB administration nicely, I thought!)
"Not the angry white people again. I hate the angry white people....DC doesn't want to hear that the angry white are a terrorist threat, because too many angry white people voted for the current administration." (sort of sums up the GWB administration nicely, I thought!)
September 7, 2009
Surprisingly good for such an homage to Lovecraft and the horror stories that came after.
Humorous, touching and can get sort of disgusting. Has an X-Files feel to it if Mulder was a scrawny guy who killed vampires and then became an emotional wreck after it and if Scully was a smoking hot lesbian with trust issues and a penchant for using her best friend as an excuse as to why she doesn't have a real life.
All in all, good fun for Lovecraft fans and a nice treat for fans of horror who like their evil with a side of humor.
Humorous, touching and can get sort of disgusting. Has an X-Files feel to it if Mulder was a scrawny guy who killed vampires and then became an emotional wreck after it and if Scully was a smoking hot lesbian with trust issues and a penchant for using her best friend as an excuse as to why she doesn't have a real life.
All in all, good fun for Lovecraft fans and a nice treat for fans of horror who like their evil with a side of humor.
June 8, 2011
I wanted to like this book. I really did.
I love the Cthulhu mythos, and a modern-day, slightly snarky take on Lovecraft's universe sounds like a great idea. There are a few moments of potential, but largely, The Mall of Cthulhu falls completely flat. It isn't funny, just stupidly cheesy. The characters are roughly one dimensional, and it's hard to feel any real sympathy for them.
The actual ideas are good, but Seamus Cooper just can't pull it off. I don't regret reading it, and obviously liked it enough to finish it. I just don't think I'll return to the Mall.
I love the Cthulhu mythos, and a modern-day, slightly snarky take on Lovecraft's universe sounds like a great idea. There are a few moments of potential, but largely, The Mall of Cthulhu falls completely flat. It isn't funny, just stupidly cheesy. The characters are roughly one dimensional, and it's hard to feel any real sympathy for them.
The actual ideas are good, but Seamus Cooper just can't pull it off. I don't regret reading it, and obviously liked it enough to finish it. I just don't think I'll return to the Mall.
May 23, 2015
Well, there's no way I *wasn't* going to read something titled "Mall of Cthulhu." And it's a fast read, cute and fluffy in that ironic Cthul-esque sort of way. I appreciated the forthright way in which Lovecraft's racism was addressed, and enjoyed how that translated into cultists whose driving motivation was white supremacism, since that really does make sense.
April 22, 2018
Rather poorly written. I did not really enjoy any of the humour and rather just constantly noticed that the author was attempting humour. The book failed at being an homage to Lovecraft due to the author's continuous need to call Lovecraft a lousy writer and racist at every opportunity he got. And it failed at being scary (although it wasn't supposed to be).
September 20, 2010
Don't buy this. Don't read it. It's neither successful as a Lovecraftian update nor as a spoof. The characters are flat and uninteresting, the action isn't active, and the writing style is juvenile - not in a charming way but in the "look at me! I'm cool and different!" way.
January 16, 2011
This was adorable & made me giggle. Especially since I know Providence. Not exactly high literature, but it was cute and I enjoyed it.
November 17, 2020
So, you've probably already read some of the review by now - so let's clear up a few things.
This is an author's first work. That does not mean it's not good, or that it's unfinished, or any of the rest. It means what it means - it's the first of his books. He has another - I'm waiting on it now to see how it reads.
That said - this is not a book for die hard Cthulu mythos fans. Or die hard fantasy fans. Or die hard anything fans, really. It's a light hearted read for you if you have a sense of humor that runs towards quirky, enjoy snark and backhanded poking at large corporations like Starbucks, Yankee Candle and The Sims, and can suspend disbelief (surprisingly slightly, actually) enough to get into some interesting plot.
It's never going to be a masterwork of suspense or horror... if you're looking for that, Cthulu fans, go read the "Johannes Cabal" series by Jonathan Howard. Same (infinitely sharper, actually) snarky humor, but with much darker and clear tons of necromancy, cthuloid creatures, and grim characters with a much deeper plot.
What it is, is a fun light hearted read that will give you a few laughs, leave you with a few smirks and snickers at Lovecraft's expense, and let you watch the loser become the hero in a slightly formulaic, but still thoroughly enjoyable way. I was a bit over 30 when I first read it, and I still like it. I just introduced my 14 year old to it, because she's starting to get into Call of Cthulu online games - and she's read it three times.
This is an author's first work. That does not mean it's not good, or that it's unfinished, or any of the rest. It means what it means - it's the first of his books. He has another - I'm waiting on it now to see how it reads.
That said - this is not a book for die hard Cthulu mythos fans. Or die hard fantasy fans. Or die hard anything fans, really. It's a light hearted read for you if you have a sense of humor that runs towards quirky, enjoy snark and backhanded poking at large corporations like Starbucks, Yankee Candle and The Sims, and can suspend disbelief (surprisingly slightly, actually) enough to get into some interesting plot.
It's never going to be a masterwork of suspense or horror... if you're looking for that, Cthulu fans, go read the "Johannes Cabal" series by Jonathan Howard. Same (infinitely sharper, actually) snarky humor, but with much darker and clear tons of necromancy, cthuloid creatures, and grim characters with a much deeper plot.
What it is, is a fun light hearted read that will give you a few laughs, leave you with a few smirks and snickers at Lovecraft's expense, and let you watch the loser become the hero in a slightly formulaic, but still thoroughly enjoyable way. I was a bit over 30 when I first read it, and I still like it. I just introduced my 14 year old to it, because she's starting to get into Call of Cthulu online games - and she's read it three times.
October 28, 2018
I never thought I’d say this, but this was a fun take on the Cthulhu mythos!
Seriously, it’s a great book. If you want some not-so-serious horror check it out.
I was glad to see that Laura correctly uses “kitty corner” instead of “catty corner”. *shudder*
Something else that was interesting - at the same time I was reading Carter & Lovecraft . They are so different in tone, that it’s hilarious they took place in the same city. And both had a bevy of pickup-driving rednecks. Both books deal with Lovecraft’s racism - and kind of make that part of the story. I imagined that the stories were taking place at the same time on opposite sides of town.
Update: Holy shit! This story came out right after I finished reading this book. I remember thinking that Cayenne’s backstory was a tad far-fetched. Apparently I’m naive.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/10...
Seriously, it’s a great book. If you want some not-so-serious horror check it out.
I was glad to see that Laura correctly uses “kitty corner” instead of “catty corner”. *shudder*
Something else that was interesting - at the same time I was reading Carter & Lovecraft . They are so different in tone, that it’s hilarious they took place in the same city. And both had a bevy of pickup-driving rednecks. Both books deal with Lovecraft’s racism - and kind of make that part of the story. I imagined that the stories were taking place at the same time on opposite sides of town.
Update: Holy shit! This story came out right after I finished reading this book. I remember thinking that Cayenne’s backstory was a tad far-fetched. Apparently I’m naive.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/10...
December 20, 2024
Not quite a Lovecraft book, as its set in a world where Lovecraft wrote his books, this is a proper pulp horror about trying to stop unimaginable horrors when nobody believes they exist. The main character is quite unlikeable - he did kill a bunch of vampires and it kinda messed him up - but he's redeemable and quite humanly flawed.
Its cheap shlock at the end of the day, but if you want a modern take on pulp horror you can do a lot worse.
Its cheap shlock at the end of the day, but if you want a modern take on pulp horror you can do a lot worse.
February 20, 2024
The story was engaging throughout, up to the final pages. It lacked some closure that perhaps I missed. Though I am somewhat familiar with Lovecraftian lore, the ending was fast and offered no real satisfaction of why everything happened in the story.
May 10, 2024
Lovecraftian horror meets stoner comedy, in this hilarious and brilliant pastiche. Non-stop action, plenty of laughs. a gripping plot, and characters you'll root for, with lots of laughs thrown in - a must-read for anyone looking for a fresh take on the Cthulhu Mythos. Also contains one of the best and most mind-bending descriptions of the non-Euclidian city of R'lyeh!
July 31, 2025
This is a fun, amusing and quick read. For anybody who has played the Chaosium TTRPG this will be a very enjoyable book. The worst part is that it leaves me wanting more stories and adventures of the main characters!
December 12, 2021
This was wonderful fun. It brought me fond memories of my youth, and let me know that it's never too late. Thanks, Seamus.
February 4, 2022
On the whole, pretty good. But, as others have said, the author seems to have an odd fixation with urination & porn. Good (accurate) commentary on Lovecraft, both the man & the works.
February 18, 2022
Amazing Story
A action packed humorous romp around the Cthulu mythos. If you love Lovecraft, you will find this book is for you.
A action packed humorous romp around the Cthulu mythos. If you love Lovecraft, you will find this book is for you.
February 14, 2023
A quick and fun read. The story and characters reminded me a fair bit of John Dies at the End.
October 12, 2024
A solid pulpy sci fi dark comedy, brewed in a space that loves lovecraft while not being afraid to crucify him for his more problematic tendencies. I highly enjoyed this book
November 4, 2024
Delightful little pulp-style story. Made an enjoyable Sunday afternoon.
November 10, 2012
A story that feels like a cartoon with next to no climax and a weird obsession with orgasmic pee, this book was one I had to force myself to pick up to finish.
Cooper tells an interesting story of a pair of people who have shared a life experience involving vampires. At times, we get some very human moments from them, however generally there are some serious problems with Laura and Teddy. Throughout most of the book we are meant to feel sympathetic to them which falls on its face due to constant whining by both characters. Mixed with almost constant self pity, anger at the other person, and enough emo-attitude to fill a My Chemical Romance concert, it got to be too much. All the characters seem to do in this book is whine and bemoan their lives. You simply can not sympathize with them at all because if you are like me, you'd want to bitch slap both of them.
Now the idea that a white supremacist group would want to summon Cthulhu was a good one, and a unique one. Cooper did a good job coming up with an interesting location for the cult to operate in and did a fairly good job presenting the location as believable. Not to mention Cthulhu's home was also described in flowing script such a way that it was instantly believable. On setting up a location, I give Cooper credit.
Unfortunately, when coupled with the main characters as well as some very awkward and poorly written situations, Cooper destroys something fairly well put together. As mentioned in other reviews, Cooper seems to want to describe not only awkward situations, but also ones that could have easily been left out. Laura's orgasmic pee is one of these moments. After losing someone she is following, she suddenly decides to give up, go back into a restaurant and take a pee that is just this side of orgasmic. This and a few other situations are really not needed and add nothing to this novel other than filler.
Now there were some good moments in this book as well. As mentioned, the locations were well done. Some of the other scenes were also handled really well. The sex scene in R'lyeh was handled well and conveyed a sense of the environment and the weird way time and reality shifted there. In fact, the entire part in R'lyeh was handled extremely well and was highly enjoyable for the most part. The insanity, the reason behind the insanity, as well as the mental processes were enjoyable and believable to read.
The largest problem however that I found with this novel was the lack of a climax. There were a couple points I could almost call a climax, however they fall flat in creating any sort of tension (dramatic tension being another thing missing from large portions of this novel) in which to set up something that would wow the reader and entice them to continue to read. In fact, the chapters themselves end with little to no tension or suspense, which unfortunately makes it easy to put the book down and forget about it.
In the end, despite the well written descriptions, this book easily could have been tightened up and made a better read. There are a lot of unnecessary writing in this book that clutters it up and makes it hard to enjoy. It really does feel like a first book and I think this could have benefited from another pass from an editor.
I wouldn't recommend this book. One other reviewer said that anyone who laughed at the title would enjoy this book. I would agree with that statement, though if you read a lot I wouldn't recommend this book for you. If you are a fan of Lovecraft and want to read something quirky, then I would say maybe.
But otherwise I would avoid this book and pick up something more polished.
Cooper tells an interesting story of a pair of people who have shared a life experience involving vampires. At times, we get some very human moments from them, however generally there are some serious problems with Laura and Teddy. Throughout most of the book we are meant to feel sympathetic to them which falls on its face due to constant whining by both characters. Mixed with almost constant self pity, anger at the other person, and enough emo-attitude to fill a My Chemical Romance concert, it got to be too much. All the characters seem to do in this book is whine and bemoan their lives. You simply can not sympathize with them at all because if you are like me, you'd want to bitch slap both of them.
Now the idea that a white supremacist group would want to summon Cthulhu was a good one, and a unique one. Cooper did a good job coming up with an interesting location for the cult to operate in and did a fairly good job presenting the location as believable. Not to mention Cthulhu's home was also described in flowing script such a way that it was instantly believable. On setting up a location, I give Cooper credit.
Unfortunately, when coupled with the main characters as well as some very awkward and poorly written situations, Cooper destroys something fairly well put together. As mentioned in other reviews, Cooper seems to want to describe not only awkward situations, but also ones that could have easily been left out. Laura's orgasmic pee is one of these moments. After losing someone she is following, she suddenly decides to give up, go back into a restaurant and take a pee that is just this side of orgasmic. This and a few other situations are really not needed and add nothing to this novel other than filler.
Now there were some good moments in this book as well. As mentioned, the locations were well done. Some of the other scenes were also handled really well. The sex scene in R'lyeh was handled well and conveyed a sense of the environment and the weird way time and reality shifted there. In fact, the entire part in R'lyeh was handled extremely well and was highly enjoyable for the most part. The insanity, the reason behind the insanity, as well as the mental processes were enjoyable and believable to read.
The largest problem however that I found with this novel was the lack of a climax. There were a couple points I could almost call a climax, however they fall flat in creating any sort of tension (dramatic tension being another thing missing from large portions of this novel) in which to set up something that would wow the reader and entice them to continue to read. In fact, the chapters themselves end with little to no tension or suspense, which unfortunately makes it easy to put the book down and forget about it.
In the end, despite the well written descriptions, this book easily could have been tightened up and made a better read. There are a lot of unnecessary writing in this book that clutters it up and makes it hard to enjoy. It really does feel like a first book and I think this could have benefited from another pass from an editor.
I wouldn't recommend this book. One other reviewer said that anyone who laughed at the title would enjoy this book. I would agree with that statement, though if you read a lot I wouldn't recommend this book for you. If you are a fan of Lovecraft and want to read something quirky, then I would say maybe.
But otherwise I would avoid this book and pick up something more polished.
March 22, 2021
A cartoonish, fluffy piece of brain candy, "The Mall of Cthulhu" is a snappy but frustrating read, going some interesting directions but weighed down by awkward writing, a rather boring plot, and some heavy handed attempts at social commentary. An action-horror-comedy, with emphasis on the comedy, the story remains very self aware, leading to some tonal issues as it attempts to make jokes, parody Lovecraft and supernatural horror, milk character's emotion for drama, and even make some points on racism and sexism all at the same time. The author's sense of humor is evident throughout, but how funny it is relies on your own tolerance for puns (at least two or three a page) and poop jokes.
The novel follows the misadventures of the slacker geek vampire slayer Ted and his unlikely friend Laura, a lesbian FBI agent, as they stumble unto the plot of a group of white supremacists who hope to summon Cthulhu at a mall in Providence. It seems that Lovecraft's tales are actually real, as per usual, and Ted and Laura find themselves the last two people standing between unsuspecting humanity and the madness of Cthulhu, but first they need to find dates. Still not really sure what vampires have to do with any of this, but oh well- it's the type of world where all myths are true. Laura and Ted bumble through the plot making bad jokes, feeling sorry for themselves, and solving their problems through random happenstance and deus ex machina. Characters are introduced, made to seem important, only to be dropped several pages later.
For me, I felt the novel had a very superficial, rather puerile understanding of Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos, with Cthulhu kind of shoehorned into the story without any real feel for Lovecraft's style. I guess I am a bit of a purist when it comes to this, admittedly. The author's riffing on Lovecraft's racism by flipping the typical Cthulhu cult on its head and having it consist of "angry white men" is refreshing but rendered a little impotent through the author's continued juvenile, sexist humor. Still, this is a first novel and it does have its funny moments so it might be a fun, quick read for around Halloween if you have the right sense of humor.
The novel follows the misadventures of the slacker geek vampire slayer Ted and his unlikely friend Laura, a lesbian FBI agent, as they stumble unto the plot of a group of white supremacists who hope to summon Cthulhu at a mall in Providence. It seems that Lovecraft's tales are actually real, as per usual, and Ted and Laura find themselves the last two people standing between unsuspecting humanity and the madness of Cthulhu, but first they need to find dates. Still not really sure what vampires have to do with any of this, but oh well- it's the type of world where all myths are true. Laura and Ted bumble through the plot making bad jokes, feeling sorry for themselves, and solving their problems through random happenstance and deus ex machina. Characters are introduced, made to seem important, only to be dropped several pages later.
For me, I felt the novel had a very superficial, rather puerile understanding of Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos, with Cthulhu kind of shoehorned into the story without any real feel for Lovecraft's style. I guess I am a bit of a purist when it comes to this, admittedly. The author's riffing on Lovecraft's racism by flipping the typical Cthulhu cult on its head and having it consist of "angry white men" is refreshing but rendered a little impotent through the author's continued juvenile, sexist humor. Still, this is a first novel and it does have its funny moments so it might be a fun, quick read for around Halloween if you have the right sense of humor.
October 28, 2016
I will give one star because the book is funny at times, but everything else is plain ridicoulous. the main character is a pervert, adventurous, mind-scarred individual who saved a lesbiam female fbi agent from a coven/sonority of vampires and together they are trying to thwart the plans of a group of Cthulhu's cultists. So far so good... from this moment the book went downhill to pure cr*p. SPOILER ALERT all characters are comedians. all characters are fervously against every type of descrimination. the author also think that too. Every white character that is talk like a racist or behave like a black... and descrimate womans. Conservators are also christians fanatics and so on and on... each page a description of someone being a white supremacist (inclunding HP Lovecraft... hahaha.. another times another mentalities.. this writer probably is one of those that wanted hucklebarry finn banned from schools BUT are of favour of a Black History Month. This is how the minorities will never grow up or evolve. They are only saying "you cant stand on your own so let us give you this..." Moving forward on the writer political and racial agenda. The rest of the story is boring and it seems to be written by a college boy/girl. The funny parts continue but that. didnt help. The best part is when he was in Ryleh and the meaning of time there.
I would advice this book to a political communist with an interest on Lovecraft... but being a "racist" probavly wont help...
Or else I am mistaken and this entire book is a weak pastiche/satyrical book about hp lovecraft himself... and that will give him a new star.
I would advice this book to a political communist with an interest on Lovecraft... but being a "racist" probavly wont help...
Or else I am mistaken and this entire book is a weak pastiche/satyrical book about hp lovecraft himself... and that will give him a new star.
January 24, 2013
I think it was a light read that tapped into my dorky side. I also think that other reviewers are a bit too harsh on a book that is, in all honesty, just a fun experiment with a subject that some take far too seriously.
I found the characters to be relatable, even if they were somewhat stereotypical and annoying every now and then. The lesbian aspect of Laura Harker seemed to be a point the author wanted to drive into your skull with a sledgehammer at key intervals. Ted's insecurity is a similar issue that felt forced at times. These two points didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book, I just want to bring them to light.
Supporting characters seem to fade into the background for the majority of the book. Harker's boss, other FBI agents and Ted's new fling all play second fiddle to the two main characters, the enemies and the plot. Not exactly a bad thing, but every now and then those supporting characters get another token mention and I had to take a moment to remember who they were.
If you are familiar with the Cthulhu mythos and don't take yourself or the content too seriously, this is a great, light read that you can pound out in a day or two. I got through it in three sittings.
I found the characters to be relatable, even if they were somewhat stereotypical and annoying every now and then. The lesbian aspect of Laura Harker seemed to be a point the author wanted to drive into your skull with a sledgehammer at key intervals. Ted's insecurity is a similar issue that felt forced at times. These two points didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book, I just want to bring them to light.
Supporting characters seem to fade into the background for the majority of the book. Harker's boss, other FBI agents and Ted's new fling all play second fiddle to the two main characters, the enemies and the plot. Not exactly a bad thing, but every now and then those supporting characters get another token mention and I had to take a moment to remember who they were.
If you are familiar with the Cthulhu mythos and don't take yourself or the content too seriously, this is a great, light read that you can pound out in a day or two. I got through it in three sittings.
May 17, 2013
1/4 point: This is pretty good! The pacing is surprisingly fast. The characters are all interesting, and the protagonists very likable. This is possibly the best-structured prologue I've ever read - it's extremely, obviously, and immediately relevant to the story.
As I saw in other reviews...the author seems obsessed with the characters urinating, and also the male lead masturbating. It's probably meant to be humor, but I guess it could be Author Appeal.
The male lead is a bit of a Marty Stu, but it's forgivable for the genre...and necessary to win against Cthulhu anyway.
The ending is a little rough and a little pat. It's clear that the author left themselves room for sequels...a little TOO clear. Also, tying up love interests for the protagonists is unnecessary.
As I saw in other reviews...the author seems obsessed with the characters urinating, and also the male lead masturbating. It's probably meant to be humor, but I guess it could be Author Appeal.
The male lead is a bit of a Marty Stu, but it's forgivable for the genre...and necessary to win against Cthulhu anyway.
The ending is a little rough and a little pat. It's clear that the author left themselves room for sequels...a little TOO clear. Also, tying up love interests for the protagonists is unnecessary.
February 1, 2012
This was a fun, quick Lovecraftian homage, to be sure. Ted cleared out a sorority house of vampires 10 years ago, and now he may have accidentally tripped up on a Cthulhu cult trying to bring the Great Old One back via a weakness in the universes in Providence. So Ted and his FBI friend are left to try and break this thing up before it's too late.
This is truly nothing of significant note. In the annals of mythos fiction I've read of late, this was better than most, but still somewhat flawed overall. I suppose if you're into the Lovecrafty stuff, this is worth a few days of your time, but beyond that...
This is truly nothing of significant note. In the annals of mythos fiction I've read of late, this was better than most, but still somewhat flawed overall. I suppose if you're into the Lovecrafty stuff, this is worth a few days of your time, but beyond that...
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