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The Lovecraft Trilogy
The Lovecraft Code
Drawing on decades of experience, author and historian Peter Levenda turns to the novel as the best and perhaps only way to tell a story that has to be told - that hidden within the tales of America's most iconic writer of gothic horror, H.P. Lovecraft, runs a vein of actual terror.
Gregory Angell, the present-day descendant of George Angell in Lovecraft's "Call of Cthulhu," is summoned by a nameless covert agency of the US government to retrieve a sacred book from the grasp of an Islamist terror network operating out of northern Iraq, in the land of the Yezidi. Practitioners of a monotheistic religion with mystical traditions, the Yezidi are all that's left of an ancient sect that possessed the key to the origins of the human race and was in conflict with another, more ancient civilization from beyond the stars.
Hailed by author Christopher Farnsworth (Blood Oath) as a "more intelligent DaVinci Code" and by Whitley Strieber (The Key) as "a riveting work of fiction," this book will thrill Lovecraft aficionados, readers of reality-based thrillers, and conspiracy theorists alike.
Gregory Angell, the present-day descendant of George Angell in Lovecraft's "Call of Cthulhu," is summoned by a nameless covert agency of the US government to retrieve a sacred book from the grasp of an Islamist terror network operating out of northern Iraq, in the land of the Yezidi. Practitioners of a monotheistic religion with mystical traditions, the Yezidi are all that's left of an ancient sect that possessed the key to the origins of the human race and was in conflict with another, more ancient civilization from beyond the stars.
Hailed by author Christopher Farnsworth (Blood Oath) as a "more intelligent DaVinci Code" and by Whitley Strieber (The Key) as "a riveting work of fiction," this book will thrill Lovecraft aficionados, readers of reality-based thrillers, and conspiracy theorists alike.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2016
41 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
About the author
Peter Levenda
31 books225 followersAuthor who focuses primarily on occult history. He is best known for his book Unholy Alliance, which is about Esoteric Hitlerism and Nazi occultism, and is believed to be the author of the Simon Necronomicon, albeit without much evidence.
He was the president of the international division of Ortronics, Inc., a telecommunications company based in Asia.
He appeared in the TNT documentary Faces of Evil as an expert on Nazi history with special regard to occult and esoteric practices. He has also appeared on the History Channel special Nazi Prophecies. Levenda lives in Miami, Florida.
He was the president of the international division of Ortronics, Inc., a telecommunications company based in Asia.
He appeared in the TNT documentary Faces of Evil as an expert on Nazi history with special regard to occult and esoteric practices. He has also appeared on the History Channel special Nazi Prophecies. Levenda lives in Miami, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 1, 2017
Lovecraft Code by Peter Levenda is an occult thriller that features mystery, suspense, action and more.
Like a roller coaster, Lovecraft Code starts out at a steady pace laying the context for the book, picks up speed as the mystery deepens, changes directions through different historical narratives, and just when one thinks things are likely to slow down the book then spirals off into a new direction.
The attention to detail the author features in making this book feel realistic is superb. With a story woven through different time periods but which ultimately coalesces in the present, Levenda merges many seemingly disparate subjects into his first fictional opening salvo that leaves the reader wanting more.
If you enjoy topics such as H.P. Lovecraft esoterica, secret cults, spycraft, necromancy, and all of this with a dash of remote viewing, Nazis, ancient archaeology with additional topics to boot, then this book is for you.
If you've read Levenda's gamut of work, which admittedly encompass many various disciplines, then you should appreciate this.
Lovecraft Code, which was originally to be named Lovecraft Codex but Levenda had to change it, does a rather trenchant job in bringing about a believable backdrop upon various esoteric subjects in an interplay of events that makes you question whether the book is fact written as fiction...or something else entirely.
Now, if you happen to have never read any of Levenda's work, but still appreciate H.P. Lovecraft's work, give this a shot. Levenda does a very commendable job in continuing "The Call Of Cthulhu" mythos but in a very modernized and yet precise setting.
The characters are believable, the story flows rather well, the historical individuals/backdrops the author chooses to include at certain junctures gives the book an even more vibrant feel. Heck, Levenda even deftly interlaces H.P. Lovecraft himself, as well as Himmler for a minute!
With all things considered, this book does not read like someone's first fictional novel. Lovecraft Code feels like a book composed by a seasoned writer of fiction. Then again, some might argue that Levenda has written books before, and that's correct. However, just because someone can write non-fiction books doesn't mean they can execute fictional ones. There are plenty of disasters out there, and this one is not one of them.
As a follow up to H.P. Lovecraft's renown " The Call Of Cthulhu" this book gets two thumbs up - and a few tendrils! - for a job well done. Definitely looking forward to more work from Levenda in the future.
Like a roller coaster, Lovecraft Code starts out at a steady pace laying the context for the book, picks up speed as the mystery deepens, changes directions through different historical narratives, and just when one thinks things are likely to slow down the book then spirals off into a new direction.
The attention to detail the author features in making this book feel realistic is superb. With a story woven through different time periods but which ultimately coalesces in the present, Levenda merges many seemingly disparate subjects into his first fictional opening salvo that leaves the reader wanting more.
If you enjoy topics such as H.P. Lovecraft esoterica, secret cults, spycraft, necromancy, and all of this with a dash of remote viewing, Nazis, ancient archaeology with additional topics to boot, then this book is for you.
If you've read Levenda's gamut of work, which admittedly encompass many various disciplines, then you should appreciate this.
Lovecraft Code, which was originally to be named Lovecraft Codex but Levenda had to change it, does a rather trenchant job in bringing about a believable backdrop upon various esoteric subjects in an interplay of events that makes you question whether the book is fact written as fiction...or something else entirely.
Now, if you happen to have never read any of Levenda's work, but still appreciate H.P. Lovecraft's work, give this a shot. Levenda does a very commendable job in continuing "The Call Of Cthulhu" mythos but in a very modernized and yet precise setting.
The characters are believable, the story flows rather well, the historical individuals/backdrops the author chooses to include at certain junctures gives the book an even more vibrant feel. Heck, Levenda even deftly interlaces H.P. Lovecraft himself, as well as Himmler for a minute!
With all things considered, this book does not read like someone's first fictional novel. Lovecraft Code feels like a book composed by a seasoned writer of fiction. Then again, some might argue that Levenda has written books before, and that's correct. However, just because someone can write non-fiction books doesn't mean they can execute fictional ones. There are plenty of disasters out there, and this one is not one of them.
As a follow up to H.P. Lovecraft's renown " The Call Of Cthulhu" this book gets two thumbs up - and a few tendrils! - for a job well done. Definitely looking forward to more work from Levenda in the future.
February 16, 2017
I went into this expecting a cross between H.P. Lovecraft and James Rollins, but it's more like Lovecraft and Robert Anton Wilson. This is not a bad thing.
So Professor Angell's family has a history with H.P. Lovecraft, a history involving a sheaf of documents that Lovecraft pilferred from his ancestor's study. It was the contents of this file that led to the writing of "The Call of Cthulhu." Now, someone high up in the Department of Defense needs Angell's help in tracking down a book that shouldn't exist and stop a cult from using it to waken Cthulhu when the stars are right.
Levenda does a deft job of weaving fact and fiction, reminiscent of the conspiracy theories in the Illuminatus Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson. He manages to tie together Lovecraft, Aliester Crowley, Jack Parsons, William S. Burroughs, Nazi occult lore, ISIL, Boko Haram, and more. Apparently Lavenda's previous books have all involved the occult. This is his first foray into fiction. It's an impressive effort, though a little slow going in spots. The story he tells is fascinating enough that I was able to get through the less interesting bits. Apparently, a sequel is in the works. I'll be keeping an eye out for that.
So Professor Angell's family has a history with H.P. Lovecraft, a history involving a sheaf of documents that Lovecraft pilferred from his ancestor's study. It was the contents of this file that led to the writing of "The Call of Cthulhu." Now, someone high up in the Department of Defense needs Angell's help in tracking down a book that shouldn't exist and stop a cult from using it to waken Cthulhu when the stars are right.
Levenda does a deft job of weaving fact and fiction, reminiscent of the conspiracy theories in the Illuminatus Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson. He manages to tie together Lovecraft, Aliester Crowley, Jack Parsons, William S. Burroughs, Nazi occult lore, ISIL, Boko Haram, and more. Apparently Lavenda's previous books have all involved the occult. This is his first foray into fiction. It's an impressive effort, though a little slow going in spots. The story he tells is fascinating enough that I was able to get through the less interesting bits. Apparently, a sequel is in the works. I'll be keeping an eye out for that.
August 10, 2017
Wild ride
This is the first in a series, and the series has started with a bang. Even if you discount the conspiratainment aspects of the "Lovecraft was right!" genre, Levenda has done a great job of linking that up to the underlying sense of existential dread that makes Lovecraft's Cthulhu stories work. This book has that kind of spookiness linked in with the other kind of spook business, as the protagonist has to deal with people from agencies named "just another acronym," terrorist cells, and the expected assortment of mystical and magical agents. The book cuts between various past stories, current events, and the main quest in a way that builds the credibility of the threat along with the absurdity, inviting comparison with Illuminatus! You may also wish to play along with the game of "name-check the occultist," although it is not overdone. I was rooting for a cameo by Markoff Cheney or Bertha van Nation, but he refrained.
There are occasional outbursts of failed copyediting, as if the poor beleaguered soul worked too far into the night and started being bothered by an insectoid chorus ... tekeli-li, tekeli-li...
One question that was not addressed was why the Keepers of the Book didn't make copies of it. It's the Digital Age; the Al-Azif could have been on 108 encrypted thumb drives in Cthulhu Cult safe-houses. It does diminish the main plot driver a bit.
The portrayal of Lovecraft is superb, as you might expect from Levenda. It's complete with the full complement of racism, be warned; it is being portrayed, not advocated.
The other takeaway from this book is ”yeah, we really are screwed, in case you've been ignoring it."
This is the first in a series, and the series has started with a bang. Even if you discount the conspiratainment aspects of the "Lovecraft was right!" genre, Levenda has done a great job of linking that up to the underlying sense of existential dread that makes Lovecraft's Cthulhu stories work. This book has that kind of spookiness linked in with the other kind of spook business, as the protagonist has to deal with people from agencies named "just another acronym," terrorist cells, and the expected assortment of mystical and magical agents. The book cuts between various past stories, current events, and the main quest in a way that builds the credibility of the threat along with the absurdity, inviting comparison with Illuminatus! You may also wish to play along with the game of "name-check the occultist," although it is not overdone. I was rooting for a cameo by Markoff Cheney or Bertha van Nation, but he refrained.
There are occasional outbursts of failed copyediting, as if the poor beleaguered soul worked too far into the night and started being bothered by an insectoid chorus ... tekeli-li, tekeli-li...
One question that was not addressed was why the Keepers of the Book didn't make copies of it. It's the Digital Age; the Al-Azif could have been on 108 encrypted thumb drives in Cthulhu Cult safe-houses. It does diminish the main plot driver a bit.
The portrayal of Lovecraft is superb, as you might expect from Levenda. It's complete with the full complement of racism, be warned; it is being portrayed, not advocated.
The other takeaway from this book is ”yeah, we really are screwed, in case you've been ignoring it."
April 27, 2017
3.5 stars.
February 6, 2017
Chthulu, Chthulan Mythos, The Ancient Ones...........whenever I try to read regarding this genre, my eyes closes itself of it's on volition, the gods be they the earlier ones (Greek, Roman, Incan and etc..) or the more popular ones in this era (Christian/Roman Catholic, Hindu, Islam and etc.) are a joy to read......such human-like passion, actions and decisions......as if mirroring the humans who worships them.........but the chthonic powers these so called Ancient Ones, evil/good, love/hate.......these human concepts....they do not exhibit such, perhaps that is the simple reason why my attempt to understand such beings fail miserably, for is that not what reading is for........??????
The Lovecraft Code has the beginnings of a great story, espionage together with conspiracy who does not love such things and yet by page 10, my bed looks a lot better than finishing the book, as a book lover, never have I in my reading habits "did not finish a book", always I would finish whatever I have started that is my principle, there have been two books that have tested my so called principle, first was Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams, it took me two years to finish 2/3 of the book and second was this!!!!
2016 was the best for me in terms of reading, I had too many books to choose from, the popular ones Brian Staveley, Mark Lawrence, Brian Anderson, Steven Erikson to the unfamiliar ones Patrick Sheane Duncan, Ferret Steinmetz, Jacey Bedford, yet I chose to end 2016 with Peter Levenda's, unfortunately that was not the icing in my cake........
Story, story, story.........sighhhhhh......I will let my fellow book lovers, write their thoughts on this.......for me all I can think about is CHTHULU..........AND MY EYES HAVE CLOSEDDDDDDD.......
The Lovecraft Code has the beginnings of a great story, espionage together with conspiracy who does not love such things and yet by page 10, my bed looks a lot better than finishing the book, as a book lover, never have I in my reading habits "did not finish a book", always I would finish whatever I have started that is my principle, there have been two books that have tested my so called principle, first was Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams, it took me two years to finish 2/3 of the book and second was this!!!!
2016 was the best for me in terms of reading, I had too many books to choose from, the popular ones Brian Staveley, Mark Lawrence, Brian Anderson, Steven Erikson to the unfamiliar ones Patrick Sheane Duncan, Ferret Steinmetz, Jacey Bedford, yet I chose to end 2016 with Peter Levenda's, unfortunately that was not the icing in my cake........
Story, story, story.........sighhhhhh......I will let my fellow book lovers, write their thoughts on this.......for me all I can think about is CHTHULU..........AND MY EYES HAVE CLOSEDDDDDDD.......
May 2, 2017
I'll write a (brief) review of this book from two different perspectives:
As someone who loves the work of H.P. Lovecraft, including the books, films, and games that his work inspired, I will say this is one of the absolute best Lovecraftian works I've ever read. The book keeps the genre conventions intact without being predictable, and brings in a whole new level of dread and horrific events that make the book seem too real for comfort. It tells a story of a secret ops government agency trying to get their hands on The Black Book amid the backdrop of current events in the middle east.
As someone who has read Peter Levenda's other work (including Sinister Forces), this book pulls from the author's work on the darkness in the human psyche, and it's myriad causes. He skillfully blends many of the forgotten facts of history into his narrative, positing a centuries-long conspiracy as the cause behind many of history's bizarre events. In this way, he's able to present us with a grand tapestry view of history as only Peter Levenda can, but also show us a new way of thinking about these things, as the concerted effort of a malignant, sinister force operating throughout human history.
It all boils down to an incredible read, mind-expanding, disturbing, and thrilling in equal parts. If the author continues this story in further books, I will be the first to buy them!
As someone who loves the work of H.P. Lovecraft, including the books, films, and games that his work inspired, I will say this is one of the absolute best Lovecraftian works I've ever read. The book keeps the genre conventions intact without being predictable, and brings in a whole new level of dread and horrific events that make the book seem too real for comfort. It tells a story of a secret ops government agency trying to get their hands on The Black Book amid the backdrop of current events in the middle east.
As someone who has read Peter Levenda's other work (including Sinister Forces), this book pulls from the author's work on the darkness in the human psyche, and it's myriad causes. He skillfully blends many of the forgotten facts of history into his narrative, positing a centuries-long conspiracy as the cause behind many of history's bizarre events. In this way, he's able to present us with a grand tapestry view of history as only Peter Levenda can, but also show us a new way of thinking about these things, as the concerted effort of a malignant, sinister force operating throughout human history.
It all boils down to an incredible read, mind-expanding, disturbing, and thrilling in equal parts. If the author continues this story in further books, I will be the first to buy them!
April 17, 2017
Far out. I guess that is what one would expect from a book with its roots in the famous short story by the famous American gothic horror author H.P. Lovecraft entitled "The Call of Cthulhu. This is the author's first fictional work. I have read several of his previous non-fiction works and have found them to be well-researched, informative, and highly detailed. This one, while based upon another author's work of fiction, incorporates a number of events from current and past world history. The reader is exposed to H.P. Lovecraft's personal history and how it may have influenced his writings.
This book contains a great deal of information about the history and theology of current world religions, especially those of the Middle East and South Asia. It also mentions aspects of the paranormal, Nazi occultism, and obscure intelligence gathering techniques such as "remote viewing" and mind control. Much of this information I suspect is true but it is all cleverly melded together with a pretty bizarre tale with a unique ending and set up for a next book.
The biggest drawback for me is the books length; and it was often difficult for me to determine what was fact versus fiction. I did a lot of looking up things and people. Before starting this book, I reread "The Call of Cthulhu" which I think would those who choose to read this book.
This book contains a great deal of information about the history and theology of current world religions, especially those of the Middle East and South Asia. It also mentions aspects of the paranormal, Nazi occultism, and obscure intelligence gathering techniques such as "remote viewing" and mind control. Much of this information I suspect is true but it is all cleverly melded together with a pretty bizarre tale with a unique ending and set up for a next book.
The biggest drawback for me is the books length; and it was often difficult for me to determine what was fact versus fiction. I did a lot of looking up things and people. Before starting this book, I reread "The Call of Cthulhu" which I think would those who choose to read this book.
September 16, 2019
This was the best modern Lovecraftian novel I've read yet. Levenda throws in real history and recent events, that will send you Googling to see just how much of this is real.
Now (extensive preface follows), I believe that most editorial advice is a load of crap. Editors and English teachers will tell you that a name can't be spelled a certain way, that techniques used to great effect by countless authors are bad, and generally that fiction should read like the quality assurance manual for a pencil factory. Any good advice is lost in the static. That rant aside, Mr. Levenda: Get a proofreader. You can write in past tense or present tense, and someone will tell you you're wrong for it. But pick a tense and stick to it, at least for a given chapter. Also try saying some of your narrative sentences out loud, without taking a breath, and then throw some commas in. Yes, I just ended a sentence with a preposition. But there should be *some* rules observed, for clarity's sake.
Overall this was excellent, and highly recommended to fans of modern Lovecraftian fiction. I'll definitely be reading the second installment.
Now (extensive preface follows), I believe that most editorial advice is a load of crap. Editors and English teachers will tell you that a name can't be spelled a certain way, that techniques used to great effect by countless authors are bad, and generally that fiction should read like the quality assurance manual for a pencil factory. Any good advice is lost in the static. That rant aside, Mr. Levenda: Get a proofreader. You can write in past tense or present tense, and someone will tell you you're wrong for it. But pick a tense and stick to it, at least for a given chapter. Also try saying some of your narrative sentences out loud, without taking a breath, and then throw some commas in. Yes, I just ended a sentence with a preposition. But there should be *some* rules observed, for clarity's sake.
Overall this was excellent, and highly recommended to fans of modern Lovecraftian fiction. I'll definitely be reading the second installment.
April 11, 2017
So, this book would be great if it had a slightly better editor. As it is, I'm not entirely thrilled that I paid for it, and would council you to get it used or cheap or free somewhere because you might not really be thrilled that you shelled out a lot of money for it...but it is pretty entertaining, and Levenda certainly knows his shit when it comes to Lovecraft and the general Cthulhu Mythos (which makes sense considering he probably wrote the Simon Necronomicon). It's pulpy in a mostly-good way, with all the schlock action and stock characters you'd expect...
Worth reading, but, really, there are parts of it that are so poorly edited they made my brain hurt.
Other parts that are just frakking great, though, so...
I grudgingly give it four stars. Grudgingly because it was my one expensive book purchase of the fiscal quarter--which, it probably shouldn't have been, but...I should have learned from the other reviews which were kind of 'meh' about a lot of the work's pulpy nature.
Now I get that.
Worth reading, but, really, there are parts of it that are so poorly edited they made my brain hurt.
Other parts that are just frakking great, though, so...
I grudgingly give it four stars. Grudgingly because it was my one expensive book purchase of the fiscal quarter--which, it probably shouldn't have been, but...I should have learned from the other reviews which were kind of 'meh' about a lot of the work's pulpy nature.
Now I get that.
March 5, 2017
Overall, a good read. A lovecraftian story? Hell no.
Full review at https://patternrecognitions.blogspot....
Full review at https://patternrecognitions.blogspot....
February 16, 2022
This was surprisingly better than I thought it would be. Levenda is not known for writing novels but I was feeling like reading a Lovecraftian tale and decided why not read one penned by the man who wrote Simon's Necronomicon.
Book read at a fairly brisk pace never and really felt like it ever wore out its welcome. A lot of Levenda's interests from his other works bleed into this book, so I can see many of his longtime fans getting a kick out of it; however, I felt like this sometimes made the book come across as a greatest hits retread when I wanted him to surprise me a bit more. That being said he kept the book fun and more than exceeded my expectations.
Book read at a fairly brisk pace never and really felt like it ever wore out its welcome. A lot of Levenda's interests from his other works bleed into this book, so I can see many of his longtime fans getting a kick out of it; however, I felt like this sometimes made the book come across as a greatest hits retread when I wanted him to surprise me a bit more. That being said he kept the book fun and more than exceeded my expectations.
May 31, 2017
I'm not a big fan of Lovecraft's writing. I like his stories, particularly the Cthulhu mythos, but I just can't get into his prose no matter how hard I try. I much prefer to read other authors' takes on the mythos - Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, and Peter Clines in particular have done fascinating things with his universe. So The Lovecraft Code caught my eye in the bookstore and I decided to give it a shot.
Unfortunately, this book is boring. Really boring. Levenda knows his stuff - Lovecraft, religion, geography, religion, world politics, etc. But it's not woven successfully into the story at all, it's just dumped there. At a certain point, you get it - the author is really smart and well-studied. But rather than use his research in service of the story, he treats his research as the story itself. As a result, there is no momentum to the story at all, it's just a framework for the author to show off how many connections he can draw between all the things he knows. I thought for awhile it was just poorly edited, but as things drag on and on and on it becomes clear that it's just self-indulgence.
I'm actually not really sure why I trudged through this and finished it, to be honest. It doesn't improve, none of the characters are worth caring about, and even with all the infodumps I don't feel like I learned anything. He desperately wants to be Umberto Eco. I would have settled for Katherine Neville. By the end I would have even settled for Dan Brown.
Unfortunately, this book is boring. Really boring. Levenda knows his stuff - Lovecraft, religion, geography, religion, world politics, etc. But it's not woven successfully into the story at all, it's just dumped there. At a certain point, you get it - the author is really smart and well-studied. But rather than use his research in service of the story, he treats his research as the story itself. As a result, there is no momentum to the story at all, it's just a framework for the author to show off how many connections he can draw between all the things he knows. I thought for awhile it was just poorly edited, but as things drag on and on and on it becomes clear that it's just self-indulgence.
I'm actually not really sure why I trudged through this and finished it, to be honest. It doesn't improve, none of the characters are worth caring about, and even with all the infodumps I don't feel like I learned anything. He desperately wants to be Umberto Eco. I would have settled for Katherine Neville. By the end I would have even settled for Dan Brown.
June 22, 2019
A new occult rollercoaster
If you like occult adventure where you don't know where reality ends and fiction begins, you may like this. I found the prose very lively, and while it is heavy on backstory.. wow what a ride!
If you like occult adventure where you don't know where reality ends and fiction begins, you may like this. I found the prose very lively, and while it is heavy on backstory.. wow what a ride!
April 12, 2017
found it enjoyable however ending seemed a bit rushed. will read more of his work.
January 7, 2020
This book is fiction. It is ostensibly meant as such. I have a suspicion, however, that Levenda wants it to be more than fiction. It is a fictional retelling of how the Cthulu mythos entered into the diseased mind of H.P. Lovecraft.
It is not that the fictional aspects will deceive you. If you are a grown up and know how to distinguish fact from fiction, you should be fine. Levenda ends up close to full Gnosticism, and there we will have a problem.
He tells the story of how a jaded religious studies professor, one Mr. Angell (Angel? Get it?), lost his faith but is persuaded/coerced by the intelligence community to investigate satanic cults in the Middle East. It’s a standard plot device and it works out reasonably well (the storytelling, anyway).
What makes the book more exciting are the connections between Lovecraft, New Orleans, Voodoo, and the Middle East. Levenda is aware of the Sumerian religious practices and symbols like the apsu, etc. Cthulu, portrayed by Levenda as a slumbering high priest of a murderous sect, is more akin to one of the denizens in the apsu.
Levenda occasionally forgets he is writing fiction and gives you long backgrounds. Some of these are quite interesting and while not immediately germane to the plot, are worth worth mentioning, nonetheless. While Lovecraft was a materialist, his fiction provided the grounds for later horror thinkers. Here is where it gets spooky. Lovecraft wrote “The Call of Cthulhu” in 1927, with much of the action taking place in New Orleans. His characters call forth Cthulhu in an orgiastic celebration. At the exact same time, with no prior knowledge, Crowley summons a demon named “Tutulu” or “Kutulu.” He wrote this on November 1, 1907, the exact time as Lovecraft’s story.
A creepy episode is when members of America’s “9 Ruling Families” channeled a space demon. I’ll explain. Andrija Puharich was a para-psychologist with connections to US government and various foundations. He created a think tank whose members included Aldous Huxley and Henry Wallace, FDR’s Vice-President and a 32nd degree Freemason. On New Year’s Even in 1952 Puharich contacted a Hindu channeler, Dr D. G. Vinod, who conducted a seance and made contact with an entity calling itself “The Nine” (82).
Nine months later another seance was conducted, this time including members from key American families: Marcella DuPont, Alice Bouverie (an Astor), Arthur Young (son-in-law of the Forbes family).
It gets weirder. Vinod had brought a statue of a monkey god named Hanoumn.
Let’s evaluate the novel.
Prose: there aren’t any glaring errors, but Levenda has this weird habit of switching between present and past tense. 7/10.
Characters: They are believable. They don’t really develop but they carry the story along. 8/10.
Plot: Your typical fast-paced Middle East action plot. I give it an 8/10*. The asterisk is for the goofy ancient aliens nonsense at the end.
Ideas: Levenda conveys Lovecraft’s ideas quite well. Unfortunately, he also conveys his own. 7/10.
It is not that the fictional aspects will deceive you. If you are a grown up and know how to distinguish fact from fiction, you should be fine. Levenda ends up close to full Gnosticism, and there we will have a problem.
He tells the story of how a jaded religious studies professor, one Mr. Angell (Angel? Get it?), lost his faith but is persuaded/coerced by the intelligence community to investigate satanic cults in the Middle East. It’s a standard plot device and it works out reasonably well (the storytelling, anyway).
What makes the book more exciting are the connections between Lovecraft, New Orleans, Voodoo, and the Middle East. Levenda is aware of the Sumerian religious practices and symbols like the apsu, etc. Cthulu, portrayed by Levenda as a slumbering high priest of a murderous sect, is more akin to one of the denizens in the apsu.
Levenda occasionally forgets he is writing fiction and gives you long backgrounds. Some of these are quite interesting and while not immediately germane to the plot, are worth worth mentioning, nonetheless. While Lovecraft was a materialist, his fiction provided the grounds for later horror thinkers. Here is where it gets spooky. Lovecraft wrote “The Call of Cthulhu” in 1927, with much of the action taking place in New Orleans. His characters call forth Cthulhu in an orgiastic celebration. At the exact same time, with no prior knowledge, Crowley summons a demon named “Tutulu” or “Kutulu.” He wrote this on November 1, 1907, the exact time as Lovecraft’s story.
A creepy episode is when members of America’s “9 Ruling Families” channeled a space demon. I’ll explain. Andrija Puharich was a para-psychologist with connections to US government and various foundations. He created a think tank whose members included Aldous Huxley and Henry Wallace, FDR’s Vice-President and a 32nd degree Freemason. On New Year’s Even in 1952 Puharich contacted a Hindu channeler, Dr D. G. Vinod, who conducted a seance and made contact with an entity calling itself “The Nine” (82).
Nine months later another seance was conducted, this time including members from key American families: Marcella DuPont, Alice Bouverie (an Astor), Arthur Young (son-in-law of the Forbes family).
It gets weirder. Vinod had brought a statue of a monkey god named Hanoumn.
Let’s evaluate the novel.
Prose: there aren’t any glaring errors, but Levenda has this weird habit of switching between present and past tense. 7/10.
Characters: They are believable. They don’t really develop but they carry the story along. 8/10.
Plot: Your typical fast-paced Middle East action plot. I give it an 8/10*. The asterisk is for the goofy ancient aliens nonsense at the end.
Ideas: Levenda conveys Lovecraft’s ideas quite well. Unfortunately, he also conveys his own. 7/10.
July 1, 2019
A Masterpiece of the Occult
When Peter Levenda decided to try his hand at occult fiction I’ll admit I had reservations but he managed to pull it off with nary a snag. The story is captivating and manages to hold your attention. He has proven that he is master of both fiction and non-fiction.If you like the occult, I recommend this book highly.
When Peter Levenda decided to try his hand at occult fiction I’ll admit I had reservations but he managed to pull it off with nary a snag. The story is captivating and manages to hold your attention. He has proven that he is master of both fiction and non-fiction.If you like the occult, I recommend this book highly.
August 21, 2024
Excellent
I’ve been a Lovecraft fan since the early 70s so this book made me curious. I didn’t really expect much but I was seriously impressed. This comes across as a great international intrigue with serious background research. I’ve already purchased the next 2 books in the series which I’m really looking forward now.
I’ve been a Lovecraft fan since the early 70s so this book made me curious. I didn’t really expect much but I was seriously impressed. This comes across as a great international intrigue with serious background research. I’ve already purchased the next 2 books in the series which I’m really looking forward now.
June 11, 2019
A Magnificent and Truly Unique Read
I just finished the book tonight and plan on beginning the second in the series before I cut myself off for the night. I will not risk any spoilers here. Simply, read this book.
I just finished the book tonight and plan on beginning the second in the series before I cut myself off for the night. I will not risk any spoilers here. Simply, read this book.
September 27, 2021
Great tie-in of Lovecraftiana horror, cults, conspiracy, the modern global situation, espionage!
In many ways similar to the Delta Green series of books (and game) but done in a much wider, grander scale! Levenda hits it out of the park here!
In many ways similar to the Delta Green series of books (and game) but done in a much wider, grander scale! Levenda hits it out of the park here!
April 30, 2019
A TALE OF OLDEST IT IS.....
Hello, this is a great story. Very well written and entertaining to read. It tends to lag a little from time to time, but not too bad. Thanks.
Hello, this is a great story. Very well written and entertaining to read. It tends to lag a little from time to time, but not too bad. Thanks.
February 9, 2020
Oh boy; what a wild ride! Terrorism, Nazis, all kinds of weird ancient cults; Conspiracy theory; the Necronomicon. Awesome fun. Couldn't put it down.
March 6, 2017
If you liked Foucault's Pendulum and The Davinci Code, and enjoy military mystery thrillers, don't need memorable or semi-interesting women characters, and are OK with very little actual science fiction in your sci fi novel, then you might like this story. As you might be able to tell from this review, I didn't. Every time it threatened to get interesting, the author began writing a comparative theology textbook. Too bad.
June 29, 2025
Sometimes unintentionally hilarious, poorly written... and yet fascinating and hard to put down.
I'm a big fan of Peter Levenda's non-fiction books, I'm in awe of his broad knowledge and ability to find unexpected connections between remote ideas, religions, theories etc. I'm also a sucker for all things Cthulhu & Necronomicon. But this book... I liked it a lot, but I'm aware of it's enormous flaws. The "action" parts are bad, for most part characters are getting into loooong monologues, spewing arcane knowledge with a sophisticated language no Tibetan shaman or Yezidi priest would know... But I love the good pulp and great theories (ekhm... THE HIDDEN TRUTH) that Levenda is selling, so... I cannot wait to read the followup.
I'm a big fan of Peter Levenda's non-fiction books, I'm in awe of his broad knowledge and ability to find unexpected connections between remote ideas, religions, theories etc. I'm also a sucker for all things Cthulhu & Necronomicon. But this book... I liked it a lot, but I'm aware of it's enormous flaws. The "action" parts are bad, for most part characters are getting into loooong monologues, spewing arcane knowledge with a sophisticated language no Tibetan shaman or Yezidi priest would know... But I love the good pulp and great theories (ekhm... THE HIDDEN TRUTH) that Levenda is selling, so... I cannot wait to read the followup.
April 1, 2017
Boyoh, does this book do a good job at teaching the reader how not to write a mystery. It's a weird little crime, to take something that should have been easily interesting and just beating it over the audiences' head that it is so much that it becomes dull. Not to mention, I felt like the main character had the same revelation that maybe everything he was seeing was true about 3 times but each then shortly after would never believe in anything again. even one time when he jumps to scream at top military personnel trying to get them to believe in it, only for him moments later to see more proof that it's real and then get mad at the person revealing more evidence to him. The main character...doodle mcangell probably... was hardly believable as a person. Maybe at first. He has a gun he carries around, ok neat he has a characteristic. Once the story gets going, though, that all stops. He's an exposition dump. Mostly to have it dumped on him, but once an only once does he add to the story around him. On top of it, this book tries to fill you in all the terrible political climate in the middle East, and the author definitely has extensive knowledge of the subject, but I didn't learn any of it from these 450 pages. I could not make heads or tails of what I was reading. I'll admit that's more than likely my fault, but just please believe me when I say I tried.
since reading this book I've read interviews with the author and listened to him talk, and that's easily more interesting than anything this story offers. This guy knows his stuff, or at least he knows what he knows, and that comes off but it just didn't translate well into fiction. constantly there's just things happening and leaps in logic and focusing on one thing I've already understood for waaaay too long and it made this a slog. That said, the epilogue teases at a sequel and I'm looking forward to taking half a year tk read that too for bragging rights.
I give this 2 Supernova happening in the Big Dipper outta 10
since reading this book I've read interviews with the author and listened to him talk, and that's easily more interesting than anything this story offers. This guy knows his stuff, or at least he knows what he knows, and that comes off but it just didn't translate well into fiction. constantly there's just things happening and leaps in logic and focusing on one thing I've already understood for waaaay too long and it made this a slog. That said, the epilogue teases at a sequel and I'm looking forward to taking half a year tk read that too for bragging rights.
I give this 2 Supernova happening in the Big Dipper outta 10
Read
April 26, 2017Interesting read commingling a DaVinci Code type search with Lovecraft horror and contemporary concerns about world events. Sometimes the narrative teeters on the brink of describing all non-Christians as being in league with Cthulu, or was I dreaming that? The book felt a bit long, the author definitely fleshed out portions to meet his publishers page quota, but it is still a good page turner.
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