What do you think?
Rate this book
Courting the King in Yellow
When Melotte Pharmaceutical moved into the struggling city of Springfield, residents saw it as a godsend.
But while the city’s fortunes appear to be turning around, something sinister is brewing within its homeless population.
Four newfound friends stumble onto a horrific plan for the city, and their lives will never be the same again. Because on Halloween night, a new horror will be coming to Springfield, and they are the only ones who can stop it.
But while the city’s fortunes appear to be turning around, something sinister is brewing within its homeless population.
Four newfound friends stumble onto a horrific plan for the city, and their lives will never be the same again. Because on Halloween night, a new horror will be coming to Springfield, and they are the only ones who can stop it.
159 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2012
1 person is currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Brian LeTendre
19 books31 followersBrian LeTendre writes scary stories filled with shadowy cabals, monsters and madness--and those are just the good guys.
He is the author of the Parted Veil series: COURTING THE KING IN YELLOW, CHASING THE KING IN YELLOW, LOVECRAFT'S CURSE and LOVECRAFT'S PUPIL, as well as the short story series INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS.
In 2015, Brian and Jolene Haley teamed up to form the Horror Twins, and released HARROWED, the first book in their Woodsview Murders series in September 2015. The second book in the series--HAUNTED--will be released in 2018.
Brian is a lifelong gamer and comic nerd, and co-hosted/produced a podcast about geek culture called Secret Identity from 2006-2017, producing over 2000 hours of programming. He currently podcasts about music (Thrash It Out, Power Chords Podcast), games (Co-Op Critics) and writing (See Brian Write).
Brian lives and works in Massachusetts.
He is the author of the Parted Veil series: COURTING THE KING IN YELLOW, CHASING THE KING IN YELLOW, LOVECRAFT'S CURSE and LOVECRAFT'S PUPIL, as well as the short story series INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS.
In 2015, Brian and Jolene Haley teamed up to form the Horror Twins, and released HARROWED, the first book in their Woodsview Murders series in September 2015. The second book in the series--HAUNTED--will be released in 2018.
Brian is a lifelong gamer and comic nerd, and co-hosted/produced a podcast about geek culture called Secret Identity from 2006-2017, producing over 2000 hours of programming. He currently podcasts about music (Thrash It Out, Power Chords Podcast), games (Co-Op Critics) and writing (See Brian Write).
Brian lives and works in Massachusetts.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 2, 2016
An excellent blend of scfi/horror/mystery and thriller than I literally could not put down. I loved the backdrop of the King in Yellow for this modern take on cults and the coming of a dark lord. This is part one of the Painted Veil series, a series I plan on devouring!
December 30, 2017
17/5/2013
With a librarian among the heroes and dark rituals among the underclass, this book is set firmly in the vein of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert W. Chambers. However, LeTendre has not sought to mimic the purple prose of the original Mythos stories, freeing the story to also stand as modern horror.
The book is set in a slightly more decayed version of Springfield, Massachusetts, and revolves around two sets of friends (Frank and Rob, and Amy and Sam) who hit it off in a bar. When Sam’s side job as a freelance journalist exposes her to a strange symbol she starts to experience waking nightmares and condition only exacerbated by anonymous telephone calls about the King In Yellow. Initially just happy to have possibly found dates for the Halloween staff party the friends soon find they might be each others only chance to avoid both madness and the death.
The reader’s introduction to the protagonists, from their preparations to go to the bar to their trip to Frank and Rob’s flat, both efficiently portrays their distinct characters and provides a normal positive image, making the subsequent descent into horror all the more emotive. This balancing of normality and horror continues throughout the story.
Unlike the brooding horror Chamber’s King in Yellow, the reader is shown real evidence of the supernatural earlier in the plot. This fits well with the greater scepticism of the modern age as people see but do not believe. However – despite the overall freshness brought by adopting modern style and beliefs – some of the prose is slightly over-explained, leaving some scenes less tense than they could be.
As befits a modern setting there is a greater level of both technology and firearms on both sides. While it would seem unrealistic for the firearms to be missing, some of the technology is both powerful and plausible which runs counter to the theme of otherworldly magic. Whether it detracts more than it adds will depend on each reader’s love of classic Lovecraftian horror.
Overall I enjoyed it greatly. I would recommend it all fans of indescribable horrors, whether or not they are familiar with the The King In Yellow.
I received a free copy in exchange for a fair review.
With a librarian among the heroes and dark rituals among the underclass, this book is set firmly in the vein of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert W. Chambers. However, LeTendre has not sought to mimic the purple prose of the original Mythos stories, freeing the story to also stand as modern horror.
The book is set in a slightly more decayed version of Springfield, Massachusetts, and revolves around two sets of friends (Frank and Rob, and Amy and Sam) who hit it off in a bar. When Sam’s side job as a freelance journalist exposes her to a strange symbol she starts to experience waking nightmares and condition only exacerbated by anonymous telephone calls about the King In Yellow. Initially just happy to have possibly found dates for the Halloween staff party the friends soon find they might be each others only chance to avoid both madness and the death.
The reader’s introduction to the protagonists, from their preparations to go to the bar to their trip to Frank and Rob’s flat, both efficiently portrays their distinct characters and provides a normal positive image, making the subsequent descent into horror all the more emotive. This balancing of normality and horror continues throughout the story.
Unlike the brooding horror Chamber’s King in Yellow, the reader is shown real evidence of the supernatural earlier in the plot. This fits well with the greater scepticism of the modern age as people see but do not believe. However – despite the overall freshness brought by adopting modern style and beliefs – some of the prose is slightly over-explained, leaving some scenes less tense than they could be.
As befits a modern setting there is a greater level of both technology and firearms on both sides. While it would seem unrealistic for the firearms to be missing, some of the technology is both powerful and plausible which runs counter to the theme of otherworldly magic. Whether it detracts more than it adds will depend on each reader’s love of classic Lovecraftian horror.
Overall I enjoyed it greatly. I would recommend it all fans of indescribable horrors, whether or not they are familiar with the The King In Yellow.
I received a free copy in exchange for a fair review.
December 22, 2015
The introduction to the characters were the only element to this book that felt a little weak. The core group of 4 characters start off a little too strong a little too fast as far as their relationships go.
They felt more like a group of friends who had a long standing bond with each other than a freshly pressed group.
That being said, once you get past the initial rush of introductions, I ended up really liking the characters. I felt for them as their worlds unraveled and things went from bad to unspeakably worse.
This book was jammed-packed full of action.
It kept a breathless pace that made it almost impossible to set down. I practically growled at Immortal Alexander when I was in the last act of the book and he tried to get my attention for something.
There’s one moment in this book that haunts me (in a good way, of course).
There’s an incredibly gruesome crime that takes place, and you see it just before it happens, and then pieced together through again later. The way it’s revealed will stick with you because of the tension leading up to the gut-punching gore.
If you like stories in the Lovecraft universe, and conspiracies with murder and mystery, you’re going to enjoy reading this.
They felt more like a group of friends who had a long standing bond with each other than a freshly pressed group.
That being said, once you get past the initial rush of introductions, I ended up really liking the characters. I felt for them as their worlds unraveled and things went from bad to unspeakably worse.
This book was jammed-packed full of action.
It kept a breathless pace that made it almost impossible to set down. I practically growled at Immortal Alexander when I was in the last act of the book and he tried to get my attention for something.
There’s one moment in this book that haunts me (in a good way, of course).
There’s an incredibly gruesome crime that takes place, and you see it just before it happens, and then pieced together through again later. The way it’s revealed will stick with you because of the tension leading up to the gut-punching gore.
If you like stories in the Lovecraft universe, and conspiracies with murder and mystery, you’re going to enjoy reading this.
February 9, 2017
Okay plot, smooth and steady pacing. Writing was a little stiff in spots (sorry, when did the nurse die? I read that scene three times and still don't see it), character bonding and adaptation struck me as a little fast, but would look at another story.
September 11, 2016
This book creeped me out man. It was like fingernails down the chalkboard of my spine. Conspiracy theories and big medicine. The book largly took place on Sumner Ave but a paragraph or two came to West Springfield (aka Closer Springfield). The only things missing were shootings at the X, the Dr.Seuss memorial, the Hall of Fame and Bob's comic shoppe on Dickinson
I won't be driving that stretch of road until construction is done, four years from now, but I think the Jail building has been demolished.
I got this book signed at CTHorrorfest 2016.
I won't be driving that stretch of road until construction is done, four years from now, but I think the Jail building has been demolished.
I got this book signed at CTHorrorfest 2016.
January 1, 2015
there were some unique and interesting ideas in this book, and a fairly solid plot.
i would have given 4 or 5 stars were it only for that.
however, the writing was very simplistic (with some editing issues), the characters had very little definition/development, and the ending was rather anticlimactic.
i would have given 4 or 5 stars were it only for that.
however, the writing was very simplistic (with some editing issues), the characters had very little definition/development, and the ending was rather anticlimactic.
March 6, 2015
This had me hooked from the first chapter, and I cannot wait for future installments of this series. This is an enjoyable and fast paced read. I didn't want to put it down. For a first novel, I think LeTendre has done a wonderful job, especially in a genre that is hard to do well, and horror is definitely hard to do well. And it's always cool to see NaNoWriMo projects become published works.
August 24, 2016
I'm enjoying this book very much. I love the King in Yellow stories so it's fun to read this book. I do see some editing issues that jump out but not enough to be turned off. I look forward to the Parted Veil series. Congrats and Good Luck Brian LeTendre!
November 2, 2014
I really enjoyed the story.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews