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Culti svedesi
Quale terribile verità si nasconde nei boschi dell’oscura Borås, dove aleggia la figura del misterioso Capro Nero? Dove porterà mai il sanguinario viaggio della “Nonna”? Chi si cela dietro le parole dell’Ambasciatrice della Donna Enfia? Cosa può succedere quando una gelida nevicata si abbatte su un esercito nel 1718? E perché mai le opere d’arte e le fotografie estreme della signorina Witt hanno suscitato l’interesse della misteriosa Annette Glasser e della “Fondazione Carcosa”?
Culti svedesi è la prima raccolta di racconti di Anders Fager che va a comporre la trilogia del “Mondo dei Culti”. Le sue storie, ambientate per lo più nell’odierna Svezia, propongono una visione moderna dei Miti di Cthulhu, in un mondo in cui le entità del pantheon lovecraftiano, da Shub-Niggurath a Yog-Sothoth, da Ithaqua ad Hastur, si sono insinuate sulla Terra, nascoste agli occhi dei comuni mortali, a definire la follia, la violenza, la corruzione della società moderna.
Anders Fager reinterpreta l’horror moderno con uno stile del tutto personale definito: “cosa accadrebbe se James Ellroy incontrasse H.P. Lovecraft”.
Culti svedesi è la prima raccolta di racconti di Anders Fager che va a comporre la trilogia del “Mondo dei Culti”. Le sue storie, ambientate per lo più nell’odierna Svezia, propongono una visione moderna dei Miti di Cthulhu, in un mondo in cui le entità del pantheon lovecraftiano, da Shub-Niggurath a Yog-Sothoth, da Ithaqua ad Hastur, si sono insinuate sulla Terra, nascoste agli occhi dei comuni mortali, a definire la follia, la violenza, la corruzione della società moderna.
Anders Fager reinterpreta l’horror moderno con uno stile del tutto personale definito: “cosa accadrebbe se James Ellroy incontrasse H.P. Lovecraft”.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
December 19, 2023
Andres Fager reinvents the Lovecraft mythos (and in one story, the King in Yellow). the prose is telegrammatic. the perspective is first-person. the results are mixed. the first story, girls gone wild, is ingenious. the second story, two inhuman boys abroad, is brilliant. the third story, war's victims, is beautifully written and also a pointless exercise in nihilism. the fourth story, a body swap, is fine. the last story, an artist run amuck, is pretentious, self-indulgent drivel.
the collection includes four story fragments. of particular note is Fragment 2, which details a ship running into something not so nice. tense, well-executed, perfect length. the remaining fragments intrigue but do little else.
the author is certainly one to watch. full of talent. a distinctive voice. idiosyncratic, to say the least. and also, as the kids say, problematic. but that's not an actual problem, right?
"The Furies from Borås" - girls at a dancehall, girls meeting a young man, girls taking him to the woods to make his fantasies come true, girls making his nightmares come true, girls dancing and fornicating and feasting in the moonlight, girls meeting their many-eyed Mistress, girls fleeing her tentacles. the moral of the tale: don't give viagra to Shub-Niggurath, she may freak out and slaughter everyone.
👍👍👍
"Grandma's Journey" - two young men on a journey: bring Grandma to her new home! and so across Europe they travel, in their van with its trough, its chains, its girls held captive in the back. a terrifying journey for two naïve young men, not used to the scary ways of the Danish, of social democrats, of humans in general. but they are brave boys and will soldier on. the moral of the tale: always trust in friendly Yog-Sothoth, he is both keymaster and gatekeeper.
👍👍👍👍
"The Broken Man's Wish" - the year is 1718, the place is a farm in Tydal. there is a family who lives there; there are soldiers from abroad. atrocity follows an army like just another camp follower; the battered and broken boys will sate their hungers. the wind-walker Ithaqua is called, except here he is called Ittakkva. the moral of the tale: much like war itself, Ittakkva makes no distinctions among his prey.
👎👎
"Happy Forever on Östermalm" - in "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" an old necromancer takes over a young scholar's body. such things could never happen in bright, queer Östermalm! the girlfriend loves her wealthy boyfriend, she could never give him up! no matter that he has changed, has adopted the tastes and fey mannerisms of his dead gay boss. the moral of the tale: if anal sex is now on the menu, boyfriend may have had a change of mind.
👌
"Miss Witt's Great Work" - a controversial artist seeks further controversy. a new girlfriend loses control; an ex-husband loses his head. porn may be art but art is dead. The Carcosa Foundation wants the infamous provocateur My Witt to go further, further, further, in the name of art and in service to Sadean excess. further, further, further! the moral of the tale: don't go further.
👎👎👎👎
the collection includes four story fragments. of particular note is Fragment 2, which details a ship running into something not so nice. tense, well-executed, perfect length. the remaining fragments intrigue but do little else.
the author is certainly one to watch. full of talent. a distinctive voice. idiosyncratic, to say the least. and also, as the kids say, problematic. but that's not an actual problem, right?
"The Furies from Borås" - girls at a dancehall, girls meeting a young man, girls taking him to the woods to make his fantasies come true, girls making his nightmares come true, girls dancing and fornicating and feasting in the moonlight, girls meeting their many-eyed Mistress, girls fleeing her tentacles. the moral of the tale: don't give viagra to Shub-Niggurath, she may freak out and slaughter everyone.
👍👍👍
"Grandma's Journey" - two young men on a journey: bring Grandma to her new home! and so across Europe they travel, in their van with its trough, its chains, its girls held captive in the back. a terrifying journey for two naïve young men, not used to the scary ways of the Danish, of social democrats, of humans in general. but they are brave boys and will soldier on. the moral of the tale: always trust in friendly Yog-Sothoth, he is both keymaster and gatekeeper.
👍👍👍👍
"The Broken Man's Wish" - the year is 1718, the place is a farm in Tydal. there is a family who lives there; there are soldiers from abroad. atrocity follows an army like just another camp follower; the battered and broken boys will sate their hungers. the wind-walker Ithaqua is called, except here he is called Ittakkva. the moral of the tale: much like war itself, Ittakkva makes no distinctions among his prey.
👎👎
"Happy Forever on Östermalm" - in "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" an old necromancer takes over a young scholar's body. such things could never happen in bright, queer Östermalm! the girlfriend loves her wealthy boyfriend, she could never give him up! no matter that he has changed, has adopted the tastes and fey mannerisms of his dead gay boss. the moral of the tale: if anal sex is now on the menu, boyfriend may have had a change of mind.
👌
"Miss Witt's Great Work" - a controversial artist seeks further controversy. a new girlfriend loses control; an ex-husband loses his head. porn may be art but art is dead. The Carcosa Foundation wants the infamous provocateur My Witt to go further, further, further, in the name of art and in service to Sadean excess. further, further, further! the moral of the tale: don't go further.
👎👎👎👎
November 27, 2022
4 stars--I really liked all five stories. These stories (mostly) deal with humans who serve the old gods, but I'm not sure any of them prosper. As a warning, there are lots of small racist/xenophobic moments in these stories.
The Furies from Borås: 4 stars. Teenage girls work (fruitlessly) towards a better future.
Fragment I: 1 star. I dislike these fragments. What's the point of including unfinished stories, unless the book is a complete collection (which this isn't)? They feel like padding.
Grandma's Journey: 4 stars. Non-human entities bring "grandma" home to live with her family. I loved the use of keys in this story.
Fragment II: 1 star.
The Broken Man's Wish: 3 stars. Historical tale of revenge. Very violent.
Fragment III: 1 star.
Happy Forever on Östermalm: 4 stars. Very unsettling story about what we'll do for money.
Fragment IV: 1 star.
Miss Witt's Great Work: 4 stars. A story about Carcosa, and what we'll do for art. Or fame.
The Furies from Borås: 4 stars. Teenage girls work (fruitlessly) towards a better future.
Fragment I: 1 star. I dislike these fragments. What's the point of including unfinished stories, unless the book is a complete collection (which this isn't)? They feel like padding.
Grandma's Journey: 4 stars. Non-human entities bring "grandma" home to live with her family. I loved the use of keys in this story.
Fragment II: 1 star.
The Broken Man's Wish: 3 stars. Historical tale of revenge. Very violent.
Fragment III: 1 star.
Happy Forever on Östermalm: 4 stars. Very unsettling story about what we'll do for money.
Fragment IV: 1 star.
Miss Witt's Great Work: 4 stars. A story about Carcosa, and what we'll do for art. Or fame.
July 21, 2025
Så oerhört fascinerande novellsamling! Bisarra och råa berättelser som har mycket humor och känsla. Författaren har en stor förmåga att gestalta vardagliga situationer på ett groteskt nytänkande vis såpass att en gärna återkommer till samlingen vid flera tillfällen.
Det här är en samling på hög nivå!
Det här är en samling på hög nivå!
March 27, 2018
Mer makabert än skräckfyllt men intressanta historier och ett briljant språkbruk.
September 6, 2022
Review in the September 1, 2022 issue of Booklist and only blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2022/09...
Easy sell to patrons– Swedish Lovecraft
Three Words That Describe This Book: Lovecraftian, translation, strong sense of place
His worlds are used by the Call of Cthulhu role playing game– Swedish Edition
A must read for fans of 21st Century Lovecraftian Horror as written by those like Kiernan or (Lucy) Snyder.
Gods of H.P. Lovecraft Anthology edited by French
Easy sell to patrons– Swedish Lovecraft
Three Words That Describe This Book: Lovecraftian, translation, strong sense of place
His worlds are used by the Call of Cthulhu role playing game– Swedish Edition
A must read for fans of 21st Century Lovecraftian Horror as written by those like Kiernan or (Lucy) Snyder.
Gods of H.P. Lovecraft Anthology edited by French
March 2, 2022
Sarà che detesto cordialmente tutta la generazione di autori che utilizza il pretesto delle "frasi alla Hemingway" per giustificare una scrittura senza personalità, sarà che ormai sviscero ogni opera che si definisca lovecraftiana per scetticismo, ma a me Anders Fager non è piaciuto. Culti Svedesi non mi ha convinto, ho fatto fatica a leggerlo, non mi è assolutamente piaciuto.
Anzitutto, togliamoci subito ogni dubbio: di lovecraftiano, i racconti di Culti Svedesi hanno solo il valore citazionistico. Le divinità dei mythos sono solo un pretesto che l'autore utilizza per rimaneggiare e remixare in chiave moderna alcuni dei racconti più famosi del Solitario di Providence. C'è il Capro dai Mille Figli, c'è la versione in chiave borghese del Caso Charles Dexter Ward, c'è il mostro innominabile e incomprensibile, ma manca tutta la parte davvero profonda e pensante che ha reso leggendario il lavoro di Lovecraft. Sembra quasi che gli elementi cari al Solitario siano stati utilizzati solo con il mero scopo di vendere un'ennesima opera horror come "Lovecraftiana", perché di questi tempi si sa, HPL vende bene e quindi si associa il suo nome su qualsiasi cosa. Brr.
Quindi: cosa resta dentro i racconti tolta la patina lovecraftiana? Un paio di buone idee e trame piuttosto interessanti, e la capacità di raccontare con cinismo telegrafico i risvolti tremendi e terrificanti della quotidianità della Svezia. Se Fager si fosse concentrato su questo aspetto, piuttosto che scomodare Lovecraft, il libro sarebbe sicuramente risultato migliore. Perché le tematiche che affronta (razzismo, guerra, immigrazione, i ricchi, i social network) sono affrontate davvero bene. È stato infilarci HPL che ha reso tutto stonato.
I racconti migliori di questa raccolta sono sicuramente:
Per Sempre Felici a Östermalm
Il Viaggio della Nonna
Il Capolavoro della Signorina Witt (ma solo per la mia ossessione verso Hastur)
La redenzione personale dell'horror svedese avverrà presto attraverso le pagine di John Ajvide Lindqvist.
Anzitutto, togliamoci subito ogni dubbio: di lovecraftiano, i racconti di Culti Svedesi hanno solo il valore citazionistico. Le divinità dei mythos sono solo un pretesto che l'autore utilizza per rimaneggiare e remixare in chiave moderna alcuni dei racconti più famosi del Solitario di Providence. C'è il Capro dai Mille Figli, c'è la versione in chiave borghese del Caso Charles Dexter Ward, c'è il mostro innominabile e incomprensibile, ma manca tutta la parte davvero profonda e pensante che ha reso leggendario il lavoro di Lovecraft. Sembra quasi che gli elementi cari al Solitario siano stati utilizzati solo con il mero scopo di vendere un'ennesima opera horror come "Lovecraftiana", perché di questi tempi si sa, HPL vende bene e quindi si associa il suo nome su qualsiasi cosa. Brr.
Quindi: cosa resta dentro i racconti tolta la patina lovecraftiana? Un paio di buone idee e trame piuttosto interessanti, e la capacità di raccontare con cinismo telegrafico i risvolti tremendi e terrificanti della quotidianità della Svezia. Se Fager si fosse concentrato su questo aspetto, piuttosto che scomodare Lovecraft, il libro sarebbe sicuramente risultato migliore. Perché le tematiche che affronta (razzismo, guerra, immigrazione, i ricchi, i social network) sono affrontate davvero bene. È stato infilarci HPL che ha reso tutto stonato.
I racconti migliori di questa raccolta sono sicuramente:
Per Sempre Felici a Östermalm
Il Viaggio della Nonna
Il Capolavoro della Signorina Witt (ma solo per la mia ossessione verso Hastur)
La redenzione personale dell'horror svedese avverrà presto attraverso le pagine di John Ajvide Lindqvist.
September 27, 2022
I’m in Sweden, I’m deep in the woods, and I’m keen for a scare, but unfortunately I couldn’t find it here.
Horror may be my favourite genre, but I have a confession to make, I am not a fan of monsters in the genre, they are something of mirth rather than terror.
Media reviews speak of a Lovecraftian influence, but I think that is exaggerated. Lovecraft wanted to elevate his work above the gothic and the supernatural, and that requires a delicate touch. It’s easy to go too far. Such writing needs to be a blend of horror and science fiction that is reasonable to accept. If I can quote an example, it would be the ‘monster’ in Dan Simmons’s The Terror. In the book (not the TV adaptation), it is always possible that the beast is an extremely large and fierce polar bear. But there is always the fear of the unknown, in that it might be something other-worldly.
In these stories Fager has gone one step further than Lovecraft ever went, but as opposed to writers like Grady Hendrix, whose work I really like, this isn’t done for laughs.. though that was the unintended outcome for me.
Horror may be my favourite genre, but I have a confession to make, I am not a fan of monsters in the genre, they are something of mirth rather than terror.
Media reviews speak of a Lovecraftian influence, but I think that is exaggerated. Lovecraft wanted to elevate his work above the gothic and the supernatural, and that requires a delicate touch. It’s easy to go too far. Such writing needs to be a blend of horror and science fiction that is reasonable to accept. If I can quote an example, it would be the ‘monster’ in Dan Simmons’s The Terror. In the book (not the TV adaptation), it is always possible that the beast is an extremely large and fierce polar bear. But there is always the fear of the unknown, in that it might be something other-worldly.
In these stories Fager has gone one step further than Lovecraft ever went, but as opposed to writers like Grady Hendrix, whose work I really like, this isn’t done for laughs.. though that was the unintended outcome for me.
November 5, 2016
Pohjoiset kultit oli hankala arvioitava. Tyyli oli kulkevaa, kovin muodikasta lyhyttä lausetta ja irtonaista etenemistä. Oletan, että käännös vastasi laadultaan ja tyyliltään alkuperäistä - eiköhän Suomesta löydy kylliksi ruotsia taitavia, jotta alkuperäiset speksit välittyivät. Oikeastaan silkka kerronnan vimmaisuus ja sitä myöten etenevyys nostivat arvioni kolmeen tähteen kahden sijasta.
Sisällöllisesti novellit ja fragmentit olivat hiukan liian osoittelevia. Oli niin hurjan rankkaa, eritteitä, väkivaltaa ja pornoa. Vähempikin olisi riittänyt, jotta homman pointti olisi tullut selväksi. Tällaisenaan liika roiskuttelu söi tunnelmaa.
Henkilöt olivat suurimmaksi osaksi äärimmilleen karrikoituja. Tapahtumat kulkivat ennustettavasti aina sen pahimman kaavan mukaan. Juonet onnistuivat välillä ihan mallikkaasti, lovecraftiaanisessa maailmassa liikuttiin taustojen osalta. Yhteiskuntakritiikki ja kansankodin kiillotetun pinnan alla muhiva nihilismi ja paha olo saivat osansa.
Kyllä Pohjoiset kultit kannattaa lukea, varsinkin, jos ns. rankka kuvasto viehättää. Tarinat jäivät mieleen, joten turhanpäiväisestä teoksesta ei ole kysymys. Ei vain ollut meikäläisen maulle sopiva.
Sisällöllisesti novellit ja fragmentit olivat hiukan liian osoittelevia. Oli niin hurjan rankkaa, eritteitä, väkivaltaa ja pornoa. Vähempikin olisi riittänyt, jotta homman pointti olisi tullut selväksi. Tällaisenaan liika roiskuttelu söi tunnelmaa.
Henkilöt olivat suurimmaksi osaksi äärimmilleen karrikoituja. Tapahtumat kulkivat ennustettavasti aina sen pahimman kaavan mukaan. Juonet onnistuivat välillä ihan mallikkaasti, lovecraftiaanisessa maailmassa liikuttiin taustojen osalta. Yhteiskuntakritiikki ja kansankodin kiillotetun pinnan alla muhiva nihilismi ja paha olo saivat osansa.
Kyllä Pohjoiset kultit kannattaa lukea, varsinkin, jos ns. rankka kuvasto viehättää. Tarinat jäivät mieleen, joten turhanpäiväisestä teoksesta ei ole kysymys. Ei vain ollut meikäläisen maulle sopiva.
July 24, 2015
Anders Fagerin "Pohjoiset kultit: kauhukertomuksia" (Atena, 2012) sisältää yhdeksän novellia, jotka pääosin sijoittuvat nykyhetken Ruotsiin. Fagerin lähtökohdat ovat lähtökohtaisesti ihan kiinnostavia, mutta etenkin pitemmissä tarinoissaan hän sortuu jaarittelemaan tyhjänpäiväisiä ("Ikuista onnea Östermalmilla", "Neiti Wittin suuri taideteos") ja on pitkästyttää lukijansa hengiltä.
Parhaiten mieleen jäävät kokoelman avaava novelli "Pikkukaupungin raivottaret", joka onnistuu olemaan ihan sulava Lovecraftin perillinen metsän mustine pukkeineen päivineen. Suuren pohjan sodan viimeisiin vuosiin sijoittuva "Murtuneen miehen toivomus" ei ole sekään hassumpi. Muuten kokoelmasta ei jäänyt oikein mitään käteen.
Jos haluatte lukea ruotsalaista kauhua, niin etsikää mieluummin käsiinne joku John Ajvide Lindqvistin teoksista.
Parhaiten mieleen jäävät kokoelman avaava novelli "Pikkukaupungin raivottaret", joka onnistuu olemaan ihan sulava Lovecraftin perillinen metsän mustine pukkeineen päivineen. Suuren pohjan sodan viimeisiin vuosiin sijoittuva "Murtuneen miehen toivomus" ei ole sekään hassumpi. Muuten kokoelmasta ei jäänyt oikein mitään käteen.
Jos haluatte lukea ruotsalaista kauhua, niin etsikää mieluummin käsiinne joku John Ajvide Lindqvistin teoksista.
May 25, 2018
Det här var inte alls vad jag hade väntat mig. Av någon anledning fick jag för mig att det var en faktabok om kulter när jag lånade från Biblio. Men jag tyckte fortfarande att den var bra, tack gode gud för det eftersom man är begränsad till 3 e-lån i månaden på mitt bibliotek.
Vissa av novellerna var jättebra medan andra var sämre. Två stycken förstod jag inte riktigt vad som hände vilket drog ner rejält. Jag tror att jag gick in med tanken att det skulle vara skräcknoveller (efter att jag förstått att det var noveller) men det var inte riktigt så heller.
Helt okej bok men ska man rekommendera till någon så kan det vara bra att veta att det är mycket blod, inälvor, droger och sex. Ibland allt på en och samma gång. Men mitt eget tonårsjag kände igen lite i hur jag brukade skriva då. Jag tror att mitt mest använda ord var kött haha.
Vissa av novellerna var jättebra medan andra var sämre. Två stycken förstod jag inte riktigt vad som hände vilket drog ner rejält. Jag tror att jag gick in med tanken att det skulle vara skräcknoveller (efter att jag förstått att det var noveller) men det var inte riktigt så heller.
Helt okej bok men ska man rekommendera till någon så kan det vara bra att veta att det är mycket blod, inälvor, droger och sex. Ibland allt på en och samma gång. Men mitt eget tonårsjag kände igen lite i hur jag brukade skriva då. Jag tror att mitt mest använda ord var kött haha.
November 21, 2019
Non credo basti buttare la un paio di "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn" e di "Iä! Iä! Shub-Niggurath!", per credersi gli eredi di Lovecraft, e neanche per seguirne le orme.
Secondo me Anders Fager, non ha mai letto Lovecraft, o saprebbe che per avvicinarsi al solitario, serve atmosfera, servono situazioni claustrofobiche, descrizioni dettagliatissime, pazzia a vagonate, orrori innominabili e ovviamente geometrie non euclidee. Qui purtroppo non troverete nulla di tutto ciò. Al terzo racconto già sbadigliavo per la noi.
Un altro Thomas Ligotti, sopravvalutato.
Secondo me Anders Fager, non ha mai letto Lovecraft, o saprebbe che per avvicinarsi al solitario, serve atmosfera, servono situazioni claustrofobiche, descrizioni dettagliatissime, pazzia a vagonate, orrori innominabili e ovviamente geometrie non euclidee. Qui purtroppo non troverete nulla di tutto ciò. Al terzo racconto già sbadigliavo per la noi.
Un altro Thomas Ligotti, sopravvalutato.
February 8, 2024
I quite enjoyed this but some of it was just tedious filler. It never quite achieved what I hoped from it.
September 4, 2023
Lovecraftian horror set in Sweden, eldritch gods lurking in the idyllic suburbia? Intriguing, to say the least! Could this give John Ajvide Lindqvist a run for his money?
Well - no. Not in a long shot.
The main problem is one of literary skill - I could not stand the insanely short sentances. Some concepts were interesting, but the execution… just bad.
Gave up after reading two of the collections five stories.
Well - no. Not in a long shot.
The main problem is one of literary skill - I could not stand the insanely short sentances. Some concepts were interesting, but the execution… just bad.
Gave up after reading two of the collections five stories.
July 7, 2019
Ei erityisen hyvä kokoelma, mutta luettava.
November 22, 2022
Deeply engaging orgy of blood (with some minor flaws)
Rating: 8/10
Swedish Cults was one of my most anticipated books of 2022. Anders Fager's entry in The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories, titled Backstairs, astonished me as one of the most fun and depraved pieces of short horror I have come across. Expectations were high and I think that, for the most part, this volume satisfies them.
The opening story The Furies From Boras is my favorite from the book, a perfect mix of Clive Barker and Lovecraft. I would absolutely kill to see the story turned into a graphic novel. Grandma's Journey works less as horror and more as weird dark fiction. It gave me Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas vibes, with extra violence to spice things up. The Broken Man's Wish is my second favorite entry, a great historical and folk horror piece that is deeply depressing. Miss Witt's Great Work feels very much like the written version of a David Cronenberg film. There are many unanswered questions by the end of the story, but the writing and atmosphere are strong enough to make up for that issue.
Happy Forever in Ostermalm is the weakest story here. The protagonist is dull and her decisions made little sense to me, plus the twist at the end of the story is too predictable. Furthermore I think Mr. Fager needs to do some research on the differences between Hellenic Macedonians (the ethnicity that his protagonist is supposed to be) and Slavic Macedonians; the political tensions between the two groups and why giving a slavic surname (plus a non-Greek first name) to a Hellenic character is problematic, dare I say offensive?
The Fragments that are included are fun little breaks between the main stories, and I hope one day Mr. Fager will write a second volume with full versions of these teasers.
Overall another strong release from Valancourt Books and a must-read for those who like their horror weird and depraved.
Rating: 8/10
Swedish Cults was one of my most anticipated books of 2022. Anders Fager's entry in The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories, titled Backstairs, astonished me as one of the most fun and depraved pieces of short horror I have come across. Expectations were high and I think that, for the most part, this volume satisfies them.
The opening story The Furies From Boras is my favorite from the book, a perfect mix of Clive Barker and Lovecraft. I would absolutely kill to see the story turned into a graphic novel. Grandma's Journey works less as horror and more as weird dark fiction. It gave me Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas vibes, with extra violence to spice things up. The Broken Man's Wish is my second favorite entry, a great historical and folk horror piece that is deeply depressing. Miss Witt's Great Work feels very much like the written version of a David Cronenberg film. There are many unanswered questions by the end of the story, but the writing and atmosphere are strong enough to make up for that issue.
Happy Forever in Ostermalm is the weakest story here. The protagonist is dull and her decisions made little sense to me, plus the twist at the end of the story is too predictable. Furthermore I think Mr. Fager needs to do some research on the differences between Hellenic Macedonians (the ethnicity that his protagonist is supposed to be) and Slavic Macedonians; the political tensions between the two groups and why giving a slavic surname (plus a non-Greek first name) to a Hellenic character is problematic, dare I say offensive?
The Fragments that are included are fun little breaks between the main stories, and I hope one day Mr. Fager will write a second volume with full versions of these teasers.
Overall another strong release from Valancourt Books and a must-read for those who like their horror weird and depraved.
March 17, 2024
Fager, Anders - Swedish Cults
Nordic horror, Swedish horror, not necessarily based on any HPL Mythos. Fager has his own voice and is not a follower.
The opener, “The Furies From Borås” is full throttle sex, drugs and blood. An overdose of all three, swirling around the riot grrrls, barely of age, yet keepers from time immemorial of the forest entity.
Zami and Janoch are tasked with bringing the oldest relative to the new home. From Romania to Sweden. By van. Neither has driven before, neither can read maps. Both are outsiders to what we perceive as “our world”. “Grandma’s Journey” is the long trip between.
For those who view sex as a spectator sport “Miss Witt’s Great Work” will entice. Miss Witt is a porn star de jour. As with the overwhelming majority of film luminaries and popular musicians, fame is but a fleeting passage. Ours is the era of temporary celebrities. For Miss Witt, who has enacted and reproduced all manner of genital monstrosities, how can she maintain, let along top herself? For voyeurs everywhere, who prefer to watch.
Scattered between stores are tantalizing fragments, unfinished stories of promise.
Note - As of 2024 03 13, there are still signed postcards for the HC.
Nordic horror, Swedish horror, not necessarily based on any HPL Mythos. Fager has his own voice and is not a follower.
The opener, “The Furies From Borås” is full throttle sex, drugs and blood. An overdose of all three, swirling around the riot grrrls, barely of age, yet keepers from time immemorial of the forest entity.
Zami and Janoch are tasked with bringing the oldest relative to the new home. From Romania to Sweden. By van. Neither has driven before, neither can read maps. Both are outsiders to what we perceive as “our world”. “Grandma’s Journey” is the long trip between.
For those who view sex as a spectator sport “Miss Witt’s Great Work” will entice. Miss Witt is a porn star de jour. As with the overwhelming majority of film luminaries and popular musicians, fame is but a fleeting passage. Ours is the era of temporary celebrities. For Miss Witt, who has enacted and reproduced all manner of genital monstrosities, how can she maintain, let along top herself? For voyeurs everywhere, who prefer to watch.
Scattered between stores are tantalizing fragments, unfinished stories of promise.
Note - As of 2024 03 13, there are still signed postcards for the HC.
July 15, 2023
Racconti scritti con frasi brevissime, in una sorta di puntinismo letterario che mi è piaciuto assai.
Di contro, pare di vedere il sole di mezzanotte: un lento tramonto che fissi per decine di minuti in attesa di poter dire "ah, ma allora è successo e non me ne sono accorto". Costruzioni minuziose e lente, lo straordinario è sbattuto in faccia fin dalla prima pagina se va bene, lasciato dietro un sipario di normalità e appena accennato se va male, costruito impercettibilmente per poi accadere fuori scena se va malissimo. Non è Shining-libro con Torrance che impazzisce un picogrammo alla volta, nè Shining-film in cui Nicholson è normale in un fotogramma e sbrocca nel successivo, è proprio come vedere gli ultimi dieci minuti di uno slasher: tutto è già successo e la parte inquietante ci deve esser stata per forza.
Solo che gli ultimi dieci minuti di uno slasher li vedi per sbaglio.
Di contro, pare di vedere il sole di mezzanotte: un lento tramonto che fissi per decine di minuti in attesa di poter dire "ah, ma allora è successo e non me ne sono accorto". Costruzioni minuziose e lente, lo straordinario è sbattuto in faccia fin dalla prima pagina se va bene, lasciato dietro un sipario di normalità e appena accennato se va male, costruito impercettibilmente per poi accadere fuori scena se va malissimo. Non è Shining-libro con Torrance che impazzisce un picogrammo alla volta, nè Shining-film in cui Nicholson è normale in un fotogramma e sbrocca nel successivo, è proprio come vedere gli ultimi dieci minuti di uno slasher: tutto è già successo e la parte inquietante ci deve esser stata per forza.
Solo che gli ultimi dieci minuti di uno slasher li vedi per sbaglio.
February 8, 2025
Ancient horrors are found deep in the northern woods where the sun doesn’t shine for months; the true cost of art and of fame are found only in the eldritch world of Carcosa; the keys to horrors beyond imagination unlock doors to terrifying new worlds.
Swedish Cults take some of Lovecraft’s best works and ideas and transposes them into a new Old World. The results are mixed: good ideas and uneven execution but for the most part, this is a successful project to retell Mythos stories in the modern day.
“Furies of Borås” - girl power gone mad as a group of Swedish teens summon an elder god but the sacrifice planned goes horribly wrong. One of my favourites in this set.
“Grandma’s Journey” - a supernatural road trip goes wrong, plenty of references to keys and Nyarlathotep but without a strong enough payoff.
“The Broken Man’s Wish” - the horrors of war and the capriciousness of a greater evil summoned to exact revenge but when one seeks revenge, best dig two graves. Brutal and cruel descriptions of war but overall not the strongest resolution.
“Happy Forever on Östermalm” - “The Case of Charles Dexter Ward” retold by nouveau riches Swedes, a study on the true cost of power and wealth.
“Miss Witt’s Great Work” - true art is found in the twisted city of Carcosa but the price to be paid for it is too much to bear for Miss Witt. Another one of my favourites.
Swedish Cults take some of Lovecraft’s best works and ideas and transposes them into a new Old World. The results are mixed: good ideas and uneven execution but for the most part, this is a successful project to retell Mythos stories in the modern day.
“Furies of Borås” - girl power gone mad as a group of Swedish teens summon an elder god but the sacrifice planned goes horribly wrong. One of my favourites in this set.
“Grandma’s Journey” - a supernatural road trip goes wrong, plenty of references to keys and Nyarlathotep but without a strong enough payoff.
“The Broken Man’s Wish” - the horrors of war and the capriciousness of a greater evil summoned to exact revenge but when one seeks revenge, best dig two graves. Brutal and cruel descriptions of war but overall not the strongest resolution.
“Happy Forever on Östermalm” - “The Case of Charles Dexter Ward” retold by nouveau riches Swedes, a study on the true cost of power and wealth.
“Miss Witt’s Great Work” - true art is found in the twisted city of Carcosa but the price to be paid for it is too much to bear for Miss Witt. Another one of my favourites.
May 21, 2022
più un 3 e mezzo in realtà ma preferisco abbondare!
narrazioni moderne ciniche di un mondo permeato da divinità e creature lovecraftiane, il libro è un insieme di racconti che variano dal veramente ottimi, pieni di idee e spunti brillanti, al piuttosto banale, ma comunque ben scritti. ho trovato i racconti che chiudono la raccolta i più deboli, sia per il ritmo (si strascicano molto più a lungo del dovuto) che per i temi molto meno interessanti rispetto ai precedenti, il che è un peccato perché rompe l’ottimo momentum che si stava costruendo e fa finire tutto su una nota un po’ stonata.
comunque una bella lettura, decisamente raccomandato agli amanti di lovecraft e della letteratura horror e weird!
narrazioni moderne ciniche di un mondo permeato da divinità e creature lovecraftiane, il libro è un insieme di racconti che variano dal veramente ottimi, pieni di idee e spunti brillanti, al piuttosto banale, ma comunque ben scritti. ho trovato i racconti che chiudono la raccolta i più deboli, sia per il ritmo (si strascicano molto più a lungo del dovuto) che per i temi molto meno interessanti rispetto ai precedenti, il che è un peccato perché rompe l’ottimo momentum che si stava costruendo e fa finire tutto su una nota un po’ stonata.
comunque una bella lettura, decisamente raccomandato agli amanti di lovecraft e della letteratura horror e weird!
January 6, 2023
I feel bait and switched. The first story was great, though the ending was a bit disappointing--but a solid four stars. The werewolf story was more extreme but also good. Then we get into some seriously homophobic stuff, liberally laced with xenophobia, Islamophobia, and racism. To be fair, some of those elements were there in trace amounts in earlier stories, but... just, ugh. I never DNF but I don't think I have the heart to go back to this one. I'm disappointed in Valancourt, though I suppose it's in line with what their core market reads. Fager does have a strong voice, in translation at least, and to give him credit, his female characters have depth and nuance. But I feel like I have to take a bath.
October 26, 2017
Started reading this book as part of #Deweysreadathon, #Readathon
A really great collection of modern horror story with its roots in Lovecraft's Cthulhu/Yog-Sothoth mythos. It becomes veary interesting since the stories are written in a Scandinavian environment and context, which creates a feeling of uneasines towards my own surrounding, since I live in the miljö. Thought the book had to much of sexual content and motives, which made me put a 4/5 instead of 5/5.
I highly recommend this book for any Lovecraft- or horror enthusiasts.
A really great collection of modern horror story with its roots in Lovecraft's Cthulhu/Yog-Sothoth mythos. It becomes veary interesting since the stories are written in a Scandinavian environment and context, which creates a feeling of uneasines towards my own surrounding, since I live in the miljö. Thought the book had to much of sexual content and motives, which made me put a 4/5 instead of 5/5.
I highly recommend this book for any Lovecraft- or horror enthusiasts.
January 7, 2018
Pohjoiset kultit on olevinaan kokoelma lovecraftilaisia kauhunovelleja, mutta Cthulhun tarustoa Fager sivuaa vain mausteeksi. Yliluonnollisten elementtien lomassa ruoditaan ruotsalaista yhteiskuntaa mm. maahanmuuton (Mummin matka), julkisuuden ja feminismin (Neiti Wittin suuri taideteos) ja luokkayhteiskunnan (Ikuista onnea Östermalmilla) näkökulmista. Viimeksi mainittu nousi suosikikseni. Groteskissa loppukohtauksessa Fager maalailee, mitä Ruotsin yläluokka tekee työväenluokalle - onneksi kuitenkin liukastetta käyttäen.
Fager nousee genrensä yläpuolelle. Täysosuma.
Fager nousee genrensä yläpuolelle. Täysosuma.
November 1, 2018
Tämä tarttui mukaan alennuspöydästä saatteella "jos sä kerran tykkäät Clive Barkerista, saattaisit tykätä tästäkin".
Olihan tämä. Pidin siitä, kuinka kokonaisuus oli rakennettu löyhälti yhteen liittyvistä palasista, sekä siitä, kuinka epämukavan epäkorrekti tämä oli. Sen sijaan tarinat olivat melko ennalta-arvattavia ja osin pitkitettyjä. Vähemmälläkin olisi tullut selväksi.
Joka tapauksessa, Anders Fager on nimi, jonka pidän mielessä. Vaikken kaikesta pitäisi, tuntuu, että joukkoon saattaa eksyä helmiä.
Olihan tämä. Pidin siitä, kuinka kokonaisuus oli rakennettu löyhälti yhteen liittyvistä palasista, sekä siitä, kuinka epämukavan epäkorrekti tämä oli. Sen sijaan tarinat olivat melko ennalta-arvattavia ja osin pitkitettyjä. Vähemmälläkin olisi tullut selväksi.
Joka tapauksessa, Anders Fager on nimi, jonka pidän mielessä. Vaikken kaikesta pitäisi, tuntuu, että joukkoon saattaa eksyä helmiä.
November 2, 2023
I bought this as I was heading to Sweden on Halloween and wanted some Swedish horror to read. It's all well woven into a Lovecraftian world and there are certainly some horrific scenes. The author has managed to avoid many of the clichés that festoon Lovecraft homages set in the real world but fails, as most writers do, to capture that sense of unease and of cosmic terror that HP for all his purple prose managed to do so well. Nevertheless there are some excellent stories in this collection and it's well worth a read.
May 2, 2024
This review just would not gel. All I have are some notes.
Purple tentacles. Dark rituals. Evil European, Yog-Sothoth sex cult stuff. Fertility ceremonies conducted by highschool girls. Perverse sacrifices to the Black Goat of the Woods and her thousand young (Ia!) "Sweedish Lovecraft on Acid." What's with half the book being senseless 'fragments'?
After all the hype (this book was compared to Barker's Books of Blood) I was disappointed in this one. Three stars because it was kind of titillating in a garish way.
Purple tentacles. Dark rituals. Evil European, Yog-Sothoth sex cult stuff. Fertility ceremonies conducted by highschool girls. Perverse sacrifices to the Black Goat of the Woods and her thousand young (Ia!) "Sweedish Lovecraft on Acid." What's with half the book being senseless 'fragments'?
After all the hype (this book was compared to Barker's Books of Blood) I was disappointed in this one. Three stars because it was kind of titillating in a garish way.
August 31, 2024
Amazing reworking of Lovecraftian themes mixed with swedish culture and society, black humor and modern gruesome horror Clive Barker or Laird Barron style: gory, heady, hallucinogen and cosmic. Love it and highly recommends for fans of those themes.
The Furies from Borås ☆☆☆☆☆
Fragment I ☆☆☆☆
Grandma’s Journey ☆☆☆☆☆
Fragment II ☆☆☆
The Broken Man's Wish ☆☆☆
Fragment III ☆☆☆
Happy forever on Östermalm ☆☆☆☆
Fragment IV ☆☆☆
Miss Witt’s Great Work ☆☆☆☆
The Furies from Borås ☆☆☆☆☆
Fragment I ☆☆☆☆
Grandma’s Journey ☆☆☆☆☆
Fragment II ☆☆☆
The Broken Man's Wish ☆☆☆
Fragment III ☆☆☆
Happy forever on Östermalm ☆☆☆☆
Fragment IV ☆☆☆
Miss Witt’s Great Work ☆☆☆☆
June 16, 2023
Fager has a strong voice and the stories are original. BUT, women are only ever mentioned in Swedish Cults in relation to sex. Nothing else. They have little character, are abused and to be honest are not understood. Personally, I think comparisons to Lovecraft are inflated, as most of these stories are crude. I am disappointed, and a little bit angry at the misogyny on display here. Not for me.
September 18, 2023
A quite brilliant set of short stories which I didn't expect to enjoy due to some of the more graphic and explicit elements to the first story. I think if there is one collection that will stay with me it is this one.
A stunning modern day tribute to the horror fiction of the original weird tales era which often surpases the source material it draws from. I cannot recommend this highly enough
A stunning modern day tribute to the horror fiction of the original weird tales era which often surpases the source material it draws from. I cannot recommend this highly enough
April 26, 2025
I usually don’t like anthologies. But I would have finished this one sooner if it weren’t for a career change. Anyway, this is bizarre stuff and even tho you can’t pronounce many of the names and places, it stays interesting. The Witt/porn star ending is the highlight even if it’s a little long. A unique book.
September 30, 2025
3.6 Rating
This book was an impulse purchase at a small local bookshop for a quick read between books in a series. This was a wild read honestly but I enjoyed every minute of it. The first and final stories were my personal favorites. I gave this to a friend in our book exchange and they enjoyed it as well.
This book was an impulse purchase at a small local bookshop for a quick read between books in a series. This was a wild read honestly but I enjoyed every minute of it. The first and final stories were my personal favorites. I gave this to a friend in our book exchange and they enjoyed it as well.
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