Grim Investigations: Arkham Horror: The Collected Novellas, Vol. 2

Arkham Horror #9.7-9.8, 11.5

by Jennifer Brozek, Richard Lee Byers, Amanda Downum

The bold investigators of Arkham Horror are humanity’s best hope against monstrous terrors from beyond the void, in this second collection of extraordinary eldritch novellas

'To Fight the Black Wind' by Jennifer Brozek:

Psychologist Carolyn Fern’s treatment of a patient’s terrifying nightmares tears open a doorway into the Dreamlands and the Elder Gods.

'The Blood of Baalshandor' by Richard Lee Byers:

The arcane tomes of Miskatonic University are an irresistible lure for stage magician, Dexter Drake and his assistant Molly Maxwell, where they soon fall prey to dark forces.

'Dark Revelations' by Amanda Downum:

When author Gloria Goldberg visits Arkham to complete the unfinished novel of her fellow author, its words escape the page and transform Arkham.

Genres: Horror, Novella, Lovecraftian, Mystery, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fantasy

387 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2022

About the author

Jennifer Brozek is a multi-talented, award-winning author, editor, and media tie-in writer. She is the author of the Never Let Me Sleep, and The Last Days of Salton Academy, both of which were nominated for the Bram Stoker Award. Her BattleTech tie-in novel, The Nellus Academy Incident, won a Scribe Award. Her editing work has netted her Bram Stoker Award, British Fantasy Award, and Hugo Award nominations. She won the Australian Shadows Award for the Grants Pass anthology. Jennifer’s short form work has appeared in Apex Publications, Uncanny Magazine, and in anthologies set in the worlds of Valdemar, Shadowrun, V-Wars, Masters of Orion, and Predator. Jennifer is also the Creative Director of Apocalypse Ink Productions.

Jennifer has been a freelance author and editor for over ten years after leaving her high paying tech job, and she’s never been happier. She keeps a tight schedule on her writing and editing projects and somehow manages to find time to volunteer for several professional writing organizations such as SFWA, HWA, and IAMTW. She shares her husband, Jeff, with several cats and often uses him as a sounding board for her story ideas. Visit Jennifer’s worlds at jenniferbrozek.com.

Reviews

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 3 out of 5]

This.is a compilation of three novelas which I have been reading and reviewing and then we've got 6 extra short stories that connect with each novella... Are they worth it? No. Are they interesting... Well since I've read the first novelas early last year I didn't remember much . Others that are more recent I enjoy them. Even so my favourite was reading the first one by Jenny. It read like a Indiana Jones stuff

[R. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sometimes there's a book so bad that it makes you want to take a melon corer to your eyeballs. This was one of those books. I cannot recommend avoiding this enough. I struggled through each story in this particular book hoping that it would rise to the abysmal depths of mediocrity that could earn it a second star, but alas, they did not.

[Lori · Rating 1 out of 5]

Audio version has a male voice for a first person female character which is way too distracting. I didn’t get past the 5th chapter. Maybe I’m missing something this is the first book I’ve read of Jennifer Brozek. Such good reviews, I might try again someday but not today.

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The three novellas were quite good. The shorter origin stories were... very short.

To Fight the Black Wind is an introduction to the dream lands that play so prominently in future novels, such as the Cult of the Spider Queen.

The Blood of Baalshandor is a great standalone story about an elder god seeking to return from its destruction at the hands of another elder god.

Dark Revelations is about the book of endings and is very good! Reminds me of Duma Key.

[Sabrina Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

These 3 novellas are really good! I may be biased as I like all the investigators these stories center around: the psychologist, the magician & the writer. I read the other collected novellas & they were okay but forgettable. I am a huge fan of anything Lovecraftian/mythos related & I've played a few of the games that feature these characters. Check this one out before the other one!

[Christoph Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the first story at the same time I read Neil Gaiman's Sandman, and so I was suitably confused about the two dreamlands and especially their similarities. SOmetimes it felt like a straight rip-off.

Kind of a mixed bag in the end. Not bad, the last story was very un-lovecraftian, which might not be a bad thing but gave of a completely different vibe.

[Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun pulpy read with great atmosphere. The characters and plots really are just tools for the boardgames, but I still very much enjoy these stories!

[Chris Larcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

To Fight the Black Wind - 4/5
Blood Of Baalshandor - 3/5
Dark Revelations - 2/5

[Michael Botterill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great set of stories, all very gripping

[Eoin Beirne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun stories, would reccomend

[Bjorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun! I liked this volume more than the first, though that might be because Gloria Goldberg and Carolyn Fern are two of my favorite AH Investigators.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

At least it wasn't political.

Kidding aside this is a great book for young readers to jump into horror. Nothing too gory or scary. Has some nice creepy imagery for youngsters.