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Cthulhu Unbound #1
Cthulhu Unbound, Vol. 1
Imagine being free. Free from everything that defines you, that makes you easily recognizable as who you are. Welcome to a place where bleak noir cityscapes share a Technicolor sky with combat fighters, where you can find gunslingers from the Old West and a lost chapter from a literary classic, all with something in common: Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. This is a place where the Crawling Chaos has to solve his own murder and the Old Ones come up against the Gods of Las Vegas, a place where the new player in London's underground isn't human and masked heroes go toe-to-tentacle with eldritch horrors. This is a Mythos collection unlike any other. This is Lovecraft in many colors, many guises. This is Cthulhu--Unbound
265 pages, Paperback
First published March 30, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 6, 2011
DECEMBER 7:
"The Patriot" by John Goodrich:
This was quite a departure from your average Cthulhu Mythos story. And what a departure!
This story about a French pilot in WWI meeting a ghoul in No Man's Land does have its Lovecraftian feel, though, both in terms of touching (relevantly) the notion of man's insignificance and in terms of some stylistic fun. The latter is mostly in Goodrich's use of italics in the final line!
It was actually nice to read a story that seems more connected with HPL's earlier tales, in dealing with the macabre decidedly more than the cosmicism. And it works. A wonderful story.
DECEMBER 9:
"The Invasion Out of Time" by Trent Roman:
What would happen if the alien monsters from "The Shadow Out of Time" popped up amidst mankind in its glory, and we ended up battling them, for pure survival? Well, here's a suggestion that is well-thought out and -executed. And it does not bode well for us;-)
This story took some time for me to get into, mostly because it takes place in an elitarian, Chinese military culture set in the future. But getting to "know" this setting was well worth my time and efforts, for rarely have I seen such efficient and well-executed consequences of the whole mind-bending clash between our laws & rationality and "the Other"s outsideness and chaos. Phew.
The protagonist and his generals are clever, but, alas, things turn out not to be what they (or the reader) suspect. There's a well written plot, I tell ya.
Madness is bound to take over... And it does!
DECEMBER 10:
"The Covenant" by Kim Paffenroth:
This story is presented as a lost, original chapter 23 of Moby Dick. A very clever idea. Unfortunately it left me disinterested. Sigh. It didn't work for me. Intellectually I can appreciate the idea, but that's all. Bigger sigh. I am sorry to say, but no matter how much I wanted to like the story it didn't work for me.
JANUARY 25, 2010:
"Star-Crossed" by Bennet Reilly:
Shub-Niggurath meets her husband Hastur in a forest, after aeons of waiting, and domestic issues (related to their basic nature being so very different) enter their conversation.
I suspect that I am too serious-minded for this kind of story. It didn't work for me, it was too whimsical--or, in any case, too humorous in tone. Nothing here I could take the least serious. That's not the author's fault, but a matter of reading preferences. But I do not hope there are more of these "funny" pieces in the anthology. That would have a negative effect on my rating.
FEBRUARY 21, 2010:
"James and the Dark Grimoire" by Kevin Lauderdale:
A flippant, humorous piece. Not the kind of story I like.
MARCH 17, 2010:
"In Our Darkest Hour" by Steven Graham:
Another story attempting humor--and fast-paced action sequences. It just doesn't work for me, sorry. (It had me thinking of an odd kind of "Hellboy"-like story, btw.) Blending Mythos with dark noir P.I. narrator stories demands a fine balance--and this one failed, IMO. It had its moments, but too few in between and as a whole I was left disatisfied.
I know that stories like this have an audience, and that's fine. I'm just not part of that group.
APRIL 4:
"Blood Bags and Tentacles" by D. L. Snell:
This one worked surprisingly well. There is a tone of humor, but it is downplayed, which I greatly appreciate--and the result is a poignant story taking place after the world has been taken by the Others and humankind is trying desperately to survive underground.
While it seems futile and perhaps even stupid that the protagonist goes outside to find his lost brother, there is enough trait of real humanity in such an action to warrant it; and for some of the others to follow him. The action sequences are an acceptable blend of, well, action and dread, and a pinch of humor. I liked it. I also enjoyed the dark noir/hardboiled PI-like tone of voice.
Enjoyable and recommended.
MAY 23:
"Bubba Cthulhu's Last Stand" by Lisa H. Hilton:
Another "funny" piece... Unfortunately I don't find it funny at all. Sorry, guys (and girls--notice that the author of this story is female), I just don't like this kind of story.
MAY 27:
"The Hindenburg Manifesto" by Lee Clark Zumpe:
An okay story. I thought the beginning was quite strong, but as the story moved forward the tale itself and the execution turned weaker. All in all "okay," but not as good as I was hoping for after reading the first two-three pages.
I have a suspicion this story would have benefited from being longer. There are quite a number of interesting ideas, but in too little space and therefore too much is resolved too hastily and in an unbelieavable manner, in my opinion. But--the idea itself is a fine blend of the Mythos (if I say "Nyarlathotep" you will know that illusions and trickeries are central elements to the story's heart) with Nazis, ancient orders fighting evil, pulp-style (yes, such a style can work, in the right hands), and noir-like characters (although they too need fleshing-out [no, that is not a pun!;-):] to really work in the story).
MAY 29:
"Hellstone and Brimfire" by Doug Goodman:
The Derleth Mythos meet a Western story... Or something like that...
The story fascinated me. Kudos to the author for that. Admittedly, when it comes down to it I didn't think much of it in terms of being Lovecraftian (that would be hard to do), but it was something else, something new, some new, odd blend of things... And generally OK written.
JUNE 3:
"Turf" by Rick Moore:
The shadow of "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" looms over this story. In terms of an underlying theme and ending; not in terms of writing style and storytelling, mind you.
I was intrigued all the way through. The voice in the story was bordering on the clicheed Mob-language & intended as "funny" in its hardboiled tone... But on the whole it worked OK. Not the greatest story ever, but with nice sequences throughout.
JUNE 29:
"The Menagerie" by Ben Thomas:
A Prince wants to collect the most exotic, occult creatures possible. He gets the right man for the job... Who turns out to be, well, perhaps too good at his job;-)
I found this story charming in its odd way. Not the best story I've ever read--not at all--but despite its simplicity I found it interesting enough to read through. With funny enough, obvious jokes at the genre and its monsters. OK entertainment.
AUGUST 28 2011:
"THE SHADOW OVER LAS VEGAS" BY JOHN CLAUDE SMITH: Another "funny" piece. Not my thing. Moving on.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2011:
"LOCKED ROOM" BY C. J. HENDERSON:
The action sequences worked well enough for me to want to read on. A shame too much was centered on the hardboiled tone of voice and the attempts at describing the otherworldly failed.
It was funny enough to meet Legrasse etc. in a new story but all in all it wasn't exactly my cup of tea. OK, though.
To sum up this anthology I will say it lives up to being "genre-blending." Kudos to the editors for that. Admittedly, quite a number of the tales were not the kind I appreciate. That alone tempts me to give only 2 stars. However, there are also some very noteworthy stories herein, of a very high quality. So I end up with an average of 3 stars.
"The Patriot" by John Goodrich:
This was quite a departure from your average Cthulhu Mythos story. And what a departure!
This story about a French pilot in WWI meeting a ghoul in No Man's Land does have its Lovecraftian feel, though, both in terms of touching (relevantly) the notion of man's insignificance and in terms of some stylistic fun. The latter is mostly in Goodrich's use of italics in the final line!
It was actually nice to read a story that seems more connected with HPL's earlier tales, in dealing with the macabre decidedly more than the cosmicism. And it works. A wonderful story.
DECEMBER 9:
"The Invasion Out of Time" by Trent Roman:
What would happen if the alien monsters from "The Shadow Out of Time" popped up amidst mankind in its glory, and we ended up battling them, for pure survival? Well, here's a suggestion that is well-thought out and -executed. And it does not bode well for us;-)
This story took some time for me to get into, mostly because it takes place in an elitarian, Chinese military culture set in the future. But getting to "know" this setting was well worth my time and efforts, for rarely have I seen such efficient and well-executed consequences of the whole mind-bending clash between our laws & rationality and "the Other"s outsideness and chaos. Phew.
The protagonist and his generals are clever, but, alas, things turn out not to be what they (or the reader) suspect. There's a well written plot, I tell ya.
Madness is bound to take over... And it does!
DECEMBER 10:
"The Covenant" by Kim Paffenroth:
This story is presented as a lost, original chapter 23 of Moby Dick. A very clever idea. Unfortunately it left me disinterested. Sigh. It didn't work for me. Intellectually I can appreciate the idea, but that's all. Bigger sigh. I am sorry to say, but no matter how much I wanted to like the story it didn't work for me.
JANUARY 25, 2010:
"Star-Crossed" by Bennet Reilly:
Shub-Niggurath meets her husband Hastur in a forest, after aeons of waiting, and domestic issues (related to their basic nature being so very different) enter their conversation.
I suspect that I am too serious-minded for this kind of story. It didn't work for me, it was too whimsical--or, in any case, too humorous in tone. Nothing here I could take the least serious. That's not the author's fault, but a matter of reading preferences. But I do not hope there are more of these "funny" pieces in the anthology. That would have a negative effect on my rating.
FEBRUARY 21, 2010:
"James and the Dark Grimoire" by Kevin Lauderdale:
A flippant, humorous piece. Not the kind of story I like.
MARCH 17, 2010:
"In Our Darkest Hour" by Steven Graham:
Another story attempting humor--and fast-paced action sequences. It just doesn't work for me, sorry. (It had me thinking of an odd kind of "Hellboy"-like story, btw.) Blending Mythos with dark noir P.I. narrator stories demands a fine balance--and this one failed, IMO. It had its moments, but too few in between and as a whole I was left disatisfied.
I know that stories like this have an audience, and that's fine. I'm just not part of that group.
APRIL 4:
"Blood Bags and Tentacles" by D. L. Snell:
This one worked surprisingly well. There is a tone of humor, but it is downplayed, which I greatly appreciate--and the result is a poignant story taking place after the world has been taken by the Others and humankind is trying desperately to survive underground.
While it seems futile and perhaps even stupid that the protagonist goes outside to find his lost brother, there is enough trait of real humanity in such an action to warrant it; and for some of the others to follow him. The action sequences are an acceptable blend of, well, action and dread, and a pinch of humor. I liked it. I also enjoyed the dark noir/hardboiled PI-like tone of voice.
Enjoyable and recommended.
MAY 23:
"Bubba Cthulhu's Last Stand" by Lisa H. Hilton:
Another "funny" piece... Unfortunately I don't find it funny at all. Sorry, guys (and girls--notice that the author of this story is female), I just don't like this kind of story.
MAY 27:
"The Hindenburg Manifesto" by Lee Clark Zumpe:
An okay story. I thought the beginning was quite strong, but as the story moved forward the tale itself and the execution turned weaker. All in all "okay," but not as good as I was hoping for after reading the first two-three pages.
I have a suspicion this story would have benefited from being longer. There are quite a number of interesting ideas, but in too little space and therefore too much is resolved too hastily and in an unbelieavable manner, in my opinion. But--the idea itself is a fine blend of the Mythos (if I say "Nyarlathotep" you will know that illusions and trickeries are central elements to the story's heart) with Nazis, ancient orders fighting evil, pulp-style (yes, such a style can work, in the right hands), and noir-like characters (although they too need fleshing-out [no, that is not a pun!;-):] to really work in the story).
MAY 29:
"Hellstone and Brimfire" by Doug Goodman:
The Derleth Mythos meet a Western story... Or something like that...
The story fascinated me. Kudos to the author for that. Admittedly, when it comes down to it I didn't think much of it in terms of being Lovecraftian (that would be hard to do), but it was something else, something new, some new, odd blend of things... And generally OK written.
JUNE 3:
"Turf" by Rick Moore:
The shadow of "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" looms over this story. In terms of an underlying theme and ending; not in terms of writing style and storytelling, mind you.
I was intrigued all the way through. The voice in the story was bordering on the clicheed Mob-language & intended as "funny" in its hardboiled tone... But on the whole it worked OK. Not the greatest story ever, but with nice sequences throughout.
JUNE 29:
"The Menagerie" by Ben Thomas:
A Prince wants to collect the most exotic, occult creatures possible. He gets the right man for the job... Who turns out to be, well, perhaps too good at his job;-)
I found this story charming in its odd way. Not the best story I've ever read--not at all--but despite its simplicity I found it interesting enough to read through. With funny enough, obvious jokes at the genre and its monsters. OK entertainment.
AUGUST 28 2011:
"THE SHADOW OVER LAS VEGAS" BY JOHN CLAUDE SMITH: Another "funny" piece. Not my thing. Moving on.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2011:
"LOCKED ROOM" BY C. J. HENDERSON:
The action sequences worked well enough for me to want to read on. A shame too much was centered on the hardboiled tone of voice and the attempts at describing the otherworldly failed.
It was funny enough to meet Legrasse etc. in a new story but all in all it wasn't exactly my cup of tea. OK, though.
To sum up this anthology I will say it lives up to being "genre-blending." Kudos to the editors for that. Admittedly, quite a number of the tales were not the kind I appreciate. That alone tempts me to give only 2 stars. However, there are also some very noteworthy stories herein, of a very high quality. So I end up with an average of 3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2009
For fans of Cthulhu and the Old Ones of Lovecraftian horror, this short story collection is a must have. It is definitely a must read.
I had a few personal favorites.
"Noir_Lathotep" was funny, sexy, scary and twisted. What a great take on the Old Ones with a film noir twist. I loved it from the first lines.
"James and the Dark Grimoire" was fabulously funny. I adored it.
And my absolute favorite was "Blood Bags and Tentacles" by D.L. Snell. I had the honor of appearing in another anthology with him, "Zombology," and both of his contributions blew me away. His post-apocalyptic take on the Old Ones was horrific, suspenseful, and gut-wrenching. Some of the images he painted in my mind will definitely be haunting my nightmares.
If you love Lovecraft, the tales of the Old Ones and Cthulhu himself, you have to check out this book. Your favorites may be different from mine, but you'll love it.
I had a few personal favorites.
"Noir_Lathotep" was funny, sexy, scary and twisted. What a great take on the Old Ones with a film noir twist. I loved it from the first lines.
"James and the Dark Grimoire" was fabulously funny. I adored it.
And my absolute favorite was "Blood Bags and Tentacles" by D.L. Snell. I had the honor of appearing in another anthology with him, "Zombology," and both of his contributions blew me away. His post-apocalyptic take on the Old Ones was horrific, suspenseful, and gut-wrenching. Some of the images he painted in my mind will definitely be haunting my nightmares.
If you love Lovecraft, the tales of the Old Ones and Cthulhu himself, you have to check out this book. Your favorites may be different from mine, but you'll love it.
October 21, 2012
A few good stories ('The Patriot' rocked) but mostly a pretty weak anthology.
March 14, 2018
I feel kind of bad only giving this collection 3 stars. There are some real gems here. Jame's and the Dark Grimoire has wonderful character dynamics and an unexpected yet enjoyable tongue and cheek aditued. Hellstone and Brimfire left me wanting more Lovecraftian westerns asap. Blood Bags and Tentacles offered up a creative and terrifying dystopian future that also left me wanting more from that nightmare world. The Menagerie was simply great and The Patriot has a satisfying ending that had me laughing.
Sadly however when it comes to the rest of the stories I could take or leave most of them. Noir-Lathotep has an amusing title but I couldn't accept the Crawling Chaos using words like toots and dam long enough to enjoy the story. I also ended up DNFing The Invasion and Bubba Cthulhu as they didn't hold my interest and it takes a lot for me to give up on a short story.
Despite only liking a third of the stories here I still have to recommend this collection for anyone craving something Lovecraftian. It's far from perfect but this should have at least a few stories that fit eveyones taste.
Sadly however when it comes to the rest of the stories I could take or leave most of them. Noir-Lathotep has an amusing title but I couldn't accept the Crawling Chaos using words like toots and dam long enough to enjoy the story. I also ended up DNFing The Invasion and Bubba Cthulhu as they didn't hold my interest and it takes a lot for me to give up on a short story.
Despite only liking a third of the stories here I still have to recommend this collection for anyone craving something Lovecraftian. It's far from perfect but this should have at least a few stories that fit eveyones taste.
March 25, 2012
An impressive collection of Lovecraftian tales intended to transcend what have become the familiar tropes of the genre, and I think it's safe at this point to consider the Cthulhu mythos a genre unto itself. Considering the vast bulk and variety of mythos stories out there, it's hard to imagine anyone covering new territory but 'Cthulhu Unbound' makes an admirable try. The stories are all over the place; crossover genres include gangsters ("Turf"), superheroics ("In Our Darkest Hour"), gumshoe detective ("Noir-Lathotep"), and even a not so oblique Hunter S. Thompson reference ("The Shadow Over Las Vegas"). Like any Lovecraftian anthology, the quality of writing and degree of connection to the Cthulhu mythos vary. However, this a strong collection with consistently good writing. Recommended.
James Pratt, author of 'When Dead Gods Dream: A Collection of Lovecraftian Short Stories'
James Pratt, author of 'When Dead Gods Dream: A Collection of Lovecraftian Short Stories'
January 28, 2017
There were some great stories in this volume using different genres to plow through the Mythos. A detective story caught my attention. Unfortunately, i didn't write my review right after and now my mind has gone foggy. Maybe I didn't really read this book?
There is a terrific story about that kind of thing too.
There is a terrific story about that kind of thing too.
January 4, 2014
Interesting take on the modern day cluthlu
May 29, 2016
Well written Mythos stories are always a winner! This collection of tales is a superb addition to the Cthulhu Mythos!
January 2, 2022
The Cthulhu Mythos as seen through the various lenses of different genres, from hard boiled to gonzo. Some nice ideas, but a lot which, for me, just didn't work.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews