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The Eerie Adventures of the Lycanthrope Robinson Crusoe
ROBINSON CRUSOE is one of the most enduring adventures of the past four centuries and one of the most well-known works in the English language. Or is it?
Recently discovered amidst the papers of the 20th century writer and historian H. P. Lovecraft is what claims to be the true story of Robinson Crusoe. Taken from the castaway’s own journals and memoirs, and fact-checked by Lovecraft himself, it is free from many of Defoe’s edits and alterations. From Lovecraft’s work a much smoother, simpler tale emerges--but also a far more disturbing one.
Here Crusoe is revealed as a man bearing the terrible curse of the werewolf and the guilt that comes with it--a man with no real incentive to leave his island prison. The cannibals who terrorized Crusoe are revealed to be less human than ever before hinted--worshippers of a malevolent octopus-headed god. And the island itself is a place of ancient, evil mysteries that threaten Crusoe’s sanity and his very soul.
This version of the classic tale, assembled by two legends of English literature and abridged by Peter Clines, is the terrifying supernatural true story of Robinson Crusoe as it has never been seen before.
Recently discovered amidst the papers of the 20th century writer and historian H. P. Lovecraft is what claims to be the true story of Robinson Crusoe. Taken from the castaway’s own journals and memoirs, and fact-checked by Lovecraft himself, it is free from many of Defoe’s edits and alterations. From Lovecraft’s work a much smoother, simpler tale emerges--but also a far more disturbing one.
Here Crusoe is revealed as a man bearing the terrible curse of the werewolf and the guilt that comes with it--a man with no real incentive to leave his island prison. The cannibals who terrorized Crusoe are revealed to be less human than ever before hinted--worshippers of a malevolent octopus-headed god. And the island itself is a place of ancient, evil mysteries that threaten Crusoe’s sanity and his very soul.
This version of the classic tale, assembled by two legends of English literature and abridged by Peter Clines, is the terrifying supernatural true story of Robinson Crusoe as it has never been seen before.
241 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2010
40 people are currently reading
794 people want to read
About the author
Peter Clines
33 books4,409 followers
Peter Clines
is the author of the genre-blending
-14-
and the
Ex-Heroes
series.
He grew up in the Stephen King fallout zone of Maine and--inspired by comic books, Star Wars, and Saturday morning cartoons--started writing at the age of eight with his first epic novel, Lizard Men From The Center of The Earth(unreleased).
He made his first writing sale at age seventeen to a local newspaper, and at the age of nineteen he completed his quadruple-PhD studies in English literature, archaeology, quantum physics, and interpretive dance. In 2008, while surfing Hawaii's Keauwaula Beach, he thought up a viable way to maintain cold fusion that would also solve world hunger, but forgot about it when he ran into actress Yvonne Strahvorski back on the beach and she offered to buy him a drink. He was the inspiration for both the epic poem Beowulf and the motion picture Raiders of the Lost Ark, and is single-handedly responsible for repelling the Martian Invasion of 1938 that occurred in Grovers Mills, New Jersey. Eleven sonnets he wrote to impress a girl in high school were all later found and attributed to Shakespeare.
He is the writer of countless film articles, several short stories, The Junkie Quatrain, the rarely-read The Eerie Adventures of the Lycanthrope Robinson Crusoe, the poorly-named website Writer on Writing , and an as-yet-undiscovered Dead Sea Scroll.
He currently lives and writes somewhere in southern California.
There is compelling evidence that he is, in fact, the Lindbergh baby.
He grew up in the Stephen King fallout zone of Maine and--inspired by comic books, Star Wars, and Saturday morning cartoons--started writing at the age of eight with his first epic novel, Lizard Men From The Center of The Earth(unreleased).
He made his first writing sale at age seventeen to a local newspaper, and at the age of nineteen he completed his quadruple-PhD studies in English literature, archaeology, quantum physics, and interpretive dance. In 2008, while surfing Hawaii's Keauwaula Beach, he thought up a viable way to maintain cold fusion that would also solve world hunger, but forgot about it when he ran into actress Yvonne Strahvorski back on the beach and she offered to buy him a drink. He was the inspiration for both the epic poem Beowulf and the motion picture Raiders of the Lost Ark, and is single-handedly responsible for repelling the Martian Invasion of 1938 that occurred in Grovers Mills, New Jersey. Eleven sonnets he wrote to impress a girl in high school were all later found and attributed to Shakespeare.
He is the writer of countless film articles, several short stories, The Junkie Quatrain, the rarely-read The Eerie Adventures of the Lycanthrope Robinson Crusoe, the poorly-named website Writer on Writing , and an as-yet-undiscovered Dead Sea Scroll.
He currently lives and writes somewhere in southern California.
There is compelling evidence that he is, in fact, the Lindbergh baby.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
November 6, 2011
Mashups are normally not my thing. If I would not normally read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, neither would I want to read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE WITH ZOMBIES, however clever the concept. The retelling of ROBINSON CRUSOE by Peter Clines, mixing Lovecraft and making Crusoe a werewolf, however, proved a nice exception. If you liked the original, Clines' adaptation is fresh, enjoyable retelling. If reading for the first time, it is an entirely new, edgier way to read the classic.
July 12, 2021
This is a strange book which proports to be co-written by Daniel Defoe and H.P. Lovecraft. It’s a fairly faithful retelling of Robinson Crusoe with three substantial differences. Crusoe is a lycanthrope, changing into the beast on the full moon. The island he is marooned on contains a church to Cthulhu (the dreamer). Oh, and Friday is not human.
On the one hand, it is a very clever story, reworking all the events of Crusoe’s life around his lycanthropy. Clines’ lycanthropes are not like those of most urban fantasies. Crusoe is not stronger and hardier in his human form than other people. And he doesn’t seem to have to worry about losing control and changing other than at the full moon. In fact, the lycanthropy really didn’t seem necessary to the story at all until the very end of the novel.
The H.P. Lovecraft elements, on the other hand, really do add some tension to this tale. Cthulhu enters Crusoe’s dreams and the cannibals visiting the island (including Friday) worship Cthulhu. This adds some definite tension to the story, especially when Cthulhu attempts to prevent Crusoe from escaping the island.
Overall, I put this in the category of an interesting idea which fits in well with many others of Clines’ novels which are tributes to Lovecraft, showing how the Cthulhu mythos could fit into modern novels. I’m glad I read it, but it’s far from the best of Clines works.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
On the one hand, it is a very clever story, reworking all the events of Crusoe’s life around his lycanthropy. Clines’ lycanthropes are not like those of most urban fantasies. Crusoe is not stronger and hardier in his human form than other people. And he doesn’t seem to have to worry about losing control and changing other than at the full moon. In fact, the lycanthropy really didn’t seem necessary to the story at all until the very end of the novel.
The H.P. Lovecraft elements, on the other hand, really do add some tension to this tale. Cthulhu enters Crusoe’s dreams and the cannibals visiting the island (including Friday) worship Cthulhu. This adds some definite tension to the story, especially when Cthulhu attempts to prevent Crusoe from escaping the island.
Overall, I put this in the category of an interesting idea which fits in well with many others of Clines’ novels which are tributes to Lovecraft, showing how the Cthulhu mythos could fit into modern novels. I’m glad I read it, but it’s far from the best of Clines works.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
December 22, 2018
This book started out really slow for me and I found it to be quite boring at times. I almost gave up in it a few times. A little over halfway through the book I started to enjoy it a little more. The only reason I didn't give up in this book is because I love the author's other books and the narrator is one of my favorites. It's a slow, but decent story. Its just about the same as the original Robinson Crusoe story except for the lycanthrope part of it.
June 15, 2022
Bought this on sale a few weeks ago, and as I am a Clines fan, I wanted to be a completist. I didn't enjoy it much, but I have a feeling I wouldn't have enjoyed the original Robinson Crusoe, lycanthropes and Cthulu or not. The story-telling style is old, and even if I'm a librarian, I haven't read a lot of "classics."
October 14, 2018
I’m a pretty big Peter Clines fan, so I was really looking forward to this.
I give it major points for style. Clines nails both the tone of the Crusoe & Cthulhu mythos.
Style wasn’t enough for me ultimately. The Eerie Adventures were slow and mostly dull.
I give it major points for style. Clines nails both the tone of the Crusoe & Cthulhu mythos.
Style wasn’t enough for me ultimately. The Eerie Adventures were slow and mostly dull.
October 23, 2020
A reimagined Robinson Crusoe as a werewolf, with a Lovecraftian sidekick Friday offers a delightful alternative to Robert Louis Stevenson's original classic. What I enjoyed about this was the way RC is portrayed and his relationship with Friday. Both faithful to RLS's original yet drawing from various legendary horrors, the duo's adventures are entertaining and very appropriate for October, the Month of Horror.
I am a longtime fan of Peter Clines, which is how I discovered this little mentioned novel and I recommend to anyone who is a fan of Clines, Robinson Crusoe and/or werewolves.
I am a longtime fan of Peter Clines, which is how I discovered this little mentioned novel and I recommend to anyone who is a fan of Clines, Robinson Crusoe and/or werewolves.
October 25, 2016
As a kid, I was absolutely obsessed with Robinson Crusoe and The Swiss Family Robinson. I read each at least a dozen times, and wanted to get shipwrecked on a deserted island. It all seemed terribly romantic and probably sparked my lifelong love of survival stories. I'm also a massive Lovecraft fan, an author I discovered a few years after my Robinson/Swiss obsession but read just as many times. Add in Peter Clines, who wrote one of my favorite comedy-horrors 14, and what could go wrong? Nothing, that's what.
I think this is really only a book you should read if you've read and loved both Robinson Crusoe and Lovecraft's major works. It's a mashup novel, so it takes the basic plot of RC and reimagines it: what if he landed on a strange Lovecraftian island full of terror? And just for fun, what if he was a werewolf too? Turns out werewolves do NOT like Cthulhu. At all.
The key elements of the book (detailed logs of survival methods, a sense of hope despite the bleak circumstances) are kept intact, as are the Lovecraftian plot points (cultists! fish people! monsters in the waves! ia! ia!). They mesh surprisingly well, and Clines adds in tons of unexpected twists and turns. There are so many subtle Lovecraft references that any fangirl or fanboy will be incredibly happy. And while all the elements are classic and well-trod, there are some events you absolutely do not see coming. And yes, the werewolf thing fits in perfectly. In fact, I think that makes it a much better book, even though at first glance you'd probably think, "okay, that's way too much."
I 100% can't be objective about this book because I love all of the elements. It seriously feels like this was written for me. Sure, the writing is old-fashioned, the plot slow, the inner monologue of Crusoe repetitive. But all of these potentially negative elements are incredibly true to the original. For what this is, it's perfect.
I was, however, left with one huge question: at the end, it states that this is only the first half of Crusoe's diary! But it was published in 2010, with no word on a sequel. Will it ever happen?!
I think this is really only a book you should read if you've read and loved both Robinson Crusoe and Lovecraft's major works. It's a mashup novel, so it takes the basic plot of RC and reimagines it: what if he landed on a strange Lovecraftian island full of terror? And just for fun, what if he was a werewolf too? Turns out werewolves do NOT like Cthulhu. At all.
The key elements of the book (detailed logs of survival methods, a sense of hope despite the bleak circumstances) are kept intact, as are the Lovecraftian plot points (cultists! fish people! monsters in the waves! ia! ia!). They mesh surprisingly well, and Clines adds in tons of unexpected twists and turns. There are so many subtle Lovecraft references that any fangirl or fanboy will be incredibly happy. And while all the elements are classic and well-trod, there are some events you absolutely do not see coming. And yes, the werewolf thing fits in perfectly. In fact, I think that makes it a much better book, even though at first glance you'd probably think, "okay, that's way too much."
I 100% can't be objective about this book because I love all of the elements. It seriously feels like this was written for me. Sure, the writing is old-fashioned, the plot slow, the inner monologue of Crusoe repetitive. But all of these potentially negative elements are incredibly true to the original. For what this is, it's perfect.
I was, however, left with one huge question: at the end, it states that this is only the first half of Crusoe's diary! But it was published in 2010, with no word on a sequel. Will it ever happen?!
October 10, 2019
This is basically Daniel Defoe's original text edited to make Crusoe a werewolf and add in a bunch of Lovecraft references, including the presence of shoggoths at sea, Arab scholars using the Necronomicon, and Friday being some kind of Deep One hybrid who worships Cthulhu. And it somehow actually works.
January 7, 2012
Not exactly what I expected. I was disappointed in it. I didn't realize it was written in the form of a diary...
May 9, 2021
"I'm not sure what I expected, but this wasn't it. This book is written to mimic the original as much as possible with the addition of the supernatural elements.
The original RC is one of the first classics I read on my own when I was a teen. I was introduced to it by the Classic Comic and quickly moved onto the novel. I didn't love it then, but I didn't hate it either. It wasn't a difficult read since I already knew the major plot points. I think if I read it now, I'd feel much the same, but times have changed and this novel seems like it plods forward at a glacial pace now.
Generally, the Lovecraft allusions are fairly subtle and unintrusive until the end, and I was going to rate this as two stars until I got to the last 10% of the novel, so I've decided that I wanted more intrusive, more overt Lovecraft integrated into this story."
The original RC is one of the first classics I read on my own when I was a teen. I was introduced to it by the Classic Comic and quickly moved onto the novel. I didn't love it then, but I didn't hate it either. It wasn't a difficult read since I already knew the major plot points. I think if I read it now, I'd feel much the same, but times have changed and this novel seems like it plods forward at a glacial pace now.
Generally, the Lovecraft allusions are fairly subtle and unintrusive until the end, and I was going to rate this as two stars until I got to the last 10% of the novel, so I've decided that I wanted more intrusive, more overt Lovecraft integrated into this story."
August 10, 2019
The mesh of all these tales was expertly done by the author. The style, tone, and content felt like it could have been taken right out of the classics. I found it to be bland. The author was wonderful in his ability to combine these elements but I was not loving it. It was good for a one time easy read. This book is exceptional if a writer wishes to use the style and tone of the classic authors. The spoof quality didn't create enough of a separation from the origin stories for me to completely say it could stand on its own as a story. It's more remarkable after reading the stories that it uses. If a reader has not read those pieces this will likely be just another easy read that feels a bit old timey.
Mr. Joe
Mr. Joe
September 3, 2022
This was a very interesting "take" on the Robinson Crusoe story.
On of the things I like best was the change of spelling of Cthulhu to a more phonetic version "Kathooloo".
I wonder why Robinson didn't just burn down the totem in the dark church.
I was surprised that Kathooloo allowed him to leave the island. I expected something else to happen when he tried to leave.
I still can't figure out why people are fascinated with Cthulhu (even if you can manage to spell it correctly). It's an abomination of evil and cruelty. Absolutely *any* other god would be preferable to it if you wanted to avoid endless suffering.
On of the things I like best was the change of spelling of Cthulhu to a more phonetic version "Kathooloo".
I wonder why Robinson didn't just burn down the totem in the dark church.
I was surprised that Kathooloo allowed him to leave the island. I expected something else to happen when he tried to leave.
I still can't figure out why people are fascinated with Cthulhu (even if you can manage to spell it correctly). It's an abomination of evil and cruelty. Absolutely *any* other god would be preferable to it if you wanted to avoid endless suffering.
February 23, 2018
This book is enjoyable reading, but I'm not sure who the target audience would be.
I read the Defoe's original Adventures of Robinson Crusoe just a few months before reading this book and loved it. When reading this book I generally felt like I was just re-reading Defoe's book again. Sure, Clines (who I think is a great author) strips out some of the Christian material and inserts a werewolf, but the werewolf is completely insubstantial for the main plotline and is mostly absent.
If you aren't going to give the werewolf a more prominent role, then why bother?
I read the Defoe's original Adventures of Robinson Crusoe just a few months before reading this book and loved it. When reading this book I generally felt like I was just re-reading Defoe's book again. Sure, Clines (who I think is a great author) strips out some of the Christian material and inserts a werewolf, but the werewolf is completely insubstantial for the main plotline and is mostly absent.
If you aren't going to give the werewolf a more prominent role, then why bother?
May 31, 2023
I never really understood the idea of mixing old classics with werewolves, zombies or vampires, so I only picked this one up because it was written by Clines and because I never read the original Robinson Crusoe.
As I understand it, it’s pretty loyal to the original, with the small addition of Crusoe being a werewolf, it’s definitely told in the style and manner of the times and very different from Clines other works.
It’s a quick entertaining story, but probably mostly interesting for Clines fans.
As I understand it, it’s pretty loyal to the original, with the small addition of Crusoe being a werewolf, it’s definitely told in the style and manner of the times and very different from Clines other works.
It’s a quick entertaining story, but probably mostly interesting for Clines fans.
September 24, 2024
I enjoyed this, even though (because?) it doesn’t read like a modern novel.
Like some reviews mention, the story seems to be a very slow build, but - it’s not a ‘modern retelling’ ™️ of Robinson Crusoe, it’s an alternate version! One that explores the idea that the story we all know was heavily redacted, and the true events are finally known. So, just like the original, we get recursions, inconsistent spelling, descriptions of supplies saved, farming decisions, etc.
Anyway, I did wish for a bit more of the Lovecraftian influences, which may have been planned for vol2, which may not have been written.
Like some reviews mention, the story seems to be a very slow build, but - it’s not a ‘modern retelling’ ™️ of Robinson Crusoe, it’s an alternate version! One that explores the idea that the story we all know was heavily redacted, and the true events are finally known. So, just like the original, we get recursions, inconsistent spelling, descriptions of supplies saved, farming decisions, etc.
Anyway, I did wish for a bit more of the Lovecraftian influences, which may have been planned for vol2, which may not have been written.
February 18, 2017
The story of Robinson Crusoe is masterfully retold by Clines, with Crusoe presented as a lycanthrope who enjoys the seclusion of his island, which relieves him from the troubles of managing his beast once a month. The religion of Cthulhu is strong on the island, and this mash-up of a classic tale with the lore of werewolves and H.P. Lovecraftian gods flows so smoothly, with the journals of Crusoe written in language that feels authentic to Defoe's period.
July 21, 2023
Spoilers ahead.
Sorry, I just wasn't in the mood to deal with Ye Olde English narration. It's written in a form of a retold story. Robinson Crusoe is actually a lycanthrope (werewolf?) and this supposed actual autobiography is the real one of him being marooned on a desert island.
The 3 star is a neutral rating from me. I just wanted something easy to read and follow along and this wasn't it.
Sorry, I just wasn't in the mood to deal with Ye Olde English narration. It's written in a form of a retold story. Robinson Crusoe is actually a lycanthrope (werewolf?) and this supposed actual autobiography is the real one of him being marooned on a desert island.
The 3 star is a neutral rating from me. I just wanted something easy to read and follow along and this wasn't it.
September 20, 2025
This is the first Peter Clines' book that I would not readily recommend to everyone.
I found the first person perspective to be boring. I'm not sure if the original Robinson Crusoe spent the equivalent amount of the book in the island, by himself for most of the time.
The book promised a mashup with werewolf and Cthulhu. As our hero spent half the book isolated from civilisation, the werewolf part of the story hardly matters.
I found the first person perspective to be boring. I'm not sure if the original Robinson Crusoe spent the equivalent amount of the book in the island, by himself for most of the time.
The book promised a mashup with werewolf and Cthulhu. As our hero spent half the book isolated from civilisation, the werewolf part of the story hardly matters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2019
I love Peter Clines' books. I adore his take on the Lovecraftian universe (looking at his book 14). However, I did not enjoy this. If you like Robinson Crusoe, you'll like this. If you like Lovecraft, you'll slog your way through and enjoy it. However, if you like Peter Clines' writing, this is NOT Peter Clines. It's Peter Clines taking on Daniel Defoe and it's definitely very Defoe.
The thing that saved me was the performance. I couldn't have gotten through it in a paperback/kindle.
The thing that saved me was the performance. I couldn't have gotten through it in a paperback/kindle.
May 8, 2019
Unlike some books that take classics and mash them up, like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, the writing in this flows very well and you can't tell where the origiinal author ends and Peter Clines kicks in. This doesn't seem to be officially part of the Threshold series, but it seems like it should be.
January 5, 2020
Honestly, this was the first telling of Robinson Crusoe I've read. Clines did an excellent job catching the feel of a castaway's journal. On the other hand, it reads almost exactly like Defoe's telling and can grow tedious to read, as many have already said.
All in all, not a bad book, if you don't mind how dull it can get.
All in all, not a bad book, if you don't mind how dull it can get.
December 5, 2018
The first half was great but the second half dragged. I think if he'd stuck to the werewolf schtick without trying to add Cthulhu, it would have been better, as the werewolf bits were fully developed but the Cthulhu bits were not, beyond one creepy scene with a parrot.
May 19, 2020
I remember reading Robinson Crusoe when I was in high school and this story is mainly the actual story of Robinson Crusoe with a really cool werewolf element added to it. Quite clever with a good twist.
August 16, 2018
Pretty entertaining, but not a fun read. Reading this book felt like wadding through molasses.
January 4, 2019
I didn't enjoy it as much as Clines' other books I've read. It was an interesting take on the Robinson Crusoe story, but "in a word," it eventually became tedious.
August 3, 2019
The adventure kept my interest but it wasn't what I was hoping for. Was expecting it to be more Lovecraft style.
October 22, 2019
So is there going to be a sequel or something
April 14, 2020
Cute book. If you like retellings (like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies or Sense and Sensibility and Seamonsters), this one will be right up your alley.
April 30, 2020
Just when you think you know an author...
November 1, 2021
Rather silly in most respects, but fun enough as a read. Part of the series of making monster/horror stories out of classics. Mixed in some Cthulu with the rest, but needed more to my mind.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews