Acolytes of Cthulhu edited by Robert M. Price, part 2
Legacy In Crystal
A sexist tale of a greedy old woman who inherits dead man’s things. Okay.
Best Lines:
“He had lived all alone, a gloomy old recluse in a dark old house, spurning all efforts of his relatives to visit him.”
“That shadow on the wall behind. It had a very disconcerting shape, indeed.”
The Will Of Claude Asher
A man goes on a long rant about his evil brother. Good.
Best Lines:
“The charred remains of Jabez Driesen’s bride were discovered, manacled to a stake in the tremendous ancient fireplace.”
“A satanic hatred older than man himself.”
The Final War
This may be a parody. Or it may just be sexist crap.
The Dunstable Horror
An ancient Indian burial ground story. Ugh.
Best Line:
“I have see things far more eerie than a few squirrels bobbing in a millpond.”
The Crib Of Hell
A secret is hidden. Bad
Best Lines:
“Yes, if she can be called - a wife!”
“Wantoning naked through the woods at the fringe of town.”
The Last Work Of Pietro De Opono
A man finds an ancient text and does something stupid. Good.
Best Line:
“Do not experiment with it, do not even read it. Burn it, or God help you and humanity.”
The Eye Of Horus
A tale of an ancient Egyptian tomb. Dull.
The Cellar Room
A séance is a disaster, naturally another is held. Okay.
Mythos
The mysterious Easter Island is explored by an expedition. Dull.
There Are More Things
An utterly ridiculous tale of aliens.
The Horror Out Of Time
A ship encounters a risen island with a long lost and forgotten structure on it. Good and with a cold twist.
The Recurring Doom
By S.T. Joshi. Cthulhu is rising, again. Good.
Necrotic Knowledge
A book scam is revealed as the Lovecraft wannabes move out of 20s and 40s settings and into the decade that taste forgot. It is a shame the tale is cruddy though.
Night Bus
A ghoul gets on a bus. Okay.
The Pewter Ring
A snotty wannabe aesthete experiences time travel. Okay.
John Lehmann Alone
Another Garlock’s Bend story, a companion to the one in ‘The New Lovecraft Circle’. Good.
The Purple Death
An utterly odd bad tale.
Mists Of Death
Killer mist! No.
Best Line:
“I can assure you it is prehuman - certainly it was never made by man.”
Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar
By Neil Gaiman. This much collected comic parody is very funny and affectionate.
Best Line:
“American hippies who wandered about the countryside taking drugs.”
“That building next door is the Nameless Temple of Unspeakable Gods.”
“The black king of the ancients who shall come in the night from the east and you shall not know him, you mean?”
“Of course that’s who I mean.”
“Just checking.”