Review by Sam O'beirn
Howard Philips Lovecraft. All you need to do is say his name, and it brings with it images of frog-like men and women, ancient cults and secret societies, and great huge monstrosities that strike madness into a man’s soul. A writer of pulp short stories, and a man that was always frustrated that no one would take him seriously as an author. In life, almost unknown; in death, Lovecraft has been celebrated more than almost any horror author in America. Multiple movies, games, and short stories have been based on his works, and he’s the only American writer that has had his last name made into an adjective: Lovecraftian.
Neil Gaiman takes us once more into the depths as he brings us a wonderful short story, Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar.
Published by DreamHaven publishing, and limited to a run of 5000 copies, The stories is about a young American tourist as he takes a walking tour of England, and stumbles upon the town of Innsmouth. Meeting two of the locals in a bar, he sits and chats with them, and listens as they explain to him what they do for a living, and how they don’t like, nor understand, the writings of Lovecraft. This while drinking the titular beer that’s served in the pub that he’s wound up in. I can’t get much further into the plot, as it gives away a brilliantly lovecraftian ending, but rest assured that the young tourist won’t be leaving home again.
Gaiman is at peak form here. His dry sense of humor shines in this short story, and though it’s a short read, you put down the book feeling satisfied. The artwork by Jouni Koponen is excellent, and fits the story at each point. Rather than create a typical story that is all menace and dread, Gaiman has crafted his own homage to lovecraft, waiting until the very end to take us to places that even the old ones fear to tread. Though the limited run may make it exceedingly difficult to find a copy of the book itself, there is an audio clip of him reading it on neilgaiman.info if you look. So pour a pint and relax as you read, and don’t let the boys take you swimming out by the docks. (DreamHaven Publishing)
9/10