Rick Dakan

While the book was able to capture some of the lurking horror associated with Lovecraft fiction, there is so much back and forth between Rick and Conrad, and later Sterling. The premise that Conrad would ruin his life over a barely dated girl doesn't fly with me. I know the author tried to set things up so that Conrad would pull away from Shelby, but the extremes that Conrad went to shocked even the other characters with no motivations beyond the flimsy one. And without Conrad's driver, the story is entertaining, but logically comes unglued.… (mer)

Many a writer, particularly in the field of horror, has borrowed from H.P. Lovecraft, adopting and adapting the themes, settings, monsters and even sometimes characters that have appeared in his fiction. With this novel, Rick Dakan has taken the more original approach of basing a story on Lovecraft's philosophy.

The story takes place in Sarasota, Florida, where the narrator, Rick, and his best friend, Conrad, have lived most of their lives. Another childhood friend, Shelby, comes to town after having been chased out over an orgy gone awry. He brings with him an exotic girlfriend and vague but oddly sounding plans related to H.P. Lovecraft, for which he enlists the aid of the two friends.

As the two learn more about Shelby's plans, their questions only begin to multiply. How are he and his girlfriend funding the purchase of property and rare documents? Is Shelby really the materialist he claims or has he crossed over into believing in HPL's Great Old Ones? Is Shelby calling the shots or is the mysterious Kym he met in Providence? When a fourth childhood friend falls into the hands of the cult, Conrad and Rick decide to finally penetrate the cult's secrets.

The Cthulhu Cult is an entertaining and thought-provoking journey into paranoia, philosophy and how things can spin out of control. I can't say whether a non-Lovecraft fan would enjoy it to the same extent, but Dakan's novel of Lovecraftian obsession brings a unique approach to the realms of fiction inspired by the Old Gent.… (mer)