Keith Herber (1949–2009)

A brilliant collection of scenarios for the Call Of Cthulhu role playing game, all set in the Miskatonic Valley. Emphasising a nice blend of action, investigation, & psychological horror, these well crafted scenarios will provide many nights play or could be linked to form a campaign. Very impressive work from all the authors, & I struggled to find a weak scenario in here. All are different, but do have some common themes, particularly of retribution, & historical past crimes. Very Lovecraftian. Very good. Recommended for all those that are interested in classic era, Lovecraft country Call Of Cthulhu.… (mer)

Dead But Dreaming was originally released in 2002 from Dark Tales Publication. There was an initial print run of 75 copies and then either sales were slow or the publisher tanked. I may have gotten the very last copy sold at the list price back in 2004. Until now, collectors have been paying exorbitant prices for used copies, up to $300. Now Miskatonic River Press has released a new edition of this marvelous anthology. I'll leave it to someone else to figure out what this might do to the value of the first edition copies and whether this edition will ever be a collector's item. I am ecstatic that interested mythos fans can finally see an affordable copy of what may be the finest anthology of Cthulhu mythos fiction in the modern era. I do not yet have my copy of the new book. It lists for $17.99. The new issue has a new afterward and authors' biographies. The original had 194 pages of text; cover art was a mysteriously evocative cephalopod eye; I can't figure out who created it. Editorial chores were performed by Kevin Ross and Keith Herber; they hit a homerun with this one. The book starts with an incisive essay by Kevin Ross that skewers everything wrong with run of the mill mythos pastiches and gives the underlying philosophy of the book. I found myself nodding in agreement with everything he wrote.

Epiphany: A Flying Tiger's Story by Stephen Mark Rainey - In this story a world war II pilot in the Pacific encounters an immense and unfathomable entity deep in the jungle. I believe this is the story Mr. Rainey later expanded into his novel Blue Devil Island (which is clamoring for attention in my to-be-read stack). This was a very well written story; I was pleasantly engaged.

The Aklo by Loren McLeod - Actually I found this story to be a little dull compaerd to thre rest of the book.

Bangkok Rules by Patrick Lestewka - And now with Bangkok Rules I began to get a glimmer that this was no ordinary anthology. This is a brilliant piece, compulsively readable, creepy and oozing Lovecraftian sensibilities. A hit man perhaps works for a different boss than he thinks. How I wish Mr. Lestewka would write a mythos novel.

Why We Do It by Darrell Schweitzer - I loved this one too! A sort of dorky college student brings a girl back home to observe his family's religious rites.

The Disciple by David Barr Kirtley - Three brilliant stories in a row! Please write some more mythos fiction Mr. Kirtley! At good old Miskatonic University some students come to learn arts other than the humanities.

Salt Air by Mike Minnis - I have always loved the fiction of Mike Minnis. I think there was a planned single author collection from Lindisfarne Press before that worthy company tanked. Salt Air is a wonderfully somber and evocative Yellow Sign story.

Through the Cracks by Walt Jarvis - The anthology moves from strength to strength with this cautionary tale of catching the attention of indescribable things that live in or world beyond our senses.

The Unseen Battle by Brian Scott Hiebert - In Tahiti, an escapee from the carnage of WWI is pursued to the ends of the earth b something noxious from the battlefield. Another good read.

Bayer's Tale by Adam Niswander - Adam Niswander wrote only a few mythos stories, which are in his collection of short fiction, Blurring the Edges of Dream. Bayer's Tale is the best of his work, although it does not stand out in such formidable competition. A detective investigating a strange mass murder is lead to a terrifying reality.

The Call of Cthulhu: The Motion Picture by Lisa Morton - What would happen if someone did make a motion picture The Call of Cthulhu, with an unexpected guest appearance by the title character, and it caused many more people to believe in it? This one also was pretty darned good.

Under an Invisible Shadow by David Bain - This was OK for me, at least in comparison to the stories that have come before. In this zombie apocalypse, the zombie bodies are collected by something indescribable.

The Thing Beyond the Stars by Robin Morris - For me this story worked pretty well. In the vastness of space there lurk entities that have less regard for us than we do an ant at a picnic.

Fire Breathing by Mehitobel Wilson - Another thought provoking story, where a dj finds out he is the instrument rather than the musician.

The Other Names by Ramsey Campbell (originally in Interzone Nov 98) - Wow. A simpleton finds a few copied pages of the Necronomicon when he goes into an old house on a dare. He learns how names can affect reality when spoken in the name of Daoloth. Beautifully written and it will make your flesh crawl.

Final Draft by David Annandale - How fitting that this astonishing work closes an astonishing anthology. I do not have the superlatives to do this story justice. It competes with A Colder War by Charlie Stross for the title of the finest Cthulhu mythos story of the modern era.

So, what to say? Most of these stories are brilliant, among the best of contemporary Cthulhu mythos works. All are good and worth your while. I urgently recommend this book to anyone who cares about Lovecraftian fiction and especially to those of you who are skeptical of HPL's mimics. No pastiches here; these writers have embraced Lovecraft's themes and put their own original stamp on them. You are in for a real treat with Dead But Dreaming.… (mer)