I’ve been reading Lovecraft, and those inspired by him, since I was in high school. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that there could be a whole world just outside of sight that we never see, and once we do see we can never un-see. After I’d been writing for a few years a friend of mine suggested/demanded I write a story for him inspired by Lovecraft’s world. Mostly I started it to satisfy him but once the jar was open it all spilled out. I wove in real elements from history, including historical figures. This story ended up winning a major award, but there was still so much more to tell.
Craft’s books are not as well known as some other Lovecraftian writers on this list, but they should be.
He takes the expected details for any Lovecraft-inspired story then turns it sideways. He weaves in an atmosphere from the hardboiled mystery writers of Lovecraft’s era, such as Dashiel Hammett and Raymond Chandler.
Cthulhu’s Minions starts a series which follows the Arkham Detective as he falls deeper into a world he never knew existed. This book taught me that a writer can take an existing world that is familiar to readers and still make it their own.
Cthulhu’s Minions, in this story, are Pilot Demons. They originally came into being in my novel “The Alchemist’s Notebook” based on my screenplay for “The Cry of Cthulhu.” They are creepy little things that became such great supporting characters (in a terrible sort of way) that I thought that they deserved their own separate story.“Cthulhu’s Minions” takes place in an alternate universe somewhat like the 1930’s when H.P. Lovecraft was writing his Cthulhu Mythos and writers like Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler were creating the hardboiled mystery drama. Indeed, it is as if we are being treated to a Dashiell…
I’ve been a fan of the Cthulhu Mythos and detective fiction since childhood, cutting my teeth on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Raymond Chandler, and Dashiell Hammett at an early age. A voracious reader of both horror and mystery, I read and reread these tales and began crafting my own to the point where many years later, as an award-winning writer with over 200 fiction publications under my belt, I feel these genres go together like they were always destined to cross. I write daily, and have a Bachelor’s Degree in Crime Scene Science. You could say crime and horror are always on my mind!
C.J. Henderson is recognized as the father of modern-day occult detective fiction. He wrote his protagonists' encounters with the Cthulhu Mythos in beautifully effective prose. Sadly, C.J. passed away in 2014 and his passing is a great loss to the literary world and fans old and new.
This book was written as a tribute to C.J.’s finest occult detectives, twelve authors being chosen to contribute to this hard-boiled, tentacle-smacking anthology. All earnings from this book go to support C.J.’s family. An added bonus for fans of weird hardboiled fiction is the never-before published novella by C.J. Henderson, The Temporal Deception.
I love this collection for it expands on both the Cthulhu Mythos and C.J.’s own creations.
I’ve been a fan of the Cthulhu Mythos and detective fiction since childhood, cutting my teeth on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Raymond Chandler, and Dashiell Hammett at an early age. A voracious reader of both horror and mystery, I read and reread these tales and began crafting my own to the point where many years later, as an award-winning writer with over 200 fiction publications under my belt, I feel these genres go together like they were always destined to cross. I write daily, and have a Bachelor’s Degree in Crime Scene Science. You could say crime and horror are always on my mind!
This book features the best of author C.J. Henderson’s supernatural detective stories in one volume. Not only does it contain his creation P.I. Teddy London, he writes tales about many other supernatural detectives. There are stories here of Lin Carter's Anton Zarnak, H.P. Lovecraft's Inspector Legrasse, and more, including Cthulhu Mythos settings created by Brian Lumley and Ramsey Campbell. There are thirteen stories in total, this being an exciting collection detailing the adventures of investigators, both private and otherwise, taking on the horrors of the supernatural and the Cthulhu Mythos. I consider this book a must for all fans of detective fiction and horror.
Before The X-Files, before Buffy, his tales of P.I. Teddy London were being read and enjoyed by fans around the world. Now, for the first time ever, the absolute best of his supernatural sleuthing tales have been brought together in one incredible collection. Join him in the pages of fright-filled compilation as he furthers the careers of Lin Carter's remarkable Anton Zarnak and H.P. Lovecraft's resilient Inspector Legrasse. Experience his haunting takes on the mythos worlds of both Ramsey Campbell and Brian Lumley. And immerse yourself in stores featuring all the characters of his London universe. Here are thirteen tales…
I have always loved fantasy worlds and romantic stories, but in recent years I’ve found it harder to read stories with extreme violence or trauma. When I started writing fiction, I planned to write a fantasy romance with a kingdom and a battle, but I couldn’t do it—my characters organized a nonviolent revolution and formed a democratic system of governance instead. I reconsidered and decided to write what I call cozy fantasy romances. So many types of romance novels could be set in a fantasy world, such as an office romance or road trip comedy. I’ve been searching for these types of romance novels—fun, lighthearted romances set in a fantasy world—and am slowly finding them.
In this novella, a human witch from an Earth-like world falls for a life-form from another dimension, who is a fragment of the all-consuming being who fills her dimension and occasionally breaks through to the human planet and devours people. Trillan struggles to maintain a humanoid shape so she won’t scare off Sian, while Sian tries to keep her mind on her research and off of the ethically gray area of getting it on with her research subject. The whole thing is completely adorable and sweet.
Life is tough when you're an eldritch abomination.
Trillin isn't technically a person. She's a tiny breakaway piece of consciousness from the all-devouring Endless, doomed to eventually rejoin it. But when a human witch stumbles into her world, Trillin suddenly has a new reason to figure out individuality-one shape-shifting tentacle at a time.
Sian is sure important magical discoveries are just around the corner, if she can just get her portals to work reliably. Reaching the dimension of the Endless without being eaten on sight is a dream come true, and Sian is determined to explore every bit of it.…
My name is Christian Klaver, and I’ve had, in turn, many different jobs as a bookseller, martial arts instructor, and bartender before settling into a career in internet security. Books have always been a passion of mine, with science fiction, fantasy, and mystery as my main focus. I’ve been a lifelong fan of Sherlock Holmes and am a proud member of two different Sherlock Holmes Societies.
This is possibly a more Lovecraftian selection than a Holmesian one, as the monsters and the unfathomable world of Lovecraft and Cthulhu really dominate thematically. The sinister darkness of Lovecraft really comes through here.
It’s a little heartbreaking to see Holmes in over his head, struggling with non-Euclidian magic, but very well done and a gripping story.
The third novel in six-time New York Times best-selling author Lois H. Gresh's Sherlock Holmes vs. Cthulhu series.
THE OBLITERATING SHADOW
The deadly dimensions over London have been sealed, and the monsters have departed. But word has come to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson of a more terrifying creature still - the great Cthulhu has been sighted off the waters of Innsmouth, Massachusetts. Only Holmes can defeat him.
And in the muddy village of Innsmouth, surrounded by villagers who are more sea-monster than human, Holmes meets again his nemesis, Moriarty, and yet greater foes: Amelia Scarcliffe and Maria Fitzgerald, harbingers…
Anybody who’s worked in an office or is a fan of Dilbert will love this book.
I loved the humor, but this goes beyond humor. Griff’s combination of bureaucracy, academic-ish prose, and the machinations of Hell are fantastic. He’s a craftsman of worldbuilding. The story is a lot of fun, especially as it’s told from a shoggoth being crammed into human form and sharing a mind with a surfer.
TTRPGs are such a powerful medium for storytelling, and a tool that can be used by therapists to help their clients. Learning how to run games can seem daunting, these books have all helped me with learning how to run games more effectively. From thinking about stories, to exploring tropes, using storytelling techniques, and sharing the narrative with players this collection of books will help you on your journey of building worlds and telling stories.
Sometimes you might find you have a great idea for a campaign, or know what theme you want to explore but are struggling to understand how to bring those ideas together.
D’Amato takes you through building your campaign through both a discussion of storytelling devices as well as pointed questions you can use to help flesh out your ideas and turn them into a full campaign. This book also helps GMs learn how to make their world feel lived in through descriptions and building history.
This is the book you want to use to build a small idea into a full campaign!
Improve your RPG campaign with this comprehensive and interactive guide to making the most out of your gaming experience.
Whatever RPG game you play, from D&D to Call of Cthulu to licensed games like Star Wars, every detail is important. From setting the scene to choosing the right music or even adjusting the lighting to create the right atmosphere, every choice helps maximize your gaming experience.
The Ultimate RPG Gameplay Guide provides practical advice for everything from pre-game preparations and in-game improvisation to working out a plan of attack with your teammates to learning how to lean into the setting…
I’m a Canadian author and artist that loves to write and draw the darker side of fantasy. Ever since I was a child, I have adored mythology, horror, and the creatures and worlds that are present within the fantasy genre. The world of fantasy has unlimited imagination, and its lore and structure grow constantly, which gives endless ideas to us writers to create endless brilliant realms and the creatures that dwell within them.
The Essential Tales of H.P. Lovecraft is a collection of some of Lovecraft’s famous horror stories. "The Call of Cthulhu" is one that I truly enjoyed the most. If you are a fan of horror and otherworldly beings, then I believe that you would love this book as much as I do. The creatures and the ambiance that are present in his stories are fascinating, and just give a wonderful look into the many worlds of horror and the unknown that he created. His works are some of the things that inspired me to become a dark fantasy writer and a gothic-style artist.
Discover the true meaning of fear with these classic horror stories.
The Essential Tales of H.P. Lovecraft collects one of the author's most popular novellas, At the Mountain of Madness, and six of his most famous short stories, including The Call of Cthulhu, The Shadow Out of Time, The Dunwich Horror, The Colour of Space, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, and The Whisperer in the Darkness. These hair-raising tales have inspired generations of authors and filmmakers, including Stephen King, Alan Moore, Guillermo del Toro, and Neil Gaiman. This elegantly designed clothbound edition features an elastic closure and a new introduction.
I’ve been reading Lovecraft, and those inspired by him, since I was in high school. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that there could be a whole world just outside of sight that we never see, and once we do see we can never un-see. After I’d been writing for a few years a friend of mine suggested/demanded I write a story for him inspired by Lovecraft’s world. Mostly I started it to satisfy him but once the jar was open it all spilled out. I wove in real elements from history, including historical figures. This story ended up winning a major award, but there was still so much more to tell.
Published by the makers of the Arkham Horror board and card games, the four novellas in this book follow characters from the game, giving them depth and background, bringing them to life.
This book is a perfect example of taking an existing license and transporting it to a new medium. The writing itself is modern and accessible while the stories take place in the prohibition era. What I enjoyed most is that these stories show Lovecraft created more monsters than just Cthulhu.
There is more danger in Lovecraftian fiction than one horrible, sleeping god.
The Ancient Ones are coming to consume our world, and only the bold investigators of Arkham Horror stand in their way, in this chilling collection of eldritch novellas.
Hour of the Huntress by Dave Gross - the mysterious disappearance of dilettante Jenny Barnes' beloved sister triggers a frantic search through Arkham's darkest shadows.
The Dirge of Reason by Graeme Davis - for federal agent Roland Banks, investigating a bizarre incident exposes him to the supernatural horrors of Arkham.
Ire of the Void by Richard Lee Byers - the astronomer and professor Norman Withers finds himself the subject of a strange…
Tamel Wino is a Canadian fiction writer from resplendent British Columbia whose works focus largely on the degeneration of sanity and morality. He studied Health Sciences and Psychology, which only furthered his interest in human nature. With inspirations including Shirley Jackson, Cormac McCarthy, Clive Barker, Margaret Atwood, and Edgar Allan Poe; Tamel’s expositions are strongly grounded in traditions of dark fiction. Yet, with his bold narrative voice and incisive plot construction, Wino is paving a new movement within the space.
A powerhouse collection, familiar and innovative, at times agonizingly devastating and horribly entertaining. After reading John Langan's novel The Fisherman, I just had to pick up this one. A profoundly, gratifying dark read. With such a sublime and unwavering collection, Langan rises in my book as one of the most fascinating in the contemporary, horror writer circle.
"I want to be like John Langan when I grow up, okay? He blends meticulously crafted traditional narratives with joyous genre-bending and narrative rule-breaking. His stories are fiercely smart, timely, timeless, heartbreaking, and of course, flat-out scary. Langan fearlessly commits to his monsters, his characters, his readers, to his vision of the horror story and the messed-up, broken, frightening world we inhabit. Wide, Carnivorous Sky, indeed."-Paul Tremblay, author of The Little Sleep and Swallowing a Donkey's Eye.
John Langan has, in the last few years, established himself as one of the leading voices in contemporary horror literature. Gifted with a…
