Average customer rating:
- The pleasures of possession
- Entanglements
- Newly hooked on Barbara Pym
- One of the best novels I've ever read.
- "and he had loved them all"
|
Sweet Dove Died
Barbara Pym
Manufacturer: Moyer Bell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
| Classics
| Contemporary
| General
| Historical
| Humor
| Letters & Correspondence
| Middle
| Old
| Poetry
| Renaissance
| Shakespeare
| Short Stories
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Historical
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Pym, Barbara
| ( P )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
No Fond Return of Love
-
A Few Green Leaves
-
Jane and Prudence
-
Crampton Hodnet
-
Some Tame Gazelle
ASIN: 1559213019 |
Book Description
Over Barbara Pym's 30-year writing career her primary subject was the intricate rituals of English life, which she observed with a sharp but understanding eye. Her novels now enjoy a devoted following and belated recognition as classics of the British comic novel. In The Sweet Dove Died, first published in 1978, she sardonically uncovers the sometimes troubling truths behind relationships. A chance encounter over a Victorian flower book brings together Humphrey, an antique dealer, James, his nephew, and Leonora. Although she is considerably older, Leonora develops a fondness for James. She's determined to keep him under her spell, until she realizes that she has to contend with the bookish Phoebe. When Ned, a wicked young American, appears on the scene, the book begins to live up to its droll title, taken from John Keats.
Customer Reviews:
The pleasures of possession.......2007-06-28
Written during her "wilderness years" between the early 1960s and her critical rediscovery in 1978, THE SWEET DOVE DIED is one of Barbara Pym's darkest novels but also one of her finest. The fortyish protagonist, Leonora Eyre, is wealthy, elegant, and beautiful; she is also unmarried and idle, and fills her days doing little other than attending to her own minor pleasures, primarily acquiring Victoriana. At an auction she meets Humphrey, an antique dealer, and his nephew James, whom is young, single, handsome, and very impressionable. Leonora schemes to make James another of her acquisitions, while the sixtyish Humphrey makes plans of his own concerning Leonora; complicating matters even further are the dowdy Phoebe, who also longs for James, and the malicious young American literature professor Ned.
This novel returns Pym to her concern with the relations between unmarried straight women and men of alternative sexualities, first explored in her A GLASSFUL OF BLESSINGS; it is, I think, an even finer work than that previous novel, and casts a much colder eye towards its subject. Almost all the characters are petty, spiteful, snobbish and materialistic: Leonora is the worst among them (with the exception of Ned), but Pym's achievement is to make her readers care about her protagonist despite her selfishness and her self-deludedness. In its own way this book is something of a minor masterpiece; it brings off its story absolutely perfectly.
Entanglements.......2005-02-01
The definition of entangle is to write or knit together confusedly. This rather describes the progress of the characters in Barbara Pym's THE SWEET DOVE DIED.
Humphrey Boyce has an antiques shop. James, his orphaned newphew, commences to work at the shop after finishing at Oxford. At an auction they meet Leonora Eyre. Later Humphrey plans to have lunch with Leonora who is in her fifties. This is a novel of manners and amusement. Leonora, whose dinner with a friend and two very young men is described as being disappointing, regrets that James is not present, too. She finagles the interactions with Humphrey to go back to the shop to see James and accepts a ride with James because conveniently he is going in the direction of her house. James is too young to assume that a woman living alone is to be pitied.
For Christmas Leonora receives a paperweight from Humphrey and a card from James. She puts James's card near her bedside table. After Christmas Leonora's new social life with Humphrey and James picks up again. When the shop is the subject of a burglary Leonora sends flowers. Through various machinations she actually sends James's young woman friend to Majorca, but she cannot best a male friend Ned who, for a time, captures James's attention.
I am certain Barbara Pym has been compared to Jane Austen many times. Clearly the thrust of their works differ. Barbara Pym is not concerned with setting up a young person for life in some sort of matrimonial arrangement. Nevertheless, the means used, the comedy, the irony, the light touch and excellent writing are similar. "A sweet dove died" comes from a Keats poem.
Newly hooked on Barbara Pym.......2003-05-08
This was the second Barbara Pym book I have ever read and it confirmed to me that she is greatly underrated as a writer. Though not perhaps as brilliantly comic as Excellent Women, Sweet Dove Died is gently satirical in the most delicious way. The type of woman she deals with is, this time, the affected 'lady of a certain age', rather than the humble and worthy types. One could almost imagine that this is how Madame Bovary may have turned out, had she had lived a city life. There is nothing prudish about Pym and readers today may be struck by how 'modern' she still appears, particularly in her depiction of the younger male characters in this novel. Greatly enjoyable.
One of the best novels I've ever read........2003-02-11
I happened upon this slim volume by accident the other day - and what a happy accident it turned out to be. Barbara Pym's "The Sweet Dove Died" is a novel of unrequited love - an unnatural love of an older woman for a much younger gay man. There are shades of the Tennessee Williams classic "The Roman Spring of Mrs Stone," yet the writing style is more akin to Patrick Gale's early works "The Aerodynamics of Pork" and "Kansas in August."
Pym's novels are what used to be called "comedies of manners." Her work is immediately engaging, always amusing, and quite pointed in its depiction of a woman so consumed with the appearence of perfection that she misses every opportunity for happiness.
"and he had loved them all".......2003-01-10
Leonora Eyre is a vain, self-focused, middle-aged spinster whose fading beauty and sense of refinement attracts antique dealer Humphrey Boyce and his nephew, James when they meet--by-chance--at an antique auction. Humphrey's attraction to Leonora is very understandable, and they certainly have enough in common--a love of antiques, fine wines, expensive restaurants,and leisurely drives in the country. Leonora, however, while perfectly content to permit Humphrey's attentions--as long as they don't stray to the baser instincts--is far more attracted to James, and he's young enough to be her son. She enjoys having the exclusive attentions (and there's an emphasis on the word 'exclusive' here) of a handsome young beau, and she expects him to read to her, to soothe her forehead, and to generally lavish her with attention--just as long as the relationship isn't consumated. Leonora senses that James is content to accept the limitations of their relationship, but she also realises that Humphrey chafes against such restrictions.
For some reason, James finds himself accepting the role Leonora assigns him. Humphrey is a little perturbed, and even jealous of his rival, but he's at heart a rather simple, blustering chap, and so he consoles himself with the thought that Leonora must feel rather like a mother to his nephew--the motherless-James. It even crosses Leonora's mind to wonder exactly what her relationship is with James--she usually has nothing but mild contempt for females who make idiots of themselves for younger men. Leonora refuses to examine her relationship with James--just as she refuses to contemplate or confront any unpleasantness in life.
But what of James? He's a red-blooded, testosterone-infused male--why does he accept the eunuch's role in Leonora's life? To James, Leonora is made of "some brittle unreal substance," and their relationship is simultaneously intimate and remote. Why does he feel compelled to hide his relationship with the intriguing Phoebe? James doesn't understand himself or the relationships that are most important to him. He seems unable to control his relationships, and soon all the people in his life are on a collision course, and James is ill-prepared for the consequences.
This well-crafted novel of manners is a small masterpiece. Written with elegant brilliance by the greatly underrated Barbara Pym, this novel centres on relationships--the needs relationships fill, and the voids that remain, and the need humans have to convert love, ultimately, into possession of the beloved. Leonora and James are fascinating characters--perfect foils for Humphrey and Phoebe, and it is the relationship between Leonora and James that warrants the most scrutiny.
This is not some sappy romance or a love story. This is a novel of sterling calibre, and Pym should never be underestimated. She is an extremely skillful writer, and her novels have a consistent quality that do not disappoint--displacedhuman
Average customer rating:
|
The Sweet Dove Died
Manufacturer: Grafton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000BYFWVC |
Average customer rating:
|
Sweet Dove Died
Manufacturer: PAN (MACM)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GRMQ54 |
Average customer rating:
- GO ANDREA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Writing style ruins a promising story
- A wonderful Romantic Novel
- Dustin finally gets his story!
- Alllllllll right Andrea!!!!!!
|
Wishes in the Wind
Andrea Kane
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Kane, Andrea | ( K ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
-
Samantha
-
My Heart's Desire
-
The Last Duke
-
Emerald Garden
-
The Black Diamond
ASIN: 0671534831 |
Book Description
Nicole Aldridge, daughter of England's most acclaimed jockey, Nick Aldridge, whisks her father into hiding to protect him from blackmailers who have threatened his life for refusing to throw a race. Desperate to keep her father safe and the two of them fed, Nicole dresses as a boy and answers an ad addressed to her father by the Marquis of Tyreham. As Nick's "protégé," she wins the position of jockey, hired by the marquis to run the race of a lifetime: the celebrated Epsom Derby.
Dustin Kingsley, Marquis of Tyreham, renowned as a thoroughbred breeder and the ton's most sought-after bachelor, is restless, empty -- until he meets the beautiful stranger sitting by the Thames. Determined to win Nicole's heart, Dustin plunges headlong into the ominous mystery eclipsing their future, hell-bent on convincing Nicole that he's the only man for her.
An impossible masquerade, a never-to-be-forgotten Derby, and a cherished wishing locket propel Nicole and Dustin toward a climactic finish, where danger threatens a love destined -- by wishes and fate -- to prevail.
Customer Reviews:
GO ANDREA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-07-28
Nicole and her father Nick recieved a threating note painted on a stable wall..... they leave the country and Nicole disguises as a boy to protect her father..... when she goes in for a job she did not relize the man she met 2 nights before was the same man...... Dustin puts his life on the line 2 protect nicoles secret and her father..... u must read this book too find out what happens.... this book will keep u glued to the pages..... i can't wait to read more from this fantastic author
Writing style ruins a promising story.......2006-06-08
I bought this book expecting to like it, as I'd really enjoyed one of this author's previous works, YULETIDE TREASURE from the Christmas anthology A GIFT OF LOVE. Surprisingly, I couldn't get very far into WISHES IN THE WIND.
The writing style was very awkward. In any given page, 75% - 90% percent of the text would be dialogue. People burst out into huge, rambling speeches every time they spoke. Every time. Hero has a speech, then his brother has a speech, then his sister-in-law has a speech, and then it's back to the hero for another speech. It was ridiculous. It's not that I don't like dialogue, (in fact, I've tossed aside many a book for not having enough), but there needs to be a balance between dialogue and prose. I just didn't find this realistic. I mean, who spews out ten sentences every time they get a chance to talk in a conversation? Only a narcisist.
This writing style reminded me of Fern Michaels'. And that's the very reason why I don't read her books, either! All that rambling is just too irritating. I'm glad I got WISHES IN THE WIND at a library discard sale, otherwise I would have been mad at spending too much money on it.
I know not everyone will agree with this review, but if you're picky about the writing style in the books you read (like I am), and you've never read anything by Andrea Kane before, then you might want to consider trying a different author. But if you're a fan of Kane's, then this probably won't bother you at all, in which case, go ahead and buy this.
A wonderful Romantic Novel.......2005-11-10
I really do love this book. It's the first book of Andrea Kane's I've really enjoyed it!! I love Nicole and her boldness to be a man and race in the Derby where she knows women are not allowed to compete. The Derby Race is very intense and exciting. As is the love between Dustin and Nicole. I also fell in love with Dustin and of course his adorable nephew, Alexander. Andrea Kane definetly works her magic in this novel.
Dustin finally gets his story!.......2002-04-21
In this book you are re-introduced to Dustin Kingsley whom you met in "Echos in the Mist". This is a great story of a strong minded woman and what you are able to achive when you set your mind to something. Nicole is the perfect choice for Dustin. You will also get to met Trenton and Ariana again.
I love Ms. Kane's writing and story telling ability. Her characters are likeable and the plots are interesting. You should not miss this story.
Alllllllll right Andrea!!!!!!.......2001-02-19
I prefer not to give anything a 5 star rating because I don't believe anything is perfect but I really enjoy Ms Kane's style of writing. I enjoy her because there are no real games. The story line is not too far from what is usual in most regency novels but the difference is, there is no major misunderstanding that stands between the couple. They come together in a tender kind of way. NO, it's not your typical story where boy meets girl and there is something or someone that deters their romance. It's nice to read a book that one does not mistrust and suspects the other for three quarters of the book. They can 'get together' without the going through half the book figuring out that each had the wrong view and/or opinion.
Nicole and Dustin are from two different worlds, in a way. Nicole is basing her knowledge of the nobility from what she's learned in the stables, applies it to Dustin, has a pre-determned Dustin in her mind. Dustin, however, surprises her by not being the typical nobleman she has been exposed to. Dustin senses something unique about Nicole but isn't able to act upon it as soon as he would like to. He knows there is something 'different' about Nicole but isn't doesn't recognize himself to be in love. He has a bit of a problem admitting it to himself. It doesn't go on and on as some books do which is the refreshing part.
I've said enough without ruining the story. If you're tired and frustrated of reading romance novels that spend at least half of the book resisting the "love" that is to bound to occur, Ms Kane is for you. The love scenes are every bit steamy. They do not go on for chapters as I've seen with other authors but it's just right.
I strongly recommend reading Wishes in the Wind before reading Echoes in the Mist. Echoes in the Mist is, to my knowledge, the conclusion of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and hope this review helps you.
Average customer rating:
|
Brother to the Wind
Mildred Pitts Walter
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Africa | Fiction | Explore the World | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Fiction | General | Animals | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0688038123 |
Book Description
Emeke is a young African boy who yearns to fly like the wind. One day the animals of the veldt lead him to Good Snake, who teaches him the secrets of flight: trust in others and faithfulness to ideals.
Product Description
Three Complete Love Stories.
Product Description
The Gold Coin and the Silver Coin are a two book set. Wishes in the Wind and Legacy of the Diamond are just 2 other books. These 4 books make great reading.
Product Description
Use benchmark books when you want to: 1. Make an initial placement of a student within the Rigby ELL Levels. 2. Assess whether a student is ready to move into another Rigby ELL Level. This may be done when a student has completed all of the books at a particular level or when you think a student might be ready to move up before finishing all of the books at a particular level. 3. Assess whether a student has been placed in a level that is too difficult. If a student is struggling in his or her current small group, you may want to use a benchmark book as a further indicator of the student's reading level. 4. Provide a formal assessment for a grading period.
Average customer rating:
|
Wind of Wishes Journal
Manufacturer: Havoc Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General | Journals | Accessories | Formats | Books
General | Journals | Book Accessories | Our Favorites | Gift Ideas
General | Journals | Our Favorites | Gift Ideas
ASIN: 0741612178 |
Average customer rating:
|
Wish Wind
Peter Eyvindso
Manufacturer: Pemmican Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0921827032 |
Customer Reviews:
I really enjoyed this book.......2007-02-14
and thus, have read and re-read it multiple times. Highly recommend if you are looking for a historical romance novel.
A MUST Read!!!.......2002-04-04
This book is another keeper for my bookshelf! I loved how deeply Elaine Barbeiri actually went into the setting of the coal fields of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. The people, the politics, the hardship and the feelings of those in the village. I truely felt as though I were right there watching it all happen right around me.
I personally feel in love with David, the main character. He was so completely and utterly devoted to Meg that it broke my heart so see him suffer. He was willing to give up everything just to be with her, but was instead forced to sit and watch her be decieved by the two men in her life and emotionally torn in two by her brother who was set on revenge.
I didn't want their story to end, it was wonderful!
Thanks Elaine for such a great adventure!!
A MUST Read!!!.......2002-04-04
This book is another keeper for my bookshelf! I loved how deeply Elaine Barbeiri actually went into the setting of the coal fields of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. The people, the politics, the hardship and the feelings of those in the village. I truely felt as though I were right there watching it all happen right around me.
I personally feel in love with David, the main character. He was so completely and utterly devoted to Meg that it broke my heart so see him suffer. He was willing to give up everything just to be with her, but was instead forced to sit and watch her be decieved by the two men in her life and emotionally torn in two by her brother who was set on revenge.
I didn't want their story to end, it was wonderful!
Thanks Elaine for such a great adventure!!
Book Description
Brilliantly imagined by the late H. P. Lovecraft, the mythical cycle of Cthulhu is expanded and enriched in this one-volume edition of tales that only August Derleth, Lovecraft's friend and collaborator, could have produced. With the marvelously inventive novel The Trail of Cthulhu and the six remarkable stories of mythic horror included in The Mask of Cthulhu, Derleth maps the strange destinies intertwined in the quest for the ancient god Cthulhu. Under the spell of Lovecraft's imagination, Derleth weaves new horrors like the hideous eldrich deity Yog-Sothoth lurking in the New England wood of "The Whippoorwills in the Hills" and the bodiless Lloigor who breaks an occult contract to terrifying effect in "The Sandwin Compact." And in "The Seal of R'lyeh," the dreadful link between the Massachusetts town of Innsmouth and the servants of the formidable Cthulhu is coded. With narrative threads from Lovecraft's lore and some chilling mythic strands of its own, The Trail of Cthulhu tracks Dr. Laban Shrewsbury as he investigates the unspeakable secrets of the Ancient Ones. Terror mounts as he journeys from Massachusetts and halfway around an occult world to arrive finally at the drowned city of R'lyeh, where Cthulhu waits dreaming.
Customer Reviews:
3 Stars for "Mask" 5 for "Trail".......2007-01-27
This book was put together from two seperate Derleth novels, "Mask of Cthulhu" and "Trail of Cthulhu." Of these "Trail" is by far the best.
"Mask of Cthulhu" is basically six unrelated Lovecraft pastiches. None of the stories are horrible, but none of them equal Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos stories. Derleth's insertion of a good/evil dichotomy and hokey elemental alignments for the Great Old Ones is annoying, but easy to ignore, especially since Derleth acknowledges in the afterword that the Elder Gods and Great Old Ones are above conventional human morality, and that he intended "good" and "evil" to be shorthand for a more complex "order" vs. "chaos" dichotomy.
What hurts the stories more is that they have very similar plots, generally consisting of someone finding some artifact of Cthulhu or some other Great Old One. At first being entranced and then scared then finally having something dreadful happen to them. The stories seems routine and formulaic by the time you've gotten to the end of "Mask." Luckily the final story "The Seal of R'Lyeh" breaks the formula to some extent, particularly in its sympathetic portrayal of certain minions of Cthulhu, and is much better than all the other stories.
"Trail of Cthulhu" is much better. Rather than simply rehash Lovecraft's ideas, like he did in "Mask" Derleth expands upon them. Whereas most of Lovecraft's stories (and Derleth's from "Mask") deal with the discovery of the Great Old Ones and the character's immediate reaction to them Derleth's character Dr. Shrewsbury already knows of the existence of Cthulhu as the story begins, and is taking steps to stop him from escaping his watery prison by aligning himself with Cthulhu's enemy Hastur. He and the various viewpoint characters who help him travel around the world, often stopping at places Lovecraft had covered in earlier stories, like Innsmouth and the Nameless City, in their attempts to stop Cthulhu's followers from freeing him. It gives the story an epic feel and ties together elements from previous stories in a fairly satisfying way. Even if the reader doesn't neccessarily like what Derleth does with the Mythos in this book, it's certainly nice to see him work up the guts to try to do something new, instead of just rehashing previous Lovecraft stories.
If you are a fan of the Cthulhu Mythos you should get this volume, but if you're only interested in reading some well written cosmic horror stories you might want to find a standalone copy of "Trail of Cthulhu" in a used bookstore somewhere first.
Tepid, at Best.......2005-12-14
Yes, this book deals with many of the Lovecraft Mythos characters, but it falls far short of anything HPL ever wrote. One of the things that makes Lovecraft engaging is the claustrophobic atmosphere and feeling of empty weirdness and helplessness in the face of what lurks "out there." This book has none of that--Derleth never comes close. I found the stories to be mechanical and predictable. (Of course, HPL's detractors sometimes say the same thing about his work). I would only recommend this to hardcore Lovecraft junkies who really are hurting for a fresh Lovecraft Mythos fix... better yet, just go re-read the real thing. Or read Derleth's "co-written" stories with HPL--at least in those he was starting with the germ of an idea or or plot outline of Lovecraft's.
In a way the book is a tribute to Lovecraft's skill as a writer--you can toss together the elements he often used, but it's a harder thing to actually make it work.
I gave this a two start rating only because it was connected to HPL... it really only deserves one star.
Derleth's Cthulhu opus.......2004-10-09
Derleth has been disparaged by many fans of Lovecraft's fiction for his revisions to the Cthulhu corpus. Lovecraft had a very modernistic outlook - a rationalistic materialist with the premise that man could indefinitely improve himself through the proper application of his intellect. Naturally, the thing that would disturb him the most is the idea that there ARE gods and other beings, and that they don't CARE about us, because our vaunted intellect is actually quite feeble and entirely unable to grasp the truth of the universe. Derleth is a quintessentially 1950's post-modern man, who sees that the universe is indeed quite a bit more strange than we can imagine, but that through the proper application of scientific inquiry we can make quite a bit of headway in understanding, describing, cataloging, and controlling that strangeness.
Yes, you can imagine that fans of the one might find the other infuriating.
Unfortunately, Derleth is rarely considered as an author in his own right rather than an addendum to HPL. Yes, there is a fannish-quality to Derleth's name-dropping and "Ia!Ia!" proclamations, but he does write a good tale. You may decide that it is really more science-fiction than cosmic horror, but taking each story on its own merits will allow you to appreciate what Derleth has in store for you.
The first half is "The Mask of Cthulhu", which is composed of unrelated short stories dealing with "you-know-who". These are mostly rewrites of Lovecraftian stories - "The Whipporwills in the Hills" is the Dunwich Horror + The Rats in the Walls, "The Seal of R'yleh" is The Shadow Over Innsmounth, etc. These are fairly good stories and would be better than some that make it into Chaosium's Cycle series.
The second half is "The Trail of Cthulhu", which unlike the first half is composed of interlocking short stories. Each one is the testimony of one person who became involved with the mysterious Dr. Shrewsbury and his quest against Cthulhu. Each person's narrative is a glimpse into the war waged by Shrewsbury against Cthulhu and his minions. Unlike the Lovecraftian formula, the protagonists have a way out; Laban has made a contract with Hastur whereby he has gained the secret of space mead (which allows the user to survive in space, among other strange powers), the ability to call for help from Hastur's minions, and a refuge on another world. The servants of Cthulhu are always a step behind Shrewsbury and his assistants, who are doing their best to protect humanity without losing their lives in the process.
The narratives are well written and the interlocking stories are a great device, but "Trail of Cthulhu" seems more clinical to me than it should. No one ever really gets their hands dirty. Dr. Shrewsbury is helping Hastur fight Cthulhu - shouldn't there be a price paid for this assistance? Is Hastur so beneficent, or does Laban have his own secret agenda? Is Laban really who he says he is? Pawns are occasionally sacrificed in this game to save humanity, but no mention is ever made of the degradation of the players' humanity as they sacrifice some to make their moves.
In summary, these are stories I will read more than once, and the collection as a whole is pretty good. It does, however, gloss over the darkness in mankind to tell a cosmic story, and I think that removes the horror from where it should be, which is in the soul.
Fair effort, but definitely not Lovecraft.......2003-12-14
After the great H.P. Lovecraft died, his sometime colleague August Derleth stepped in to keep that author's work alive. Derleth founded Arkham House Press, a publishing company that reprinted the master's stories so new generations of horror/fantasy readers could discover the eldritch nightmares originally penned by Lovecraft. Instead of merely reprinting the thirteen original tales from the master, Derleth contributed his own stories to the mythos and inspired other writers to do the same. Even today, writers of the macabre consider it imperative to churn out at least one Lovecraft themed tale. Robert Bloch, Clark Ashton Smith, Charlee Jacob, Robert E. Howard, Stephen King, J. Ramsey Campbell, and many other authors have all written tales set in Lovecraft's Cthulhu milieu. This book, "Quest for Cthulhu," is August Derleth's contributions to the mythos written from the 1930s to the 1950s. For those unfamiliar with Lovecraft's Cthulhu tales, his stories concerned a whole constellation of "ancient gods," or evil deities cast into exile when another set of gods battled these creatures for control of the universe. These ancient gods are multidimensional beings capable of traveling anywhere in the universe, and some arrived on earth where they built vast cities populated by eerie beings who worshipped these evil deities. Traces of this time before man still exist in out of the way places on the planet and in ancient texts like the "Necronomicon" locked away in Miskatonic University in Massachusetts. The fun comes when some poor soul unlocks part of the secrets of this pre-Adamic age and promptly suffers a whole host of horrors for their incessant curiosity.
"Quest for Cthulhu" has two parts. The first, under the title of "The Mask of Cthulhu," contains several stand alone short stories about men who would have been better off in the long run if they had simply checked their curiosity. "The Return of Hastur" relates what happens when one ignores the directions contained in a last will and testament. "The Whippoorwills in the Hills" describes how one man falls under the evil spell of an ancient god while living in an abandoned house with disastrous consequences for the local populace. "Something in the Wood" is a very short story about an art critic who ultimately disappears without a trace after obtaining a creepy looking statue from a friend. "The Sandwin Compact" discusses the terrible fate awaiting those humans who welch on a contract with the ancient ones. "The House in the Valley" is more or less a retread of "The Whippoorwills in the Hills." "The Seal of R'lyeh" sets up the second part of the book with a story about the horrors that lie off the coast of Innsmouth, Massachusetts and the strange link between the denizens of that town and the ancient ones.
The second section of the book, a series of "statements" from various individuals comprising a novella entitled "The Trail of Cthulhu," finds Derleth exploring the attempts of Cthulhu's minions to bring their evil deity back to power on earth. Each statement builds on the previous one as we see a growing effort on the part of several men to prevent the horrible reemergence of one of the most powerful of the ancient gods.
While I appreciated reading several new tales about Lovecraft's epic mythos, I found Derleth's stories somewhat derivative of the original tales. Far too often this author reincorporates the same themes in each of his stories, making it quite difficult to get through some parts of the book. In a few places, "The Quest for Cthulhu" is downright plodding. Another annoying aspect for me was whenever Derleth had a character refer directly to one of H.P. Lovecraft's stories as proof of the presence of the evil ones. This reference appears in several places and seemed very fanboyish, as though Derleth sought credibility for his own stories by dropping Lovecraft's name. Moreover, the six stories that make up the first part of the book are absolutely arthritic to read due to Derleth's massive use of commas. I always enjoyed Lovecraft's ornate language, the endless adjectives and arcane language that author used in his writings, but some of the run-on sentences in these stories would frustrate Marcel Proust. Fortunately, "The Trail of Cthulhu" sequence flows much better than the first few stories. A final complaint here is the huge plot hole threading its way throughout nearly every tale in the book. If the minions of the ancient ones truly seek to bring back their gods and oppose every attempt by the "good guys" to prevent this eventuality, why not simply burn the library at Miskatonic University? That depository houses all of the important texts about the ancient gods along with documents donated to the library by those opposing these evil deities, so why waste time following people around? Destroying the library would virtually insure that no new opponents would arise to interfere with the nefarious plans of Innsmouth and the dreaming Cthulhu.
I liked how Derleth subtly hinted at the "real" reasons behind nuclear testing in the South Pacific, how he explored in greater depth some of the dread texts outlining the existence of the ancient gods, and the greater reliance on "anthropological proof" of the pervasive influence of the evil deities. This last point appears repeatedly throughout the stories as Derleth ties together many ancient religions under the banner of Cthulhu. Moreover, he insinuates that Christianity's Satan/God taxonomy is really a distorted representation of the titanic battle that took place in outer space between the elder gods and the ancient gods. While there are many problems with Derleth's interpretation of Lovecraft, the book isn't a total loss. Fans of the Cthulhu mythos will still find much to like with August Derleth.
The Great God Cthulhu, By Way of August Derleth, Esq........2002-06-25
August Derleth, founder of Arkham House Publishers, kept the Lovecraft name alive when it threatened to disappear into pulp obscurity. Now, more than half a century later, Lovecraft's name is venerated the world over. Derleth (along with countless other writers) penned his own tales utilizing the Lovecraft mythos, and the two volumes here, originally "The Trail of Cthulhu" and "The Mask of Cthulhu," were first published in the '50s and '60s.
Derleth has been criticized by Lovecraft purists for drastically altering the philosophical underpinning of Lovecraft's original stories into a more balanced, even Christianized, cosmic whole. Lovecraft was a staunch atheist who saw the universe as a bleak, cold, indifferent place in which humanity had no place; his followers, however, adapted the mythos to their own needs and creative visions. Some feel this more humanized viewpoint weakens the impact of Lovecraft's mythos; I tend to that opinion, and have read very few of the Lovecraft followers.
However, August Derleth succeeds where Lovecraft often fails, writing a readable prose style. In fact, many of the stories here seem almost to be the classic Lovecraft stories re-written in readable prose. Derleth's style is almost hard-boiled, with no affectation of language, no preoccupation with an archaic style, no excessive adjectives. Yet still the stories achieve an atmosphere of cosmic dread, of fear and loathing, of awe at the vastness of space and the littleness of mankind in its void. "The Seal of R'lyeh" is a fantastic story, with a deepening (or perversion, as Lovecraft experts may see it) of the "Cthulhu mythos" and some really strong, evocative, subtle writing.
It's excellent to see these two works back in print; my moldering copies smell a hundred years old and I wouldn't part with them for anything. While I much prefer the bleak visions of Lovecraft himself, Derleth's stories are powerfully imagined, clearly told, and come highly recommended from this lifelong Lovecraft fan.
Books:
- Talking Funny for Money : An Introduction to the Cartoon/Character/Looping Area of Voice-Overs
- The Aesthetics of Resistance, Volume 1: A Novel (Aesthetics of Resistance)
- The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing: A Contemporary Perspective on the Classical Tradition
- The Beast God Forgot to Invent: Novellas
- The Beautiful Room Is Empty: A Novel
- The Bowl Is Already Broken: A Novel
- The City and the Pillar: A Novel
- The Courage Consort
- The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
- The Dork of Cork
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Subway Art
- Little Foods of the Mediterranean: 500 Fabulous Recipes for Antipasti, Tapas, Hors d'Oeuvres, Meze,
- Collected Tales and Fantasies of Lord Berners: Including Percy Wallingford, the Camel, Mr. Pidger, C
- Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop: The Basics of ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo Updated for ArcGIS 9
- Gollum: A Behind the Scenes Guide of the Making of Gollum
- Lie Groups: Beyond an Introduction
- History: Fiction or Science
- Ginger: The Life and Death of Albert Goodwin
- Current Approaches to Collective Bargaining: An Ilo Symposium on Collective Bargaining in Industrial
- Research in the History of Economic Thought and Methodology, Volume 17 : Frank H. Knight and Thornst
