Customer Reviews (3)

What is the "Singing" bit about?
The first thing I noticed about the collection SINGERS OF STRANGE SONGS is that it is edited by Scott David Aniolowski.Right off the bat, this is a good thing.Scott is a humble editor, not getting in the way of the stories themselves.He doesn't endlessly expound on his own beliefs, nor does he give the ending away before each story. This put me in a mood to better enjoy SINGERS OF STRANGE SONGS.

This collection is a celebration of Brian Lumley, who has made important additions to the Cthulhu mythos, although many consider his later work to be non-canonical.Which is to say that his writing became less like HPL and more like a profitable author (here's to success!).His early work involved mythos monsters (chthonians), mythos tomes (Cthaat Aquadingen), and mythos deities (Yibb Tstll, Shudde M'ell), so you can imagine that these stories explore those themes and devices.

Some of these are cthonian stories."Cement Surroundings", "Bad Soil", "Subway Accident", and "Shudder Wyrm", they're all about the burrowers beneath that come up to get you when you least expect it.Although, sometimes they don't get ALL of you (some gets left behind).This must have been a different experience before TREMORS was released.These stories didn't feel very original after seeing the movie, but then I remember when I was terrified to ride the lawn mower because there might be giant worms underground ready to eat me (I am not very proud of myself right now).

A couple of stories deal somewhat tangentially with Yibb Tstll - "Not To Force the Rhymes" and "The Nullity of Choice" by John Tynes.The former is a British-atmosphere story about saving the world.I thought it would have been good but the author wanted to introduce the idea of a "gestalt" that had an avatar - that broke my suspension of disbelief.Tynes story of a cultist trying to act out the perceived desires of his god was pretty goood, and filled me in on some aspects of Yibb Tstll I hadn't understood before.I'd really like to read THE CALLER OF THE BLACK to better understand this part of the mythos, but , good luck with that!

There were some other stories that dealt with tangential topics, some good, some merely okay.My favorite involved the Men from Leng, Ithaquaa, and the Reliable Vacuum Cleaner.The last story is a more obscure one by Lumley called "Spaghetti", and the atmosphere and buildup is great.You KNOW that the "spaghetti" is going to be something awful.Yeah, it was.

All in all, a good collection, some good authors, and a great editor.I wouldn't pass this one up if you can get it.

i can sing along
not bad. a pretty obvious one, but well written, by Burleson. Nicoll has a well written one, but very short. D'amassa has an interesting one. Lumley's spaghetti is the longest. an interesting pulpish haunted house- story. worth a read, but is perhaps lacking real greatness

Great To Read...For A While.
"~Singers Of Strange Songs is a book of short stories H. P. Lovecraft style. The difference is the authors have incorporated Brian Lumley's additions to the Mythos."~ to Force the Rhymes, by Benjamin Adams"~ Cement Surroundings and Spaghetti are well worth getting thiscollection. They scared the bejezus out of me. I'll never look at spaghettithe same again! ... Read more

Product Description
From the creator of Necroscope - three landmark novels of the Cthulhu Mythos:

THE SAGA OF TITUS CROW!

SPAWN OD THE WINDS: In which a party of gifted human psychics seeks Ithaqua, Lord of the Winds, in the frozen north - only to find themselves abducted to Borea, an alien ice-world where the Wind-Walker is the undisputed Lord and Master!

IN THE MOONS OF BOREA: Hank Silberhutte, Henri-Laurent de Marigny and friends join battle with cavern-dwelling Ice-Priests, last members of an evil sect from the dawn of time. Sworn to serve the Wind-Walker, his alien minions will do anything to appease their dark master - to the point of sacrificing his own daughter to the Thing that Walks on the Wind! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Lumley rules
Brian Lumley is one of the best horror/weird fiction writers around. I have read everything he's written, even the hard-to-find and out-of-print stuff. This, along with Vol II, is a must have.

Classic Lumley
Brian Lumley is one of the best horror/weird fiction writers around.I have read everything he's written, even the hard-to-find and out-of-print stuff.This, along with Vol I, is a must have.

Book Two Of An Excellent Series
Volume Two has three other novels.

Spawn Of The WindsIn The Moons Of BoreaElysia

These books continue following the adventures of Crow and DeMarigny.

Spawn Of The Winds is interesting though. While it still goeswith the series, Lumley creates altogether new characters and heroes forthis adventure and barely mentions Crow or DeMarginy at all! They do tie inlater though, and quite nicely.

This is another great series puttogether by Lumley, and I'm just so happy they finally rereleased some ofhis earlier work, and economically too.

A related book of short storiesthat fits in nicely with this series is The Compleat Crow.

Big tip! Ifyou are like me and want to read virtually all of Lumley's works, then Ihighly suggest reading the Dreamlands saga after reading Spawn Of The Windsin Mythos Omnibus Volume Two. These books take place before In The Moons OfBorea (Unfortunately I did not know this and well, it blew it a little forme I think).

Titus Crow - investigator of the outre!
At last a nice affordable collection of Brian Lumley's Titus Crow novels.

The Mythos Omnibus Volume 1 (Volume two contains the last three novels) contains the following previously released Lumley novels:

The BurrowersBeneathThe Transition Of Titus CrowThe Clock Of Dreams

If you are afan of Lumley you know how hard it was to find these novels previously. Nowthat they are out in this collection you have no excuse! All three areexcellent stories in themselves.

My favorite was the Burrowers Beneath.Super scary. The chant Lumley recites throughout the novel still beats inmy head. But overall the Burrowers Beneath introduces us to new charactersthat Lumley uses in quite a few books. Okay, many books to come. Crow andDemarigny. This pair of adventurers are time travelling, monster beating,world saving heroes extraordinaire! Aided with a time clock (previouslyintroduced in an H.P. Lovecraft story, they are able to travel throughdifferent dimensions to different worlds! It leads to exciting adventureseverywhere!

Cthulhu mythos fans should also get a kick out of thesestories, but be warned, it deals more on exciting adventure and action thanthe H.P. Lovecraft setting. I love it! His best series next to Necroscope! ... Read more

Product Description
Bent on taking over the Earth, the deadly Thone have planted a monstrous device on our planet's surface. Trapped inside is a group of scientists, spies, and innocent bystanders. Part maze, part torture chamber, part laboratory, the House of Doors is a test. If its captives survive, the Thone will withdraw from Earth and leave us in peace.

Survival seems impossible. At every turn of the labyrinth the prisoners encounter alien world and terrifying monsters ripped from their own subconscious fears. Only by defeating the demons within can these men and women escape the House of Doors and save the Earth.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Couldn't really get into it,
Don't know what it is about this book, but it just didn't do anything for me. The plot is original and intriguing, but something just didn't work for me. It wasn't the characters, some of whom were likeable. It wasn't the villians, whom were quite cool--who doesn't like aliens, giant scorpion/crab/spider monsters, and derranged ape-people?
I think it was the books predictability that made it a tedious read. Lumley never truly generates any real suspense or a sense of urgency, so as creative as some of the foes are, they're not terrible effective.
I understand there is a sequel. Maybe I'll read that some day. If you're really into sci-fi, give it a read. It just didn't click for me.
Real rating: 2-and-a-half stars.

Not great
It was ok.I strongly dislike the character that has an empathy for machines.Just ridiculous.And he was one of the cruxes of the story!Brian Lumley's other works (Fruiting Bodies) is far superior.

Disappointing
Repetitive, self-contradictory, predictable, boring. I still have a few pages to read and can't work up the energy to finishing reading them. The book is 100 - 150 pages too long, much of it is junk that could have been edited out. I have always been curious about Lumley's "Necroscope" series but now I wont even bother. I want my 7 bucks back.

The characters uninteresting, their actions somewhat pointless. The situations they get into are not very interesting either.
I thought is was odd that only the female charater kept getting her clothes ripped off as she ran through the woods, stupid. The "vilian" was totally unintersting and his behavior is never really explained in a way that makes sense for the story.

The back cover exlaims "ALIEN ATTACK!" but there is no alien attack really, just one alien who has trapped a few people. I will stay way away from Lumley.

What's in your nightmares?
Brian Lumley has written a fast paced, heart pounding, chilling story in The House of Doors.It grabs you from the beginning and
doesn't let go til the last page.

A civilization called the Thone have sent a scout to earth to determine whether it is habitable for their race.The Thone are looking for other planets to live on but they are a peaceful race who will only take over a planet if the inhabitants are barbaric; lacking in intelligence, wit, will to survive.

Unfortunately for earth, Sith,a Thone who wants to be Grand Thone decides to ignore the rules of the game and cheat in order to show his leaders that earth is ready to be taken over.If he can find a planet to sustain his peoples lives, surely he will gain the promotion he is seeking.

The house of doors is a castle within a castle which contains many doors. A sampling of humans are captured and placed in the castle and their movments and actions are recorded.Behind each door contains the world of each of the captives worse nightmares.They must survive each trial in order to save earth from completed destruction and domination.

This book contains heroes and villians.Those you root for and those you root against.As in real life, not everyone plays fair, and some are simply out for themselves.This story is a fantastic voyage into the intricate threads that hold us together as a society.It shows how we work together toward a single minded goal, and how we also work against those who don't share our beliefs.It was a wonderful read.The story flowed and was over before I knew it.

Will our representatives from earth survive the horrors that await them in the House of Doors?Will they be strong enough to save Earth? Buy this book and find out, you won't be sorry.

Lumley opens new doors to Sci-Fi...
This book had the distinction of being the first Brian Lumley novel that i ever read, and I am happy to say that it is not going to be the last. "House of Doors" was a thoroughly engrossing novel that kept me reeled in page after page. At first the concept was a little hard to understand, but once I understood what the idea was, i had a wonderful time with this novel. So, we have a group of people that are lead by a man named Spencer Gill, that are trapped within a structure called the House of Doors, that is really a intergalactic funhouse of sorts, that is said to be larger on the inside than it is on the out.

I thought that this novel was a fun ride into the sci-fi genre, and a very good work into the fears and nightmares that sometimes trap us all. I found myself rooting for the characters who seemed like believable person, and it was a great read. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Six Freshman tales from master Brian Lumley
Table Of Contents:

1. Foreword
2. In The Glow Zone
3. Problem Child
4. The Ugly Act
5. Mother Love
6. Somebody Calling

In 'In The Glow Zone', an abandoned child(ren) is hungry.The illustration by Allen Koslowski clears up the tangled meaning of the child(ren).
In 'Problem Child', if you grow up mutant, you dream of going after the parents that made you that way.
In 'The Ugly Act', Hesch Blarzt was born just before the Ugly Act was enacted, leaving him to grow up in a world that tolerated, and kept alive, only those who were beautiful.He's forced to wear a "handsome mask" when appearing in public, until he learns how to "zoop".
In 'Mother Love', a mutant baby is protected from the killings by a determined young mother.
In 'Somebody Calling' (my favorite), a doctor must find his mutated Siamese twin sister (separated shortly after birth) after she's been kidnapped by a horrible beast of a man.

Considering the rarity of the book and the price attached to used copies, I thought it prudent to include in my review a full description of the product.This clearly isn't the matured Brian Lumley we all know and love; the book is very much a freshman effort.I suspect the stories are all early works regardless of the publication date of 2003.It's like a child's book, slim, only 82 pages, using a large font, and with illustrations.A child's book for adults that is, because the content would be unsuitable for children.

I expected a lot more out of this book other than some tired radiation stories.The only one that really grabbed me, and contained a real mutant, was 'Somebody Calling'.The writing isn't worthy of Brian Lumley's mature works, either his later collections or his Necroscope series.I suggest, especially since the price of the used books is high, that you take into consideration how much of a Lumley fan you are.A better anthology of Lumley's for creepy things is 'Fruiting Bodies And Other Fungi'.Try that collection first.See if your library has a copy of Freaks before buying.Enjoy!

Short and Freaky, but a Little Underwhelming
If you're as unfamiliar with Brian Lumley's work as I am (No, I haven't read Necroscope), this collection of five short stories doesn't exactly make me want to run out and read more. Lumley's writing is skillful, but the stories themselves are ho-hum. Only one is what I would consider a gem. One is mildly entertaining and the other three are largely forgettable.

"Problem Child" is an okay monologue by a confused...thing. "In the Glow Zone" and "Mother Love" are post-apocalyptic tales involving the freakish results of too much radiation. A third, "Somebody Calling," is the only story not previously published and while pre-apocalypse, also involves a getting exposed to a tad too much nuclear good stuff. Of the lot, it's the fastest-paced and most exciting. However, the most interesting is the one right in the middle, "The Ugly Act." It's a tale of future Earth and government legislation taken to the extreme. Earth has been so polluted, so dirtied and soiled, that in an effort to put a band-aid on an axe wound, they want to do away with anything unpretty...including people.

This is a collectible hardcover book, signed by the author and artist Allen Koslowski. 750 numbered hardcovers were printed along with 26 lettered leatherbound & traycased editions. At 85 pages, FREAKS is a quick read that may leave you underwhelmed. At least each story is given a one-page Koslowski treatment. That certainly helps.

Nice Collector's Book for a Lumley Fan
If you are a Brian Lumley fan then this book is a must have. It is numbered and signed by both the author and artist who did the artwork on the cover and throughout the book. The book contains a few interesting short stories with the central theme being freaks, though Lumley will leave you wondering who truly are the freaks.

If you are not a big Brian Lumley fan looking for a collector's item then this book is probably not for you. The stories are great in true Lumley fashion, but at 82 pages the price of this book it is probably not worth it for someone just looking for something to read.
... Read more

Product Description
Thirteen terrifying tales from the master of horror who created the nationally bestselling Necroscope series. The title story, "Fruiting Bodies," in which a small village slowly disappears, won the British Fantasy Award. "The Viaduct," is the story of two young boys who learn the truth about fear and death. "Born of the Winds" was nominated for the World Fantasy Award. There is also an Introduction by Lumley in which he discusses violence in horror fiction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Yeesh!Good old-fashioned tales to send chills down your spine.
Aside from having one of the coolest titles ever, this is one of the best collections of short stories in the vein of H.P. Lovecraft.Ah-ah-ah, but wait.This isn't to say that Mr. Lumley writes in a thick prose which could bore you to death while speaking of "indescribable horrors" - rather, Lumley takes every bit of that "I never really thought about how little man knows about anything" kind of chill that Lovecraft is famous for, and injects it into his own kinds of ideas and situations.There are also a few non-supernatural stories here, which show that a person doesn't need to transcend space and time in order to find true horror - again, we know SO little about anything, including what we're capable of.

"Fruiting Bodies," the titular opener, is one of the most singularly creepy stories you might ever read.I won't say much except that you'll never again walk into your basement without thinking about this story...and if it's musty and moldy, you probably will try to find any excuse you can to NOT go.

"The Man Who Photographed Beardsly" is a quick first-person narrative, detailing...well, it's an artist talking, and he...hm, well, without ruining it, it's a quick narrative of "what happened."This might be considered a little weak, but it's still good.

"The Man Who Felt Pain" is a future-set tale of twin brothers, one of which has the ability to feel the pain of others from all around him...and suffers greatly from it.The other, who tells this tale, raises a good point from this: that "if we all felt everyone's pain, why, then there'd be no more wars or cruelties or hurtfulness of any sort..."More emotional than it is scary, but with chilling implications that will haunt you - along with certain images from the tale itself - for a long time afterward.

"The Viaduct" is a straight-up thriller, with two boys who like to live life on the edge learning the ultimate lesson for themselves after making fun of a local reta--um, "special kid."It's a seriously tense story, but sadly the supernatural is again missing here.Scary climax, however.

"Recognition" - ahhh, Lovecraft delight.Strange happenings, eerie noises, monstrous implications, and a creepy finish.What more could you want from a second-generation Lovecraft writer?

"No Way Home" is also Lovecraftian in its angle of things (eep, pun lurking in there...).If you get lost somewhere near where you think you are supposed to be, maybe...don't read this story if you stop to think or rest.And watch out for High House!

"The Pit-Yakker" is not about some kind of monster that lives in a construction site and makes yakking sounds, unfortunately.I had that impression far too firmly in mind, especially after reading Mr. Lumley's intro to the story ("...sometimes I wonder what they'll find under all that pit filth.")Another no-supernature story, but, like "The Man Who Photographed Beardsley" and "The Viaduct," it's still a good one.

"The Mirror of Nitocris" - ah, back into Lovecraft mode.Narrated by Henri-Laurent de Marigny (later a faithful Watsonian sidekick to one of Mr. Lumley's series heroes, Titus Crow), it's a quick tale of a cursed mirror of an ancient Egyptian queen, ancient beings, and...well, read it for more details.There's one image from it which is pretty haunting, especially if you're alone in your room and dozing off while trying to stay awake.

"Necros" - nope, not NecrosCOPE, just Necros.Englishman visiting Italy meets a beautiful woman and her companion, a creepy old man, and a romantic evil begins to form.I shall say no more.

"The Thin People" may be one of the best stories in the book.Absolutely creepy, and definitely Lovecraft-inspired.You'll never quite look out your window at the street at night in the same way again.

"The Cyprus Shell," and "The Deep-Sea Conch" are two split tales that involve similar situations being shared by and to their respective narrators.And don't read them out of order! - read "Shell," then read "Conch."They make for a highly effective diptych.

"Born of the Winds" is another favorite of mine from this collection, along with "Fruiting Bodies" and "The Thin People."A total, absolute, 100% Lovecraft tale (Great Old Ones and all), this story is also the longest in the book (61 pages in all!).Highly recommended to be read during cold weather or if you live in a colder climate.Very creepy at times, and an excellent closer.

And now that you know a thing or two about the book, hunt down a copy and enjoy.

...wait, did you hear that?

Fantastic!
Short horror stories are my favorite fiction form, and this is one of my favorite collections.The stories are original and creepy.

There is a fungus amongus!
Having only recently been turned on to Brian Lumley, this is my first purchase and first read of Lumley; and all I can say is Wow!His writing phases from ethereal to direct impact, flowing with style and a flair for the creepy things that go squish in the night.

Beginning with the best story of the collection, "Fruiting Bodies", Lumley takes us on a trip through a small, dying town that is slowly falling into the sea.But will the sea claim its victim before the Dry Rot does?Seemingly, a new and mutated type of dry rot, it is as hungry as the sea.Lumley does not deny the imagination in this tale, leaving you searching the nooks and crannies of your house for any...well...nasty accumulations.

"The Man Who Photographed Beardsley" is a short but sweet sabbatical into a demented and twisted mind, which has managed to retain its sense of propriety.

"The Man Who Felt Pain" is a tale told by the protagonist, of his twin brother and the bond they shared, through life and death.If one twin suffers, will not the other twin feel his pain...sooner or later?

"The Viaduct" reminds me of Stephen King back when he still had tight and compelling stories with real-life characters you could relate to immediately.Children can be cruel, but just where is the line drawn when one doesn't understand the rules?This is an excellent story, in which I could actually feel the desperation and the slippery palms of true terror.

"Recognition" is a ghostly tale of a haunted place, and a firm argument as to why some things are best left alone.

"No Way Home" is a surreal nighttime journey through both familiar and unfamiliar territory, with a surprise ending that is unexpected...and worth the trip.

"The Pit-Yakker" takes us back in time to a simpler life within a working-man's village, and a young man's dreams that turn to dust and disintegration in the wake of simple urges and the lack of intelligence to quench them.Questions of friendship and tolerance and personal limitations are addressed here, in a harsh and unforgiving atmosphere of betrayal and lust.

"The Mirror of Nitocris" was one of the stories I found to be a bit boring, kind of strung out and lacking, even though it is only 10 pages long.It was just a bit of a yawn in all the rest of the excitement; a tale of an acquired artifact that comes into being in a chilling climax, only to be destroyed before it can leash its evil into the world.

"Necros" is a very interesting tale of immortality, and the things one must do in order to assure that immortality is youthful and pleasant.But there is a twist to this at the end that will surprise you, and give you a peek into the horrific aspects of bowing to such a creature.

"The Thin People" is a true masterpiece of the type of horror that will leave you forever guessing about ordinary things you see every day.I am counting the lamp posts on my street now, and have had a few disturbing dreams in regards to the science of "Folding".Excellent tale!

"The Cypress Shell" and "The Deep Sea Conch" are intertwined stories, based on letters written from one person to another.The tales they tell of mysterious mollusks are frightening and disgusting, and well deserve their place here in this anthology.The creepiness Lumley portrays upon something as simple as shellfish is amazing, and you will never eat clams or muscles in the same uncaring fashion as you once did before this unnerving description of these innocent organisms.

Lastly is "Born of the Winds", the longest story in the collection, and a novella in its own right.Although, it was my least favorite of all the set.A meteorologist recovering from an "incident" of chest discomfort visits his friend in Navissa, Manitoba.While recuperating from his complaint within the house of his friend, he meets the widow of Samuel Bridgeman, an anthropology professor who had died nearby some years ago.Our protagonist becomes interested in Bridgeman's written works, and eventually becomes involved in Mrs. Bridgeman's search for her son, Kirby.How deep is the Bridgeman's connection with the Air Elementals and the Wind Walkers, and where does Kirby fit in with these spirits?Not a bad story, just a little too wordy and..well...coy, for my tastes.

Don't miss this fantastic collection of stories from Lumley, a true master of mysterious and weird stories that are well written and well told.Enjoy!

can't digest the fungi
i was not mazed by this collection. it was strange, in a way. great descriptions in one story, incredible shallow in another. good well developed style in one story,like a child writing in another. amazingly unoriginal in some stories. never really inventive. but the most sad thing was how Lumley kept from being interesting. oh, by the way: don't hate the man, know he's got some good stories.

Reason to Mistrust the Abnormal
Amongst the most notable horror writers that have picked up a pen and crafted, Brain Lumley the short story writer (not to be confused with Brain Lumley, the novel writer, whom I really can't speak on because of lack of general knowledge on him) has to be mentioned with awe. I'm not certain if his allure is in the way he crafts situational happenstance, with the pages of foreshadowing seamlessly meshing with the way he flawless enacts characterization, if its the way his peaks and valleys, his towns and villas, dance so vividly that my mind can walkabout and taste the air that even the shortest of tales seems to craft, or if its the ideas for his stories themselves. Its strange how he accomplishes that task, though, approaching horror and punctuating it with an aire of newness that banishes many of the classically shallow pits we've seen a million times before. Honestly, every time I read one of his shorts I find myself wondering exactly where his mind will allow him to approach even the most basic idea from.

In this collection of short stories, I've found many and many a tale that merits and actually demands acclaim. Some, like Fruiting Bodies and The Thin People, teem with topics that are frightening in their flavors, wearing masks that I can't recall reading anywhere else. Others, like the Lovecraftian tales he forged, most notably Recognition, wear dread like familiar sweaters. Now, for a listing of the stories here and a synopsis of some that no doubt does them an injustice:

Fruiting Bodies, one of my favorite pieces in this book, incorporates the disappearance of a town and the tales of a kindly old man into a tale of a mysterious fungi that seems quite extraordinary in its abilities. In fact, as it consumes more and more, it seems downright horrific in its reproach. I particularly liked this story because of the last statements, the punctuation mark on the horror if you will, that left the terrible tale open for the mind to digest. On top of that, the detail given to the setting is deliciously remarkable.

The Viaduct, a tale containing a valuable lesson on the cost of tormenting others, on heights and the challenge they bring to the table, and on the wonderful world of falling. This tale wasn't one that I cared for simply because of its ending, a great piece of work in and of itself, but I also appreciated the detailing, quite explicit and painstakingly given. In it, I could feel the characters and taste the surroundings, something that always amazes me.

Recognition, a Lovecraftian inspired piece, focuses on an entity that dwells within a home that someone wishes to be rid of, their efforts to understand the enemy, and the subsequent means (a medium, and exorcist, and someone to draw the beast for him) used to do so. This tale is particularly inspiring because it focuses upon the notion we hold most dear, that of understanding, and the high costs that connection can bring.

The Thin People, another of the more remarkable pieces here, dwells within the domain of The Thin People and their thin homes, where lightbulbs seem to vanish from streetlights and sometimes the number of lampposts changes for the worse, and on the strange science of "folding things." Again, this was interesting because it was, in a word, original.

The Cyprus Shell, coupled with a piece Lumley states he wanted printed after it, The Deep-Sea Conch, are letters that go hand in hand detailing not one but two of the dwellers within the deep (not to be confused with Deep Ones). The first, a hypnotic piece with a mesmerizing snail, and the second, a prehistoric holdover dredged from the deep, flow well together and leave a wonderful taste in the mouth of the reader.

Lastly, Born in the Winds, another Lovecraftian pieces on the wonderfully Arctic world of the WindWalker, is something that approaches a familiar topic but does so in a grand way.

The stories I chose not to breakdown are The Man Who Felt Pain, The Man Who Photographed Beardsley, No Way Home, The Pit-Yakker, The Mirror of Nitocris, and Necros. This, in no way reflects upon them as stories because all are quite good, but more on the laziness of the reviewer himself and his need to keep some things nameless.

All in all, the way this collection bounces from topic to topic, from beastly horror to loathsomely fungoid terror, is a sight to behold and well worth the read. I especially find it nice to fear something new for a change. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An Excellent First Collection
One of the great things that August Derleth did when he continued to publish books with Arkham House was to bring to the macabre-reading public new books by new writers, and some of these were new books in the tradition of the Cthulhu Mythos.Brian Lumley was one of Derleth's discoveries, and this first book remains the finest of those published by AH.The cover illustration is exceptionally fine, and some of these stories have, to my knowledge, not yet been reprinted in the many collections of Lumley's work from Tor Books.
The contents are:
"A THING About Cars"
"The Cypress Shell"
"Billy's Oak"
"The Writer in the Garrett"
"The Caller of the Black"
"The Mirror of Nitocris"
"The Night Sea-Maid Went Down"
"The Thing from the Blasted Heath"
"An Item of Supporting Evidence"
"Dylath-Leen"
"De Marigny's Clock"
"Ambler's Inspiration"
"In the Vaults Beneath"
"The Pearl"

This is the book in which Lumley introduced Titus Crow, and it is in this book that Crow shines brightest.(Alas, I find the transition of Crow into a kind of super hero in the latter novels extremely disappointing and dull.)Although Lumley is oft accused of being more like Derleth in his approach to the Cthulhu Mythos than authentically Lovecraftian, this book is the work of a man who loved HPL and was extremely familiar with Lovecraft's fiction.The hints and threads linked to Lovecraft's tales are many."The Thing from the Blasted Heath," for example, is a semi-sequel to Lovecraft's "The Colour out of Space," whereas "In the Vaults Beneath" owes its inspiration to "At the Mountains of Madness" and "The Shadow out of Time.""De Marigny's Clock" introduces a character inspired by HPL's collaboration with E. Hoffmann Price, "Through the Gates of the Silver Key," and uses the deliciously strange clock that was featured in HPL's original tale.I was especially fond of "The Writer in the Garrett" when first I read it -- it is a delightfully weird tale that reminds one, obliquely, of HPL's "The Music of Erich Zann" in its superb atmosphere and sense of place.All in all, this is a great book of weird fiction from a young man who would become a huge success in latter life.I still consider this his finest collection of weird fiction, perhaps even better than the magnificent HAGGOPIAN AND OTHER STORIES (Subterranean Press 2008).

Hard to find...but worth the price when you do get it!
I have been a fan of Master Lumley since I moved to PA 15 years ago...while taking the train to work on night I completely missed my stop since I was reading the most engaging book about Vampires I have ever read.And when I finally got my hands on THE CALLER OF THE BLACK...I knew where the source of this literary greatness came from - Master Lumley, from his first book, to his latest...takes you on a journey that no one else comes close to...even King and Rice could learn from him...he's just that dang good...but search/seek out this book and find out for yourself why in 15 years time, I have purchased every single book Master Lumley has ever released....even ones that didn't get released in the USA!

The Caller of the Black was Great
I read this book long ago.

It is extremely hard to find and the stories in it are choice, particularly the title piece and "A Thing About Cars."

There's a picture on the back of the hardbound edition of Mr.Lumley and Mr. Lovecraft which is quite good. ... Read more

Product Description
Only Harry Keogh, prisoner of the metaphysical Mobius Continuum, can stop the vampire Yulian Bodescu. Harry Keogh is a necroscope -- he knows the thoughts of corpses in their graves. Unfortunately for Harry, his talent works both ways.Death is not the end of life, Harry Keogh discovered -- and not the end of his battle against the terrible evil of vampires.In a secluded English village, Yulian Bodescu plots his takeover of the world. Imbued with a vampire's powers before his birth, Bodescu rules men's minds and bodies with supernatural ease. He is secretly creating an army of vampiric monsters, things that once were men but were now walking masses of destructive hunger!Harry Keogh, Necroscope, thought that the war with the vampires had ended with the destruction of Boris Dragosani -- and of Harry's body! But the man who talks to the dead lives on, more powerful than ever, able to transport himself instantly to any spot on the globe and to speak mind-to-mind with both the living and the dead.Are Harry's new powers enough to defeat Yulian Bodescu and his legion of monsters--or will the vampire army overrun the living earth? ... Read more

Product Description
Prior to the first American publication of Brian Lumley's ground-breaking, dead-waking, best-selling Necroscope® in 1988 -- the first novel in a long-lived, much-loved series -- this British author had for twenty years been earning himself something of a reputation writing short stories, novellas, and a series of novels set against H. P. Lovecraft's cosmic Cthulhu Mythos backdrop. A soldier in 1967, serving in Berlin with the Royal Military Police, Lumley jump-started his literary career by writing to August Derleth, the then dean of macabre publishers at his home in Sauk City, Wisconsin, telling of his fascination with the Mythos, and purchasing books by the Old Gentleman of Providence, RI; In addition, he sent a page or two of written work allegedly culled from the various forbidden or black books of the Mythos. Suitably impressed, the master of Arkham House invited Lumley to write something solid in the Mythos as a possible contribution to a new volume he was currently contemplating, to be titled -- what else but? -- Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos. And as might well be imagined, that set everything in motion.

Forty years have passed since then and a good many words of Mythos fiction written, including critically acclaimed and award-nominated work, stories that have appeared in prestigious magazines such as Fantasy & Science Fiction, and hardcover volumes from publishers all over the world from the USA to China and the United Kingdom to Russia. But while Lumley's novels are all currently available, many of them in hardcover format, his Mythos short stories and novellas have until now remained uncollected.

Subterranean Press is proud to correct that omission in volumes that are guaranteed to be the pride of any collector's library of Mythos fiction other than tales written by H. P. Lovecraft himself. Here in this book are found the shorter stories. Thus the best of Brian Lumley's works in this sub-genre are collected and presented for the first time in this much more worthy and durable format... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Haggopian Rocks
This is a great book, with many of excellent stories.Brian Lumley gives nice little intro's before each story.I'd recommend this for any fan of Lumley. ... Read more

Product Description
Harry Keogh is a necroscope -- he knows the thoughts of corpses in their graves. Unfortunately for Harry, his talent works both ways. The outer limits of horror are unleashed when Harry Keogh is recruited by the E-Branch (E for ESP) of the British Secret Service to combat his own evil counterpart, the deadly Romanian Boris Dragosani.Long buried in hallowed ground, bound by earth and silver, the master vampire schemes and plots. Trapped in unlife, neither dead nor living, Thibor Ferenczy hungers for freedom and revenge.The vampire's human tool is Boris Dragosani, part of a super-secret Soviet spy agency. Dragosani is an avid pupil, eager to plumb the depthless evil of the vampire's mind. Ferenczy teaches Dragosani the awful skills of the necromancer, gives him the ability to rip secrets from the mind and bodies of the dead. Dragosani works not for Ferenczy's freedom but is in the pay of an ultra-secret Soviet paranormal agency over which he means to gain power for himself with knowledge raped from the dead. His speciality is tearing secrets from the souls of newly dead traitors.His only opponent: Harry Koegh. Like Dragosani, Harry is a necroscope who can speak with the dead.But Harry is a champion of the dead -- and the living.From the Romanian mausoleum where the undead vampire tests the limits of his bonds, the stage is set for the most horrifying, violent supernatural confrontation ever when Harry Keogh is recruited by the British Secret Service to take on Dragosani.To protect Harry, the dead will do anything -- even rise from their graves! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Brian Lumley Brings Horror to a Refreshing New Level
Harry Keogh tells the story of his first battle with the mysterious Wamphyri, an undead race also called vampires, and how he came to be a renowned ESP agent for the British, almost...

Brian Lumley relays this tale with such a vivid imagination and an unformulaic style that he actually veers into a science fiction sub-genre without any visible seams in the plot.Highly recommended for horror fans looking for something more than a gory kill-fest. ... Read more