For more than thirty years, Michael Shea has been making his own distinctive contributions to the Cthulhu Mythos devised by H. P. Lovecraft-an entire universe of gods and monsters that hundreds of writers have imitated. But Shea has done a lot more than merely mimic Lovecraft's prose or add a new god or "forbidden book" to the Mythos. In his Mythos tales, Shea has infused his own unique vision and perspective.The much-reprinted "Fat Face" takes us into the seedy underworld of prostitutes and drug dealers in San Francisco, ...
Read More
For more than thirty years, Michael Shea has been making his own distinctive contributions to the Cthulhu Mythos devised by H. P. Lovecraft-an entire universe of gods and monsters that hundreds of writers have imitated. But Shea has done a lot more than merely mimic Lovecraft's prose or add a new god or "forbidden book" to the Mythos. In his Mythos tales, Shea has infused his own unique vision and perspective.The much-reprinted "Fat Face" takes us into the seedy underworld of prostitutes and drug dealers in San Francisco, while other tales such as "Dagoniad," "Copping Squid," and "Tsathoggua" vividly meld Lovecraftian cosmic horror with the contemporary world of California, with its swimming pools and beachcombers. Shea was also fascinated with Lovecraft's novel of Antarctic horror, At the Mountains of Madness, and his stories "Under the Shelf" and "Beneath the Beardmore" take us to that frozen land of death and terror. The title story, "Demiurge," is a previously unpublished novella that draws upon Lovecraft's tales of psychic possession in its chilling portrayal of a nameless monster who may be the harbinger of the overthrow of the entire human race. Michael Shea (1946-2014) was the award-winning author of The Color out of Time, the Nifft the Lean series of fantasy novels, and the classic tales "Polyphemus" and "The Autopsy." This volume of his complete Cthulhu Mythos tales has been assembled by S. T. Joshi, a leading authority on Lovecraft and the Mythos.This volume features wraparound cover artwork and five interior illustrations by renowned artist Aeron Alfrey (MADHOUSE)
Read Less
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good. 6" x 9" 3rd edition. Pages clean; binding tight; very minor wear to covers. 339 pages. Edited by S.T. Joshi. Scarce. We also carry other Mythos titles.
Some of the best Weird Fiction/Cosmic Horror stories I've ever read. However, it is a mixed bag. Michael Shea captures the spirit of Lovecraft and other Weird authors really well for the most part. The idea that human beings are insignificant when compared to the unknown horrors of the universe is perfectly captured in many of these tales.
The Great:
-Fat Face
-The Pool
-The Battery
-Copping Squid
-Dagoniad (my favorite tied with Tsathoggua)
-Tsathoggua (my favorite tied with Dagoniad)
-Beneath The Beardmore
-Under The Shelf
The meh or not-so-great:
-Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
-The Presentation
-The Recruiter
-Momma Durtt (this one especially felt half-baked)
-Demiurge (which is too bad considering it is the titular story)
Overall, though, 'Demiurge: The Complete Cthulhu Mythos Tales of Michael Shea' is well worth a purchase for those 8 good-to-great stories.
