Darrell Schweitzer

As one reviewer noted basic of all Lovecraft's stories was about horros beyond the dark, lurking madness from dimensions that can never be understood by humans, so incomprehensible that it drives people utterly mad. It is always a spooky story, shadows moving in the night, crazy cultists walking in the pitch black while attending their ceremonies. Or dreams and nightmares. It is not hack and slash horror, but again what can humankind expect from these dark invaders if they materialized all of a sudden?

This is question book tries to answer - what if great horrors woke up and took over earth? What would happen with all these monstrosities moving around and mutating and/or mutilating and torturing humankind and all other Earthly species?

As expected majority of stories are rather depressing (in lack of better word) because no matter what humans do they get thwarted in the most hideous ways. Only at the end some light shines through that gives at least some hope. i mean who can read stories without any hope? Otherwise depression would set in and make stories a little bit unbearable (imagine reading whole anthology of depressive thoughts.... No thanks).

Quality varies but overall I think that stories are good. Some are outright weird (Japanese one with spherical geometry was.... very weird), some are very mythological (discussion about nature of dark invaders) and some read like space opera (fantastic story Remnants).

If you like dark fantasy, spooky stories or mix of SF and fantasy give it ago.

Recommended.… (mere)