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wondereads · 1 year

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Weekly Reading Update (06/12/23)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White (9/10)

This book was amazing. There are very few bad things I could say about it, and most of those are personal preference. Now, it isn't for everyone, as it's basically gothic horror to the extreme with some very sensitive topics. However, as long as you can stomach this sort of thing, I highly recommend this book. It's dark, tense, and not without some hope. My one technical gripe is how perfect Daphne seems, but that can be easily brushed past. I really liked the writing, especially with how the author played with the style and actual look of it.

The Raven King by Nora Sakavic (8/10)

There truly must be something wrong with me to willingly continue the All for the Game series. I am being so deadly serious when I say these books are horrendously written. It's based on a sport that's basically fancy lacrosse that is given the bare minimum explanation, the pacing is all over the place, and the plot is poorly connected if not outright nonsensical. And yet here I am. I think this series, thanks to strangely evocative characters and its absurdist plotlines, evokes the same feelings as fanfiction. As an actual published novel, this is a garbage fire. As something fun and quick to read, it hits every button. The absolute misery Neil goes through only to be put back together by his team and his not-boyfriend just works. I immensely enjoyed myself, but also 0/10 never read these books.

The King's Men by Nora Sakavic (7/10)

This book being the longest of the series makes sense, but I still don't think it was enough. Everything I said about The Raven King applies to this book, and I'm incredibly feral about Neil and Andrew. However, the ending is rushed to the extreme. The resolution is pretty unsatisfying, and I feel like there's still a lot of character stuff to be sorted out, particularly concerning Andrew. The ending was just way too abrupt, and I wish the epilogue had been a proper chapter with a different epilogue set in the weeks/months after the finals. Well, that's what fanfiction is for, and it will probably be better written than these books.

Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce (9/10)

This concludes my reread of Song of the Lioness! I'll be continuing with The Immortals Quartet soon, but for now, I really like the ending to this series. This is likely the saddest book in the series with two major deaths, and no, Liam is not included in that, good riddance. Honestly, my retching whenever he started talking is what brought this down from a 10 for me. Alanna has grown so much since the beginning of the series, coming to a place where she can accept love and femininity without letting it affect her own goals. One thing I really like is how close she, Jon, and George are despite their complicated romantic pasts with each other. The fact that their friendship takes precedence over anything else means so much to me.

Fire and Ice by Erin Hunter (CR, 53%)

I've been working very slowly through these books since I'm doing a project with them on the side, but they're pretty good. I will say that I'm not a huge fan of this one in the context of the series. Both Fireheart and Graystripe consistently make pretty bad decisions all throughout which just makes more and more problems. I will say that I love Fireheart's relationship with the apprentices, Cinderpaw and Brackenpaw. Their mentor/mentee but still playful dynamic is great, and it's admirable how Fireheart steps up for Brackenpaw in Graystripes, ahem, absence.

Exile by Shannon Messenger (CR, 1%)

I've barely started this one, but I'm excited!

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (CR, 5%)

I'm a weak, weak woman. It's been around three years since I read Folk of the Air, and I miss it so much. I have a very unhealthy attachment to Jude, which means Cardan and I have something in common. I'm just rereading a lot of stuff right now, and I feel like reading something I know I'll love will help me catch up on my reading goal (I'm eight books behind).

#books #reading update #the spirit bares its teeth #the raven king #the king’s men #lioness rampant #fire and ice #exile #the cruel prince #aftg #song of the lioness #warrior cats #kotlc #tamora pierce #holly black

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kmalexander · 5 years

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The 2019 Cosmic Horror Holiday Gift Guide

It’s Black Friday in the United States, the crawling chaos of American holidays, and the List of Lists is back for its sixth year! Once again, I’ve assembled a highly curated collection of Lovecraft-related items for your holiday season. Here you can find a plethora of paraphernalia for the weird-fiction fanatic, cosmic-horror connoisseur, or mythos maniac in your life. (And maybe a little something for yourself. You need gifts too.) As with previous years, I’ve worked to assemble a list of exceptional items for all ages and budgets.

The list is organized into six categories and ordered by price, making it easy to browse. Have a favorite new-weird, cosmic horror, or mythos-themed item I left off? Leave a comment at the bottom and let everyone know! Appreciate the work I put into this list? Share it with your friends! Happy shopping!

QUICK LINKS

• Books • Music • Apparel • Games • • Housewares • Miskatonic •

BOOKS

Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones $7.98 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $2.99 (eBook) Told from 12-year old Junior’s perspective, the story is one part family-struggle and one part ghost-story all woven with a heartfelt earnestness that’s easy to believe and hard to shake. It’s a book about childhood, about family, about heritage, about legacy, and the cost and ramification of all four.

The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson $10.30 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $2.99 (eBook) Professor Vellitt Boe of at the prestigious Ulthar Women’s College and her adopted cat, embark on an expansive journey across the Dreamland on the trail of a student who has gone missing after disappearing into the waking world with a lover. Along the way, she’ll encounter old friends as new troubles rumble from the Plateau of Leng.

Agents of Dreamland by Caitlin R. Kiernan $10.60 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $2.99 (eBook) The mysterious agent known only as the Signalman gets off a train on a stunningly hot morning in Winslow, Arizona. There he meets an unusual contact to exchange information about a bizarre event that happened a week earlier. An event for which neither has an explanation and its ramifications could have far-reaching consequences.

The Stars Were Right by K. M. Alexander $14.00 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $2.99 (eBook) With Book Four closing in, now is the perfect time to start reading my Bell Forging Cycle. Follow Waldo Bell as he is sent careening through the multi-level megalopolis of Lovat fighting to clear his name as a bloodthirsty killer stalks him. It’s mystery and monsters, chases and cults, and an ancient evil in a world that is similar but not quite like our own.

A Lush and Seething Hell by John Hornor Jacobs $17.99 + Free Shipping (Hardcover) $12.99 (eBook) Two masterful novellas of cosmic horror in a single volume. Beautiful and haunting, lyrical and evocative, raw and emotional, Jacobs takes cosmic horror to new places exposing our oldest fear while remaining starkly human in the process. One of the best cosmic-horror books in recent memory and one that will haunt you well after you’ve put it aside.

The Grand Dark by Richard Kadrey $19.50 + Free Shipping (Hardcover) $12.99 (eBook) This standalone weird fiction novel takes us into the industrial post-war world of Lower Proszawa and its drug-filled and soot-drenched streets teeming with all manner of strange inhabitants. Here we meet a bike messenger named Largo who discovers that peace runs along a knife-edge and a new war always looms on the horizon.

The House on the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson $400 + Free Shipping (Hardcover, 1946 First Edition) “The true note of cosmic horror.” A treasure for any collector. A rare first edition published by Arkham House in 1946. Details from the seller: Black cloth lettered in gilt, fine with age-toned pages in head-chipped dust jacket, else Very Good with crease along top of front panel, dulled spine panel, toned and lightly soiled back panel.

Not finding a book you like? Check out the books featured on one of the previous guides. • 2014’s Books • 2015’s Books • 2016’s Books • 2017’s Books • 2018’s Books •

MUSIC & AUDIO

Black Stage of Night by Atrium Carceri & Cities Last Broadcast $7.00 (Digital Download) $19.00 (Compact Disc) I’ve been enjoying the direction in these collaborative albums from some of the industry’s best ambient artists. Black Stage of Night might be the best. It’s firmly dark ambient, and the classic sounds are there, but in this record, the collaborators weave a cinematic layer throughout. It’s an enthralling listen. Lately, it’s become my go-to music when I write.

Eldritch by Markus Junnikkala €7.00 ($7.71 USD) (Digital Download) Often Lovecraftian music is associated with metal, and while that’s not a bad thing, I found it refreshing to hear this dark orchestral approach from Finnish composer Markus Junnikkala. Ethereal and haunting, I found myself drawn to this album again and again.

Cosmicism by The Great Old Ones $9.99 (Digital Download) €25.00 + Shipping ($27.50) (2x LP Green) This French atmospheric black metal band uses the works of cosmic horror authors like Robert Chambers and H.P. Lovecraft as the basis for their lyrics and album themes. Not my style, but their skills are clearly impressive, the music engaging, and they get suggested yearly. If you’re a metal-head or shopping for one this holiday season, do yourself a favor and check ’em out.

An Abhorrent and Ancient Solstice by HPLHS $12.00 (Digital Download) I’ve featured the Arkham Carolers before, but this year they’ve put together a collection of 24 of their very best cosmic horror Christmas carols. I’ve always enjoyed a well-done parody, and the HPLS goes all out with this collection. Plus, it includes one of my favorites of theirs: A Brumalian Wish. Festive! Creepy! (Crestive?)

Dreams in the Witch House: A Lovecraftian Rock Opera $18.92 + Shipping (CD) $35.00 + Shipping (Vinyl) Who doesn’t love rock operas? Everyone loves them! (Fact.) Thanks to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the holidays are the perfect time to give rock operas to friends and family or pick one up for yourself. Why not give one built around the Lovecraftian story The Dream in the Witch House. It’s marvelous for a holiday jam out session or a multidimensional trip with Auntie Mason.

H. P. Lovecraft’s The Colour Out of Space 2x LP Set $42.00 + Shipping (Vinyl) Cadabra Records makes some of the finest vinyl recordings on the market today, and this 2x LP set featuring one of Lovecraft’s most beloved stories is read by the talented Andrew Leman, with a score by Chris Bozzone is no exception. Well worth a place in any vinyl-loving cosmic-horror fan’s collection. (Note: these are preorders, and the final pressing will ship in 4-6 weeks.)

Not finding any music or audio that interests you? Check out one of the previous guides. • 2014’s Music • 2015’s Music • 2016’s Music • 2017’s Music • 2018’s Music •

APPAREL

Cthulhu Mask Papercraft Template PDF $4.00 (Digital Download) I’ve always appreciated the simple geometrics of papercraft masks—reminds me of brutalist architecture. Plus with a little effort, you can make yourself a fun costume for next to nothing. This instant download PDF template will provide you the instructions to become the dreamer beneath the waves.

Bell Caravans Patch $5.00 + Shipping (Order by Dec. 10th for Christmas Delivery.) This beautiful 3″ patch, designed by illustrator Sean Cumiskey, is the perfect way of declaring your loyalty to your beloved caravan master. Put it on your backpack, a tote, or display it on the sleeve of your jacket, make sure the world knows who you roll with. [From the pages of the Bell Forging Cycle.]

The King in Yellow Pin $15.00 + Shipping Stranger: I wear no pin. Camilla: [terrified, aside to Cassilda] No pin? No pin! Based on a woodcut by the incredibly talented Liv Rainey-Smith, this pin of the King in Yellow is rendered in bronze and stands at 1.5 inches. If you dig this, I highly recommend checking out Rainey-Smith’s woodcuts as well.

The Crate of Cthulhu Cult Ring $26.66 + Shipping The Mysterious Package Company makes incredible products, and this ring from their Crate of Cthulhu experience (which would also make a great gift) is a fabulous piece. A strange ring bearing an equally strange symbol. It is believed that the followers of Cthulhu used this ring as a weapon to inject poison into those who come too close to the truth.

Cthulhu Short Sleeve Button-up Shirt $55.00 + Shipping When it’s time to put away the graphic tees and slip into something more fashionable, consider this 100% cotton shirt from Middle of Beyond. Covered in an all-over print featuring the ol’ dreamer popping up from the ocean to yell at a boat, this shirt makes the bold statement of a graphic-tee but with a touch of collared class.

Bell Caravans Hoodie $55.00 + Shipping Join the caravan with this classic zip hoodie with a warm fleece lining. The full Bell Caravans logo designed by Sean Cumiskey is on the back, while the small wheel-and-bell symbol resides on the front. Stay warm, look good, fight the Firsts. [From the pages of the Bell Forging Cycle.]

Ascension Island Aloha Shirt $315.00 + Shipping Here it is, folks. The Cthulhu rayon shirt you always wanted. Nine Lives Brand is producing an extremely limited run, and each shirt is made to order. So if you need an Aloha shirt to go with that Cthulhu tiki mug you bought last year, look no further. Also available in a long-sleeved version. Like this print? It’s also available as the lining of this $1250 Sashiko bomber coat.

Not finding any apparel you like? Check out apparel on one of the previous guides. • 2014’s Apparel • 2015’s Apparel • 2016’s Apparel • 2017’s Apparel • 2018’s Apparel •

GAMES

A Place for the Unwilling $14.99 (Digital Download) Time is running out. Shadows linger in the streets. The city will die in 21 days in this open-world branching narrative game from ALpixel Games. A fascinating game with a unique art style, intriguing premise, and enjoyable gameplay. A bit of Sunless Sea, Majora’s Mask, and a dash of Lovecraft. Time is ticking, how will you spend your final days in the city?

Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure $19.99 (Digital Download) Crazy cultists. Cthulhu. A talking cat. Gibbous takes you on an expansive, traditionally animated, hand-painted adventure. Play as three protagonists and explore a lushly rendered Lovecraft-inspired world, unraveling ancient conspiracies. A comedy cosmic horror adventure made in Transylvania! (I backed this on Kickstarted, and I can confirm it’s a lot of fun.)

Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video Game $24.50 + Free Shipping Focus Interactive did a decent job with this charming retelling of classic Lovecraftian fiction. It’s an investigative game, with a few action elements that blend several of the mythos’ more popular stories to create a game that weaves a fascinating tale about cults and murder, art and madness, and serves up a few unnerving scenes in the process.

Call of Cthulhu: Tabletop RPG Starter Set $24.99 + Shipping It’s the beloved cosmic-horror tabletop role-playing experience in a handy starter set. Using the new 7th Edition rules, you can lead you investigators on their next case as they seek to solve the unthinkable and face the mysteries from beyond. Inside you’ll find everything you need to start playing the granddaddy of tabletop horror.

Lovecraft Letter $29.99 + Shipping Set in the chaos following World War 1, this 20-minute card game built on the Love Letter system sends 2-6 players on the hunt for a missing family member who has discovered something ominous beneath the sands of Egypt. Will you help solve the mystery or aid in ushering the chaos that looms?

Black Walnut Cthulhu Valhalla Screen $486.00 + Shipping These custom Dungeon Master screens are lovingly detailed and perfect for your next Call of Cthulhu session. An easy magnetic design, embedded magnets, plexiglass panels. Combine it with handy accessories, and you’ll be game masterin’ in style. Feeling over Cthulhu’d—I understand—while sold out, they do take custom The Masks of Nyarlathotep orders.

Not finding a game you’d enjoy? Check out the games on one of the previous guides. • 2014’s Games • 2015’s Games • 2016’s Games • 2017’s Games • 2018’s Games •

HOUSEWARES

Cthulhu Xmas Gift Wrap Pack $15.00 + Shipping Why not deviate from the norm for your gifts this year. Wrap your presents in 18″x 24″ sheets of Lovecraftian wrapping paper designed by Daniel Gelon featuring the fantastic art of Heather Hudson. Want something a little more unusual than the standard Cthulhu flair? Hudson also sells Dreamland-themed Christmas cards, and delightful Krampus-themed holiday goodies.

Cthulhu Ornament $20.00 + Shipping I’m always wary of sharing Etsy products, not because the work isn’t incredible, but because during the Holiday pieces may disappear quickly. But if this wonderful Cthulhu ornament vanishes before you can nab it, there’s plenty of other beautiful works at Dellamorteco & Co.’s shop. It’s all fantastic work and worth checking it all out.

Cedric’s Eatery 11oz. Mug $16.00 + Shipping (Order by Dec. 10th for Christmas Delivery.) It’s cold out, and you need a new mug. Why not pick one up from Lovat’s own Cedric’s Eatery located in the entresol between Levels Three and Four. An in-between place for in-between folks. Waldo Bell’s latest hangout. Fill your mug with 11 oz. of bad coffee, your favorite tea, or something stronger. [From the pages of the Bell Forging Cycle.]

Cthulhu Coin Set $28.50 + Shipping Props are a fun way to enliven any tabletop session or the holidays, so this set of 24 coins (ten copper pieces, eight silver pieces, and six gold pieces) is perfect for your next game or family get together. Bargain for souls or leftover turkey with your Aunt, or buy your nephew’s gift from him with handcrafted coinage. Capitalism doesn’t cease under the reign of the ancient ones.

H. P. Lovecraft Limited Edition Bobblehead $34.95 + Shipping It’s a well-known fact that everyone loves bobbleheads, even the deep ones! Limited to only 1500 units, this figuring from Rue Morgue Magazine of the father of cosmic horror in all his New England awkwardness stands at 7″ tall, is ready to wobble and bobble on your bookshelf, as he questions humanity’s place in the cosmos.

Calamityware: Tentacles $42.00 + Shipping Something has awoken. Commemorate its reign with these porcelain plates patterned after the elaborate chinoiserie pattern Willow. But, instead of featuring idyllic scenes these highlight various disasters from invasions of Lovecraftian-esque tentacles (featured) to historical sea monsters, vortexes, or zombie poodles. Not what you’re looking for? There’s more coming.

Chandelier I $3500.00 + Shipping Philadelphia artist Adam Wallacavage creates stunning tentacle-covered chandeliers and lamps in clay and resin. If you’re looking for a nontraditional piece for your home that’ll keep guests talking for generations, you can’t really find anything better. If this beautiful chandelier is a bit out of your budget, Wallacavage also creates unusual candlestick holders.

Not finding a houseware item you like? Check out the housewares from one of the previous guides. • 2016’s Housewares • 2017’s Housewares • 2018’s Housewares •

MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY

Miskatonic University Silver Key Society pin $17.99 + Shipping Formed by Henry Armitage in 1929 after the events in rural Dunwich, this pin marks the membership into Miskatonic’s oldest invite-only society. Will you join and learn the mysteries of the order, including the meaning of “751”? Pin measures 1″ across and is dual-plated in silver and gold.

Miskatonic University Pennant $25.00 + Free Shipping What’s the collegiate experience without some collegiate gear? Here we have a classic 9″ x 27″ university pennant to either hang on your wall displaying your boundless love for your alma mater’s sporting teams or to wave at all the intermural sporting events as you sing the fight song and cheer on varsity. Go Miska!

Miskatonic University Cufflinks $99.00 + Shipping 2019 marks the ninetieth class reunion for the class of ’29! So you’ll want to be sure to look your best so you can impress your fellow centenarian schoolmates. These cufflinks will be perfect. The cufflinks are sterling silver with an antiqued finish and measure 18.2 mm in diameter and 1.5 mm thick.

The Miskatonic Papers $535.00 + Shipping This limited-edition experimental art book/prop set from Angel Bomb studios is something to behold. Composed of 50 printed pieces, including letters, telegrams, drawings, newspaper clippings, a broadside, burned tatters of found stationery, and a journal that was written by hand and printed by letterpress. An incredible gift for the mythos fan in your life.

Not finding any Miskatonic stuff you like? Check out the Miskatonic University items from one of the previous guides. • 2014’s Miskatonic U. • 2015’s Miskatonic U. • 2016’s Miskatonic U. • • 2017’s Miskatonic U. • 2018’s Miskatonic U. •

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

So that wraps up the Sixth Annual List of Lists. Big thank you to the wonderful folks who read this blog, and the gibbering weirdos over at r/Lovecraft, r/Cthulhu, and r/WeirdLit who helped me pad out this list. Y’all rule. If I didn’t get to your submission, fret not, there are many more holidays ahead. I appreciate the help.

Do you have a book, game, album, or other weird fiction-related items I should feature in 2020’s Cosmic Horror Holiday Gift Guide? Leave a comment below with links to your favorite goodies for others to see or send me an email as a submission for next year!

Want to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to make sure it’s not spammy and full of interesting and relevant information. SIGN UP TODAY →

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