Necronomicon: The Best Weird Tales of H.P. Lovecraft (GOLLANCZ S.F.)

Having delved into the "Necronomicon: The Best Weird Tales of H. P. Lovecraft," I can confidently say this commemorative edition is a treasure trove for any fan of Lovecraft's eerie and captivating universe. Pros This edition brings together Lovecraft's most acclaimed tales, including "The Call of Cthulhu," "At the Mountains of Madness," and "The Shadow over Innsmouth," among others. It offers a thorough exploration of his mythos and storytelling prowess. The artwork is stunning and complements the chilling narratives perfectly. The illustrations bring Lovecraft's otherworldly creatures and haunting settings to life, enhancing the reader's immersion. The book itself is beautifully bound with an embossed cover that feels durable and looks striking on any bookshelf. The pages are of high quality, and the print is clear and easy to read. The inclusion of an afterword by Stephen Jones adds valuable context and appreciation for Lovecraft's work and legacy. Cons While the collection is comprehensive, it doesn't offer new material for those who might already own several Lovecraft collections. However, the presentation and additional commentary still make it a worthwhile addition. This is a hefty book, which might be cumbersome for some readers to handle comfortably for extended periods. It's more suited for leisurely reading at home rather than on the go. The "Necronomicon: The Best Weird Tales of H. P. Lovecraft" is an excellent compilation that honors the master of weird fiction. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to Lovecraft's work, this collection is a fantastic way to experience his stories. The combination of classic tales, exceptional illustrations, and high-quality binding makes this a must-have for any horror literature fan.

As a person HP Lovecraft was not the sort of man you would enjoy a drink with. Controversial in his racist and anti-Semitic views (even by the standards of the era he lived in) he was the living example of a man's nature reflecting his work. The author Michael Moorcock is quoted as saying that the secret to Lovecraft's success is that everybody else is a better writer than him, that the reader fills the gaps of Lovecraft's writing by the employment of his own imagination. While this may be true to an extent, there is no denying that these are great stories. The language is rich and detailed, springing from a deep well of imagination. The book looks imposing on the bookshelf, and seems to dominate other books (not a bad trait for a work of horror) Lovecraft's influence on modern horror should not be underestimated, many of the themes and ideas we take for granted spring from his works. Leaving aside these considerations, you are left with a body of work that fires the imagination, is great value for money (thank you Amazon discounts) and is hugely entertaining. For the horror fan, I cannot praise this book any higher.

Definitely 5 stars. Best book ever. Read it in a 72 hour frenzy without sleep. Lost 2d12 SAN. A suspicious man with boggly eyes and an apron in the market, who smelled strongly of fish, said something to me about salmon steaks, and now I think I am being followed by cult members. As I walked in the park the other day, I heard birds shrieking in the trees and saw ice cream of sinister colors. A figure with a multi-colored woolen octopus-head was playing the saxophone outside the station. In a hoarse tongue he cried: G'rl ugot mi R'lyeh go'in. The man in the picture in my hallway seemed to be getting older, but then I remembered that was Oscar Wilde, so it was probably my imagination. But they are coming for me, I can hear the rats whispering in the walls and there are angles (not a typo) everywhere. Good value. Would recommend to a friend.

Until I read the other reviews I must confess I hadn't noticed how many typographical errors were in the text, I don't think it affected my enjoyment but upon reflection there are a lot. Likewise the sticker on the back not removing cleanly was annoying but not a major issue for me. Despite owning this a while now I am still less than half-way through, and so my comment may not be reflective of the entire book, but for some reason I find it a slightly hard read. The quality of the writing and the groundbreaking nature of Lovecraft's work is undeniable but I don't think it will be entirely to everyone's taste. The stories tend to build slowly and have a relatively short final act. It may be a case of having had overly high expectations but I bought the book thinking that I would love every word and rip through it in no time but it hasn't turned out that way. I find many of the stories a little similar in both their structure and subject matter, and due to the short nature of each one this was a problem for me. If I read two or more stories in the same sitting I definitely lost some of the pleasure. I am now reading it slowly, perhaps one short story a week or even less, and finding it much more enjoyable to do that and spend a bit more of the time that I would have normally spent reading reflecting on the story. I suppose that is not really a problem and in a way it is merely me trying to prolong a good experience, but I am more used to reading large chunks (200+ pages) of books at a time and the time flying by. That wasn't how I found this at all. I would still highly recommend it though. I did also appreciate the included biography which overall made this a really comprehensive experience of an essential part of horror fiction history. I usually find them superfluous and often fawning, but I really enjoyed this one and recommend skipping to the end to read it before the main text. I found it particularly interesting that contemporary readers of Lovecraft's stories would probably have been exposed to his works the way I ended up reading this compilation, i.e. in installments.

It appears that I, unlike the other reviewers of this book, am a new edition to the legions of Lovecraft fans that I had until recently been completely unaware of. I have long since been a fan of horror film and have read my fair share of such obvious novelists as King, but never could have dreamt of something as elegant and terrifying in the nowadays all too neglected medium of the written word. The tome itself bleeds horror; the black leather cover (which alone would suggest a much higher price) and occasional illustrations and even the feel of the pages spark the imagination, but it is undoubtedly Lovecraft's own artful imagery and originality that would be expected long after his time makes this a vital part of the collection of not just any horror fan, but any literary enthusiast. However, as has been said before me, the sticker is the one blight of this book, and you must be prepared for a strenuous battle. The glue! THE GLUE!

For anyone used to a variety of paperback editions over the years- and indeed hopefully for new readers of Lovecraft- this beautifully presented hardback is a real treat. Containing over thirty stories and two poems, it is as close to a definive edition as could ever be hoped. All HPL's best tales are there, including all the major components of the "Cthulhu Mythos." It must be said, however, that there are a number of annoying typographical errors in several of the stories There is an informative "Afterword" by editor Stephen Jones which not only adumbrates HPL's life and career, but also his influence on subsequent writers and the creative media in general- as well as sressing the pivotal roles of August Derleth and Donald Wandrei in preserving HPL's work from ill-merited obscurity. In short, typographical errors aside, this is an essential collection, and a bargain even at cover price.

When I saw this book at Amazon, I jumped at it because it was the kind of book I was looking for containing an anthology (or bunch of stories) by Howard Phillips Lovecraft! I was not disappointed! It runs to 880 pages of Stories and supportive texts by some of the world's greatest Horror Authors. The whole Cthulhu Mythos is included and lots more stories to make you pee yourself in terror of what your reading! The book is in Hardback in a faux leather cover. There has been some discussion on the price maker on the back cover, and as a decorator, I found that methylated Spirit removes the gum residue after you've peeled off the label carefully. A very good bargain at the price offered by Amazon - so much so my son wanted it too - so its cost me more - buut it was worth it to get my son's head into a book at last ;)! Hugo Shepherd

His stories are really good and rarely very long. This book is perfect for filling the odd hour here or there without a massive commitment of time. The stories are all exceptionally well written and genuinely disturbing in places. Which is what you are looking for if you read this. They are supposed to be scary, upsetting or disturbing. Don't read them if that will bother you. He was an excellent writer and this is a great selection of his work. The only problem is that the book itself is rather large. But then when you buy something called the Necronomicon you are probably thinking more along the lines of a great big tome chained to a podium, rather than a dog eared paperback.

I always swore I would never buy another edition of Lovecraft. I already own his complete works in multiple forms: a few copies of "Weird Tales," a complete set of the old Arkham Press hardcovers, S.T. Joshi's annotated editions, an Easton Press luxury edition of "At the Mountains of Madness." several comic book adaptations, and an illustrated version of Nyarlathotep . But then Gollancz Press came along with this cool faux leather-bound "Necronomicon" and I found myself buying yet another bound volume of Lovecraft works for that most vain reason to buy a book--it looks good on my bookshelf. Obviously,"Necronomicon" is not a single-edition complete set of Lovecraft. It is followed by a second Lovecraft edition, Eldritch Tales . Both books form a matched set with Gollancz Press' The Complete Chronicles of Conan . The front cover it says that this is a Commemorative Edition but it doesn't say what it commemorates The book was originally printed in 2007. If I that is a significant date to Lovecraft, then I don't know what it is. And yes, all three books together look good on my bookshelf. The subtitle for "Necronomicon" is "The Best Weird Tales of H.P. Lovecraft" and arguably that is what it delivers. His most famous works are here: "The Call of Cthulhu." "The Dunwich Horror." "Herbert West - Reanimator." "The Rats in the Walls." "The Horror at Red Hook." "The Shadow Over Innsmouth." "At The Mountains of Madness." There are thirty-six stories collected in all, including Lovecraft's ghost written piece for Harry Houdini, "Under the Pyramids." Notably missing are Lovecraft's poems. There is no "Fungi From Yuggoth." No "Nyarlathotep." The only poem included is the short "Night Gaunts" in the front and "To a Dreamer" in the back. Also not included are his revisions that he did of other writers works, many of which are almost wholly Lovecraft stories with Lovecraft re-writing over ninety percent of the story. Most what is not collected can be found in the companion volume "Eldritch Tales." The book is illustrated by Les Edwards, who does an excellent job with a series of black-and-white drawings that summon up some of the great scenes of the stories. Obviously, not all thirty-six stories are illustrated, and some of the illustrations are used more than once, but they look great. Really, Lovecraft doesn't need lush illustrations and I thought Edwards did a fantastic job. There is a nice afterward, titled "A Gentleman of Providence," by editor Stephen Jones. I really enjoyed this. Jones laid out Lovecraft's life from birth to death to beyond, touching briefly on almost everything. From Lovecraft's earliest literary efforts, to his career as an author, to his death and resurrection from obscurity by August Derleth, to Derleth's own invention of the "Cthulhu Mythos," to films and TV and comics and pretty everything Lovecraft. In a few short pages Jones is very thorough. Except for Jones' excellent afterword, I wouldn't say this is really a beginner's Lovecraft. There really are a lot of different versions available, and this Gollancz Press is largely for established fans. Still, it is an excellent book and I am glad I was lured to add one more Lovecraft edition to my bookshelf.

Il libro è bellissimo, la copertina è veramente elegante! Regalo perfetto per un amante del genere e dell’autore. Io l’ho abbinato a un cofanetto in legno fatto a mano e intagliato!

Ce recueil comporte énormément de nouvelles donc très bien en terme de contenu et à cela s'ajoute une édition particulièrement soignée ce qui en font un livre de qualité

This is actually a good book with excellent Artwork and durable hard cover binding. You will get stunning illustrations of Night Gaunts, Cthulu and some other grotesque creatures. I will definitely suggest this one over any other publisher. Yeah yeah, I know there are some stories missing but no other copy will have the sinister vibe which this copy emits. Just go for it!!!

Livro é bom. Veio bem embalado tbm.