Rating: 
Summary: Cthulhu 2000
Review: If you are going to buy this book because you think the stories even come close to Lovercraft, do not buy this book! The stories in this book are so boring and they just captialize on all of Lovecraft's idea's. None of them have the werid, horrorific mood that Lovecraft usually sets in his stories. Some of them shouldn't even be called stories, just "book fillers". Overall I was very disappointed with this book because I thought the stories were good, but weren't. For everybody else, if you like Lovecraft, then stick to the master's tales, no offshoots.
Rating:
Summary: This is not Cthulhu
Review: Judging by the amount of negative feedback I received about my first review of Cthulhu 2000 in such a short period of time (please, e-mail with suggestons rather than press that button), that particular review was not particularly helpful. Sigh. Therefore I would like to clarify myself:First of all, this is not Cthulhu. It lacks the rich Lovecraftian vocabulary (the only few words the authors picked up from Lovecraft's writing seem to be "eldritch" and "foetor") that allowed the original Cthulhu books to become such dark, sophisticated masterpieces. Second of all, few of the stories in this volume actually tie in with the Cthulhu mythos. Yes, there is plenty of voodoo, witchcraft, and forbidden magics, but it rarely goes beyond that to tap into the mysteries of the Elder Gods and the Ones Who Fell from the Stars. And that is quite sad, because the topics that these authors do use have long since become hackneyed and cliche. Thirdly, and most important of all, the stories in Cthulhu 2000 all diverge from Lovecraftian ideology to become standard blood/ichor/sex-filled stuff of modern "horror". Whereas Lovecraft above all desired to let humankind take notice that there are secrets innumerable and forces unfathomable beyond the stars, Cthulhu 2000 is simple horror, easily classifiable and as easily forgotten.
Rating:
Summary: Don't judge this book by its cover...
Review: Okay, let me tell you something right off the bat. This is a pretty well put together book. Even the stories that I didn't like as much held my interest. Why did I only give it three stars? The editor is willing to do this book a disservice, by giving it a cover that tries way to hard and assumes we're gullible and stupid. Why should I reward that type of behavior? Lets look at the cover, what do we see? Well, the first thing your eye is drawn to is the large, bright white text that says "H.P. LOVECRAFT", a quarter inch taller then the more subdued green title, drowning out the fine print like "A spine tingling collection of the macabre inspired by". Some of the stories in this book are about as "inspired by" as the Evil Dead trilogy. The only thing in them that is inspired by the Cthulhu Mythos was the name for the evil book that people are foolish enough to read out loud from. (In fact, from what I've read, Sam Raimi hardly knows/remembers who Lovecraft is or what he wrote...If Sam remembers that HPL wrote anything at all.) Does that make them bad movies? No! Does the fact that the connection is tenuous at best mean that if you like old school mythos you won't like these movies? Heck no! This is a collection, each of the 18 stories is by a different writer, do not expect consistency in the level of Lovecraftianess. (If it wasn't a word before, it is now.) Some of them make a valiant effort to write in the style and voice of the original Mythos writers. ("The Last Feast of Harlequin" and "I had vacantly crumpled it into my pocket...") Some try to bring the old school into the present day.
("The Barrens") Some gather it all up and take it out to left field where they start lobbing bits at you, trying to bean you in the head.
("Love's Eldritch Ichor") Some take a few things and place them within a different genre to give it something of a new spin.
("The Big Fish") And others will leave you wondering if perhaps you haven't picked up a White Wolf fiction novel by mistake.
("His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood") I'm not saying to raise your expectations.
I'm not saying to lower your expectations.
I'm telling you to chuck your expectations out the window and nail the bugger shut so it can't slither back in. You'll be glad you did.
Rating:
Summary: Don't judge this book by its cover...
Review: Okay, let me tell you something right off the bat. This is a pretty well put together book. Even the stories that I didn't like as much held my interest. Why did I only give it three stars? The editor is willing to do this book a disservice, by giving it a cover that tries way to hard and assumes we're gullible and stupid. Why should I reward that type of behavior? Lets look at the cover, what do we see? Well, the first thing your eye is drawn to is the large, bright white text that says "H.P. LOVECRAFT", a quarter inch taller then the more subdued green title, drowning out the fine print like "A spine tingling collection of the macabre inspired by". Some of the stories in this book are about as "inspired by" as the Evil Dead trilogy. The only thing in them that is inspired by the Cthulhu Mythos was the name for the evil book that people are foolish enough to read out loud from. (In fact, from what I've read, Sam Raimi hardly knows/remembers who Lovecraft is or what he wrote...If Sam remembers that HPL wrote anything at all.) Does that make them bad movies? No! Does the fact that the connection is tenuous at best mean that if you like old school mythos you won't like these movies? Heck no! This is a collection, each of the 18 stories is by a different writer, do not expect consistency in the level of Lovecraftianess. (If it wasn't a word before, it is now.) Some of them make a valiant effort to write in the style and voice of the original Mythos writers. ("The Last Feast of Harlequin" and "I had vacantly crumpled it into my pocket...") Some try to bring the old school into the present day.
("The Barrens") Some gather it all up and take it out to left field where they start lobbing bits at you, trying to bean you in the head.
("Love's Eldritch Ichor") Some take a few things and place them within a different genre to give it something of a new spin.
("The Big Fish") And others will leave you wondering if perhaps you haven't picked up a White Wolf fiction novel by mistake.
("His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood") I'm not saying to raise your expectations.
I'm not saying to lower your expectations.
I'm telling you to chuck your expectations out the window and nail the bugger shut so it can't slither back in. You'll be glad you did.
Rating: 
Summary: A very nice HPL anthology
Review: Recently I have beed disappointed by a number of HPL-inspired anthologies. This is an exception. Although I have read a few of the selections in other anthologies, this is a fine collection of Lovecraftian works. "The Barrens" is one of the finer works within the covers and the work at large is assembled with a fine eye towards what HPL would have considered appropriate sequels. Any collector of Cthuluesque lit will find Cthulu 200 a fine read.
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent anthology inspired, in different ways, by HPL!
Review: Some of the reviews of this excellent anthology lead me to believe that they've missed the point. This is not an anthology of stories in the strict Lovecraftian tradition; it is rather a more disparate group of works which, more or less, were inspired by Lovecraft's work. They are in a broad spectrum of styles; the "Lovecraftian" element varies from potent to tenuous. But by and large it is a truly excellent collection. I found, of all the stories, T.E.D. Klein's "Black Man with a Horn" to be perhaps the most akin to Lovecraft's work, not in particulars so much, as in the sense of having blundered into a contact with cosmic horror, of which the protagonist becomes only slowly aware, yet which engulfs him finally. Two other stories are also very much in HPL's mode; Thomas Ligotti's "The Last Feast of Harlequin" is one of the stories that makes no overt reference to Lovecraft; yet it is a descendant of "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" in the truest sense-- it generally follows the same narrative curve and is full of parallel plot elements and moods, even though they are not specific to Lovecraft. Many others of the stories make reference, direct or oblique, to elements of the "Mythos"; Gahan Wilson's HPL has Lovecraft himself (as well as Clark Ashton Smith) as a main character. "The Barrens", "Fat Face", and "The Faces at Pine Dunes" are also excellent. And, to leaven the mixture, there are two or three humorous entries-- "The Big Fish", a sort of Maltese Falcon comes to Innsmouth, very tongue in cheek (literally as you will see!); "Pickman's Modem", often humorous though ultimately creepy; and the delightful "Love's Eldritch Ichor", which is wonderfully amusing. Of the entries I felt Poppy Z. Brite's "His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood" to be one of the least Lovecraftian, as well as being rather unpleasant; but it will appeal to gothic-teens and such. I could have wished that the preface by Jim Turner would have discussed all the stories, not only Roger Zelazny's excellent "24 Views of Mount Fuji, by Hokusai". All in all the anthology earns an A+ and is a must for any lover of horror, Lovecraftian or not!
Rating:
Summary: An excellent anthology inspired, in different ways, by HPL!
Review: Some of the reviews of this excellent anthology lead me to believe that they've missed the point. This is not an anthology of stories in the strict Lovecraftian tradition; it is rather a more disparate group of works which, more or less, were inspired by Lovecraft's work. They are in a broad spectrum of styles; the "Lovecraftian" element varies from potent to tenuous. But by and large it is a truly excellent collection. I found, of all the stories, T.E.D. Klein's "Black Man with a Horn" to be perhaps the most akin to Lovecraft's work, not in particulars so much, as in the sense of having blundered into a contact with cosmic horror, of which the protagonist becomes only slowly aware, yet which engulfs him finally. Two other stories are also very much in HPL's mode; Thomas Ligotti's "The Last Feast of Harlequin" is one of the stories that makes no overt reference to Lovecraft; yet it is a descendant of "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" in the truest sense-- it generally follows the same narrative curve and is full of parallel plot elements and moods, even though they are not specific to Lovecraft. Many others of the stories make reference, direct or oblique, to elements of the "Mythos"; Gahan Wilson's HPL has Lovecraft himself (as well as Clark Ashton Smith) as a main character. "The Barrens", "Fat Face", and "The Faces at Pine Dunes" are also excellent. And, to leaven the mixture, there are two or three humorous entries-- "The Big Fish", a sort of Maltese Falcon comes to Innsmouth, very tongue in cheek (literally as you will see!); "Pickman's Modem", often humorous though ultimately creepy; and the delightful "Love's Eldritch Ichor", which is wonderfully amusing. Of the entries I felt Poppy Z. Brite's "His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood" to be one of the least Lovecraftian, as well as being rather unpleasant; but it will appeal to gothic-teens and such. I could have wished that the preface by Jim Turner would have discussed all the stories, not only Roger Zelazny's excellent "24 Views of Mount Fuji, by Hokusai". All in all the anthology earns an A+ and is a must for any lover of horror, Lovecraftian or not!
Rating:
Summary: OK but not what I expected
Review: The stories in this book were in general rather dissappointing. There were a few good ones, but for the majority of stories were average at best. Very few of the stories were "modern" like I expected; nothing really about how the mythos has influenced our current lifestyle.
Rating:
Summary: OK but not what I expected
Review: The stories in this book were in general rather dissappointing. There were a few good ones, but for the majority of stories were average at best. Very few of the stories were "modern" like I expected; nothing really about how the mythos has influenced our current lifestyle.
Rating:
Summary: Good buy for Lovecraft fans...
Review: These authors don't measure up to Lovecraft (few do, but still a good collection of stories. I especially liked the one by Harlan Ellison. All avid fans of HPL should get this, but only after reading all of his stuff.
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