The Necronomicon: Selected Stories and Essays Concerning the Blasphemous Tome of the Mad Arab (Call of Cthulhu Fiction Series, 6034)

Rating:
Summary: ... this book in half,....
Review: ...(First half of book) fiction with only brief mentions of Lovecraft's creation, the Necronmicon. BUT, the second half of the book consists of two great ficticious versions of the "Blasphemous Tome", th "Dee Translation" and the more acaicly-written "Sussex Manuscript", there's a "preface" by DeCamp, a biography of the Mad Arab, Lovecraft's brief essay on the Necronomicon's history, a critical commentary, and a short "lost chapter" about what really drove Al Hazred mad, even a drawing based on woodcut of Al Hazred himself! Even throwing the first part of the book away, it's well worth the money. I highly reccommend it for all ... Necronomicon fans!

Rating:
Summary: ... this book in half,....
Review: ...(First half of book) fiction with only brief mentions of Lovecraft's creation, the Necronmicon. BUT, the second half of the book consists of two great ficticious versions of the "Blasphemous Tome", th "Dee Translation" and the more acaicly-written "Sussex Manuscript", there's a "preface" by DeCamp, a biography of the Mad Arab, Lovecraft's brief essay on the Necronomicon's history, a critical commentary, and a short "lost chapter" about what really drove Al Hazred mad, even a drawing based on woodcut of Al Hazred himself! Even throwing the first part of the book away, it's well worth the money. I highly reccommend it for all ... Necronomicon fans!

Rating:
Summary: How ignorant some can be
Review: First off this is a book that offers the chance of a lifetime. I myself have practiced these rituals and saw the truths that are in it. Though i doubt anyone will read this i ask you to even try the rituals with belief that it will work then tell me how wrong it is. I only tried a few rituals and have not found the courage to try more. Sometimes you can study something for so long before you realize how wrong or frightningly true it is!! But remember "Be careful what knowledge you seek, for in the end you still will not Know"

Rating:
Summary: This book, although inspiring lacks the power it could have.
Review: For those of us who came early into our addiction to H. P. Lovecraft, the Necronomicon assumes a singular place as the most famous book never written. Lovecraft's non-existent volume, a treatise on magic that unlocks the dimensional barriers that seperate us from Earth's powerful and horrific former rulers, has assumed a life all its own.
The Necronomicon: Selected Stories and Essays Concerning the Blasphemous Tome of the Mad Arab is a wonderful compendium of lore and imagination compiled by editor Robert M. Price. The various stories, prefaced by an informative and insightful introduction by Price,
are all excellent in their own way, but rather uneven in tone. From genuinely creepy tales like "Settler's Wall" and "The Howler In the Dark" to more tongue-in-cheek offerings like Robert Silverberg's " Demons of Cthulhu," The Necronomicon offers a little bit of everything for the hardcore Lovecraft junkie.
For me, the book's real spine lies in the pseudo-scholarly articles that deal with the Necronomicon and its author, the "Mad" arab Abdul Alhazrad, as if they genuinely existed. Included here are such choice items as a biography of Alhazred, a history of the Necronomicon as written by Lovecraft himself, the John Dee Translation of the Necronomicon (an over-the-top parody so hilarious it reads like Shakespeare on acid), and a refreshingly serious , A Critical Commentary on the Necronomicon written by Robert M. Price.
If the idea of ancient tomes of forbidden magic, exotic lands, distant times and unutterably terrifying monsters appeals to you, then this book is a welcome addition to the growing body of Lovecraft studies.

Rating:
Summary: A genuine treat for all H.P. Lovecraft aficianados
Review: For those of us who came early into our addiction to H. P. Lovecraft, the Necronomicon assumes a singular place as the most famous book never written. Lovecraft's non-existent volume, a treatise on magic that unlocks the dimensional barriers that seperate us from Earth's powerful and horrific former rulers, has assumed a life all its own.
The Necronomicon: Selected Stories and Essays Concerning the Blasphemous Tome of the Mad Arab is a wonderful compendium of lore and imagination compiled by editor Robert M. Price. The various stories, prefaced by an informative and insightful introduction by Price,
are all excellent in their own way, but rather uneven in tone. From genuinely creepy tales like "Settler's Wall" and "The Howler In the Dark" to more tongue-in-cheek offerings like Robert Silverberg's " Demons of Cthulhu," The Necronomicon offers a little bit of everything for the hardcore Lovecraft junkie.
For me, the book's real spine lies in the pseudo-scholarly articles that deal with the Necronomicon and its author, the "Mad" arab Abdul Alhazrad, as if they genuinely existed. Included here are such choice items as a biography of Alhazred, a history of the Necronomicon as written by Lovecraft himself, the John Dee Translation of the Necronomicon (an over-the-top parody so hilarious it reads like Shakespeare on acid), and a refreshingly serious , A Critical Commentary on the Necronomicon written by Robert M. Price.
If the idea of ancient tomes of forbidden magic, exotic lands, distant times and unutterably terrifying monsters appeals to you, then this book is a welcome addition to the growing body of Lovecraft studies.

Rating:
Summary: That which is not dead
Review: I began collecting the Chaosium volumes just a year or so ago, and this was one of the first volumes I picked up. As a longtime sf fan, as well as a Mythos fan, I eagerly looked forward to tales by Robert Silverberg and John Brunner, set in the Mythos. Have to say that those tales were disappointing, and the John Dee translation of the Necronomicon so dry as to be unreadable (I haven't finished it yet in four or five tries). Otherwise extremely good volume, and comparable in quality to EP Berglund's Disciples of Cthulhu or Jim Turner's Cthulhu 2000 (which are the best recent collections of Mythos tales not by HPL).

Rating:
Summary: The necronomicon
Review: I have been a student of the five elements and ninjutsu since I was nineteen. I studied anything that revolved to the rising, or ARRA star. I encountered the Necronomicon when I was 25, and Heaven and Earth shook inside of me. I am not saying that it is true to the last detail, but I must admit that the conjuration of the Fire God was legitimate. I even went as far as to summmon
Zaghurim. All I am saying is that if one does not believe in magic, or the idea that if one wants something to happen strong enough it may come to pass, then do not read this book. For those among us who do believe that(whatever name one may call them by) there are beings known as watchers, angels, demons, spirits, then this is a book for those that believe in meditation moreso than those who follow the path of mantra. My experiences with this book have led me to believe that one's greatest thoughts can be manifested by summoning these spirits,
but everything that is great has a great price. "It is thy risk".

Rating:
Summary: The necronomicon
Review: I have been a student of the five elements and ninjutsu since I was nineteen. I studied anything that revolved to the rising, or ARRA star. I encountered the Necronomicon when I was 25, and Heaven and Earth shook inside of me. I am not saying that it is true to the last detail, but I must admit that the conjuration of the Fire God was legitimate. I even went as far as to summmon
Zaghurim. All I am saying is that if one does not believe in magic, or the idea that if one wants something to happen strong enough it may come to pass, then do not read this book. For those among us who do believe that(whatever name one may call them by) there are beings known as watchers, angels, demons, spirits, then this is a book for those that believe in meditation moreso than those who follow the path of mantra. My experiences with this book have led me to believe that one's greatest thoughts can be manifested by summoning these spirits,
but everything that is great has a great price. "It is thy risk".

Rating:
Summary: How ignorant some can be
Review: I noticed that this magnificent anthology has garned a few poor reviews. Having read it, I can see way. It may not be an entertaining collection for casual or half-hearted readers. Oh, they will enjoy the pastiche stories, but then find the "translated" passages of "ye booke by ye Arab" to be rough going. This is actually deliberate. If Lovecraft had a chance to review these translated passages, he might concur. The uninitiated should find these pages difficult, but the genuine fan will detect the clever nuggets of wit, rather pokerfaced, and many wil pass right by them. A solid, colorful book. I also enjoyed the description of Abdul Alhazred's demise. In Charles Mitchell's THE COMPLETE H.P. LOVECRAFT FILMOGRAPHY, he cleverly notes how the creature in the film "Sound of Horror" was based on the story of Alhazred's death. It is great that this collection included it. 4 out of 5 stars. Recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Very colorful book but not for lightweights
Review: I noticed that this magnificent anthology has garned a few poor reviews. Having read it, I can see way. It may not be an entertaining collection for casual or half-hearted readers. Oh, they will enjoy the pastiche stories, but then find the "translated" passages of "ye booke by ye Arab" to be rough going. This is actually deliberate. If Lovecraft had a chance to review these translated passages, he might concur. The uninitiated should find these pages difficult, but the genuine fan will detect the clever nuggets of wit, rather pokerfaced, and many wil pass right by them. A solid, colorful book. I also enjoyed the description of Abdul Alhazred's demise. In Charles Mitchell's THE COMPLETE H.P. LOVECRAFT FILMOGRAPHY, he cleverly notes how the creature in the film "Sound of Horror" was based on the story of Alhazred's death. It is great that this collection included it. 4 out of 5 stars. Recommended!