Necronomicon: The Wanderings Of Alhazred

Rating:
Summary: The Image of a well fed Fantasy
Review: I enjoyed the whole format and formula behind Tyson's concept of the Mythos. The inclusions in the texts are what would be readily formulated in the mind of Lovecraft and Smith readers as well as those who peruse the modern Mythos movement. It is strangely similar to other unpublished efforts I've seen and has some similarities with a certain Arabic and Greek manuscript which I keep well hidden.
That aside, it is a seriously good effort at filling the pie. With a good Elder sign and pious heart you should be safe reading it. I hope others enjoy the adventures within as well as I have. I think it is a wonderful addition to any Miskatonic University student's library.


Rating:
Summary: Another dishonest Hoax
Review: Donald Tyson wrote the forward to Gonce and Harms book "The Necronomicon Files" which follows the whole Necronomicon phenomenon and debunks the various hoax books that purport to be this fictious creation of Lovecraft. In 2000 Tyson writes "It seems a crime to debunk the living and growing myth of the Necronomicon, but it is argueably a greater crime to sell books claiming that they are the genuine Necronomicon when no such text ever existed. Confusion breeds confusion and, if allowed unchecked escapes all control." Four years later Tyson publishes his version of the Necronomicon supposedly translated from Latin with two prefaces one allegedly written in 1228 and the other in 950. Except for the small print Library of Congress data on the front page which categorizes the book as "1. Magitians-fiction 2. Middle East-fiction" there is no other refrence in the book that this is wholly a work of fiction created within the mind of Tyson who is known as a nonfiction occult author. The book is found on bookstore shelves in the occult/new age/magical NONFICTION section. Shame on Tyson and Llewellyn Publishers for misleading occult readers and practioner with yet another Necronomicon hoax. Tyson being the worst offender iun light of his prior statements on other Necronomicon hoaxes.

Rating:
Summary: Hoax? No, A tribute.
Review: Tysons "Necronomicon" is the best, nay the only Nec a fan of lovecraft should even think about reading. A well researched, well planned, and well exicuted Tribute to Lovecraft's most infamos creation. Tyson touches on almost everything the Lovecraft alludes to being in the maligned text in his fiction. Fans who wish to search for the passage from "Dunwitch Horror" will find it. The famos couplet? it's in there!

Tyson also does a terific job of keeping the tone of the book in line with the style and attetude of Lovecraft. The stories are great and even, in parts, quite disturbing.

As for the old "Shame on the Hoaxer" thing, i must reffer readers to the back cover. ""..i have spent my life writing about the arcane and my sense of kinship with the mad Arab has lead me to offer my own rendition of his teachings..." one does not have to be a scholar to figure this one out. The author of the book is DONALD TYSON not Abdul Alhazred. It does not proport to be anything other than a peice of entertainment. Is it writen with a perverbial 'straight face'? yes, that's what make this so much fun. Why would any one want to read a Nec that had "THISIS NOT REAL" plastered in big red letters across every page? Who needs to be told this over and over again? There are no magic spells or incanations that will bring about the end of days anywhere in the book. Is does not even resemble a book of magic or even magic therory.

This is a fine book for fans of the mythos, and of H.P. Lovecraft and it is even enjoyable to people totally unfamilliar with them. it's well written, engaging and fun. Those in the know will get a kick out of the fine little inside jokes and obscure references to the Mythos in H.P.'s fiction.

the only small complaits I had with it was the total lack of cool pictures of monsters and Tyson flubs the couplet a bit. Otherwise, it's appocolyptic fun for the whole family!