Even as horror fans we often have blindspots, and mine for a long time was H.P Lovecraft, in written form anyway.
I’d seen The Colour Out Of Space and Re-Animator, but now, after reading the titular short story of this (mainly) Lovecraft-inspired anthology, I get it, folks.
I haven’t read a short story that fully grabbed me by the throat and wouldn’t let go until it ended in a long time, until Shadows Over Innsmouth was consumed.
Having Lovecraft start the stories could seem like a mountain (of madness, apologies…) to climb, but thankfully, there is a healthy mix of writers who truly understand the assignment and deliver some chilling tales.
There is an evolution to the stories as we effectively move towards the modern day with most of the stories, adding pillars to Lovecraft’s tale and enriching the original text.
Basil Copper’s Beyond the Reef follows up on Shadows… and is very much built around the aftermath and what remains of Innsmouth and its ultimate fate from the Deep Ones.
One constant throughout the text is trying to escape or change the fate of this cursed place, which will never be free of its aquatic overlords.
The anthology also tackles the theme of transformation, as the Deep Ones infiltrate the town, in some cases consentually but in others with brute force and transform its inhabitants into willing vessels or unwilling slaves, designed to do their bidding.
By basing stories around real-world events such as the Second World War, they bring Lovecraft’s ideas closer to real life, and you can almost imagine a world where some of these outlandish ideas would be feasible.
Well-known genre writers Guy N. Smith, Ramsey Campbell and Kim Newman all contribute stories to this anthology, as well as controversial genre writer Neil Gaiman.
As an entry point, Shadows Over Innsmouth is perfect for anyone looking to dip their toes into Lovecraft’s work, and if your reaction was anything like mine, you’ll be ordering a short story collection by the time you’ve finished the last chapter of this book.
Shadows Over Innsmouth, edited by Stephen Jones, is available now in various formats from Titan Books.
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