Brilliant

Any additional comments?

As a long time super fan of Mr Lovecraft this collection (together with Vol2) are superbly put together and wonderfully narrated. The interspersed history of Lovecraft really helps to set the emotions that the author was experiencing at the time and enhances the listening experiences. As mentioned, the narration is exceptional and the almost laconic style builds the tension to fever pitch. Thank You!

4 people found this helpful

Nicely done.

Would you listen to H.P. Lovecraft: The Complete Omnibus Collection, Volume I: 1917-1926 again? Why?

Yes. Why? Because I want to run in to gibbous night and howl at the moon as a batrachian custodian of the silver key.

What did you like best about this story?

Af ew stories here I'd not read/heard.

Which character – as performed by Finn J.D. John – was your favourite?

Charles Dexter Ward.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, if I had the stamina. Alas going to sleep with the headphones on didn't open the gateway that is Yog-Sothoth. Maybe tonight.

Any additional comments?

Unlike most semi-professional productions, Finn J.D. John can actually read well. The collection is interspersed with a fair amount of Lovecraft's biographical background that puts the tales in context. A longer and deeper exposition of Cosmicism and its post-Lovecraft developments would have been interesting. Other than that it's an excellent and accomplished effort, and clearly a labour of love. Kudos to Finn J.D. John!

6 people found this helpful

Dreadful narration

I love Lovecraft but this guys narration is so boring, stiff, and robotic.
Awful.
It’s far too monotone and puts me off listening.

2 people found this helpful

Fantastic Tales from The Master of Horror

All of Lovecrafts early works together and read in style.
Enjoyed this talkie emmensly.
Now for Volume 2!!

2 people found this helpful

Wonderful tales but under-produced & overpriced

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I would have preferred some longer tales but the format of including date specific bio-snippets precluded that.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Cthulhu of course!

What didn’t you like about Finn J.D. John’s performance?

On the positive side:
a. The amateur reading style is probably in keeping with HPL's "amateur" writing;
b. The narrator clearly put a lot of effort in and I get the feeling Mr. John knows the writings and enjoys them;
c. I liked the bio-snippets.

Room for improvement
It seems likely that the production did not use a professional producer (of it did they should refurbished their fee). Producing audio books is not as easy as it sounds.

For example a good producer would have picked up the following simple pervasive errors:
1. Pronunciation: even though HPL's fictional names are always going to be contentious there is no reason to miss-pronounce known words or names such as Dagon (Day-gone) as Dah-gone or the star Aldebran as AldeBARN;
2. Overly dramatic: I know it is tempting to try and ham up Lovecraft when reading but he does deserve better than doing things like saying the gibbous moooon.

All in all the pedantic listener will struggle and even the casual listener may dose off on occasion.

Do you think H.P. Lovecraft: The Complete Omnibus Collection, Volume I: 1917-1926 needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

It has one.

Any additional comments?

For the price tag of £25 I would have expected a much better production and a professional voice actor.

4 people found this helpful

Horrible narration.

Sleazy. Insidious. As soon as he forgets his contrived dramatic reading the story comes through. Finally. His campfire ghost story tone is heinous. Not recommended

1 person found this helpful

Oh, the narration, THE NARRATION!

To plow this through was an ordeal far greater than my imagination had mercifully capacity to reach, for I would be locked in Arkham asylum had I willingly subjected myself to such horrors.

No, the horror wasn't in Lovectaft's stories, the naivete in these early works was agonizing at worst, humoring at best, the whole collection having 5 or 6 stories worth listening. There's a website with ranked order of stories. You will not miss anything if listening only stories in top 30.

The true horror was in the narration. Oh dear me. With contiously undulating pitch, the narrator dragged along with effort resembling of walking belly deep in a swamp, like every story would be a poem that needs an emphasis on... every.. word.. of
.. every.. sentence.. with.. pitch.. going.. up.. and .. down... without... any.. purpose... or... meaning...

3 people found this helpful

Loving Lovecraft!

I love the stories and enjoy the narration, not sure why others have complained...each to their own!
Well worth the credit :)

1 person found this helpful

The book would be good if not for the narrator

The performance only became bearable when I increased the speed! It just felt VERY laboured and as if he was reading in the style of Orson Welles! Orson Welles he is not however so it just felt unnecessarily slow and dull!

1 person found this helpful

Doesnt need a disclaimer on every piece of history

I have no massive problem with those who say things about HP Lovecraft, the man had a penchant for doing things that he himself found correct, his cat's name being one of the most interesting things given his ideals.

But like I said in the header, the list of "you need to remember, this was in X date and things were different then" mantra to try and stop people from getting upset at the use of a singular particular word that is used in the books MANY times gets tiring very quickly. We don't need to be told that he changed over the years or that he wasn't what some would call him.

We didn't come to be reassured that the author isn't a racist

we came to hear psychological and eldritch horror stories where we're not 100% sure that the narrator is being honest in their retelling of events or whether they are simply insane.

All in all this omnibus of stories from HP Lovecraft is definitely worth the pricetag or credit, the vocal talent does a decent job at getting across both suspense and darkness when needed - even if part of it feels like a stuffy college professor - it's definitely in my list of favourites.