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Lovecraft Country

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Lovecraft Country

By: Matt Ruff
Narrated by: Kevin Kenerly
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About this listen

Chicago, 1954. When his father, Montrose, goes missing, 22-year-old army veteran Atticus Turner embarks on a road trip to New England to find him, accompanied by his uncle George - publisher of The Safe Negro Travel Guide - and his childhood friend Letitia. On their journey to the manor of Mr. Braithwhite - heir to the estate that owned one of Atticus’ ancestors - they encounter both mundane terrors of white America and malevolent spirits that seem straight out of the weird tales George devours.

At the manor, Atticus discovers his father in chains, held prisoner by a secret cabal named the Order of the Ancient Dawn - led by Samuel Braithwhite and his son Caleb - which has gathered to orchestrate a ritual that shockingly centres on Atticus. And his one hope of salvation may be the seed of his - and the whole Turner clan’s - destruction.

An imaginative blend of magic, power, hope, and freedom that stretches across time, touching diverse members of two Black families, Matt Ruff's Lovecraft Country is a devastating kaleidoscopic portrait of racism - the terrifying spectre that continues to haunt us today.

2017, World Fantasy Awards Best Novel, Short-listed

(P)2018 Macmillan Digital Audio Crime Fiction Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Horror Magic Magical Realism Science Fiction World Literature Scary Crime Paranormal Exciting

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Critic reviews

Smartly subversive pulp horror . . . The book is beautifully structured . . . This must be one of the kindest works in the horror genre I have read. Although the stories have genuine moments of horripilation, what shines through is solidarity, conscience and not backing down in the face of wickedness. (Stuart Kelly)
Another "only Matt Ruff could do it" production. Lovecraft Country takes the unlikeliest of premises and spins it into a funny, fast, exciting, and affecting read (Neal Stephenson, author of Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon)
A brilliantly conceived story brilliantly executed (Christopher Moore, author of Lamb and A Dirty Job)
Lovecraft Country doesn't just race along, it tears, demanding that you keep turning its pages without interruption (Cory Doctorow, author of Little Brother)
Wonderful from page one . . . Matt Ruff is one of the gentlest, wildest writers of fantastic fiction. (John Crowley, author of Little, Big)
All stars
Most relevant
I read this book off the back of the television adaption & I must say I prefer this book. It isn't a 'horror' story as such or have much Lovecraft stuff in it. The real monster is racism which is written very well & the inclusion of Lovecraft Hypergeometry (or natural philosophy as they call it) makes for some enjoyable adventures.
The characters are very enjoyable, both pro and antagonists. If you enjoyed the television series or are looking for a slightly different Lovecraft tale without monsters but plenty of magic, this could be what you are after.

An enjoyable adventure

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As a fan of Lovecraft, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this book which came highly recommended. Glad I went with it! Evocative and clever, never shying away from the realities of the experiences of the main protagonists and giving the reader food for thought as well as some great Lovecraftian horrors.

Many tales sublimely crafted

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Wonderful book, it's a ride from start to finish! I wish it didn't end. I hope there's going to be a sequel or something I want to know more about these interesting people's lives. Fictional but oh so real, truly grounded Sci fi brilliance

Sooo goood

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Basically a collection of short stories with an overall story arc, this is a book I didn’t really want to end. Each story fleshes out the universe the author has created using lovecraftian tropes as backdrop. It’s also a stark reminder of the systemic racism that African Americans suffered in 50s America.

I don’t understand the hatred for the narration as it sounded ok to me.

A fantastic book.

Wonderful

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Thoroughly enjoyed this. Both the stories and story telling was great. My only criticism would be that since most heroes are of African descent, they would probably do better with using a narrator who doesn't have to act the voices as much. Having said that the narrator did a great job anyway but it almost feels like "blackface".

Great collection of stories

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