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This was the biggest scam I read in recent memory. It was introduced to me as some kind of proto-lovecraftian fever dream exploring the strange faraway lands o
by torginus 2y ago
This was the biggest scam I read in recent memory.
It was introduced to me as some kind of proto-lovecraftian fever dream exploring the strange faraway lands of the titular King in Yellow, and it started out like Lovecraftian stories often do - upper society gentlemen of impeccable pedigree getting tangled up in the strange and occult. But after a few stories, of having hinted of the strangeness to come, the whole occult business was dropped, and the rest of the book was bog-standard Victorian romantic short stories.
I'd say you can get as much from the Wikipedia article and the poem, as you'd from getting the book.'
If you want the experience of exploring a weird and strange realm, I'd recommend 'The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath' from the man himself.
- jhbadger 2y agoI think the stories inspired by KiY, like James Blish's "More Light" are better than the ones in Chambers' book. Chambers' genius was in the creation of a work (the eponymous King In Yellow play) that induced insanity. This influenced a lot of later authors such as HPL with his fictitious Necronomicon.
- torginus 2y agoThanks for the recommendation, I'll definitely add it to my reading list.
- StefanBatory 2y agoI feel the same. Feels like the concept is way better than execution. Maybe it's because at the time it released it was novel, but now it's cliche?