Arkham Tales: Stories of the Legend
Haunted City by William Jones
Solid Lovecraftian Stories
Nestled along the Massachusetts coast, the small town of Arkham has
existed for centuries. It is the source of countless rumors and legends.
Those who have visited it each telling a different and remarkable account,
whisper tales of Arkham. Reports of impossible occurrences, peculiar
happenings and bizarre events, tales that test the sanity of the reader are
to be found here. Magic, mysteries, monsters, mayhem, and ancient
malignancies form the foundation of this unforgettable centuries old town.
Collected in this volume are the strange and terrifying stories of the
legend-haunted city.
Personal Review: Arkham Tales: Stories of the Legend Haunted
City by William Jones
Almost 70 years after his death, H.P.Lovecraft continues to cast a giant
shadow over the horror genre with new books, films, and comics coming
out every year that are inspired by his works. Chaosium is best known as
the published of the outstanding "Call of Cthulhu" role-playing game but
they also put out some great Lovecraftian fiction as well and their latest
offering features 17 stories set in his fictional city of Arkham,
Massachusetts. One of the most difficult things for modern writers to
capture is that overall sense of dread, and the feeling of something dark
and disturbing lurking just out of the way of your glance that Lovecraft was
able to convey so well. While not all of the writers in this collection
succeed, I'm happy to say that many of them do and contribute some
fantastic stories. "Mysterious Dan's Legacy" by Matthew Baugh is set in
1873. Daniel Hawkins as traveled to Arkham from Dodge City to collect an
inheritance left behind by a cousin, an old and very rare book. When
Hawkins turns down an offer to sell the book, he'll find that there are
strange people in town who will do anything to get their hands on this
prize.

"They Thrive in Darkness" by Ron Shiflet is perhaps the best example of a
book that captures that true Lovecraft feel and sense of helplessness.
Owen Blake makes acquaintances with a jovial man in an Arkham pub
who invites him to his home to see the mysterious door in his basement.
It's what's behind the door that Owen should be concerned about.
In John Goodrich's "Arkham Rain" a man learns the horrific history of his
family and the gruesome fate that awaits his brother, when he visits the
accursed town of Innsmouth.
Other stand-out stories include "What Sorrows May Come" by Lee Clark
Zumpe and "The Idea of Fear" by C.J. Henderson. My only reservation is
that a few too many stories conclude with a rather clichéd happy ending.
Overall, however, a very solid collection of Lovecraft-inspired stories.
reviewed by Tim Janson
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