Writtenyes: Matthew Barber
Lovecraft defined and popularized cosmic horror in the early twentieth century. The idea of our puny existence being insignificant in a universe filled with alien gods is both terrifying and fascinating. Cthulhu and Nyarlathotep and other ancient monsters were born from this reality.
Since then, cosmic horror has flourished as a subgenre. Some have added to Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos, while others have focused on developing their own cosmic realities and the creatures that inhabit them. Brian Keen has done both, expanding and modifying Lovecraft’s original concepts into a larger pantheon developed from his own imagination.
Crow Gathering A cosmic horror born from the Keen pantheon. The minions of Croatoan or Mibel descended upon the unsuspecting town of Brinkley Springs. These creatures possessed powerful magic and were able to transform into crows. They intended to destroy the town and devour the souls of all who lived here. However, fate sent another man to Brinkley Springs to stop them. He was a former Amish and a powerful magician named Levi Stoltzfus.
For fans of Brian Keene, Levi Stoltzfus is well known. Ghost WalkLevi has been mentioned in several novels and appears in Keane’s most recently published stories. at last Arbat Witch (September 1, 2014). He is one of the few good guys in today’s horror literature who thrives. A modern-day Solomon Kane or Abraham Van Helsing, Levi battles the monsters that lurk in the shadows and comes out victorious time and again.
However, Levi Stoltzfus is not the only recurring character in the novel. The story references nearly all of Keane’s previous works. Risingg or Earthworm Godlooking forward to some old faces appearing again.
Crow Gathering In many ways, this is an homage to Keane’s earlier work. It is a standalone novel. No need to have read any of the books to enjoy the story. However, like Lovecraft’s “Cthulhu Mythos”, Crow Gathering It is part of a web of interconnected lore and worlds created by the author. To fully understand the novel, one must understand the entire universe created by Keane.
Therefore, it is difficult to recommend Crow Gathering As an introduction to his work. Best read for beginners Ghoul or Rise. These novels are related to Crow Gathering Easy to follow writing style and clever character driven storyline, but lacks a lot of references to other works. Also, while the story is reunion crow It’s not bad, but it’s not great. Much of the reader’s enjoyment of the story comes from nostalgia and references to other stories written by the author.
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score: 3/5
