Ancient Exhumations +2

By Stanley C Sargent

Containing nine imaginative tales from a darkly innovative mind, this collection features stories that range from the Lovecraftian-inspired and original Mythos creations to those that venture deeper into the realm of dark fiction. New and experienced readers of Lovecraft will be captivated by the horror and subtle humor of these carefully crafted stories.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elder Signs Press
• Release date: Aug 1, 2004
• ISBN: 9781934501498

Reviews for Ancient Exhumations +2

[bcquinnsmom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There are 9 stories in this book, and, as I always say, whenever you pick up an anthology you're likely to find a few that you really like, a few you really dislike, and some that are just okay. Here's the contents list:The Rattle of Her Smile - This one was quite freaky re an Aztec goddess and someone who didn't know well enough to leave dark forces alone. This one was quite good.Dark Demonize -- I found this one to be rather silly; in it, a man bargains with a demon and gets much more than he bargained for.The Hoppwood Tenant -- One of the iffies; a couple of guys disturb the Hoppwood Tenant and cause a lot of mayhem.The Black Massif -- A la Clark Ashton Smith (whose writings I greatly admire) and his tales of Zothique. This one was most excellent; probably the one I liked the best in the entire book.The Tale of Toad Loop -- More along the Innsmouth lineWhen the Stars are Ripe -- this finds the narrator and a companion down in a cenote in a "scientific" investigation; they also get more than they've bargained for.The Paladin of Worms: Another one which I enjoyed...very creepy story. A sheriff shows up to check on the whereabouts of a man's missing hired hand, and hears a story that literally kills him. Quite well done.Self-Correcting Mechanism: Out in space; not one of my favorites at all.Famine Wood: Two missionaries come to the door of an elderly man and end up hearing a story that couldn't possibly be true...or could it? This one was well done, too.Overall, I thought this little book was nicely done, and I'd recommend it to those who enjoy Mythos lore as well as Clark Ashton-Smith's work.