The Crimson Tome

by K.A. Opperman, Farmer W. C. (Foreword), Sidney-Fryer Donald (Introduction)

“Mingling metaphysical, spiritual, and physical horror, Opperman patently derives from, and meritoriously continues, the macabre heritage of the modern poetic masters in the genre . . . , H. P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and Robert E. Howard.”—From Donald Sidney-Fryer’s Introduction In this scintillating volume, K. A. Opperman immediately places himself in the forefront of contemporary weird verse. Deeply influenced by Clark Ashton Smith, George Sterling, and other masters of the form, Opperman nonetheless reveals a vibrancy and originality of outlook that stamps his poetry as very much his own. A master of several of the most rigorous forms of metrical poetry—the sonnet, the quatrain, the rhyming couplet—Opperman's poetic brilliance conveys, seemingly without effort, images of terror, gruesomeness, and bleak melancholy. The book concludes with tributes to Opperman by D. L. Myers and Ashley Dioses. K. A. Opperman is a young poet living in California. His verse has appeared in Weird Fiction Review, Spectral Realms, and other venues.

Genres: Poetry, Horror

196 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2015

About the author

Primarily known for my "Poems for Halloween" series, I am an American poet residing in Southern California.

Reviews

[Michael Adams]

A perfect book for Halloween! An impressive debut collection from poet Kyle Opperman. These are potent works of the strange and the supernatural, the darkly erotic, and of the melancholy musings of the human heart, writ large upon a cosmic canvas. This collection contains poems of vampires, succubi, witches, and wizards, told in traditional rhyming, metered verse. These are fantasies, by turns ghastly, at others hauntingly romantic, but all constructed with a great care for language, and worked through with the most evocative imagery. One can feel the influence of the dark muses of yesteryear, poetic masters of the macabre; Edgar Allan Poe, George Sterling, Clark Ashton Smith, and H.P. Lovecraft, but Opperman has a unique style of all his own, blending the classically gothic and grotesque with a more modern sensibility of the strange and unusual. Fans of weird fiction and horror should not hesitate to unlock the mysteries of The Crimson Tome.

[Duane]

If you like poetry, especially cast in the classic form, then you should have this volume of dark verse. Mr Opperman has channeled his occult interests into lines of vermilion brilliance, of carmine, of scarlet, as he opens the very veins of his heart and spills therefrom onto the pages of this darkling publication.
Best read in a tomb by the light of the full moon, The Crimson Tome is also suitable for long walks on the beach while your vampire counts the grains of sand and indeed for all semiformal and formal occasions.

[Kyla Ward]

"Hark midnight 's chime - go - close my chamber door,
For open lies a blank leaf in this crimson tome."

The Crimson Tome offers up the myth of its creation in the opening sequence of sonnets, "The Land of Darkest Dreams". Here, Opperman invites us to join his own quest for the fabled book of secrets, and it is a memorable journey. Ranging audaciously from such exquisite visions as "Zeriatis" and "The Mascaron" to the Grand Guignol of "The Corpse of Beauty" and "Decapitated Kiss", he detours through the territory of Sacher Masoch as that of Klarkash Ton. "The Angels Are All Corpses in the Sky" is a notable work, combining rich imagery with discipline of form. With evocative illustrations by Steve Lines (do keep an eye out for the muttering mushroom!), this is a charming debut by a poet with real enthusiasm for the dark romantic.

[Ben Eads]

I remember when I first fell in love with “weird” fiction two decades ago. I read everything I could find by Lovecraft, Howard, Smith, and the writers that influenced them. However, I had a hard time finding fiction between now and then that elicited the same emotions, the same awe-inspiring landscapes that shaped my imagination, and made me the writer I am today. I can safely say that the search is now over. Enter K. A. Opperman.

Crimson Tome carries on the admirable tradition of the aforementioned writers whilst standing on its own—something I once thought impossible, especially coming from someone in their mid-twenties. Reading these poems also did something I thought impossible: re-kindling that magic I felt many years ago.

Opperman’s range is as vast in this collection as the imagination behind it. The collection certainly earns its title, but Opperman doesn’t stop there. From the “weird” to the flat-out macabre, and the blood which fills it, I was quite surprised to find the latter poems full of emotion and love. To say this reader’s heart was tugged now and then would be an understatement. Whether you enjoy poetry, or have never read it, no worries. Opperman will take your hand, with a sly grin, and crank your imagination to new levels without breaking a sweat.

With just a cursory glance, it’s clear that Opperman’s writing career is destined to be a long one, and readers now have a new steward carrying on—and transcending—something sacred and magical. These poems do more than delight—they will darkly settle in the mind of other authors, shaping and inspiring them as they read. It’s one thing to be a good writer, but one that influences everyone who reads it? It’s one of the highest compliments I can give. My only critique? I want to read more!

[Ashley]

It's awesome. :D

[Russell Parkhurst-tilley]

K.A. Opperman's one of the hardest-working weird poets in the business. He lives for his art and it shows in his work. I don't know if THE CRIMSON TOME collects every weird poem he's written or had published up to this book's publication date but the discerning eye can easily see his growth and development as manifested here in this impressive collection.

I won't describe and dissect all my favorites here, I consider that presuming and unduly ponderous since the focus here ought to be on Mr. Opperman's words rather than mine. I will just say that while the quality varies from poem to poem (as with all poets), each and every poem carries its own tincture of spectral beauty and while normally I might blast the use of the word "tome" as pretentious, here it is accurate. There are well over one hundred poems herein and as with all collections they may be read at one sitting, in clumps or poem by poem over an extended period of time.

There is much here for both the lay reader, for all lovers of weird verse and for poets seeking to improve their skills. Mr. Opperman is a perfectionist, he chooses his words with spidery glee and great precision and it is obvious he loves his craft. And while I cannot in good conscience give it five stars I gave it four, as an old teacher I believe there always ought to be at least one apple left on the tree to strive for.

Buy this book. Read it and cherish it and reserve a place on your topmost bookshelf for it and keep your eye on Mr. Opperman, as a poet he is here to stay.

[Suzanne]

A wonderful collection. Opperman has a beautiful way with words.

I first came across K. A. Opperman poems in Spectral Realms No. 2. I took a liking to his writing right from the start. I really love the landscapes he paints throughout his poems. The atmosphere they create.

I quite enjoyed his first collection. It wasn't perfect but it's lovely nonetheless. I didn't connect that well with the first collection of poems in the book, "The Nightmare Muse". It wasn't till poem XII that I really started to enjoy the story the serie of poems told. Also "Nocturnal Lovers Part 1" didn't really speak to me either. It's a matter of taste.

On the other hand I absolutely loved "The Palace of Phantasies" and "Twilight Sorrows" sections. Most of my favorite poems from this collection come this two sections of the book. Also the Tributes from the other members of the Crimson Circle where wonderful. I really loved "The Crimson Kist" by D. L. Myers.

Some of my favorite poems in the collection where: Corpse Moon, My Darling Bride, The Faerie Moon, Oracle of the Black Pool, The Wraith, Funereal Sun, and The Angels All Are Corpses in the Sky.

I looked forward to reading his next collection "The Laughter of Ghouls" . Opperman's poetry can only better from here on out!

[Brian]

I tend to shake my head and turn away from poetry that comes across as heavily affected or that uses language drawn clearly from a specific vernacular. Opperman's The Crimson Tome at first got this reaction from me -- but not for long!

Here's the thing: this is horror poetry. These are verses that draw the reader into a very specific environment of moody and gothic dread, and it does this with an enormous amount of skill. The word choices match the mood, the voices, and the settings perfectly.

These poems are carefully crafted with language and imagery that allows the poet to really deliver on what I believe was a deliberate intention: to elicit feelings. These are not stories, yet from one collection to the next we can find characters and plots. This is not a formalist collection, but it begins with a tightly written and entertaining set of sonnets.

There is a lot to take in with The Crimson Tome, and it's well worth the read. Preferably after dark with a few candles burning to get you in the right frame of mine.

[Dan Sauer]

My long-dormant interest in poetry is beginning to revivify, thanks to talents like Opperman, Ashley Dioses, Wade German and Adam Bolivar. The Crimson Tome is an exquisite collection of dark, decadent poetry in the tradition of Clark Ashton Smith. Opperman has a seemingly effortless way of weaving words together in structured, metered forms which perfectly compliment the content of the poems. It's like falling into a pleasant nightmare and then being deposited safely back in the waking world.

[Joshua Gage]

I receive a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Crimson Tome by K. A. Opperman is an attempt to write Weird Poetry, with clear gothic overtones. While the poems in this volume vary in their success, most of them are weakened due to basic craft issues—overuse of adjectives, clichéd language and ideas, linguistic sacrifices made for the sake of form, etc. Furthermore, the sheer length of the volume leads to a repetitious and monotonous read for the reader. Overall, this is a fairly uneven and seemingly uncurated collection.

Full review here: http://sfpoetry.com/sl/reviews/15revi...