What do you think?
Rate this book
Uncle Aberrant's Compendium of Cosmic Delights
Hey, hey, kiddos, and welcome to the most deliriously insane circus-carnival roadshow you’ve ever laid eyes on! Well, maybe not so much a roadshow as a several-hundred-page book, but what a book! It’s got thrills, chills, spills (as in blood), mills (I’m sure there’s a windmill to be found in here somewhere), and plenty of other words that rhyme, too!
I am your undead host Uncle Aberrant coming to you straight from the underworld, and I’m honored to be your guide through these twelve twisted tales of zany cosmic horror, which is possibly not an established genre but let’s just pretend it is, k? Truth is, I’ve always been half-risk taker, half-innovator, and half-down and dirty scoundrel, so this is totally my vibe. Just ask about one of my sordid Andy Warhol stories sometime….IF YOU DARE! (scared, yet?)
So what exactly is Zany Cosmic Horror™? Well, it’s just like it sounds. Take one part HP Lovecraft and another part Jim Carrey (or other relevant funnyman if you’re reading this in the future), then sprinkle liberally with oodles of bat-guano crazy ideas that probably aren’t suitable for publishing. (uhhhhhh…don’t tell my publisher, yeah? I really need this deal to go through. The Underground Mafia (and I mean WAY underground) is days away from breaking my thumbs. Which are in bad shape as it is, being undead and all.)
I know, I know, you’re like, “Unkie Abs, baby, what’s the haps daddy-o, just give it to me straight.” And to this, I say, “just jive, baby, just jive!” Which is another way of telling you not to overthink this. These are fun, scary, crazy, zany, creative, larger-than-life stories, well-written and designed to bring you an insanely good time—emphasis on insane. From sentient space potatoes to galaxy-consuming fluffballs, no idea is too out-there for this collection.
So crack open the book and join the madness, everyone, with Uncle Aberrant’s Compendium of Cosmic Delights!
I am your undead host Uncle Aberrant coming to you straight from the underworld, and I’m honored to be your guide through these twelve twisted tales of zany cosmic horror, which is possibly not an established genre but let’s just pretend it is, k? Truth is, I’ve always been half-risk taker, half-innovator, and half-down and dirty scoundrel, so this is totally my vibe. Just ask about one of my sordid Andy Warhol stories sometime….IF YOU DARE! (scared, yet?)
So what exactly is Zany Cosmic Horror™? Well, it’s just like it sounds. Take one part HP Lovecraft and another part Jim Carrey (or other relevant funnyman if you’re reading this in the future), then sprinkle liberally with oodles of bat-guano crazy ideas that probably aren’t suitable for publishing. (uhhhhhh…don’t tell my publisher, yeah? I really need this deal to go through. The Underground Mafia (and I mean WAY underground) is days away from breaking my thumbs. Which are in bad shape as it is, being undead and all.)
I know, I know, you’re like, “Unkie Abs, baby, what’s the haps daddy-o, just give it to me straight.” And to this, I say, “just jive, baby, just jive!” Which is another way of telling you not to overthink this. These are fun, scary, crazy, zany, creative, larger-than-life stories, well-written and designed to bring you an insanely good time—emphasis on insane. From sentient space potatoes to galaxy-consuming fluffballs, no idea is too out-there for this collection.
So crack open the book and join the madness, everyone, with Uncle Aberrant’s Compendium of Cosmic Delights!
- GenresHorror
383 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 25, 2022
3 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 17, 2022
MINIMAL SPOILERS INCLUDED
This is a wild ride of a short story collection, and I would say it's a perfect read during the month of October, but I would have read it any other month of the year as well! All the short stories are connected by the theme of "something isn't quite 'typical Earth' but let's go with it" and it was really enjoyable to read the individual worlds that each author created. I'll give mini reviews for the short stories in the order they are presented in the collection:
An Incident at Fort Merilee: This story had the same tone of sarcastic irreverence that Preacher has, which is a high compliment in my opinion. Old West meets Old Evils, let's say. Absolutely loved it!
Obedient Plant: This is sort of a pscyhedelic trip at a summer camp. The visual descriptions were amazing, and I really enjoyed following the main character along on his journey.
The Arm Farm: Yes, that's right! A farm for arms! Read about it! The visuals of an arm farm were both frightening and hilarious. I found all the different characters very interesting to read about. Also... it's just really fun to say "Arm Farm".
Cuddles, Devourer of Worlds: My favorite thing about this story is the way it flowed. I found the character backstory very entertaining and enjoyable, and who doesn't want a cuddly world destroying pet?? I probably would have done exactly what the main character did, with only minimal regrets.
Summer: This story is very much along the lines of a modern true crime story, except... well it's in a collection that as discussed isn't normal. So there are some fun twists and turns. Excellent suspense building in here! Also I'm a sucker for the contrast of a main character named "Summer" in an obviously dark and creepy story!
The Potato Out Of Space: This story was a wild and hilarious ride, and I enjoyed every second of it. I too would have done as the main character did, mostly because I REALLY love potatoes. I also loved the mob aspect, it really added to the humor and absurdity of what the main character was going through.
The Girl who Punched God: This story is highly representative of what it's like to be an actor - trust me, I played a baby born on an airplane 27 years ago, so I am Very In Touch with these things. This story is very non-linear, which I'm usually not great with, but I really loved it and it worked very well for the story format.
Infinity: A space opera in short story form! I would categorize this story as more classic sci-fi compared to the other stories, and I loved it. I really enjoyed the main character and the interaction with the space environment.
All of the Above: This is the type of story that you get dropped into the middle of, the same way the main character is dropped into their situation. This explored the ethical and moral implications that come along with bargaining with old gods. Tricky stuff, you know, but the author did an amazing job!
In the Yellow House of Birchwood Gale: Although this story is set in the 1900s (I assume), it has a very Victorian Ghost Story vibe, particularly the house that is featured in the story. It definitely leans into the vintage feel, at least, and that really helps set the tone for the story. I really enjoyed this one, and it was definitely one that kept me guessing until the end.
Eat the Eldritch: CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE NAME OF THIS STORY? I was hooked just from that! This is a very post-apocalyptic but really post-The Old Gods Have Arisen and I love post-apocalyptic stories so I really enjoyed it. I'm like 99% sure this story is a metaphor for The Current State Of Things, and if so... it was a great one. Absolutely hilarious and enjoyable. Everything is fine, obviously...
Teeth for Trade: Okay, wow. GREAT concept here. I greatly enjoyed following the main character through this story, and the author did a truly amazing job creating a lot of characters with diverse backstories in spite of the fact that this is a short story!!!! Highly enjoyable and a great closing story.
IN SUMMARY: I enjoyed all of the stories. None of the stories dragged on for me, and none of the stories felt like "I have to finish this to get to the next one" which is a huge feat for a collection of different authors. I really enjoyed each author's different POVs and the wacky worlds they created. Read this book in one go, or break it up with a story a day, as long as you read it!
This is a wild ride of a short story collection, and I would say it's a perfect read during the month of October, but I would have read it any other month of the year as well! All the short stories are connected by the theme of "something isn't quite 'typical Earth' but let's go with it" and it was really enjoyable to read the individual worlds that each author created. I'll give mini reviews for the short stories in the order they are presented in the collection:
An Incident at Fort Merilee: This story had the same tone of sarcastic irreverence that Preacher has, which is a high compliment in my opinion. Old West meets Old Evils, let's say. Absolutely loved it!
Obedient Plant: This is sort of a pscyhedelic trip at a summer camp. The visual descriptions were amazing, and I really enjoyed following the main character along on his journey.
The Arm Farm: Yes, that's right! A farm for arms! Read about it! The visuals of an arm farm were both frightening and hilarious. I found all the different characters very interesting to read about. Also... it's just really fun to say "Arm Farm".
Cuddles, Devourer of Worlds: My favorite thing about this story is the way it flowed. I found the character backstory very entertaining and enjoyable, and who doesn't want a cuddly world destroying pet?? I probably would have done exactly what the main character did, with only minimal regrets.
Summer: This story is very much along the lines of a modern true crime story, except... well it's in a collection that as discussed isn't normal. So there are some fun twists and turns. Excellent suspense building in here! Also I'm a sucker for the contrast of a main character named "Summer" in an obviously dark and creepy story!
The Potato Out Of Space: This story was a wild and hilarious ride, and I enjoyed every second of it. I too would have done as the main character did, mostly because I REALLY love potatoes. I also loved the mob aspect, it really added to the humor and absurdity of what the main character was going through.
The Girl who Punched God: This story is highly representative of what it's like to be an actor - trust me, I played a baby born on an airplane 27 years ago, so I am Very In Touch with these things. This story is very non-linear, which I'm usually not great with, but I really loved it and it worked very well for the story format.
Infinity: A space opera in short story form! I would categorize this story as more classic sci-fi compared to the other stories, and I loved it. I really enjoyed the main character and the interaction with the space environment.
All of the Above: This is the type of story that you get dropped into the middle of, the same way the main character is dropped into their situation. This explored the ethical and moral implications that come along with bargaining with old gods. Tricky stuff, you know, but the author did an amazing job!
In the Yellow House of Birchwood Gale: Although this story is set in the 1900s (I assume), it has a very Victorian Ghost Story vibe, particularly the house that is featured in the story. It definitely leans into the vintage feel, at least, and that really helps set the tone for the story. I really enjoyed this one, and it was definitely one that kept me guessing until the end.
Eat the Eldritch: CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE NAME OF THIS STORY? I was hooked just from that! This is a very post-apocalyptic but really post-The Old Gods Have Arisen and I love post-apocalyptic stories so I really enjoyed it. I'm like 99% sure this story is a metaphor for The Current State Of Things, and if so... it was a great one. Absolutely hilarious and enjoyable. Everything is fine, obviously...
Teeth for Trade: Okay, wow. GREAT concept here. I greatly enjoyed following the main character through this story, and the author did a truly amazing job creating a lot of characters with diverse backstories in spite of the fact that this is a short story!!!! Highly enjoyable and a great closing story.
IN SUMMARY: I enjoyed all of the stories. None of the stories dragged on for me, and none of the stories felt like "I have to finish this to get to the next one" which is a huge feat for a collection of different authors. I really enjoyed each author's different POVs and the wacky worlds they created. Read this book in one go, or break it up with a story a day, as long as you read it!
October 11, 2022
Horror is not one of my go to genres so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this collection. All the stories had a unique take and were very memorable. They were able to give the creepy scary vibe without being overtly gory or violent. “Cuddles, Devourer of Worlds” was a particular favorite story of mine. This anthology felt like a fresh take on “Tree House of Horror” but exclusively for adults. The quick pace of each story kept the book interesting and moving. It was the perfect read to get you into the Halloween spirit.
October 2, 2022
Have read teeth for trade and its very good 💪 top tier horror & cryptids, will edit review when i consume the other stories
October 15, 2022
Uncle Aberrant's Compendium of Cosmic Delights is a book with a really long title. Okay, aside that. It has an awesome cover, painted by artist Justin T Coons, and I've been waiting a very long while to see this in person because it is so incredibly awesome to look at. But, what's inside it? There are 12 stories by 9 different authors, each a variant of cosmic horror, with some trending more humor and some really embracing their horror and Lovecraftian sides. Each story has a forward from the host of the book, the doomed persona of Uncle Aberrant, who is forced to tell stories at the beckoning of his demonic masters. If you are not entertained, this quirky quipper might lose a body part.
As this is an anthology, I'll be reviewing each separately. I will note, I have two stories in this.
Jason Peters - An Incident At Fort Merilee: First story, which sets the zany premise that some of the stories have. Really has the vibe of some lone ranger stepping foot into an alien western, except if you're expecting classic Kirk shenanigans then wait for the surprise at the end. It's a zinger.
Daniel Kurland - Obedient Plant: Summer camp, if it took place in the movie Annihilation (2018). This one very much owns its Cthulhu more than any of the other stories in the sense that there are the name drops by the cultists and a few dark summonings. Less here for the story than the spectacle of everything going to heck.
Ashton Macaulay - The Arm Farm: Incredible bait and switch, that up until the third act you won't realize is in the cosmic horror category. Moral of the story though is, if it's too good to be true, hail lord Cthulhu!
Vanessa Krauss - Cuddles, Devourer of Worlds: This is mine. I made a pink fuzzy alien with big blue eyes that is named Cuddles by its very unwitting caretaker and is otherwise known as a Devourer of Worlds. If I'm going to make an invading alien god, let's make it the most anti-thing possible. But it's basically a rampaging Godzilla story with a Kirby/Tribble hybrid. Title isn't subtle, and it's the only story that is very on the nose in the anthology.
MT Roberts - Summer: The true horror of the unknown is what bad people do when they believe in a dogma that gives them carte blanch to hurt people, and Summer so happens to be the latest victim. Less cosmic horror and more true terror. Ladies will understand this one.
Nick Dorsey - The Potato Out of Space: Title is deceiving, once you figure out what the whole potato thing is. That said, my earlier fry jokes and "eat the space potato" were so on point but also, really, really, really wasn't expecting what came after. At all. Black belt in deceptive storytelling. Nice!
Emma Jun - The Girl Who Punched God: I have never seen a narrative like this. Rather aloof actress in a Marvel-like TV series that includes cosmic horrors, starts accidentally courting the unknown. It's wild, breaks everything about storytelling, yet manages a clear progression. It reads like a fever dream, and while the girl might have punched god, I was the one left with my head spinning. This story was an experience.
Ben Mariner - Infinity: Immediate vibe was the film Event Horizon (1997), and it didn't really ever stop being a horror-first sci-fi story. A little more of the marine-heavy vibes with something horrid tearing through a lumbering craft, but this is the guts, gore, scary horror one of the book.
Vanessa Krauss - All of the Above: I also debated on dubbing this "Interview With An Elder God." And as per my other story, this is also very anti-Lovecraftian. 'Here's 5 Elder Gods. Human, pick options A-E, and if you can't figure out multiple choice, pick F-All of the above.' It's also the most dialogue heavy and incredibly jokey of the bunch. Read the next story if you want your atmosphere.
MT Roberts - In the Yellow House of Birchwood Gale: Gothic horror, or what I would count as probably the most authentic Lovecraftian one of the bunch. Creepy small villages with weird and frankly odd people. Foreboding places, the hostile weather. Unknowns and the discomfort of never knowing why by the end of it. It's prose heavy and evocative, but equally disconcerting.
Nick Dorsey - Eat The Eldritch: I liked the angle of this one, because it's zombie horror if people were trying to appease or protest against what they think is the centralized sentience of the zombie horde, except it's actually an Elder God. Dystopic survival story where the main character is frankly someone who knows better and is out for numero uno.
Chris Woolsey - Teeth for Trade: Can't have one horror anthology where someone doesn't write about teeth! (And I was that person in another anthology. There's always one. I don't make the rules.) On the plus side, it didn't involve pulling them out of people. Negative side, teeth. But interesting exploration of personality and hive mind.
Overall, the stories were collectively well done and varied. Most common theme is the breaking of the dimensional seams that keep the universe together and expanded consciousnesses. How they get there though is each unique. I think non-horror fans can enjoy this, and there's a few stories that would keep a horror devotee appeased.
As this is an anthology, I'll be reviewing each separately. I will note, I have two stories in this.
Jason Peters - An Incident At Fort Merilee: First story, which sets the zany premise that some of the stories have. Really has the vibe of some lone ranger stepping foot into an alien western, except if you're expecting classic Kirk shenanigans then wait for the surprise at the end. It's a zinger.
Daniel Kurland - Obedient Plant: Summer camp, if it took place in the movie Annihilation (2018). This one very much owns its Cthulhu more than any of the other stories in the sense that there are the name drops by the cultists and a few dark summonings. Less here for the story than the spectacle of everything going to heck.
Ashton Macaulay - The Arm Farm: Incredible bait and switch, that up until the third act you won't realize is in the cosmic horror category. Moral of the story though is, if it's too good to be true, hail lord Cthulhu!
Vanessa Krauss - Cuddles, Devourer of Worlds: This is mine. I made a pink fuzzy alien with big blue eyes that is named Cuddles by its very unwitting caretaker and is otherwise known as a Devourer of Worlds. If I'm going to make an invading alien god, let's make it the most anti-thing possible. But it's basically a rampaging Godzilla story with a Kirby/Tribble hybrid. Title isn't subtle, and it's the only story that is very on the nose in the anthology.
MT Roberts - Summer: The true horror of the unknown is what bad people do when they believe in a dogma that gives them carte blanch to hurt people, and Summer so happens to be the latest victim. Less cosmic horror and more true terror. Ladies will understand this one.
Nick Dorsey - The Potato Out of Space: Title is deceiving, once you figure out what the whole potato thing is. That said, my earlier fry jokes and "eat the space potato" were so on point but also, really, really, really wasn't expecting what came after. At all. Black belt in deceptive storytelling. Nice!
Emma Jun - The Girl Who Punched God: I have never seen a narrative like this. Rather aloof actress in a Marvel-like TV series that includes cosmic horrors, starts accidentally courting the unknown. It's wild, breaks everything about storytelling, yet manages a clear progression. It reads like a fever dream, and while the girl might have punched god, I was the one left with my head spinning. This story was an experience.
Ben Mariner - Infinity: Immediate vibe was the film Event Horizon (1997), and it didn't really ever stop being a horror-first sci-fi story. A little more of the marine-heavy vibes with something horrid tearing through a lumbering craft, but this is the guts, gore, scary horror one of the book.
Vanessa Krauss - All of the Above: I also debated on dubbing this "Interview With An Elder God." And as per my other story, this is also very anti-Lovecraftian. 'Here's 5 Elder Gods. Human, pick options A-E, and if you can't figure out multiple choice, pick F-All of the above.' It's also the most dialogue heavy and incredibly jokey of the bunch. Read the next story if you want your atmosphere.
MT Roberts - In the Yellow House of Birchwood Gale: Gothic horror, or what I would count as probably the most authentic Lovecraftian one of the bunch. Creepy small villages with weird and frankly odd people. Foreboding places, the hostile weather. Unknowns and the discomfort of never knowing why by the end of it. It's prose heavy and evocative, but equally disconcerting.
Nick Dorsey - Eat The Eldritch: I liked the angle of this one, because it's zombie horror if people were trying to appease or protest against what they think is the centralized sentience of the zombie horde, except it's actually an Elder God. Dystopic survival story where the main character is frankly someone who knows better and is out for numero uno.
Chris Woolsey - Teeth for Trade: Can't have one horror anthology where someone doesn't write about teeth! (And I was that person in another anthology. There's always one. I don't make the rules.) On the plus side, it didn't involve pulling them out of people. Negative side, teeth. But interesting exploration of personality and hive mind.
Overall, the stories were collectively well done and varied. Most common theme is the breaking of the dimensional seams that keep the universe together and expanded consciousnesses. How they get there though is each unique. I think non-horror fans can enjoy this, and there's a few stories that would keep a horror devotee appeased.
March 20, 2024
Coming off like a literary version of ‘Love, Death and Robots’, the Compendium… pulls together fresh ideas into one of the strongest anthologies I’ve read.
Certainly the best I’ve featured in. If I were including my story I would rate this book 4 stars but it would be a bit unfair to everyone else so a full five for everyone else’s book. Yay. I got to experience it just like everyone else and I was so impressed by all the stories here. They’re making cosmic horror what it should be: full of descriptions and not at all racist. In most cases it’s damn funny. In all cases it’s damn creative. It’s rare to have such a consistent anthology. I’m very proud to be a part of it. So here’s my quick run down.
An Incident at Fort Merilee: a mix of eras as much as horror and comedy. Cowboy sells bad snake oil.
Obedient Plant: the perspective really makes this one. It tapped into some primal memory and rewrote it. Felt like my own dream. One of my faves.
The Arm Farm: a bit of a stretch this one, but most people will grasp it before asking for a hand. Haha. Puns. A cool idea taken to a creepy level and then is pushed over the cliff into the creepy irrigation channel.
Cuddles, Devourer of Worlds: starts cute, gets cuter, totally punk. A bit too much. This fast paced take really wins you over with its extremely cute main character. Because it is the main character obviously.
Summer: definitely amongst the creepier episodes.the writing really carried me on this one but I got lost at the end. Maybe shouldn’t have read it at 2 am.
The Potato Out of Space: I love it when the craziness makes sense, and especially when there’s extra craziness layered in there for fun. Oh the writer definitely had fun with this weird situ and voice.
The Girl Who Punched God: Ambitious attempt at pushing the boundaries of false reality stories. Needed more fish.
Infinity: don’t do drugs, space marines! Bad space marines. Look what happened! Whose going to clean up the mess?? Not me. I’m busy.
All of the Above: the monkey’s paw of the bunch but with a quite different concept. It’s a hard to decide if I should write a bad review of this one and incur the writers wrath or leave a good review and save the human race. Only joking. This was one of my faves. I mean how often do humans get a choice?
In the Yellow House of Birchwood Gale: a very polite eldritch creature. Bonus points for his smart clothes and consideration. A nice era piece sells us on a local mystery.
Eat The Eldritch: definitely the most satirical piece. I love where this went in terms of characters’ decisions. Some familiar ideas crop up in a completely unique setting. Eat this up!
Teeth for Trade: fun idea that really takes a pair of pliers to human understanding, leaving a cavity in the mind for others to take a bite out of. Who knew human knowledge would need brushing up twice a day. Good character piece.
Certainly the best I’ve featured in. If I were including my story I would rate this book 4 stars but it would be a bit unfair to everyone else so a full five for everyone else’s book. Yay. I got to experience it just like everyone else and I was so impressed by all the stories here. They’re making cosmic horror what it should be: full of descriptions and not at all racist. In most cases it’s damn funny. In all cases it’s damn creative. It’s rare to have such a consistent anthology. I’m very proud to be a part of it. So here’s my quick run down.
An Incident at Fort Merilee: a mix of eras as much as horror and comedy. Cowboy sells bad snake oil.
Obedient Plant: the perspective really makes this one. It tapped into some primal memory and rewrote it. Felt like my own dream. One of my faves.
The Arm Farm: a bit of a stretch this one, but most people will grasp it before asking for a hand. Haha. Puns. A cool idea taken to a creepy level and then is pushed over the cliff into the creepy irrigation channel.
Cuddles, Devourer of Worlds: starts cute, gets cuter, totally punk. A bit too much. This fast paced take really wins you over with its extremely cute main character. Because it is the main character obviously.
Summer: definitely amongst the creepier episodes.the writing really carried me on this one but I got lost at the end. Maybe shouldn’t have read it at 2 am.
The Potato Out of Space: I love it when the craziness makes sense, and especially when there’s extra craziness layered in there for fun. Oh the writer definitely had fun with this weird situ and voice.
The Girl Who Punched God: Ambitious attempt at pushing the boundaries of false reality stories. Needed more fish.
Infinity: don’t do drugs, space marines! Bad space marines. Look what happened! Whose going to clean up the mess?? Not me. I’m busy.
All of the Above: the monkey’s paw of the bunch but with a quite different concept. It’s a hard to decide if I should write a bad review of this one and incur the writers wrath or leave a good review and save the human race. Only joking. This was one of my faves. I mean how often do humans get a choice?
In the Yellow House of Birchwood Gale: a very polite eldritch creature. Bonus points for his smart clothes and consideration. A nice era piece sells us on a local mystery.
Eat The Eldritch: definitely the most satirical piece. I love where this went in terms of characters’ decisions. Some familiar ideas crop up in a completely unique setting. Eat this up!
Teeth for Trade: fun idea that really takes a pair of pliers to human understanding, leaving a cavity in the mind for others to take a bite out of. Who knew human knowledge would need brushing up twice a day. Good character piece.
January 7, 2026
This book, wow. Dreamy and nebulous, the stories in here tickle all the human bits. Imaginative, well-written, with memorable characters and a penchant for thoughtful absudity. Truly a goofy delight!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews