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Antarctic Express *NOP
From outside came the sounds of whirring propellers and rumbling engines. I looked through my window and saw an airplane standing perfectly still in front of my house.
Renowned Mythos aficionado Ken Hite retells H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness" in this parody of classic children's literature. Late one evening after the city has gone to sleep, young Danforth boards the mysterious airplane that waits for him: the Antarctic Express bound for the South Pole. When he arrives, Professor Dyer offers the boy the chance to learn any thing he desires. The boy modestly asks to probe the depths of the eldritch city of the Old Ones. The request is granted. On the way his memory is lost while fleeing from the piping shrieks of the shoggoths. On Christmas Eve, the boy finds his memory of that whistling cry returns. For you see, all who visit the Old Ones' city forever hear the sound of the shoggoths. The Antarctic Express features 32 pages of full-color illustration, and is sure to be a hit with the newest generation of Lovecraft fans and their parents. Also look for Where the Deep Ones Are in the Mini Mythos series.
Renowned Mythos aficionado Ken Hite retells H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness" in this parody of classic children's literature. Late one evening after the city has gone to sleep, young Danforth boards the mysterious airplane that waits for him: the Antarctic Express bound for the South Pole. When he arrives, Professor Dyer offers the boy the chance to learn any thing he desires. The boy modestly asks to probe the depths of the eldritch city of the Old Ones. The request is granted. On the way his memory is lost while fleeing from the piping shrieks of the shoggoths. On Christmas Eve, the boy finds his memory of that whistling cry returns. For you see, all who visit the Old Ones' city forever hear the sound of the shoggoths. The Antarctic Express features 32 pages of full-color illustration, and is sure to be a hit with the newest generation of Lovecraft fans and their parents. Also look for Where the Deep Ones Are in the Mini Mythos series.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 2, 2009
About the author
Kenneth Hite
129 books115 followersKenneth Hite (born September 15, 1965) is a writer and role-playing game designer. Author of Trail of Cthulhu and Night's Black Agents role-playing games, Hite has been announced as the lead designer of the upcoming 5th edition of Vampire: the Masquerade.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 19, 2019
How does one take a popular children's Christmas tale and turn it into Cosmic Horror- let Kenneth Hite show you. This mash up of The Polar Express and At The Mountains of Madness is done just right. Check it out.
June 13, 2013
This is the fourth book I've read in rapid succession by RPG maven Kenneth Hite. The Antarctic Express is a Mimi Mythos Book published by Trident, Inc for Atlas Games. It is a retelling of the famous HP Lovecraft novella At the Mountains of Madness while parodying the children's classic The Polar Express. It is a high quality hardcover, about the same length as a typical children's picture book. The price is rather steep. I suppose this is because of the production costs for so many color pages. Chris Von Allsberg won the Caldecott medal in 1986 for his (at the time) strikingly original art; it is now a beloved Christmas story and has even been (regrettably) made into a movie. The art for The Antarctic Express by Christina Rodriguez has been created in Allsberg's style, in service of the parody, and is actually quite good on its own merits. Pride of place goes to the picture of the surging shoggoth, crying "Tekeli-li."
My caveats about Where the Deep Ones Are apply to The Antarctic Express, but even more so.
First, this is not a book I would read to a young child. Inevitably parental expectations will be conditioned by a Christmas book, The Polar Express. At one point Professor Dyer, taking the role of Santa Claus (and even drawn a little like him) looks at carvings of the Old Ones and exclaims, "The first life on Earth!" Decapitated bodies of the alien Old Ones, killed by shoggoths, are seen. In a scene mirroring Santa cracking a whip over his reindeer, Professor Dyer does the same with some sled dogs so he and the little boy won't be eaten by a shoggoth. Nope, not for kids.
Also, I do not see how you will make much sense of the entire plot if you have not read both The Polar Express and At the Mountains of Madness. What happens in the HPL novella is just too complicated to condense into a couple of pages. So for me, this book did not work as well as Where the Deep Ones Are. On the other hand, I liked it well enough as a Cthulhu mythos fan. My favorite part was the end where the boy, years later, is still haunted by the cry "Tekeli-li!"
So what to do? It's hard to know who this book is aimed at. I think die hard collectors and fans of Lovecraft, like me, will want a copy. Certainly aficionados of Lovecraftian art and comics will enjoy Ms. Rodriguez's work. Otherwise the price tag is likely to be limiting. Personally I will continue to get the books in this series but I don't see this as being of general interest.
My caveats about Where the Deep Ones Are apply to The Antarctic Express, but even more so.
First, this is not a book I would read to a young child. Inevitably parental expectations will be conditioned by a Christmas book, The Polar Express. At one point Professor Dyer, taking the role of Santa Claus (and even drawn a little like him) looks at carvings of the Old Ones and exclaims, "The first life on Earth!" Decapitated bodies of the alien Old Ones, killed by shoggoths, are seen. In a scene mirroring Santa cracking a whip over his reindeer, Professor Dyer does the same with some sled dogs so he and the little boy won't be eaten by a shoggoth. Nope, not for kids.
Also, I do not see how you will make much sense of the entire plot if you have not read both The Polar Express and At the Mountains of Madness. What happens in the HPL novella is just too complicated to condense into a couple of pages. So for me, this book did not work as well as Where the Deep Ones Are. On the other hand, I liked it well enough as a Cthulhu mythos fan. My favorite part was the end where the boy, years later, is still haunted by the cry "Tekeli-li!"
So what to do? It's hard to know who this book is aimed at. I think die hard collectors and fans of Lovecraft, like me, will want a copy. Certainly aficionados of Lovecraftian art and comics will enjoy Ms. Rodriguez's work. Otherwise the price tag is likely to be limiting. Personally I will continue to get the books in this series but I don't see this as being of general interest.
February 17, 2016
This one’s a slow build to a frenetic crescendo. Not as effective as Where the Deep Ones Are, but still fun. By converting this to a children’s book and maintaining the Polar Express frame, we don’t get the awesomeness of the first act of At the Mountains of Madness where the elder thing destroys the camp and the dogs. But the illustrations are gorgeous and tying in the train at the end is beautiful.
Tekeli-li tekeli-li
Tekeli-li tekeli-li
August 29, 2010
An interesting take on Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness" but for children. Yes, you read that right. Take equal parts Lovecraft and the children's book Polar Express. It will definitely appeal to fans of Lovecrat who will recognize the plot. The illustrations are well drawn and possess a sense of action and movement.
I am not sure how children will enjoy the book. The illustrations, while well done, are darker than I am used to in a children's book. It is also a bit on the wordy side for young readers. I think that The Antarctic Express will be a great children's book for adults.
I am not sure how children will enjoy the book. The illustrations, while well done, are darker than I am used to in a children's book. It is also a bit on the wordy side for young readers. I think that The Antarctic Express will be a great children's book for adults.
December 14, 2012
Very cute.
December 26, 2012
OMG If I ever have kids (god forbid) I am reading them this!
I loved it, it was an amazing play on the original.
I loved it, it was an amazing play on the original.
August 29, 2015
This beautifully illustrated story cleverly parodies The Polar Express while giving a new spin on At the Mountains of Madness. Loved it.
December 31, 2013
Could have been scarier. I lost no sanity whatsoever.
October 5, 2014
3.5 stars
Hee! That was as adorable and snappy as At the Mountains of Madness will never, ever be. Pure delightful mashup fun!
Hee! That was as adorable and snappy as At the Mountains of Madness will never, ever be. Pure delightful mashup fun!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews