June 2020: That Which Should not Be

[Kurt]

Miskatonic University has a long reputation of being point-blank on all things occult and supernatural. When Carter Weston, a student at Miskatonic University, is asked by Professor Thayerson to retrieve a dangerous book called Incendium Maleficarum (The Inferno of the Witch) from the nearby village of Anchorhead, Carter does not hesitate. In Anchorhead, Carter meets four patrons of a local tavern invite him into their group and regale him with stories of their past experiences with forces not meant for the human mind to know. One of the patrons helps Carter complete his goal. However, bringing the book back to Professor Thayerson proves to be a mistake. He intends to use the book to bring the Great Old Ones back.

If you are familiar with the Lovecraftian mythos, you should be no stranger to the famed and fictional Miskatonic University. Brett Talley captures the vide of the mythos quite well, including H. P. Lovecraft's writing style. The set suspense set up is a "slow burn", which ratches up the intensity several times. I enjoyed it. What do you think?

[Kirsten]

This was a fun read, although I could point out a few idiosyncratic tendencies. One was that the tales are basically the same premise. A fearful young man encounters the supernatural. The narratives were kind of all the same too.

The supernatural elements, though, are what were pleasing to read, so overall, I would say that I enjoyed this book.