Book Review: High Seas Cthulhu

Elder Signs Press, 2007, ed. William Jones

High Seas Cthulhu, as you might guess from the title, is an anthology containing twenty seafaring Lovecraftian tales. The main problem with such a specifically themed anthology is that many of the stories within have a general ‘sameness’ which makes them seem a little lackluster. There are certain Mythos themes and entities closely associated with the ocean, and these are revisited in tale after tale, which adversely affects the stories in their ability to deliver the goods.

That said, this is still quite a good anthology (as well as being relatively inexpensive for a U.S. import – approximately AU$30.00), and the human protagonists of these tales certainly cover a broad spectrum (pirates, naval officers, slave-traders, treasure-hunters, marine scientists and fishermen) which goes some way towards making up for the overuse of certain Lovecraftian themes. And, as you might expect, the stand-out stories tend to be those that break the mold:

‘Dark Blue’, by Alan Dean Foster, involves a modern-day treasure-hunter seeking shipwrecks in the South Pacific. There is little of the ‘classic’ Lovecraftian backdrop of crumbling structures and misty swamps here, yet the manner in which Foster brings not just the Mythos, but also its denizens, firmly into the 21st Century is no less creepy.

‘The Others’, by Stewart Sternberg, revolves around the slave trade of the 18th Century, and is refreshing in that it utilises none of the usual sea-based Cthulhic entities. This is a tale in which claustrophobia and paranoia are used to great effect, as the escalating horror occurs securely below deck.

‘The Star of Istanbul’, by Chris and Linda Donahue, is unusual in being told largely from the point-of-view of a Lovecraftian entity. While there is a traditional human protagonist to emphasise the horror element of the tale, the parts overseen by ‘Urthuug’aal’ come across as almost pure science-fiction: a very enjoyable mix.

‘High Seas’, by Michael Penncavage, is another modern-day tale in which power-boating fishermen run afoul of Lovecraftian shenanigans. Here, the tone is again decidedly un-Lovecraftian, catering more to cinema-going gorehounds, but is no less enjoyable for that (and the monsters are decidedly Mythos-inspired). Nice ‘n’ nasty.

‘The Wreck of the Ghost’, by Tim Curran, is a neat little story that successfully channels Herman Melville. Although the tale is set amongst the whalers of the 18th Century, Curran nonetheless manages to inject a modicum of modern-day morality, and vividly draws the reader into the exciting and dangerous world of the professional whaler. And that’s before the monster even shows up! A fun read.

All in all, a tome worth having, if only for a fairly light read. Probably best not on the beach, though…