cherie priest

March 8, 2020March 8, 2020

Five Genre-Busting Fiction Writers You Should Read

When it comes to reading, I always appreciate the weird. I’m drawn to tales that are on the fringe, stories that are difficult to place within traditional genres. Weird fiction—as a result, calls to me. There’s something about those category-defying stories that make me feel at home. Perhaps you also enjoy stories like this? (If you read and enjoyed my books, I’d wager you did.)

It’s been a while—Halloween, actually—since I’ve given book recommendations. So, let’s rectify that today. Below I’ve shared five authors who write fiction that’s a little hard to pin down. As of this year, whenever I share books, all links will now go to IndieBound instead of Amazon—be sure to support your local bookstore. Also, where possible, I am now linking to each author’s official website. So be sure to give those a visit as well.

Rebecca Roanhorse

Recommended Book: Trail of Lightning (The Sixth World #1)

What begins as a gritty desert-focused modern fantasy following a Navajo monster hunter quickly expands into something more—Roanhorse takes the contemporary threat of environmental catastrophe creates a refreshing post-apocalyptic setting in which she places her southwest desert setting. What you end up with is a world that reworks your standard monster-hunting tropes and takes them into fresh and wonderfully strange territory. A fantastic read.

Also by Roanhorse: Storm of Locusts (The Sixth World #2), Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience (Short Story)

Fonda Lee

Recommended Book: Jade City (The Green Bone Saga #1)

Transcending your standard genres and weaving an intricate wuxia tale of criminal clans in a pseudo-1980s city, Lee goes in places no other fantasy has before. A story of family, crime, and honor, complete with magic enhanced abilities and kung-fu style action. Here you’ll find complex characters, a visceral world, and a high body count. A perfect blend of genres to create a unique and utterly refreshing experience.

Also by Lee: Jade War (The Green Bone Saga #2), Exo

Charlie Jane Anders

Recommended Book: All the Birds in the Sky

A strange and often surreal tale that weaves together a helping of science fiction, a dash of awkward romance, a smattering of academy fantasy, and a hefty serving of the downright bizarre. It’s hard to truly pin down this tale of love during that awkward twenty-something malaise—it’s been called magic realism, it’s been called fantasy, and it’s something right in the middle. Polarizing it might be, but it’s solidly unique.

Also by Anders: The City in the Middle of the Night

Ruthanna Emrys

Recommended Book: Winter Tide (The Innsmouth Legacy #1)

Often it’s easy for series rooted in Lovecraft to slip entirely into the horror genre. However, Emrys takes a different approach. Here she creates a forlorn experience that reexamines the atrocities and ramifications of American internment camps and the Cold War through a slightly stranger lens. History and horror are woven together here in a fascinating (if not polarizing) tale of human nature.

Also by Emrys: Deep Roots (The Innsmouth Legacy #2), Imperfect Commentaries

Recommended Book: Chapelwood (The Borden Dispatches #2)

Taking the historical account of Lizzie Borden and coupling it with Lovecraftian Horror, Priest manages to create an engaging and wonderfully weird series in The Borden Dispatches. While her first book is delightful, her second is divine. The characters are more established, the plot tighter, the world richer, and the events within more distressing with every page turn.

Also by Priest: The Toll, Brimstone

If you’ve spent any time here, you’ve undoubtedly you’ve heard me sing the praises of one of these authors before. But, perhaps they’re new to you, and hopefully, you find something here to enthrall you, and you’ll discover a new genre-defying world to explore. Have a suggestion of your own? Is there a favorite genre-busting author who’s work you enjoyed? Leave a comment below and let me know!

Want to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to make sure it’s not spammy and full of interesting and relevant information. SIGN UP TODAY →

Like My Books? Here Are Some Other Authors to Read...

May 23, 2019

Like My Books? Here Are a Few Recommendations…

I’m still hard at work on Gleam Upon the Waves, and while I’m making significant progress, I don’t have a specific timeline for release. So, if you’re a fan of my work and you’re looking for something to read in the interim that strikes a similar weird-fiction chord s, let me recommend a few of my favorite novels from a whole bunch of amazingly talented writers. In no particular order…

Cherie Priest

What to Read: Maplecroft & Chapelwood

Priest is a talented and multifaceted author who has written a great many books in a variety of genres. However, if you like books where heroes willingly fight against the madness of Lovecraftian monsters then I cannot recommend her series The Borden Dispatches enough—the first book is a solid new-mythos entry with great characters and a fascinating premise, but Priest really hits her stride in book two, Chapelwood, a humid deep-south foray into the mythos. Pick them both up and read ’em in order.

John Hornor Jacobs

What to Read: The Incorruptibles & The Sea Dreams It Is the Sky

Jacobs is well known among mythos enthusiasts for his 2011 novel, Southern Gods. But lately he’s stepped up his game; first, there’s his weird-west trilogy: The Incorruptibles, a combination of classic western, high-fantasy, and Roman mythology. His latest mythos novella The Sea Dreams It Is the Sky (one of my favorite books from last year) is an absolute masterpiece of modern cosmic horror—I can’t wait for the follow up: A Lush and Seething Hell.

China Miéville

What to Read: The Scar

If you like my strange city filled with a variety of even more unusual inhabitants, then you’ll love the steampunk-influenced world of New Crobuzon. Miéville’s writing is evocative, his world rich and vibrant, his characters flawed yet relatable, and everything is weighted in a deep history that always leaves me in awe. While all three in the series are solid books and huge influences on me, my favorite is easily the middle novel, The Scar. A swashbuckling adventure that takes place in the mobile pirate-city of Armada.

Fonda Lee

What to Read: Jade City

I discovered Lee’s work after sitting on a panel with her at OryCon in 2017. After hearing her talk about her urban fantasy wuxia novel, Jade City, I knew it would be something I enjoyed. I wasn’t wrong. The city is captivating, the worldbuilding fantastic, and Lee’s characters are grounded and flawed. There’s a lot here, and it’s worth exploring. If you like gritty cities and enjoy crime dramas, then I’d recommend you take some time and spend a few days in the streets of Janloon. (The sequel, Jade War is coming soon!)

Brom

What to Read: Lost Gods: A Novel

My friend Brom is both an incredible artist and a fantastic writer. For me, his 2016 novel, Lost Gods, stands out. It’s a rich exploration into the bizarre and brutal world of Purgatory and the people, monsters, and strange creatures who live (and die) therein. It’s a vast story that mixes a variety of mythology and weaves a remarkable and splendid tapestry of broken and complex characters and has you cheering for an unlikely protagonist searching for a way home.

Felix Gilman

What to Read: The Half-Made World

I love a good weird-west book, and there isn’t enough of them. The world of Gilman’s novel is stunning in its intricacies and feels vibrate and alive and offers up something unique and engaging that feels thoroughly fresh. I want more. There’s a lot of love: warring factions, a clash of cultures, an unlikely set of anti-heroes, and a surprising plot that feels as unique as it is enthralling. A rollicking gunsmoke-tinged romp that I found delightful.

There’s a wide variety in this list, everything from cosmic horror to steampunk to weird-west. I’m sure you’ll find something to enjoy. All the links go to Amazon, but if you can, I’d recommend asking for them at your local indie book store. Once finished, be sure to leave a review for other readers on Amazon and Goodreads and share your thoughts about the books. It’s a small but powerful way to help out an author and your fellow reader.

What about you? Do you have any reading recommendations for folks who enjoy my books? Leave a comment below and help others discover some of your favorite novels.

Happy reading!

December 30, 2015

My Reading List for 2015

As is now a yearly tradition, I share my reading list for the year. Last year I surpassed my goal of thirty books with thirty-seven. This year I had a goal for thirty-five and ended up with exactly that. (I’m not the fastest of readers.)

Since this list is so long, I tend not to fill it with reviews, but you’re welcome to follow me on Goodreads where I do review books I read from time to time. At the end of the list, I will call out some of my favorite books of the year. As before, all links will go to Amazon as a default, but if one of these books sound interesting to you then I would encourage you to visit your local independent bookstore and purchase through them.

Novels:

The Mirror Empire (Worldbreaker Saga #1)
by Kameron Hurley
Blightborn (The Heartland Trilogy #2)
by Chuck Wendig
Dune (Dune Chronicles #1)
by Frank Herbert
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
by Erik Larson
The Hour of the Oxrun Dead (Oxrun Station)
by Charles L. Grant
The Martian
by Andy Weir
The Slow Regard of Silent Things (The Kingkiller Chronicle #2.5)
by Patrick Rothfuss
The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard #1)
by Scott Lynch
Something Wicked This Way Comes
by Ray Bradbury
Annihilation: A Novel (Southern Reach #1)
by Jeff VanderMeer
NOS4A2
by Joe Hill
The City of Ember (Book of Ember #1)
by Jeanne DuPrau
Changeless (Parasol Protectorate #2)
by Gail Carriger
The Wind Through the Keyhole (The Dark Tower #4.5)
by Stephen King
The Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2)
by Brandon Sanderson
Karen Memory
by Elizabeth Bear
The Flight of the Silvers (Silvers #1)
by Daniel Price
Southern Gods
by John Hornor Jacobs
Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances
by Neil Gaiman
Words of Radiance (The Stormlight Archive #2)
by Brandon Sanderson
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (Fairyland #1)
by Catherynne M. Valente
Black Chalk
by Christopher J. Yates
Redwall (Redwall #1)
by Brian Jacques
Chapelwood (The Borden Dispatches #2)
by Cherie Priest
The Alloy of Law (Mistborn #4)
by Brandon Sanderson
The Tombs of Atuan (Earthsea Cycle #2)
by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Dunwich Horror
by H.P. Lovecraft
The Harvest (The Heartland Trilogy #3)
by Chuck Wendig
A Darker Shade of Magic (A Darker Shade of Magic #1)
by V.E. Schwab
The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3)
by Brandon Sanderson
Art and Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
by David Bayles, Ted Orland
The Spirit Machine
by Robert Hazelton
A Witch’s Feast (The Memento Mori Series #2)
by C.N. Crawford
The Gap Into Conflict: The Real Story (Gap #1)
by Stephen R. Donaldson
The Deep
by Nick Cutter

If there is one takeaway I have, it’s that I read way to much Sanderson. He’s on the list four times. While I’m not discounting him as a writer (his books are a lot of fun), that’s way too much for me. So next year I vow to be Sanderson free (even if the next Stormlight book comes out.)

Favorite Novel of 2015:

The Flight of the Silvers (Silvers #1)
by Daniel Price

It would have been easy for me to select Dune or Something Wicked, both classics and both books I love. However, I wanted to pick something that was a new favorite, something that stuck with me after I put it down. Flight of the Silvers was that book. Daniel Price wrote an amazing world with incredible characters all struggling together and against one another. A fresh new sci-fi series and I cannot wait for the sequel.

Favorite Novel Runners-up of 2015:

Chapelwood (The Borden Dispatches #2)
by Cherie Priest

The sequel to last year’s runner-up, Maplecroft. This book exceeded its predecessor and was easily one of the best books I read all year. Priest’s take on new mythos is both fresh and familiar, it’s dark but is still heartfelt and incredibly engaging. I loved every minute of it.

The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard #1)
by Scott Lynch

I didn’t know what to expect when I sat down to read this book and even a few chapters in I was dubious. I’m glad I stuck with it. I loved this book. The world is familiar but feels fresh and fully realized, its characters are well-crafted and real, and the plot was amazingly complex. I found it impossible to anticipate and quite difficult to put down.

Graphic Novels:

Unlike last year, in 2015 I read a whole swath of great graphic novels and a handful of some pretty terrible ones. As with the previous list, at the end I’ll pick my favorite graphic novel from 2015. (I’m not going to pick Saga… I’m not going to pick Saga… I’m not going to pick Saga.)

The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 1: The Faust Act
by Kieron Gillen (Author), Jamie McKelvie (Author, Illustrator)
Prophet, Vol. 1: Remission
by Simon Roy (Author), Farel Dalrymple (Author), Giannis Milogiannis (Author), Brandon Graham (Author, Illustrator)
East of West Volume 1: The Promise
by Jonathan Hickman (Author), Nick Dragotta (Illustrator)
Moon Knight Volume 1: From the Dead
by Warren Ellis (Author), Declan Shalvey (Illustrator)
Southern Bastards Volume 1: Here Was a Man
by Jason Aaron (Author), Jason LaTour (Illustrator)
Trees, Vol. 1: In Shadows
by Warren Ellis (Author), Jason Howard (Author, Illustrator)
Saga, Vol. 5
by Brian K. Vaughan (Author), Fiona Staples (Illustrator)
Catbeard the Pirate, Book 1: Keelhauling & Kitty Litter
by Matt Nelson (Author & Illustrator)
Sex Criminals, Vol. 2: Two Worlds, One Cop
by Matt Fraction (Author), Chip Zdarsky (Illustrator)
The Manhattan Projects, Vol. 1: Science Bad
by Jonathan Hickman (Author), Nick Pitarra (Artist)
Neonomicon
by Alan Moore (Author), Jacen Burrows (Artist)

Favorite Graphic Novel of 2015:

Prophet, Vol. 1: Remission
by Simon Roy (Author), Farel Dalrymple (Author), Giannis Milogiannis (Author), Brandon Graham (Author, Illustrator)

I didn’t pick Saga! But seriously, there was something so engaging about this reboot of Prophet (a former, and awful, Image character from the 90s) that I loved. It’s Conan in space, the artwork is beautiful, the stories bizarre. Prophet, Vol. 2: Brothers is already on my list for next year.

Favorite Graphic Novel Runners-up of 2015:

Catbeard the Pirate, Book 1: Keelhauling & Kitty Litter
by Matt Nelson (Author & Illustrator)

As you can tell from my list, when it comes to comics, I usually am not drawn to comedy. However after a recommendation from a friend, I picked up Matt Nelson’s fantastic book. Catbeard is charming, witty, and was a delight to read. What else would you expect from a book with cat-beard voodoo curses, dinosaur riding heroes, and strange pirate adventures? It was the perfect respite between some of the darker graphic novels I was reading. Ready for the next one.

Trees, Vol. 1: In Shadows
by Warren Ellis (Author), Jason Howard (Author, Illustrator)

Trees is one of those books I wish I thought of, the setting is simple, but the ramifications of its simplicity are complex. What would society do if strange and enormous aliens arrived on Earth? Ten years after that event, Trees seeks to explore that idea, with what appears to be terrible ramifications, I can’t wait for more.

So that’s my list for 2015. A lot of really great stuff, and I’m looking forward to new books in 2016. I was also given a new challenge! If you recall, in 2014, I was challenged to read more women authors, and I ended up doing just that. Well, my friend Steve Toutonghi, author of the upcoming sci-fi novel Join, challenged me to read more classics in 2016. So that’s my plan. First on my plate (after I read my advanced reader copy of Join) is to dive into Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges and then it’ll move onto Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain.

How about you? How does your reading list compare this year? Did anything stick out? Did you find a new favorite book or favorite author? What are your plans for 2016? Is there any new book you’re excited to read? Are there any classics I should visit in my 2016? Leave a comment and let me know!

The 2015 Lovecraftian-Inspired Gift Guide

December 7, 2015September 14, 2019

The 2015 Lovecraft-Inspired Gift Guide

Last year I assembled a fun little list of Lovecraftian gift ideas for the holidays. It ended up being popular so I figured since the holiday season is upon us yet again I’d do it one more time! As before, if you’re a fan of the Cthulhu Mythos or have someone on your list who is, I figured it’d be helpful to put together a little gift guide linking to some of my favorite Lovecraftian merchandise from across the web.

Like before, I’ve organized the list by category and ordered them by price making it easy to browse. Have a favorite New Weird or mythos-themed item I left off? Leave a comment and let us know!

❅ Quick Jumps ❅

Books – Music – Apparel – Games – Miskatonic

[About the Art:] This year’s gift guide’s Featured Image comes from the artist Mark Helwig. Check out the full-color version on Deviant Art.

❅ BOOKS

Chapelwood by Cherie Priest
$11.98 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $9.99 (eBook)
Last year I featured Maplecroft, the first in Cherie Priests New Mythos series, The Borden Dispatches. I’m pleased to say that book two is even better than the first. Borden finds herself assisting an old friend in the deep south investigating strange disappearances and an even stranger church.

Southern Gods by John Hornor Jacobs
$13.30 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $9.99 (eBook)
Part southern gothic and part Lovecraftian, John Hornor Jacobs debut novel from 2011 follows the story of muscle-for-hire Bull Ingram as he’s tasked with following the trail of the musician Ramblin’ John Hastur, who has been rumored to have sold his soul to the devil.

Red Litten World by K. M. Alexander
$15.00 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $4.61 (eBook)
In the third installment of my Bell Forging Cycle, Caravan Master cum Guardian Waldo Bell returns to the multileveled megalopolis of Lovat and finds himself thrust into a conflict that will lead him to the cities blood-soaked spires.

Cthulhu Fhtagn! Anthology
$19.99 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $9.99 (eBook)
A fantastic anthology assembled by Ross Lockheart that happens to be one of the best Lovecraft-inspired collections to date. There’s a lot to love here. Cosmic horror tales from names like W. H. Pugmire, Laird Barron, Cameron Pierce, Wendy N. Wagner, Ann K. Schwader, and loads more.

The New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft edited by Les Klinger
$27.78 + Free Shipping (Hardcover) $22.99 (eBook)
I’m keeping this on here from last year. This gorgeous coffee table book annotated by Les Klinger is now the definitive collection of Lovecraft’s best work. If you have a fan on your list or wanted to spend a little bit of time with Lovecraft’s works, this is the book to get.

Not finding a book you like? Check out last year’s list →

❆ MUSIC

Azathoth by Cryo Chamber Collaboration
$9.00 (Digital Download) $20.00 + Shipping (CD)
Once again the dark-ambient label Cryo Chamber has created another collaboration named after one of Lovecraft’s monsters. This set is themed around the Azathoth, the outer god, and the album has a tone of ancient otherworldliness drenched with vast echoes, terrifyingly wonderful.

The Curious Sea Shanties of Innsmouth, Mass.
$15.00 (Digital Download or CD) + Shipping (CD)
What do the sailors of Innsmouth, Massachesues sing while out on their boats? You’d be surprised. In this collection, the Miskatonic Connolly Memorial Men’s Chorus explores the Innsmouth variants of classic shanties. The tunes might be familiar but the lyrics… the lyrics are very different.

Dark Adventure Radio Theater
$12.00 (Single Downloads) – $200 (Full Collections) + Shipping
Dramatizations of H. P. Lovecraft’s words done radio-theater style. The quality is fantastic, and I highly encourage getting the CDs that include the props as well. Makes it all the more fun to follow along with the story.

Not finding the right music? Check out last year’s list →

❅ APPAREL

Bell Caravans Patch
$5.00 + Shipping (Order by Dec. 11th for Christmas Delivery.)
This beautiful 3″ patch, designed by illustrator Sean Cumiskey, is the perfect way of declaring your loyalty to your beloved caravan master. Put it on your backpack, a tote, or display it on the sleeve of your jacket, just make sure the world knows who you roll with.

Cthulhu Bandanna
$10.00 + Shipping
Bandanas are handy, but why not have one that is slightly different from the rest. Featuring an original border design that incorporates Cthulhu, Nightgaunts, The Hounds of Tindalos, and more! Available in black, green, red, teal, and hot pink.

Cthulhu Varsity Jacket
$90.00 + Shipping
When a tee shirt just isn’t enough and you need to take your love of the mythos to the next level. Features a wool body and leather sleeves with an embroidered HP on the chest and a large Cthulhu on the back.

Looking for something else? Check out last year’s selection →

❆ GAMES

The Last Door: Season 2 – Collector’s Edition
$7.99 (Digital Download) FREE (In-Browser)
I loved Season 1 of this old school adventure game and Season 2 was just as gripping. Heavily influenced by turn-of-the-century horror and the writing of H.P. Lovecraft, The Last Door: Season 2 places you at the center of a mysterious conspiracy of darkness and terror.

The Sunless Sea
$18.99 (Digital Download)
After playing and loving Failbetter Games’ browser game Fallen London, I immediately ran out and picked this up from Steam. One of the few games I have spent any time with this year. The tone and music are wonderful, the locations and exploration superb. What will you find the in vast oceans of the Unterzee?

Eldritch Horror
$43.64 + Free Shipping
In this cooperative board game (similar to Pandemic), you and your fellow investigators travel the globe in an attempt to thwart the plans of Lovecraft’s Great Old Ones while trying to stay sane in the process.

None of these games sounding interesting? Here’s last year’s list →

❅ MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY

Miskatonic University Sticker
$3.50 + Shipping
With these handy stickers you can make anything in your home an official product of the Miskatonic University. Slap ’em on a notebook or a mug or a water bottle. It’s a handy (and cheap) was to show your pride in your school.

Miskatonic University Alumni lapel pin
$10.00 + Shipping
An elegant little lapel pin features a purple logo of Miskatonic University. A nice subtle way to confuse your coworkers as well as show your alumni allegiance to the Ivy League school that never was. Ex Ignorantia Ad Sapientiam; Ex Luce Ad Tenebras.

Miskatonic Antarctic Expedition Sweatshirt
$55.00 + Shipping
The “official” gear from Professor Lake’s ill-fated 1931 Miskatonic University Antarctic Expedition. Features the logo of the MU Biology Dept. on the front and the Expedition logo on back. Comes in a combo ($72 + Shipping) with the sweatshirt, a radio play, and a personalized letter from Professor Dyer.

No Miskatonic related items you wanted? Here was last year’s list →

❅ Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! ❅

October 31, 2015

Three Great Horror Reads For Halloween

Since today is Halloween (or High Hallow as it’s known in the Territories), I thought it’d be fun to share some of the more memorable horror novels that I have read over the last few years. Since I have been reading horror since I was a kid, I figured it’d be best to limit myself to any of the books I have read during my participation in the Goodreads Reading Challenge. You can see my list for 2013 and 2014 here on my blog, and you can view my current list for 2015 over on Goodreads. Let’s get to my picks!

Blood Meridian: or the Evening Redness in the West
by Cormac McCarthy

I’ve talked about Cormac McCarthy’s novel a few times in the past, and over the last few years it has easily become one of my favorite books, and ultimately my favorite horror novel of all time. This story tends to get classified as a western, but after spending some time with the kid, and the mysterious Judge Holden it becomes apparent that there is much more to this narrative than a brutal western. Following the trail of several scalp hunters along the Mexican border, this novel is a disturbing tale of violence, blood, and possibly the devil.

Something Wicked This Way Comes
by Ray Bradbury

While the trope of the Circus of Fear can be traced back to the 1919 German silent horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, it’s safe to say it was Bradbury who made it popular with this novel. When Cooger & Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show has come to Greentown, Illinois, two young boys and best friends begin to explore its strange and ultimately evil attractions. Bradbury is amazing at capturing the life of the young boy, and the challenges of fatherhood. Easily one of the best gothic horror novels ever written, and a classic within the genre.

Chaplewood (Borden Dispatches #2)
by Cherie Priest

The second novel in Cherie Priest’s modern take on Lovecraftian mythos goes above and beyond even book one (which was one of my runners-up last year.) Following the adventures of the Lizzie Borden of legend, Chaplewood takes us from book one’s rain-soaked coast of New England to the heart of the sultry deep South. As a dark gospel is spread by a strange cult, and an ax murderer runs rampant, a detective, a young woman, and an elderly matron must face down a growing evil. Easily one of my most memorable reads this year.

So there are three of my favorite horror books from the last few years. If you’re looking for something to read on a cozy and dark autumn night, you’d be hard-pressed to find better. What are you favorite horror novels? Leave a comment below and let everyone know!

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

December 10, 2014September 14, 2019

A Lovecraft-Inspired Gift Guide

The holiday season is upon us! If you’re a fan of the Cthulhu Mythos or have someone on your list, who is I figured it’d be helpful to put together a little gift guide linking to some of my favorite Lovecraftian merchandise from across the web.

I’ve organized the list by category and ordered them by price. So that should make it easy to browse. Have a favorite new weird or mythos-themed item I left off? Leave a comment and let us know!

Books – Music – Apparel – Games – Miskatonic

BOOKS:

The Witching Elm by C.N. Crawford
$.99 (Digital Pre-order)
I heard about C. M. Crawford’s debut novel recently and while it’s not specifically Lovecraftian it definitely seems like something a reader of mythos and new weird would enjoy. I mean: talking ravens, bone-wardens, and other worlds? Sounds great, sign me up.

The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross
$7.99 + Free Shipping (Print) $7.60 (eBook)
Meet Bob Howard, a computer hacker who ends up working for the secret British organization: The Laundry. But this isn’t your typical super secret agency, instead of terrorism The Laundry that faces off against something much stranger.

Maplecroft by Cherie Priest
$11.00 + Free Shipping (Print) $7.99 (eBook)
I picked this up on a whim after listening to an interview with Priest on the Seattle Geekly Podcast, and I loved it. Priest’s new-mythos tale spins a yarn about madness, fear, and the sea using the historical character Lizzie Borden as the protagonist. I look forward to more.

The Stars Were Right by K. M. Alexander
$12.60 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $2.99 (eBook)
Have a Lovecraft fan on your list? Pick them up a copy of my first novel, The Stars Were Right. Let them join Caravan Master Waldo Bell as he goes on the run in the coastal megalopolis of Lovat on a quest to clear his name.

Old Broken Road by K. M. Alexander
$12.50 + Free Shipping (Paperback) $5.99 (eBook)
My latest Lovecraft-influenced urban fantasy novel: Old Broken Road picks up a year after the events in the previous book and follows Wal and his friends as they travel down an abandoned road full of dark apparitions, bizarre monsters, and ancient evils.

The New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft edited by Les Klinger
$25.50 + Free Shipping (Print) $19.24 (eBook)
This gorgeous coffee table book annotated by Les Klinger is now the definitive collection of Lovecraft’s best work. If you have a fan on your list or wanted to spend a little bit of time with Lovecraft’s works, this is the book to get.

MUSIC:

Cthulhu by Cryo Chamber Collaboration
$7.00 (Digital Download) $15.00 + Shipping (CD)
If you’re into ambient music, I highly recommend this collaboration from the dark ambient label Cryo Chamber. Themed around Cthulhu this album is drenched in distant echoes and vast chambers that will put you in the mood for terror.

Reliquiae by Atrium Carceri
$7.00 (Digital Download)
This haunting album is the soundscape I’d turn on when writing Old Broken Road. Heavy with mood I found myself loving every minute of it. (It’s also my go-to soundtrack when my friends and I play Mansions of Madness.)

APPAREL:

Bell Caravans Patch
$5.00 + Shipping (Order by Dec. 15th for Christmas Delivery.)
This beautiful 3″ patch, designed by illustrator Sean Cumiskey, is the perfect way of declaring your loyalty to your beloved caravan master. Put it on your backpack, a tote, or display it on the sleeve of your jacket, just make sure the world knows.

Cthulhu Ski Mask
$60.00 + Shipping
Winter has settled into the mountains, and the ski resorts are opening. It’s good to protect one’s face while shredding the slopes. Terrify other skiers and snowboarders in a handcrafted ski mask made by the Mad Knitter in a disturbing shade of Cthulhu green.

GAMES:

The Last Door Collectors Edition
$9.99 (Digital Download) FREE (In-Browser)
I don’t play many video games these days, but I absolutely loved this old school adventure game. Heavily influenced by turn-of-the-century horror and the writing of H.P. Lovecraft, The Last Door, places you in the center of a dark mystery.

Mansions of Madness
$60.00 + Free Shipping
My wife can attest how obsessed I’ve become with this board game. It’s a blast. Investigators have to solve a mystery while the Keeper tries to kill them off. The perfect blend of Lovecraft and action adventure. A lot of fun.

MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY:

Miskatonic University Mug
$15.00 + Shipping
One of my favorite mugs in my house, with a beautifully designed Miskatonic University seal. It’s also nice and big and, therefore, holds extra coffee (the secret to my power.) Comes in white or nightgaunt black… naturally.

Miskatonic University Combo Pack
$45.00 + Shipping
Get a Miskatonic U. t-shirt, Miskatonic stickers, the M.U. Course book, an M.U. Library card, a customized letter of acceptance, a customized student ID, the M.U. Mug (for those all night study sessions,) and a customized diploma!

Miskatonic University Class Ring
$99.99 – $1,773.00 + Shipping
Need a classy engagement ring? Maybe you own everything else on this list and have some money to burn? Why not show some pride in the Ivy League school that never was and get a fancy 24k gold Miskatonic University class ring? Oh, you so fancy!