Cthulu and Other Monsters by Sam Stone
Why I read: I love Cthulu tales and have enjoyed other books by the author.
Book blurb: “Sixteen tales of terror from the blood-soaked pen of Sam Stone. Enter if you dare and discover nine stories inspired by the nightmare visions of H P Lovecraft: Elder Gods returning to the Earth to wreak havoc, tales of death and destruction and betrayal and the last flickering embers of humanity … Alongside these are seven further stories featuring the monstrous creations of Stone’s own imagination: a hungry and jealous sea; wolf-creatures prowling the fashion industry; a terrifying creature held captive in a cellar … Open the cover and let Sam Stone’s nightmares guide your way into horror … ‘Entertaining and original’ Brian M Sammons ‘Mistress of the grisly and the glutinous’ Graham Masterton.”

Select quote ” Lucy could make out a bulbous shape, and long thick appendages that moved in a a sinuous flow as the creature shifted, like a giant octopus or some creature from the deep. This could not be a land dweller….”
My review
This collection of short stories featuring Cthulu’s Old Gods and a variety of other monsters is a fun read. Its a very adult themed book with lots of gore, gruesome horror scenes and some sex sprinkled throughout the pages. There’s a diverse mixture of themes contained as the author brings in elements of sci-fi, romance, steam-punk and tales set in the past, present and future. There is a brilliant range of new takes on Lovecraftian ideas and wonderful twists in the stories that you don’t see coming. My highlight was Of Gods and Blood – with plenty of references to Lovecraft and the Old Gods its an exciting read with so much packed into this short tale.
I really enjoyed the writers fun style and the originality but overall found it a mixed bag. Some stories I really enjoyed and got into, others I just skimmed through. A wonderfully entertaining book perfect for fans of horror shorts.
You can read a short extract of the book over on Amazon.
I’d recommend to anyone who likes: horror, gore, cthulu,and monster stories.