The House of Cthulhu

Tales of the Primal Land, Vol. 1

By: Brian Lumley

Narrated by: Joshua Saxon

Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

The House of Cthulhu introduces the weird and wonderful world of Theem'hdra, an island continent of wonders and terrors, where brave men die terrifying deaths, awe-inspiring sorcerers hurl powerful magic at each other, and monsters abound. This is classic Lovecraftian horror from one of the masters of the form, British Fantasy Award winner Brian Lumley.

The volcanic eruption that created the island of Surtsey in 1967 also revealed a long-hidden cache of documents that told the fantastic history of Theem'hdra as written by the sorcerer Teh Atht. Building on translations begun by the scholar Thelred Gustau—who vanished under mysterious, some say magical, circumstances—Brian Lumley brings the saga of the Primal Land to audiences of today.

Here, the wizard Mylarkhrion—most powerful of the terrible magicians who walked the earth in those long-ago days—battles sorcerers jealous of his knowledge, power, and wealth. His own apprentice, thinking he knows all of his master's secrets, challenges him—but Mylarkhrion has one final trick up his sleeve.... When the assassin Humbuss Ank, who specializes in killing wizards, makes Mylarkhrion his target, he avoids or destroys nearly all of the sorcerer's traps, forcing Mylarkhrion to a desperate final gamble for survival. But even Mylarkhrion has a weakness, a lust for power that drives him to summon the Great One, Cthulhu, and so call doom upon himself!

The fabled riches of the House of Cthulhu draw thieves and warriors from throughout the civilized and uncivilized lands, but none escape with so much as a single gemstone, for they discover that Cthulhu's House is not a temple but a dwelling place. Surely the Elder God lives there still, waiting for an unwary person to open the portal between his world and ours....

©2007 Brian Lumley (P)2022 David N. Wilson

Let A Friend Tell You A Story...

Being that I've been a huge Brian Lumley fan since I was a teenager, and the same for Lovecraft's old gods, (minus all the racism), so when I was offered this audiobook for review, I accepted and here we are!

On the whole, I found these to be more Sword & Sorcery type tales than Lovecraftian, but I was okay with that. Listening to these tales was a nostalgic experience for me. I remember first being introduced to worlds like this growing up...through all the magical pages I could get my hands on. Pulp stuff, sword and sorcery, dragons and knights, dark jungles and all new planets. I've since moved on from a lot of that, but only in regards to more contemporary works, not the enjoyment of the tales.

As an adult, listening to these tales instead of reading them, it lent an entire new level to my enjoyment. Listening to these is like sitting by the fire with an old friend, trading stories late into the night. Come visit the House of Cthulhu! Let an old friend tell you a story!

3.5/5 stars, rounded up to 4 by the sheer enjoyment factor!