The King in Yellow

By: Robert W. Chambers

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki, Gabrielle de Cuir

Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Originally published in 1895, Robert W. Chambers' The King in Yellow is a marvel of supernatural fiction that has influenced a number of writers in the genre, most notably H. P. Lovecraft. Its powerful combination of horror and lyrical prose has made it a classic, a masterpiece of weird fiction that endures to this day.

There is a book that is shrouded in mystery. Some even say it's a myth. Within its pages is a play - one that brings madness and despair to all who read it. It is the play of the King in Yellow, and it will haunt you for the rest of your days.

The King in Yellow is a collection of stories interwoven loosely by the elements of the play, including the central figure himself.

Public Domain (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Great Introduction to Robert Chambers

Robert W. Chambers is primarily famous for his supernatural horror stories, collectively known as the Carcossa mythos or Yellow mythos. These incredibly creepy stories were favorites of later horror authors like H. P. Lovecraft, who actually incorporated them directly into his own Cthulhu mythos. Also, Chamber's most famous horror creation, the titular King in Yellow, has recently been resurrected in True Detective.

First of all, this is a recording of the original 1895 edition of the King in Yellow. That edition didn't contain the complete Carcossa mythos since Chambers hadn't written it yet. And as many have already noted, only around the first half of this edition contains Chambers' horror stories. Around the last three hours, the stories shift from supernatural horror to love stories set in Paris. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but just know what you're buying.

Also, while I really enjoyed Stefan Rudnicki's very deep, baritone voice it may turn some off. Best listen to the sample first. With all that said, I'd ultimately recommend this as worth a credit. Enjoy!

A tale of two books

What disappointed you about The King in Yellow?

The complete shift of story type in the second half. The first half of the book is a series of macabre short stories in the vein of Poe, but then the second half turns into a series of pointless romantic blathering about American artists in Paris' Latin Quarter at the close of the 19th century. I kept waiting for the stories to take a turn but they just continued to prattle on about pots of pansies and the inane interactions between the artists and their various crushes.

Would you be willing to try another one of Stefan Rudnicki and Gabrielle de Cuir ’s performances?

Rudnicki's monotone performance with little distinction between characters means I am unlikely to listen to something by him again. Gabrielle de Cuir only performed the occasional snippet of poetry at the beginning of a story. Basically a non-entity.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment. The actual stories around the fictional play of the King in Yellow were intriguing, but the rest was a waste of time

So bizarre

Would you listen to The King in Yellow again? Why?

I've listened twice and probably will again. Each story is so bizarre and sometimes confusing that I love trying to figure it out each time.

What other book might you compare The King in Yellow to and why?

I have no idea.

What does Stefan Rudnicki and Gabrielle de Cuir bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Stefan Rudnicki's voice is absolutely wonderful to listen to. In an almost punny way, his voice brings a great depth to the stories.

Who was the most memorable character of The King in Yellow and why?

I think I most enjoyed the character, who's name I unfortunately have forgotten, who gets lost in the moor and is saved by the young girl with the bird.

Cosmic Horror . . . Romance?

The first two stories were very engaging. I quite enjoyed them. They kept to the cosmic horror theme so prevalent in H.P. Lovecraft stories. However, the last few stories were more akin to grocery store romance novels. It kind of ruined the mood and overall feel of the book as a whole.

dumb

not worth bothering with if you just want to hear it because of true detective. It's boring and you'll stop paying attention to it.

Great, different but great.

The series of short stories is great but has an odd mix of genres. From the dark to romantic.

Just not for me

I can into this book from many recommendations from TikTok. I was excited to read this book. When I found the audiobook I was more than thrilled.
Then I began my journey and I was met with story after story that was just bland. The narration was so one dimensional that every character sounded the same. There was no distinction between the different characters from voice and page.

I had to quickly finish both just to get out of the true nightmare that was this journey.

One of the Most Memorable books ive read

excellent Book . I am fond of the short story style that this book follows. The tone of the Narrator fits this book perfectly. I find myself thinking of this book in depth and for a lack of better words obssesing over this book, and i find that funny considering that "The King In Yellow" is a play/story that sort of corrupts the mind of the reader.Overall Book 20/10. If i find myself unoccupied with another book maybe i shall come back for a second reading.

great story

great narration and the story is engaging. lovecraft is difficult to follow in general. I like the audio version.

Amazing.

This book was so well written it puts many curriculum books to shame. The use of foreshadowing and allusion were outstanding. I fell asleep listening to this and had extremely vivid dreams. I highly recommend listening to this work of art.