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The Whisperer in Darkness  By  cover art

The Whisperer in Darkness

By: H. P. Lovecraft
Narrated by: Phil Reynolds
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Publisher's summary

Considered to the be one of most influential American authors, Howard Philip Lovecraft is synonymous with some of the best fantasy and horror fiction of the 20th century, second only to Edgar Allan Poe.

When local newspapers report strange things seen floating in rivers during a historic Vermont flood, Albert Wilmarth becomes embroiled in a controversy about the reality and significance of the sightings. However it isn’t until he receives communication from Henry Wentworth Akeley that he is offered the proof he requires.

Written in 1930, and originally published in Weird Tales a year later, "The Whisperer in Darkness", is still as powerful today as it was 80 years ago.

©2010 Fantom Films (P)2010 Fantom Films

Critic reviews

"Lovecraft opened the way for me, as he had done for other before me." (Stephen King)

What listeners say about The Whisperer in Darkness

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Blasphemous

I'm just starting out as a fan of Lovecraft. As far as I know I've read about half of his fictional works. This was an excellent recording and narration and I've listened 3 times already.
The story is not one of my favorites but it is nevertheless effective and introduces the reader to some themes Lovecraft likes to play with(Yog Sothoth, artificial animation/consciousness, alien lifeforms). As a New Englander who went to college on the street where Lovecraft lived in Providence, I can say he certainly nails the atmospheres of ominous gloom which pervade some of the region's settings, and his prose puts other science fiction writers like hg wells to shame in my humble view.

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8 people found this helpful

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A Strong Performance

Narrator Phil Reynolds delivers a strong reading of one of Lovecraft's more famous tales. The Whisperer in Darkness contains elements that were somewhat unique and innovative at the time of it's writing but I don't think it stands the test of time quite as well as some of HPL's other tales. Nevertheless, it's an interesting, well-structured story, as much science fiction as horror, and it's famous for featuring numerous references to other elements of the Cthulhu Mythos. If you're new to Lovecraft, this isn't the best place to start but once you've dabbled a bit, it's definitely a worthy listen.

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2 people found this helpful

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Terror from Pluto!

This story represents a shift for Lovecraft away from fantasy towards science fiction. Still, it maintains the unknowable horror aspects that mark the Cthulhu mythos. A great listen!

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1 person found this helpful

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Excellent

Creepy story from nearly 100 years ago. Written by Lovecraft and possibly some demons in his head. Beautiful reading.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Reading of a Venerable Classic

An excellent reading of a great classic. Highly recommend and will look for more audiobooks read by Phil Reynolds.

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  • Overall
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My first lovecraft, a disappointment

I was suggested this book on reddit, on a list of scariest books ever. As someone who is constantly looking for that shock factor in books and movies, what a let down. I've heard so many good things about lovecraft being The Godfather of horror! It was a good concept, but I found myself getting annoyed by the narrator constantly talking about things that horrified him "beyond words" and how certain things he saw or read about in letters were too gruesome to describe. I understand leaving things to the imagination, but this was constant.

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kept my attention all the way

ending was unexpected. well narrated. fun to listen. I had to finish quick. transition between chapters were smooth and made sense. fantastic!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Predictable story with an excellent voice

While Lovecraftian horror is one of the best varieties, "The Whisper in Darkness" failed to keep me in suspense or dread. The narrator instead keeps your focus on the progression, which I can appreciate for such an average story.

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Excellent short story!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It was very well written, and is a great piece of classic science fiction!

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Glad I found this guy!!! Lovecraft is genius

Where does The Whisperer in Darkness rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

For this genre, it is at the top. Lovecraft is amazing and I am embarrassed that I have not heard of him earlier. Reading about him it is no wonder to see why King, Koontz, etc. cite him.

Any additional comments?

His stories are short, but damn it if they are not impactful. Such an excellent job of writing and I will definitely be visiting his stories again.

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