H.P. Lovecraft: The Complete Omnibus Collection, Volume I: 1917-1926

By: H. P. Lovecraft, Finn J.D. John

Narrated by: Finn J.D. John

Length: 23 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

This is volume one of a two-volume omnibus set comprising the complete fictional works of Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Every story written for publication under his own name is included in this set, from 1917 through 1935. (Poems, ghostwritten material, and stories written in collaboration with other writers are not included.)

A full ebook copy of this book in interactive PDF format is included and can be downloaded by clicking the "PDF" link in your Audible library (it's in the "Title" column). This PDF includes the audiobook chapter numbers, to make navigation easier.

Highlights of this volume include:

• "Dagon"
• "The Doom That Came to Sarnath"
• "The Music of Erich Zann"
• "Herbert West, Reanimator"
• "The Hound"
• "The Lurking Fear"
• "The Rats in the Walls"
• The Shunned House
• "The Horror at Red Hook"
• "In the Vault"
• "The Call of Cthulhu"
• "The Strange High House in the Mist"
• The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2016 Finn J.D. John (P)2016 Finn J.D. John

The narrator is awful!

I am only a third of a way through this book and if it wasn't for the fact I want to hear these stories (in one volume and at a good price) I would return it. I am going to try to finish it; though, I may still return this and the next volume in the end. I know the narrator is doing what he thinks is a fabulous performance, but I just do not think it reflects the voice of the stories very well. Maybe not so soft and monotonous without personality. Maybe if he performed it like he did in Wrath of the Fallen, by Kristopher Jerome, it would definitely have given the stories more depth. At this point, I would be hesitant to listen to anymore stories narrated by John.

Listen to the snippet before you buy it. It may be worth paying more money to buy several different books, than to buy this volume and the next to save money and to have all the stories consolidated in two places. You may not save money doing it that way, but you will save your sanity.

The only way to experience Lovecraft.

Finn J.D. John does Lovecraft justice. He reads the works as I imagine Lovecraft heard them in his own head. His cadence and emphases allow a listener to easily follow the flowing and complex sentences that other readers have not been able to achieve. In fairness, I have not heard any other audio versions of Lovecraft and I refer to readers of other works altogether.

Enjoyable for the most part but...

The story concepts are quite good in most cases. Lovecraft does well with narrative description but does a figurative face plant on dialogue, in my opinion. But to be fair, I knew that coming into this. Still, these are worth listening to.

The biggest room for improvement is one the part of the reader. This would have benefited significantly from a professional reader. Finn's reading is professionally satisfactory but is fairly monotone for my taste. All the stories started blending together with this low up and down voice range and too steady cadence. Worth listening to once but I'm quite sure I won't come back to it for a second visit.

Great progression

Shows Lovecraft progressing from novice to master. I found the stories in the earlier portions of the book a hit hard to follow, as they were very short stories. However, after the half way point of the book, the stories become amazing classics which were definitely worth a listen.

I'll be picking up the second part of this book, and I would recommend buying this one to anyone.

Great Intro to HP Lovecraft!

Has all the good Lovecraft stories and
the omnibus does a great job detailing Lovecraft's life and journey.

Hauntingly Wonderful

The collected fictional works of Lovecraft as presented by a Lovecraft expert. JD knows the stories, and the words roll off his tongue smoothly, but he lacks a certain charisma that many good narrators have. Many spooky or terrifying parts of the stories are filled by his bored and lazy tone, but it’s difficult to fully dull the writing of Howard Phillip Lovecraft.

Good in times past

But it gives a view into the superstitions of old America.
I suppose it may sound arrogant to say I am past these superstitions but I can see how in the past centuries they had hold of us. I am disappointed however by one thing:
Every single story. Each one. Has the phrase: I dare not describe what I saw for no mere man could if he wanted and I couldn’t remember if I tried.
Seems like a cop out to make you imagine your own terror.
But I agree with most the reviews here.
Hard start
Better on the second half.
Narrator isn’t monotone to my ear. But so softly spoken I’m lulled to sleep. He articulates perfectly and is understandable but whispers so sweet I can’t keep my eyes open.

I hope the 2nd omnibus is better preformed.

Cthulhu approves.

Little bit difficult if you're not born english speaker. Definitely worth every penny. The Great Old Ones are waiting for you.

everything you would expect

Aside from all of lovecraft's supernatural stories contain the relevant information from his life. The book was very good on the whole, particularly the latter half, and I would recommend it to any fan of the science fiction or supernatural horror-mystery genre.

Lovecraft

A bit on the boring side for my taste..seemed more like a lecture than a a good read.