HorrorBabble's The King in Yellow

By: Robert W. Chambers

Narrated by: Ian Gordon, Jennifer Gill

Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

HorrorBabble's complete, dramatic telling of Robert W. Chambers' classic collection, The King in Yellow. The book comprises 10 individual tales, several of which are thematically linked by a controversial play with which the novel shares its title.

Narrated by Ian Gordon and Jennifer Gill

Music: "Relentless Part Three" by Glen Alexander

Other music by Ian Gordon

©2017 Ian Gordon (P)2017 Ian Gordon

I'm shamelessly biased.

HorrorBabble does amazing work. I actually received this for free because of a gushy piece of fan mail (I'm still so touched they answered my email!). I simply adore their Lovecraft readings, and I loved the horror short story contest they held over on YouTube. This review is long overdue, but keep up the good work guys!!

Great selection of stories, just know what you’re getting

I really enjoyed all of the stories, only the first few really relate to the king in yellow. One chapter is a collection of very short stories that almost felt like the overall theme transitioned from stories about the king in yellow to, stories from the king in yellow. Each short story in that chapter deals with ‘gods’ and cosmic beings in some sort of parable, but a parable that feels like it’s intent is to mess with your thinking; rather than clarify it. After that chapter, the rest of the stories are love stories, all be it, clandestine love stories. To be included in The King in Yellow, in line with some of the parables referencing Love and it’s mental bewitchery, I think the final intent is to say that love is the god of insanity. The pallid mask, the thing of beauty, that drives us to do things we would never do in the name of an emotion we don’t understand. The love stories at the end are great on their own. But if you think about them as a part of this collection, you either have to make some leaps to connect them back to the meaning of the king in yellow in such a way, or you will be upset that they are in this collection.

loved it

a strange and wonderful variety of short stories, I now understand why they call it "weird-fiction"

Ian Gordon is incredible.

In some sleepy and unnamed village, a child was born under the full moon of Samhain. The product of union between a muse and the dank night itself, Ian was named after his great grandfather, rumored to be the town crier of R'lye. The celestial cyclopian lantern illuminated the birth of such offspring, destined to chant the darkness.

Ian Gordon is incredible, not only in his performance, but also in delivery of what his many fans desire... the dark ease that flows in his every utterance.

This is my first Chambers selection, and I can't imagine (or conjure a horrifyingly dark vocalization) any better than Ian Gotdon to present it.

The Perfect Adaptation

HorrorBabble is one of THE BEST for audiobooks. Their adaptation of classics is just... perfection. I highly recommend to anyone who wishes to listen to classics to get one of their books. You won't regret it

ok

1st part is what I was after, 2nd half was not as great, to me.

Classic horror

'The King in Yellow' is arguably one of the most important pieces of twentieth century horror, going on to inspire writers such as H.P. Lovecraft. The first four stories are the ones that deal with the genre and display a level of cosmic horror and existential dread (via a play whose second act drives the reader to madness) that Lovecraft would later use in his stories. The highlight for me was 'The Yellow Sign' which I found to be genuinely scary. The others are of different genres ranging from war to romance but you might as well check then out.

This audiobook is a great way to experience the story either for the first time or for revisiting it. The narrators give a strong performance without over or under performing (something that's taken for granted until you listen to someone who reads like they're reading the phonebook) making it an easy listen that's never boring. The level of dread is conveyed excellently throughout.

If you're a fan of early horror literature or want a better understanding of the genre's history you should definitely check this out.

Get your Hastur Paranoia Here

To keep this short,
The narration was stellar, the perfect voices and tons from these two. They convinced me of their characters.
Chambers started strong with how the yellow sign twists people and their minds, BUT that motif stopped halfway through and seemed to become simple stories about love.

Wonderful

Was encouraged to read, as it is the founding of Lovecraft'ian stories. Struggled to finish.

A different world

Excellent Presentation by Ian and Jennifer. Chilling in scope. Makes you wonder when they'll start setting up the Suicide Centers ?? Life imitates art imitates life immitates....😯 Chambers is captivating to say the least