Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe

De: Thomas Ligotti, Jeff VanderMeer - introduction

Narrado por: Jon Padgett, Linda Jones

Two terrifying classics by “the best kept secret in contemporary horror fiction” (The Washington Post)

Thomas Ligotti’s debut collection, Songs of a Dead Dreamer, and his second, Grimscribe, permanently inscribed a new name in the pantheon of horror fiction. Influenced by the strange terrors of Lovecraft and Poe and by the brutal absurdity of Kafka, Ligotti eschews cheap, gory thrills for his own brand of horror, which shocks at the deepest, existential, levels.

Ligotti’s stories take on decaying cities and lurid dreamscapes in a style ranging from rich, ornamental prose to cold, clinical detachment. His raw and experimental work lays bare the unimportance of our world and the sickening madness of the human condition. Like the greatest writers of cosmic horror, Ligotti bends reality until it cracks, opening fissures through which he invites us to gaze on the unsettling darkness of the abyss below.

For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Unsettling and intellectually stimulating.

"Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe" narrated by Jon Padgett is a fantastic way to experience these stories. Padgett's narration is pitch-perfect, capturing the dark, brooding tone of Ligotti's writing with precision and skill. He brings the characters to life in a way that feels both natural and haunting, and his pacing and intonation perfectly match the mood of each story.

Beyond expectations

I don’t usually listen to audiobooks (or leave reviews), but I make a special exception to my usual habits of consumption for anything Ligotti or Padgett. Having so little experience—I have only really listened to two audiobooks before, and both were non-fiction—I didn’t really know what to expect, but I wasn’t *that* pumped. Still, I decided to try it out.

I’m really glad I did. I can now listen to my favorite story collection *and* enjoy Padgett’s clear, passionate performance. This audiobook manages to elevate a classic that means a lot to many of us, and which, if you are anything like me, you have read cover to cover many times, to a new and unique place.

If you’re a Ligotti/Padgett fan and you’re on the fence about this audiobook, I would say it’s very much worth your attention.

Stories Take on New Life/Death Through Performance

Ligotti's stories are complex in their intellectual and emotional content, and they benefit from multiple readings. Hearing them aloud uncovers new layers of horror and humor. These lively, rich performances entertain while also adding wonderful nuance to the remarkable stories in this collection.

Kind of just sounds like rambling

I’ve worked my way through the lovecraft circle and a bunch of other contemporary horror authors, and eventually got to Thomas ligotti because his books were recommended, after I consumed a lot of the adjacent literature that caught my eye.

And I’m going to be honest…Thomas ligotti’s work just sounds like rambling. Like slow, sometimes listless rambling. I can’t even track the plot of his short stories through his literary style, it’s cumbersome and frustrating.

Amidst all the literary voices of authors who offer a glimpse into madness, the madness in ligotti’s writing really feels -to me- like it spawns from trying to endure it.

It’s definitely a way to produce immersion, but it’s not a flavor I enjoyed. Just be ready for it if you’re considering buying; listening to this is kind of a labor in and of itself.

It’s read very well though! They did a good job of it on that end.

Brilliant Narration

A brilliant narration of a crucial author of weird fiction. One can feel Jon Padgett and Linda Jones' enthusiasm for the stories here. Highly recommended.