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The Shadow over Innsmouth  By  cover art

The Shadow over Innsmouth

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.

Innsmouth is a dilapidated seaside town with secrets as a hybrid race of half-human and half-amphibian creatures worship the gods of Cthulhu and Dagon…. Written in 1931, and published by the Visionary Publishing Company some five years later.

”It’s a genre blessed with many great stylists, H. P.Lovecraft’s baroque imagination and outrageous use of language still manages to stand head and shoulders above the rest. A timeless master of the macabre and the true connoisseur of dread.” (Michael Marshall-Smith)

©2009 Fantom Films (P)2009 Fantom Films

What listeners say about The Shadow over Innsmouth

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great Rendition of Lovecraft's Story

Phil Reynolds did a very nice job on this story. Lovecraft can be hard to read at times, but Reynolds did very well with it. I had already read the story a few years ago, but wanted to experience it again. I'm picky about my narrators, but enjoyed this edition.

It's a great story, and definitely shows Lovecraft at the top of his form. If you have the time, I'd recommend starting with his earlier works and working through them. He is somewhat of an acquired taste.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Probably Lovecraft's best book

Would you listen to The Shadow over Innsmouth again? Why?

I have listened to 'Shadow' three times now since downloading it just a few months back- yes, its that good!
This is easily Lovecraft's best book, and the narrator does a fantastic job of bringing it to life.
Anyone who has ever spent time in a remote community where they have felt uneasy and unwelcome will certainly recognise the mood of the story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Shadow over Innsmouth?

The best moment in the book is the twist in the tale and I don't want to be a spoiler!

What does Phil Reynolds bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator delivers the prose with such skill and poise you are just carried along with him. His accent skills when needed are top-knotch.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made multiple shivers run down my spine.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Outstanding

I’m a huge Lovecraft fan, and this is one of the better reads of this particular story that I’ve found.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Not the best narrator

I love H.P. Lovecraft and The Shadow Over Innsmouth is one of his best stories. Unfortunately, this recording's narrator does not convey much if any feeling whatsoever in his recitation of the narrative, making it very dry, matter-of-fact-and dull.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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...My Introduction To Lovecraft...

Any additional comments?

As you may have gathered from the title of my review, "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" was my first exposure to any of H.P. Lovecraft's work. I am now a fan.

This is a GREAT place to start with if you've never read any Lovecraft before. Most people gravitate towards his most popular work, "The Necronomicon", but I would definitely recommend checking this one out first. This story is a nice way to slowly get accustomed to this author's style and overall weirdness before plunging in head first into The Necronomicon.

The narration performance on this audiobook is FANTASTIC. Phil Reynolds' voice fits Lovecraft's spookiness perfectly.

I was really impressed with this one. Buy it if you dare!

9.09 / 10.00

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I'a Dagon!

A fantastic reading of a bone-chilling classic. If you're at all curious about what lies in the deep, I'd highly recommend this.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One of Lovecrafts best...

If you want a grisly tail filled with atmosphere and subtly, look no further than a shadow over innsmouth. This books reputation as one of H.P. Lovecrafts most memorable tails is not unearned, and the performance of Phil Reynolds does this piece especial justice with his portrayal of the tale's fatally curious protagonist.

if you've heard of Lovecraft through his Cthulu mythos and would like to test his works for yourself, there is no better a starting point than Innsmouth, and this reading is of especial quality for the uninitiated.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • NK
  • 06-20-11

The Shadow Over Innsmouth

Very good book. I would have rated it 5 but I guess I have been biased over today's more graphic books of this nature. There were several instances where I got shivers while listening. Very enjoyable.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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A very good read

The story was thrilling and the plot was interesting. I was very happy with how it turned out. This book, though short, was worth the one credit.

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

Less Racist Than I Was Expecting

I think it’s interesting to listen to the works of someone who helped to launch and codify a genre even if you don’t personally like their style.

The story itself is a slow burn and the only real emotional stakes happen at the end (and, I’ll grant, would not have paid off without the setting and build up of the mythos within the story). It’s ultimately not very frightening, or even very creepy, but it does provide fuel for the imagination.

Lovecraft’s xenophobia is on full display in this story with references to non-white “races” always being pejorative. It’s not hard to make a connection between his deep discomfort with other people and the cosmic horrors of his work. I’m really glad queer writers and writers of color have taken over the genre.

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