My Goodreads review: The Harbor-Master

[ankh_hpl]

The Harbor-Master: Best Weird Stories of Robert W. Chambers by Robert W. Chambers

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book is part of Hippocampus Press's The Classics of Gothic Horror series. As such, it does a real service to those wishing to read a bit more Robert W. Chambers -- without going too far into the weeds of his very mixed output.

An introductory essay by editor S.T. Joshi offers a biographical timeline & several insights about Chambers's weird fiction. Even those who don't usually read such pieces might want to make an exception: the essay itself is brief, & the information it provides is substantial. The tales themselves (arranged chronologically) vary greatly in theme & tone. Along with the cornerstone tales of the King In Yellow, there are subtly crafted ghost stories, fantasies with an Eastern flavor (yes, admittedly, these are dated), monster hunts, & historical horrors.

Chambers cannot seem to write women as actual human beings, & his male lead characters are very much of a type -- upper-class adventurers, or at least well-educated ones. His lyrical style holds up quite well, however. Those with an interest in the history of the American Gothic, or simply the King In Yellow, are likely to find this collection worthwhile.



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