Tales of Nyarlathotep

Books of Cthulhu, Book 4

By: C. T. Phipps, David Hambling, Matthew Davenport, Eric Malikyte, Andrea Pearson, David Niall Wilson, David J. West

Narrated by: Gary Noon

TALES OF NYARLATHOTEP is the fourth book of the Books of Cthulhu series by Crossroad Press (Tales of the Al-Azif, Tales of Yog-Sothoth, The Book of Yig). It is an anthology featuring pulpy tales of horror starring Outer God and his myriad plots as well as games. Nyarlathotep is functionally omnipotent and treats humanity like ants underneath a magnifying glass. He is impossible to kill but perhaps capable of being thwarted. Or maybe that's just what he wants you to think.

Experience such stories as a redneck family dealing with their insane body-snatching ancestor, a resurrected pharaoh trapped in a museum, a depraved family of British nobles out to harness ancient forces, and a post-apocalypse town under siege by a an immortal gun-slinging god's avatar. Whether a hero or an ordinary human, none can triumph but maybe they can survive for another day.

This book contains thirteen chilling and adventure-filled tales by some of the best Cthulhu Mythos authors today, including Stoker Award-winning author David Niall Wilson (The Call of Distant Shores), as well as such fantastic authors as C.T. Phipps (Cthulhu Armageddon), David Hambling (the Harry Stubbs series), Matthew Davenport (the Andrew Doran series), Andrea Pearson (Mosaic), Eric Malikyte (Ego Trip), and David J. West (Let Sleeping Gods Lie).

Fans of Necroscope author Brian Lumley's Titus Crow series will also see the authorized first appearance of the titular character since The Compleat Crow!

©2023 C. T. Phipps (P)2023 David N. Wilson

An Elder Being that likes to play with humanity...

The fourth book in the Books of Cthulhu series, Tales of Nyarlathotep focuses on one of the more interesting members of the Cthulhu Mythos. Nyarlathotep is a completely different kind of elder being than Cthulhu, Yog-Sothoth or Yig, beings that don’t even think about humans, because they are so many fleas in comparison. Nyarlathotep is a little different. He too has power over time and space, but will deign to contact humans, mostly for his own amusement. These stories all focus on various aspects of that interaction, with cultists who try and bargain for power with him, ancient artifacts that could potentially open the world to his avatars, and adventurers fighting these forces of chaos. We even get a peek at an ancient ruler meeting the being in person (if that word applies to this kind of being) and showing just how one sided any deal you make with something like this can be.

These authors are all used to writing in this mythos, so take their established characters like Harry Stubbs, John Booth, Captain Cross, and many more, in a wide range of times and places. The world building is excellent, and the stories take place with the richest of upper crust nobility to poor farmers to mutant humans in a post apocalyptic world on the brink of annihilation. It leads to a great collection of stories that mix horror, adventure and even some comedy that should appeal to fans of the rest of the series, as well as fans of fantasy and sci-fi in general. I give it my highest recommendation.

A Great Pulpy Collection

4.5 out of 5 stars

I think one of my favorite parts of these collections from this series is the depth and breadth of stories that come out of it. I’ve read the other books in the series so far and each one has amazing stories from great authors. This one is no different.

Like the last collection, Tales of Nyarlathotep is on the “pulpy” side and I’m for it. I won’t dive into each story as I don’t have the brain power nor the memory to specifically do that, but each one made me feel a certain way. Some made me squeamish and some just had me wondering what was going to happen next. Each one had its own place and each one was building on that feeling I get when reading this series. (It’s a feeling I can’t exactly explain but it sort of speaks to an inner horror lover in me if that makes sense).

As I’ve said in the other collections, I’m a sucker for anything that Phipps puts out and this one was no different, and I love when he does collections like this because I get to discover other great authors (usually within Crossroad Press’s roster). But in a day of lots of noise when it comes to finding new authors, I love books like this to help me find someone new.

The narration by Gary Noon really stands out to me here. This isn’t the first book I’ve listened to that he narrated and it won’t be the last. He really helps bring life to these stories and it’s something you can’t take for granted anymore. A great narrator can truly take a good book and make it great.

Overall, as with the others – I enjoyed the heck out of this pulpy collection of stories. It had something for everyone and really felt like a “complete” collection (aka each story felt “needed” in this collection).

Tales for the followers of The Crawling Chaos

For many years I have enjoyed the Cthulhu Mythos and the different cosmic entities that H. P. Lovecraft and his circle and followers have created. Having that said, I have always have a special predilection for Nyarlathotep, due to the way this deity interacts with humanity.

Tales of Nyarlathotep offers the reader an interesting assortment of stories, from the funnier, to the horrific, passing through the pulpier tales, that highlight the different “faces” of the Black Pharaoh. Some of the tales included in this volume are tied to the literary universes of the authors included in the book, but even if you are not familiar with the adventures of Arthur Doran or the world of Cthulhu Armageddon, the stories are very easy to follow and thoroughly enjoyable.

I had a blast with this volume and I will be patiently waiting for the next installment in this exciting series.

Loved this collection!

a great collection from a standout group of writers. I highly recommend this along with the other books in the "Tales of" from Phipps, Davenport, Hambling, and more.

Best of the Series

This is the best collection in this series. If you enjoyed “Book of Cthulhu” 1 or 2 you will definitely dig this collection. Nyarlathotep is easily the most interesting and engaging of the Great Old Ones. It does actually notice humans occasionally, almost never a good thing for the noticed parties. There’s an absolute gem by Phipps, “Milk and Cookies for the Gentleman.