From what I understand, William Hope Hodgson was a big influence on Lovecraft and it certainly shows! The book was written in 1908 to my suprise! It's a quick read that will leave you reeling. I looked on the 'net for copies of more of Hodgson's books and stories but I came up empty-handed! I'm dying to read The Night Lands but it appears to be OOP and collectable (i.e. expensive!).

Read on for a description of the book and a few SPOILERS:

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The story starts off with an Evil Dead-esque bang when a few hunters find strange ruins in a field in Ireland. They come upon a book in the rubble. Upon return to their camp one of the pair begins to read the book aloud and this leads us into the rest of the story.

Apparently, a gentleman bought the house (now rubble) and moved into it with his sister and dog. From that point on, the most bizzare things happen.

He is pulled from his very being, out into the space beyond space itself into a strange world of "Gods."
He finds an ancient pit in his gardens.
His house is attacked by swine-creatures.
He finds a bizzare trapdoor in his cellar.
After fending off the swine-creatures he is torn right out of time itself into the far future where the world is nothing!

I found this book quite compelling and very progressive in it's bizzare ideas. Considering it was written in 1908, it hold up very well. I found it bizzare and compelling even for my short, twenty-something, MTV-bred, attention span.

Anyone into dark fantasy-fiction MUST read this novel. As stated earlier, Hodgson's stuff is hard to find. I must start checking the local libraries!!

Matt

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Schlock Gazette