[.ca] Collected Fiction of William Hope Hodgson Volume 2: ... (ISBN 1892389401)

a wonderful visit to an earlier era of horror and fastasy:
as a teen i read hodgson's "the nightland" and "boats of the glen carrig" with the former impressing me strongly. i could never find "the house on the borderland" and was unaware of his short fiction. hearing of the release of hardcover editions of his collected works led to an enjoyable reread of "boats" and the short fiction in the 1st volume of the series.(also thank you to my teen son who suggested i seek out "house.") i preordered this 2nd volume months ago, and the wait was well worth it. "house" is a match for any work of fantastic horror (lovecraft, derleth, king, etc)and a book almost unbelievably inventive for its time. the short fiction in this volume is as much of a treat as what was in the 1st volume. the last story is a chilling comment on the danger of the western mind misunderstanding the thought processes of the east (certainlyly pertinent today) and all the short fiction has something to offer. this was strong work and is highly recommended.

Beyond genre fiction:
This odd, deeply atmospheric novel is undoubtedly the masterwork of the eccentric Edwardian English wrtier William Hope Hodgson. It presents the haunting story of an old recluse who lives in a weird borderland between ordinarly reality and unspeakable horror. The tale is presented through the experience of two friends who discover an old manuscript in the ruin of a mansion while camping in rural Ireland. The papers describe the strange visions and terrifying experiences of the recluse who, together with his elderly sister, was the house's last living inhabitant. The story is powerfully evocative of the different kinds of evil that can befall a human mind. It should appeal to anyone who likes Lovecraft or Poe, but goes far beyond the limits of the horror genre in its imaginative power and artistry.