On the face of it Lee seems like an author who is unlikely to write something truly Lovecraftian. His typical method of laying on sex and gore with a trowel seems at odds with Lovecraft's method of layering on fear in the form of a slowly encroaching doom. Would this effort prove to be yet another modern attempt at Lovecraftian fiction where the Cthulhu Mythos is merely a background detail? Or perhaps a convenient provider of antagonists, but not a provider of form?
In 1939, Foster Morley, a fan of Lovecraft, decides to take a bus tour that takes in the locations that inspired his idol's work. During the Massachusetts leg he discovers a small town called Olmstead, and this piques his interest: Olmstead is the last name of Lovecraft's protagonist in The Shadow Over Innsmouth.
Electing to stay there (mainly to satisfy his curiosity) he quickly discovers other parallels with the great man's work. Historically significant persons where changing one or two letters gives you the name of a character in Innsmouth. Ship vessels with similarly familiar names. A part of the town called "Innswich Point". It seems increasingly likely that the town of Olmstead was the inspiration for one of Lovecraft's most loved stories.
During his stay he discovers other oddities. Why are there so many pregnant women? Why are the local fishing spots, which the locals are very protective of, so incredibly abundant? Whatever happened to that nice man who was also visiting and staying at the same hotel? Foster's curiosity gets the better of him and he begins to unravel Olmstead's secret: perhaps Lovecraft's story wasn't just the product of imagination. What follows is a well-devised reinterpretation of the material in Innsmouth, with a smattering of other Lovecraftian influences (spoilerish: perhaps even some Herbert West material), blended with Lee's customary sick/sexual overtones.
Edward Lee is well known for upping the ante as far as sexual or gross-out content goes, but he does show some restraint here. Oh sure enough, there is a reasonable amount of sexual deviancy to be found, but less than what is present in his more recent mass market releases. This is a good thing, as Lee's control allows him to build the atmosphere gradually, in a reasonably Lovecraftian fashion. But rest assured if you like a little action in your Lee: though initially slow and measured in pace, this book's last third will get your adrenaline pumping.
So, yes, it's a good story, but does the package live up to it?
The cover is excellent, but I was a little disappointed that it had nothing at all to do with the story - except, that is, for being a vaguely Cthulhu Mythos-esque illustration for a Cthulhu Mythos-related novel. This is not a major annoyance, after all, it is a great cover (though the creature does look a little stoned don't you think?).
One thing that did annoy me a little though was the (at least) half a dozen basic typos. There's even one at the end of the very first paragraph. These are not present in the Cemetery Dance edition (as my spies have corroborated for me). Still, given easy access to an affordable version of this work, it's probably a small price to pay. And I'm probably just a fussy bastard.
Overall I found this an excellent read. Some of Lee's mass market releases, while entertaining, have annoyed me with some sloppy execution. No such problems here. This is a surprisingly controlled outing from Edward Lee; a must for all his fans and an easy recommendation to fans of Lovecraftian fiction.
4 out of 5 scalpels
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