Great Introduction to Robert Chambers

Robert W. Chambers is primarily famous for his supernatural horror stories, collectively known as the Carcossa mythos or Yellow mythos. These incredibly creepy stories were favorites of later horror authors like H. P. Lovecraft, who actually incorporated them directly into his own Cthulhu mythos. Also, Chamber's most famous horror creation, the titular King in Yellow, has recently been resurrected in True Detective.

First of all, this is a recording of the original 1895 edition of the King in Yellow. That edition didn't contain the complete Carcossa mythos since Chambers hadn't written it yet. And as many have already noted, only around the first half of this edition contains Chambers' horror stories. Around the last three hours, the stories shift from supernatural horror to love stories set in Paris. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but just know what you're buying.

Also, while I really enjoyed Stefan Rudnicki's very deep, baritone voice it may turn some off. Best listen to the sample first. With all that said, I'd ultimately recommend this as worth a credit. Enjoy!

27 people found this helpful

So bizarre

Would you listen to The King in Yellow again? Why?

I've listened twice and probably will again. Each story is so bizarre and sometimes confusing that I love trying to figure it out each time.

What other book might you compare The King in Yellow to and why?

I have no idea.

What does Stefan Rudnicki and Gabrielle de Cuir bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Stefan Rudnicki's voice is absolutely wonderful to listen to. In an almost punny way, his voice brings a great depth to the stories.

Who was the most memorable character of The King in Yellow and why?

I think I most enjoyed the character, who's name I unfortunately have forgotten, who gets lost in the moor and is saved by the young girl with the bird.

7 people found this helpful

Cosmic Horror . . . Romance?

The first two stories were very engaging. I quite enjoyed them. They kept to the cosmic horror theme so prevalent in H.P. Lovecraft stories. However, the last few stories were more akin to grocery store romance novels. It kind of ruined the mood and overall feel of the book as a whole.

2 people found this helpful

Great, different but great.

The series of short stories is great but has an odd mix of genres. From the dark to romantic.

1 person found this helpful

great story

great narration and the story is engaging. lovecraft is difficult to follow in general. I like the audio version.

1 person found this helpful

A tale of two books

What disappointed you about The King in Yellow?

The complete shift of story type in the second half. The first half of the book is a series of macabre short stories in the vein of Poe, but then the second half turns into a series of pointless romantic blathering about American artists in Paris' Latin Quarter at the close of the 19th century. I kept waiting for the stories to take a turn but they just continued to prattle on about pots of pansies and the inane interactions between the artists and their various crushes.

Would you be willing to try another one of Stefan Rudnicki and Gabrielle de Cuir ’s performances?

Rudnicki's monotone performance with little distinction between characters means I am unlikely to listen to something by him again. Gabrielle de Cuir only performed the occasional snippet of poetry at the beginning of a story. Basically a non-entity.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment. The actual stories around the fictional play of the King in Yellow were intriguing, but the rest was a waste of time

13 people found this helpful

A Terrifying, Yet Essential Read

The King in Yellow is truly terrifying. This is how you write cosmic horror. This collection of short stories is extremely pervasive and will permeate every fabric of your mind. “Carcossa” and “The King in Yellow” will replay in your brain like a parasitic thought. This is absolutely essential for any horror fan, or an admirer of the first season of True Detective.

Good but strange

This book was mentioned in another book I was reading. The creep factor of going mad from reading the book is what brought me to it and it really delivers on pure creep.

An interesting addition to its genre

I found that this novel certainly inspired many which came after. My only complaint would be the last couple of stories; the first few were excellent and chilling, though the last ones were just love stories and I fail to see the relevance they have to the king in yellow. Maybe I just haven’t gotten it yet but the ending was disappointing.

Evocative stories of strange lands, namely Paris.

Interesting ideas, solid writing, great performances. The thematic link between the short stories can at times feel repetitive, but the dark tone and flowery love are mixed well.