The Book of Hyperborea

Written for the pulps, these stories are not exactly horror, and not exactly fantasy, but some amalgamation of the two. Set in Hyperborea, an ancient northern realm of Earth before modern civilization, the stories are a bit reminiscent of Conan, in that many have a barbarian or warrior character, sometimes paired with a thief. Several stories are about obtaining a treasure only to be killed or maimed by the guardian of said treasure. The language is erudite and fantastical. But there is little characterization or deeper conflict, so I was occasionally bored by all the description and exposition. Still, these stories are what they are, weird fiction geared for a mass audience. I enjoyed the references to The Book of Eibon, the elder god show more Tsathaggua, and other bits and bobs picked up by Lovecraft. show less