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Carter & Lovecraft
- Narrated by: Ari Fliakos
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
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Publisher's Summary
Daniel Carter used to be a homicide detective, but his last case - the hunt for a serial killer - went wrong in strange ways and soured the job for him. Now he's a private investigator trying to live a quiet life. Strangeness, however, has not finished with him.
First, he inherits a bookstore in Providence from someone he's never heard of, along with an indignant bookseller who doesn't want a new boss. She's Emily Lovecraft, the last known descendant of H. P. Lovecraft, the writer from Providence who told tales of the Great Old Ones and the Elder Gods, creatures and entities beyond the understanding of man. Then people start dying in impossible ways, and while Carter doesn't want to be involved, he's beginning to suspect that someone else wants him to be. As Carter reluctantly investigates, he discovers that H. P. Lovecraft's tales were more than just fiction, and he must accept another unexpected and far more unwanted inheritance.
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Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Frae
- 03-06-17
A mistakes that worked out in my favor.
This book was not at all what I thought it was when I purchased it. What it is is a story of a hardboiled detective who inherits a bookstore, as a story hook. It starts a little slow, but once the chemistry of the characters starts, the story moves a bit better.
The lead characters are forced to hunt a serial killer, who is sort of uninspiring, but he is what propels the story forward. Just because he is uninteresting doesn't mean that I did not appreciated the story; some people are just uninteresting, and I find it believable that some characters can be that way, too.
My biggest complaint about this book is the narrator. Though his male voices are superb, and very much suit the genre, his female voices sound like husky drag queens. It was very distracting.
All and all I would recommend this book to hard boiled fans who have an interest in Cthulhu mythos, but not so much Lovecraft fans or purists.
62 people found this helpful
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- Map Diggy
- 06-03-17
Interesting ride
I'm not an HP Lovecraft reader, but from my outside understanding this book pays homage to the writings & genre. I enjoyed this enough to look forward to anything JL Howard may write about the Lovecraft universe in the future.
25 people found this helpful
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- Billage
- 01-13-18
Howard, Hardboiled
A bit Sam Spade-y for my tastes at first, but a story whose ability to evoke genuine feelings of discomfiture and actually give that creepy feeling that sits at the end of ones nerves. Let me riveted right through to the end. I got over the gum shoe stuff and it fit and grew comfortable. A fun read for a misty dank January day.
11 people found this helpful
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- Mary
- 03-04-18
Much better than I expected!
First of all, I agree that this isn't for Lovecraft purists but it's smart, well written with excellent dialogue and just the right level of creepiness... I might even say; other-worldliness. Anyways, the narrator is top notch. I believe that his struggles with Emily's voice is more to do with the writer describing her delivery and the narrator attempting to portray it. You get used to it, but it does indeed sound like a TV drag queen for the first few lines. The two things that knocked some stars off for me where the lack of development of the evil-doer and the bizarre plot change where Emily goes from vehemently and repeatedly telling Carter he should walk away, him just as vehemently telling her why he can't, to the exact opposite. Almost like the author forgot where he was and the editor was like "who will notice?"
All that being said, I truly did enjoy this book. I listen to audiobooks on my 40 min work commute and found myself sitting in the garage, waiting until a scene was finished, when I would get back home. Needless to say, I have downloaded the sequel.
10 people found this helpful
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- Wendy Bullock
- 06-08-16
If you love HPL this is a great escape!
Where does Carter & Lovecraft rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
One of the better adaptations of HPL. I enjoyed it, and will look for more of J.L. Howard's work.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Lovecraft the sharp, tough, and wry bookseller.
What does Ari Fliakos bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Great voices and timing that moved the story along.
If you could rename Carter & Lovecraft, what would you call it?
The Perceptual Twist: A Lovecraftian Mystery
Any additional comments?
I would not have bought this book on chance to read it, but as a lark downloaded it. Thanks!!!
10 people found this helpful
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- Dan T. Badger
- 02-18-17
Great for Lovecraft fans.
Takes the mythos seriously but with some good natured ribbing as well. Honest in its setups and payoffs. Great performance too.
6 people found this helpful
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- Michael Fromm
- 02-04-18
A big setup for the next book.
It was a novel length prologue. A good setup, but a setup nonetheless. The trend is to write a series of novels to tell a story, but each should hold their own. Still, I am intrigued to read on and see where the story and characters go.
17 people found this helpful
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- HarmonicaJay
- 12-30-16
We need more.
One of the core tenants of Lovecraftian stories is insanity. Not just outer gods and monsters, but that the world may not be what our characters think it is and that knowledge frightens our lead. In the case of Daniel Carter, when he inherits a business from a man he never met and meets the black female descendant of HP Lovecraft, an author he never gave much thought to, he finds that the world is not what he thinks. If you are hoping there are monsters and Cthulu peppered throughout this, you will be disappointed. But if you want a mystery that leaves our lead characters frightened and aware of a greater threat beyond this world, you should definitely look this book up. From the beginning I could not stop listening. Jonathan L Howard clearly understands HP's books and while he heavily relies on exposition here and there with a few history lessons, he presents it in a very engrossing manner. The only complaint I have is that the ending feels abrupt, but it's clear that there is more to be had with Carter and Lovecraft. I liked this book and Ari Fliakos' narration was great. Buy this book.
4 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 02-10-16
21st century Lovecraftian tale.
altogether good story. Not a huge fan of the ending as it seemed a little rushed. I would definitely recommend it to someone familiar to Lovecraft's work but someone who is not may have a little trouble getting hooked.
4 people found this helpful
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- Mark
- 08-20-16
Fun and Frivolous
Fun reading. Actually hope it turns into a series. The narration was great. Not too sure why all the negativity from some readers.
7 people found this helpful
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- Kindle Customer
- 04-01-17
all things you would expect from a Lovecraftian
this is not a tale for those looking to hear more about lovecrafts creations. instead it is a story that holds up on all its own. For those who haven't got around to understanding or researching the mythos, this book will be all the more brain raching chilling. leaving you feeling small, lost and insignificant in the grander scheme. I think not knowimg allows this story to be even more impressive.
for die hard Lovecraftians there are homeges to lovecrafts work, but mpst importantly this novel doesnt depend upon them. And for me, reinstills why I love the mythos so much.
4 people found this helpful
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- Napalmtheelf
- 08-18-17
one of my favs
As reviewers on Goodreads have pointed out, the world of books doesn't have enough Lovecraftian novels, let alone contemporary versions that manage to keep the reader intrested, but this book is one of the most worthy contributions. I've listened to it about twelve times now and its a great book.....as is the narration. The character development is fun and its hard not to like the main characters. They grow on you and you welcome it. And the plot contains some very original ideas which it always a bonus.
I will be getting the next book.....and anymore that come along.
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- Ruddy good student
- 10-30-18
Enjoyable overall
'Carter & Lovecraft' was my first foray into the work(s) of Jonathan L. Howard and I have mostly enjoyed this initial experience.
I really liked the first half of this book, which plays out like a crime noir infused with eldritch horror, as hardboiled private investigator Dan Carter becomes unwittingly wrapped up in a series of increasingly strange crimes that defy the very laws of physics. The first fifteen or so chapters of the novel are shrouded in dense mystery and otherworldly on goings that really kept me entertained!
As the book moves towards its conclusion however, it seems to get a little confused. For me, a number of the main revelations and reveals come too late and too close to the end of the story. Howard does not give some of his ideas the proper time they need to settle into his story and, as a result, lack the impact I think he wanted them to deliver. It is not the case that these plot points are bad, they are just not as well executed as many of the concepts that are introduced earlier, which are better mapped out and do develop over the course of the narrative.
I have read some complaints that the two main characters are a little insufferable, but I did not find this to be the case. Whether or not Howard intended it, Dan Carter ironically embodies many of the traits of detectives from hardboiled fiction that he claims to be unrealistic and unlikable, as Carter is often fast talking, sure of himself and emotionally unresponsive to normally traumatic circumstances. I especially enjoyed the machine gun style exchanges between Carter and Emily Lovecraft, during their first few meetings. Speaking of Lovecraft, she is certainly more two dimensional than Carter, but she does come alive during the sections of the novel where Howard only focuses on her and it should have been something the author did more!
Narrator Ari Fliakos was good, but not great. Some voices did bleed into each other (especially among the villain characters) and it could be difficult to discern who was talking at times. However, the main cast all have a very unique and individual performances, which is definitely most important!
Ultimately, 'Carter & Lovecraft' has done more than enough to read / listen to the second in the series and I will be interested to see how things play out here.
1 person found this helpful
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- Hazel A.
- 07-30-17
Accomplishes all its goals. A solid outing for Lovecraft fans.
It's not easy to write well in the Lovecraft genre, but this book manages to cover all the bases. A detective story that soon dissolves into a classic lovecraftian mind bender.
The reading is well accomplished and works well with the feel of the book.
Recommended to people who dream of a book that links monsters, maths and retired detectives everywhere!
1 person found this helpful
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- M. Atkinson
- 12-05-16
Did we do the right thing?
Part hard - boiled detective novel, part creepy horror, and entirely enjoyable. The reader nailed characterisation, the plot was pacey, and I am hoping for a sequel.
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- james
- 04-07-22
Great audiobook
interesting story and well narroated. I highly recommend checking it out. 5 stars 🌟
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- owen harkin
- 03-25-22
Reminiscent of some work by Mr S. King
From the Cabal series, to Goon Squad and now this book, the author has proven his versatility.
Obviously the talented narrators give different flavours to the work, but the material definitely seems to be constructed specific to each series.
This one I found to have echos of Steven King, the way he sets his characters and develops their environment.
I suppose all that waffle means, I liked the book and I shall be happily purchasing the next one presently.
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- Bob
- 02-14-22
Quite impressive
Ari Fliakos did a good job of performing this work.
There were a couple of comments about this work being not Lovecraftian. I am glad. Because I haven't read much of his work. But it didn't matter.
The plot was decent and the characters had, well, character. I enjoyed the tale. Although I liked the necromancer better for its humour I am not sorry I listened to this work
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- SKELTER
- 09-14-21
Cosmic Horror, done right.
It's rare to find a book or author that does justice to the works of Lovecraft, espesially as a full novel. This book is such a rarity.
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- Helenshka
- 04-20-20
Fascinating & Wonderful
Literally full of wonder and a fascinating take on the HPL lore, canon, and universe. If you are a Lovecraft fan give it a go. If you like a Detective mystery with a twist, give it a go. I am really looking forward to diving into the next book in the series!
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- Adelaide Swinhoe
- 07-17-19
excellent
really enjoyed it. ending a little weak. Ari Fliakos is a fantastic narrator. give it a go.
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- "davidpoppyfield"
- 06-07-17
Good story
God story and well written. Performance wasn't bad except that the female voices were not convincing. I kept getting mental images of men dressed up as women. The voices and intonation just weren't right, and I don't mean that I need a male narrator to speak with an artificially high voice to convincingly portray a woman. Whatever this narrator was doing, it just didn't work.