Format: Trade Paperback.

Price: $20 US

Reviewer: Peter A. Worthy.

In 1999, Mythos Books, LLC published a small collection of tales and it rapidly went out of print such was the popularity of the material inside it. The collection? Ancient Exhumations. The author? Well, you can't failed to have guessed that he is Stanley C. Sargent. The production of that collection of seven tales is something that I regard as fantastic to this day.

The book's illustrations were done by several artists, all who volunteered their services such was their excitement over the material contained within; Daniel Alan Ross, Jeffrey Thomas, D. L. Hutchinson, Stanley C. Sargent himself and, yes, myself. I helped edit the book too, it was a magical experience for all of us involved with it, including Robert M. Price who wrote the preface; and more importantly encouraged Stan in his efforts, saw the promise in his early work. Why do I mention this?

Because despite the proverb lightning doesn't strike the same place twice, it did. The whole experience repeated itself with Stanley C. Sargent's new collection, The Taint of Lovecraft.

This time Richard A. Lupoff came along for the ride as well, who wrote the introduction. Robert M. Price was on board again, as editor and writer of individual prefaces for each tale. Along with the original artists came Allen Koszowski.

Taint contains more material than Ancient Exhumations, there being inside the shiny covers 9 tales, 9 poems and 2 non-fiction articles.

From the opening of the collection, to the last words of the contents you will be captivated with the sheer atmosphere that pervades Sargent's work. You have two of Stan's masterpieces, 'Nyarlatophis, a Fable of Ancient Egypt' and 'The Black Brat of Dunwich'. The first, a novella, alone is worth the $20 price tag of the book. The author has always had a love of history, that much is apparent in his output over the years. The historical tales are rich in detail and accuracy which shows the painstaking research and meticulous construction that go into each such work. It is from this love that D. L. Hutchinson took the idea for the cover art that adorns the book.

The second is a wonderful retelling of what really happened in Dunwich in 1928. The tale also won him an online award. It is rich in atmosphere and intrigue. Unfortunately, for the reading public, Robert M. Price wasn't aware of the tale when putting together his Dunwich Cycle for Chaosium. Now you have your chance to have this vibrant piece in your collections.

His work isn't all serious, there are breaks between his serious works, the tales, 'Live Bait', 'An End to Worry' - a thinly veiled tribute to Lovecraftian scholar, Will Murry, 'The Starston Text' and 'Double-Screecher'. This later being a tale with two textual levels that can be easily missed if you don't watch out for it.

Every piece is simply rich in detail, luring you on to the end line by line. Sargent is a literary craftsman who deserves wider recognition. His creations are like butterflys, delicate but beautiful.

This collection covers the remainder of Sargent's Mythos-inspired works, excluding his brilliant-cranky characters, Jeb and Martin, who are due in a later collection.

The artists haven't been short in lavishing their skills upon the tales, their visual tributes to the author's written excellence. This book is an absolute must for reading, you'll kick yourself if you miss the opportunity to snap up the book; for no doubt, like its older sibling, it will go rapidly out of print.