tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7876216494183628999.post373386931077469235..comments2023-10-31T00:31:59.277-07:00Comments on The United Federation of Charles: The Burrowers Beneath reviewCTPhippshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04226189019351004118noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7876216494183628999.post-64453293032787594412016-11-30T21:20:50.077-08:002016-11-30T21:20:50.077-08:00In fact, I actually think Brian Lumley was a littl...In fact, I actually think Brian Lumley was a little too determined to do in the wizard. I always felt Lovecraft included the occult in his world because he wanted the universe to not strictly work in scientific principles because those were things he cherished in RL. Basically his universe has the horrors of evil deities and emptiness of strict materialism but none of the comfort of good gods or benefits of science. <br /><br />Overall, I do agree with you that the book really hurts with the introduction of the Wilmarth Foundation as they kind of leave our heroes hanging for stuff to do. While I still enjoy the book as a Pulpy adventure novel, I think it might have been more interesting to have Titus Crow and Henri travel after the Houseboat to deal with the Chthonians on their own. In my Call of Cthulhu games, if you find allies in your quest against EvilTM then the best thing to do to them is kill them off one at a time.<br /><br />Not let them do the dirty work.CTPhippshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04226189019351004118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7876216494183628999.post-5246476913129934632016-11-30T21:17:17.670-08:002016-11-30T21:17:17.670-08:00I generally agree with you there. After the incide...I generally agree with you there. After the incident with Peaslee, the heroes tend to be handed their victories. I think the book would have benefited from the pair starting on a new investigation after being warned by the blob-monster which was the source of their threat.CTPhippshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04226189019351004118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7876216494183628999.post-77525509532817840252016-11-29T17:56:14.825-08:002016-11-29T17:56:14.825-08:00Enjoyed the review, as I just finished this book. ...Enjoyed the review, as I just finished this book. I do think it was somewhat unfairly maligned - this book is perhaps one of the earliest versions of "adventure" Cthulhu, which is a worthy genre in itself (e.g., Laundry Files, Delta Green, etc.).<br /><br />That says, I agree with N. Logan in that Brian Lumley's plotting falls apart as it goes. The two main heroes lose agency toward the end of the book as Peaslee's organization dominates the narrative.<br /><br />Far too many revelations are told to our heroes by the supporting cast rather than uncovered through their efforts; major plot elements, like the magic clock, are simply conveniently "there" for them.<br /><br />Moreover, the major plot coupon in the series, the Derleth inspired Star Stones, while serving a useful purpose, are simply too potent and too convenient, especially once it becomes possible to mass produce them.<br /><br />The intersection of technology, magic, and psychology is interesting in theory, but its bounds are ill-defined and often come off as little more than conventional exorcisms; the justification for the use of holy water, in particular, fails to come off as anything other than silly. This is a shame, as every so often Lumley can get off some quite exciting psychic battle sequences with telepaths risking their sanity to hold off the Old Ones. Had he concentrated more on psi-powers vs. the tentacled hordes and less on conventional exorcism stuff it might have worked better, an approach Lumley would later take to good effect in his Necroscope series.<br /><br />However, the book is decently readable, and the combination of hard boiled Doctor Who-type scholar- adventurers fighting the mythos and winning with the help of secret societies, psychics and high technology appears to have been quite influential. It's not Cosmic Horror but it's valid in its own right.<br /> David Pulverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00857524962421597982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7876216494183628999.post-48236338346471538132014-06-21T04:20:42.041-07:002014-06-21T04:20:42.041-07:00I personally think this is a great book up to when...I personally think this is a great book up to when Crowe meets up with Peaslee on his houseboat. Then it starts to get a bit out of hand in my opinion. If Lumley could have kept the first half of the book going right through to the end then that would have made this an exceptional piece of workAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06667724041670161645noreply@blogger.com