At the Mountains of Madness Volume II – Review
Review copy provided by publisher
In the first volume of At the Mountains of Madness, the narrator William Dyer shared the first glimpse into his journey to Antarctica alongside other faculty from Miskatonic University and the other expeditionary team members.
He was hesitant to speak about the experience at all, but the prospect of another voyage departing to expand on the research and exploration made it paramount that he advised them against their current course of action.
What began as an academic journey descended into a dark and bloody affair as otherworldly events brought the expedition to ruin. But beyond a bone-chilling discovery and an inexplicable disaster, there was a revelation with the potential to change humanity’s understanding of the world’s history forever.
And it was in the bowels of an ancient and abandoned Antarctic city that Dyer and his partner started to rewrite the annals of life before humans.
That was where the first volume ended and the newly-released second volume began. Readers return to the ill-fated Dyer expedition in the remote wasteland of Antarctica and follow longer as the professor uncovers a never-before-seen world with cosmic implications. The fate of the survivors is unknown as they descend into the dark.
The Author
Photo credits: Free League Publishing
H. P. Lovecraft originally wrote At the Mountains of Madness in 1931, but it didn’t make its way into publication until 1936. In the 1930s, when Lovecraft wrote the horror novella, the continent of Anarctica was not fully explored so there was an aura of mystery surrounding the remote land.
There are narrative pieces that can be found in other works of his, but the science fiction bent to his writing and the horror of a desolate world like Antarctica blends together so well in this unique novella. And it has been further adapted numerous times since the original publication.
The first-person narrative carries the voice of a restrained academic in the form of Dr. William Dyer of Miskatonic University. The purpose of his writing is to dissuade a later expedition from following in his footsteps and falling to victim to the same horrors that he and his less-fortunate colleagues suffered in that frozen world lost to time. While the story starts with the slow methodic approach of an academic mind providing all of the initial context and explanation of an event, it progressively comes off the rail as all hope of a traditional disaster story dissipates and what’s left is unadulterated fear as Dyer shares the grisly and harrowing details of his expedition.
It’s a slow build to an insane climax and Lovecraft controls the pace perfectly.
The Artist
François Baranger has worked as a concept illustrator. He’s been involved with movies like Harry Potter, The Clash of the Titans, and Beauty and the Beast, as well as computer games like Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls. But his talents extend beyond illustration because he’s also published two books, a science fiction novel Dominium Mundi and a thriller—The Domino Effect.
But his involvement with these illustrated editions of popular Lovecraft stories originated from his personal love for the author’s work and his regret that no illustrated version had ever come out before. Prior to working on At the Mountains of Madness, Baranger started on this creative journey by illustrating one of Lovecraft’s most famous short stories, The Call of Cthulhu.
His art elevates these classic stories. The immersive scenes transport the reader into the traumatic experiences of the narrator and his companion. Sometimes it can be hard to imagine the scope and the sheer magnitude of what an author is trying to convey and when an illustrator executes their job perfectly it rips the reader into the pages and removes any doubt as to what they’re witnessing. Readers are able to suspend disbelief more rapidly and enter the world of the story.
Baranger has enabled diehard fans and newcomers alike to appreciate the same writing that has captivated him for years.
Why You Might Like It
If cosmic horror is an enticing proposition for you as a reader, then Volume II of At the Mountains of Madness ties together the disparate threads of panic that started to form in Volume I. It engages the reader in a thought exercises where humanity is not the pinnacle of civilization and true terror is always just over the horizon, waiting to spill into our lives and contaminate the illusion of safety and dominance through which we experience the world around us.
The breathtaking imagery from Baranger provides the story with a sense of depth and realism that would have been hard to imagine otherwise.
Why You Might Not
This is very much an academic exploration of horror. The writing, the pacing, and the mood are more cerebral rather than visceral. Studious rather than manic. At the Mountains of Madness invites you to slowly lose your mind, so if you’re looking for in-your-face horror, then you won’t find it here. This is a tale of creeping dread and existential terror.
If you’re in the mood for something with less weight and more gore, this won’t suffice. It’s not your standard horror fare.
The Verdict
There are books, board games, and movies that take more energy and focus to appreciate. The commitment is greater but the reward is deeper. I felt that way while reading At the Mountains of Madness. The story was originally written in 1931 and is full of academic observation, scholarly insight, and awe. The narrator of the chilling account shares the record of their perilous Antarctic journey with emotional restraint, avoiding hysteria and crafting a fear-laced cautionary tale where others might have opted for hyperbole and sensationalism.
What’s remarkable about the story is that if readers recognize the import of the discovery and the revelations shared, then that’s all the hyperbole and sensationalism needed. It’s utterly terrifying to consider the plot. So the slow and measured manner in which the narrator relays events underscores the very real existential crisis that is being revealed.
It takes time for the story to develop. The first volume sets the stage for something extraordinary and the second volume delivers a skin-crawling, gut-wrenching exploration of ancient horror.
Ultimately, I think this is the best way to experience the Lovecraftian tale because you are pulled into the narrative with the visual feast that Baranger offers. Each massive panel of artwork beyond the text evokes such strong emotions of wonder, mystery, and existential dread. How do you cope with realizing that at the end of the world is evidence pointing toward your own insignificance? Toward your powerlessness in the face of entities beyond comprehension and beyond compare? It’s one thing to look at these discoveries, but it’s another entirely to digest them and consider their import.
If you like horror stories, if you like beautifully illustrated narratives, then this is a great marriage of two masters in their respective arts.
If you are interested in At the Mountains of Madness, you can learn more about Free League Publishing or order the two-volume set from the Fria Ligan store.
What is your horror story? Let us know in the comments!