Zhaal was pretty darn good and it reminded me that I definitely need to dig deeper into the Cthulhu Mythos (is there even an official canon?). I definitely feel that I would have been better served if I’d read/listened to the first book of this series, although the recap at the beginning kind of brought me up to speed.
Wow. Just wow. Phipps does a pretty darn good job describing the indescribable horrors of Lovecraft’s world. I’ve had trouble picturing the assorted old ones, shoggoths, et al, in the past, but I was drawn into this world I’d never want to wake up in.
Narrator Jeffrey Kafer is very well suited for the role. I’ve enjoyed his performances of the D-List Supervillain books as well as Phipps’ own Saga of Supervillainy. He brings his trademark level of snark and believability to his reading–although this time around he’s definitely much more ominous sounding.
While I enjoyed The Tower of Zhaal I can’t recommend it for everyone. It’s dark, gory, and messes with your mind. If you’re a fan of Lovecraftian horror or post-apocalyptic novels then it might just be up your alley.
***Full Disclosure: I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.