The Claw of Craving by Joseph Sale is a book that every fan of dark fantasy and horror should own. As an author, I choose my books carefully. Not just because I’m picky, but because every book has the power to influence one's perception, thoughts, and writing.
Sometimes I pick up a book and I worry. Will this negatively impact my writing? Will it discourage my process? It may sound silly, but I didn’t worry about those things when reading The Claw of Craving, and that's a good thing.
When it comes to books, I prefer classics over modern writing, which is why I love it when modern authors bring a piece of magic from the past into their current work. For those familiar with Robert W. Chambers’ The King in Yellow, you are in for a treat.
This book flexes its dark fantasy and adventure muscles, but also incorporates horror and eroticism, and Joseph employs all genres well. Often eroticism gets, well… to each their own. But for me, sometimes balance is better than shock, which is something this book understands. Things happen in this story, both gory and sexual, but they serve a purpose and Joseph never wallows in the mire without a good reason.
Like many protagonists before him, Alan Chambers' life isn’t going well. So, is a passage to the fabled city of Carcosa the answer? You’ll need to find out for yourself.
This is the first review I’ve posted to my “That Spooky Beach” blog, and I didn’t want to give away too many details of the story because I want you, the reader, to experience it from a fresh perspective like I did. When reviewing, I focus on the feeling the book gave me, the writing merit, and the value I gained from reading, and save the discovery for the next reader.
That being said, I encourage everyone to check out The Claw of Craving. This book is well written, exciting, titillating, and horrific. If you love beautiful sensory writing, have a penchant for cosmic lore, or feel as though you are something of an outcast fit for residence in a fabled city such as Carcosa, then this book is for you!
Grab your copy now! https://amzn.to/4bTsc0d
Comments