Forbidden Knowledge: Two Tales of Lovecraftian Terror by Tony LaMalfa

Forbidden Knowledge: Two Tales of Lovecraftian Terror by Tony LaMalfa,$10.00, ISBN: 9781614984122, hippocampuspress.com

 Herein lie two tales of Mythos horror to show the talent of a new writer in the field.

In "The Place on the Floor" we meet Jonathan Charles Danforth, a student at Miskatonic University, who is hired to transcribe some passages from The Necronomicon for Andre Oswald, a controversial scholar, to aid in his research.

As Danforth follows his instructions, he does more than copy the selected passages. He becomes immersed in the entire work and begins having visions and personality changes that show his falling under the spell of the dark teachings of the book. Other elements of Danforth's behavior, Oswald's reason for the transcripts, and portents of things to come make an interesting story.

In the reefs and caves of New Zealand Myriam Delacroix followed her love of anthropology by studying a Maori tribe and their creation myths. She is retelling her adventure while a patient in an asylum somewhere in New England.

As her story unfolds, she relates how she went through the initiation into the tribe, including the tattoo on her back and her marriage into the tribe. Almost too late she discovers the secret is "If Only Skin Deep".

LaMalfa is off to a great start in capturing the feel of the Lovecraftian 1920s and 1930s. I think everyone will enjoy these two tales as we wait for his future offerings.