Book Review – Orphans of the Atercosm by C. F. Page

I have seen again and again that C. F. Page is our modern answer for Lovecraft, and for that reason I feel I should note I’ve only read one or two short stories of Lovecraft and therefore cannot tell you if that comparison is accurate or not. HOWEVER, what I can tell you is Page has a writing style I rarely see, and as such I would agree it is unique, intricate, and oddly poetic in a “this guy is losing me but I’m in awe, nevertheless” sort of way. And it’s here I should point out that I indeed felt confused at times during this collection, that I was not always following Page and the cosmic story he was telling. That being said, cosmic horror done right usually is confusing and/or bewildering, which Orphans of the Atercosm is, no doubt. The writing is a complex tapestry; the stories are difficult to define and perhaps even harder to retell with any justice; and the narration is that of someone suffering from both crazy and genius illusions of grandeur, not unlike a great mind being warped by the pull of a worm hole.

So, despite my occasional fumblings while reading this collection, I certainly enjoyed it and walked away perturbed and curious to go again. Maybe I’ll grasp it better the second time. Either way, I’ll be looking to add Native Fear to my #tbr stack.