Danforth Eldritch Tales of WWII: Tomb of the Black Pharaoh Vol. 1 Review
Author: Christopher Michael
Rating: 9.0 AMAZING
What’s it about? In this Lovecraftian tale of horror and espionage, Tomb of the Black Pharaoh follows Robert B. Danforth, a former Miskatonic University scholar still reeling from the horrific events At the Mountains of Madness. Now part of the newly formed Office of the Coordinator of Information (COI) - the predecessor of the famed Office of Strategic Services (OSS) - Danforth is dispatched to Cairo to thwart a Nazi plot to recover the Talisman of Nephren-ka, buried deep within the lost tomb of Black Pharaoh. Said to grant unspeakable power, the artifact could tip the scales of World War II in the Nazis' favor. As Danforth delves into the ancient tomb, he faces cults devoted to Nephren-ka, Nazi occultists, and cosmic horrors that strain the limits of his sanity.
The Review
Danforth Eldritch Tales of WWII: Tomb of the Black Pharaoh Vol. 1 by Christopher Michael is a phenomenal book and love letter to H.P. Lovecraft. It’s an absolute gem and a worthy sequel to one of Lovecraft’s greatest works.
“The secrets I had unearthed in those frozen deserts haunt me; they were a constant reminder of the thin veil that separates our known reality from the darker realms that lie just beyond human comprehension.”
I’m admittedly drawn to books that invoke H.P. Lovecraft’s tone, which originally drew me towards Christopher Michael’s work. Danforth Eldritch Tales of WWII: Tomb of the Black Pharaoh acts as a direct sequel to The Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft. Christopher Michael does a great job of referencing the material without making it a prerequisite for entry. It will delight both die hard fans and newcomers alike. The book acts as a well-written memoire straight out of the late 1930’s. The author’s skill at pulling me into H.P. Lovecraft’s world is remarkable. I was enthralled from start to finish. If you dislike Lovecraft (first off, how dare you?!) but The Tomb of the Black Pharaoh will do nothing to convince you otherwise. It’s unapologetically Lovecraft. For what it’s setting out to do, it nails it in almost every way.
Our main protagonist, Robert Danforth is a detective and acts as the eyes and ears of the reader. Danforth is your grounded voice. Since he’s a scholar, he often had suspicions or asked questions I was already asking myself. To see the slow decent into the unfathomable through his lens, made him even more relatable. However, Danforth isn’t a blank slate. He has seen what lies beyond the veil in The Mountains of Madness and carries the weight of that baggage. He’s a brilliant choice for this story that brings a subtle depth to the proceedings. The book takes inspiration from iconic franchises like Indiana Jones but makes it feel much more grounded. The author pulls from Lovecraft’s work but places his own more approachable and macabre spin on things. There are even signed memorandums adding to the realistic approach to the story. The narrative drips with an otherworldly atmosphere. The author uses both well-researched world events and venues to his advantage. He twists the familiar historical references into something foreign and shrouded in mystery.
I usually take a copious amount of notes for every review. However, I was so engrossed in every word Christopher Michael wrote that entire sections of the book flew by without so much as a passing scribble on my pad. Christopher Michael’s writing makes the mundane, captivating. For example, “The midday sun blazed overhead, and a weariness, deep and all-consuming weighed down upon me. Yet, despite my physical exhaustion, rest eluded me.” In other words, it was hot and he was tired but couldn’t sleep. Christopher’s writing brought me into this seemingly mundane moment and forced me to feel that heat and exhaustion. It’s details like this that elevated the book for me. It’s brilliantly written and the authors talent is on full display here. Atmospheric horror permeates every page. The scene-setting is incredible. Cities like Cairo, Egypt in 1939, are brought to life with a mystique that not only provides some compelling reading but also pushes the narratives tonal changes throughout. The atrocities within this given time period aren’t glossed over, nor are the dwelled upon. The violence is dolled out sparingly and without glorification. I thought this was a great choice that worked perfectly with the more existential narrative. The story itself, is an oppressive one. After each reading session, my chest felt as though it had a weight on it. There’s the constant sense that something is bubbling just beneath the surface. I could see this bleakness turning some readers off but I relished it, leading to some very late nights.
However, it’s not all perfect as pacing jumped a little from time to time. Some journeys soak in the atmosphere while others seem rushed. This was especially evident in the second half of the book. The author thrives in the journey, which made some of the rushed sections more noticeable. Additionally, there were many redundant words and phrases that pulled me away from time to time. Overall, my criticisms of the book, to me, seem nitpicky and frivolous. The entirety of the story is top-notch but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the issues I had. Please take it with a grain of salt and don’t let it deter you from this amazing book.
Danforth Eldritch Tales of WWII: Tomb of the Black Pharaoh Vol. 1 is a gripping and fully-realized historical decent into madness beyond human understanding. I loved every second of this dark and twisted detective story. It’s all conjured from the depths by a true talent within the indie space. Christopher Michael has catapulted himself into my automatic buy list and I’ll be first in line for Volume 2.