Cabals of Blood by Richard Klu

When I first read about Richard Klu it was here on WordPress. I had just started out and did some random searches when I came accross his blog. This person posting about writing and cosmic horror, inspired by H.P Lovecraft, I was sold from the get go. A few months later Klu put up a post about a book that would be free for a limited time on Amazon. So I got it. It has taken me a while to get through it in the last two months when I finaly decided to take it up.

Cabals of Blood is a short story collection of said cosmic horror. I have loved this trip through Richard’s world, but it comes with a few snags here and there. I will elaborate on it later in this post.

First I would like to thank Richard for this oppertunity to read his work, I also want to say that if I am a bit harsh near the end, please see it as constructive critism, I’m just trying to be helpfull towards future readers as a reader

The next step I want to take is to warn my readers about some spoilers. I have taken the liberty of saying something short about each individual story, bare with me through this, its taken me a whole month to get this far…

Cabals of blood

At the Tower of Midnight

https://wordaholicanonymous.wordpress.com/2017/10/24/at-the-tower-of-midnight-richard-klu/

I have done a seperate review of this story further down in my blogposts under Short stories. This was one of the first introductions to one of Klu’s cosmic beings. This one was called Ak’Thu’Sarm. I enjoyed the revisit.

Around Us

This was a an interesting insight into some one who sees things not everyone can see. I found it chilling and wanted more.

Ak’Ke’Kal

This was another introduction to one of the beings within Klu’s cosmos. Sounds like it might be a bad guy…

A Man’s Dolls

This is a tale that tells us that we should be carefull in what we wish for… Very creepy, but the main character got what he wanted.

Buzz

Do you think bees have souls? The premise of this storie is excelent but it’s downfall might come with some sentance structures and small spelling mistakes. A little bit of editing and this story could become a big thing.

Cities of the Unborn

In the Himalayas a mathematical temple to a being called Da’tet is being built by a civilization who speak in a language consisting out of a 1000 letters. Maths and I don’t go too well together so I got a bit lost…

Dearest Michelle

An insomniac brother writes a note to let his sister know of a race known as the Na’Kall, this was quite well thought out I felt.

Face in the Clay

Vageuly reminded me of H.P Lovecraft’s Pikman’s model. A horror befalls a pottery guy…

Fields of Q’Tel

In the country of Hollowsbee, being a Deacon is somtimes a hard thing or even a satisfying thing to do… Q’Tel be praised yaa’ll.

Fluorescent lenses

A guy discovers some truth when looking through shards of otherworldly glass. What will he do with his new invention?

Hounds of Ak’Thu’Sarm

Very nice short take on one of the creations of the being mentioned in At The Towers of Madness.

Deathly Muse

Quite a disturbing thought of what one would go through to fight writer’s block… Well thought out.

A Painted House

Some times when people say a house may be huanted, don’t try and renovate it becuase you have a baby on the way…

Spinal Entity

A person known as Howard decides to kill a cosmic being with old age…

Tentacles

A horror takes form on a ship some where around Cuban shores…

The Ambassador of Nature

Doc Giles has his work cut out dealing with a patient that claims to be able to talk to trees. This was a good one for me. Love how trees can threaten a human existance. Good job.

The first Star Children

Cosmic Whale a very interesting song sung for the Twins born from Ak’Tu’Sarm and Kre… This made me think of Clive Barker’s two vilians in The Great and Secret Show.

The People of the Nak’all: The Lost Thoughts of humanity

Doctor Squavell has a patient addicted to sleep. I can relate to this, but apart from me not remembering what I dream, patient Essis goes on discovery tours of different dimentions. Good story

The Third and Purple Layer

“In this place of twisted sanity violent violet vixens verify venerated vindications in the vault of Vicor near the void’s streams of shaded purple and lavender waters.”

Daaaaaamn dude, I got no idea how I understood that sentance, but it sounds good… I also had to read it a few times over…

I was wondering if there mightve been some V for Vendetta inspiration for some of the sentance structure ? The planet Ah’Beth sounds like a very coulorfull place…

The Tome of Al’Ka’Pet

Next time you go digging up excavation sites, make sure you pick people who are loyal to you…

At the Mountains of Gee

A revenge mission for a lost sister turns into a ritual killing…

Watchers in time

Strange floating eyes follow our writer’s actions throughout his life. What do they intend?

Blood drinkers of Kre

Two friends embark on a journey to find out about a certain cult in the desert of Mexico. It might be a dangerous endeavor, they might be in actual trouble… This was the last story and was quite a long one.

My review is as follows:

I liked some of the stories in this collection. Some were a bit difficult to make sence of. I do not know how difficult it is to publish a book and will be doing my rounds of questions in the not so distant future. What I want to say is that, if you do publish, do you have a proofreader go through your script, or do you just publish on Amazon’s site and hope for the best? The reason I ask is this: If some one did manage to go through it all and polish up some major spelling errors and sentance constructions, this book might have even been better. I am not saying I could write it better, what I am saying as a humble reader is, some parts needed to be reread to try make sence of what was going on. Simple things like; it was Bill’s as opposed too Bills, their instead of there… These are but a few examples. This is mostly where I had a problem with. I am no grammar Nazi, this is just an observation from my side.

All in all I do not regret reading this collection. The stories were great. Klu’s imagination is way out there and it is a great place to visit. Once again I would like to thank him for the oppertunity to read his work.

I will be trying to read his future works aswell if I can. I gave Cabals of Blood a 3 out of 5 on GR. I will include Richard Klu’s page for those that would be interessted in founding out some more. I also read this book and count it to my OWLs yearly challange. I read it for Defence against Dark Arts, becuase most stories consist of elements that not many people know of, making it perfect for “secret societies in a book”. I am happy with my Owls readathon so far. I have passed three subjects so far.

Hope you all have a great Saturday.