- Cats of Ulthar, A Tale Reimagined
- Written by Bruce Brown
- Illustrated by Thomas Boatwright
- Letters by Marco Della Verde
- Edited by Barbara Avon
- Cover art by Flavia Andreza
The Cats of Ulthar is a short story written by legendary horror writer H.P. Lovecraft in 1920. It is a tale of how a law forbidding the killing of cats came to be in a town named Ulthar. Over a century after the original story was published, readers can now bear witness to a dramatic reimagining of this beloved Lovecraft tale.
The subject of H.P. Lovecraft is a little contentious, given his pretty awful personal views. But there can’t be any doubt that his writing has become an integral part of our entertainment and pop culture. The influence is unavoidable, embedded in the DNA of our stories to the point that separating art from the artist has to be a consideration.
With that in mind, writer Bruce Brown takes a run at a prominent feature of Lovecraft’s stories, and the titular subjects of one of his Dreamlands tales: cats. In the original short, the town of Ulthar’s defining law is explained. In Brown’s reworking of the lore, he explores a contrast between the comforts of captivity versus the high cost of freedom. Brown spins a great fable, covering a lot of ground as a lord of cats tells his children the story of his grandfather’s rise to power.
The tone of legend woven from a misty past is reinforced by the gorgeous artwork of Thomas Boatwright. His illustrations would feel right at home in a collection of Aesop’s Fables, or any other assortment of fables tinged in darker themes. In all honesty, Boatwright’s work elevates Bruce Brown’s narrative, giving weight and emotion to an already heavy story.
For fans of Lovecraft’s stories and their legacy in horror/fantasy, Cats of Ulthar, A Tale Reimagined could be a great addition to the bookshelf. Available as a paperback and in a digital format for the Kindle, devoted readers may want to dig into their couch cushions for spare change to grab this one.
Final Score: 10/13
