New Maps of Dream

Goodfellow (Cthulhu Detective) and the late Pulver (1955–2020, Darker Companions) bring together 19 memorable tales inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s lesser-known Dreamlands stories. Damien Angelica Walters’s ironically-titled “The Sweetest Little Girl in the World” takes the form of transcripts from therapy sessions between a no-nonsense psychiatrist and nine-year-old Lissa, whose sister met a mysterious fate and who believes she is able to visit a “dream place.” The clever form and prosaic language of the objective doctor makes suspension of disbelief easy. “Rust Red in Moonlight” by Kaaron Warren is another standout, told from the perspective of a self-harming college student who experiences disturbing visions while asleep. Also particularly well done is Philip Fracassi’s “Over 1,000,000 Copies in Print,” which centers on a book signing event for a young author who’s written about the near-death experience he claims to have had. Fans of literate horror and those looking to explore the far reaches of Lovecraft’s mythos will be pleased. (Oct.)