Well, I am at a bit of a loss about what to say about this book, or booklet, rather. Cthulhu 101 is probably aimed at collectors, particlarly collectors of comics rather than serious fans of HPL. Mr. Hite has found such renown as he has in role palying games. Perhaps (young) fans who have read a story or two, or are fond of Cthulhu comics, would really like it. It is a product of the comics company Atomic Overmind Press, and costs $8.95 for 124 pages. Note, however, the dimensions: 6,5 x 4.7", about the size of two index cards. The font is large and the page borders are also rather large for the contents. I finished it in less than 30 minutes and I read every word. Art was provided Drew Pocza, and did not rise above caricature drawings of Cthulhu; it was not as good as the art for Munchkin Cthulhu.

The first half is devoted to a light hearted romp about what is Cthulhu and the mythos. This is played heavily for humor which probably works better in person; I was at least frequently amused even if there were no belly laughs. Fans serious about learning about HPL and the mythos of couse will start with his stories and then those of the other writers of the various Lovecraft circles. If you want more informaiton than is available in the introductions to those books, particularly those by Robert Price, then seek out ST Joshi's The Rise and Fall of the Cthulhu Mythos and Daniel Harms' Cthulhu Mythos Encyclopedia. Mr. Hite wrote a brief critique called Tour de Lovecraft (which he, as expected, includes in a list of references here) which is more for the idly curious who are not interested in the work of more serious scholars.

The second half is basically a bunch of top ten lists or listing of the best games, music, visual media etc. Perhaps more space is devoted to games, comics and related media than is merited, but recall the author's roots. There is not actually much content about the contents of the lists. Here is where Mr. Hite is expressing his opinion only and I have a hard time not getting aggravated. Who am I to say he is not entitled to his own opinion, but for me his choices about the top 10 stories about Cthulhu not by Lovecraft, and the top 10 mythos stories not about Cthulhu, show me that he is not particularly critical or perhaps not very widely read in the genre. Also he includes novels in these lists, not just short stories. I cannot object to the inclusion of Final Draft by Annandale, but nothing by Pugmire, Conyers, McNaughton, Sammons, Kiernan, Pulver, Comtois and a dozen others? I liked The Deep Ones by James Wade well enough but it was a pretty weak story that has not aged well, better to me when I first read it in the 1970s than now. An Evil Guest by Gene Wolfe was a *terrible* novel, a very frustrating read. Did the Mr. Hite even read anything else? Is the novel Resume with Monsters by Spencer even Cthulhu mythos really? As I read it, HPL's monsters are used as metaphors in the mind of a man really going insane. It is excellent if depressing and dark, but in the end, Cthulhu is a figment. I liked the novel The Atrocity Archive by Stross, but isn't A Colder War his best Cthulhu mythos story by far?

Well, what to do? It isn't much dough, compared to a 48 page comic that costs $3.99. On the other hand, there isn't much here. Glynn Barrass wrote a chapbook published by Rainfall Books, a few years out of date now, that could serve as a better guide to books for collectors who want to read more Cthulhu mythos stories. I think Cthulhu 101 will hit it big as an impulse buy at comic book stores. ( )