Just in time for the holidays, Free League publishing has launched Volume II of the illustrated version of H.P. Lovecraft’s At The Mountains of Madness. Once again featuring the artwork of François Baranger, it brings the classic story to a close in a brand new visual way.
When At the Mountains of Madness launched last year, we enjoyed it so much that our main ‘problem’ with it was having to wait for Volume II so we could see the story through to the end. Now, that moment has finally come, and it seems only fitting that it’s here as the weather around us grows colder and the nights grow longer.
In Volume II, which of course picks up where the first book left off, we continue the story of expedition leader William Dyer on your journey across the frozen wasteland that is Antarctica. He needs help because of the horrifying things he’s encountered there, but the remote nature of the location doesn’t help and the situation drives him mad.
It’s easy to tell why this has become such a classic within the (cosmic) horror genre, and reading it again with Baranger’s visuals makes us wonder why this hasn’t been made into a big Hollywood horror/suspense/thriller movie yet. A small UK production actually launched this year, but it was made on a shoestring budget during the Covid lockdown.
Baranger’s work this time once again transports us to that rarely seen frozen wasteland, mixing scenes of desolation with tense indoor encounters and horrifying monsters. Some illustrations are highly detailed, while others are intentionally slightly out of focus to allow our minds to fill in the details and feed the dread. It’s a great match for the source material, and a must-have for those who enjoyed Volume I. For others, this large 262 x 350 mm format book can also be picked up as part of a duo pack, which makes for a great gift for Lovecraft fans.
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