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aksel_dadswell's review against another edition
4.0
A very exciting read, which rendered some philosophical concepts I'd previously struggled with in an engaging and accessible way. Academic writing doesn't have to be obtuse or annoyingly dense and in fact I prefer it not to be, but there's a ridiculous and unfortunate amount of it out there. Thankfully, Peak's work is far from that. His writing is passionate and engaging without dumbing anything down, and he references a number of works - both fiction and non - that I'm either familiar with or eager to consume next.
Some sections/ideas could have benefited from a little more depth; the examinations of films and fiction were great as examples of whatever Peak was talking about at the time, but often ended after a short plot description. The connection wasn't confusing in any way but I would have liked to have been taken just a little deeper. Perhaps focusing on a smaller number of these, with longer on each, might have worked better. Either way, it still presents a very interesting perspective on the horror of philosophy.
Some sections/ideas could have benefited from a little more depth; the examinations of films and fiction were great as examples of whatever Peak was talking about at the time, but often ended after a short plot description. The connection wasn't confusing in any way but I would have liked to have been taken just a little deeper. Perhaps focusing on a smaller number of these, with longer on each, might have worked better. Either way, it still presents a very interesting perspective on the horror of philosophy.
lewishousley's review against another edition
5.0
Although I would have trouble shelving this in a "correct" section of a bookstore, it is profoundly disturbing, revelatory, and just plain good.
Providing a great quick tour of recent writing on the subject and providing wonderful summaries of recent narratives as well, Peak's work adds the human disaster of imperfect language to the discussion, while also elucidating other aspects of philosophy and art and bending them to his analysis.
While dark and horrifying, I nonetheless feel a little less lonely in the world, regardless of how I speculate the end to come.
Providing a great quick tour of recent writing on the subject and providing wonderful summaries of recent narratives as well, Peak's work adds the human disaster of imperfect language to the discussion, while also elucidating other aspects of philosophy and art and bending them to his analysis.
While dark and horrifying, I nonetheless feel a little less lonely in the world, regardless of how I speculate the end to come.
cosmicloser's review against another edition
5.0
I could not put this book down! I recommend for anyone who enjoys the horror genre (especially those who enjoy Lovecraftian themes). This book does a fantastic job of trying to define cosmic horror. Highly recommended.
alexanderp's review
5.0
Peak's book is an excellent overview of various themes of the "new horror" that has arisen in recent years that not only defines the genre of film and literature but the horror of existence in our post-modern culture. I am only beginning to become acquainted with the ideas that Peak touches on from Ligotti and Thacker, but luckily my background in philosophy gives me an edge here.
The idea that humanity faces our own extinction is not new and comes specifically from the horror of "the bomb" and how we can quite effortlessly wipe out all life on earth. What Peak is examining is how horror has become more and more defined by this fact, leaving behind some of its more well-known tropes. No longer does horror look to "what was" in ghosts and other artifacts of decades gone, horror instead recontextualizes itself with humanity coming to the realization that we will *never* know everything and we will never *know* all there is in the universe.
Peak does an excellent job bringing in the heavy hitters in this line of thought, including Thomas Ligotti and Eugene Thacker as well as Lovecraft of course. He incorporates various films as well as John Carpenter's Apocalypse trilogy that was begun by THE THING. Even if you haven't seen the films, he pulls out the events that are necessary to understanding his point in a concise enough manner that it does not take anything away from his points.
All in all, I believe this to be a must read of any horror genre enthusiast who is looking for some theory behind the genre and wants a quick synopsis of some of these more broad topics in literary/film criticism and theory.
The idea that humanity faces our own extinction is not new and comes specifically from the horror of "the bomb" and how we can quite effortlessly wipe out all life on earth. What Peak is examining is how horror has become more and more defined by this fact, leaving behind some of its more well-known tropes. No longer does horror look to "what was" in ghosts and other artifacts of decades gone, horror instead recontextualizes itself with humanity coming to the realization that we will *never* know everything and we will never *know* all there is in the universe.
Peak does an excellent job bringing in the heavy hitters in this line of thought, including Thomas Ligotti and Eugene Thacker as well as Lovecraft of course. He incorporates various films as well as John Carpenter's Apocalypse trilogy that was begun by THE THING. Even if you haven't seen the films, he pulls out the events that are necessary to understanding his point in a concise enough manner that it does not take anything away from his points.
All in all, I believe this to be a must read of any horror genre enthusiast who is looking for some theory behind the genre and wants a quick synopsis of some of these more broad topics in literary/film criticism and theory.
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