The King in Yellow (Tales of Mystery & the Supernatural) Paperback – May 14, 2010

Excellent. I particularly like the first story. Some of the later ones are more romantic and less supernatural (and lengthy).

A classic of "weird fiction" that everyone interested in that genre should read.

Great for an borderline entry into the horror like Lovecraft

While all the stories in the book were well written technically, and the author was brilliant in his creation of atmosphere. Some of the stories were off the subject, and the King In Yellow wasn't even mentioned. One story was essentially French Anti-German Propaganda, spawned by the French Defeat in the Franco-Prussian War. A war caused by French interference in Germany's internal affairs. Not Prussian Aggression!Over all, though I found flaws in the book, it was a most fascinating read. Some of the stories were truly awesome!

Heard that true detective season one was based on this book so I had to check it out

The last couple stories in this are out of place but honestly, the first 3/4 of this book is phenomenal and completely makes up for it. I got into Lovecraft before checking out other authors in the genre and several of the stories from this collection hit the same notes.

This collection of stories by Robert Chambers is an excellent companion to anyone who enjoys the Cthulhu Mythos and wants to delve into some of the inspiration for Lovecraft's fiction. Reading these stories was very much like stepping through a doorway into another dimension. The characters were well written and the plot was filled with madness and lurking horror. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

That's right: The King in Yellow and all of Chambers's work is available FOR FREE online, since it was published in the late 1800s. SO, bear in mind, really I only bought this book because I don't like reading from a screen. I'm not looking for a collectible book to pretty my bookshelf, just a means of reading it comfortably, and a cheap enough book for me to jot down some notes in the pages. For 5 dollars, I thought this worth the price and fit my needs well.I can understand the frustration over some reviewers with the lack of a table of contents, copyright page, and use of comic sans in this printing though.I think if you want a pretty, perfect book, definitely go for a higher priced option.Now on to my review of the writing: I will have to say, Chambers connects with me on a level Lovecraft does not. Chambers was an artist first, and many of his stories revolve around the art scene in the late 1800s. I believe he's anti-fascist as well, as he imagines a future America of 1920 under a dictatorship, complete with suicide death chambers and an inenviable arts program. His stories are simpler, easier to digest snippets of interconnected lives affected by the notorious fictional in-world play, The King in Yellow.There's plenty lacking, of course. Chambers doesn't write ENOUGH about his own lore for us to really get into it, and I say that as someone who doesn't mind vagueness in storytelling. Plus, some of the stories feel like first drafts and many are not horror at all, but bohemian love stories. Plot points don't come back as often, a few of them feel like they end abruptly before the payoff. Still, there's a lot of COOL ideas going on throughout, such as a mysterious, alchemic liquid solution a sculptor discovers that turns living creatures into marble, or the unreliable narrator perspective of some of his spiraling protagonists.His work is a quick read, he has very few stories unfortunately, and they aren't long or difficult to understand. I'm glad to know of them.Over all, for the QUALITY of Chambers's writing, I think this cheap little book worth the price, other than the free options available online. I don't know that I would want a collectible version of these short stories because, simply put, Chambers isn't the most prolific writer. Other than the novelty of The King in Yellow as the predecessor and inspiration to Lovecraft's Cthulu mythos, I don't know that these stories need more prominent bookshelf space. It is what it is!