Octopus

Name: Octopus
Price: 12.21 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780244454586

✍️ Matt Shaw

Reader Score

4.4

(1 review)

$12.21

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A model joins a lavish party to escape debt and accidentally awakens Cthulhu.

Jessica Ann’s financial troubles drive her to take a modeling gig at the Larsens’ opulent gathering. What begins as a routine evening quickly deteriorates into a terrifying ordeal. She becomes part of a scheme to rouse Cthulhu from his slumber in the South Pacific. The text explicitly notes the presence of sexual scenes and violent acts. This combination of personal desperation and mythological horror defines the plot. Shaw uses the Larsen party as the catalyst for this supernatural event. The story relies on the established legend of Lovecraft’s sleeping god rather than creating new entities.

Key Themes

Cthulhu awakening Larsen family party modeling career debt

Literary Context

This work sits within the American horror tradition, specifically drawing on H.P. Lovecraft’s mythos. It references the South Pacific ocean as the resting place of Cthulhu. The narrative engages with gothic and supernatural fiction conventions established in the early twentieth century.

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

H.P. Lovecraft · Thomas Ligotti · Ramsey Campbell · Lovecraftian Mythos

🐙

Cosmic Horror

🏛 Lulu.com 📅 2019 📖 272 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780244454586

📝 Description: Octopus

Matt Shaw returns to the cosmic horror tradition established by H. P. Lovecraft in his novel Octopus. The story follows Jessica Ann, a model facing mounting debt and career stagnation who accepts a job at the Larsen family's lavish party. This decision pulls her into an insane plot designed to awaken Cthulhu, the entity Lovecraft left sleeping at the bottom of the South Pacific ocean. Shaw structures the narrative around this descent from professional ambition into nightmare, focusing on Jessica’s entanglement with the Old Great One. The book contains scenes of a sexual nature and violence, which may not suit all readers. It appeals to fans of gothic fiction who enjoy stories where personal struggles intersect with supernatural threats. Those seeking light entertainment or avoiding explicit content should look elsewhere. Shaw qualifies his work by directly engaging with Lovecraftian lore, specifically targeting the awakening of a specific deity rather than general cosmic dread. The narrative does not shy away from the darker aspects of human motivation when faced with ancient power.

💎 Our verdict on Octopus

“

🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Shaw effectively utilizes the Larsen party as a catalyst for supernatural horror, structuring the narrative around Jessica Ann’s descent from professional ambition into nightmare. The work succeeds in blending personal financial desperation with the awakening of Cthulhu, creating a tense atmosphere where the opulence of the gathering contrasts sharply with the underlying terror. By explicitly engaging with established Lovecraftian lore, Shaw targets readers familiar with the sleeping god rather than those seeking entirely new entities. The inclusion of sexual and violent scenes ensures the tone remains appropriately dark and unsettling. While the reliance on existing mythos may limit its appeal to purists, it provides a coherent framework for the horror. It is best suited for fans of cosmic and gothic fiction who do not mind explicit content.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who enjoy the intersection of gothic atmosphere and psychological horror will find this title compelling. It appeals to those interested in how personal struggles, such as financial ruin and career stagnation, can intersect with supernatural threats. The narrative offers a focused exploration of human motivation when faced with ancient power, moving beyond general cosmic dread to target a specific deity's awakening. Fans of dark fantasy and true crime aesthetics may appreciate the gritty realism applied to mythological horror. This book is ideal for audiences seeking stories where professional ambition descends into nightmare, provided they are comfortable with explicit content. It serves as an entry point for those wanting to see Lovecraftian lore adapted through a lens of modern desperation and opulent decay.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Shaw effectively utilizes the Larsen party as a catalyst for supernatural horror, structuring the narrative around Jessica Ann’s descent from professional ambition into nightmare. The work succeeds in blending personal financial desperation with the awakening of Cthulhu, creating a tense atmosphere where the opulence of the gathering contrasts sharply with the underlying terror. By explicitly engaging with established Lovecraftian lore, Shaw targets readers familiar with the sleeping god rather than those seeking entirely new entities. The inclusion of sexual and violent scenes ensures the tone remains appropriately dark and unsettling. While the reliance on existing mythos may limit its appeal to purists, it provides a coherent framework for the horror. It is best suited for fans of cosmic and gothic fiction who do not mind explicit content.