Over at Kirkus Reviews, the tireless John DeNardo gives us the rundown on the latest in Lovecraftian horror, including The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson.

In this haunting novella, Kij Johnson takes readers on a journey across a dream landscape reminiscent of Lovecraft’s weird and wonderful writing. The protagonist, Professor Vellitt Boe, who teaches at the prestigious Ulthar Women’s College, learns that one of her most gifted students elopes with a dreamer from the waking world. Because this student may be the only one who can save the community, Vellitt must retrieve her – a quest that introduces her to fantasy landscapes and creatures that should exist only in nightmares. Johnson’s enthralling tale is both a commentary of Lovecraftian fiction as well as an example of it.

He’s equally intrigued by Swords v. Cthulhu, edited by Jesse Bullington and Molly Tanzer.

Are you interested in Lovecraftian fiction and also stories that include swordfights? Well, co-editors Jesse Bullington and Molly Tanzer have just the thing to suit your taste! Their new anthology, Swords v. Cthulhu, crosses Lovecraftian fiction with swordplay. Readers are taken to various locales in our world and the Dream World to watch swordfighters take on eldritch horrors. Contributors to the anthology include Natania Barron, Orrin Grey, Jason Heller, Jonathan L. Howard, John Hornor Jacobs, John Langan, Remy Nakamura, E. Catherine Tobler, Jeremiah Tolbert, Laurie Tom, Carrie Vaughn, Wendy N. Wagner, Caleb Wilson, and many more.

He also recommends Lovecraft Alive!, a new collection by John Shirley, the novel I Am Providence by Nick Mamatas (which we covered here), The Private Life of Elder Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Keris McDonald, and Adam Gauntlett, and other deliciously creepy titles.

See John’s complete list here.

Our previous coverage of John’s articles at Kirkus includes:

John DeNardo on the Best Books of August 2016
In Defense of Media Tie-Ins (Part 1)
The Must-Read Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Horror in June
How to Start Reading Science Fiction: Short Stories
February Speculative Fiction Books You Can’t Miss
January Must-Read Speculative Fiction
The Best of the Best of 2015’s Science-Fiction and Fantasy Books
2015 Science-Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Holiday Gift Guide
Why I Love Retro Science Fiction
Five Reasons to Read Short Speculative Fiction Anthologies
A Quick History of Serialized Science Fiction and Fantasy

See all our coverage of the best new book releases here.