I Am Providence
A Novel
Nick Mamatas
- 256 Pages
- August 9, 2016
- ISBN: 9781597808354
- Imprint: Night Shade Books
- Trim Size: 5.5in x 8.25in x 0in
Description
“An astonishingly timely book . . . The murder-mystery-at-a-convention is a venerable subgenre. The best of them combine solid mystery stories anyone can enjoy with a dash of in-jokes, cameos, and thinly veiled versions of figures in the field to assume those in the know. I Am Providence is among those best.”—Locus
An author's murder during an H. P. Lovecraft fan convention reveals dark secrets beneath the printed page in this biting murder-mystery satire. At the Summer Tentacular, murder is non-fiction.
For fans of legendary pulp author H. P. Lovecraft, there is nothing bigger than the annual Providence-based convention the Summer Tentacular. Horror writer Colleen Danzig doesn’t know what to expect when she arrives, but is unsettled to find that among the hobnobbing between scholars and literary critics are a group of real freaks: book collectors looking for volumes bound in human skin, and true believers claiming the power to summon the Elder God Cthulhu, one of their idol’s most horrific fictional creations, before the weekend is out.
Colleen’s trip spirals into a nightmare when her roommate for the weekend, an obnoxious novelist known as Panossian, turns up dead, his face neatly removed. What’s more unsettling is that, in the aftermath of the murder, there is little concern among the convention goers. The Summer Tentacular continues uninterrupted, except by a few bumbling police.
Everyone at the convention is a possible suspect, but only Colleen seems to show any interest in solving the murder. So she delves deep into the darkness, where occult truths have been lurking since the beginning of time. A darkness where Panossian is waiting, spending a lot of time thinking about Colleen, narrating a new Lovecraftian tale that could very well spell her doom.
Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.
Authors
Reviews
B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog, The Best Horror Books of 2016”
Mamatas is sharp but fair, never mocking Lovecraft fans, but pulling the veil reveals the complexities of fandom for the late writer.”
The Verge, The 11 best science fiction and fantasy novels of 2016”
A great choice for readers who enjoyed Matt Ruff’s Lovecraft Country; those who liked the dark humor, mystery, and speculative elements in Ben H. Winters’ The Last Policeman trilogy; and anyone who has ever been part of a fandom. The story takes an honest look at Lovecraft’s troubling legacy of racism and sexism and how it comes into play during this current revival in his popularity, but you can also feel Mamatas’ true affection for the author and the larger community of misfit horror authors.”
Booklist, starred review
Just what I'd expect from Nick Mamatas: sharp wit, biting but humane social commentary, and, for the romantics among us, a faceless narrator decomposing at the morgue.”
Matt Ruff, author of Bad Monkeys and Lovecraft Country
Dark and hilarious. . .I am Providence is that murder-mystery-in-a-writers-convention you didn't even know you wanted, but (like the human skin-bound book which propels the plot) you really must buy.”
Lavie Tidhar, author of Osama and The Violent Century
"The central murder mystery is enjoyable enough, but secondary to the laugh-out-loud skewering of convention culture, complete with mansplaining panelists, petty writer feuds in the dealer’s room, and the distinct odor of unwashed socially awkward nerds living in close proximity for a weekend celebrating their favorite (admittedly racist, overwrought) author. Mamatas doesn’t treat Lovecraft like a sacred cow and the ugly aspects of his worldview don’t get glossed over."
Tor.com
Mamatas provides a heartfelt homage to Lovecraft lore, perfectly captures the antics of conventioneers, and comments on the cutthroat politics of online publishing and the recent discussions of Lovecraft’s bigoted views.”
Publishers Weekly
Anyone who has ever skirted the world of obsessive devotees will find a lot to enjoy in this funny homage to horror and its leading practitioner.”
Library Journal
Mamatas knows his subject inside and out, and that makes I Am Providence all the more cutting. He's a fan himself, as well as a skeptic, and he turns his considerable authority and satirical skill toward skewering the subculture that's grown up around Lovecraft over the past century. . . . I Am Providence is pointed social commentary wrapped in a bilious in-jokebut one that's more than worth getting in on.”
Jason Heller, NPR
An astonishingly timely book . . . The murder-mystery-at-a-convention is a venerable subgenre. The best of them combine solid mystery stories anyone can enjoy with a dash of in-jokes, cameos, and thinly veiled versions of figures in the field to assume those in the know. I Am Providence is among those best.”
Locus
Its title taken from the epitaph on Lovecraft's gravestone, I Am Providence is vintage Mamatas: funny, compassionate, creepy, and satirical as it dramatizes the absurdities of fandom, publishing, and literary criticism.”
East Bay Express
This meta novel comes at the perfect time: Lovecraft is an author whose reputation has been under intense scrutiny lately, and it looks like a read that will be a perfect take on his legacy.”
The Verge
If you’re looking for a wacky summer beach read with a dose of horror and you love Lovecraft, I Am Providence will satisfy your abyss of cravingswith some hilarious and pointed jabs at Lovecraftian fandom.”
Fangoria
I Am Providence ended up being a smart, entertaining and truly one-of-a-kind experience, darkly funny and unexpected. Not to mention, very tentacle-y. I look forward to more from Nick Mamatas.”
The Bibliosanctum
"Mamatas's latest book is dark and funny, a fantastic mix of horror and mystery. It pokes fun at tropesboth meta or otherwiseand successfully skewers some of the more ridiculous aspects of the publishing industry."
LitReactor
Such a smart and fun book . . . it is very chilling, but the mystery is solid . . . This is a book that you need to add to your collections."
RA for All
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