H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Out Of Time

SFFaudio Online Audio

Uvula AudioIn June 1936 Astounding Science Fiction magazine published H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Out Of Time a short story that is the “single greatest achievement in fiction” (according to Lovecraft propagandist Lin Carter). Carter called it “amazing [in] scope and [with a] sense of cosmic immensitude” and that’s no small praise. Have a listen to it and judge for yourself. Let “the gulfs of time” open and, submit to “the titanic sweep of the narrative.” Embrace the adjectives! This story has a massive wikipedia entry all of its own.

The Shadow Out Of Time by H.P. LovecraftThe Shadow Out Of Time
By H.P. Lovecraft; Read by Jim Campanella
5 MP3s – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Uvula Audio
Published: July/August 2007
The story indirectly tells of The Great Race of The Yith, an extraterrestrial species with the ability to travel through space and time. The Yithians accomplish this by switching bodies with hosts from the intended spacial or temporal destination. The story implies that the effect when seen from the outside is similar to demonic or spiritual possession. The story is told through the eyes of Nathaniel Wingate Peaslee, an economics professor from Miskatonic University who is “possessed” by a Yithian. Peaslee fears he is losing his mind when he unaccountably sees strange vistas of other worlds and the Yithian library city. However, while he was experiencing a Yithian existence in earth’s ancient past, the Yithian occupying his body was experiencing a human one in the present day. But that was only the beginning of the horror…

Part 1 |MP3| Part 2 |MP3| Part 3 |MP3| Part 4 |MP3| Part 5 |MP3|

Here’s the podcast feed for Uvula Audio:

http://www.uvulaaudio.com/Books/Books.xml

Posted by Jesse Willis

13 thoughts to “H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Out Of Time”

  1. I appreciate the effort, and the music..but did we really need a total spoiler synopsis before it’s even read? And read in that pretentious whiny ass voice to boot? Audio Realms owns this dude..

  2. I’m sorry, I gotta say, horrid. Monotone, and lulling. The book is not so much read, as drulled out to the listener. A little personality goes a long way dude.

  3. I have to disagree. The strained, slightly incredulous delivery is perfect for this story and this is one of the best Lovecraft readings I have heard. I would like to hear this man reading At The Mountains Of Madness, if he’s got a spare month to record it.

  4. I understand the harsh comments on this audio book / podcast / whatever, and, to some extent, I agree. But it certainly carried me through what would have been a very dull day at work. That, and the fact that any attempt to record such an exhausting tale is due some degree of credit. Three out of five stars.

  5. I much appreciate anyone doing a free reading of any Lovecraft work. Particulary some of the stories (like this one) of which there exist less recordings.

  6. While my very sincere thanks and honest praise go to whoever takes the time and effort to record one of this writers truly great stories I have to say that I too found the narration quite dull. However rather than merely criticising the style in which Jim kindly decided to read the piece I want to ask why is it that it has become almost a generic convention to read stories of this kind ( Bierce etc.) in a sort of perpetual monotonic sigh? Where on Earth did the idea that those who lived in the late 19th/early 20th century themselves narrated stories in this way come from? I hate to be merely critical when I’ve not anything better to offer but surely the idea that all these stories have to be read in the same lifeless and (to be honest) insipid manner has to have had its day? Please, cant we inject some vitality into audio renditions of these very great stories? These are, after all, horror stories and not laundry lists.

  7. it sounds like the reader gets out of breath and is still forcing words out without any intake of air. hopefully, this technique killed him and we won’t hear any more readings like this.

  8. Wow, you people are douchebags. Someone works to prepare a FREE reading of a great story for you and all any of you can do is complain about the readers voice?

    To complain about something so subjective is disturbing; why should anyone do anything out of the goodness of their being for the benefit of others if everyone is ungrateful for it?

  9. I have to agree with mike! While it did take a bit on my part to listen to Jim’s rendition of this particular Lovecraft story, it’s a small price to pay for such a huge project that guess what- IS FREE you UNGRATEFULL ASSES ! The time and energy that goes into a project this large can be extremely overwhelming. I know I’ve done a few Lovecraft readings myself. You can always pull your heads out ot of your donkey holes and try it yourselves !!!

    I guess that’s the appreciation one must now expect in THIS ever growing ENTITLEMENT SOCIETY !!!

  10. I totally agree with Sam. The voice gets more and more upset and strained as it goes on, showing Nathaniel’s increasingly degrading mental state as he approaches the revelation of the thing he found. The closer he comes to recounting the horrible moment, the less buffered he is agaisnt the horror of its meaning…..

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