The Dark Worlds of H.P. Lovecraft: Volume Five

Contemporary horror owes many of its plot devices to the original master of horror, H.P. Lovecraft, and this latest volume of his short fiction presents three of those classic pieces. While “The Haunter of the Dark” includes a good mix of ancient deities, dark cults, magical artifacts and interdimensional beasts, listeners will additionally enjoy possession, obsession and a bit of questionable sanity with “The Thing on the Doorstep.” But what’s a good anthology of sinister stories without a deliciously devilish haunted house (“The Lurking Fear”) to satiate listeners’ aural appetites? Continuing his role as narrator, June maintains the intensity from previous volumes. His deep voice adds a dark and brooding atmosphere to these dread-filled stories. His timing and delivery also enhance the experience for listeners anticipating chills down their spine. Though his male vocal characters are not entirely the same, listeners may have some trouble distinguishing them; his female vocals fall flat. Listeners will enjoy the more dialogue-based stories since Lovecraft’s prose can sometimes be daunting and bothersome to sift through. (May)