At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft - Read by Richard Coyle
At the Mountains of Madness is a story told from a first-person perspective by geologist William Dyer, a professor from Miskatonic University in Arkham, a fictional town in Essex County, Massachusetts USA. When a new scientific expedition to Antarctica is announced, Dyer breaks his silence and discloses hitherto unknown and closely kept secrets about his own explorations of the continent and exactly what befell his own expedition. He details how his team found the preserved remains of 14 prehistoric life forms unknown to science and outside of the existing geological and evolutionary timescale. He goes on to recount how some of the men and sled dogs are killed under mysterious circumstances. Dyer and graduate student Danforth, subsequently explored a mountain range by plane and discovered a vast, abandoned stone city, which is alien to any form of human architecture. What is the secret of this ancient ruin? Can Dyer convince subsequent explorers to stay clear of “the mountains of madness”.
At the Mountains of Madness was written by H.P. Lovecraft in 1931. The novella was originally serialised in Astounding Stories magazine in the US. While considered by fans to be an integral part of the Cthulhu Mythos some critics have argued that the author was attempting to “demythologise” his earlier work. I do not hold with this school of thought but I do consider the novella to be one of the author’s best works. It has a cosmic scope of vision and its sinister tone hints at so much more than the immediate horror. At the Mountains of Madness has proven so popular there have been several aborted attempts to bring it to the silver screen, with names such as Steven Spielberg and Guillermo Del Toro associated with the production. In the meantime the 2010 adaptation by Ladbroke Radio productions for BBC Radio 4 Extra, offers a superb five part dramatisation.
Read by actor Richard Coyle and accompanied with ambient music and sound effects, this concise audio version of the novella is a brooding and atmospheric affair. Purists should note that this is an abridged adaptation but the story does not suffer in any way by having some of the descriptive fat paired away. As for Richard Coyle his narration is authoritative and emotive. His dramatic range is extensive and he breathes life into the descriptions of the Cyclopean ruins. He clearly conveys the confusion and fear that Dyer feels as he explores the hidden city. This is a concise and well paced adaptation that breaks the story into five parts, with each episode running approximately 33 minutes. It is a very accessible version of Lovecraft’s classic tale and a great point of entry into the Cthulhu Mythos for those who are unfamiliar with it. At the Mountains of Madness is currently available on Audible.
