Noctuary and the Spectral Link
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Noctuary and the Spectral Link
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Narrated by:
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Jon Padgett
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By:
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Thomas Ligotti
About this listen
Chiroptera Press presents Noctuary & The Spectral Link by the legendary Thomas Ligotti, a consolidated volume of two horror collections, back in print after over a decade.
Noctuary is divided into three sections, following Ligotti’s introduction, “In the Night, in the Dark: A Note on the Appreciation of Weird Fiction.” The first section, Studies in Shadow, begins with “The Medusa,” blurring lines between fiction, metaphor, and reality. “Conversations in a Dead Language” chronicles a mailman’s Halloween nights leading to doom, while “The Prodigy of Dreams” features Arthur Emerson’s answered prayers to an obscure god. “Mrs. Rinaldi’s Angel” involves a child’s nightmares and dubious supernatural assistance.
Discourse on Blackness, the second section, starts with “The Tsalal,” an apocalyptic novelette set in Moxton, introducing Andrew Maness and an ancient power. “Mad Night of Atonement” presents a scientist’s invention channeling the Creator’s power, and “The Strange Design of Master Rignolo” follows a visual artist’s descent into madness. “The Voice in the Bones” evokes a surreal prison.
The third section, Notebook of the Night, features twenty vignettes exploring insidious exploits, esoteric rituals, and hymns to the void.
The Spectral Link, Ligotti’s most recent collection, emerged after his near-death experience. “Metaphysica Morum” channels the rage and despair of The Conspiracy Against the Human Race. The volume ends with “The Small People,” a poignant masterpiece exploring the uncanny terror of existence.
Narrated by Jon Padgett, a renowned voice in the world of weird fiction. Padgett, an accomplished author, is celebrated for his haunting narrations, particularly his work on Ligotti’s Songs of a Dead Dreamer & Grimscribe (Penguin).
©2023 Jonathan Dennison (P)2024 Jon PadgettWhat listeners say about Noctuary and the Spectral Link
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Shaun Rosel
- 26-08-2024
The beautiful prose
Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5 stars
Noctuary and The Spectral Link by Thomas Ligotti (Audiobook narrated by Jon Padgett)
Where to begin. This was my first Ligotti. And damn, it will not be my last. This was a fever dream of a reading experience. Comprising of 29 shorts, it’s hard to put into words what this book is about. These are not stories where you have the usual plot beginning, middle and end. There are no heavy character developments, with the protagonists (victims?) often remaining unnamed. These are snippets of dream sequences and nightmares. Don’t go into this thinking of the usual fare of storytelling. You will flow through these stories as if you floating on gently moving river. This book is an event, an experience, an epiphany.
Prose and Themes. Thomas Ligotti’s prose is something else. It’s very beautiful and poignant. I’m not the biggest poetry fan, but these words and phrases flow so eloquently, it’s what I imagine poetry enthusiasts feel when they are blown away by a beautiful verse. I would almost call it poetry in of itself. He makes the macabre and nightmarish subject matter of these stories something you want to be immersed in and never leave. The themes are always dark and existential. What happens to your soul in the moments after your passing. Purgatory worlds and hellscapes that end abruptly or never at all. I often found myself lost or out of my depth, not quite feeling smart enough to grasp the true meanings of stories. But I didn’t care. It did not detract from the wonderful experience I had. It’s something you just have to let happen to you. Is this horror? The subject matter certainly pertains to it. But it is not in the usual sense of horror. It’s definitely weird, which is one of my favourite ‘genres’.
The audiobook is narrated by Jon Padgett. His voice pairs perfectly with Ligotti’s poetic prose. His soft and leathery tones are gentle and guiding, as if a scholar is instructing you on the meaning of life. Or afterlife. Padgett and Ligotti combine to make one of the best damn reading experiences I’ve ever had. Luckily Padgett has narrated Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe. He has also just finished recording The Conspiracy Against the Human Race. So I have plenty more to look forward to.
If you have never read Ligotti, I wholeheartedly recommend doing so by audiobook. If anything I’ve described appeals to you, you will not be disappointed.
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