Brian Lumley : The Horror at Oakdeene & Others : Arkham House 1977 : Horror

The Horror at Oakdeene & Others

By Brian Lumley

Published by Arkham House, Wisconsin, 1977. First Edition. 4000 copies printed. Hardback book with original dust jacket, 8vo, 229 pages.

PLOT
A hospital nursing orderly at Oakdeene Sanitarium is disturbed by one of his colleagues' evident sadism--and indulges an inmate's fascination with a book.

A man named Martin Spellman takes a job as a nurse at Oakdeene Sanitarium. Spellman hopes to become an author and plans to use the cases as inspiration for a book. Spellman becomes interested in a patient named Wilfred Larner, who became obsessed with occult studies, especially involving something called "The Black Book", This resulted in Larner becoming permanently insane. The Black Book is actually Larner's own translation of the Cthäat Aquadingen. Spellman begins to explore this translation.  

Larner asks Spellman to bring him a portion of the book called "the Sixth Sathlatta", calling it "a matter of justice". Spellman tries out this ritual, and dreams of the being Yibb-Tstll, a cloaked, winged figure. Larner begins to arrange a ritual with the help of several other inmates, while Spellman continues to dream of Yibb-Tstll.    

The ritual finally takes place, with Spellman cooperating under the control of Yibb-Tstll. A sadistic ex-nurse named Barstowe is found dead on the grounds, mutilated.  Five of the thirteen participating patients are suddenly cured. Five others, including Larner, are found dead.  Spellman himself is found insane and becomes a patient. 

CONDITION
A very good copy. The dust jacket remains unclipped and in very good condition with no tears, stains etc. The dust jacket is protected in a removable archival sleeve. The cloth binding is very good. Endpapers very clean. No writing or names to the book. Pages immacualte throughout. Overall a fine copy.

(GC4)