Chaosium's Collections.

I've read a couple of these books, and if you want to see reviews of most of them, try here. Each book is devoted to one 'subject', for want of a better word. Thus, we have 'The Nyarlatothep Cycle', 'The Antarkos Cycle', etc. The collections themselves are pretty patchy, with some great stories mixed in with real latrine scrapings. The series editor, Robert M. Price, can really talk up the stories, and often gives out a whole history of the story, and the entire evolution of the concepts that the books concentrate on, down to the smallest and most obscure details.

The best of these collections I've read is called 'The Scroll of Thoth', which is a collection of stories by Richard L. Tierney, concentrating on the adventures of Simon of Gitta. Tierney combines the themes of BOTH Lovecraft and Derleth, and this fusion really hits the spot. Each story is well written, engaging, and, above all, fun. The stories are set in the first century, and most describe Simon's battles against the eeevil Roman empire. Simon the Samaritan is an ex-gladiator, and trained as a magician. He cuts up Romans with the best of them, and rarely uses 'magic' to get him out of trouble. He does, however, make good use of his training in both disciplines to kick some real ass. The stories themselves seamlessly blend actual historical fact, with plenty of action and Mythos stylings.

This book is helluva good. You WILL read this book.
 

RATING:
The Scroll of Thoth rates a whole coven of flayed cultists.