Asamatsu, Ken - Inverted Kingdom: Tales Of The Hidden Gods 2

The opener, “The Horror In The Kabuki Theatre” is the longest and most challenging work in this collection. Challenging because it is filled with names I was not familiar with. Aside from the artist Hokusai, most were playwrights and performers, along with a producer or two. The story explains how evil or misguided souls misused the theater to crack a fissure into another reality, allowing older gods a foothold back into this world. Fans of HPL will recognize this all too well. And hey! The titles seems like a riff on “The Horror IN The Museum.”
“Taste Of The Snake’s Honey” is a decadent stroll into drugs, slavery, debauched sex, and jaded attempts to relieve excruciating ennui. Our protagonist inherits his father’s international trading firm, as well as his father’s long time Shanghainese partner. All is permitted, including the corpse.
I imagine all cultures share certain taboos. Such as, no matter how cheap the rent, living next to the cemetery may not be wise. Or, once family members exhibit deteriorating symptoms, do not tarry departure. Of course, many horror franchises rely on individuals ignoring warnings, as does our hero in “Summoned By The Shadows.”
He is an overworked, unlucky taxi driver. As his wife spirals, he clutches the hope things will improve, that they will save enough money to move. Just a little more time.