Wrath of N'Kai Review
“The darkness rippled like a curtain. Shadows swam before her eyes and there were sounds in her head. Images like words, but no words she could possibly understand. And yet… understand them she did.
Tsathoggua en y’n an ya phtaggn N’kai.
The darkness unfurled and something emerged.
Something hungry.”
Wrath of N'Kai by Josh Reynolds, is the first in a new series of Arkham Files stories. I haven't read the novels released almost a decade ago, or all of the recent novellas released by Fantasy Flight Games. But, I was nonetheless excited to dive into the world of Arkham Horror. N'kai is an often under used portion of the Mythos when it comes to the Arkham Files games. Going into this book, I was curious to see how Reynolds would weave in the great lost realm into the narrative, and what exactly would invoke its wrath.
After a disturbing, eldritch fueled prologue setting the background and tone of the story, we are introduced to the newest investigator in the Arkham Horror Files. Countess Alessandra Zorzi, the Acquisitionist. The Countess spends her days as a globe-trotting thief, stealing occult objects for her clients, and a hefty sum of course, the latter of which sets her sights on the dreary and strange little town of Arkham, Massachusetts. She's been tasked with stealing a freshly exhumed body from a mound in Oklahoma, set to be displayed at the Miskatonic Museum.
Reynolds shows off his prowess at writing a truly intriguing main protagonist who plays it calm and cool on the surface, but whose fears always seem to simmer, just beneath the surface and at times, boil over. From the strange stone pillars and eerie low hanging fog of the Unvisited Isle, to the hustle and bustle of Velma's diner, as the story moves into Arkham proper, Reynolds brings every detail of the city to life and each locale drips with flavor fans of the Arkham Horror Files will likely go giddy for. The whole book carries an authentic feeling of being in the 1920's from the way the characters speak and their mannerisms, to more subtle details like the carpeting in the hotel stairway.
Once established in Arkham, Alessandra wastes no time getting down to business. Convincing her client to purchase her a ticket to the private exhibition of the mummy, she makes her way to the Miskatonic Museum. Before she's even finished her reconnaissance work inside, a gunfight breaks out and a group of robbers attempt to the steal the mummy. In the midst of the chaos, The countess peers into the figures eyes and is plunged into a Lovecraftian nightmarish dream state, followed by a harrowing escape out of the museum. Fleeing Arkham is impossible however, not only are the cops on her tail, but she's being followed by a strange creature cloaked in a black trench coat. With no other options available to her, Alessandra is forced pursue the robbers in the hopes of finding her prize and leaving Arkham for good.
As the story unfolds, Alessandra learns the true nature of Arkham and its inhabitants. We are introduced to many beloved Arkham Files characters in ways that feel organic and serve to enrich the story, rather than serve as fan service. The plot twists and turns at a roller coaster's pace, making this a hard book to put down. The supporting cast is well fleshed out and further helps to bring you into the eerie town of Arkham. I particularly enjoyed the scenes between Abner Whitlock, private investigator and insurance 'fixer', and Arkham's rookie cop, Tommy Muldoon. The dynamic between the hard-boiled P.I. Hellbent on convicting the Countess, and the determined officer searching for the truth gave this 'whodunit' story a great noir detective film vibe that I loved.
The antagonists, without going into spoiler territory, are highly skilled, dangerous and powerful entities whose presence is always lingering in the background. The aspects of the Mythos incorporated in this story serve the narrative and tone well, enriching the sense of dread rather than feeling hamfisted in for its own sake. There is a great amount of attention to detail made on the authors behalf to make both the 'Arkham files Mythos' and the broader 'Cthulhu Mythos' feel interconnected, and it really shows page after page.
Wrath of N'Kai has the makings of a classic 'whodunit' mystery with all the occult horror that is sure to excite any Arkham Files, or Cthulhu Mythos fan. The story is engaging with twists and turns along the way that will have you wanting more. Reynolds brings Arkham to life with the towns' rich atmosphere and skillfully crafted cast of characters. Wrath of N'Kai truly feels like a game of Arkham Horror in page form and any fan of occult horror would be happy to have this in their collection. Huge thanks to Aconyte Books for providing us an Advanced Review Copy (ARC).
You can pre-order a copy here. For additional info about this release you can go here.
