A decent collection of space and sci-fi based short stories inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos. Like many anthologies, it’s uneven. I was on the verge of giving up after the first few–the writing seemed awkward and unpolished–but I’m glad I stuck with it, as I ended up finding several stories that satisfied the itch for the dark, weird and cosmic.

Favorites included:

• Ada Hoffman’s “Harmony Amid the Stars,” a spooky tale of long-haul transit through the whispering regions of space.
• Dan Webb’s “The Comet Called Ithaqua,” offered a nice, eerie “toxic house” tale.
• Pamela Rentz’s “Lottie vs. the Moon Hopper” offered a strong working-class voice in a creepy space station.
• Orrin Grey’s “The Labyrinth of Sleep” offered a slow, mysterious build as we navigate a dreamscape, something difficult to do well.
• Sean Craven’s “Deep Blue Dreams” offered a spooky, narcotic tale of jellies and bliss.