by H.P. Lovecraft (Author), François Baranger (Illustrator)
Arkham, 1933. Professor Dyer, a prominent geologist, learns that a scientific expedition will soon leave for Antarctica following in the footsteps of the journey which he himself had made in 1931. In the hope of dissuading the attempt, Dyer decides to make a full account of the tragic events he had survived, this time without omitting the passages which he had kept silent about on his return, for fear of being taken for a madman. Two years earlier, ships chartered by Miskatonic University had landed on the frozen continent at the start of the Antarctic summer, and the group of four professors and sixteen students set to work immediately. The expedition biologist, Professor Lake, left with several members of the team to follow a promising fossil track. After just a few days, he announced by radio that he had discovered astonishing specimens of an unknown ancient species, before stopping all communication after a terrible storm. Guessing the worst, Dyer went to their rescue the next day. What he discovered went beyond his wildest fears. In the illustrated AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS VOL.1, artist, Francois Baranger, acclaimed for his work as a concept designer for cinema and video games, has performed the incredible task of reimagining one of H.P. Lovecraft’s most classic and horrific tales into visual art― Landscapes of frozen wastes, unspeakable creatures millions of years old found in an abnormal state of conservation, strange geometric structures at the top of black mountains. Words cannot do the visuals justice. It is a book with images to pour over.
Editorial Reviews
Review
From the foreword by Maxime Chattam: Beyond his formidable talent for capturing images on paper, there is this enlightened vision of adventure, mystery and horror. Somehow, he manages to transport us onto the ice. Each spread is a journey; every turn of the page, a thrill. You will soon feel the cold.
About the Author
H.P. Lovecraft, born 1890 in Providence, Rhode Island, died 1937, was an American writer mainly known for his influential horror novels. Although he achieved limited success during his lifetime, his reputation has grown over the years. Lovecraft’s so-called cosmic horror touched on themes such as man’s inadequacy and the horror of the incomprehensible and indifferent universe surrounding us. With short stories like The Call of Cthulhu, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, and The Shadow over Innsmouth, Lovecraft laid the foundation of a mythology, which, over the years, has been studied and developed by a number of successors. The short novel At the Mountains of Madness is perhaps his most ambitious work, and has been on its way to the silver screen several times, without success yet. Lovecraft’s characteristic prose, heavy on adjectives, grand imagination, and his frantic storytelling technique have formed a school, and his legacy in popular culture is unprecedented. Along with Edgar Allen Poe, Lovecraft is undoubtedly one of the greatest horror writers of all time
François Baranger, born in 1970, is a multi-faceted artist and illustrator. He works primarily as a concept designer for films (Harry Potter, The Clash of the Titans, Beauty and the Beast) and computer games (Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls). He has also illustrated a number of book covers. In 2013, he wrote his first science fiction novel, Dominium Mundi, and in 2017, he wrote the thriller The Domino Effect. It was during his early years that he discovered Lovecraft, mainly thanks to role-playing games. Ever since, he has had a passionate interest in fantasy worlds in general, and for those created by a certain writer from Providence, Rhode Island in particular. After dreaming for years about seeing an illustrated version of Lovecraft’s works, Baranger finally decided to create one himself, and chose the most classic short story of them all, The Call of Cthulhu, first published in French in 2017 and translated into English in 2019. This is his second book based on Lovecraft’s work.
Product details
- Publisher : Design Studio Press (November 18, 2020)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 64 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1624650082
- ISBN-13 : 978-1624650086
- Item Weight : 2.05 pounds
- Dimensions : 10.5 x 0.5 x 14.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #25,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #5 in Conceptual Arts (Books)
- #10 in Digital Art
- #17 in Science Fiction & Fantasy Art (Books)
- Customer Reviews: 4.9 out of 5 stars 109 ratings
Lovecraft´s At the Mountains of Madness Illustrated by Baranger Revealed
Dreadful secrets lie beneath the ice, waiting to be discovered. Strange, cyclopean structures squat amidst the mountains towering in the distance, promising only madness to those who dare to explore their alien architecture.
Prepare to descend into madness. Free League Publishing and Design Studio Press have revealed an illustrated edition of H.P. Lovecraft‘s iconic story At the Mountains of Madness, by acclaimed artist François Baranger. The book is set to launch at November 24th and is now available for pre-order. All pre-orders will ship immediately.
At the Mountains of Madness, Volume I: https://frialigan.se/en/atmom
REVIEW COPIES & INTERVIEW REQUESTS
For review copies, please e-mail: info@designstudiopress.com
For interview requests, please email: pr@frialigan.se
H.P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness is one of the greatest classics of American horror literature. As the most ambitious story Lovecraft ever wrote, it has served as a source of inspirations for filmmakers and authors in the decades since his death.
The critically acclaimed artist François Baranger was fascinated early on by Lovecrafts works that explore the darkest corners of human imagination. After dreaming about illustrated versions of Lovecraft‘s works for years, Baranger finally began to create his own vision of the Lovcraftian horror. He has previously interpreted the classic The Call of Cthulhu which received international praise. Now Baranger is pushing the boundaries even further with his bold vision of At the Mountains of Madness.
The book is the first volume of two and is a hardback book in the huge 262 x 350 mm folio format, bringing Lovecraft’s horror to life with lavish, full-spread images.
About At the Mountains of Madness
Antarctica. A place of frozen wastes, desolation, and things best left forgotten. Explore the tale of William Dyer, a professor from Miskatonic University and the leader of an ill-fated expedition to that remote and forlorn continent. Recorded in a series of letters, Dyers tells a scarcely believable tale full of anomalous and often horrific events. The expedition ventures further than any other before them, and ultimately pays the price for it.
Live Q&A with François Baranger – Friday November 6th at 3PM CET
Live Q&A with the acclaimed artist François Baranger & Free League project lead Nils Karlén about the illustrated edition of H.P. Lovecraft’s iconic story At the Mountains of Madness: https://www.youtube.com/c/FrialiganSe
About François Baranger
François Baranger is a multi-faceted artist and illustrator. He works primarily as a concept illustrator for films (Harry Potter, The Clash of the Titans, Beauty and the Beast) and computer games (Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls). He has illustrated a number of book covers and written the two novels Dominium Mundi and The Domino Effect. Baranger has previously interpreted the Lovecraft classic The Call of Cthulhu.
Web page: www.francois-baranger.com
About Howard Philips Lovecraft
H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) is one of American literature’s most influential authors, a giant of horror literature and popular culture. Since the 1920s, his short stories and novels has spellbound generations and influenced countless games, comics, novels, records, and films. His reputation has grown over the years and he has been praised by among others Stephen King and Guillermo del Toro. Lovecraft‘s cosmic horror touched on themes such as humanity’s inadequacy and the horror of the incomprehensible and indifferent universe surrounding us. His characteristic prose, heavy on adjectives, grand imagination, and his frantic storytelling technique have formed a school, and his legacy in popular culture is unprecedented. Along with Edgar Allen Poe, H.P. Lovecraft is one of the greatest horror writers of his time.
About Design Studio Press
Design Studio Press is a Southern California–based publishing house with its fingers on the pulse of concept design. Founded over a decade ago by Scott Robertson, the press has stayed true to its mission to feature and partner directly with artists. With almost 100 titles and approximately 12 new ones released every year, Design Studio Press brings international attention to the field of concept art and educates future generations by publishing art and tutorials by world-renowned entertainment designers.
Web page: https://designstudiopress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designstudiopress
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DStudioPress
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designstudiopress
Free League Publishing is a Swedish publisher dedicated to speculative fiction. We have published a range of award-winning tabletop role-playing games and critically acclaimed art books set in strange and wondrous worlds.
Our game portfolio include the official ALIEN The Roleplaying Game (Gold ENNIE for Best Game 2020), the Nordic horror roleplaying game Vaesen, the pitch-black apocalyptic fantasy RPG Mörk Borg, the alternate ’90s Things from the Flood, the alternate ’80s Tales from the Loop (winner of five ENNIE Awards 2017, including Best Game), the sandbox retro fantasy Forbidden Lands (winner of four ENNIE Awards 2019), the postapocalyptic Mutant: Year Zero (Silver ENNIE for Best Rules 2015), the space opera Coriolis – The Third Horizon (Judge’s Spotlight Award 2017) and the dark fantasy game Symbaroum.
We have also published the art books Tales from the Loop, Things from the Flood and The Electric State by internationally acclaimed visual artist Simon Stålenhag, as well as the illustrated edition of the Lovecraft classic The Call of Cthulhu by the praised French artist François Baranger.
Website: www.freeleaguepublishing.com
Facebook: facebook.com/FreeLeaguePublishing
Instagram: www.instagram.com/freeleaguepublishing
Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/freeleaguepublishing
Twitter: https://twitter.com/freeleaguepub
Twitch: www.twitch.tv/freeleaguepublishing
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- At the Mountains of Madness product page
- At the Mountains of Madness press assets
- Free League Publishing Web page
- Design Studio Press
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Guillermo del Toro Reveals Horrifying At the Mountains of Madness VFX
GIZMODO | Tech. Science. Culture.
del Toro’s adaptation of the H.P. Lovecraft story was axed by Universal in 2011, but work still exists from the production.
By Linda Codega
Image: Free League | François Baranger
Last night, Guillermo del Toro dropped some VFX footage on Instagram from his canceled production of his adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness. The clip was created by Industrial Light and Magic, which demonstrates that he was pretty far along in the film’s pre-viz development, and was minutes away from starting to shoot before it got unceremoniously shut down by Universal Studios, citing both the R-rating and the 150 million dollar price tag. You can see the clip below, but be warned; the monster that appears truly lives up to del Toro’s best horror creatures. (It also, stunningly enough, matches up to Lovecraft’s own vision for the monster.)
Back in December of 2021, del Toro mentioned on Stephen King’s podcast that when he signed a multi-project deal with Netflix, he was given the opportunity to pull out some of his shelved projects including The Count of Monte Cristo and At the Mountains of Madness. He also mentioned that if he were to make Mountains now he would aim for a script that was weirder, tigther, and more focused. That makes sense! The del Toro of 2010 is a far cry from the del Toro of 2022.
At the Mountains of Madness is one of Lovecraft’s most well-known works, and it holds a special place in the horror canon. It is, thankfully, one of his least racist pieces of fiction, probably because of the setting itself; an isolated Antarctic exploration doesn’t really have a lot of the inherent social structures that occur in his other work.