Scroll of Thoth: Tales of Simon Magus & the Great Old Ones (Cthulhu Fiction Series)
Richard Tierney is known for his weird poetry, his heroic  fantasy in the tradition of Robert E. Howard, and a critical essay in  which he emphasizes the role of August Derleth in elaborating the  Cthulhu Mythos. He has a sophisticated take on how to write fiction  based on the H. P. Lovecraft Mythos, tapping into Lovecraft's Gnostic  tendencies as well as his cosmic nihilism. The 12 tales in this  collection feature Simon Magus, the famous heretic and Gnostic from  the early days of Christianity. Magus meets up with Shub-Niggurath  (the evil goddess), searches for the Ring of Set, and has several  other dark adventures. Tierney is a fine writer with a special gift  for evocative descriptions of place, and he puts more effort into  characterization than is typical for modern Mythos stories. Robert  Price, as editor, provides a plenitude of background materials. In his  inimitably witty way, Price compares Tierney to other Lovecraftian  writers and places his fiction in a rich historical, religious, and  mythological context. --Fiona Webster, Horror editor