OSR Review & Commentary On 'The Anatomical Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors' From Petersen Games by Luis Merlo

" What is the deep one skeletal structure? How does the byakhee hune organ allow them to travel through interstellar space? What organs and biological material makeup the mysterious and ancient flying polyps? "

"These questions and more will be answered in Luis Merlo’s groundbreaking scientific study of the anatomy, biology, and ecology of more than two dozen Lovecraftian horrors!

"Luis Merlo, a doctor from Ecuador, turned his medical knowledge to analyzing the many beings from beyond he had encountered. Knowing of Sandy Petersen’s knowledge and experience with such beings (being Cthulhu’s Van Helsing, if you will), he contacted Sandy with the intent to publicize and publish his esoteric findings. Unfortunately, through a series of mysterious events, Luis Merlo has been missing, but luckily his writings have been found and preserved to be published posthumously on his behalf."

'The Anatomical Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors' From Petersen Games by Luis Merlo,  is a system agnostic non game book that offers a slice of Lovecraftian horrors from an insider's perspective. The book is a Petersen's in universe book by a fictional  doctor/scientist from Ecuador whose gazed too deeply into the Abyss of Lovecraftian monsters. Right now its on sale from Drivethrurpg & over the last couple of years the book has popped up from time to time on Amazon. There's a fictional background for the book that Sandy Petersen has in one of his numerous videos on Youtube. 

'The Anatomical Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors' clocks in at a lavish hundred & fourteen pages of Lovecraftian monsters. We start with the Beings from Ib & these are given an interestingly indepth treatment covering a brief introduction, anatomical features, biology & ecology, development, & finally explorer's notes. We cover a weird & yet wide variety of the usual Mythos suspects. Starting with the beings of Ib & ending with Zoogs. The book's artwork is unusual & very well done. The text is easy on the eye, and there's some great pieces of monstrous artwork scattered throughout.  While there are no stat blocks per say there are some rather interesting break downs of Lovecraftian creatures & aliens throughout. This one volume has some great monsters in it. Stand outs for me were the starspawn, the moon beasts, the Great Race of Yith, the serpent men, the men from leng, and of course the Shoggoths, & many more. 

Sandy Petersen & his team turn out some really excellent games & rpg  books. 'The Anatomical Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors' From Petersen Games by Luis Merlo, isn't an exception. This is a great book if your looking for something different & unique on the perspective of the monster, its motives, biology, fears, and even weaknesses in some cases. 'The Anatomical Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors' brings home the horrors to you in an easy to digest format. The book is well written & dives back into areas that many monster books don't. 'The Anatomical Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors' is a solid book & has potential to introduce players to a completely different take on many of the usual Lovecraftian horrors & their ilk. Because its on sale I can totally say to grab it while it lasts. All in all the 'The Anatomical Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors' is a great book for the Lovecrafian fan & hobbyist.