Ligotti is an "interesting" writer (the word interesting being code for either a Victorian penny dreadful perversity or an hyper-realistic Lovecraftian atmospheric claustrophobia; the reader's preference being the key to which). Ligotti writes in a very dense, verbose style which would certainly be anathema to folks used to the likes of S. King and his contemporary ilk. Again, the reader's taste being operational. He has an ability to create an intriguing setting controlled by mad narrators and tends to return again and again--like the proverbial hound to its emesis [ἔμετος]--to particular obsessional imagery which makes one wonder about Mr. Ligotti's own psyche. The tales are well wrought which, unfortunately, do not come to a satisfying denouement; out of the two collections I read, perhaps three stories had what I felt to be a fulfilling conclusion.
So...
On another note, one wonders why Mr. Poling decided to post his rant on Goodreads instead of, say, the I hate This Guy site?
