The Lovecraft Thread

Started by OmegaZilla, Jan 18, 2011, 06:33:16 PM

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The Lovecraft Thread (Read 178,967 times)

OmegaZilla

OmegaZilla

Discuss everything Lovecraft related here.

Back when last summer was running, I went to an "open" bookshop, on the lakeside. There, they had a copy of At the Mountains of Madness. I had previously heard of Howard Philips Lovecraft, a writer famous for his horror, supernatural stories.
I gave it a shot.
I was blown away. The writing style is unsettling and striking at the same time. The themes are just wonderful and leave you thinking a lot. After that, I bought a little anthology, in which there was The Call of Cthulhu. Another great piece of writing, even with its condition of being way shorter than the former novel. I loved it.
By Christmas 2010 I own the complete Anthology featuring all of his works.

And you?

Shasvre

Shasvre

#1
I've read some of the short story collections in my library, but that was a few years ago. I borrowed At the Mountains of Madness a couple of days ago though, but I have yet to read it.

OmegaZilla

OmegaZilla

#2
Three words:

Read it immediately.

TheMonolith

TheMonolith

#3
I first heard about Lovecraft in a book about famous Sci-Fi monsters. The author had an entire chapter on The Colour out of Space, citing it as his favorite. The monster sounded so creative and unsettling.
I didn't get a chance to read it until a few years ago (after seeing a few bad movie adaptations) and I loved it.
I soon read other Lovecraft classics, like Dunwich and Cthulhu.

Lovecraft has never really lost his impact. Call me crazy, but I prefer his stuff to Poe. Poe was more personal in his stories, focusing on closed in areas. Lovecraft's stuff often had apocalyptic potential, especially Cthulhu.

Lovecraft was a genius and his work is really unsettling and unique. No one has ever even done a mediocre imitation of it.

Deathbearer

Deathbearer

#4
Never really took an interest in Lovecraft's writing..

TheMonolith

TheMonolith

#5
I am re-reading Call of Cthulhu right now,
It really is interesting how Lovecraft can condense a story so well. Cthulhu is only some 20 pages long, but if adapted into a film, it would clock in at at least an hour and 40 minutes. It would be a great hour and 40 minutes in the right hands.

I would like to bring up one of my favorites. The Outsider. This is one of the saddest stories ever written, and I identify with the protagonist very well. Interesting given the ending of the story.

Nightmare Asylum

Nightmare Asylum

#6
After I catch up on TWD, I may want to read some of his stuff. What would you recommend starting at?

TheMonolith

TheMonolith

#7
With Lovecraft, you gotta start out with small doses. His writing takes some getting used to so jumping into an epic like Mountains, Cthulhu or Dunwich will not turn out too well.
I would suggest The Outsider and Pickman's Model as some good starting points.

Nightmare Asylum

Nightmare Asylum

#8
Quote from: TheMonolith on Jan 20, 2011, 02:28:36 AM
With Lovecraft, you gotta start out with small doses. His writing takes some getting used to so jumping into an epic like Mountains, Cthulhu or Dunwich will not turn out too well.
I would suggest The Outsider and Pickman's Model as some good starting points.

Would these be found as their own novels, or short stories in a collection?

TheMonolith

TheMonolith

#9
Each runs a little under 10 pages. You will find them in most Lovecraft collections but finding them online should not be a problem either.

Nightmare Asylum

Nightmare Asylum

#10
Quote from: TheMonolith on Jan 20, 2011, 02:40:10 AM
Each runs a little under 10 pages. You will find them in most Lovecraft collections but finding them online should not be a problem either.

I prefer to read on paper, so I'll probably try to find them in a bookstore eventually :) Thank you very much.

Blacklabel

Blacklabel

#11
Read The Strange case of Charles Dexter Ward and Nyarlathotep... loved them both.

i think i'll read In the Mountains of Madness next.. or Call of Cthulhu?

TheMonolith

TheMonolith

#12
I (and many others apparently) consider Cthulhu his masterpiece. I would save that one for a special occasion. That's just me though. Jump into whichever one you want. Mountains is his longest one if I am not mistaken.

Nightmare Asylum

Nightmare Asylum

#13
OK, I'll be sure to save Cthulhu :) Next time I'm in the bookstore for some TWD I'll see what I can find :)

Blacklabel

Blacklabel

#14
I'll read Cthulhu first ;) then Mountains...

also of interest for any Lovecraft fan... Alan Moore's Neonomicon wich i've been reading and loving.. is based on Lovecraft's mythos... and has a few interesting observations on what Alan thinks Lovecraft is really all about...
http://io9.com/5715527/this-wednesday-have-yourself-a-merry-cthulhu-christmas

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