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Thread: Some thoughts on reading H.P. Lovecraft

  1. #1
    Oliphaunt Rube E. Tewesday's avatar
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    Default Some thoughts on reading H.P. Lovecraft

    After decades of reading practically nothing by Lovecraft, I recently went on a bit of a binge (helped by the fact that just about everything he wrote is in the public domain and available for free on my iPad).

    I've pretty much hit my limit (I'll finish "Dreams in the Witch House" shortly, then I think that's it for a while.)

    Some thoughts:

    -- Lovecraft was way less afraid of dead Cthulhu than he was of foreigners.

    -- World's most boring drinking game: Read Lovecraft and chug everytime you encounter a line of believable dialogue.

    -- World's most dangerous drinking game: Read Lovecraft and sip everytime you encounter the word "eldritch".

    Anybody else have some thoughts about this Master of Horror?

  2. #2
    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    You know he is kind of dark and gloomy.


    I have his complete works but have only read one of his stories in the last 10 years. I will eventually break out that eldritch tome and start reading his stories.

  3. #3
    Oliphaunt
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    I read a collection of his stories once, haven't been motivated to go back and re-read anything.

    My general impression was that he's good for atmosphere and weak most other things (like dialogue and characterization, etc.).

    Still, the Cthulu mythos is a great contribution to the fantasy/horror realm. Would you want to live in a world without this guy? I wouldn't.

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    Aged Turtle Wizard Clothahump's avatar
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    Cthulu shows up in User Friendly, originally as a client and then later as an employee of Columbia Internet. Tech Support, even.
    Political correctness will be the death of our country.

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    Member Elendil's Heir's avatar
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    My college roommate was a big HPL fan, but I was never quite as taken with the author. I played the Lovecraft Call of Cthulhu RPG and liked it. Some favorite stories: "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" (which mentions my alma mater, Oberlin College), "The Call of Cthulhu," "At the Mountains of Madness," "The Picture in the House," "The Whisperer in Darkness" and "The Thing on the Doorstep." Even now, though, I think Lovecraft was better on atmosphere than dialogue, characterization or plots.

    His Wiki bio is worth a read, although I'm sure I wouldn't like him much in person (a very odd duck, and a racist, bigot and anti-Semite, to boot): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._P._Lovecraft

    Stephen King and Dan Chaon include Lovecraftian references in their work now and then. Hellboy shows a strong HLP influence.

    Lots of good stuff here, including two clever B&W short films: http://www.cthulhulives.org/
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 11 Apr 2012 at 01:51 PM.

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    Oliphaunt The Original An Gadaí's avatar
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    Ha, I thought the kid had started reading him already. My how time flies.

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    Oliphaunt Rube E. Tewesday's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by The Original An Gadaí View post
    Ha, I thought the kid had started reading him already. My how time flies.
    Heh, the kid has a good vocabulary, and can handle Tolkien just fine, but I'm dubious about Lovecraft. The dude is so atmospheric, it can be a struggle to figure what he's being atmospheric about.

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    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Clothahump View post
    Cthulu shows up in User Friendly, originally as a client and then later as an employee of Columbia Internet. Tech Support, even.
    Those were excellent strips usually.
    Quote Originally posted by Rube E. Tewesday View post
    Heh, the kid has a good vocabulary, and can handle Tolkien just fine, but I'm dubious about Lovecraft. The dude is so atmospheric, it can be a struggle to figure what he's being atmospheric about.
    Has he read any of the Heinlein Juveniles yet? Though clearly dated, those are made of awesome.

  9. #9
    Oliphaunt
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    Quote Originally posted by Elendil's Heir View post
    Stephen King and Dan Chaon include Lovecraftian references in their work now and then. Hellboy shows a strong HLP influence.
    I think I only picked up Lovecraft because of Neil Gaiman. (By the way, if anyone around here hasn't read "A Study in Emerald", you should. You can download it for free!)

  10. #10
    Oliphaunt Rube E. Tewesday's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by What Exit? View post
    [ Has he read any of the Heinlein Juveniles yet? Though clearly dated, those are made of awesome.
    No, I haven't seen him display much interest in S/F. His favourite juvenile reading is about baseball, no surprise.

    Of course, he's only 11, no telling what he'll get into.

  11. #11
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Rube E. Tewesday View post
    The dude is so atmospheric, it can be a struggle to figure what he's being atmospheric about.
    One of the more apt descriptions of Lovecraft. It's probably been seven years since I actually read anything written by him, but much of what I do read has been influenced by him. I enjoy that influence far more than I enjoy the original. I'll admit to borrowing heavily from him myself when I run RPGs. The mythos and that atmosphere is great. Trying to follow the narrative...not so much.

    Quote Originally posted by Orual View post
    (By the way, if anyone around here hasn't read "A Study in Emerald", you should. You can download it for free!)
    Ooh, thank you. *click*
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  12. #12
    Oliphaunt Rube E. Tewesday's avatar
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    OK, I've gone back to read a couple more pieces, including "Herbert West, Re-Animator", which is a way better title than story.

    Latest thought: If Lovecraft had been paid a dollar per racist sentiment, instead of a half-cent per word, he wouldn't have died in poverty.
    Last edited by Rube E. Tewesday; 09 Aug 2012 at 01:42 PM.

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