IGX

Lovecraft was the man!

The Call of Cthulu is one of the best short stories ever written. The sense of dread and age and things hidden below the surface is huge for such a short story.

Lovecraft was so delightfully racist too.

Compare and contrast to someone like Fritz Leiber or R.E. Howard.

I've been rereading some of the Howard and Leiber stuff. Both were such gifted storytellers. The Lovecraft tie-in is undeniable, especially with Leiber.

For the completist, pick up anything by Manly Wade Wellman if you can find it. His Silver John novels are an under-read treasure.

http://www.library.beau.org/lib/ebooks/baen/03/John the Balladeer/index.htm

Awesome. The "John the Balladeer" short stories are free to read here.

A lot of early HPL was truly awful, e.g. "The Hound."

When his horror became more "cosmic" and blended into SF was when it got good. "Call," "Shadow over Innsmouth," and "At the Mountains of Madness" all rock. ATMOM begs to be put on film.

IMO it's unfortunate that Derleth & Co. ran with it and produced a lot of utter shit, plus tried to somehow codify and explain the Mythos. Hey, they're ALIEN GODS, guys! They're not supposed to make a whole lot of sense!

Anyone who likes HPL should also check out Arthur Machen. "The Great God Pan," "The White People," etc.

Many thanks for that Wellman link. I love the Silver John stories.

Jack wrote:ATMOM 2010 del Toro directing. (as stated above.) rejoice! =D>

OH HOLY FUCK

DEL TORO + CITY OF THE ELDER THINGS

I THINK I JUST CAME

The Shafpocalypse wrote: I've been rereading some of the Howard and Leiber stuff. Both were such gifted storytellers. The Lovecraft tie-in is undeniable, especially with Leiber.

REH was great.

When I discovered Leiber's Fafhrd and Grey Mouser stuff I plunged right through it as fast as I could find it.