HP Lovecraft

HP Lovecraft: Against the World, Against Life by Michel Houellebecq, translated by Dorna Khazeni, 119 pages

No one with even a passing familiarity with the biography of HP Lovecraft doubts that he was a man deeply alienated from his times, from humanity in general, and even from himself.   In these essays Michel Houellebecq argues that Lovecraft's discomfort with the world matured into hatred, and that Lovecraft was, in his own retiring, shabby genteel way, at war with modernity and all it implies.  Faced with world-historical forces that reduced him to insignificance, Lovecraft invented his cosmic horrors to simultaneously represent the ultimate sources of the personal and social dissolution which terrified him and the causes of its own eventual (but inevitable) doom.

This book was written before Houellebecq had himself become a well-known writer, and it is interesting, of course, to note the obvious differences and subtle congruences between his writing and that of his subject.  Both are appalled by the formlessness of the modern and post-modern world, neither is capable of the leap of faith necessary to find a solution in pre-modernity.  What is left to them, beyond horror and despair, except anger and disgust?

Mountains of Madness

At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft, 102 pages


Well I have finally done it. I have read some actual Lovecraft. None of this Lovecraftian horror stories or Lovecraftian tales, this is Lovecraft himself. I chose this work of Lovecraft namely because two coworkers recommended it as a starting point.

At the Mountains of Madness is about an expedition that travels to Antarctica to collect geological specimens. But what they find was something not of this earth. And that's all I can really say without giving too much away.

I really loved this book. It has everything you expect from Lovecraftian works. There is the dark building atmosphere. It has weird and unusual things, but not so far out there as to be unbelievable. But what really impresses me the most about Lovecraft's work is how he can make you see the things he is describing.

I would recommend this book to fans of Lovecraftian works and to everyone that likes a goo atmospheric horror story.

H.P. Lovecraft: Tales

H.P. Lovecraft: Tales by H.P. Lovecraft, 578 of 807 pages read

My dad would sometimes give me short stories to read as a child, and "Cool Air" by Lovecraft was one that always stuck with me. First, I hadn't read any Lovecraft since childhood, so I figured I'd revisit his works. Second, I also used to have a black cat named Cathulu (a feline appropriate rendition of Cthulhu) but I had never actually read "The Call of Cthulhu", so I felt like it needed to happen. Third, Lovecraft is considered one of the grandfathers of horror, and I have a special place in my heart for good horror. His stuff does, however, also have a sci-fantasy element to it.
I started reading this from the beginning, but then I started jumping around, reading different stories. After the first few, I honestly started to feel like each story was the same as the last. I didn't anticipate feeling this way. Lovecraft style and wording starting feeling too repetitive, which is why I didn't actually end up finishing this book. Some of the stories were also not very short, and seemed to just drag on for too long.
I enjoyed what I did read, and he definitely had a knack for creating elaborate scenes and describing in great detail the mythical beings he dreamed up for his writing. However, he didn't have enough in his head to keep from being repetitive.
I looked up Lovecraft's personal life as I sometimes do when reading an author I know little about, and I found that his works did not actually become the cult classics they've become until well after his death. He died a sad, lonely, penniless man. If only he knew how influential his work was and how many different ways Cthulhu would be referenced and drawn later on.
All in all, Lovecraft is essential for any fan of horror, and anyone who appreciates an author with a vivid imagination. Others who read his work might not find him quite as repetitive as I did.

The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories

The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories by H. P. Lovecraft, 420 pages

I started reading this book namely because I saw one of my coworkers reading it and was fascinated by the depiction on the cover. It is not often you see Cthulhu wearing a mustache and monocle.  I have never read anything by Lovecraft though I know who Cthulhu is, so it was with a very open mind that I started reading.

Of the eighteen stories, my least favorite was Herbert West – Reanimator and my favorites are The Hound, The Call of Cthulhu, and The Colour out of Space. I think my dislike for Reanimator stems from seeing the semi cheesy movie already and knowing what to expect. Or maybe with the movie storyline being the first I saw of it, the book made it feel more alien or something.

Most of the rest were quite good and left you with a small sense of undefinable dread. Not enough in my case to make me stop reading or to keep me up at night, but a vague feeling or thought the creeps into the mind under the right conditions.

The Lovecraft Anthology, Volume 1

The Lovecraft Anthology, Volume 1, Edited by Dan Lockwood, 110 pages
I've been reading a collection of Lovecraft's stories (to be blogged about later) and I decided to grab this while I was at it. It contains graphic renditions of 7 of Lovecraft's works (Call of Cthulhu, Haunter of the Dark, Dunwich Horror, Colour out of Space, Shadow over Innsmouth, Rats in the Walls, and Dagon), each done by a different illustrator. The content is, of course, greatly condensed, but still as eerie as the full versions. Seeing Lovecraft's odd creations brought to life as each artist visualized them is a treat, and much of the artwork brought back memories of reading Tales from the Crypt back in the day. A fun addition to any fan of Lovecraft's reading list.