About H.P Lovecraft
- Thread starter arcainia
- Start date
Anyone know where to get these books in America? I had a few but they were in my car when it got stolen and i can't find any of them anywhere. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
barnes and nobles. but hey! if that dont work try ebay, craigslist, or amazon. or just steal a car and hope there are books in there. at least thats what i didJester Lord said:
He released 50 or so stories and poems. The longest works he wrote are probably only 80 pages maximum.
Reading Lovecraft is an experience, you've got to get your mind in the game (so to speak) in order to wrap your head around the language, I find it helps to read it out loud if there's a section that just doesn't seem to scan.
Reading Lovecraft is an experience, you've got to get your mind in the game (so to speak) in order to wrap your head around the language, I find it helps to read it out loud if there's a section that just doesn't seem to scan.
I dont find literature in general scary. Its that i can read the vague descriptiuon of Cthuhlu nd look at drawings of him but he isnt that scary in print. On the other hand, if he really existed and i saw him tomorrow it would be a lot more traumatizing than if i saw a vampire.
Its the bleak disturbing hoplessness thats creepy about it. It seeps into your bones and makes you pray it doesnt exist.
Its the bleak disturbing hoplessness thats creepy about it. It seeps into your bones and makes you pray it doesnt exist.
Definitely a Lovecraft fan here. As much as I agree about rarely finding literature scary, I find some of his stuff, if read in just the right atmosphere or frame of mind, really works for some good chills.
My personal favourite story is The Haunter of the Dark, though all the ones previously mentioned are just as good. The Colour Out of Space freaked the hell outta me.
My personal favourite story is The Haunter of the Dark, though all the ones previously mentioned are just as good. The Colour Out of Space freaked the hell outta me.
The best part about most of Lovecraft's work is that he never really 'reveals' the monster until the very end. By the time he lets you know what you're dealing with, it's too late for the protagonist (I would not deign to call most of them 'heroes' - they rarely succeed) to do anything but gibber in insanity or send a warning out into the ether as they die.
I've only just gotten into His works, and so far my favorites are:
The Shadow Over Innsmouth(the story that first introduced me to him)
Cool Air
Herbert West -- Reanimator
The Terrible Old Man
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward(my most recently read)
Right now, I'm reading "The Shadow Out of Time".
The Shadow Over Innsmouth(the story that first introduced me to him)
Cool Air
Herbert West -- Reanimator
The Terrible Old Man
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward(my most recently read)
Right now, I'm reading "The Shadow Out of Time".
throwing in my obligatory two cents here....
first, to the OP: Lovecraft didn't write full length novels, only short stories originally published in pulp magazines...
second, i'd like to nominate The Dreams in the Witch House as his scariest work, and my personal favorite as well...
first, to the OP: Lovecraft didn't write full length novels, only short stories originally published in pulp magazines...
second, i'd like to nominate The Dreams in the Witch House as his scariest work, and my personal favorite as well...
I've read 6 or 7 of his stories, and they are pretty good for the most part. Cthulhu was kind of disappointing because of how famous that story is, but I still enjoyed it. I prefer a few of his other ones, with "Colour out of Space" being my favorite.
I really enjoy how he describes his monsters. So much of it is left up to imagination that it you get a wide range of artistic interpretations.
I really enjoy how he describes his monsters. So much of it is left up to imagination that it you get a wide range of artistic interpretations.
I'm going to skip rehashing the lists of recommended reads. Honestly, I think that if you're into reading something Lovecraft INSPIRED before hand, read a little bit of Stephen King.
I've just now started reading the Dark Tower series (on Wastelands right now), so I'm not well versed in his work, but he cites Lovecraft as his primary inspiration, so you may wish to give it a try.
Though I'll probably be ridiculed for suggesting this, Wikipedia is not a bad place if you just want to wrap your head around a piece of his mythos, first.
I've just now started reading the Dark Tower series (on Wastelands right now), so I'm not well versed in his work, but he cites Lovecraft as his primary inspiration, so you may wish to give it a try.
Though I'll probably be ridiculed for suggesting this, Wikipedia is not a bad place if you just want to wrap your head around a piece of his mythos, first.
I love the way Lovecraft writes and I own these books:
Thing on the Doorstep and Other Weird Stories [http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780142180037,00.html?The_Thing_on_the_Doorstep_and_Other_Weird_Stories_H._P._Lovecraft]
Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories [http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780141182346,00.html?The_Call_of_Cthulhu_and_Other_Weird_Stories_H._P._Lovecraft]
Dreams in Witch House and Other Weird Stories [http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781440616488,00.html?The_Dreams_in_the_Witch_House_H._P._Lovecraft]
All exceptional books that I recommend (between them they have most if not all of his short stories, with some of his longer ones). I would read Lovecraft, if for nothing else, because you won't see anything else like it. Some of my favorite stories were written by him. And, yes, while some of his works are predictable (ex: The Lurking Fear) they are still worth the read.
The only problem I have with him is that sometimes it takes a while to get anywhere and he kinda uses the whole "it was beyond insanity and undescribable" phrase a lot.
Thing on the Doorstep and Other Weird Stories [http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780142180037,00.html?The_Thing_on_the_Doorstep_and_Other_Weird_Stories_H._P._Lovecraft]
Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories [http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780141182346,00.html?The_Call_of_Cthulhu_and_Other_Weird_Stories_H._P._Lovecraft]
Dreams in Witch House and Other Weird Stories [http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781440616488,00.html?The_Dreams_in_the_Witch_House_H._P._Lovecraft]
All exceptional books that I recommend (between them they have most if not all of his short stories, with some of his longer ones). I would read Lovecraft, if for nothing else, because you won't see anything else like it. Some of my favorite stories were written by him. And, yes, while some of his works are predictable (ex: The Lurking Fear) they are still worth the read.
The only problem I have with him is that sometimes it takes a while to get anywhere and he kinda uses the whole "it was beyond insanity and undescribable" phrase a lot.
Don't feel bad, half of my English teachers haven't even heard of him either. I only found him by chance, but I consider myself very lucky that I did.arcainia said:
Theres also a Role-playing game (pen and paper) which is amazing, never have i lost so many characters in one night:
Example:
GM : So who was sleeping next to the windows on the train
3 of the group say they were
GM: Well your dead! gen a new character, haha fools!!
No warning no saving throws just dead.
Also theres a movie called Dagon thats very cool and gruesome, try and find it to watch.
And i happen to think without Lovecraft you probably wouldnt have people like Stephen King and Clive Barker writing today.
Example:
GM : So who was sleeping next to the windows on the train
3 of the group say they were
GM: Well your dead! gen a new character, haha fools!!
No warning no saving throws just dead.
Also theres a movie called Dagon thats very cool and gruesome, try and find it to watch.
And i happen to think without Lovecraft you probably wouldnt have people like Stephen King and Clive Barker writing today.