"Lovecraftian" authors and all things related to the "Cthulhu Mythos" old and new.
Rating system: 1
or
1/2 
out of 5. is the symbol of the Elder GodsREVIEWS
"Fantastic literature cannot
be treated as a single unit, because it is a composite resting widely divergent
bases.
I really agree that Yog-Sothoth’ is a basically immature conception,
& unfitted for really serious literature.
The fact is, I have never approached
serious literature as yet."
- Letter by H.P. Lovecraft to Frank Belknap Long, 22 February 1931
On a regular basis I will
post a review of either a story, book, film, game, etc. by either H.P. Lovecraft or other
"Lovecraftian" authors and all things related to the "Cthulhu Mythos" old and new.
Rating system: 1 or
1/2 out of 5.
is the symbol of the Elder Gods
UPDATED: 05/07/2009
Comic Book
- "H.P. Lovecraft's Haunt of Horror" #2 of 3, Marvel/Max Comics -
Rating:
Comic Book
- "H.P. Lovecraft's Haunt of Horror" #1 of 3, Marvel/Max Comics -
Rating:
Book - At The
Mountains of Madness: The Definitive Edition, Lovecraft, H.P., Modern
Library Classics, Paperback, 2005, Introduction by China Miéville, Also included in this edition:
"Supernatural Horror in Literature" by H.P. Lovecraft -
Rating:
Book -
Rating:
Book - Fungi from
Yuggoth & Other Poems, Lovecraft, H.P., Ballantine Books, w/
illustrations by Frank Utpatel, Feb. 1971, Paperback - (Formerly Titled Collected
Poems) Although H.P.
Lovecraft is renowned more for his weird fiction, he was considered a
mediocre poet as his poetry was not as well-received as his fiction it is
often considered very amateur, however Lovecraft was an accomplished poet as
he often succeeded in attributing classical 19th century styles into his
poetry as he often emulated the styles of such writers as Edgar Allan Poe.
"Fungi from Yuggoth" collects most of Lovecraft poetical works
including his Early Poems, The Ancient Track, and Psychopompos.
Included within the thirty-six sonnets of Fungi from Yuggoth is the
thirtieth poem Background which is featured on Lovecraft's memorial
plaque in Providence, Rhode Island near Brown University. This collection of
poetry is excellent for any Lovecraftian fan and a pleasure to read, the
illustrations from this 1971 edition are interesting if not somewhat
armature, which range from the very simplistic and often comic book like to
the surreal.
Rating:
Film - "H.P.
Lovecraft's Re-Animator" (1985) Dir. Stuart Gordon, Starring: Bruce
Abbott, Barbara Crampton, David Gale, Robert Sampson and Jeffrey Combs, Color,
86 min, Not Rated, Anchor Bay Entertainment - One of the most well known and
infamous Lovecraft adaptations "Re-animator" is based on the short
story "Herbert West – Reanimator" (1922), a Frankenstein-esque
tale where a promising young medical student discovers the ability to
reanimate the dead. Stuart Gordon's film is considered by most Lovecraft
film fans to be the best and the worst Lovecraft adaptation, while keeping somewhat
close to the original story but setting it in modern times. The filmmakers
either intentionally or unintentionally made an outrageous horror comedy
which although contain explicit scenes of nudity, gore and violence, it has
a surprising amount of camp humor. Since its release, actor Jeffrey Combs (Herbert
West) has become a cult horror figure appearing in two sequels and various
other horror films. For the serious Lovecraft fan this film could be seen as
an awful travesty however, for most with a sense of humor it is a delightful
and entertaining movie which will have you cheering at every blood-gushing
moment!
Rating:
Book - Mother Hydra's Mythos
Rhymes, by Jarred W. Wallace, Illustrations by Heather Hudson, Armitage
House, June 2006 - This is a humorous collection of Lovecraftian-like poems
and songs in the guise of children's nursery rhymes such as
"Dagon" Sung to the tune of "Bingo", "Great Cthulhu
Had a Cult" sung to "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" and "The
Great Old One" sung to "The Muffin Man". There's even
"My First Mythos Alphabet" which is similar to a previous attempt
to parody the Mythos such as "Baby's First Mythos" by C.J. and
Erica Henderson (Z-Man Games, 2003). This is devilishly amusing parody and
great for a little Lovecraftian fun for the fan who ca appreciate a good
joke.
Rating:
Graphic Novel - Graphic
Classics: H.P. Lovecraft, Volume 4, Second Edition, 2007, Eureka
Productions, Edited by Tom Pomplun - This is a graphic novel
collection from various writers and artists in the comics industry such as
Simon Gane, Pedro Lopez, Matt Howarth and Richard Corben of adaptations of
such H.P. Lovecraft stories as "The Shadow Over Innsmouth",
Herbert West: Reanimator", "Dreams in the Witch-House", and
"The Shadow Out of Time". With fantastic illustrations and
impressive adaptations of Lovecraft's work, this collection is a perfect
melding of Lovecraft's writing and graphic art.
Rating:
Book - Nameless Cults: The
Cthulhu Mythos Fiction of Robert E. Howard Edited by Robert M. Price,
Chaosium, Inc., October 2001 - Robert E. Howard, better known as the creator
of "Conan: The Barbarian" was a frequent friend and correspondence
of H.P. Lovecraft. This book collects all the stories of Howard and his own
Cthulhu Mythos tales including his creation of The Black Book (Nameless
Cults, Unaussprechlichen Kulten) and Friedrich Von Juntz, which
became a pivotal part of the mythos.
Rating:
Reference
Book - A Cthulhu Mythos
Bibliography & Concordance by Chris Jarocha-Ernst,
Armitage House, March 1999 - A comprehensive guide to all books and stories
related to H.P. Lovecraft's world and the mythos he created including all
those who followed and contributed to it. This book includes a complete
bibliography which includes over 2600 titles, A complete concordance,
listing all characters, names, creatures, tomes and locations related to the
bibliography. The book also includes a Guide to Names, Selected Collections
of Mythos Stories and References. This is a must have for any serious
collector and Lovecraft aficionado.
Rating:
Book - A Guide to the
Cthulhu Cult by Fred L. Pelton, Edited by Pierre De Hammais,
Armitage House, 1998 - This book is a Occult/New Age along the lines of The
Necronomicon Files and is supposedly the publication of a long
"suppressed" work supposedly published in 1946 by Fred L. Pelton.
It contains a study of the Cthulhu Mythos and the cult itself. It contains
various information concerning the mythos as it exists in literature as well
as far more in-depth details concerning the cult itself including rites and
rituals. This edition also includes a version of the Cultus Maleficarum,
claiming to be the "complete transcription" of the Sussex
Manuscript. This is an interesting work for those interested in the Mythos
but I recommend it not to be taken seriously.
Rating:
Book - Lovecraft: A Look
Behind The Cthulhu Mythos by Lin Carter, 1974, Ballantine Books - This
rarity for Lovecraft collectors is an in-depth study of the Cthulhu Mythos
including its origins and the various elements which exist in the writings
of H. P. Lovecraft and many of his literary protégés and friends. The
author does make the claim that "this book is a history of the growth
of the so-called Cthulhu Mythos, and it does not purport to be a biography
of H.P. Lovecraft. It reflects my own interest and enthusiasm... and is,
therefore rather subjective." Since most of the "value judgments"
expressed are the authors personal opinions and as the author admits advised
against by August Derlith who thought the book should be an impersonal
scholarly work. The book does however present an interesting and
comprehensive exposition on the Cthulhu Mythos as a whole.
Rating:
Book -
At The Mountains Of Madness:
The Definitive Edition by H.P. Lovecraft, Introduction by China
Miéville, 2005, Modern Library Paperback Edition - At The Mountains Of
Madness is considered to be Lovecraft's quintessential work of supernatural
horror. Originally published in 1931 it has since been altered through its
many publications including the popular Del-Rey editions and the 1964
edition published by August Derlith. This exclusive new edition presents
Lovecraft's masterpiece in it's fully restored form and also includes
Lovecraft's essay "Supernatural Horror in Literature". As far as
the novella is concerned this does present the perfect version of this story
although I prefer the version published in The Annotated H.P. Lovecraft
(1997) edited by S.T. Joshi.
Rating:
Book - H.P.
Lovecraft Collected Essays, Vol. 2: Liteary Criticism, Ed. S.T. Joshi,
Hippocampus Press, 2004, Trade Paperback - Continuing this four volume set
of Lovecraft's essays, S.T. Joshi examines in this volume Lovecraft's
writings in the realm of literary criticism including his works on poetry
and weird fiction also various essays on authors such as Lord Dunsany, Frank
Belknap Long and Clark Ashton Smith. This volume also features Lovecraft's
notable essay "Supernatural Horror in Literature" (1927).
Rating:
Book - H.P.
Lovecraft Collected Essays, Vol. 1: Amateur Journalism, Ed. S.T. Joshi,
Hippocampus Press, 2004, Trade Paperback - Lovecraft expert and biographer
S.T. Joshi has published a four volume set of collected essays by H.P.
Lovecraft. This first volume encompasses Lovecraft's prolific career in
amateur journalism including numerous articles and papers discussing the
nature, purpose, an d future of amateur journalism and even his own
"The Conservative". In this comprehensive collection of essays
Joshi includes much of Lovecraft's early writings from 1914 to 1935.
Rating:
Book - The
Necronomicon Files: The Truth Behind The Legend (Revised and Expanded
Edition) by Daniel Harms and John Wisdom Gonce III, Weiser Books, 2003,
Trade Paperback - The Necronomicon Files is categorized as an
Occult/Magic book, although the book itself is actually a complex study of
the Necronomicon as it appears in the work of Lovecraft and literature, the Necronomicon
as it pertains to occultism and the Necronomicon as it appears in
entertainment. Although this book is an attempt to settle the Necronomicon
question once and for all, it is actually a very serious study of the
infamous tome and suggests: "Unlike many "debunking" books, The
Necronomicon Files is not to produce believers, but to give you the
tools to investigate for yourself." This is a must for any serious
Lovecraft/Necronomicon aficionado.
Rating:
Book - Eternal
Lovecraft: The Persistence of HPL in Popular Culture Ed. Jim Turner,
1998, Golden Gryphon Press, Hardback - Among the many compilations of
"Lovecraftian" fiction, Eternal Lovecraft is by far one of
the most impressive collections of authors displaying their use of
Lovecraftian themes and plot devices in their own original works. This
collection includes the works of some of the most influential and notable
authors such as Fritz Lieber, Gene Wolfe, Harlan Ellison and even Stephen
King. This compilation separates these 18 selections into 3 sections
covering all aspects of Lovecraftian fiction with the use of Lovecraft as a
main character, independent narratives which incorporate Lovecraftian
"allusions", and also stories pertaining to Lovecraft's own ideas
of "cosmicism".
Rating:
Book - Lord
of a Visible World: An Autobiography in Letters by H.P. Lovecraft,
Edited by S.T. Joshi & David E. Schultz, Hardback
or Paperback - 385 pages, Release date: September 2000, Ohio University
Press; Athens, Ohio, ISBN:
0-8214-1333-3 – This is an "autobiography" in a sense in that it
is a collection of Lovecraft's letters and correspondence that can also be
found in the “Selected Letters” (no longer in print, unless you can
actually find them) which the editors have amassed to form a highly detailed
story of the life of H.P. Lovecraft, including his genealogical studies,
brief biographies of his parents, his childhood in Providence, his
parents’ death, his career in amateur journalism, his few romances and
single short-lived marriage until his untimely death. This is a fascinating
work, for you are reading of Lovecraft’s life in his own words. It also
covers a wide variety of subjects from his educational development,
interests in mythology (especially Greek), science and history along with
information delving into his personal life including incite into his
so-called ‘blank period’, and his growing philosophical and religious
views and opinions (aside from his minor racism and xenophobia), literary
development, his rarely seen humorous side and even looking into his own
dreams. The title “Lord of a Visible World”, relates to Lovecraft’s
love of playing with his toys as a boy in creating miniature cities and
intricate plots and stories surrounding them. This is a must for any
Lovecraft reader, a wonderful autobiography of one of America’s most
unique authors of the weird.
Rating:
Film - "Dagon"
(2001) Dir. Stuart Gordon, Starring: Ezra Godden, Francisco Rabal, Raquel
Merono, Color, 96 min. Rated R, Lions Gate Films. An adaptation of the
Lovecraft stories "Dagon" and "Shadow Over
Innsmouth" director Stuart Gordon, who is known for other Lovecraftian
movies such as "Re-Animator" (1985), "From Beyond"
(1986) and "Dreams in the Witch-House" (Showtime's Masters of
Horror, 2005) which are usually frocked with outrageously campy scenes of
gore brings a surprisingly faithful adaptation of Lovecraft's tales which is
more liken to "Shadow Over Innsmouth" although set instead
in a New England port town but a small port town off the coast of Spain,
which makes this a half-Spanish foreign film with both American and Spanish
actors. This film includes the grotesquely deformed fish-people who bred
with the Deep-Ones as in "Shadow..." and even Dagon itself.
Considering Gordon's other Lovecraftian films which still have a strong cult
following "Dagon" is an improvement to his usual style.
Rating:
PC CD-Rom/ Xbox Game -
"Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth", Bethesda Softworks.
Released: April 26, 2006, Rated M. This is the first "next gen"
computer/video game based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft and it is amazing. "Dark
Corners of the Earth" is an intense survival horror first-person
perspective game. You play as Jack Walters, a private
investigator on a missing persons case. When you end up in the mysterious
and isolated town of Innsmouth the true horror begins as you are thrust into
the world of secret cults, deformed creatures and monstrous beings all part
of the Lovecraft/Cthulhu mythos. With elements directly from such stories as
"Dagon", "Shadow Over Innsmouth" and "Call of
Cthulhu" this game incorporates a dynamic sanity system which results
in hallucinations, panic attacks, vertigo and paranoia during game play
which significantly affects player interaction. Also with an advanced AI system
which allows enemies to roam freely and find ways to track you down. "Dark
Corners of the Earth" is an impressive adaptation of the Cthulhu mythos
as a video game. It is available on both Xbox and PC.
Rating:
Film/Documentary- "The Eldritch Influence: The Life, Vision and Phenomenon of
H.P.
Lovecraft" (2004), Hermetic Productions, 82 minutes. This DVD
documentary is half semi-serious discussion of Lovecraft and his work and
half independent/low-budget farce. The makers of this documentary had good
intentions when they set out to make a serious documentary on Lovecraft they
consult with many authors, filmmakers, critics and others such as S.T.
Joshi, Ramsey Campbell, Neil Gaiman, Brian Lumley and Stuart Gordon. However
about 20 minutes of the film is spent discussing the so-called
"real-life" aspects of Lovecraft's popularity as they show alleged
Lovecraftian cult-members and even eccentric Call of Cthulhu RPG and LARP
players. For the most part the documentary presents an accurate biography of
Lovecraft including footage of actual Lovecraft residences and places of
interest. This is all together a fun and enjoyable documentary with a little
bit of silliness to break the mood.
Rating:
Book - Lovecraft: Disturbing
the Universe, by Donald R. Burleson (1990) University Press of Kentucky
- In this work of critical analysis Proffessor Burleson (Rivier College)
gives an in depth deconstructive analysis of Lovecraft's writings including
various stories included in the collections "At the Mountains of
Madness and Other Novels", "Dagon and Other Macabre Tales"
and "The Dunwich Horror and Others". This is a serious and
incredibly well constructed work of critical analysis and I would recommend
to any Lovecraftian scholar.
Rating:
Film - "The Dunwich Horror" (1970), Directed
by Daniel Haller and starring Dean Stockwell, Sandra Dee, and Ed Begley.
This being one of the first film adaptations of Lovecraft's work with the
same name, giving note to "The Haunted Palace" (1963) (based on
"The Case of Charles Dexter Ward") and "Die, Monster,
Die!" (1965) (based on "The Colour Out of Space").
Coincidentally, "Die, Monster, Die!" was also directed by Daniel
Haller. This being a loose interpretation of the events of the so named
story "The
Dunwich Horror" remains one of the many Lovecraftian movies to come who
simply ignore most of the plot completely and turn the film into something
completely different or absolutely ridiculous (ie. "Reanimator").
Dean Stockwell stars as Wilbur Whateley a seemingly good looking and
charming seducer who lures fellow student Nancy Wagner (Sandra Dee) into
becoming a human sacrifice in which to release the Old Ones. The film starts
out fine as it mentions all the usual Lovecraftian trappings and we even see
principal characters such as Dr. Henry Armitage (Ed Begley, unfortunately
being one of his last films) and even the infamous Necronomicon. The whole
thing soon turns into this bizarre, psychedelic and erotic display which
turns Lovecraft's story into this hippie love-fest! I wouldn't recommend it
to the serious Lovecraft fan, but it is good for a laugh.
Rating:
Book - Supernatural Horror in
Literature
by H.P. Lovecraft (1945, 1973) - This is Lovecraft's critical treatise on
the history of supernatural horror in literature. In this study Lovecraft
explores every facet of the early horror tale in literature, stemming
from primitive folklore and myths, to ancient, medieval and renaissance
culture, from the origins of gothic literature in the 18th century up
to the masters of the early 20th century. This non-fiction work truly
represents Lovecraft's understanding of the genre while expressing his appreciation
for it in his own works.
Rating:
Book -The Watchers Out Of Time
by H.P. Lovecraft (and August Derleth), (1974) - A collection of short
stories by August Derleth based on collaborations and ideas with Lovecraft published
in both "Weird Tales", The Survivor and Others and other
compilations. Notable stories: "The Survivor", "The Gable
Window", "The Shadow out of Space", "The Shuttered
Room".
Rating:
Graphic Novel - Lovecraft written by Kieth Giffen, based on a screenplay by Hans
Rodinoff, art by Enrique Breccia, DC/Vertigo Comics, (2003) - A graphic
novel and pseudo-biographical work based on events of Lovecraft's life ingeniously
mixed with elements of his writing suggesting Lovecraft possessed
secret knowledge of the Great Old Ones, Cthulhu, and The Necronomicon
where Lovecraft tries to covertly relate the forbidden secrets in his
writing. A fantastic however fictionalized story where Lovecraft ultimately
becomes the hero saving his wife Sonia from the unimaginable horrors!
Rating:
Book - The Lurker at the Threshold
by H.P. Lovecraft and August Derleth (1945) - one of the
longest collaborations this novel was completed by August Derleth from the
notes and outlines of H.P. Lovecraft. When Ambrose Dewart returns to his
ancestral home in rural Massachusetts he discovers a dark secret to summon
the Great Old Ones through a doorway: "He is not to open the door which
leads to the strange time and place, not to invite Him who lurks at the threshold..."
A very interesting story with many Lovecraftian elements although Derleth's
writing style is obvious in the work it is considered to be one of Lovecraft's
final works.
Rating:
Book - The Horror in the Museum by
H.P. Lovecraft with Hazel Heald
(1932) The Horror in the Museum and other Revisions (1970) - One of
the many collaborative stories by Lovecraft and his many correspondences and
friends "The Horror in the Museum" is about a wax museum which
features bizarre wax sculptures of grotesque figures of creatures beyond
imagination!
Rating:
Short Story - "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" by
H.P. Lovecraft (1927), The
Dream Cycle of H.P. Lovecraft: Dreams of Terror and Death (1995) - The
tale of a young man who delves into forbidden knowledge passed down to him
by his ancestors sends sends him down the path of insanity and madness!
Another short novel or novella where Lovecraft deals with the theme of
insanity in the impressively descriptive story, a very personal story which
reflects Lovecrfaft's fears as both his parents died in an insane asylum.
Rating:
Short Story -
"The Dream Quest of Unknown Kaddath" by H.P. Lovecraft (1926), The
Dream Cycle of H.P. Lovecraft: Dreams of Terror and Death (1995) - One
of the first stories of Lovecraft's Dream Cycle in the Dreamlands of Kadath
where Randolph Carter (another character used by Lovecraft in several
stories) dreams his journey into this dream-city where he faces unimaginable
horror and wonder. A marvelously written journey of the mind where Lovecraft
gives us insight into the power of dreams.
Rating:
Short Story -
"The Shadow Over Innsmouth" by H.P. Lovecraft (1931), The Best
of H.P. Lovecraft (1982) -
A young traveler comes upon the (fictional) coastal town
of Innsmouth, Massachusetts where a bizarre race of half-fish mutant people
worship the water-god Dagon. A very frightening and grotesque story but
wonderfully written by Lovecraft. Also made into the semi-faithful 2001
Stuart Gordon film "Dagon".
Rating:
Short Story -
"The Dunwich Horror" by H.P. Lovecraft (1928), The Best of H.P. Lovecraft
(1982) -
The Whateley family, an infamous name in the town of
Dunwhich and Wilbur Whateley, an evil man, obsessed with the unspeakable
rites and rituals within the blasphemous Necornomicon wreaks havoc on
the town. This story remains one of the most definitive stories dealing with
Lovecraft's Necornomicon as it contains one of the longest excerpts
from the supposed ancient tome. This story was also made into the 1970
Daniel Haller film starring Dean Stockwell, it is not faithful to the story
but more like an erotic, psychedelic horror film.
Rating:
Short Story -
"Herbert West: Reanimator" by H.P. Lovecraft (1921/22), The Transition
of H.P. Lovecraft: The Road to Madness (1996) -
A young and ingenious student of Miskatonic university Medical School named
Herbert West begins to conduct bizarre experiments to re-animate the dead!
With his experiments he creates horrific abominations which lead to his own
demise! Being one of the most well known stories and characters thanks
mostly to the 1980's Stuart Gordon film. This story has very little to do
with the film and is more of an attempt to emulate Mary Shelley's
"Frankenstein" using more modern 20th Century ideas.
Rating:
Novella - "At the Mountains of
Madness" by H.P. Lovecraft (1931), The Transition of H.P. Lovecraft:
The Road to Madness (1996) - In a bold
expedition into the Antarctic Wasteland by Miskatonic University a team of
scientists uncover an ancient city that was inhabited by amazing
cosmic beings millions of years ago. As they delve into the dangerous
unknown they disturb a fantastic creature beyond imagination deep within the
depths of the city. A novella and one of the longest works of Lovecraft it
remains a fascinating story full of scientific facts a reflection of Lovecraft's
own interests. This is a perfect example of Lovecraft's ability to describe
the indescribable with beings like the Shoggoths.
Rating:
Short Story -
"The Call of Cthulhu" by H.P. Lovecraft (1926), The Best of
H.P. Lovecraft
(1982) -
What
better way to start off the new year than reviewing one of
Lovecraft's best known stories, "The Call of Cthulhu." In this
story we have the investigation of the infamous Cthulhu Cult by the main
character Inspector Legrasse. In this story he tracks down what remains of
the cult with the help of several scholars and archaeologists which lead him
to a remote island in he Pacific Ocean. There he sees first hand the truth
and horror of Cthulhu, which leads to madness! A highly detailed story and
the first story of the Cthulhu Mythos, the description of Cthulhu is
especially impressive. Also the introduction of Inspector Legrasse who would
appear in other stories is a homage to Edgar Allan Poe's character Inspector
Dupin.
Rating: