Doctor Who Discussion Forum for Who North America customers
 
HomeSearchRegisterLog inThe Who North America Online StoreLatest images
 

 H. P. Lovecraft

Go down 
3 posters
AuthorMessage
Calixar
RANK: Time Lord Commoner
Calixar


Number of posts : 1216
Age : 56
Registration date : 2007-02-03

H. P. Lovecraft Empty
PostSubject: H. P. Lovecraft   H. P. Lovecraft EmptySat Apr 02, 2011 11:21 pm

So, I have to admit to not having ever read any Lovecraft. I've decided I want to read some. What is the best introduction? Obviously, I know I need to meet this Cthulhu thing, since that seems to be what he's best known for. But like Robert Howard with Conan it may not be his actual best work.
Back to top Go down
http://www.mikaljohnson.com
Cruel Angel
RANK: Time Lord Chancellor
Cruel Angel


Number of posts : 6151
Age : 52
Registration date : 2009-07-27

H. P. Lovecraft Empty
PostSubject: Re: H. P. Lovecraft   H. P. Lovecraft EmptySun Apr 03, 2011 4:12 pm

Essentially, HPL did three types of stories- standalone 'horror' stories, Dreamlands stories (which read more as fantasy) and then the 'Mythos' stories, which had a shared continuity with each other, and with some stories and elements that other writers in his 'circle' were doing.

If you are looking for actual books to check out... there are the softcover Del Rey collections, and the hardcover Arkham House collections.

I'm not too familiar with what is in each Del Rey book, but with the Arkham House collections, I would recommend starting with The Dunwich Horror and Others.

It gives you a good mix of the macabre stories and mythos, and includes most of the major mythos stories he did. No Dreamlands tales in this one though. For those, you have to hit the other two collections.

Dagon and Other Macabre Tales collects many more short stories, mainly a mix of Dreamlands and macabre tales.

At the Mountains of Madness and Other Novels collects his longer works. You have pretty much all three types in here, including the main Dreamlands story (Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath).

There is a fourth one- The Horror in the Museum and Other Revisions. These are works that other authors submitted to HPL for him to revise, or that he ghostwrote for them.


If you don't mind reading stories online (I can't do it myself, I prefer physical books), this link will get you to the HPL page on Dagonbytes that has pretty much all of his works online except the ones he revised or ghostwrote.

http://www.dagonbytes.com/thelibrary/lovecraft/

Have anymore questions, just ask!


Back to top Go down
Calixar
RANK: Time Lord Commoner
Calixar


Number of posts : 1216
Age : 56
Registration date : 2007-02-03

H. P. Lovecraft Empty
PostSubject: Re: H. P. Lovecraft   H. P. Lovecraft EmptySun Apr 03, 2011 11:46 pm

Well, after posting that I was a bookstore in Missoula and bought The Tales of H.P.Lovecraft because it purports to be a good intro. I also looked at (but did not buy) Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos.
Back to top Go down
http://www.mikaljohnson.com
Cruel Angel
RANK: Time Lord Chancellor
Cruel Angel


Number of posts : 6151
Age : 52
Registration date : 2009-07-27

H. P. Lovecraft Empty
PostSubject: Re: H. P. Lovecraft   H. P. Lovecraft EmptySun Apr 03, 2011 11:54 pm

I checked out the contents of the one you got... that's actually a pretty good mix.

The Outsider; The Music of Erich Zann; The Rats in the Walls; The Shunned House; The Call of Cthulhu; The Colour out of Space; The Dunwich Horror; At the Mountains of Madness; The Shadow over Innsmouth; and The Shadow Out of Time.

Call of Cthulhu, Dunwich Horror, Mts of Madness, Shadow over Innsmouth, Shadow out of Time are pretty much the biggie Mythos tales. Zann and Rats are very good macabre tales.

Chances are, if you like a lot of what you have there, you would be happy checking out his other stuff Very Happy
Back to top Go down
dr.dalek
RANK: Brigadier
dr.dalek


Number of posts : 263
Registration date : 2010-07-06

H. P. Lovecraft Empty
PostSubject: Re: H. P. Lovecraft   H. P. Lovecraft EmptyWed Apr 13, 2011 6:06 pm

i love the cthulhu mythos
Back to top Go down
 
H. P. Lovecraft
Back to top 
Page 1 of 1

Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum
Who North America Forum :: Life, the Universe and Everything :: Sci Fi Discussion-
Jump to: