What's the fuss about Lovecraft? - Page 3

Dragoro · 02-16-2009, 05:52 PM

Agreed. My favorites are Lovecraft, London (especially Martin Eden), and Stienbeck.

ShortNCuddlyAm · 02-24-2009, 06:33 PM

Indulging in a spot of thread necromancy:

Moejoe · 02-24-2009, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dragoro

Agreed. My favorites are Lovecraft, London (especially Martin Eden), and Stienbeck.

I love Steinbeck and London, but I could never get into Lovecraft (all the racist stuff didn't help either), always seemed a little too wordy and meandering for my tastes.

Gaurnim · 02-25-2009, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moejoe

(all the racist stuff didn't help either)

This is an aspect of him I don't like as well.
But I discard it as a sign of the times and enjoy the stories while not thinking too much about the man.
As he's dead and his works are PD, I have no risk of sending money to a man I know I don't like.

Moejoe · 02-25-2009, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaurnim

This is an aspect of him I don't like as well.
But I discard it as a sign of the times and enjoy the stories while not thinking too much about the man.
As he's dead and his works are PD, I have no risk of sending money to a man I know I don't like.

Totally agree, and I'm not boycotting or anything, it's just when reading, the actual racist remarks jar with me and pull me out of the reading. I know at that time the racism was endemic across the world and I can accept Lovecraft was a product of those times, but I'm still not a fan for the reasons I stated earlier.

Ea · 03-02-2009, 01:21 PM

This was a little too good to pass by:
The Onion: Lovecraftian School Board Member Wants Madness Added To Curriculum

MichelleR · 03-02-2009, 02:37 PM

I agree with others that his strength was in world building and creating an chills-inducing atmosphere. When I was a kid, I had a dream that when you die you go to the moon and just stare up at the sky forever. Far from home.

I guess that's how a Lovecraft story makes me feel. Except when the story makes me feel like skinnydipping in a vat of Lysol. That happens, too.

And, yes, he was a racist, sexist mess.

jupstin · 08-10-2011, 11:02 AM

It's sort of been said already, but my criticism of Lovecraft (though I really do love reading him) is that his characters are often compelled to act for reasons they can't explain. In general, this gives his writing a sort of bleak sense of inevitability, but the downside is that when I stand back and "look at" the characters, they don't seem to have motivation for their actions. I can't imagine how this would translate on screen (or, considering the stupid decisions characters in horror movies make for apparently no reason, maybe I can TOTALLY imagine it.)

Phogg · 08-10-2011, 12:11 PM

I resisted reading his works for years, until the trading card games came out.
His style reminds me somewhat of some of Poe's work. A lot of his techniques have become standards now.

Lyon Sprague de Camp's biography is a good read in and of itself.

Eisengoth · 08-10-2011, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HistoryWes

Read "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward". I think it's Lovecraft's best and scariest work.

Wow, I've never encountered someone who actually agrees with me on this! Charles Dexter Ward is my absolute favorite of Lovecraft's stories, with "Mountains" being a close second.

Edit: Oh... see, that's what I get for getting excited and not reading to the end of the thread before posting. Silly me.

lestatar · 08-11-2011, 10:58 AM

well now that this thread has been resurrected...

What's so great about Lovecraft?

Penforhire · 08-11-2011, 11:25 AM

I'll tell you what I think is great about him. His work inspired Charlie Stross' Laundry stories, which I found screamingly funny at times.

lestatar · 08-11-2011, 12:03 PM

^ indeed! Stross is a new-ish fave for me

Elfwreck · 08-13-2011, 05:23 PM

Without Lovecraft, I wouldn't have been able to write [Promotional link deleted - MODERATOR] Cthulhu/My Little Pony fanfic.

(I think a lot of Lovecraft's "horrific" premises have been overwhelmed by modern science fiction. The concept of "those people, in that strange town... they're ... not quite human!" no longer has the impact it did almost a hundred years ago. The whole concept of sentient beings, indifferent or hostile to humanity but sharing space on the planet with us, is now background info for a whole genre of fiction.)

Barty · 08-14-2011, 10:04 AM

I do get that "are you going to bite or are you just going to bark all day, little doggie" feeling reading Lovecraft. Stop telling me "ooh you're gonna be so scared" and scare me.

08-13-2011, 05:23 PM	#44
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,187 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	Without Lovecraft, I wouldn't have been able to write [Promotional link deleted - MODERATOR] Cthulhu/My Little Pony fanfic. (I think a lot of Lovecraft's "horrific" premises have been overwhelmed by modern science fiction. The concept of "those people, in that strange town... they're ... not quite human!" no longer has the impact it did almost a hundred years ago. The whole concept of sentient beings, indifferent or hostile to humanity but sharing space on the planet with us, is now background info for a whole genre of fiction.) Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Dr. Drib; 03-04-2012 at 08:39 AM.

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02-16-2009, 05:52 PM	#31
Dragoro Lovecraft Fan Posts: 414 Karma: 539914 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Michigan Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, Kindle Touch	Agreed. My favorites are Lovecraft, London (especially Martin Eden), and Stienbeck.

02-24-2009, 06:33 PM	#32
ShortNCuddlyAm WWHALD Posts: 7,879 Karma: 337114 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK Device: iPad. Selling my silver 505 here	Indulging in a spot of thread necromancy:

03-02-2009, 01:21 PM	#36
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	This was a little too good to pass by: The Onion: Lovecraftian School Board Member Wants Madness Added To Curriculum

03-02-2009, 02:37 PM	#37
MichelleR Just Me. Posts: 35 Karma: 37810 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: MN Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle Fire, Nook Touch	I agree with others that his strength was in world building and creating an chills-inducing atmosphere. When I was a kid, I had a dream that when you die you go to the moon and just stare up at the sky forever. Far from home. I guess that's how a Lovecraft story makes me feel. Except when the story makes me feel like skinnydipping in a vat of Lysol. That happens, too. And, yes, he was a racist, sexist mess.

08-10-2011, 11:02 AM	#38
jupstin Groupie Posts: 159 Karma: 1005378 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cambria, California Device: Kindle 2	It's sort of been said already, but my criticism of Lovecraft (though I really do love reading him) is that his characters are often compelled to act for reasons they can't explain. In general, this gives his writing a sort of bleak sense of inevitability, but the downside is that when I stand back and "look at" the characters, they don't seem to have motivation for their actions. I can't imagine how this would translate on screen (or, considering the stupid decisions characters in horror movies make for apparently no reason, maybe I can TOTALLY imagine it.)

08-10-2011, 12:11 PM	#39
Phogg PHD in Horribleness Posts: 2,320 Karma: 23599604 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: In the ironbound section, near avenue L Device: Just a whole bunch. I guess I am a collector now.	I resisted reading his works for years, until the trading card games came out. His style reminds me somewhat of some of Poe's work. A lot of his techniques have become standards now. Lyon Sprague de Camp's biography is a good read in and of itself.

08-11-2011, 10:58 AM	#41
lestatar LB's lolz Mutt Minion Posts: 2,902 Karma: 5700001 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Hong Kong now but NYC forever Device: Kindle3, GalaxyTab, BB Bold9700, BB 8300, Sony Clie, Palm Vx, Palm III	well now that this thread has been resurrected... What's so great about Lovecraft?

08-11-2011, 11:25 AM	#42
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	I'll tell you what I think is great about him. His work inspired Charlie Stross' Laundry stories, which I found screamingly funny at times.

08-11-2011, 12:03 PM	#43
lestatar LB's lolz Mutt Minion Posts: 2,902 Karma: 5700001 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Hong Kong now but NYC forever Device: Kindle3, GalaxyTab, BB Bold9700, BB 8300, Sony Clie, Palm Vx, Palm III	^ indeed! Stross is a new-ish fave for me

08-14-2011, 10:04 AM	#45
Barty doofus Posts: 2,543 Karma: 13089041 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	I do get that "are you going to bite or are you just going to bark all day, little doggie" feeling reading Lovecraft. Stop telling me "ooh you're gonna be so scared" and scare me.

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