H.P. Lovecraft
At The Mountains of Madness (1931)
Author: H.P. Lovecraft
Genre (and subgenre): Horror ("Old Ones")
Plot Summary:
An antarctic expedition goes horribly awry when a huge, ancient mountain range containing a strange deserted subterranean city is discovered, as well as the frozen remains of strange and terrible beasts from millions of years before the dawn of man. When one camp is wiped out under strange circumstances, two of the survivors resolve to explore the city, and they discover the history of a strange alien race that once inhabited the earth, as well as a horrible gelatinous monster. The story of this prehistoric civilization is related in great detail, as the two scientists explore the caves until they’re discovered by the aforementioned creature. SPOILER: They narrowly escape and survive to warn others not to return to the cursed city.
Geographical Setting: Antarctic Circle
Time Period: presumably contemporary of writing (1930s)
Series: Chthulu Mythos (not strictly a series, but Lovecraft created a fictional mythology that serves as a reference point for many of his short stories; the Mythos has also been co-opted by a number of other authors including August Derleth)
Appeal Characteristics:
Written with an extreme eye for detail, both as an explorer and an anthropologist. Despite all the weird goings-on, the story is extremely realistic. For readers raised on Stephen King and modern gore, Lovecraft is not especially visceral and relies mainly on slowly building dread, which despite a tense chase at the end, does not “pay off” in a sense a contemporary reader might expect. His writing style is appropriate to a scientific explorer’s report of the time – again, some readers may appreciate the realism, while some may find it stilted or slow-paced.
Similar Authors: Clark Ashton Smith and R.H. Barlow were contemporaries writing in a similar vein. Robert Bloch, J. Ramsey Campbell, Lin Carter and August Derleth have all written stories in the Chthulu Mythos (as followers of Lovecraft).
Red Flags: No profanity; most of the gore and violence is implied. As mentioned above, the lack of viscerality may actually be a red flag
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (1927)
Author: H.P. Lovecraft
Genre: Horror
Plot Summary:
The story examines the life and interests of Charles Ward, a young man living in Providence, Rhode Island in the early part of the 20th century. It is intimated early on that there is something peculiar about the case of Mr. Ward, and the narrator, after a brief introduction, expounds upon the legend of Joseph Curwen, a topic of intense interest to the young Ward. Curwen’s tale is tied to the Salem witch trials. He had moved to Providence soon after that and had established himself as a merchant. In time, rumors begin to be whispered amongst the residents of Providence about strange sounds and lights on Curwen’s property. There is also quite a bit of grave robbing going on, and townsfolk are quick to make a connection. This interest in Curwen leads to Charles Ward becoming fascinated with the tale of Curwen and what exactly he may have been up to. The truth is far worse than any in the town may have imagined. SPOILER: Joseph Curwen was actually a conjurer and adept at the black arts. Ward stumbles upon some of Curwen’s spellbooks and succeeds in raising Curwen from the dead, but Ward is outwitted. Curwen takes possession of Ward’s body and resumes his conjuring. In the end, all is righted, but those involved are forever scarred by the knowledge of the strange case of Charles Dexter Ward.
Geographical Setting: Providence, Rhode Island
Time Period: early 20th century (with flashbacks to the late 1700s)
Appeal Characteristics:
This tale of the macabre is likely to appeal foremost to fans of H.P. Lovecraft and other authors who write tales based on his Cthulhu mythos (most notably, August Derleth). The history of Providence is examined quite thoroughly—especially the location of many historically significant homes in the area. Lovecraft’s prose is considered long-winded by some, but others enjoy his meticulous attention to detail and occasional hyperbolic use of adjectives. His tales actually benefit from his attention to detail, for it is Lovecraft’s ability to make one believe in the tale due to the detail that makes one squirm just a tad more at the thought that perhaps his horrific tales may be more than mere fiction. Other appeal elements include thematic elements such as sorcery, demons, possession, and primeval horror!
Read-alikes: Many authors have written novels based on the “Cthulhu” mythos developed by Lovecraft—most notably, August Derleth. Also try Robert Bloch’s The Shambler From the Stars. A modern author composing tales inspired by Lovecraft is Charles Stross (though his tales contain many red flags one would not find in the prose of Lovecraft). One might also consider some of the tales from which Lovecraft took inspiration, most notably those of William Hope Hodgson (try Lovecraft’s favorite, The House on the Borderland.
Red Flags: Other than the fact that this is a horror book with some horrific elements, there are no red flags in terms of language, sex, or gratuitous violence.
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