tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post3626455267481431571..comments2024-03-28T18:21:09.285-05:00Comments on Rough Edges: Forgotten Books: Herbert West: Reanimator - H.P. LovecraftJames Reasonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-19862302089026450832014-05-15T00:20:42.188-05:002014-05-15T00:20:42.188-05:00I second the recommendation of "The Dream-Que...I second the recommendation of "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath," and would add "The Strange High House in the Mist," one of my favourites. Actually I agree with almost all the recommendations in earlier comments.<br />As for Herbert, I was so taken with him as a character that I wrote an extended version of the story (very extended) called The Friendship of Mortals, with my own interpretation of his motives and those of the nameless narrator. But it's not horror per se, and some may find it lacking sufficient action.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-52962719430647835492014-04-11T08:24:57.121-05:002014-04-11T08:24:57.121-05:00I like all the weird pulpy guys, and I really like...I like all the weird pulpy guys, and I really like Herbert West, Reanimator. But when I'm really in the mood for that full-contact, flowery, deep-purple, keep-a-thesaurus-on-the-arm-of-your-chair kind of weird fiction, nothing hits the spot like Clark Ashton Smith.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02407570655708987214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-54850749106173081462014-03-24T10:17:56.791-05:002014-03-24T10:17:56.791-05:00I can certainly understand your points for not lik...I can certainly understand your points for not liking Lovecraft. For myself, I have to be in the right mood to read him -- a mood where I'm less concerned about plots moving and more concerned with language itself and how to explain the inexplicable.<br /><br />I'd have to say that my favorite Lovecraft would be The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath. It also moves forward more than the typical Lovefract vehicle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-6492483446544715372014-03-22T09:00:57.205-05:002014-03-22T09:00:57.205-05:00Thanks for all the comments and recommendations. I...Thanks for all the comments and recommendations. I have plenty to choose from, when I get around to reading another Lovecraft story. For an author I supposedly don't like, I sure have a lot of his books around here!James Reasonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-58114366396121513572014-03-22T08:43:01.792-05:002014-03-22T08:43:01.792-05:00I'm sure Bill Crider will back me up that the ...I'm sure Bill Crider will back me up that the movie of Herbert West: Reanimator was a true classic, as D. A. Tappert said.<br /><br />Jeff M.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-24976297169390290842014-03-21T16:59:32.513-05:002014-03-21T16:59:32.513-05:00THE SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH is my all-time favorite ...THE SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH is my all-time favorite Lovecraft story. It has a tremendously creepy atmosphere and the suspense builds page by page. It isn't so over-the-top like much of his other work.<br /><br />The Re-animator movie was great, by the way, so long as you look at the shorter, more violent version.D.A. Trapperthttp://danktarn.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-41720537130676841182014-03-21T14:12:04.669-05:002014-03-21T14:12:04.669-05:00Lovecraft had a unique perception of the world. V...Lovecraft had a unique perception of the world. Very naturalistic at the core and pretty scary everywhere else. HERBERT WEST: REANIMATOR delves into some disturbing regions.Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04546161337366365635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-38404923061419773062014-03-21T11:41:57.952-05:002014-03-21T11:41:57.952-05:00"The Haunter of the Dark" is the one whe..."The Haunter of the Dark" is the one where HPL has Robert Bloch (here "Blake") killed off...Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-34953468637284645592014-03-21T11:33:15.167-05:002014-03-21T11:33:15.167-05:00And, of course, the Bloch story got this wonderful...And, of course, the Bloch story got this wonderful Bok cover (Bok being Knight's primary inspiration as an illustrator)...I hope the anthology also includes Bloch's fine THE DEAD DON'T DIE (from FANTASTIC ADVENTURES)...Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-57560724890570517242014-03-21T11:27:57.295-05:002014-03-21T11:27:57.295-05:00Basically, Lovecraft helped stress the existential...Basically, Lovecraft helped stress the existential nature inherent in horror (which is what fascinates the likes of Jorge Luis Borges, who might also have benefited from reading him first in translation, to cut away at all the fustion and attempts at Elevated and penny/word inflated prose), and certainly inspired his two most important acolytes, Robert Bloch and Fritz Leiber, to pick up his ball and run with it...and did they ever. (And the next gen of heavy HPL influence included Ramsey Campbell and Fred Chappell, the next gen after that Thomas Ligotti and T.E.D. Klein.) But he's usually a writer of terrible prose. Joshi is at least as much an polemicist as I am, and I think almost everyone will note there are worse HPL stories...this one, being reprinted (from HOME BREW? I should look it up) in the same issue as Bloch's excellent "Hell on Earth" and with illustrations by Damon Knight portraying other Futurians as characters is its own sort of joy. And, of course, the films were over the top.Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-39580919713076070372014-03-21T10:43:18.342-05:002014-03-21T10:43:18.342-05:00I'm not a huge Lovecraft fan, but as I've ...I'm not a huge Lovecraft fan, but as I've gotten older, I've grown to enjoy his work more. I'll echo what Charles said about DREAMS IN THE WITCH HOUSE. I read THE WHISPERER IN DARKNESS last year and enjoyed it.<br /><br />Like you, I read HW,R in Jeff's ZOMBIES anthology. I'd not read this piece before and rather enjoyed it. I think it was the episodic structure that did it for me.<br /><br />I've read the next few stories in ZOMBIES, and so far they're holding up well.Adventuresfantastichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16907562789681407416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-40450086714181379832014-03-21T08:38:56.998-05:002014-03-21T08:38:56.998-05:00I'd recommend DREAMS IN THE WITCH HOUSE and TH...I'd recommend DREAMS IN THE WITCH HOUSE and THE HAUNTER OF THE DARK. Both are written in third person, which seems to negate some of Lovecraft's bad habits from his first person prose, and both move fairly quickly and have actual plots. I'm a huge Lovecraft fan, but I can see why folks might not like him. My very favorite is THE DUNWICH HORROR, which Joshi also hates, so there ya go. Charles R. Rutledgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14265387377510655973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-33953405430193685292014-03-21T08:26:33.733-05:002014-03-21T08:26:33.733-05:00My God Man, you don't simply adore Lovecraft? ...My God Man, you don't simply adore Lovecraft? What is wrong with you? :) I like a lot of Lovecraft but generally take him in smaller doses. I do love his use of interesting language but admittedly he milks it a bit much at times. This particular story was made into quite a good little movie of the same name. My favorite Lovecraft story of all time is "The Statement of Randolph Carter." Generally short and punchyCharles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-31065707778507605972014-03-21T07:20:26.212-05:002014-03-21T07:20:26.212-05:00Lovecraft is best in small doses, IMHO. I agree w...Lovecraft is best in small doses, IMHO. I agree with Walker about AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS. I would also recommend the various volumes of his letters.Jerry Househttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482856733981933159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-49820373700262463762014-03-21T07:08:27.401-05:002014-03-21T07:08:27.401-05:00I like Lovecraft alot and I've read just about...I like Lovecraft alot and I've read just about everything he ever wrote. A fascinating character who had a big influence on horror fiction. He was part of the big three that made WEIRD TALES famous.<br /><br />But I totally understand why many don't like his work. He had a distinctive style that many critics can't stand. I recommend that readers try two of his longest works: THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD and AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS. Both these short novels have an impressive build up of creepy atmosphere and horror.<br /><br />Reading Lovecraft is quite an experience and unlike any other horror writer. I think he is the greatest writer of fantastic literature since Poe.Walker Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16089880902426182100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-5317978188011187402014-03-21T05:35:37.504-05:002014-03-21T05:35:37.504-05:00I think I read two Lovecraft stories and a couple ...I think I read two Lovecraft stories and a couple others by people aping his style, and I was bored senseless by them. You put your finger on exactly what I don't like about them, too. Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.com