George Akbaa's blog. The best works of Lovecraft Color from other worlds

Rating of works by American horror writer Howard Phillips Lovecraft. It so happened that the top 10 included major works. Basically, these are big short stories and novels by H. Lovecraft. However, it is not entirely correct to compare the short and long prose of the author. Lovecraft's short stories, of which he wrote quite a few, are unfairly neglected. And then it dawned on me that for small works it is necessary to create their own separate rating. So, the top ten short stories by Howard Phillips Lovecraft.

If you decide to become closely acquainted with the work of an American horror writer and do not have enough time, then these top 10 short stories are perfect for you. Choose any title you like, evaluate it by a short abstract, then find the text and read it in a short period of time.

If you prefer large prose, and at the same time there is a free hour or two for long reading, then I refer to the rating of long texts:.

Before I list H. F. Lovecraft's top ten short stories, I would like to reiterate that it was difficult to make a rating from the works of Lovecraft. I perceive his work as a single array, and I re-read many texts with pleasure. Take this list not as the ultimate truth, but as one reader's opinion among thousands of possible ones.

10. Dagon

H. F. Lovecraft wrote Dagon in the summer of 1917. This is a very small story from the early work of the American writer. The first publication took place in The Vagrant magazine at the end of 1919. "Dagon" does not lose popularity today. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the work is iconic - this is the first story written by Lovecraft in the Cthulhu Mythos genre. The history and development of a gloomy concept began with him, which became the basis for all further work of the hermit from Providence.

Cover of the November 1919 issue of The Vagrant. First publication of Dagon

Later, the story is published three times (!) in Weird Tales magazine. Twice during the author's lifetime, in 1923 and 1936, and once much later, in 1951. The covers of these editions are below:

However, in the future, "Dagon" fades into the background, because. The main idea of ​​the story Lovecraft reworked and significantly supplemented in the short story "The Call of Cthulhu". Therefore, the noticeable similarity of both works should not confuse you. It happens and it's normal.

A few words about the plot. World War I. The protagonist, being the second assistant to the captain, sailed on a mail ship through the little-known places of the Pacific Ocean until he was captured by the Germans. He manages to escape on a small boat, having a supply of provisions and water. The former supercargo of a mail ship sails for several days in an unknown direction, until he encounters a strange and fetid island. He makes an attempt to travel on foot and meets an unusual pillar, dotted with drawings and hieroglyphs. However, this is not the worst thing that the hero will see on an unknown island that has risen from the abyss.

An interesting and exciting story, with an original and solid plot. You can note the amazing gloomy atmosphere, which Lovecraft masterfully and with unfailing success conveyed. Therefore, Dagon, the pioneer and trailblazer of the Cthulhu Mythos genre, absolutely deserves to be included in our top 10 short stories by H. F. Lovecraft.

9. Painting in the house

And this short story, also known in other translations as "The Picture in the Old Book" or "The Picture in the House", was written at the end of 1920. The first publication took place in the summer of 1921 in The National Amateur magazine. A few years later, the story was reprinted in Weird Tales.

Cover of the January 1924 Weird Tales, which featured the story "The Picture in the House"

I still remember what a terrible impression the story made on me when I first read it in silence and complete solitude. In the story, a young man travels through the remote corners of New England. While on a bike, he gets caught in the rain and decides to stay in a dilapidated house and an abandoned house.

The young man finds the book Regnum Congo, written by a traveler, in the house. He is struck by the detailed description of the cannibal butcher shop from the Congo. However, despite the dilapidation and abandoned appearance, the house has an owner.
A little later, an old man comes down to the main character from the second floor, who, with all his passion and admiration, shares his impressions of the butcher shop.

Sometimes the work of H. F. Lovecraft is divided into three large groups - "The Myths of Cthulhu", "The Cycle of Dreams" and "Death Stories". "The picture in the house" belongs to the third category.

8. Music by Erich Zann

I often heard the opinion that the story "The Music of Erich Zann" (or Zann) is a favorite among many fans of the work of Howard Phillips Lovecraft. However, this also applies to Dagon and Colors from Other Worlds, which will be discussed below. The Music of Erich Zann was written exactly one year after The Picture in the House, in December 1921. It was first published in March 1922 in The National Amateur. In May 1925, the story was published in Weird Tales.

May 1925 issue of Weird Tales

In the story, a student from Paris meets a deaf neighbor named Erich Zann. At night, the young man listens to how he creates strange and mysterious music. Despite his deafness, Erich Zann turned out to be a brilliant musician playing the viol. Having visited an old musician in the dark, one night, the student was to attend the most unusual concert in his life.

A short story keeps you in the clutches of the narrative throughout the text, plunging you into the viscous atmosphere of the Parisian slums, where supernatural music, as if by an invisible thread, connects the heroes with the abyss of the Abyss.

7. Hypnos

Lovecraft wrote Hypnos in March 1922. In May 1923, the story was published in the National Amateur magazine, which seems to have served as the main springboard for printing the early works of the horror master.

But only until the magazine "Weird Tales" or Weird Tales appeared in his life. The magazine, which opened the world to the works of many science fiction authors, was founded in 1923. "Hypnos" is reprinted in it already in 1924. It seems that the story did not get into the traditional monthly publication format, but into some kind of special issue in three months. The price tag, by the way, is twice as expensive as the standard 25 cents of the then Strange Stories. But there were much more stories under the cover.

Weird Tales sees the publication of the second publication of the story "Hypnos" by H. F. Lovecraft

The plot of the story takes place in England. It all started with the acquaintance and friendship of the sculptor with a certain person. The two heroes lead nocturnal and unusual occult research together. However, for forbidden knowledge, the price can be too high. And now the sculptor, having penetrated the patrimony of the Greek god Hypnos, avoids sleep with all his might ... And what happened to his friend? Read the story Hypnos. One of the stories from the "Dream Cycle" is in seventh place in my personal rating.

6. Model for Pickman

The story is known under numerous names - "Pickman's Nature", "Pickman's Sitter", "Pickman's Model", "Photograph from Life". It was written in September 1926 and published in October 1927 in Weird Tales.

October 1927 cover of Weird Tales

"A Model for Pickman" begins with the disappearance of a certain talented artist Richard Upton Pickman in Boston, after talking with whom the narrator for some reason disliked the subway. Pickman's work is peculiar, and despite its genius, looks like a disgusting figment of a sick imagination.

The artist invites his story-teller friend to an old house, where he paints frightening canvases. After inspecting the house and the paintings, they go down to the basement, and Pickman shows the unfinished paintings that are being worked on. The hero sees a drawing depicting a huge monster with red eyes. As he notes, a small piece of paper is attached to the easel.

Here they hear a terrible roar. The artist, having seized the revolver and left the guest in the basement studio, goes out into the darkness. Shots are fired and the loud noises stop. The next morning, the narrator discovers that he has inadvertently placed the paper in his pocket, which he saw rolled up on an easel.

After examining the picture, he understands the terrible truth. A terrible secret makes him never communicate with Pickman again, and later the artist goes missing altogether.

5. Celephais

This little-known story - one of the few in our ranking refers to the "Cycle of Dreams". H. F. Lovecraft wrote it in November 1920 and published it in May 1922 in Rainbow magazine. Already after the death of the author, in 1939, "Celephais" appears in Weird Tales.

Cover of the July 1939 Weird Tales

The protagonist of the story, Kuranes, is a descendant of a noble and impoverished family. He dreams of the city of dreams, the legendary Celephais. To prolong the dreams, Kuranes begins to abuse drugs. And the brighter the dreams, the paler the reality. For him, the world of dreams is gradually becoming a real home. Indeed, in the land of dreams, Kuranes is not just a British poor man, but the ruler of a legendary city. By the way, we meet the sad King Kuranes in the story "The somnambulistic search for the unknown Kadat".

The sad story about the fabulous Celephais somehow touches the deepest strings of the soul. In this small work, big questions are raised: social inequality, love for the motherland, cravings for fabulous countries, the danger of dreams.

4. Witch's Log

The Witch's Log can be called a little-known work. It was written in collaboration with Lovecraft's student and passionate admirer, August Derleth. Unfortunately, I don't know who contributed more to the writing of the story, but I'd like to believe that The Witch's Log is more Lovecraft's work than Derleth's. At least in my personal experience, I never doubted it. And definitely "The Witch's Log" is better than many stories written by August Derleth.

However, the story was published many years after the death of H. F. L - in 1962, in one of the anthologies of horror stories that Derleth regularly published.

3. Color from other worlds

Color from Otherworlds is also commonly known as Shining From Beyond, and less so by several other titles. The story, written in the first half of 1927, was first published in Amazing Stories in September of that year.

This issue is also notable for the fact that it printed the sequel to the well-known novel by HG Wells, The War of the Worlds.

Cover of the September 1927 issue of Amazing Stories

A meteorite with strange properties falls on the farmer's land - it glows unusually and does not cool down. Later, the space piece miraculously decreases in size, and then completely disappears. After his fall, terrible events begin to happen on the farm. Harvest and cattle mutate and die. The farmer's family also begins to suffer mentally and physically, but stubbornly does not leave their homes. An ominous situation is inexorably moving towards a tragic denouement.

"The Shining from Beyond" is a special story worthy of taking the first place in this rating. If not for my special love for Randolph Carter and his adventures, then it would be so.

What is its uniqueness? Firstly, Howard Phillips Lovecraft himself, according to researcher S. T. Joshi, considered The Shining from Beyond to be his best work. Secondly, the story so harmoniously combines elements of science fiction and horror literature, and this fusion of genres is so skillfully executed by Lovecraft in his unsurpassed manner, that it is impossible not to remain in awe of The Shining From Beyond. Thirdly, an excellent plot with a sauce of the darkest atmosphere of hopelessness and impotence in the face of cosmic horror, for which we so appreciate the work of the horror master from Providence.

Silver key andSilver Key Gate

So, the leaders of my top 10 short stories by H. F. Lovecraft. Two stories that I do not separate from each other - because. "Gate of the Silver Key" is an organic continuation of the "Silver Key", and is no worse in terms of plot and style.

The fact is that I appreciate all the works where the main character is Randolph Carter. He is the only character who appears in so many works of the author - in five, and is mentioned in passing in one more.
You can read more about this in the article "Randolph Carter - an occultist on the way to the Great Work", which I published back in early 2016.
Why did Lovecraft appreciate Carter so much and transfer from one work to another? There is a simple explanation for this, which is given in the above article, and I quote:

D The point is that this character and his friends have real prototypes. Carter himself is Lovecraft's alter ego

But besides my love for stories about the busy life of occultist and dreamer Randolph Carter, there are other reasons to love The Silver Key and Gates of the Silver Key. This is a large number of philosophical thoughts that were a whole discovery for me at the time when I read these stories.

It was way back in 2006. Then I was 20 years old and I had just discovered the work of Lovecraft. The theory of multiple personalities in the universe, transcendent cosmic conversations about time and other things, the revolution of the universal wheel, and Carter's amazing experience, where he overcame himself, his fear, and stepped into the Abyss to the Ancients. It was all very deafening to my mind. And damn interesting.

But enough descriptions. Just read carefully, and be open to new experiences, rejecting skepticism. And, perhaps, you will understand what emotions I received and experience such unforgettable feelings.

Well, a few words about publications. The Silver Key was written in 1926 and published in the January 1929 issue of Weird Tales. The story "Gate of the Silver Key" was written in 1932-1933 in co-authorship. The first edition was in the July 1934 issue of Weird Tales.

In conclusion, I will say that I remember most of all those stories from which I began my acquaintance with the work of G.F.L. They made an indelible impression. Perhaps this is somewhere in the first 15-20 works read, and then the effect was no longer so strong. Some charm of acquaintance with a new hero of literature was lost for you.

Howard Phillips Lovecraft(English) Howard Phillips Lovecraft, August 20, Providence, Rhode Island, USA - March 15, ibid) - American writer and poet who wrote in the genres of horror, mysticism, combining them in an original style. Ancestor of the Cthulhu Mythos. During Lovecraft's lifetime, his works were not very popular, but after his death they had a noticeable impact on the formation of modern mass culture. His work is so unique that Lovecraft's works stand out in a separate subgenre - the so-called Lovecraft horror.

Biography

Lovecraft at the age of 9-10 years.

Lovecraft was raised by his mother, two aunts and grandfather (Whipple Van Buren Phillips), who took in the family of the future writer. Howard was a child prodigy - he recited poetry by heart at the age of two, and from the age of six he was already writing his own. Thanks to his grandfather, who had the largest library in the state, he was introduced to classical literature. In addition to the classics, he became interested in Gothic prose and Arabic tales of the Thousand and One Nights.

At the age of 6-8 years, Lovecraft wrote several stories, most of which have not survived to this day. At the age of 14, Lovecraft wrote his first serious work, The Beast in the Cave.

As a child, Lovecraft was often sick, and did not go to school until the age of eight, but a year later he was taken away from there. He read a lot, studied chemistry between times, wrote several works (he reproduced them on a hectograph in a small edition), starting in 1899 (Scientific Newspaper). Four years later he returned to school.

Whipple Van Buren Phillips died in 1904, after which the family became very impoverished and had to move to a smaller house on the same street. Howard was saddened by the departure, and he even considered suicide. Due to a nervous breakdown that happened to him in 1908, he never finished school, which he was very ashamed of.

Lovecraft wrote fiction as a child (“The Beast in the Cave” (), “The Alchemist” ()), but later preferred poetry and essays to her. He returned to this "frivolous" genre only in 1917 with the stories "Dagon", then "The Tomb". "Dagon" became his first published creation, appearing in 1923 in the magazine "Mysterious stories" ( Weird Tales). At the same time, Lovecraft began his correspondence, which eventually became one of the most voluminous in the 20th century. His correspondents included Forrest Ackerman, Robert Bloch and Robert Howard.

Sarah, Howard's mother, after a long hysteria and depression, ended up in the same hospital where her husband died, and died there on May 21, 1921. She wrote to her son until her last days.

Despite his writing successes, Lovecraft was increasingly in need. He moved again, now to a small house. The suicide of Robert Howard made a strong impression on him. In 1936, the writer was diagnosed with bowel cancer, a consequence of malnutrition. Howard Phillips Lovecraft died on March 15, 1937 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Literary creativity

Predecessors

The writers whose work influenced Lovecraft are primarily Edgar Allan Poe, Edward Dunsany, Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood, Ambrose Bierce, Lafcadio Hearn.

Followers

August Derleth

Perhaps the most important of Lovecraft's followers, both in terms of chronology and in terms of continuity, is August Derleth. Despite the fact that later many authors turned to the pantheon of cosmic gods created by Lovecraft, it was Derleth who became the founder and head of the Arkham House publishing house, which published the works of Lovecraft himself, Derleth and everyone who in one way or another came into contact with those created by Lovecraft worlds. Derleth was also quite successful as a writer, although he could not match the power of influence with his teacher. However, he was a publishing genius - Arkham House books from that period are now bibliographic rarities. In addition, it was a rare case when a publishing house was created for the work of a particular person.

Stephen King

The work of Lovecraft, which influenced the mass culture of the West, left an indelible mark on the work of countless writers who worked and are working in the genre of mysticism and horror. One of the creative heirs of Lovecraft is the famous "King of Horrors" Stephen King. The most striking work in which Stephen King does not imitate the style of Howard Lovecraft's narration, but pays tribute to the talent of the latter, is the story "Crouch End", filmed by the TNT film company in the collection of film novels "Stephen King's Nightmares and Fantasies". In King's work, traces of the influence of Lovecraft's work are clearly visible. So, the novel "It" directly refers the reader to the cosmic horror that came from time immemorial. It should be noted, however, that King's horror can be fairly clearly delineated into three main parts: cosmic (Lovecraft), afterlife, and scientific (Mary Shelley).

Among other things, the action of most of Stephen King's books takes place in small American towns, which is also characteristic of the works of Lovecraft, who believed that the most terrible things happen in quiet places.

"Necronomicon" and books, in the works of Lovecraft

Usually Lovecraft referred to ancient books containing secrets that man should not know. Most of the references were fictitious, but some occult works existed in reality. The combination of fictitious documents with real ones in one context allowed the former to seem real. Lovecraft gave only general references to such books (mostly to create atmosphere) and rarely gave detailed descriptions. The most famous of these fictitious manuscripts is his Necronomicon, about which the writer spoke the most. His explanations about this text were so well thought out that many people still believe in the reality of this book, and this allows some to profit from the ignorance of others.

The Book of Eibon, Livre d'Eibon, or Liber Ivonis

Currently, Lovecraft collections are regularly reprinted in Russia by at least three major publishing houses - Azbuka, AST, Eksmo.

Works by Howard Lovecraft

The most famous and significant works:

• Herbert West - Reanimator (1922)

Screen adaptation

Several dozen films have been made based on the works of Lovecraft. The most famous of them were created by directors Stuart Gordon, Brian Yuzna and others:

Currently in Russia, in Vladivostok, the film "Shadow over Arkham" is being filmed (film blog - community.livejournal.com/hpl_movie_blog), also based on the works of Lovecraft.

Computer games

• Alone in the Dark (Quest, 1992)

• Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet (Quest, 1993)

• Prisoner of Ice (Quest/Survival horror, 1995)

• Legacy (RPG, 1996)

• Necronomicon: The Dawning of Darkness (Quest, 2001)

• Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth (Action/Adventure, 2006)

• Sherlock Holmes 3: Secret of Cthulhu (Quest, 2007)

• Darkness Within - In Pursuit of Loath Nolder (Quest, 2007)

• Penumbra: Black Plague (Adventure/Survival horror/Action, 2008)

Notes

Literature

• L. Sprague De Camp. Lovecraft: A Biography. - St. Petersburg: Amphora, 2008. - S. 656. - ISBN 978-5-367-00815-9

Links

see also

Artworks Howard Phillips Lovecraft
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	Creeping Chaos Oblivion Nameless City Quest for Iranon Lunar Marsh Outcast Other Gods

H. F. Lovecraft(full name - Howard Phillips Lovecraft / Howard Phillips Lovecraft) was born August 20, 1890 in Providence, Rhode Island. His parents, mother Sarah Susan Phillips Lovecraft and father Winfield Scott Lovecraft, then lived at 454 (then 194) Angell Street. In Providence, apart from two years spent in New York, he lived his entire short life.

When Howard was three years old, his father suffered a nervous breakdown while in a hotel in Chicago (he worked as a traveling salesman), and after that he was institutionalized, where he spent five years, until his death on July 19, 1898.

After the death of his father, the boy was raised by his mother, two aunts and, especially, grandfather - Whipple Van Buren Phillips. My grandfather had the most extensive library in the city (and perhaps in the entire state), and this played an important role in shaping Howard's reading habits. He began to read and write early on his own (even earlier, he began to simply compose oral poetry). And one of the first works that he noted as his favorite and impressed him was "Tales of 1001 Nights", read for the first time by him at the age of five. It was from there that Abdul Alhazred was born, who later became the pseudonym of the author himself, and even later - the character of his stories, the author of the Necronomicon. And it is to this book that Lovecraft owes oriental motifs in his subsequent work. Also, the author was fond of Greek myths from childhood, the Iliad and the Odyssey, reflections of which we can also meet later in his poetry and prose.

From early childhood, Lovecraft was distinguished by poor health. Having practically no friends, he spent most of his time with his grandfather in the library. But his interests were not limited to literature as a profession. He seriously studied chemistry, astronomy, history (especially the history of his native state and New England). Even at school age, he independently began to publish newspapers and magazines dedicated to his scientific interests and research ("The Scientific Gazette" (1899-1907) and "The Rhode Island Journal of Astronomy" (1903-07)). They were distributed mainly among classmates and subsequent friends and associates.

At school (Hope Street High School), his interests and research are approved by teachers who replace Howard's friends among peers. And in 1906, his article on astronomy was first published by The Providence Sunday Journal. He later became a regular columnist for The Pawtuxet Valley Gleaner on astronomy. And still later in such publications as The Providence Tribune (1906-08), The Providence Evening News (1914-18) and The Asheville (N.C.) Gazette-News (1915).

Howard's grandfather died in 1904. She and her mother, experiencing financial difficulties, are forced to leave the mansion in which they lived and move into a cramped apartment at 598 Angell Steert. Howard was very upset by the loss of his home, in which he was born and which was his native. In 1908, Howard himself had a nervous breakdown, which forced him to leave school without finishing it. An attempt to get into Brown University fails, leading to an even more reclusive Lovecraft lifestyle.

From 1908 to 1913 Lovecraft practically did not leave the house, continuing to study astronomy and poetry. The way out of seclusion occurred in a very original way. While reading a lot of old "cheap" magazines, among which was The Argosy, he came across the love stories of a certain Fred Jackson. This prompted him to write an angry letter to the magazine. It was published in 1913 and caused a storm of protest from Jackson's admirers. This led to a whole correspondence in the pages of the magazine, in which many people and authors were involved. Among them was Edward F. Daas, president of the United Amateur Press Association (UAPA). It was an organization that included young authors from all over the country who wrote and published their own magazines. He invites Lovecraft to become a member of UAPA. And in 1914 his proposal was accepted.

Lovecraft begins publishing his own magazine, The Conservative (1915-23), in which he publishes his poetry, as well as articles and essays written specifically for this publication, as well as those that he sent to other magazines. There are 13 issues of The Conservative in total. The Necronomicon Press would later reprint these issues among Lovecraft's other works. Later, Lovecraft became President and Editor-in-Chief of UAPA.

Having already written fiction previously (The Beast in the Cave, 1905) and The Alchemist (1908) and now plunging into the world of amateur prose, Lovecraft takes up his pen again. , already as a science fiction writer - for the first time since 1908. In 1917, The Tomb and Dagon were successfully published. Now the main occupation and hobby of the author is prose, poetry and journalism.

In 1919, Lovecraft's mother had a nervous attack. And just like his father, she is placed in a clinic, from where she does not leave until her death. She dies on May 24, 1921. Lovecraft is very upset by the death of his mother, but a few weeks later a serious change takes place in his life - at a conference of amateur journalists in Boston on July 4, 1921, he meets a woman who will later become his wife. It was Sonya Haft Green, a Russian-Jewish woman, seven years older than Howard himself. From the first meeting, they find a lot in common in each other, and Lovecraft often visits her in Brooklyn in 1922. Their relationship was not a secret, and therefore the announcement of the wedding on March 3, 1924 did not come as a surprise to their friends. But this was a complete surprise for his aunts, whom he only notified in writing only after the marriage had already taken place.

Lovecraft moves to his wife in Brooklyn, and things are not going badly for their family - he then earns as a professional writer, publishing his early works in Weird Tales, and Sonia runs a quite thriving hat store on Fifth Avenue in New York .

But later, the store goes bankrupt, and Lovecraft loses his job as an editor at Weird Tales. In addition, Sonino's health is deteriorating, and she is admitted to a New Jersey hospital. On January 1, 1925, Sonya leaves for Cleveland to start a business there, and Lovecraft moves into a one-room apartment in one of the Brooklyn neighborhoods called Red Hook. Having many acquaintances in the city, he does not feel completely alien and abandoned. At this time, such things as “The Abandoned House” (“The Shunned House”, 1924), “The Nightmare at Red Hook” (“The Horror at Red Hook”) and “He” (“He” ) (both also 1924).

In early 1926, Lovecraft plans to return to Providence, which he has missed all this time. At the same moment, his marriage cracks, and later (in 1929) breaks up completely.

Returning to Providence on April 17, 1926, Lovecraft does not lead a hermitic life, as he did in the period from 1908 to 1913. On the contrary, he travels a lot to ancient places (Quebec, New England, Philadelphia, Charleston) and works fruitfully. At this time, he writes some of his best things, including The Call of Cthulhu (The Call of Cthulhu, 1926), Ridges of Madness (At the Mountains of Madness, 1931), Shadow from Timelessness ("The Shadow out of Time", 1934-35). At the same time, he maintains an extensive correspondence both with his old friends and with many young authors who owe their careers in this field largely to Lovecraft (August Derleth, Donald Wandrei, Robert Bloch, Fritz Leiber). At this time, he wrote many articles on politics and economics, as well as on all those subjects that continued to interest him, from philosophy and literature to history and architecture.

The last two or three years of the author's life are especially difficult. In 1932, one of his aunts, Miss Clarke, died, and Lovecraft moved into a room at 66 College Street in 1933 with his second aunt, Miss Gunwell. After the suicide of Robert Howard, one of his closest pen pals, Lovecraft becomes depressed. At the same time, the disease progresses, which will later cause his death - intestinal cancer.

In the winter of 1936-1937, the disease progressed so much that Lovecraft was admitted to the Jane Brown Memorial Hospital on March 10, 1937, where he died five days later.

Lovecraft was buried on March 18, 1937 in the family plot at Swan Point Cemetery. On a simple tombstone, in addition to the name, dates of birth and death, there is only one inscription - "I am Providence" ...

The name of Howard Lovecraft became known in Russia in the early 90s. It was then that the first translations of his stories appeared in Russia. The popularity of the works of this author is growing every year. Interestingly, during his lifetime, the works of Howard Lovecraft were not appreciated, and interest in his unusual stories appeared only after the death of the author.

Most readers are used to thinking of the King of Horrors, but Lovecraft's stories are much scarier and sometimes evoke animal horror. Howard Lovecraft began writing his first stories at the age of 6. Already from the first stories of the author, one can understand that even the simplest things he can give a touch of real horror.

Over the course of his life, Lovecraft wrote 115 short stories, 44 of which were co-written. Unfortunately, most of the early works have been lost. In this collection we will talk about the best books of Howard Lovecraft. Thanks to the works of the author, a new genre appeared in the literary environment - lovecraft horror, that is, fear is not built on physical fear, but on the psychological horror of the unknown. This is what makes his books so creepy.

All the work of Howard Lovecraft is conditionally divided into three cycles - Cthulhu Myths, Death stories and the cycle of Dreams. The stories are not related to each other except for a common theme. And the Cthulhu Myths series includes works by many authors, including Stephen King.

"Crypt" (1917)

The Crypt is a short story written by Lovecraft at the age of 27. It belongs to the Death Tales series.

This is a story about Jervis Dudley, who dreamed of getting into the crypt of an old family. At first he did not succeed, and he decided that he would wait for the right opportunity. Falling asleep at the crypt, it seemed to him through a dream that light was coming from the tomb. He runs into the house and finds the cherished key to the door. In the crypt he finds his coffin. And from that moment on, Jervis has changed a lot. Now he sleeps in a crypt. And they watch him during the day. But what is really happening to him? What secrets does the old tomb hide? Or is the hero just crazy?

"Dagon" (1917)

"Dagon" is a fantastic story in which the main leitmotif of Lovecraft's work is manifested - the realization of the insignificance of man in a world where there are unknown and powerful forces.

The story is told on behalf of a man who saw the ancient sea deity Dagon. But this is not just his story, but a suicide note where he tells what really happened. It happened during the First World War. The narrator was sailing on a packet boat when he was taken prisoner by German soldiers. He managed to escape on a boat, only this escape turned into a nightmare.

"Cats of Ulthar" (1920)

"Cats of Ulthar" is a short story related to the Dream cycle.

Events unfold in the city of Ulthar, where an old couple who hated cats lived. They killed these animals, and the locals could not do anything. One day a caravan arrived in the city. There was a boy in this caravan and his only friend was a black kitten. The kitten disappeared, and when the child was told who was to blame, the boy asked the deities to take revenge on those who were guilty. Since then, it has been forbidden to kill cats in the city of Ulthar.

"The Music of Erich Zann" (1921)

"The Music of Erich Zann" is a mystical story that leaves more mysteries than answers. It belongs to the Death Tales series.

The narrator lives in Paris, in the same house as the mute musician. Erich Zann lives in isolation, but cannot exist without his music. This music is mesmerizing. She is able to fight the unknown. The narrator gets acquainted with the genius of music, but very quickly stops communication, continuing to listen to the bewitching music.

"Herbert West - Reanimator" (1921-1922)

"Herbert West - Reanimator" is a short story in the horror genre, consists of six mini-stories arranged in chronological order. Based on this story, a film was released in 1985, and later a series of horror comics began to be published. It is in this book that zombies are first mentioned as the risen dead.

The main character is Herbert West. He is a medical student who is trying not just to understand death, but to find a way to defeat it. A terrible story about the struggle with death is told by a friend of Herbert, who had to assist in strange experiments.

"Somnambulistic search for the unknown Kadat" (1926-1927)

"The somnambulistic search for the unknown Kadat" is considered the main work in the Dream cycle. This series is the smallest and has only 9 stories: "Memory", "White Ship", "Celephais", "Cats of Ulthar", "Punishing Rock on Sarnath", "Other Gods", "Sleepwalking search for the Unknown Kadat", "Searching for Iranon and Hypnos.

"The Somnambulistic Quest for the Unknown Kadat" is the story of Randolph Carter, who travels through the world of dreams every night. And in one of his dreams he sees a beautiful city, which took possession of his thoughts. He asks his Gods to open the way to this city for him, but the Gods are not only deaf, they no longer show him this miracle. Then he decides to find it himself. And the very creatures that inspire horror during the day come to his aid.

This story has a sequel "Gate of the Silver Key" and "Silver Key". In these stories, the hero is already familiar, but the atmosphere is completely different. That is why the continuation of the novel "The Somnambulistic Search for the Unknown Kadat" is not included in the Dream cycle.

"Color from Other Worlds" (1927)

“Color from other worlds” is a horror story with elements of science fiction. Part of the Deadly Tales series. The author himself called this work his best work.

A meteorite fell on the farm of an ordinary American family. At first, nothing happened. Everything was fine, but over time, a strange light began to come from the meteorite, which people had not seen before. And then events are described that amaze with their horror and otherworldly reality.

"Call of Cthulhu" (1926)

"The Call of Cthulhu" is the first story in which Cthulhu, an ancient deity and the embodiment of evil, appears.

The Call of Cthulhu consists of three parts:

1. Horror embodied in clay. The image of Cthulhu appears on a clay bas-relief. A simple image leads to a series of events that will lead the police to a religious sect.
2. The story of the police inspector Legrasse. The hero of this part talks about a sect that worshiped Cthulhu. Members of the sect believe that Cthulhu will soon come to this world.
3. Madness from the sea. In this part, not only the secret of the ancient deity will be revealed, but also he himself. Ordinary sailors accidentally found the ancient sea city of R'lyeh, where pure evil lives.

After this story, in other works of Howard Lovecraft, one can find various references not only to Cthulhu, but also to other ancient deities who embody evil and horror.

In the bookstore you can find a large collection called Cthulhu, which includes many stories, both from the Cthulhu Myths cycle and from other series.

"The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" (1927)

The Case of Charles Dexter Ward is one of Lovecraft's most voluminous works. The story has everything that a lover of mysticism and horror can only dream of.

The action of the story is looped. The beginning and end take place in a psychiatric hospital. Charles got there because of his desire to know the past of his family. So he learns that he looks like his ancestor, who was a sorcerer. But what will the disclosure of the whole truth lead to? Charles will literally resurrect the past in order to go into oblivion himself.

"Whisperer in the Dark" (1930)

"Whisperer in the Dark" is a story that has common features with "The Color of Other Worlds" and parallels with the "Cthulhu Mythos" cycle. At the same time, this story does not apply to cycles. But some publishers will certainly include this work in storybooks where Cthulhu appears.

After the flood, Professor Wilmarth hears rumors of strange creatures appearing around Vermont. At this time, Henry Ackley writes to him, to whom he says that he has evidence of the existence of an extraterrestrial race. After a stormy correspondence, the professor agrees to come to Vermont to find out the truth himself. But he will have to escape from the Ackley house in order to tell the world the truth.

"The Ridges of Madness" (1931)

"The Ridges of Madness" is a full-fledged horror novel with elements of fantasy. This book is one of the main ones in the cycle "Myths of Cthulhu". It is in this story that the mention of the offspring of Cthulhu appears.

The plot revolves around a polar expedition that finds an ancient city. But instead of a scientific discovery, a real nightmare awaits the members of the expedition. No one will be able to score a meeting with an ancient evil that takes on different guises. The world of the gods does not like being disturbed. In addition, aliens appear in the narrative, which will further aggravate the situation.

Of course, this is a small part of what Howard Lovecraft wrote, but it is these books that will most fully acquaint the reader with the author's style and his talent.

P.S.

While preparing this top, we faced a very interesting request. Many are looking for a book called the Necronomicon.

The Necronomicon is often referred to in Lovecraft's writings. The story "The Witch's Log" states that the Necronomicon contains all magical rituals and the complete history of the Old Gods. In reality, this book does not exist. It was invented by the author to give the story a more real meaning. Critics agreed that the "Necronomicon" has real prototypes.

At the same time, in 2011, one small publication released a collection of Lovecraft's stories called "Necronomicon". It's just a collection of short stories, and not the best. The translation was done by a certain Nina Bavina, who brought a lot of herself, which almost completely destroyed the style of the writer himself. So do not even take this book into account if you are going to get acquainted with the work of the great author.

Fear is the strongest human emotion. Therefore, it is not surprising that so much space has been devoted to this negative emotional process in literature and cinema. But there are only a few writers in the world who could not only captivate the reader, but also scare him to goosebumps. These writers include Howard Phillips Lovecraft, who is often referred to as the twentieth century.

The creator of the "Mythos of Cthulhu" is so original that it is customary to single out a separate genre in literature - "Lovecraftian horrors." Howard won thousands of followers (August Derleth, Clark Ashton Smith), but during his lifetime he never saw a single printed book. Lovecraft is familiar from The Call of Cthulhu, Hidden Fear, Beyond Sleep, Outcast, etc.

Childhood and youth

Howard was born March 15, 1937 in the capital of Rot Island - Providence. This city with chaotically located streets, crowded squares and Gothic spiers is often found in the works of Lovecraft: throughout his life, the genius of literature was keenly homesick. The writer said that his family comes from the astronomer John Field, who lived in the era and introduced the United Kingdom to the works.

The childhood of young Howard was peculiar. The quiet and intelligent boy grew up to the age of two in the suburbs of Boston and was brought up in the family of a jewelry salesman Winfield Scott, who lost his mind and went insane. Winfield was placed in a psychiatric hospital, where he soon died, and Sarah Susan, with her two-year-old son in her arms, moved into her relatives' three-story clapboard house at 454 Angell Street.

The cottage was owned by Lovecraft's grandfather Whipple Van Buren Phillips and his wife Robie, who were reputed to be avid book readers and kept a large library. They also had at their disposal several servants, an orchard with a fountain, and a stable with three horses. One could only dream of such luxury, but in the life of little Howard, everything was not so smooth. Winfield's mental illness was passed on to Susan: after losing her husband, she became obsessed with the idea that Howard was all she had.

Therefore, Susan did not leave her beloved child for a single step, trying to fulfill even the most bizarre whims of her son. Yes, and grandfather loved to pamper his little grandson, indulging him in everything. Howard's mother loved to dress the boy in girls' clothes. It is noteworthy that the parent also bought dresses and hair bands for her offspring.

Such an upbringing did not prevent the child prodigy Howard, who began to recite poems, having hardly learned to walk, to become addicted to literature. Lovecraft spent days and nights sitting in his grandfather's library, leafing through books. Not only classical works, but also Arabic tales fell into the hands of the young man: he enjoyed reading the stories told by Scheherazade.

The first years Howard was educated at home. Since the boy was in poor health, he could not attend an educational institution, so he had to master physics, chemistry, mathematics and literature on his own. When Lovecraft turned 12, he, fortunately, began to go to school again, but this did not last long. The fact is that in 1904, Whipple Van Buren Phillips died, because of which the family lost its main source of income.

Consequently, Lovecraft, along with his mother, barely making ends meet, had to move to a smaller house. The death of his grandfather and the departure saddened Howard, he plunged into a deep depression and even thought about taking his own life. In the end, the author of "Dagon" never received a certificate of secondary education, which he was ashamed of all his life.

Literature

Howard Phillips Lovecraft took up the inkwell and pen as a child. The boy was constantly tormented by nightmares, because of which the dream was a terrible torture, because Lovecraft could not control these dreams or wake up. Throughout the night, he watched in his wild imagination frightening creatures with membranous wings, which were called "night beasts."

Howard's first works were written in the fantasy genre, but Lovecraft abandoned this "frivolous literature" and began to hone his skills by writing poems and essays. But in 1917, Howard returned to science fiction again and published the stories "The Crypt" and "Dagon".

The plot of the latter is built around the deity Dagon, who belongs to the pantheon of Cthulhu myths. The appearance of this deep-sea monster is disgusting, and its huge scaly hands will make anyone and everyone shudder.

It would seem that success is already close, because "Dagon" was published in a magazine in 1923. But misfortune happened again in Howard's life. His mother ended up in the same hospital where his father spent the last years of his life. Sarah died on May 21, 1921, the doctors could not cure this crazy woman. Therefore, in order to distract from torment, the genius of literature began to work hard.

Howard Lovecraft managed to invent his own unique worlds that can be put on a par with Middle-earth, Discworld, Lyman Frank Baum's Oz and other parallel universes in the world of literature. Howard became the founder of a certain mystical cult: there are people in the world who believe in unseen and omnipotent deities (Ancients), which are found in the Necronomicon.

Fans of the writer know that Lovecraft refers in his works to ancient sources. The Necronomicon is Howard's fictionalized encyclopedia of magical rituals, strongly associated with the Cthulhu mythos, which first appears in the short story The Dog (1923).

The writer himself said that the manuscript existed in reality, and claimed that the "Book of the Dead" was written by the mad Arab Abdul Alhazred (an early pseudonym of the writer, inspired by the "Arabian Nights"). There is also a legend that this book is kept behind seven locks, because it is dangerous for the mental and physical health of the reader.

It is noteworthy that excerpts from the Necronomicon were scattered throughout the novels and stories of Lovecraft, and these quotes were collected into a single volume by enthusiastic fans. The first to think of this was the writer August Derleth, a passionate admirer of Howard. By the way, director Sam Raimi used the likeness of the Necronomicon in his cult trilogy The Evil Dead (1981,1987,1992).

Also, the master of the pen endowed his books with peculiar spells and drawings. For example, in order to respect the great and terrible Cthulhu, the adherent of a cruel cult needs to say: “Ph’nglui mglv’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh vgah’nagl fhtagn!” By the way, for the first time a giant octopus-like monster, sleeping at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and capable of influencing the human mind, appeared in the story "The Call of Cthulhu" (1928).

Then, a year later, a work called The Dunwich Horror (1929) was published. Lovecraft tells his reader about a fictional city in north central Massachusetts. In this haunted place lived an old man who loved to perform sinister rites, and a young man, Wilbur, who was not a man at all, but a strange creature with tentacles.

In 1931, Howard supplemented his creative biography with the fantasy novel The Ridges of Madness, and also wrote the story The Shadow over Innsmouth (1931), the plot of which revolves around a mystery: an enveloping gloomy city inhabited by people who have an ominous appearance, as if they were sick with an unexplored earlier illness.

In the same 1931, Lovecraft wrote another work - "Whisperer in the Dark", where for the first time the extraterrestrial race of intelligent mushrooms Mi-go is mentioned. In his story, the writer mixes detective, science fiction in one bottle and seasons his creation with a special Lovecraftian technique.

Lovecraft's books are terrible because his manuscripts use the psychological horror of the unknown, and not the primitive intimidation of the reader by vampires, monsters, ghouls, zombies and other characters. Moreover, Howard knew how to whip up such an atmosphere of suspense that, perhaps, he himself would envy this genius of literature.

Later, Lovecraft presented the story "Dreams in the Witch's House" (1932). The story describes the life of an inquisitive student Walter Gilman, who had heard a lot of stories about the sorceress Ketzia Mason, who could easily move in space. But the young guy is sure that the witch travels in the fourth dimension. In the end, the puzzled Walter begins to see nightmares: as soon as Morpheus touches the eyes of the protagonist, an evil old woman begins to mock him.

In 1933, Howard wrote a story with a telling title - "The Thing on the Doorstep." The plot of the work develops in the fictional town of Arkham, in the house of the architect Daniel Upton, who is trying to explain to the reader why he killed his friend, the writer Edward Pickman Derby. This work with an unexpected ending plunges the avid book lover into mystical and intricate stories to its fullest.

Then, in 1935, Lovecraft published the book "Beyond Time" and in the same year dedicated a new work to Robert Bloch - "Dwelling in Darkness". This book tells about the writer Robert Blake, who was found dead at his home. Horror froze on the writer's face, and one can only judge what happened on that fateful day of death by the notes scattered on the table.

Among other things, Howard's track record includes a collection of sonnets "Mushrooms from Yuggoth", written in 1929. Also, Lovecraft, whose undeniable talent was appreciated by fans, helped his colleagues in the workshop in writing stories. Moreover, it often happened that all the laurels of honor went to the second co-author, who made a smaller contribution to the plot of the work.

Lovecraft left behind an epistolary legacy, scientists used to say that a hundred thousand letters were written by the hand of a mystic. Including preserved and drafts of other writers, corrected by Lovecraft. Thus, Howard left only a few proposals from the "original", receiving a small amount for this, while some co-authors were content with large fees.

Personal life

Howard Lovecraft lived a reclusive life. He could spend days and nights at the table, writing fantasy novels that became popular only after the death of the author. The master of the word was actively published in magazines, but the money paid by the editors was not enough for a decent existence.

It is known that Lovecraft was "fed" by editorial activity in the field of amateur literary journalism. He not only made "candy" out of writers' drafts, but also reprinted texts by hand, which bothered him, because even Howard's own texts were reprinted with difficulty.

Contemporaries said that a tall and thin man, whose appearance resembles Boris Karloff (he played in the film "Frankenstein" based on the novel) and was a kind and sympathetic person, whose soft smile gave warmth. Lovecraft knew how to empathize, for example, the suicide of a friend Robert Howard, who decided on such an act because of the death of his mother, wounded Lovecraft in the heart and crippled his health.

In addition, the author of chilling horrors loved cats, ice cream and travel: he visited New England, Quebec, Philadelphia and Charleston. Paradoxically, Lovecraft did not like the cold and slushy weather that prevails in Edgar Allan Poe's novels and paintings. He also avoided everything connected with the sea, although his works are saturated with the smell of water and damp planks of the coastal pier.

As for amorous relations, only one chosen one of the writer, a native of the Russian Empire, is known - Sonya Green. The lovers moved from quiet Providence to bustling New York, but Lovecraft could not stand the crowds and fast pace of life. Soon the couple broke up, not having time to file a divorce.

Death

Upon learning of the death of a friend who shot himself in the mouth with a pistol, Howard could not recover. He eventually stopped eating because he was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Lovecraft died on March 15, 1937 in his native Providence, outliving Robert Howard by nine months.

Subsequently, the writer's works were often taken as the basis for various films and cartoons, and they wanted to erect a monument to Howard himself in Providence.

Bibliography

• 1917 - The Crypt
• 1917 - "Dagon"
• 1919 - "Reincarnation of Juan Romero"
• 1920 - Cats of Ultar
• 1921 - "The Music of Erich Zahn"
• 1925 - "Holiday"
• 1927 - "Color from other worlds"
• 1927 - "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward"
• 1928 - "Call of Cthulhu"
• 1929 - The Dunwich Horror
• 1929 - "Silver Key"
• 1931 - Ridges of Madness
• 1931 - "Shadow over Innsmouth"
• 1931 - Whisperer in the Dark