Twitter people may have seen that I recently bought a huge book called 'Necronomicon - The Collected Works of H.P. Lovecraft'. It's not everything he ever wrote, but there's a lot there.

It's a gap in my horror knowledge that I've wanted to fill for a long time, and this book was as cheap as anything.

I'm familiar with Lovecraft from Stuart Gordon's films, which while enjoyable I don't think are probably Lovecraft in it's purest sense, but more like using the basic premise. Far more keeping with the spirit are Doug Bradley's Spine Chillers which include a couple of Lovecraft readings.

So, any Lovecraft fans with suggestions or comments?

Lovecraft is a literary genius. F**ked up, but an incredible story teller Puts other latter day horror writers to shame. You need "The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories". Mental....

I often find Lovecraft's literary ability struggling to keep up with his imagination. Much like Robert E. Howard, in fact. I like both immensely, mind you.

I was given the leatherbound 'Necronomicon' collection as part of my 'Mod-wages', a year or so ago.

Coincidentally, I just listened to an odd little adaptation of 'The Dunwich Horror', presented as a 1945 episode of the hugely popular US 'Suspense' radio anthology ('radio's outstanding theater of thrills'), starring Ronald Coleman. Not entirely ineffective - and probably the most 'mainstream' HP's ever been.

There's a new series of Lovecraft adaptations - 'Weird Tales' - on Radio 4, currently.

The second in the series, 'The House on Pale Avenue', is currently on the i-Player www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pxr8m/W...ouse_on_Pale_Avenue/

The modernisation of the tales, and their being transplanted into a distinctly English setting, took a little getting used to in the first series (late last Spring), but the essence of the stories is retained.

Saw this in WH Smiths today, £20. Was sorely tempted but I do have most of the stories in a paperback collection under the name "Crawling Chaos" so I couldn't justify buying it there and then. Going to put it on my birthday wish list though as it's a nicely presented package.

I have 3 omnibus published by Voyager 1999-2000

They are

- H.P. Lovecraft Omnibus 1: At the Mountains of Madness ISBN 0-586-06322-6
- H.P. Lovecraft Omnibus 2: Dagon and Other Macabre Tales ISBN 0-586-06324-2
- H.P. Lovecraft Omnibus 3: The Haunter of the Dark ISBN 0-586-06323-4

There's loads of stories but don't know how complete it is.

As I far as I know those three volumes cover, if not all, then the vast majority, of his output, including some fragments never before published and an issue on supernatural fiction in volume 2. I have the second two, no idea why I didn't get the first one. Maybe it's because his writing tends to infuriate me, too much lengthy description getting in the way of the actual story and detracting from the ideas on offer. I can only read him in small doses, and the first volume is predominantly his lengthier work, so that's probably the reason.

edash wrote:


I agree with most of that, his descriptive writing can get in the way though ironically I tend to find this mostly with the mid-length writings rather than the longer stories.

edash wrote:


Sounds like you're describing Stephen King here, it's the problem I always had with his writing too much space wasted describing minute detail. I always preferred Dean Koontz in that genre for that very reason, Koontz at least seemed to get to the meat and potatoes very quickly.

I've only read one and a bit Richard Matheson so far, but I really loved I Am Legend. I have a couple more of his at home to read including an anthology, but I am going to do my best to get through Lovecraft, I just like his themes too much to not stick it out.