Up to now, I had avoided reading (or in this case, listening to) Lovecraft, mainly because I thought he probably fell into the 'cheesy' &/or grisly horror genre. True, he writes horror, but I was very pleasantly surprised at how erudite his writing is. I know he is traditionally well-loved among geeky circles & now I see why -- his writing is smart, filled with scientific references (making the horror of his stories seem scientifically-authenticated), & quite compelling. I thoroughly enjoyed his extension of Poe's Pym novel (to which he makes direct reference) & thought he brought the story through a very satisfying arc & ending. Definitely recommended, esp. if you've read Poe's Pym or are looking for a sort-of 1920s/1930s throwback story of adventure/science/horror. I plan to read more of Lovecraft's work.
Stacia's books
Favorite books: Historical fiction, steampunk, modern fiction, classics, some non-fiction, magical realism, surrealist works, satire, travel/exploration/adventure stories
Up to now, I had avoided reading (or in this case, listening to) Lovecraft, mainly because I thought he probably fell into the 'cheesy' &/or grisly horror genre. True, he writes horror, but I was very pleasantly surprised at how erudite his writing is. I know he is traditionally well-loved among geeky circles & now I see why -- his writing is smart, filled with scientific references (making the horror of his stories seem scientifically-authenticated), & quite compelling. I thoroughly enjoyed his extension of Poe's Pym novel (to which he makes direct reference) & thought he brought the story through a very satisfying arc & ending. Definitely recommended, esp. if you've read Poe's Pym or are looking for a sort-of 1920s/1930s throwback story of adventure/science/horror. I plan to read more of Lovecraft's work.
