H.P. Lovecraft

It's been quite a while...

Having been an avid reader most of my life, it goes without saying I have read many different types of things in my time. Books, magazines, encyclopedias, etc. I did notice my love for it has waned over the years; maybe it was because too many stories are similar to each other, maybe I just lost touch with the thrill of it all or maybe I just fell out of touch with imagination in general.

Over the years, I have heard the name H.P. Lovecraft many times. Multiple references in other books, movies and t.v shows but I never really took the time to delve into the actual works of the author. Until recently...Last week I actually took the time and sat down to read some of his stories and my goodness, was I impressed.

Once I started Reading I Could Not Stop.

I found a site online that offers some of the H.P. Lovecraft stories, so i started reading them one by one. After reading the first story, "The Tomb" I was blown away. The story kept me interested and definitely did not go where I expected. I was thrilled! After all this time, I had read something refreshing, different and involving. So I continued reading. Story after story, each one unique in its own way and the thrills kept on going. All of the stories use language that perfectly captures the essence of the setting and atmosphere. Each story has a compelling sense of dread, wonder or awe. Sometimes all at once! I have loved every one and I am not quite finished with them all. "The White Ship" is my favorite, it really stirs the imagination and fulfills that sense of wonder. I will not ruin any of the stories here, as I hope you will go and find copies and take a look for yourself!

Two Reasons Everyone Should Read at Least One

I believe everyone who has not read at least one of the H.P. Lovecraft Stories should for two main reasons. First of all, some of the stories create a real intimate experience of the events. Some of the stories are in a first person view or personal accounts of goings on, which makes it easy to read and really gets you to be involved in finding out what has happened. If you like mystery and suspense, then these stories may peak your interest.

The second reason, is for sheer entertainment! If you are looking for something new and exciting look no further than your local library or even online sources, as I found a free copy online. These stories may have been around for some time, but they are just as relevant as anything written recently. Also, I have come to find out there is a great big following! There are groups with thousands of members worldwide who are invested in the mythos of H.P. Lovecraft. There are many people who enjoy the stories and even some who research the locations to see where they fit into our modern day maps. That in itself is exciting to me, a whole new world of ideas to explore and new people to share it with!

New Ideas and The Reinvention of Imagination

In conclusion, the discovery of H.P. Lovecraft and his work has really opened me up to new ideas and a different way of looking at the world. I was unaware of the genre of cosmic horror and also how well stories can be written from a personal perspective of a character. Reading these stories opened up a door for me. A door to a whole new world of possibilities. Inventive and horrifying, they paint new realms to explore. Just like the stories of Jules Verne, they filled me with wonder and excitement, the hope that one day maybe we will have a real answer to the question "What if?".