# Lovecraft - what to read?



## Underworld (Feb 1, 2011)

Hi folks! 


I'm in the mood to read something really dark and creepy, so I thought HP Lovecraft! But... what to read? Which one is best to start? Easy to find? 

And what about the Necronomicon? I've heard that there is no "real" Necronomicon as Lovecraft has wrote it for himself... so what is sold now (being called Necronomicon)?


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## Richie666 (Feb 1, 2011)

All his works (most of them?) can be found here: the Complete works of H. P. Lovecraft

A few good places to start would be The Color Out of Space, which is my personal favorite, and The Rats in the Walls. Both are perfect examples of his style and not too long. If you're feeling a bit more courageous, give At the Mountains of Madness a shot. It's his longest and easily one of his best. Great for winter too

Hmmm it is looking quite like the arctic tundra outside today... classes are cancelled... maybe i'll read that one today haha


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## thraxil (Feb 1, 2011)

Personal favorites: The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, The Colour Out of Space, The Dreams in the Witch House, Nyarlathotep, At the Mountains of Madness, and The Music of Erich Zann. 

If you like Lovecraft, I also highly recommend checking out some of Thomas Ligotti's work. 

The "Necronomicon" that's out there is a worthless, shameless rip off of Lovecraft's legacy. Don't bother.


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## Overtone (Feb 1, 2011)

I REALLY enjoyed The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath, which is the first Lovecraft book I read.


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## ShreddingDragon (Feb 1, 2011)

+1 for *Rats in The Walls*, and I would really recommend *The Horror at Red Hook*. It includes one of the most gruesome sentences I've ever read.

If you get interested and later would like Lovecraft with a kind of "historical research" vibe, read The Call of Cthulhu. It isn't dark really, more like a mystery tale. It only really has one frightening moment, but it is a great, great story no less. Has references to Necronomicon and other esoteric works, the story of Atlantis and all kinds of epic stuff  And of course, it is the background story of the infamous Cthulhu himself 

Here are some of his stories in audio book format as well. Digital Meltd0wn: H.P. Lovecraft - Audio Books, Radio Plays, & Audio Documentaries


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## technomancer (Feb 1, 2011)

In addition to those listed above I'll add The Haunter of the Dark, The Whisperer in Darkness, The Lurking Fear, and Pickman's Model

That said I like most of Lovecraft's stuff, and agree with all the recommendations so far

Oh and the stuff being sold as Necronomicons today is all fake, if interesting. I've got a collection of different Necronomicons


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## Sepultorture (Feb 1, 2011)

also Herbert West: Reanimator

seriously just read it all


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## Malkav (Feb 2, 2011)

H.P Lovecraft & Clive Barker are just absolute win 

I also really enjoy the writing of a guy named Robert Holdstock. 

As far as Lovecraft goes, I highly recommend the book Shadows Over Innsmouth. It's got one of his stories in it, and then a couple of short stories by other really good writers all revolving around the concept of Cthulu and the village of Innsmouth  A great read just for the Lovecraft story alone, but some of the other writers do a compelling job and it's a nice introduction to their styles while still remaining in a context you'd enjoy


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## Malkav (Feb 2, 2011)

Oh and Necronomicon the movie = massive lol's


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Feb 4, 2011)

Dreams in the Witch-House is my favorite, along with At The Mountains Of Madness (of course). The Music of Erich Zann is cool. His dream stories aren't my favorite, but everything else is pretty decent.


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## highlordmugfug (Feb 5, 2011)

I can agree with most of these recommendations, and I'll add: The Lurking Fear.
I loved that little series of stories.
EDIT:
And 

The Nameless City
and 
Under the Pyramids (told to lovecraft by Houdini, +embelishment)


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## Encephalon5 (Feb 5, 2011)

All of it.  The simon Necro-omnomnom-icon is a fun read. It's nifty, I suppose. Any Lovecraft is a good place to start. I started with The Call of Cthulu, actually. Everyone has heard of Cthulu. It's a great place to start. You get to see what Lovecraft is all about. Also, I highly recommend Ligotti as well. Get a copy of Teatro Grotessco and some tea. 

There's a story by Lovecraft where the main character goes and sits under this tree and is transported to another dimension and sees one of the great old ones. It's a favorite of mine but I can't remember the name. Anyone remember what it's called?

Also, have any of you seen To Cast A Deadly Spell? It's this old Hb0-movie based looooosely off of lovecrafts work. Fucking hilarious. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cast_a_Deadly_Spell


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Feb 5, 2011)

highlordmugfug said:


> The Nameless City



_That's_ the one I was trying to remember! One of Lovecraft's more epic writings.

And, srsly, The Dunwich Horror was fucking scary. Yog-Sothoth spawn all up in dat shit.


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## technomancer (Feb 5, 2011)

Encephalon5 said:


> Also, have any of you seen To Cast A Deadly Spell? It's this old Hb0-movie based looooosely off of lovecrafts work. Fucking hilarious.
> 
> Cast a Deadly Spell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



I keep hoping that some day that movie will be available on DVD


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## Xodus (Feb 5, 2011)

Start with his three most famous:

The Call Of Cthulhu
The Shadow over Innsmouth
The Dunwich Horror

Then buy this 

If you want to read the Necronomicon, try me, it's probably the best I have read. Nile agree with me, they got most of the lyrics on Ithyphallic from it.

Also if you want a good one read The Shadow out of Time, it's his longest work and is just amazingly epic in it's scope.

Of course eventually read all of it.


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## Underworld (Feb 11, 2011)

I just finished "The Call of Cthulhu". Not dark and creepy... don't know why, but for my that was just a normal read, like Guy de Maupassant. Maybe it's because I'm french and I did not cought all the subtilities? 
I tought it was going to be more occult than that. Next will be "At The Mountains of Madness". 

Patrick Senecal is much creeper in my opinion... well it is more modern too! _5150 rue des Ormes_, _Aliss_ and _Les 7 jours du Talion_ are incredible read! (french of course)


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## technomancer (Feb 11, 2011)

Underworld said:


> I just finished "The Call of Cthulhu". Not dark and creepy... don't know why, but for my that was just a normal read, like Guy de Maupassant. Maybe it's because I'm french and I did not cought all the subtilities?
> I tought it was going to be more occult than that. Next will be "At The Mountains of Madness".
> 
> Patrick Senecal is much creeper in my opinion... well it is more modern too! _5150 rue des Ormes_, _Aliss_ and _Les 7 jours du Talion_ are incredible read! (french of course)



The Call of Cthulhu is definitely well known, but far from Lovecraft's best... IMHO At the Mountains of Madness is much better


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## ShreddingDragon (Feb 13, 2011)

I read Hypnos a while ago. Nice (while short) story, gets right to the point and has some really cosmic stuff going on. Started on The Whisperer In The Darkness now.


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## Richie666 (Feb 17, 2011)

I wasn't too thrilled with Cthulu either. It's more suspenseful than creepy, but even so, I didn't find the climax particularly mindblowing. Definitely give The Color Out of Space a try. I found it to be better in all respects


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## TMM (Feb 17, 2011)

Only once I checked out was Beyond the Wall of Sleep, which I thought was cool. No one else likes it?


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## heavy7-665 (Feb 17, 2011)

The Outsider
Rats in the Walls


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## sleepy502 (Feb 19, 2011)

Rats in the Walls!


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