Author: H.P. Lovecraft
First published in 1922
Thickness: 895 pages
Personal rating: 1 star, but actually didn't finish it
In short
Originally written for the pulp magazines of the 1920s and 1930s, H. P. Lovecraft's astonishing tales blend elements of horror, science fiction, and cosmic terror that are as powerful today as they were when they were first published.
This tome brings together all of Lovecraft's harrowing stories, including the complete Cthulhu Mythos cycle, just the way they were first released.
It will introduce a whole new generation of readers to Lovecraft's fiction, as well as attract those fans who want all his work in a single, definitive volume. (www.goodreads.com)
My two cents
H.P. Lovecraft, as an avid and constant reader of Stephen King and alike, this was a name continuously turning up when they talked about a large influence in their writing style. With having quite the inquisitive nature, I couldn't but try my hands on him at least once. Add to that my tendency to overdo it, I bought this giant edition when my eye first fell on it.
To say the least, it was disappointing. I had high hopes, but they didn't come true. Having been brought up with the fantastic King tales, I just don't get what all the fuss is about where HP Lovecraft is concerned. I understand that in earlier times, this was all they had and it was better than nothing at all, but today's authors took his initial attempts at the horror and thrill and mastered it wonderfully.
His stories are dated, and I don't get any thrill but a sigh of boredom once in a while. His tales are longwinded with too many adjectives, sometimes it felt like I was reading a dictionary.
This is a novel where I quite trying after about 200 pages and those were a struggle as it was. Nope, give me modern horror, not from a century ago.
