Quote Originally Posted by Satyr View Post
Ithink that it is the introductin to one story where the narrator on a hike meets a friendly cannibal. But, yes, according to Lovecraft, old buildings are scary. Especially when they are unusual in any way.
I can believe Lovecraft came to that conclusion. He wrote a lot of papers and spent a lot of time thinking about scary stories. They might have something to do with his nightmares as well. HP had nightmares just about every night, and they were the main inspiration for The Elder Ones and any other supernatural occurence in his stories. And what's scarier that to see those unnameable, eldritch monstrosities in your own New England home?


But that makes the story even less scarry nowadays. Besides, some of his stories also have such brilliant morals as "miscenegation creates bloodthirsty fish monsters" and "Distrust all noncomformists and foreigners, because they are evil" and not to forget "If they are not white, they are inferior" or "The swastika will protect you against evil powers".
Seriously, Lovecraft makes a lot more fun to read if you completely ignore anything he intended with his tales.
Once again, I agree with you, although you did carry it a bit too far. Lovecraft was a true blue racist, even more than was usual even around 1900. The Swastika, though, is a bit too much. Because of the meaning we give it today. Actually in the last part of his life, he came to see the errors of his way....sort of. If you read his later stories (mainly Mountains of Madness comes to mind), you'll find that there's a lot less racist remarks.

But yeah, his stories are funnier when you know that and keep it in mind.

That's actually wrong, there were a few more writers than just the two, with a high degree of intertextuality. The classic cycle includes Lovecraft (as the most important author, Robert E. Howard (fun fact: any Conan story whatsoever is a part of the Mythos. These two settings are permanently linked, and some of the creatures were coproductions between Howard and Lovecraft), Robert Bloch, Clark Ashton Smith and August Derleth (who only really started it after Lovecraft's death ad who changed the original cope significantly from an amoral universe to the conflict between good and evil. He just didn't get the point.)
Lovecraft actively cheered on anyone who wanted to make mention of the Elder Ones or the Necronomicon, just so it would have more meaning if an unknowing reader came across it.

The main reason I asked for the writer who suicided was because that was the reason for me to become interested in Lovecraft and consorts. It was quite a letdown for me when I found out that he didn't die of madness or suicide, but just disease.

AND ON-TOPIC!

I obviously agree with Satyr that a steamboat would easily take down Cthulhu, even if it's only temporary. Otherwise I'd just throw Yog-Sothoth or any of the Starheaded creatures in the ring. Millions of years in stasis in the arctic, capable of traversing space and resilient to basically anything?

Our little priest doesn't stand a chance!