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englshmffns's review against another edition
It's just a lot to read and can be slow and dense sometimes. Also dude is super racist and there is better horror fiction out there. Maybe will finish at some point because he did help to kickstart the genre but definitely not high up on my list.
stevegoble's review against another edition
4.0
This Kindle edition is great. Well done, ChthulhuChick.com.
I run hot and cold on Lovecraft. His protagonists are dull and mostly interchangeable. He avoids dialogue like mice avoid cats. He loves antiquated words. He tells stories obliquely, often through the voice of someone relaying things that purportedly happened to someone else.
On the other hand, his vision of horror is more applicable to real life than the vampires, werewolves and ghosts of old -- it is a better metaphor for the doom we all fear. Vampires, werewolves, etc. can be dealt with, if you have smarts and pluck. There is not much you can do about Cthulhu.
Some of these stories are readable and effective, others are thought to enjoy. I like "The Call of Cthulhu," "The Silver Key," "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" and "At The Mountains of Madness." I cannot abide "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kaddath."
I give this book four stars, mostly because the good stuff is memorable and because I do like Lovecraft's ideas and his influence. The sheer volume of stories is good, too; if you like weird fiction there is a lot of it here.
I run hot and cold on Lovecraft. His protagonists are dull and mostly interchangeable. He avoids dialogue like mice avoid cats. He loves antiquated words. He tells stories obliquely, often through the voice of someone relaying things that purportedly happened to someone else.
On the other hand, his vision of horror is more applicable to real life than the vampires, werewolves and ghosts of old -- it is a better metaphor for the doom we all fear. Vampires, werewolves, etc. can be dealt with, if you have smarts and pluck. There is not much you can do about Cthulhu.
Some of these stories are readable and effective, others are thought to enjoy. I like "The Call of Cthulhu," "The Silver Key," "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" and "At The Mountains of Madness." I cannot abide "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kaddath."
I give this book four stars, mostly because the good stuff is memorable and because I do like Lovecraft's ideas and his influence. The sheer volume of stories is good, too; if you like weird fiction there is a lot of it here.
rachyarchy's review against another edition
3.0
Didn't really understand the whole Cthulu thing so I enlightened myself.
Following a Lovcraft 101 essential story guide
http://io9.com/5391563/lovecraft-101-get-to-know-the-master-of-scifi+horror
I read:
At the Mountains of Madness
Call of Cthulu
Shadow over Innsmouth
Dunwich Horror
these gave me a good general over view of Cthulu the Elder ones and the necronomicon and despite the unsettling racist elements and the overuse of the word decadent I did enjoy them. I liked Lovecraft's style of writing and the stories were engaging and gripping.
In the future I will probably come back to this and read The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath as it really intrigues me (mainly because it features a city of cats)
Following a Lovcraft 101 essential story guide
http://io9.com/5391563/lovecraft-101-get-to-know-the-master-of-scifi+horror
I read:
At the Mountains of Madness
Call of Cthulu
Shadow over Innsmouth
Dunwich Horror
these gave me a good general over view of Cthulu the Elder ones and the necronomicon and despite the unsettling racist elements and the overuse of the word decadent I did enjoy them. I liked Lovecraft's style of writing and the stories were engaging and gripping.
In the future I will probably come back to this and read The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath as it really intrigues me (mainly because it features a city of cats)
autumnhrafnsdottir's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
sorkatani's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
I can not recommend this collection despite it being the best narrated collection of Lovecraft stories that I have ever listened to.
The reason I can't recommend it is because despite how easy it would have been to switch out all the N-words for other terms, Leman and Branney (two white men) decided to leave in every single one of them.
We all know that Lovecraft was a eugenics supporting racist. He was a trash person. No debate. Despite that, people (myself included) love his stories, but that doesn't mean we have to continue to stay true to his use of harmful racial slurs. They literally have no effect on the story AT ALL.
It's seriously disappointing.
It also means this audiobook is useless unless you either a) wear headphones or b) don't mind offending and/or harming the people around you.
There's no excuse for this.
They should have done better.
The reason I can't recommend it is because despite how easy it would have been to switch out all the N-words for other terms, Leman and Branney (two white men) decided to leave in every single one of them.
We all know that Lovecraft was a eugenics supporting racist. He was a trash person. No debate. Despite that, people (myself included) love his stories, but that doesn't mean we have to continue to stay true to his use of harmful racial slurs. They literally have no effect on the story AT ALL.
It's seriously disappointing.
It also means this audiobook is useless unless you either a) wear headphones or b) don't mind offending and/or harming the people around you.
There's no excuse for this.
They should have done better.
abookishreverie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
cazzasaurus's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
Very challenging to rate, some stories are classic early horror but it is hard to ignore the racist, classist and sexist comments liberally scattered though the stories. I would recommend looking up the most popular stories rather than reading his complete works.
bluebunny444's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0