I find myself entirely unable to give this book less than 5 stars, for though Lovecraft's writing was coloured by certain unacceptable views, and his style at times erred toward the essay-like, it retains a timeless quality that truly evokes exactly why his works are regarded as so important in the history of horror.
Reading the many stories contained in this volume, I was able to identify the inspiration for many a horror writer, myself included, and though Lovecraft himself drew inspiration from others, he was able to take the ideas that came before and turn them into new, truly terrifying tales. I am not one to be easily scared or unsettled, yet every story left me feeling a little uncertain about my meagre life in this vast universe. Though beings such as Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep and Azathoth do not, as far as we know, truly exist, the very notion of their being is a stark reminder of humanity's true unimportance in the cosmos.
In some ways, it would seem that Lovecraft was ahead of his time. He recognised our insignificance long ago, and this seems particularly prescient to me in an era of human history where arrogance and narcissism seem rather prevalent.
I can honestly say that I will be returning to these stories often, though a repeat undertaking of the mammoth task of reading the entire tome at once seems quite unlikely.
If you are amongst those who have yet to read Lovecraft, you are most certainly missing out.
I found Dagon to be an excellent starting point, personally, though The Doom That Came To Sarnath was, in fact, one of the first I read. In regards to personal favourites, I am drawn particularly to The Colour Out of Space, The Shadow Over Innsmouth and Pickman's Model - The Rats In The Walls and At The Mountains of Madness also hold a special place in my mind.
Truly a fantastic collection of stories, from a talented if tortured author.