Wow, this took forever! I found it more a trial of endurance than anything else. Some of the stories were better than others, but, well, that's pretty faint praise, isn't it?

Pros: Seeing the clear influence of Lovecraft's work on literature and other media to come. Creepy atmospheres. The cats.

Cons: The stories were extremely repetitive. The prose was overly elaborate and often falsely antiquated, without enough plot to support the endless description. Lovecraft was a clear racist, classist, and sexist, and this was in no way disguised in his fantastical writing. Also, his incorporation of evolutionary theory was frustratingly warped.

And, thus, I complete this massive tome as an older, wiser human being, secure in the knowledge that I will never be a fan of H.P. Lovecraft. If you have some curiosity about this admittedly influential author, I would highly recommend starting with a smaller compilation that collects his better-known works, rather than deciding to read everything he ever wrote all at once - unless, like me, you are a masochist.