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wextra's reviews
53 reviews

The Alchemist by H.P. Lovecraft

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

2.5

Considering that it is a work of juvenilia by Lovecraft , written when he was but a teenager, the story is quite effective and showed hints of the writer he would become. It, of course, has plenty of problems but Lovecraft wrote worse that eventually was published later in life. Definitely an interesting piece of history.
The Temple by H.P. Lovecraft

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

2.5

Servicable thriller from Lovecraft about a german u-boat crew during the first world war that uses some of the same ideas as his stories "Dagon" and "The Call of Cthulhu". Really not anything special.
From Beyond by H.P. Lovecraft

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.0

Short but intriguing story about the realm beyond the five senses and the creatures that live their. The story is mostly just fine but its influence looms large in other works which gives it additional historical value.
The Colour Out of Space by H.P. Lovecraft

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Another intriguing tale from Lovecraft with a very interesting conceit and some rather terrifying ideas such as its use of madness, decay and, of course, colour. It's biggest flaw is its short length and the rapidity of which it abandons the Gardener family's fate.
The Nameless City Howard Phillips Lovecraft by H.P. Lovecraft

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dark mysterious tense fast-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

3.25

Intriguing Lovecraftian tale of a man exploring an abandoned cavern amd learning of a horrifying ancient race while in the deserts of Arabia. It's rather short so really doesn't have the time to develop but the tension is very good and the descriptions are actually rather interesting, something Lovecraft was never known for providing.
Cool Air by H.P. Lovecraft

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

A great tense story from Lovecraft ruined by the way the final paragraph is worded, stilted and amateurish like a campfire ghost story. The journey, especially given how short the story is, is still worth it but the ending is unfortunate very sour.
The Whisperer in Darkness by H.P. Lovecraft

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.25

Absolutely chilling adventure by Lovecraft with a focus on one of his creepiest creations, this novella really knows how to raise tension and leads to an absolutely chilling reveal at the end without resorting to the old Cosmic Horror standard of "they're coming to get me right now, ahhhhh!" Definitely one of the best Lovecraft stories I have yet read.
The Body Snatcher by Robert Louis Stevenson

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Stevenson is really great st building tension in morality tales and that's no different here, with a twist ending that chills. It's definitely not as effective as his more famous works but it's plenty enjoyble.
Nyarlathotep by H.P. Lovecraft

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dark mysterious fast-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

2.75

Intriguing very short story by Lovecraft that has also been described as a poem centered around the titular character from his Cthulhu Cycle . A quick tense read, like much of Lovecraft.
The Premature Burial by Edgar Allan Poe

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dark mysterious medium-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

3.5

Fun story by Poe about numerous experiences of being buried alive, ruminating on how shallow the difference is between the states of life and death.