Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Review Tuesday: The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft [1928]



The Call of Cthulhu
by H.P. Lovecraft
After the death of his grand-uncle, Professor George Gammell Angell, under strange circumstances, archeologist Francis Wayland Thurston traveled the globe to find out what truly occurred. 
This is a story that I waited to read for a very long time. But since I am scheduled to go to a friend's wedding in Providence, RI, this summer, I decided to dive into it. Having only read AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS previously, I couldn't wait to read more Howard Philip Lovecraft. However, I feared delving into the Cthulhu mythos, worried that it might not meet expectations, especially after recently reading, and being disappointed with, THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST by Heinlein. 

Not only did this tome, by far, exceed all expectations but it also encouraged me to continue reading more tales by the infamous writer of horror. Additionally, Mrs. Bax0jayz and I will be attending a wedding in Providence, RI this summer which is also the setting for many of Lovecraft's tales and his home town.

THE CALL OF CTHULHU is short story. It amazes me the way a clever tale of this length was able to capture the imaginations of so many readers and even cause the creation of actual Cthulhu cults in the world. The story is compelling and fast paced. Since it was written nearly a century ago it's written on a very much smarter level than most everything book stands today. The development and descriptiveness places you in the tale with the characters and can even send a chill at parts. 

Well written, clever, and terrifying. Read this tale to see the birth of "tentacle horror" and what went on to influence such greats as H.R. Giger and the movie ALIEN. 

Find it:
AMAZON
HP Lovecraft.com

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