Has Lovecraft become required reading?

[PaulofCthulhu]

I actually think he's a terrible author. Objectively so, even. But he had interesting enough ideas more often than not that he was able to overcome his lack of writing craft and create memorable stories anyway.

I'm going to disagree, both with your view and your allusion of objectivity. If you wish to try and bring some form of objectivity, consider Lovecraft is published in Library of America, so there is enough critical thought that he has enough merit to be published there. Many authors write "memorable stories", few get into Library of America or have such a pervasive and increasing influence more than 70 years after their death.

 

[Shemeska]

I actually think he's a terrible author. Objectively so, even.

Don't try to read his poetry then.

I seriously like HPL, but the poetry? Just... no. *chuckle*

 

[cnath.rm]

This thread reminded me that I always intended to run an adventure inspired by "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" but never got around to it . . .

Goodman Games somewhat did in that they have an adventure with Deep Ones in Level Up #2 called "Shadows of the Deep" which starts off in a town called Ensmoth. It's not a perfect fit by any means, but the inspiration is clear. (and running the adventure has been great fun for me so far)

 

[Wormwood]

Call of Cthulhu is actually one of the last stories I'd recommend to read if you're only reading a single Lovecraft story. Try The Shadow Over Innsmouth, The Dreams in the Witch House, The Lurking Fear, Dagon, or The Dunwich Horror.

Agreed.

I would suggest "The Dunwich Horror" followed by "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" for anyone interested in giving HPL a try.

If you don't like those, then you can safely forgo the rest.

(and I probably wouldn't like you)

 

[Wormwood]

If this hasn't been posted yet, Wizards has a 4e adventure that is a direct homage to Lovecraft: The Last Breaths of Ashenport, penned by our very own Mouseferatu.

We inserted this excellent adventure into our Adventure Path, and our party hasn't eaten fish since.

 

[Ourph]

Call of Cthulhu is actually one of the last stories I'd recommend to read if you're only reading a single Lovecraft story. Try The Shadow Over Innsmouth, The Dreams in the Witch House, The Lurking Fear, Dagon, or The Dunwich Horror.

Seconded, although my recommendations would be The Whisperer in Darkness, The Dunwich Horror or (if you're willing to start with a slightly longer one) The Case of Charles Dexter Ward.

 

[Olive]

It's worth mentioning that Wikisource has heaps of these stories for free.

 

[Obryn]

I don't think anything's really required reading for D&D, but Lovecraft's influence is vast in the realms of both fantasy and horror. I'd say he's one of the most influential authors of the century.

With that said, his writings are somewhat tough to read at times. He has a fairly dense and archaic prose, and his views on race and social class are ... well, representative of his time, I'll say. There's a healthy dose of xenophobia, racism, and elitism thrown in with some otherwise great yarns.

I think reading Lovecraft has improved both my Call of Cthulhu games (of course) and my D&D games. While not everyone will find his work scary, I find it a bit unsettling in a cosmic sort of way. It's not the sort of stuff that keeps me up at night, but there's a strange kind of spookiness to it, IMO.

My favorite stories are The Dunwich Horror, At the Mountains of Madness, and (though I'm probably the only one) the very short and rather creepy Nyarlathotep. I also have a lot of love for both The Shadow out of Time and The Call of Cthulhu itself.

While I wouldn't say it's required, I'd recommend picking up one of the better compilations and reading a story or two. It might not be for you - like I mentioned, the wording is archaic, the science is dated, and there are some kind of uncomfortable cultural assumptions. But if you can look at them as products of a writer who was himself the product of his time, they're pretty remarkable.

-O

 

[Herschel]

I love D&D and Arkham Horror yet have never read a bit of Lovecraft (although I may soon, I got the missus-type a collection for Christmas)

 

[malraux]

I personally like Lovecraft because his version of horror is the horror of materialism (the philosophical system, not the synonym with consumerism). If some form of materialism is correct, then in some sense the horror of Lovecraft is true. Humanity is so unspecial in the eyes of the universe that it doesn't even care enough to care about us one way or the other. For example, the great race of yith finds humanity so uncool, they'd rather wait for us to die off so they can live in the hives of beetles that will follow us. That's what cosmic horror is about. Its about the fact that you are so insignificant as to be unnoticed, no matter what you do.

Thus, my favorite Lovecraft stories are shadow out of time and mountains of madness.