The Electric Executioner

by H.P. Lovecraft, Adolphe Danziger de Castro

Minimally illustrated.

Genres: Horror, Lovecraftian, Short Stories, Fiction, Cthulhu Mythos, Fantasy, Science Fiction

29 pages, Nook

First published January 1, 1930

About the author

Howard Phillips Lovecraft, of Providence, Rhode Island, was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction.

Lovecraft's major inspiration and invention was cosmic horror: life is incomprehensible to human minds and the universe is fundamentally alien. Those who genuinely reason, like his protagonists, gamble with sanity. Lovecraft has developed a cult following for his Cthulhu Mythos, a series of loosely interconnected fictions featuring a pantheon of human-nullifying entities, as well as the Necronomicon, a fictional grimoire of magical rites and forbidden lore. His works were deeply pessimistic and cynical, challenging the values of the Enlightenment, Romanticism and Christianity. Lovecraft's protagonists usually achieve the mirror-opposite of traditional gnosis and mysticism by momentarily glimpsing the horror of ultimate reality.

Although Lovecraft's readership was limited during his life, his reputation has grown over the decades. He is now commonly regarded as one of the most influential horror writers of the 20th Century, exerting widespread and indirect influence, and frequently compared to Edgar Allan Poe.
See also Howard Phillips Lovecraft.

— Wikipedia

Reviews

[ᴥ Irena ᴥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

written by H.P. Lovecraft and Adolphe de Castro

I've never heard of this story before. It is an odd combination of elements from Aztec mythology with Lovecraft's cosmic horror. It is written by de Castro and edited by Lovecraft. The way the protagonist managed to save himself is pretty unimpressive.
The ending sounds like something Lovecraft's way of ending stories.

[Ⰰⱃⰿⰰⱀⰴ Ⱆⰾⰴⰵⱃⰻⰽⱁ Ⱅⰵⱄⰾⰰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wordsworth Editions
2010.
The language is quite strong, atmospheric and eerie. It is potent in its textual creation, sharp like a knife ready to stab.
The content is not so interesting. It is very mundane when one considers who is the author. Lovecraft can do much better. American Indians are a great topos in Lovecraft s work, I did not know that before.
I really can not believe how many blue pill conditioning can be found in other people s reviews about this story. Typical liberal stupidness, Lovecraft was a racist according to blue pill slaves of the Democratic party s plantation.
Imagine; Lovecraft was a white man who portrays Indians sometimes as bad fellows. The White West really needs a strong leader, the victimhood of non-whites is astonishingly more and more shameless.
I have a question for non-whites, why do you use white ideologies to fight "toxical whitness"? Communism and anarchism are white ideas, more white ideas than racism. Why? Because black people do always what is good for black people, the Jews do what is good for the Jewish people, only whites do what is good for everyone. Whites have the lowest racial identity of all groups. That is the reason why only white countries accept large numbers of people who are not their ilk, who are not members of their race.
That is the reason why communism and anarchism were not developed by blacks or Asians. Blacks and Asians never had an universalist outlook of themselves, only white people do not viewed themselves as white but as humans, while blacks viewed themselves as blacks, being human is a second thing to them.
There is a reason why the Communist Manifesto was not published in Bejing, Kinshasa or Lusaka.
My message to non-whites victims of white racism is; you are boring. Boring! Boring!
My message to white liberals who attack Lovecraft for being a racist, if Lovecraft was a racist I am Cinderella, live with the Gypsies for a couple of months, then come and say that race is a social construct.
These are my thoughts to the blue pill matrix, if you are triggered by them then you are not yet awaken, and thus, you are still a memeber of the blue pill matrix.
Greetings from Croatia!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIKJY...

[nooker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kinda dumb and rather obvious.

[Marco · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like this story, the characters, and their reactions, were not credible to the point that it was impossible for me to suspend my disbelief and enjoy the story. And I am not going to mention the usual xenophobic elements Lovecraft is infamous for.
The unnamed narrator of this story recounts his work as auditor and investigator for the Tlaxcala Mining Company. The assistant superintendent of its mine in Mexico's San Mateo Mountains has disappeared with the financial records, and the narrator is tasked with the job to recover the documents. He doesn't know the thief, Arthur Feldon, and has only "indifferent" photos to go by. Tracking Feldon won't be easy, for he may be hiding in the wilderness. The trip proceeds very slowly because of a series of train problems that cause huge delays. While stuck on the train, the narrator meets somebody clearly dangerous and crazy... Because apparently it is enough to look at somebody strange face expressions to decide that he is dangerous, and that's a good idea to shoot him.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audible edition. This felt long winded, taking a long time to get to the final outcome. Also, it is rather cliched to have a character faint to resolve a plot point. I also never really bought into the idea of being stuck in a train car with no escape and no escape even attempted.

[Oleksandr Fediienko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Язичницькі вірування індіанців, астральні проекції... і електичні прилади божевільного. Це одне з перших оповідань пізнього Лавкрафта, який все більше тяжів до фантастики. А завдяки своєму співавтору, це одне з його нечисленних оповідань, події якого розгортаються ближче до Тихого океану, ніж до Атлантичного.
В ньому ревізора відправляють розслідувати викрадення паперів з мексиканської копальні Артуром Фелдоном, помічником наглядача. Спочатку він їде до копальні в приватному вагоні, але через несправність змішений пересісти в нічний експрес. В одному купе з ним їде ще один чоловік, поведінка якого здається дивною. І справді, за деякий час ревізор розуміє, що його супутник, схоже на все, є божевільним.
Ревізор тягнеться в кишеню за револьвером, але сусід по купе його роззброює. Йому доведеться стати жертвою науки. Саме так, у валізці божевільного - своєрідний портативний електричний стілець, ось тільки сідати нікуди не треба, надягаєш шолом, під'єднаний до дротів - і тобі гаплик.
Намагаючись врятувати собі життя, ревізор усіляко затягує час. Він сподівається забивати баки божевільному, поки вони не приїдуть на станцію. Йому навіть вдається переконати того надягти прилад на себе, щоб буцімто перемалювати його. А коли всі способи закінчуються, то починає вигукувати заклинання, які чув від батраків. Божевільний, який теж був посвячений в езотеричні знання місцевого люду, в екстазі ненароком вмикає прилад і підсмалює собі мізки.
Я не написав ще про астральну проекцію, але ця річ тільки принесла розчарування. Найцікавіше тут, не хто був лиходієм, а чому він перенісся.

[Per · Rating 2 out of 5]

https://archive.org/details/Weird_Tal...
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_El...

This short story is a revision by Lovecraft of Castro's The Automatic Executioner, first published in In the Confessional and the Following in 1893, available here: https://archive.org/details/inconfess...

Not a lot of Cthulhu Mythos in this one, besides some Aztec variations of the regular mythos entities...

Cthulhutl! Command, and I serve! [...] Ya-R’lyeh! Ya-R’lyeh! [...] Cthulhutl fhtaghn! Niguratl-Yig! Yog-Sototl— [...]

...as you would expect in any mythological cycle existing in multiple cultures. There will be more variations like these in later stories, and by other authors as well.

https://www.tor.com/2017/02/15/ia-ill...

[Red · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've always wanted to nose my way into Lovecraft, even if it's slowly. But I'm already regretting the experience. He is no Bradbury where the highest highs are beside the lows. When Lovecraft writes, his highs are so far from his lows that they are sour and hard to press through.

In The Electric Executioner, he writes a great atmosphere, then does nothing with it. The characters are mundane, the title holds more mystery in it than the actual tale.

[Станислав · Rating 4 out of 5]

Отлично написано, особенно в начале. Кажется Кастро пошёл Ховарду на пользу. История о маньяке со странной штукой для убийств - хороша сама по себе, без всякой мистики. Что-то напоминает "Старикам тут не место", только там был пневматический палач. Лавкрафт естественно набавил своих ктулх и р\лайхов вперемежку с ацтекскими богами (что псле книжки "Ацтек" читается очень забавно) и мексиканских культистов. Очень бодро.

[mabuse cast · Rating 4 out of 5]

For sure one of the lesser Lovecraft stories in general, even putting aside that it is one of the collaborations/ghostwritten works which tend to be very hit or miss! That being said this story is like the HP Lovecraft equivalent of like a lesser 1940s b-universal studios horror film, its much too silly and does not overstay its welcome due to its length that I can't bring myself to be mad at it!

[Carlos Santiago · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un relato muy basado en la tensión bajo un argumento con poca importancia. La falta de horror verdaderamente lovecraftiano a falta de unos cuantos retazos y el final lo vuelve un relato falto de esa magia idescriptible que identifica a Lovecraft. Muy bien ambientada sin embargo y la tension esta bien llevada.

[Emmanuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buena historia, muy "Lovecraft", en especial el final. Si haz leído ya varias cosas escritas por él te puedes imaginar lo que va a pasar. Me agradó la inclusión de la cultura Azteca y de México, no me lo esperaba.

[Regina · Rating 1 out of 5]

The xenophobia is prominent in this one. The horror is just so very unbelievable, how can you just take one glance and decide that the other person is so mad beyond saving that shooting is very much okay. Just not worth it

[Todd · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very good or memorable. Not recommended among Lovecraft's greats.

[Thor The Redbeard · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10

[FameL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unusual story/setting for Lovecraft. The confrontation with the villain is interesting as well as the main hero and his believable background.

[writtenbywds · Rating 1 out of 5]

.. this the "master of horror" yall keep talking about..????

[Nick McDowell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh I cant turn my nose up at this short story. Its to goofy not to like!

[David Sastre · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong entry from Lovecraft!

[Rina Radzivill · Rating 3 out of 5]

1.30.00

[André Sousa · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10 - Short Story

[William Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really impressed by this one. Great ending and characters. The opening is a bit long winded but otherwise just lots of fun

[♱ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea was... there? But really badly executed.

[Ivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10

[Juna Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aparece el primo mexicano de Cthulhu, increíble

[Keith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lovecraft #75: The Electric Executioner (1929, with Adolphe de Castro)

“I hate greasers, but I like Mexicans! A puzzle? Listen to me, young fellow—you don’t think Mexico is really Spanish, do you? God, if you knew the tribes I know! In the mountains—in the mountains—Anahuac—Tenochtitlan—the old ones. . . .”



Here we have it, folks! H.P. Lovecraft’s worst story. “The Electric Executioner” is arguably the 75th oldest extant story by American weird fiction author Howard Philips Lovecraft (1890-1937), this time revising an 1893 tale called “The Automatic Executioner” by Adolph de Castro. I am reading all of HPL’s fictional works in chronological order, so I had to read this one for a second time. Like their previous collaboration, “The Last Test,” this story has the feel of a 1950s B-Movie by Ed Wood, but without any of the entertainment value. The story is nonsensical. Our narrator comes across a madman on a train who has made a portable electric execution device to replace the electric chair, and he has apparently gone crazy because his invention has been rejected too much. The train is in California and the man has spent plenty of time in Mexico with the ancestors of Aztecs, not those darn “greasers” who call themselves Mexicans. He is all mixed up in ancient Aztec religious beliefs and expects that the gods will return to the Earth and wipe out humanity. At the same time, he really wants to market this electric execution machine in New York state to make some cash and gain human notoriety. Oh, and at the end, we find out that he apparently teleported to the train from a mountain in Mexico. How and why are never explained. This is a stupid story that HPL worked on only for the money. I would like to think that the horribleness of “The Electric Executioner” is mostly Castro’s fault.

Some trivia: “The Electric Executioner” is the second of only two revisions that HPL did for Castro. For this second project, he insisted that Castro pay him in advance. Some of the details that HPL added included inspiration from an event that actually happened to him on a train once. The quote is from Lovecraft’s 1929 essay “Travels in the Provinces of America” (1929) that can be found in his Collected Essay: Travel (2006). I don’t own the book, but have since this paragraph quote in Joshi & Schultz (2001) and Derie (2020). This shows where HPL came up with the particularly stupid line of dialogue from the villain in “The Electric Executioner” - “I’m radiating all the time, but nobody knows it.”:

The journey was made amusing by the presence in the seat beside me of a slightly demented German—a well-drest and respectable-looking fellow whom I had observ’d at the tavern reading a German paper before the start of the coach. He shew’d no signs of his affliction till we reach’d a sort of stagnant mill-pond near Newark, in New-jersey, when suddenly he burst forth the the question, “iss diss der Greadt Zalt Lake?” deeming the inquiry address to me, I reply’d that I scarcely thought his identification correct; whereupon he reliev’d me of all responsibility by remarking in a far-off, sententious voice—“I vassn’t talkingk to you; I vass shooter leddingk my light shine!” Properly rebuk’d for my officious desire to give information, I held my peace and permitted my seatmate to illuminate without hindrance. After a time he became vocal again, confiding to the empty air ahead, “I’m radiating all der time, und nopotty knows it!”

Title: The Electric Executioner
Author: H.P. Lovecraft
Dates: revision done circa 1929, possibly July (Joshi & Schultz, 2001), first published in the August 1930 issue of Weird Tales
Genre: Fiction - Novelette, horror, science fiction
Word count: 8,050 words
Date(s) read: 4/11/22-4/12/22
Reading journal entry #125 in 2022

Sources:
Link to the story: https://hplovecraft.com/writings/fict...

First publication citation: Weird Tales vol. 16, no. 2 (August 1930): 223–236.

Derie, B. (2020, August 12). “The Automatic Executioner” (1891) & “A Sacrifice to Science” (1893) by Adolphe Danziger de Castro” [web log]. Retrieved April 12, 2022, from https://deepcuts.blog/2020/08/12/the-...
Joshi, S. T., & Schultz, D. E. (2001). An H.P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia. Greenwood Press.

Link to the image: “The Electric Executioner” by Cristian Camilo Sanchez Rodriguez https://www.artstation.com/artwork/45R28

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another decent story. Cliche twist, even for its time, but still satisfying.

[Ana Paula]

Loved the mithological references, it is a bit predictable but it still sends shivers down your spine.

[Ebster Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one reads like a twilight zone episode.

Industrial espionage leads to a manhunt in Mexico, and the investigator has a sort of close encounter with the superstitous theif.

The main character is grounded in the real world, he's also really clever and reacted to the fantastic in a way that probably a real person would. (Stayin' Alive!)

[Israeliano · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the second work between de Castro and Lovecraft, or at least the second I know of, and just like in 'The Last Test;, the writing is subpar to other work by Lovecraft and the story feels forced to join the Mythos. Not only the writing, the characters and pace feel dull, but also the idea behind all of this.