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The Call of Cthulhu
Hidden away, buried, in a dark underground city deep under the ocean, Cthulhu is older than the sun and the stars. Like nothing that has ever walked the earth, he is part man, part dragon and part octopus; he is a being of unimaginable cosmic proportions: beholding his form is enough to drive the sanest man into the lowest pits of hysteria and despair. Although he is near impossible to find, even for the most devout and deranged of his followers, he has the power to find you: he has the power to invade your dreams and unhinge your thoughts forevermore...
43 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 1928
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About the author
H.P. Lovecraft
5,930 books19.2k followersHoward 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,006 reviews
February 1, 2012
This here, folks, is the most impressive image of Cthulhu that I’ve come across:
He just looks so damn regal, this eldritch, malevolent entity that appears partoctopus kraken, part dragon, part human caricature…the so called "mountain who walks."
Yes, I admit that I’m a Lovecraft/Cthulhu mythos junkie. I can’t help it. I think his stories are just amazing.
Depending on which HPL story I’ve most recently consumed, I vacillate regarding what is my absolute favorite HPL tale, The Call of Cthulhu, the Dunwich Horror or At the Mountains of Madness. Well this one has again rocketed itself to top billing on the HPL chart…for now at least. The story covers so much ground and touches on so many aspects of what would become central “mythos” lore that it’s easy to see why people hold this up as HPL’s best work. I certainly wouldn’t disagree having just read it for the fourth time.
Regardless of where you come out on the issue of Lovecraft’s best work, let me postulate that HPL never wrote a better passage describing the fundamental philosophical underpinnings of his work than the opening paragraph of The Call of Cthulhu:
Okay, so it’s not the rosiest, most upbeat of pictures, but hey…this is horror after all and when it comes to creating atmosphere and imagery to tantalize and terrify, these stories are gold.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Told in epistolary format as a transcript of the papers of our narrator, the Late Francis Wayland Thurston, the story recounts Thurston’s piecing together of a series of strange incidents all connected to a mysterious Cthulhu Cult and the dread being that the members of the cult worship. The tale is only 35 pages long and so I don’t want to give away plot details as that slow build of terror is central to the joy of this slice of scary. Let me just say that narrative stretches around the globe, from Boston to New Orleans to Greenland to China to the uncharted waters between Antarctica and New Zealand and involves shared nightmares, bizarre rituals, the dread Necronomicon, a failed expedition to hell on Earth and the sick, twisted devotees of a religion as old as man itself.
"Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn"*
*Translation: - "In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming. "
Squeeeeeee.
THOUGHTS:
Well, I just emasculated myself and squeeeeed so that should tell you that I love this stuff. I have always been a huge fan of Lovecraft’s prose with its abundant melodrama, the dread-filled angst and the over the top references to “nameless horrors” and “eldritch, cyclopean buildings” and “dark, ancient vistas” that can stop the heart and send uncontrollable fear into all that see them. The man can make walking down a dark staircase feel like the scariest moment in history.
If you find that kind of atmosphere-manipulating prose to be off-putting, than HPL is likely not your cuppa. It is certainly mine and I have been drinking the kool-aid for a while now. In my opinion, this is about as good as classic horror gets and I can feel gush welling up even as I type this.
Still, even as a complete fanboy of Lovecraft I try not to read too much of his work at one time because I find the stories have a tendency to blur together and lose a bit of their emotional power. I’ll usually restrict myself to handfuls of 2 to 4 at a time and this allows me to savor the details of each tale and keep the entertainment level set on high.
5.0 stars. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!
He just looks so damn regal, this eldritch, malevolent entity that appears part
Yes, I admit that I’m a Lovecraft/Cthulhu mythos junkie. I can’t help it. I think his stories are just amazing.
Depending on which HPL story I’ve most recently consumed, I vacillate regarding what is my absolute favorite HPL tale, The Call of Cthulhu, the Dunwich Horror or At the Mountains of Madness. Well this one has again rocketed itself to top billing on the HPL chart…for now at least. The story covers so much ground and touches on so many aspects of what would become central “mythos” lore that it’s easy to see why people hold this up as HPL’s best work. I certainly wouldn’t disagree having just read it for the fourth time.
Regardless of where you come out on the issue of Lovecraft’s best work, let me postulate that HPL never wrote a better passage describing the fundamental philosophical underpinnings of his work than the opening paragraph of The Call of Cthulhu:
The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark ageThose few sentences say so much. They touch on the insignificance of man…the substantial ignorance of humanity regarding the universe…the concept of things so vast, unknowable and unable to be comprehended…and the soul-chilling coldness of what lay beyond our tiny sphere of knowledge.
Okay, so it’s not the rosiest, most upbeat of pictures, but hey…this is horror after all and when it comes to creating atmosphere and imagery to tantalize and terrify, these stories are gold.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Told in epistolary format as a transcript of the papers of our narrator, the Late Francis Wayland Thurston, the story recounts Thurston’s piecing together of a series of strange incidents all connected to a mysterious Cthulhu Cult and the dread being that the members of the cult worship. The tale is only 35 pages long and so I don’t want to give away plot details as that slow build of terror is central to the joy of this slice of scary. Let me just say that narrative stretches around the globe, from Boston to New Orleans to Greenland to China to the uncharted waters between Antarctica and New Zealand and involves shared nightmares, bizarre rituals, the dread Necronomicon, a failed expedition to hell on Earth and the sick, twisted devotees of a religion as old as man itself.
"Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn"*
*Translation: - "In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming. "
Squeeeeeee.
THOUGHTS:
Well, I just emasculated myself and squeeeeed so that should tell you that I love this stuff. I have always been a huge fan of Lovecraft’s prose with its abundant melodrama, the dread-filled angst and the over the top references to “nameless horrors” and “eldritch, cyclopean buildings” and “dark, ancient vistas” that can stop the heart and send uncontrollable fear into all that see them. The man can make walking down a dark staircase feel like the scariest moment in history.
If you find that kind of atmosphere-manipulating prose to be off-putting, than HPL is likely not your cuppa. It is certainly mine and I have been drinking the kool-aid for a while now. In my opinion, this is about as good as classic horror gets and I can feel gush welling up even as I type this.
Still, even as a complete fanboy of Lovecraft I try not to read too much of his work at one time because I find the stories have a tendency to blur together and lose a bit of their emotional power. I’ll usually restrict myself to handfuls of 2 to 4 at a time and this allows me to savor the details of each tale and keep the entertainment level set on high.
5.0 stars. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!
February 6, 2023
I forgot how fun this was! a dry kind of fun. it's been many years since I first read it and I'm surprised at how much I still retained, certain images & ideas really stuck with me. I guess once Lovecraft gets his hooks into you, those hooks stay embedded, little bits of Cthulhu shrapnel that burrow slowly in the mind, never to be pulled out. LOL how's that for a metaphor for the author's mythos; I think Cthulhu would approve. the empurpled Lovecraft style is in full effect: journalistic and full of archaic words, while also being VERY VERY EXCITABLE. well, the end of the world is nigh, a person should be excitable when sharing those facts.
the story itself is not straightforward. a lot of telling and very little showing. it works. through our narrator's eye, we meet a pretentious sculptor whose nightmares are shared by many other artists, a New Orleans detective who finds a horrible cult in the depths of a swamp, and a Norwegian sailor who lands on the very tip-top of the ancient submerged city of R'lyeh and whose shipmates meet shocking ends at the hands of Cthulhu itself. I had forgotten that Cthulhu makes an actual appearance here, literally swimming after the Norwegian's ship and then recombining after our brave sailor decides to turn his ship around and sail right into the Great Old One, cleaving the monster into pieces (temporarily). what I had not forgotten was the central concept of the story, and it's an awesome one: the "call" of Cthulhu is the call of the ancient being's own dreams, diffusing out into the world and into the minds of various cultists, madmen, and sensitive artists.
some words must be said about Lovecraft's abominable depictions of "queer and evil-looking half-castes." now, as an evil-looking (but dapper) and very queer half-caste myself, I was quite taken aback. sure, he's not wrong: half-breeds like me do possess ancient secrets and are forever in service to ancient gods; our main goal in life is to disturb the dreams of sensitive artists, sardonic detectives, brave sailors, and white people in general. but gosh, Lovecraft was just so blatant about it in this story, no subtlety whatsoever. he's totally, shamelessly blowing our cover - and that's pretty unforgiveable. he's lucky that he's long dead because otherwise someone would be sent some pretty bad dreams tonight. and maybe some other things too.
Cthulhu fthagn!
the story itself is not straightforward. a lot of telling and very little showing. it works. through our narrator's eye, we meet a pretentious sculptor whose nightmares are shared by many other artists, a New Orleans detective who finds a horrible cult in the depths of a swamp, and a Norwegian sailor who lands on the very tip-top of the ancient submerged city of R'lyeh and whose shipmates meet shocking ends at the hands of Cthulhu itself. I had forgotten that Cthulhu makes an actual appearance here, literally swimming after the Norwegian's ship and then recombining after our brave sailor decides to turn his ship around and sail right into the Great Old One, cleaving the monster into pieces (temporarily). what I had not forgotten was the central concept of the story, and it's an awesome one: the "call" of Cthulhu is the call of the ancient being's own dreams, diffusing out into the world and into the minds of various cultists, madmen, and sensitive artists.
some words must be said about Lovecraft's abominable depictions of "queer and evil-looking half-castes." now, as an evil-looking (but dapper) and very queer half-caste myself, I was quite taken aback. sure, he's not wrong: half-breeds like me do possess ancient secrets and are forever in service to ancient gods; our main goal in life is to disturb the dreams of sensitive artists, sardonic detectives, brave sailors, and white people in general. but gosh, Lovecraft was just so blatant about it in this story, no subtlety whatsoever. he's totally, shamelessly blowing our cover - and that's pretty unforgiveable. he's lucky that he's long dead because otherwise someone would be sent some pretty bad dreams tonight. and maybe some other things too.
Cthulhu fthagn!
January 29, 2015
What’s great about a Lovecraftian horror story, besides the fact that his writing is eerily similar to that of Jason Morais, is that it can afford such a welcome reprieve from a weekend otherwise consumed by madness and violence, the kind of violence that disturbs the soul to its core.
“The Call of Cthulhu” is the story of a man who uncovers evidence of otherworldly beings residing in a state of hibernation deep beneath the surface of the Earth’s oceans. Though the image of Cthulhu¹ is by no means original, as it is heavily borrowed from Scandinavian lore among other sources, Lovecraft’s descriptions—in this case of a bas-relief carved in its likeness—are still nothing short of chilling:
Cthulhu emerging from his ancient portal.
The only thing that detracts from the story in my opinion is the fact that the narrator is too far removed from it. Assembling manuscripts left by his late uncle with pieces of testimony from those who had purportedly fallen under the spell of Cthulhu during his attempts to resurface, the narrator slowly pieces together an understanding of who or what Cthulhu is, a revelation that induces a profound sense of fear and anxiety in those who discover it, but which leaves the reader feeling a bit miffed at not having been taken on a more intimate journey. Even eyewitness accounts of those who had encountered Cthulhu personally are learned through diary readings rather than by interview. Nonetheless, it is a story worth reading, especially for those who are intrigued by the concept of the Island in Lost as something that protects the world from a source of evil. In many ways, the Smoke Monster is like Cthulhu in that both entities are responsible for baseline levels of dread in people everywhere, driving some of them to madness occasionally. I’d like to think the madness of the events of this weekend could be attributed to a resurfacing of the monster Cthulhu, but unfortunately for us we do not live in an H. P. Lovecraft story.
I don’t know. I might read another Lovecraft, I might not. You people know I’m not crazy about the short story and short stories are pretty much all he has written. But he is from Rhode Island, the tiny state with the gargantuan ego, and that is pretty cool. He is like their Poe. And since Seth MacFarlane is one of their only other claims to fame (in the authorial/screenwriting context), maybe I should read more of him.
¹Cthulhu is pronounced Khlûl’·hloo, gutturally, in a way that calls attention to the otherworldliness of the being, as even its name is beyond the ability of human linguistics to phonologize.
“The Call of Cthulhu” is the story of a man who uncovers evidence of otherworldly beings residing in a state of hibernation deep beneath the surface of the Earth’s oceans. Though the image of Cthulhu¹ is by no means original, as it is heavily borrowed from Scandinavian lore among other sources, Lovecraft’s descriptions—in this case of a bas-relief carved in its likeness—are still nothing short of chilling:
It represented a monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind. This thing, which seemed instinct with a fearsome and unnatural malignancy, was of a somewhat bloated corpulence, and squatted evilly on a rectangular block or pedestal covered with undecipherable characters.And it is always a testament to good writing when a Google Image Search of that which is being described cannot turn up anything nearly as hair-raising as the text itself. On the other hand, this one is not half bad:
Cthulhu emerging from his ancient portal.
The only thing that detracts from the story in my opinion is the fact that the narrator is too far removed from it. Assembling manuscripts left by his late uncle with pieces of testimony from those who had purportedly fallen under the spell of Cthulhu during his attempts to resurface, the narrator slowly pieces together an understanding of who or what Cthulhu is, a revelation that induces a profound sense of fear and anxiety in those who discover it, but which leaves the reader feeling a bit miffed at not having been taken on a more intimate journey. Even eyewitness accounts of those who had encountered Cthulhu personally are learned through diary readings rather than by interview. Nonetheless, it is a story worth reading, especially for those who are intrigued by the concept of the Island in Lost as something that protects the world from a source of evil. In many ways, the Smoke Monster is like Cthulhu in that both entities are responsible for baseline levels of dread in people everywhere, driving some of them to madness occasionally. I’d like to think the madness of the events of this weekend could be attributed to a resurfacing of the monster Cthulhu, but unfortunately for us we do not live in an H. P. Lovecraft story.
I don’t know. I might read another Lovecraft, I might not. You people know I’m not crazy about the short story and short stories are pretty much all he has written. But he is from Rhode Island, the tiny state with the gargantuan ego, and that is pretty cool. He is like their Poe. And since Seth MacFarlane is one of their only other claims to fame (in the authorial/screenwriting context), maybe I should read more of him.
¹Cthulhu is pronounced Khlûl’·hloo, gutturally, in a way that calls attention to the otherworldliness of the being, as even its name is beyond the ability of human linguistics to phonologize.
March 29, 2023
Marzo fue un mes muy estresante para mí, tanto por motivos personales como profesionales. No pude leer tanto como me hubiese gustado, pero cuando vi esta historia pasando un puesto de revistas, no pude resistirme. No he leído mucho de Lovecraft, a pesar de ser un autor tan importante en el género del terror y la ciencia ficción (justamente mis favoritos).
Al leer esta historia, diría que pertenece a la literatura de ideas. Aquí Lovecraft despliega su concepto literario más importante, el del terror cósmico: la idea de que los seres humanos somos apenas insignificantes motas de polvo en un universo inmenso que existió por millones de años antes de nuestra aparición y seguirá existiendo por otros tantos millones de años mucho después de que nos hayamos extinguido. Teniendo eso en cuenta, ¿Qué sentido tiene luchar por una causa, esforzarse cada día, tratar de hacer algo con nuestras vidas?
Le doy cuatro estrellas y no cinco, por la prosa. Como nota aparte, es importante mencionar que en los tiempos de corrección política (hipócrita) que corren, al igual que las novelas de Agatha Christie, o las de James Bond, Lovecraft es un candidato a la censura de sus relatos: en varios puntos del relato se efectúan comentarios despectivos hacia los mestizos y personas de otras razas. ¿Eso convierte a Lovecraft en racista? En tal caso, solo sería culpable de sostener puntos de vista que la inmensa mayoría de la sociedad estadounidense compartía en la época en que escribió, los años 20 y 30. Ruego porque a nadie se le ocurra "reescribir" sus relatos para que los "lectores sensibles" no se ofendan. Si un libro te ofende, simplemente no lo leas.
Al leer esta historia, diría que pertenece a la literatura de ideas. Aquí Lovecraft despliega su concepto literario más importante, el del terror cósmico: la idea de que los seres humanos somos apenas insignificantes motas de polvo en un universo inmenso que existió por millones de años antes de nuestra aparición y seguirá existiendo por otros tantos millones de años mucho después de que nos hayamos extinguido. Teniendo eso en cuenta, ¿Qué sentido tiene luchar por una causa, esforzarse cada día, tratar de hacer algo con nuestras vidas?
Le doy cuatro estrellas y no cinco, por la prosa. Como nota aparte, es importante mencionar que en los tiempos de corrección política (hipócrita) que corren, al igual que las novelas de Agatha Christie, o las de James Bond, Lovecraft es un candidato a la censura de sus relatos: en varios puntos del relato se efectúan comentarios despectivos hacia los mestizos y personas de otras razas. ¿Eso convierte a Lovecraft en racista? En tal caso, solo sería culpable de sostener puntos de vista que la inmensa mayoría de la sociedad estadounidense compartía en la época en que escribió, los años 20 y 30. Ruego porque a nadie se le ocurra "reescribir" sus relatos para que los "lectores sensibles" no se ofendan. Si un libro te ofende, simplemente no lo leas.
December 9, 2015
For those who enjoy rifling through old research notes, piecing together missing data, making sense of the big picture, and then being left hanging at the end.
I'm kidding, of course. The best part of any horror story is that it leaves you hanging. No explanation, no resolution, no sense of closure.
This story is told in a series of personal accounts in which the narrator pieces together what he thinks was the cause of his granduncle's mysterious sudden death, speculating that the late uncle's mysterious anthropological work most likely had something to do with it. He also speculates that the death is part of a larger ongoing mystery that has to do with a legendary mythical creature.
It was a slow read for me due to too much telling and not enough showing. Much of the mystery's pull is placed on the fear of the unknown, which in this case is "the fear of foreigners and their foreign-ness."
What this story boils down to is a paranoid account of ethnocentric anxieties and xenophobic psychosis.
I'm kidding, of course. The best part of any horror story is that it leaves you hanging. No explanation, no resolution, no sense of closure.
This story is told in a series of personal accounts in which the narrator pieces together what he thinks was the cause of his granduncle's mysterious sudden death, speculating that the late uncle's mysterious anthropological work most likely had something to do with it. He also speculates that the death is part of a larger ongoing mystery that has to do with a legendary mythical creature.
It was a slow read for me due to too much telling and not enough showing. Much of the mystery's pull is placed on the fear of the unknown, which in this case is "the fear of foreigners and their foreign-ness."
What this story boils down to is a paranoid account of ethnocentric anxieties and xenophobic psychosis.
October 7, 2015
Chicken mole tamales wrapped in corn husks, like H.P. Lovecraft's Call of Cthulhu, burst with flavor. You experience the authenticity and the complex and dark, rich tastes in every bite you take. Every bite, or rather Lovecraft's narrative, takes you back to ancient rites alien to the ways of the modern world (now read as 2015). Makes me wonder, just for an instant, what a really good homemade tamale has in common with the modern world. Tamales are anachronistic, aren't they? Sort of like the Cthulhu mythos. Can we really wrap our heads around ancient evil or authentic homemade tamales? I don't think so! And Lovecraft doesn't mean for us to understand the Elder Ones. Unfortunately, there's not much story to go with this experience. But I was intrigued. On to the Mountains of Madness!
May 18, 2023
Story 4/5
Narration 5/5
Narration 5/5
August 8, 2021
Por más que intenté que este libro me gustara y verle los aspectos positivos, con toda honestidad no pude encontrar lo que buscaba por ningún lado; lo que me deja por concluir que este tipo de temática (probablemente) no es para mí.
Pienso que mi mayor problema fue crearme una idea errónea de lo que podría encontrarme en esta historia, algo con un poco más de desarrollo y que me hiciera explotar la imaginación, pero desafortunadamente nada de eso sucedió.
Lo que se me hace extraño es que me suelen gustar este tipo de historias donde algún personaje se encuentra con un manuscrito y todo evoluciona con base en ese hallazgo; aquí no fue el caso. Tal vez la tercera parte es la única que rescato, en especial porque las historias relacionadas con barcos me agradan mucho. Sin embargo, creo que al ser uno de los primeros relatos (o el primero) de los Mitos de Cthulhu seguramente todo el tema se habrá tocado de manera superficial, y eso me lleva a pensar que quizá valga la pena darme otra oportunidad con la obra del autor.
En fin, otro más para el rincón de los libros decepcionantes (que espero ya no siga creciendo).
Pienso que mi mayor problema fue crearme una idea errónea de lo que podría encontrarme en esta historia, algo con un poco más de desarrollo y que me hiciera explotar la imaginación, pero desafortunadamente nada de eso sucedió.
Lo que se me hace extraño es que me suelen gustar este tipo de historias donde algún personaje se encuentra con un manuscrito y todo evoluciona con base en ese hallazgo; aquí no fue el caso. Tal vez la tercera parte es la única que rescato, en especial porque las historias relacionadas con barcos me agradan mucho. Sin embargo, creo que al ser uno de los primeros relatos (o el primero) de los Mitos de Cthulhu seguramente todo el tema se habrá tocado de manera superficial, y eso me lleva a pensar que quizá valga la pena darme otra oportunidad con la obra del autor.
En fin, otro más para el rincón de los libros decepcionantes (que espero ya no siga creciendo).
May 23, 2011
I was not impressed. For all the talk this particular book has gotten in my circles, it really wasn't very interesting a read. The description was interesting but I didn't find the book as anything monumental save for it being one of the first of its kind. The book was a quick read and allowed a glimpse into the world Lovecraft was trying to build, but taken on its own, it left me curious why it was so impressive to most of the genre. Perhaps taken with the other studies in the mythos I would be more impressed. As a stand alone, however, I wouldn't recommend it.
May 20, 2024
kinda cool, VERY racist
August 10, 2019
Qué descripciones más siniestras, oscuras, terroríficas...
Este hombre era un dios de la escritura. Puede escribir sobre cualquier cosa, en serio, cualquier cosa, que me lo leería. Pocas obras del autor no me han gustado, y aún así, en cierto modo, las he disfrutado; porque su forma de narrar es maravillosa y atrapante.
El terror que narra es un terror que te cala hasta los huesos; es un terror de escalofrío; un terror que deja poso.
Siempre he dejado este relato de lado, porque alguien, a quien no nombraré (aita), me dijo que hacía unos años había intentado leer este relato y otros del mismo ciclo, universo (como queráis llamarlo) y no había podido terminarlo, porque no le convencía. ERROR. Nunca hay que dejar nada a un lado por lo que piensen los demás, al final cada uno tiene sus gustos.
Yo os recomiendo que le deis una oportunidad, aunque eso sí, si estáis de vacaciones y estáis en la playa... Mejor dejarlo para cuando volváis.
Disfrutadlo!
Este hombre era un dios de la escritura. Puede escribir sobre cualquier cosa, en serio, cualquier cosa, que me lo leería. Pocas obras del autor no me han gustado, y aún así, en cierto modo, las he disfrutado; porque su forma de narrar es maravillosa y atrapante.
El terror que narra es un terror que te cala hasta los huesos; es un terror de escalofrío; un terror que deja poso.
Siempre he dejado este relato de lado, porque alguien, a quien no nombraré (aita), me dijo que hacía unos años había intentado leer este relato y otros del mismo ciclo, universo (como queráis llamarlo) y no había podido terminarlo, porque no le convencía. ERROR. Nunca hay que dejar nada a un lado por lo que piensen los demás, al final cada uno tiene sus gustos.
Yo os recomiendo que le deis una oportunidad, aunque eso sí, si estáis de vacaciones y estáis en la playa... Mejor dejarlo para cuando volváis.
Disfrutadlo!
November 5, 2024
I needed a minute after finishing this to ponder on it. The more I think about it, the more I like it. The descriptions of the monster are magnificent, unique, and legit scary. The build-up and plot are what I've mostly been evaluating as when I was reading it, I was kinda bored or wondering where it was leading. Now that I've finished it, the journey into the Cult and mystery of what Cthulhu is was done very well. My first Lovecraft story is looking forward to getting to more.
May 15, 2023
Una perfecta entrada a este universo de terror cósmico
Es cierto que siempre he querido introducirme en el universo de Cthulhu de H.P Lovecraft y, más allá del juego de rol no he tenido oportunidad de leer obras suyas
La Llamada de Cthulhu me parece un relato breve, conciso, pero a la vez descriptivo y que muestra con pocas palabras parte de este panteón de deidades inenarrables.
La manera en que el relato está escrito (mediante documentos leído por el protagonista, informes policiales..etc) no hace sino que meterte más aún en la propia atmósfera de su universo.
Me ha picado la curiosisdad por leer mucho más del autor y creo que va a ser el inicio de una larga y aterradora relación.
4 estrellas bien merecidas.
Es cierto que siempre he querido introducirme en el universo de Cthulhu de H.P Lovecraft y, más allá del juego de rol no he tenido oportunidad de leer obras suyas
La Llamada de Cthulhu me parece un relato breve, conciso, pero a la vez descriptivo y que muestra con pocas palabras parte de este panteón de deidades inenarrables.
La manera en que el relato está escrito (mediante documentos leído por el protagonista, informes policiales..etc) no hace sino que meterte más aún en la propia atmósfera de su universo.
Me ha picado la curiosisdad por leer mucho más del autor y creo que va a ser el inicio de una larga y aterradora relación.
4 estrellas bien merecidas.
December 7, 2017
4,5/5
Me ha encantado. Es el primer libro de Lovecraft que leo y tenía algo de miedo de que no me gustara pero me equivocaba. Una historia bastante corta, sencilla y muy bien explicada, con un lenguaje nada difícil. Una pasada. Lo único malo que es un poco repetitiva.
Me ha encantado. Es el primer libro de Lovecraft que leo y tenía algo de miedo de que no me gustara pero me equivocaba. Una historia bastante corta, sencilla y muy bien explicada, con un lenguaje nada difícil. Una pasada. Lo único malo que es un poco repetitiva.
April 13, 2016
This superb short story is justly famous. The Call of Cthulhu is presented as a series of journal entries from the late Francis Thurston. Poor Franny, as the executor of his uncle’s estate, stumbles across some disturbing papers that lead him on a worldwide hunt for answers as to just what the hell this is:
Hmmm perhaps this isn’t properly conveying the terror this story instills…let me try again:
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That’s better! This story is pretty short so I don’t want to go much further into the plot. But it is well structured, letting the terror slowly build up to a horrifying climax. I have read about 18 of Lovecraft’s short stories by now and Call of Cthulhu is probably the best of them. The only word of warning I will give regards Lovecraft’s language. As noted in other reviews, Lovecraft’s writing is very unique and kind of verbose. I love his style, but I can see how people find it hammy.
But if, like me, you enjoy Lovecraft’s lugubrious language and daemonic descriptions, then you’re going to love this story. I can’t believe I waited this long to read it and urge others not to make the same mistake. If you enjoy horror stories or just weird stories in general this is a must read. 5 stars.
Hmmm perhaps this isn’t properly conveying the terror this story instills…let me try again:
[image error]
That’s better! This story is pretty short so I don’t want to go much further into the plot. But it is well structured, letting the terror slowly build up to a horrifying climax. I have read about 18 of Lovecraft’s short stories by now and Call of Cthulhu is probably the best of them. The only word of warning I will give regards Lovecraft’s language. As noted in other reviews, Lovecraft’s writing is very unique and kind of verbose. I love his style, but I can see how people find it hammy.
But if, like me, you enjoy Lovecraft’s lugubrious language and daemonic descriptions, then you’re going to love this story. I can’t believe I waited this long to read it and urge others not to make the same mistake. If you enjoy horror stories or just weird stories in general this is a must read. 5 stars.
April 16, 2021
Mas que un relato es una cosmovisión. Es innegable que Lovecraft creó algo tan potente que sigue influenciando a la literatura, al cine y al arte en general. También es innegable lo racista que era este tipo.
May 11, 2018
At times stunning prose, and overall creepy as hell. 3.5 stars.
January 1, 2020
Interesante relato corto que dio el puntapié inicial para que se crearan luego, los "Mitos de Cthulhu". Y por lo que tengo entendido, único relato que salió del propio Lovecraft y contiene explícitamente al enorme Dios primigenio.
Ya sabemos que el autor es el creador del llamado "horror cósmico", y en este relato queda muy claro. Nos habla a través de un narrador que investiga determinados documentos y una pequeña estatuilla rara, con la forma de un ser extraño. Básicamente, Lovecraft une dos relatos en momentos diferentes de la vida de esta persona que desembocan en un interesante desenlance, y que está ligado a la existencia de estos seres y a los cultos y sectas de fanáticos que pretenden lograr el despertar de su letargo.
El relato se me hizo llevadero y lo termine bastante rápido, me generó mucha intriga el saber más sobre Cthulhu, el autor logra generar esa expectativa poco a poco, sin aburrir. Su prosa es barroca, sobrecargada, con mucha descripción, te hace meter de lleno en esos lugares oscuros e imaginarlos con lujo de detalles, aún en pocas páginas.
Si te interesa conocer a Lovecraft, su estilo y saber un poco de Dioses primigenios, monstruos, incluso la locura humana, es un relato muy recomendable.
"Que no está muerto lo que puede yacer eternamente, y con los eones extraños aun la muerte puede morir."
Ya sabemos que el autor es el creador del llamado "horror cósmico", y en este relato queda muy claro. Nos habla a través de un narrador que investiga determinados documentos y una pequeña estatuilla rara, con la forma de un ser extraño. Básicamente, Lovecraft une dos relatos en momentos diferentes de la vida de esta persona que desembocan en un interesante desenlance, y que está ligado a la existencia de estos seres y a los cultos y sectas de fanáticos que pretenden lograr el despertar de su letargo.
El relato se me hizo llevadero y lo termine bastante rápido, me generó mucha intriga el saber más sobre Cthulhu, el autor logra generar esa expectativa poco a poco, sin aburrir. Su prosa es barroca, sobrecargada, con mucha descripción, te hace meter de lleno en esos lugares oscuros e imaginarlos con lujo de detalles, aún en pocas páginas.
Si te interesa conocer a Lovecraft, su estilo y saber un poco de Dioses primigenios, monstruos, incluso la locura humana, es un relato muy recomendable.
"Que no está muerto lo que puede yacer eternamente, y con los eones extraños aun la muerte puede morir."
March 29, 2018
Lovecraft, el material del que están hechas mis pesadillas <3
Cortito pero llenador. Aguante Cthulhu, vieja.
Cortito pero llenador. Aguante Cthulhu, vieja.
May 4, 2021
Al fin he podido continuar leyendo algunos relatos de Lovecraft. Este es uno de los más cortos, escrito en el verano de 1926 y publicado en febrero de 1928. Es el único relato escrito por Lovecraft en el cual aparece Cthulhu. Eso propició el nacimiento de los llamados mitos de Cthulhu, relatos y novelas basados en la idea de las criaturas de otros mundos que desean rehabitar la Tierra.
Me ha gustado bastante, ya que me gustan los misterios y los escenarios tan tenebrosos que presenta siempre el autor. Aunque me ha costado mucho conseguir que me interesase, lo he visto más introductorio que otra cosa.
La parte que sin duda me ha gustado más, ha sido todo lo que ocurre en la isla . Me atrae mucho lo que explica sobre los abominables monstruos y las pesadillas alienígenas. Los ritos, el misticismo, la locura...
Sin duda, muy recomendable.
Me ha gustado bastante, ya que me gustan los misterios y los escenarios tan tenebrosos que presenta siempre el autor. Aunque me ha costado mucho conseguir que me interesase, lo he visto más introductorio que otra cosa.
La parte que sin duda me ha gustado más, ha sido todo lo que ocurre en la isla . Me atrae mucho lo que explica sobre los abominables monstruos y las pesadillas alienígenas. Los ritos, el misticismo, la locura...
Sin duda, muy recomendable.
Read
September 22, 2024Strange little book but definitely worth reading. I always assumed this was a full-length novel based on how much it inspired cosmic horror.
“The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.”
“The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.”
March 27, 2016
What I like most of Lovecraft’s writing is his documentary style: somewhat dispassionate, but at the same time so thrilling. He does not waste time with elaborate descriptions and yet he manages to create a vivid image of Cthulhu and the circumstances surrounding its myth.
Loved it till the last word.
You can find a lot of his stories here: http://www.feedbooks.com/author/12?la..., including this particular one.
Loved it till the last word.
You can find a lot of his stories here: http://www.feedbooks.com/author/12?la..., including this particular one.
September 16, 2015
No soy muy fanática de este tipo de literatura, pero sé reconocer un clásico cuando lo leo. Estoy segura de que, en su momento, fue un libro que revolucionó el terror con una mitología completamente nueva y una cosmología sobrenatural. Me encantó.
In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.
In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.
May 17, 2017
3,5 αστεράκια για ένα από τα ωραιότερα -υποθέτω- έργα του Lovecraft και σίγουρα για τον νούμερο 1 ήρωα του τερατοφανταστικού του κόσμου -τον Μέγα Κθούλου.
Δεν είμαι φαν του Lovecraft και δεν έχω διαβάσει άλλο βιβλίο του. Το όνομα "Κθούλου" βέβαια το ήξερα,και από τους φίλους μου που είναι καραφαν του συγγραφέα και από κάθε είδους ποστ που αφορά το συγκεκριμένο είδος. Γι' αυτό κι όταν έπεσε στα χέρια μου,και είδα επιπλέον το πόσο μικρό είναι,είπα να το διαβάσω για να γνωρίσω λίγο καλύτερα τη συγκεκριμένη μορφή.
Ξέρω πως ορισμένοι από τους φαν του συγγραφέα θα απορήσουν ή θα νευριάσουν με τη βαθμολογία μου. Δεν είναι αυτός ο σκοπός μου. Δεν αμφισβητώ με καμία δύναμη το μεγαλείο του Lovecraft και πιθανότατα είμαι άδικη μαζί του.Ίσως αν είχα διαβάσει και κάτι άλλο που αφορά αυτόν τον επιβλητικό Μεγάλο Παλαιό και ήξερα περισσότερα γι' αυτόν να έβαζα άνετα 5 αστεράκια. Δεν αμφισβητώ επίσης τη γενικότερη ατμόσφαιρα,την επιβλητική γραφή και το σωστό κι έξυπνο στήσιμο της ιστορίας. Αλλά από το συγκεκριμένο διήγημα και τα λίγα που ουσιαστικά διάβασα σ' αυτό,δεν έμεινα ικανοποιημένη. Θα ήθελα,θα περίμενα κάτι παραπάνω.
Νομίζω πως ο Κθούλου εμφανίζεται και σε άλλα βιβλία του Lovecraft -όπως είπα,δεν είμαι αναγνώστρια και δεν κατέχω πολλά για το περιεχόμενο των έργων του. Ίσως εκεί να υπάρχει περισσότερο ζουμί.
Αλλά,έχοντας δει τόσες και τόσες ΥΠΕΡΟΧΕΣ πραγματικά απεικονίσεις του Κθούλου σε fanarts κτλ. και έχοντας ακούσει τόσα και τόσα γι' αυτόν από τους λάτρεις του είδους,βρήκα το συγκεκριμένο διήγημα πολύ "λίγο". Δεν με εντυπωσίασε όσο περίμενα,δεν με χόρτασε η δράση του,και σίγουρα δεν με τρόμαξε.
Δεν είμαι φαν του Lovecraft και δεν έχω διαβάσει άλλο βιβλίο του. Το όνομα "Κθούλου" βέβαια το ήξερα,και από τους φίλους μου που είναι καραφαν του συγγραφέα και από κάθε είδους ποστ που αφορά το συγκεκριμένο είδος. Γι' αυτό κι όταν έπεσε στα χέρια μου,και είδα επιπλέον το πόσο μικρό είναι,είπα να το διαβάσω για να γνωρίσω λίγο καλύτερα τη συγκεκριμένη μορφή.
Ξέρω πως ορισμένοι από τους φαν του συγγραφέα θα απορήσουν ή θα νευριάσουν με τη βαθμολογία μου. Δεν είναι αυτός ο σκοπός μου. Δεν αμφισβητώ με καμία δύναμη το μεγαλείο του Lovecraft και πιθανότατα είμαι άδικη μαζί του.Ίσως αν είχα διαβάσει και κάτι άλλο που αφορά αυτόν τον επιβλητικό Μεγάλο Παλαιό και ήξερα περισσότερα γι' αυτόν να έβαζα άνετα 5 αστεράκια. Δεν αμφισβητώ επίσης τη γενικότερη ατμόσφαιρα,την επιβλητική γραφή και το σωστό κι έξυπνο στήσιμο της ιστορίας. Αλλά από το συγκεκριμένο διήγημα και τα λίγα που ουσιαστικά διάβασα σ' αυτό,δεν έμεινα ικανοποιημένη. Θα ήθελα,θα περίμενα κάτι παραπάνω.
Νομίζω πως ο Κθούλου εμφανίζεται και σε άλλα βιβλία του Lovecraft -όπως είπα,δεν είμαι αναγνώστρια και δεν κατέχω πολλά για το περιεχόμενο των έργων του. Ίσως εκεί να υπάρχει περισσότερο ζουμί.
Αλλά,έχοντας δει τόσες και τόσες ΥΠΕΡΟΧΕΣ πραγματικά απεικονίσεις του Κθούλου σε fanarts κτλ. και έχοντας ακούσει τόσα και τόσα γι' αυτόν από τους λάτρεις του είδους,βρήκα το συγκεκριμένο διήγημα πολύ "λίγο". Δεν με εντυπωσίασε όσο περίμενα,δεν με χόρτασε η δράση του,και σίγουρα δεν με τρόμαξε.
October 26, 2022
Contenta porque con este mini relato completé mi desafío de lectura 🥳
Dos estrellas, me gustó, hasta ahi... esperaba un poco más por ser la obra mas conocida de este proclamado autor del genero (terror cósmico). Eso sí, complicado de leer por su narrativa, pero me logró enganchar por querer saber más sobre el monstruoso Cthulhu. 😦
Dos estrellas, me gustó, hasta ahi... esperaba un poco más por ser la obra mas conocida de este proclamado autor del genero (terror cósmico). Eso sí, complicado de leer por su narrativa, pero me logró enganchar por querer saber más sobre el monstruoso Cthulhu. 😦
December 1, 2021
He quedado enamorada de la narrativa de este autor, es muy atrapante. Y da miedito las alucinaciones, los cultos y todo eso.
October 26, 2020
“Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.
In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.”
My first Lovecraft story and I have to say I am sorry to have picked it up this late. I really enjoyed the dark mysterious atmosphere and suspense Lovecraft created with Cthulhu. The story is told from the perspective of an heir, who stumbles upon the documents his archeologist uncle left him when he died and the adventure begins as he unravels the mystery behind an archaic mystic creature. It’s been on my list and my mind forever and I’m glad to have picked it up as part of my spooktober reads. With the taste still lingering, I can easily say that this has opened up a door that will lead to many more horror stories of this precious canonical author.
In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.”
My first Lovecraft story and I have to say I am sorry to have picked it up this late. I really enjoyed the dark mysterious atmosphere and suspense Lovecraft created with Cthulhu. The story is told from the perspective of an heir, who stumbles upon the documents his archeologist uncle left him when he died and the adventure begins as he unravels the mystery behind an archaic mystic creature. It’s been on my list and my mind forever and I’m glad to have picked it up as part of my spooktober reads. With the taste still lingering, I can easily say that this has opened up a door that will lead to many more horror stories of this precious canonical author.
March 20, 2022
Oh hell yes. That was great. I regret not having gotten to reading this sooner, because wow. Just the first paragraph is already a 5 star. So much done, every sentence so well crafted and chilling, in this short of a story. I adore when a writer is able to do that, when what appears to be a normal thing and a short sentence can be more than enough to scare you, terrify you. I didn't think I was gonna like this that much, but I adore it. Amazing. I need more.
October 28, 2021
I don't know about this one. I liked the writing, and the suspense built up well. But overall, I found The Call of Cthulhu underwhelming.
1) I felt like the plot didn't hold up very well. Maybe I didn't get something, or perhaps the story was just too short to tie loose ends nicely. But here are a few examples:
- All people who learn "too much" of Cthulhu mysteriously die. We're led to believe the cult members commit the murders. But how do the cult members find out when someone "knows too much," where they are, etc.? Maybe Cthulhu, with his extraordinary powers, "just knows" and shares that info with cult members through dreams, but...
- ... if Cthulhu is so powerful, why does he need feeble humans to be freed anyway? They didn't really do much; they just literally opened a door.
- In the end, the MC, for some reason, believes Cthulhu will go back to his imprisonment for another indefinite period until stars align again. But why? He doesn't get imprisoned. What would imprison him again and how? Why does he need to be freed repeatedly?
2) For another thing, racism made it ridiculous. So there's a cult that worships Cthulhu and kidnaps people to make human sacrifices. The members are several times referred to as "mongrels," and their race/skin color is highlighted a few times too:
When the stars align correctly, these cult members voyage to free Cthulhu from his imprisonment. In a sea squirmish with white sailors, they're defeated and killed. But unwittingly, the "good" sailors release Cthulhu anyway.
So the "mongrels" are not only lowly and evil; they also fail at the one reason they existed for centuries. The white men (the main character was explicitly called out as being Nordic) bested them even at this, if to their peril. Lmao, dude, are you for real. Lovecraft was pretty vocally racist, according to the biography in the preface, so this wasn't an accident.
So overall, this was an ok read, but I didn't like it much. I expected more from Lovecraft's most famous short story.
1) I felt like the plot didn't hold up very well. Maybe I didn't get something, or perhaps the story was just too short to tie loose ends nicely. But here are a few examples:
- All people who learn "too much" of Cthulhu mysteriously die. We're led to believe the cult members commit the murders. But how do the cult members find out when someone "knows too much," where they are, etc.? Maybe Cthulhu, with his extraordinary powers, "just knows" and shares that info with cult members through dreams, but...
- ... if Cthulhu is so powerful, why does he need feeble humans to be freed anyway? They didn't really do much; they just literally opened a door.
- In the end, the MC, for some reason, believes Cthulhu will go back to his imprisonment for another indefinite period until stars align again. But why? He doesn't get imprisoned. What would imprison him again and how? Why does he need to be freed repeatedly?
2) For another thing, racism made it ridiculous. So there's a cult that worships Cthulhu and kidnaps people to make human sacrifices. The members are several times referred to as "mongrels," and their race/skin color is highlighted a few times too:
...all proved to be men of a very low, mixed-blooded, and mentally aberrant type. Most were seamen, and a sprinkling of negroes and mulattos, largely West Indians or Brava Portuguese from the Cape Verde Islands, gave a colouring of voodooism to the heterogeneous cult. But before many questions were asked it became manifest that something far deeper and older than negro fetishism was involved. Degraded and ignorant as they were, the creatures held with suprising consistency to the central idea of their loathsome faith.
When the stars align correctly, these cult members voyage to free Cthulhu from his imprisonment. In a sea squirmish with white sailors, they're defeated and killed. But unwittingly, the "good" sailors release Cthulhu anyway.
The Thing of the idols, the green, sticky spawn of the stars, had awaked to claim his own. The stars were right again, and what an age-old cult had failed to do by designs, a band of innocent sailors had done by accident. After vigintillions of years great Cthulhu was loose again, and ravening for delight.
So the "mongrels" are not only lowly and evil; they also fail at the one reason they existed for centuries. The white men (the main character was explicitly called out as being Nordic) bested them even at this, if to their peril. Lmao, dude, are you for real. Lovecraft was pretty vocally racist, according to the biography in the preface, so this wasn't an accident.
So overall, this was an ok read, but I didn't like it much. I expected more from Lovecraft's most famous short story.
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