Weird Fiction discussion

At long last, we are there: the final read of our H.P. Lovecraft reads begun over two years ago. Lovecraft wrote the 20-page (in my edition) short story in just five days in November, 1935. It saw print in the December 1936 edition of Weird Tales (p. 538–53). It is the last written of the master's known works and is part of his Cthulhu Mythos.

The story features Robert Harrison Blake, a fictional horror writer who first appears, unnamed, in Robert Bloch's 1935 story "The Shambler from the Stars." In Lovecraft's sequel, Blake investigates the Starry Wisdom cult of Enoch Bowen. Lovecraft modeled Blake on Bloch, but also gave him characteristics that evoke Clark Ashton Smith and Lovecraft himself. How cool is that!?

Dan wrote: "At long last, we are there: the final read of our H.P. Lovecraft reads begun over two years ago. Lovecraft wrote the 20-page (in my edition) short story in just five days in November, 1935. It saw ..."

I heard: Robert Block wrote a story where a character named Howard was killed. In response, Howard Phillips Lovecraft wrote a story where a character named Robert got killed.

Robert Bloch's "The Shambler from the Stars" featured in the September 1935 issue of Weird Tales. I plan to read that here: http://www.luminist.org/archives/SF/W... before Lovecraft's story.

Robert Bloch's tale was amazing, so well written! No one is named in the story, but it is clear that Bloch is the protagonist visiting H.P., his friend. Poor H.P., he never had a chance. I can well see Lovecraft getting a chuckle from this tale and then thinking of some nasty ways to extract narrative revenge upon his soon to be doomed (if not damned) literary friend.

Reading Bloch's tale first then is truly a must and a pleasure, I promise, for those wishing to fully appreciate the exquisiteness of Lovecraft's riposte seen featured in this month's group read.

Dan wrote: "Robert Bloch's "The Shambler from the Stars" featured in the September 1935 issue of Weird Tales. I plan to read that here: http://www.luminist.org/archives/SF/W... before Lovecraft's story."

There's also the 1950 followup The Shadow From the Steeple https://cthulhufiles.com/stories/bloc... and you can find Shambler at https://cthulhufiles.com/stories/bloc...

Dan wrote: "Robert Bloch's tale was amazing, so well written! No one is named in the story, but it is clear that Bloch is the protagonist visiting H.P., his friend. Poor H.P., he never had a chance. I can well..."

I reread Robert Bloch's story "The Shambler from the Stars" and was entertained. I have a hunch that Robert Bloch chuckled while writing the story. By the way, Bloch's story mentions Dearborn street, which is a street in the city that Bloch was born in, Chicago.

The Wikepedia article on Robert Bloch says, "The young Bloch appears, thinly disguised, as the character Robert Blake in Lovecraft's story "The Haunter of the Dark" (1936), which is dedicated to Bloch. Bloch was the only individual to whom Lovecraft ever dedicated a story.[citation needed] In this story, Lovecraft kills off Robert Blake, the Bloch-based character, repaying a "courtesy" Bloch earlier paid Lovecraft with his 1935 tale "The Shambler from the Stars", in which the Lovecraft-inspired figure dies; the story goes so far as to use Bloch's then-current address (620 East Knapp Street) in Milwaukee.[22] (Bloch even had a signed certificate from Lovecraft [and some of his creations] giving Bloch permission to kill Lovecraft off in a story.) Bloch later recalled "believe me, beyond all doubt, I don't know anyone else I'd rather be killed by."

"Thinly disguised"? Bloch's murdered character is a New England writer of fantasy horror who has read The Necronomicon, has a long face, and is not particularly sociable. Thin indeed! I agree that Bloch was probably chuckling when he wrote his story. I've not yet had a chance to read Lovecraft's comeback, but I hope he gave as good as he got. It won't be easy.

I've just finished reading the story-the atmosphere in the church is truly creepy. The reporter should have listened to the locals who lived in the same town where the church was located.

Rosemarie wrote: "I've just finished reading the story-the atmosphere in the church is truly creepy. The reporter should have listened to the locals who lived in the same town where the church was located."

I swear the initial scenes in the church reminded me of one of the Stephen King stories about someone visiting a church in the 'Salems lot universe. This would make sense, as this is early Stephen King and he would still be emulating writers he has read as he found his own voice. However, I cannot find the SK story in my collection and now I think I have read too much Lovecraft and I am dreaming up monstrous stories. Ancient Ones help me if there is a power cut! :)

'Salem's Lot is perhaps the only vampire novel I have ever read and really liked, Bram Stoker and Ann Rice's contributions included. I appreciated Robert Bloch's story more this time than Lovecraft's answer to it. At least "The Haunter of the Dark" had a strong ending. The writer in me saw so much potential in this Lovecraft story. I would read a paragraph telling we readers what was happening and seeing how I could have conveyed that paragraph in an exciting chapter of dialogue, characters, and action. Do that through most of the story and you at the end have a substantial novel.

I would agree that Lovecrafts "genius" was in his world creation but not in his storytelling and definitely not in his characterisation.

If I was rewriting a Lovecraft I would make the foreign cult worshippers the hero's of the story who have been successfully defending the world with their protective rituals for Mileania. Until a white wealthy middle-aged Anglo English speaking male interferes - thus bringing about our worlds destruction.

Maria Hill wrote: "I would agree that Lovecrafts "genius" was in his world creation but not in his storytelling and definitely not in his characterisation.

If I was rewriting a Lovecraft I would make the foreign cu..."

That's an interesting take. Flipping the point of view completely on its head. I like it!

When I read a Lovecraft story, I find myself wanting to take his descriptive paragraph, but then stretch it. I would add characters, create a scene which would have a conflict between the characters, dialog, etc., all there to bring to light exactly what Lovecraft said in five or six sentences, only taking five or six pages for the scene to bring out. I don't want to change his story, really, just bring it out in dramatic rather than descriptive form.