Why You Should Read: H.P. Lovecraft (Spoiler-Free)

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  • čas přidán 29. 06. 2024
  • Mike talks about how he first fell in love with the writings of H.P. Lovecraft as a teenager and why he think it is important that people continue to read his works...including you.
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    Mike K.
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    Reading excerpt music provided by ‪@VIVEKABHISHEK‬
    Track used: [No Copyright Music] THE FOREST | Royalty Free Music • [No Copyright Music] T...
    Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0(CC BY 3.0)
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    #HPLovecraft #CthulhuMythos #MikesBookReviews
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Komentáře • 223

  • @mikesbookreviews
    @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +49

    Hey guys! Yes, more horror. In fact, THE horror. I'll keep talking about these things until you guys submit to my sales pitches! Have a great day.

    • @somatraseng
      @somatraseng Před 4 lety +4

      Mike's Book Reviews I have submitted. I went to Barnes and Noble today and bought some Lovecraft. I got the fancy looking B&N edition of the "Complete Cthulhu Mythos Tales".

    • @0bscenity
      @0bscenity Před 4 lety +4

      Dude, I'm down for more horror. You post horror-related videos, I'll watch and like, and possibly comment!

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +2

      Yes! Enjoy the frights, my friend.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +3

      I appreciate that. Planning to talk some classics around Halloween time like Mary Shelly and Bram Stoker.

    • @turtleanton6539
      @turtleanton6539 Před 4 lety +2

      WOW you got a great reading voice

  • @alexandresobreiramartins9461

    "How many classics are banned from your school library" is such a sign of barbarism and cultural decadence that it makes me shudder with horror.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +32

      I hate it. Why is an author banned for their belief system in a time when those opinions weren't uncommon yet we can still check out a copy of Mein Kampf or the Communist Manifesto at any time? Or just because the content "makes people uncomfortable" is a really shitty excuse. Banning books is blasphemy, IMO.

    • @jamiesehdev2663
      @jamiesehdev2663 Před 9 měsíci +1

      I know! I asked my English teacher where to aquire a copy of the necronomicon and de vermis mysteries and she took a step back n sort of recoiled in a disturbing manner!!! I just said ok miss n walked off?? How rude

    • @Terminator-ht3sx
      @Terminator-ht3sx Před 3 měsíci

      @@mikesbookreviewsand you don’t understand what nietchze is talking about when god is dead. need to read some nietzche it sounds like but ur prolly not into philosophy

  • @antcod1
    @antcod1 Před 4 lety +42

    Your intros are very well done mate

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +3

      Thanks! I feel like they set the mood for what I just read. I also figure it's the closest I'll ever get to being able to record audiobooks.

  • @stoneyfoot
    @stoneyfoot Před 4 lety +25

    Been reading Lovecraft since the 1970s and keep going back: The Color Out of Space, Rats in the Walls, At the Mountains of Madness... he could evoke the mood of horror and dread like no other.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +3

      Absolutely. Just uncomfortable. You see it happening and there's nothing you can do to prevent it. That's the best horror for me.

    • @Welther47
      @Welther47 Před 4 lety

      @@mikesbookreviews I would add: The whisperer in Darkness, Dunwich horror, shadow out of time, The thing on the doorsteep. and some others.

    • @Rick_Riff
      @Rick_Riff Před rokem +1

      I really like his sci Fi story about Venus: the walls Of Eryx. Also "The Temple" about Germans in a submarine, "The Hound" about grave robbing, and Herbert West Reanimator a Frankenstein type story. Of course the cosmic staples are great but I also enjoy his lesser known stories.

    • @whatfreedom7
      @whatfreedom7 Před rokem

      I’m a new reader and I’ve heard about lovecraft references elsewhere so I thought I’d look for something more along the lines of shows or movies I’d like. Maybe that will get me interested in books since I never knew what to read. I know call of Cthulhu is one his top recommended books but mountain of madness seems more along my lines so I ordered one. Hopefully I’ll get into and actually finish it.

  • @justinecooper9575
    @justinecooper9575 Před 4 lety +52

    The definitive "The Call of Cthulhu" movie is the adaptation by the HP Lovecraft Historical Society. Very low budget, black and white, silent, must see.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +11

      I'll look it up!

    • @ncspacemonkey
      @ncspacemonkey Před 4 lety +12

      I don’t know if I’d call it “very” low budget but it was made as if it was released back when the story first came out. Beautifully made. They also made “The Whisperer in Darkness”. But some of their greatest works are the Dark Adventure Radio Theatre dramatizations of Lovecraft’s works.

    • @justinecooper9575
      @justinecooper9575 Před 4 lety +2

      @@ncspacemonkey
      I have to agree with you about Dark Adventure Radio. I've listened to some of them. Currently i'm working my way through their complete Lovecraft audio book collection.

    • @ncspacemonkey
      @ncspacemonkey Před 4 lety

      Justine Cooper I’m very interested in picking that up someday. I already have the complete HorrorBabble series but I love the way Andrew and Sean perform so I’m sure I won’t regret the purchase.
      Have you listened to their Voluminous podcast? For someone like me who will never get around to reading his letters, it’s a great way to experience some of them.

    • @justinecooper9575
      @justinecooper9575 Před 4 lety

      @@ncspacemonkey
      Haven't listened to that yet but will have to look into it. Right now i'm trying to decide if I want the deluxe edition or the download edition of the Collaborations tales.

  • @lorec9795
    @lorec9795 Před 4 lety +33

    Being minority I understand a person's apprehension toward Lovecraft due to his xenophobia. But with that being said one can not discount the mind of a Genius. And to me Lovecraft was a purveyor of dread. His first person narrative short story style is overly descriptive and compact and are written in a unique character perspective that they have garnered their own reference. Lovecraftian. His influence among horror reading fans is undeniable and should be recognized among the truly greats. He was a man of his times and a great many of his stories tend to reflect that as well. But no one can dispute the amount of writers this man has inspired of all colors and creed. He has touched the psychology of American Pop Culture and left an indelible mark upon it. To this day I can not look at an octopus and not think of Cthulhu and I am in my 50s. I read Lovecraft when I was a child and to this day am still an admirer of his work. He was by no means perfect, no one ever is, but he had a perfect madness that he shared with the world. And to this day we are all still touched and haunted by it.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +18

      This is such a wonderful comment that I feel the need to pin to the top of the comment chain. I know folks are hypersensitive (especially in the States) about any kind of race relations issues and I would never discount the importance of these things. I'm just of the mind that looking at things from 100+ years ago with a 2020 lens is going to make damn near everything seems out of touch. Because it was. So I usually like to stick to the fiction and not the author's personal lives. With Lovecraft I think it was part of what made him write the way that he did. He was straight terrified of anyone that didn't look like him.

  • @Devin_Davis
    @Devin_Davis Před 4 lety +28

    This is crazy! I had lovecraft on my to read list and then this video popped up. I guess it was meant to be lol.

  • @ericmerrell8622
    @ericmerrell8622 Před 4 lety +18

    The scan of your bookshelves at the beginning of your videos makes me think we'd get along. Also, the music and brief reading at the beginning of this video was great. Got you another subscriber with that alone

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +6

      Ha, thanks! Welcome aboard. Happy to have you here. I try to do a little excerpt reading like that before all reviews and author deep dives.

  • @jdauby
    @jdauby Před rokem +4

    My 1st encounter with H.P. Lovecraft was Colour out of Space in a Lovecraft collection in the 4th grade reading section in my Catholic school library when I was 10. They seriously had no idea.

  • @Diego-Designs
    @Diego-Designs Před 2 lety +2

    I love that you're very passionate, and it shows when you talk about most topics/books - especially here! Awesome channel, I'm glad I found you awhile back ! 😊

  • @turtleanton6539
    @turtleanton6539 Před 4 lety +36

    If you like H.P and King try Mangas by Junji Ito. Short stories collection Shiver and Smashed and Longstory Uzumaki.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +10

      I've heard these recommendations a lot.

    • @donovanchilton5817
      @donovanchilton5817 Před 3 lety +2

      Glycerin scarred me for life.

    • @toprak3479
      @toprak3479 Před 3 lety +2

      Uzumaki or The Enigma of Amigara Fault if you want Lovecraftian horror
      Anything else by Ito if you want fantastic non-cosmic horror

    • @ajkious618
      @ajkious618 Před 2 lety

      Also Hellstar Remina for cosmic horror!

    • @niallmaritz2599
      @niallmaritz2599 Před 10 měsíci

      I know this is a comment posted so much later, but one can now tune in Netflix's anime adaptation of Junji Ito's works.

  • @rickydeguzman9096
    @rickydeguzman9096 Před 3 lety

    This channel is so underrated. Well done!!

  • @mikeprendergast1826
    @mikeprendergast1826 Před 3 lety +1

    Good evening Mike. I've recently found your CZcams page and I must say I find you quite a fresh breath of air in book reviewers. I am glad that I have found a true Stephen King fan. I watched your post on Lovecraft and found it absolutely fascinating. I haven't read Lovecraft in years but after watching this I have ordered online a back catalogue of Lovecraft's works. I am writing in the comment section hoping you will read it but I would just love a Lovecraft top ten or just some more videos on Lovecraft. Thanks again for doing such a sterling job reviewing, keep up the good work 👍

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 3 lety

      Doing 3 Lovecraft reviews in October for Fright Fest. Stay tuned!

  • @Lawofimprobability
    @Lawofimprobability Před 3 lety +2

    I think you might be underestimating school libraries. Even a public middle school I spent a year at had copies of The Nazi Doctors by Robert Lifton which still creeps me out and an Evangelical missionary school I attended had copies of D.H. Lawrence's books (which I think are more prurient than insightful but it still gets considered "literature").

  • @MrTofy1974
    @MrTofy1974 Před 4 lety +6

    I also have the Necronomicon collection and have read a couple of his stories....I got this book because as a King fan I heard Lovecraft was an inspiration to Stephen King.....the fact that these stories are 25 - 30 pages makes it a great quick read.....and honestly some of these stories I can't read at night cause they're so freaky 👍📚

  • @Aeternuss
    @Aeternuss Před 3 lety +7

    Personally I think Lovecraft Dreamlands stories are the most underrated.

  • @bookfantastic
    @bookfantastic Před 3 lety +3

    My favorites still are probably Robert E. Howard, Lovecraft, and Clark Ashton Smith.All brilliant storytellers as well as literary stylists. Musical writing.

  • @barbaramerrywell3379
    @barbaramerrywell3379 Před 4 lety +21

    Been reading Lovecraft since the last half of the 1940's. Never get tired of his writing.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +8

      It has aged really well. Like HG Wells, I like the time period he wrote in because it made it more timeless. No electronics or pop culture references keep it from feeling dated.

    • @sethwalker5426
      @sethwalker5426 Před 4 lety +7

      Are you dead??

    • @devoringdemonsoulq9086
      @devoringdemonsoulq9086 Před 3 lety +1

      How old are you?

    • @iBullyDemons
      @iBullyDemons Před 2 lety +1

      Bruh. You're ancient

  • @robpaul7544
    @robpaul7544 Před 4 lety +9

    Say one thing about H.P. Lovecraft, say that the man knew fear..
    Haven't read that much by the man himself, largely because I don't really like short stories . What I've read though was very good.
    And I am a big fan of his legacy, the Cthulhu mythos. I love playing the Call of Cthulhu rpg, Eldritch Horror board game, and many books inspired by him. There's a cool Sherlock Holmes Cthulhu series going.
    So yeah, by all means keep the Lovecraft and horror coming 😎👍😱

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +4

      His influence on modern pop culture is undeniable. He's a marketing money maker.

    • @turtleanton6539
      @turtleanton6539 Před 4 lety

      He was afraid of everything

  • @tragikk03
    @tragikk03 Před 3 lety +2

    Lovecraft's stories are freakin amazing! I hope you do make some more horror related content. Maybe it's a generational thing.. I'm about 10 years younger than you but, ever since my early teen, I've always been a horror fan; I would go as far as saying it's my favorite genre of all time for both movies and books

  • @user-nu3lo2il5x
    @user-nu3lo2il5x Před 3 lety +6

    Lovecraft creates an amazing atmosphere ,we want more videos about him. Is there an author who creates such an atmosphere ? greetings from Bulgaria.

  • @robertstuart9381
    @robertstuart9381 Před 10 měsíci

    Hey Mike, good video. I've been into the Lovecraft since the 90's. So Stuart Gordan's movies were around, But they never stayed true to the books.
    At the Mountains of Madness could be done easily with CGI technology with Green screens etc. It would be Amazing. I think his best are
    The Rats in the Walls, The Shadow over Innsmouth, The Thing on the Doorstep, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward and Pickman's Modal.

  • @auhsojonalos7558
    @auhsojonalos7558 Před 4 lety +4

    I have his complete works but I have yet to read them. This inspired me. Thanks, Mike!

  • @pattenicus
    @pattenicus Před 4 lety +1

    Excellent work ! Liked and subscribed.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +1

      Michael Patten Thanks! Happy to have you on board.

    • @pattenicus
      @pattenicus Před 4 lety

      @@mikesbookreviews
      thanks mate! If you groove to HPL : Check out William Hope Hodgeson's The House on the Borderland. Lovecraftian Horror written before HPL wrote much. HPL discovered him later in life and loved his work. Both writers have a Houdini connection :) Cheers mare!

    • @pattenicus
      @pattenicus Před 4 lety

      ^mate :)

  • @nnygem
    @nnygem Před rokem

    I appreciated that you said ‘maddening’

  • @nicnahar6273
    @nicnahar6273 Před 3 lety +4

    I still need a light on after Lovecraft 😂. Great content! 👌🏽 I admire that you wanted to stick with the literature as is (rather than tout 21 century morality to the 20th century.. fair enough). But, you’d also be missing a lot of interesting conversations and analysis by separating the author’s personal beliefs from his writings! Then again, you still killed it without going into all that jazz, so I respect that and your decision. I’m assuming you might be more into cosmic horror, so this might be a long shot, but have you ever read any Olaf Stapleton? Would love to hear your thoughts - especially in parallel to Lovecraft!

  • @OnyxSkiesXIX
    @OnyxSkiesXIX Před 4 lety +7

    First, I feel like Lovecraft is a great bridge between horror and fantasy because many of his stories have lots of fantasy elements. For example, his Dream Cycle stories are largely fantasy in many ways. Also, a decade or so ago, Del Toro was trying to make a big budget At the Mountains of Madness movie and every time I think about that fact and that it never happened I get so bummed out.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +2

      This is 100% accurate.

    • @toprak3479
      @toprak3479 Před 3 lety +1

      There's not a lot of fantasy elements aside from the dream cycle stories though. Sci-fi and gothic elements come up more often.

  • @Rick_Riff
    @Rick_Riff Před rokem

    This is great. I'd love to see you do something with RE Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, Algernon Blackwood, Lord Dunsany or any lesser known horror masters of that era.

  • @m.n.tarrint9187
    @m.n.tarrint9187 Před 3 lety

    Actually i just caught on to your channel and would love to hear more about adventure and horror

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 3 lety

      You're in luck. The entire month of October is going to be dedicated to horror.

  • @charlesgrey8651
    @charlesgrey8651 Před 4 lety +6

    Have to ask, do you work in the audiobooks industry? Your reading and voice is very much tastefull, love it ❤

  • @mattthompson7232
    @mattthompson7232 Před 4 lety +6

    In the Mouth of Madness was John Carpenter’s take on Lovecraft. Very underrated movie.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +2

      I remember liking it. But it has been a minute since I saw it.

    • @yojimboeastwood5602
      @yojimboeastwood5602 Před 3 lety

      Classic

    • @bookfantastic
      @bookfantastic Před 3 lety

      If you want to see another Lovecraftian movie starring Sam Neill see Possession (1981). A bit hard to take about the disintegration of a marriage, but absolutely terrifying. Not like anything else.

  • @dongoul
    @dongoul Před 4 lety +6

    After listening to your video I’m getting the lovecraft collectors edition from Barnes and noble

  • @surajsingrajput7512
    @surajsingrajput7512 Před 3 lety

    Hey, I just subscribed your channel now!!! Great intro buddy!! ❤️ For Stephen King. And, also I want a video which h p Lovecraft book to start!!! Great day!

  • @erikthecleric9209
    @erikthecleric9209 Před 4 lety +3

    I for one would love to see more horror related content :D I like Lovecraft and Stephen King although I've only read three books by him, but since I've been wanting to get more into horror books these videos are always welcome! A side question: would you recommend reading The Stand by Stephen King? Cheers and keep up the great content!
    Edit: should probably add that I am a big fan of fantasy and that's how I initially found your channel

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +1

      I plan on doing classic horror month this October. Thinking more Lovecraft, some Poe, Mary Shelly, Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson, etc.

    • @erikthecleric9209
      @erikthecleric9209 Před 4 lety +1

      Mike's Book Reviews that would be awesome! Can’t wait

  • @Kylemathews1
    @Kylemathews1 Před 4 lety +2

    That's crazy I used to read Stephen King also, and then I first read Mountains of Madness as my first Lovecraft story, and I had the same reaction as you. I have all his stories in one book now.

    • @Kylemathews1
      @Kylemathews1 Před 4 lety

      That's funny, Stephen King's 'IT' was the first book to be able to scare me. I never realized books could be scary like a movie or even more so.

  • @AdityaSingh-kx7eu
    @AdityaSingh-kx7eu Před 3 lety +2

    It’s available

  • @scottgage6498
    @scottgage6498 Před 2 lety +1

    Keep doing horror, brother! It’s great.

  • @JLchevz
    @JLchevz Před 4 lety +2

    I just bought the complete works, I got carried away lol it's just a must read right? I definitely want to read this, I'm gonna put on hold my TBR, which is never ending. Thanks a lot Mike, I'm enjoying the vids a lot : D

  • @mkohlhorst
    @mkohlhorst Před 3 lety +1

    You'll love the short story called Cold Case by Jim Butcher. I don't want to say anything spoiler, but you can feel that Jim really drew from Lovecraft. The basic premise is it's Molly's first day on her new job.

  • @Frank_G_Finster
    @Frank_G_Finster Před 4 lety +4

    It were Howard and Lovecraft for me too, who brought me into this awesome world of classic horror and fantasy. But ewww... comparing Lovecraft and King is like comparing Godzilla to a crocodile... Excellent video anyways. Thank you!

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +1

      I get that and it was more of a personal thing because reading King led me to Poe and Lovecraft. Not necessarily that they're similar. Just following the influence like when a Hard Rock musician says The Beatles were influential to them and they're nowhere on that level.

    • @alpertroncp2198
      @alpertroncp2198 Před 3 lety +1

      King and Lovecraft both write horror, but their styles of horror don't particularly compare. When it comes to skills as a writer there's a debate to be had about which has stronger writing skills.

  • @balazskiss9252
    @balazskiss9252 Před 3 lety

    I hope you got the second tome for the Necronomicon, the Eldritch Tales and Miscellenea, worth to check out

  • @RSEFX
    @RSEFX Před 4 lety +3

    A lot of the effect that Lovecraft gets across on the printed page can be realized thru music and sound. The overall "tone" is what stands out in his writings. It's a very emotional thing, a mood. Someone like David Lynch probably could make a really effective Lovecraft adaptation. Showing everything (thru efx and other visual means) probably is not the best way to go to get across the "unnameable", the unspeakable. Glimpses and suggestion, shadows and sound might be the best way to translate the feeling of his stories to film. Of course, you DO have to pay it all off with a certain amount of visual trickery, but the trick (wordplay intended) is to not overdo it. (CLOVERFIELD created the Lovecraft feeling of terror in part.) Anyway, just some thoughts on the subject. Thanks.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +2

      These are all very valid points. A CGI crapfest wouldn't do Lovecraft justice at all. Really, I feel like most of them could be adapted low budget except for something like Cthulhu or Mountains of Madness.

    • @RSEFX
      @RSEFX Před 4 lety +1

      @@mikesbookreviews Exactly!

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety

      @@RSEFX Here's hoping we'll find out.

  • @MythicalP
    @MythicalP Před 3 lety

    I would like to read more horror but I do not know where to start. I enjoy very much this kind of videos. I'm thrilled to read more Stephen King, Anne Rice, Lovecraft, so on and so forth.

  • @YES_YES_NO_YES
    @YES_YES_NO_YES Před 2 měsíci

    excellent hair cut

  • @yojimboeastwood5602
    @yojimboeastwood5602 Před 3 lety +2

    Well said. Applying today’s standards to yesterday. Great storyteller. Shadow over innsmouth is my favorite. A lot of relatable paranoia

  • @oberstul1941
    @oberstul1941 Před 2 lety

    I swear I could sense a tear in the corner of my eye when you said that Lovecraft is fine literature. Dammit, almost forgot it. That it really is. Cheers, Mike.

  • @PearlJamaholic
    @PearlJamaholic Před 3 lety +1

    Ive read 2 collections of Lovecraft's works, currently on a 3rd, all in one, set. Some of the stories I have read more than twice already cause I had them in other collections. Something about Lovecraft I really enjoy. I rarely reread books, there may be 5 books in my life I have read more than once. But I am going through my 3rd read of Lovecraft's complete collection now.
    Oddly I got into horror and King because of Lovecraft. I was a D&D nerd and didn't like how fantasy was always empty in scares, a setting with dragons and goblins should have have a few spooky scenes with ghosts or skeletons, or whatever. And someone said if you want fantasy and horror check out Lovecraft.

  • @surajsingrajput7512
    @surajsingrajput7512 Před 3 lety +1

    I am thinking to read at the mountains of madness
    I haven't read any Lovecraft but thinkin

  • @amandaofhouserobinson6707

    I loved reading mountains of madness and the call of Cthulhu!!

  • @berlinesquelove1360
    @berlinesquelove1360 Před 4 lety +4

    Have you heard of Thomas Ligotti? I'd say he carries the Lovecraft torch (and arguably takes it to even darker places) much more than Stephen King.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety

      I have, but am yet to read any.

    • @EndlessLaymon
      @EndlessLaymon Před 3 lety +1

      Ramsay Campbell is a brilliant British author who is heavily inspired by Lovecraft.

  • @tultsi93
    @tultsi93 Před 2 lety

    I started to read H. P. Lovecraft recently, and I don't regret it. ^^

  • @mysticmouse7261
    @mysticmouse7261 Před 4 lety +2

    I am writing a sci- fi fantasy novel. Lovecraft prose is the gold standard of the cosmic horror genre which he originated in spite of Poe."The Gardners took to watching at night-watching in all directions at random for something . . . they could not tell what. It was then that they all owned that Thaddeus had been right about the trees. "

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety

      Poe --> Lovecraft --> King. That's my macabre trio.

    • @mysticmouse7261
      @mysticmouse7261 Před 4 lety

      @@mikesbookreviews It's impossible to completely prove the source of all influences. But Lovecraft' s style is unique and only resembles Poe in the flowery language of 19th and early 20th century prose. E.g. blasted heath.

  • @bookfantastic
    @bookfantastic Před 3 lety

    I first read Lovecraft in my high school library in an anthology entitled Famous Monster Tales by Basil Davenport. This might have been 1974. The story was "The Outsider." I had to read it twice to understand it. Blew me away and changed my life. I read all of his stuff after that. I was the captain of the soccer team, but I was also the brother who had a nose in a book while the sibs were watching Taxi and laughing together. I was sort of the Outsider.

  • @julians.2597
    @julians.2597 Před 3 lety +1

    That Netflix series with the invisible monsters mad eme think that maybe - just maybe - I will see good cosmic horror movies in my lifetime

  • @bookfantastic
    @bookfantastic Před 3 lety

    I think short horror stories are more significant than novels, though there are many great novels. But W.C. Morrow, Gerald Kersh, Charles Birkin, Eleanor Scott, and I can go on and on are must reads. M. R. James. H. R Wakefield. Howard. Clark Ashton Smith. These to me are more important than the novels. Margery Lawrence. Terry Lamsley. Poe. Lovecraft is the best. I could go on.

  • @lukeroberts1234
    @lukeroberts1234 Před 2 lety

    Good shit.

  • @Rulupaul
    @Rulupaul Před 4 lety +3

    I'm 18, Danish, and read a lot. I have never read H. P. Lovecraft before, and I wanted to read something a bit more classic.
    I recently acquired my "Complete Cthulhu Mythos Tales" and I've been dying to read it, however, I'm also a sucker for correct reading orders. Is that something that I should think about before diving into Lovecraft's work? What stories would you recommend?

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +3

      I don't think there's a required reading order since all of his stories mostly stand alone.

    • @alpertroncp2198
      @alpertroncp2198 Před 3 lety +1

      There's no reading order really - there's interleaving between stories (places and institutions and beings named in multiple stories) but there's not really a clear, chronological chain of events. A good one to start on is Dagon - that's his earliest example of the kind of material he's known for now.

  • @albertocarlosgonzalezpined9326

    Dude just found your channel trough your top 10 horror novels video. I first got Interested in horror trough Lovecraft and his short story "The Nameless City", bought it at a stop while crossing Mexico by bus :)
    Anyway, did you ever read "The descent" by Jeff Long? Don't remember the quality but it stuck with me... (right now reading "The Ritual" by Adam Nevill).
    Greetings from Tijuana, Mexico.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 2 lety +1

      Hi! Welcome. I haven't read the Descent. Is it what the film was based off of? Because I loved that.

    • @albertocarlosgonzalezpined9326
      @albertocarlosgonzalezpined9326 Před 2 lety

      @@mikesbookreviews yeah good movie Mike, but not based on the novel. Hope you can read it sometime.

  • @nicnackscorner1031
    @nicnackscorner1031 Před 4 lety +2

    It's always been on my list. Time to move it up

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety

      You're currently in a Stephen King mindset, so I think you'd dig it. By the way, hoping to fit in Outsider this month and then we can talk about it.

    • @nicnackscorner1031
      @nicnackscorner1031 Před 4 lety +1

      @@mikesbookreviews awesome I'm watching the show now. I'm looking forward to our conversation.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety

      @@nicnackscorner1031 I've heard good things, but nothing yet from anyone who has read it, too.

    • @nicnackscorner1031
      @nicnackscorner1031 Před 4 lety +1

      @@mikesbookreviews they are doing a good job. The changes made are justified so far. I'm digging it. You'll see. I must say it's one of my favorite King books at the moment.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety

      @@nicnackscorner1031 I think folks are having the toughest time about Holly because the actress who plays her on the Mr. Mercedes show is ripped right from the page.

  • @MilesWilliams88
    @MilesWilliams88 Před 3 lety +2

    The game Bloodborne is a great Lovecraft game. Give it a shot if you've never played it. It's hard as nails, but a masterpiece of a game.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 3 lety +1

      I may have rage quit a couple of times ha ha

    • @MilesWilliams88
      @MilesWilliams88 Před 3 lety +1

      @@mikesbookreviews Haha yeah it's tough! Once you get used to it though... it's not too bad.

  • @AlbertGauche
    @AlbertGauche Před 5 měsíci

    My favorite story of HPL is, “Dream Quest of the Unknown Kadath”.

  • @derekgreen7319
    @derekgreen7319 Před 5 měsíci

    One of my favorite authors even though I'm not a horror fan

  • @jeffrusnack5673
    @jeffrusnack5673 Před 4 lety +1

    Because like Dijon Mustard its in Every Thing! Dresden, Aquaman, Watchmen, Got?

  • @vaporiiz
    @vaporiiz Před 3 lety +1

    Would be awesome if they would make a big-budget movie about Cthulhu!

  • @unholydiver1095
    @unholydiver1095 Před 2 lety +4

    Do you think Lovecraft would be a good starting point for someone who is just getting into reading books. Never been a reader, but I want to get into it, and I feel like horror/thrillers are the only books that can appeal to me. I have always been a fan of movies with cosmic horror elements in them.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 2 lety +2

      Sure. The way he writes takes a few pages to get used to, but I think it’s approachable for anyone, given they like horror content.

    • @unholydiver1095
      @unholydiver1095 Před 2 lety +1

      @@mikesbookreviews Nice. Thanks for the reply. Definitely interested in getting started with Lovecraft. Thanks for the vid

  • @TornadoCreator
    @TornadoCreator Před 4 lety +3

    I want to hear about horror and sci-fi. Booktube is full of people talking about YA books, (and let's face it, when I say people, I mean little girls). Occasionally you get a Booktuber who loves fantasy and there's a few of them dotted around, some even make a special case for Stephen King and he's allowed to join along with the fantasy fandom, alongside Brandon Sanderson, George RR Martin, Robert Jordan, Brent Weeks, Patrick Rothfuss, Joe Abercrombie, Philip Pullman, Neil Gaiman, Jim Butcher etc... you know what's really sad I consider myself a sci-fi fan and a horror fan; and while I can rattle off a dozen fantasy author names. I can't name more than a few sci-fi or horror authors, and the ones I can name are from more than 50 years ago. Jules Verne, HG Wells, Arthur C. Clark, Issac Asimov, and Aldous Huxley... that's basically all I have for sci-fi, nothing from the last 50 years. Horrors even worse, there's HP Lovecraft, Anne Rice, Stephen King, and Peter Straub (and the only reason I know him, is he co-authored books with Stephen King). Oh and I have one book by Joe Hill (Stephen Kings son) which I've not read yet. Outside of King, I don't know anything of horror.
    Please cover more sci-fi and horror. I have no idea where to start with these genres especially modern authors, and I want to. I really want to.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety +1

      I'm planning to dedicate the month of October to horror this year. Including more Lovecraft.

    • @Tom-sd9jb
      @Tom-sd9jb Před rokem

      You could try Necroscope by Brian Lumley... Sadistic vampires, time warping, ESP, horrifying excitement.
      (I see this is an old comment but I hope you see it and find this to be something you'd like to read!)

  • @alpertroncp2198
    @alpertroncp2198 Před 3 lety +1

    I'm writing my English literature dissertation on Jules Verne and HP Lovecraft - both known names but not read as widely as they should be.

  • @gelobeep8188
    @gelobeep8188 Před 10 měsíci

    My favorites is *the mound *

  • @bdre5555
    @bdre5555 Před 3 lety

    The rats in the walls and The Outsider are amazing

  • @bdre5555
    @bdre5555 Před 3 lety

    I am a huge lifelong fan of horror, and I can honestly say that lovecraft's stories are scarier than anything in existence

  • @ryanfaulkner5488
    @ryanfaulkner5488 Před rokem

    Which book would be best to read as a newbie that just wants a sample of what he does .... chuthulu seems cool

  • @seansmith2650
    @seansmith2650 Před 3 lety +1

    And play bloodbourne

  • @Michael_L_Morrison
    @Michael_L_Morrison Před 4 lety +7

    As a lifelong horror fan, I sought to read Lovecraft in my 30’s. I read 3 consecutive evenings in a row and had the most horrible nightmares each night. The thing about a horror novel or movie, I am never scared, because I’m in control. I know they are fiction and they don’t bother me. In the realm of dreams, I have no control. Needless to say, I stopped reading Lovecraft then. Haven’t touched a story since then, but I have felt the pull to do so. I have quite a few things lined up book wise, so I probably can’t start it this year. Perhaps next year.

    • @Kylemathews1
      @Kylemathews1 Před 4 lety +2

      wimp

    • @Michael_L_Morrison
      @Michael_L_Morrison Před 4 lety +1

      Kyle Mathews Way to keep it classy.

    • @givesbeetdip0055
      @givesbeetdip0055 Před 2 lety +1

      I just recently got the best weird tales of lovecraft which has over 800 pages of his stories. Throughout my life I've had some crazy dreams but never true nightmares. But I've had some pretty crazy nightmares too man it's crazy what a good book can do to your mind.

  • @mztweety1374
    @mztweety1374 Před rokem

    My mom got me into Stephen King. Metallica got me into HP Lovecraft LOL. I didn't know that he inspired my favorite movies like Aliens, John Carpenter's The thing and In the mouth of madness is my very favorite Carpenter movie. 😂
    I even rewatched from beyond... which to me was the most disgusting sci-fi movie I had ever seen when I was a kid.
    A lot of his adaptations college made movies like Dagon and the deep ones. Guillermo del Toros cabinet of curiosity story about the storage unit is brilliant. I wish he would direct at the mountains of madness.

  • @zakirehman9023
    @zakirehman9023 Před 3 lety

    Gosh, those illustrations and music was so so scary

  • @fraudron3455
    @fraudron3455 Před 3 lety

    Do a why you should read Kafka.

  • @bookfantastic
    @bookfantastic Před 3 lety

    Cody Goodfellow. Radiant Dawn. Don's miss it.

  • @goofynigga8456
    @goofynigga8456 Před 3 lety

    Imma read his books where should I start.

  • @alexandresobreiramartins9461

    I find it peculiar to keep mentioning POe. Poe is gothic at its best, but he's basically psychological thriller. The supernatural element is present in several of his stories, but it's never the defining element. Even two tales so blatantly supernatural and House of Usher and Black Cat do not focus on the supernatural, but rather on the distorted psychology of the characters, with the supernatural forces being almost incidental to that. Usher was unhinged from the start, and even if what led him to sacrifice his sister to the vampire house was fear of being the next sacrifice in the family line, the main think the tale focus on is his mental imbalance. Same with the narrator of The Black Cat and his drinking problem.

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety

      I mention it in my King videos that it's not really a 1:1 comparison as much as when I was really diving into horror, I read Poe, Lovecraft, and King a lot at the same time. So I can't really mention one without bringing up the others because of the influence they had on me and my love for the strange and wicked.

  • @rjmacready8830
    @rjmacready8830 Před 2 lety

    You can see Lovecraft's influence on King in stories like "Jerusalem's Lot" and "Children Of The Corn."

  • @nickmcpherson2600
    @nickmcpherson2600 Před rokem

    In the mouth of madness was directed by John Carpenter. But it was a very Lovecraft story so not wrong there lol

  • @immortallegacy100
    @immortallegacy100 Před 2 lety

    Late to the party but I just wanted to add that the three Penguin Classics editions of HP Lovecraft's collected works is probably the way to go as far as being the best editions at an affordable price for a newbie. You can get them brand new for )$10-15, or used for a couple of bucks. If you like them, great. Pick up a B&N or annotated edition, but if not, you're not in the hole.

  • @filipferkovic5445
    @filipferkovic5445 Před 3 lety +1

    They could make movie with more his stories like Creepshow

  • @rjmacready8830
    @rjmacready8830 Před 2 lety

    John Carpenter made "In The Mouth Of Madness" with Sam Neill in 1994.

  • @bernardmcgroary3372
    @bernardmcgroary3372 Před rokem

    did you get the secand book the eldrich tales

  • @robertnewberry8296
    @robertnewberry8296 Před 3 lety

    Starbucks logo is Dagon/Cthulu.
    "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
    "The Babylonians had a myth that a being emerged from the Erythraean Sea who was part man and part fish."
    "The name "Dagon" is derived from "Dag" which means "fish"."
    1 Samuel 5 :: NIV. After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then they carried the ark into Dagon's temple and set it beside Dagon. When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD ...
    Actually, I think the best screen adaptation of Lovecraft is 'Dagon', which is based on 'Shadow over Innsmouth'. Also, the game Cthulu Dark Corners of the Earth. The reality is that Dagon is a religion very much alive and well today. Notice the hats the Pope wears, called a mitre, which at the top is a fish mouth. The Dagon priests wore a hat called a 'mitre'.

  • @JosephSaltal
    @JosephSaltal Před 3 lety

    Is the film, "In The Mouth Of Madness", a H.P. Lovecraft story?

  • @marioksoresalhillick299

    To be honest, I never found Lovecraft very scary. But I do find him really cool and imaginative.

  • @DamienNeverwinter
    @DamienNeverwinter Před 6 měsíci

    Mike, Have you read M R James?

  • @DanClapp
    @DanClapp Před 2 lety

    What kind of clock is that?

  • @StumpkillerCP
    @StumpkillerCP Před 3 lety

    The old "Night Gallery" TV series borrowed a LOT from Lovecraft. As have many horror/dark fantasy producers. Everything from Hellboy to South Park to The Mummy has "borrowings" from his concepts. Sooo much could be done in modern cinema with the Old Ones from Dagon or the Deep Ones or the Elder Ones. But they probably wouldn't live up to what our own minds can form from the readings. Don't let the night gaunts of Kadath drag you too deep.

  • @shazbotsmash2422
    @shazbotsmash2422 Před 3 lety +8

    When asked about my Lovecraft fandom I always say "yes, he was a piece of shit but so was disney".

    • @tultsi93
      @tultsi93 Před 2 lety

      And so were Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, Martin Luther King Jr...

  • @johnmonkey1874
    @johnmonkey1874 Před 11 měsíci

    I know this is 3 years old now, but it's really hard to watch these videos because the music plays too loud often over the voice of Mike. I hope they improve.

  • @fredrikgranstrom6743
    @fredrikgranstrom6743 Před 4 lety +2

    LOVECRAFT KING POE AND JUNJI ITO... YOU WILL STAY SCARED FOR LIFE.

  • @williamjones3534
    @williamjones3534 Před 3 lety

    Mike since you read Lovecraft why not read Lovecraft country? Have you seen the series?

  • @Merrick
    @Merrick Před 4 lety +2

    I don't consider myself a fan of horror, but i like Lovecraft and have read a ton of King so maybe i should reconsider. Lay some more horror on us.
    I can't even think of any other horror i've read, prove me wrong or give me something to read (Conan was a great suggestion)
    Even though they deal with some of the same subject matter (King being inspired by HP) they are not all that similar. King tends to revolve around real feeling characters who are dealing with something awful that has come into their real lives, whereas Lovecraft more uses his characters as a vehicle to explore the strange and supernatural. Take away magic and cosmic entities and you could still have a great Stephen King novel. I don't think you could say the same for HP.
    I know you said HP is easy to pick up and digest but i have to disagree. I know the stories are short, sometimes very short, but the writing style and some concepts are what i consider difficult. I actually don't understand why he's so popular. Again I personally am a fan. I just don't see his writing have mass appeal. But obviously I'm wrong, because it's pretty trendy now.
    King on the other hand has an easy style and is very immersive, and makes sense to be one of the best sellers probably ever, up there with the homeless lady who did Harry Potter.
    i read somewhere the 50 shades of grey author wrote it on her cell phone, which seems like it has to be true.
    Thanks for the vid

    • @mikesbookreviews
      @mikesbookreviews  Před 4 lety

      Indeed, King is very different. Outside of The Mist and, from what I've heard Revival (haven't read it yet), he doesn't go too Lovecraftian in his books. And I do acknowledge HP's prose can be tough for some to get past.

    • @alpertroncp2198
      @alpertroncp2198 Před 3 lety

      If you like horror, have a go at William Blatty's The Exorcist. It's a great read.

  • @michaelo5665
    @michaelo5665 Před 3 lety

    Not sure if this is a thing but both of my parents were for, all intents and purposes, functionally illiterate. My mother only read romance novels and my father car magazines. This lead to a weird situation where ,since they had no clue or interest in what I was reading. I read lovecraft, king and philip k dick before I left my gradeschool....

  • @milesknightestrada3286

    I would read Lovecraft over Poe any day of the week.

  • @drewshere7869
    @drewshere7869 Před 3 lety

    As long as he didn't put any of his personal beliefs in the book I'll go ahead and give him a chance

  • @blackplastic420
    @blackplastic420 Před 8 měsíci

    Love for squirmy and grubs❤ Shane is Christ.