Lovecraft Remembered

VOYA - William Simms

A collection of short essays by friends, fans, critics, and colleagues of H. P. Lovecraft, the late writer of horror and the macabre, Lovecraft Remembered is a biographical collage of the man who bridges the literary gap between Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King. The essays, previously published works written over the past sixty years since Lovecraft's death, are anecdotes, reminiscences, and reflections on the experiences the authors had with Lovecraft. Reading the essays that relate some of Lovecraft's personality quirks--such as his obsessive love for cats, graveyards, ice cream (consuming up to twenty-seven flavors in a single sitting), his abhorrence of the cold, and his nocturnal tendencies, to name a few--begs the question: which was more peculiar, the man or his work, which included alien races, ancient myths, and grotesque evil beyond the imagination? Although many of the essays are interesting simply because Lovecraft was such an unusual person, some are superficial and have little new to say about the man. Not surprisingly, the most enlightening essays are those written by the people closest to Lovecraft, such as his disciple, August Derleth, and his former wife, Sonia H. Davis. As with any book written by friends and admirers, this volume tends to paint its subject in a favorable light. It is only the editor, Peter Cannon, who mentions Lovecraft's unpleasant racism and anti-Semitism. Lovecraft Remembered will interest only those young adult readers who are avid fans and want to know more about the man who created the Mighty Cthulhu. Eternal Lovecraft is an uneven collection of short stories written in the Lovecraftian vein. The most successful stories by Stephen King, Ian R. MacLeod, Robert Charles Ward, and T. E. D. Klein manage to recreate the steady, building sense of dread and the inescapable doom that was the trademark of Lovecraft's tales. Though these stories convey the Lovecraft sense of terror, none in the collection recreates his writing style, with its long, intricate sentence structure and rich vocabulary. Although this collection could appeal to those unfamiliar with Lovecraft's work, veteran readers will enjoy new twists on the Lovecraftian style. For example, Paula Volsky's The Giant Rat of Sumatra features Sherlock Holmes, Ian R. MacLeod's The Golden Keeper is set in the ancient Roman Empire, and Gene Wolfe's The Other Dead Man is on a spaceship. Eternal Lovecraft would be a stronger collection with the omission of a few stories that suffer from tedious writing and poor storytelling. However, young adult fans of Lovecraft's work and those who want a good scare will enjoy most of the stories. Librarians considering purchasing this title may want to complete their collection of Lovecraft's work before adding this tribute to the master of the macabre. Note: This review was written and published to address Eternal Lovecraft: The Persistence of HPL in Popular Culture and Lovecraft Remembered. VOYA Codes: 3Q 2P S A/YA (Readable without serious defects; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult and Young Adult). 1999, Arkham House, P.O. Box 546, Sauk City, WI

Booknews

Brings together the major shorter reminiscences of Lovecraft by his friends and admirers. Some of those contributors include W. Paul Cook, Winfield Townley Scott, and R.H. Barlow. Also included is a selection of early criticism that charts the progress of Lovecraft's reputation. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)