The Star of Azazel - Azazelin Tähti

Circaeon wrote:I believe Derleth's The Lurker at the Threshold was an official pastiche, based upon some notes by Lovecraft himself. I seem to recall - from some article on Derleth vs Lovecraft - that this particular novel was published as a posthumous collaboration between the two authors. It's a nice novel and I do believe that Derleth was one of few individuals worthy to pastischize Lovecraft.

I agree. Even though some other of Lovecraft's disciples are enjoyable enough, they seem to be writing about a different world. Derleth has been accused of watering down Lovecraft's cosmic nihilism to be more approachable and conquerable, but as an occultist I think it already to be in the eye of the beholder (of the unwilling atheist prophet Lovecraft and his protagonists both) and not objective. I mean to say, Derleth's finishing touch sometimes seem to bring light to that more occult, even though less nighmarish streak of Lovecraft's.

Circaeon wrote:Matthew Lewis' innovative novel The Monk from 1796.

In this, I have been in page 208 for a year now. The reason is, I once heard from a professor of literature that this novel includes all kinds of mind-bending Satanic orgy fun, including being torn to shreds in hell & having sex on a bone-covered altar, I thought to enjoy it as a light escapist reading. But when it turned out that pages 100 to 200 were, literally, of the same ongoing statement pf marquis recounting his travels to a friend in the middle of another story, I was shot down in flames before the actual flames (of hell) did have the possibility to begin. Now I am not against such archaisms but often find them enjoyable, but clearly I had given wrong idea what the book was about. My English is not so good that reading hundred pages in a row about some marquis' love affairs (not altars included) would be considered as escapistic. Even though there was a ghost involved.

One of Lovecraft's "disciples", Clark Ashton Smith, was in my opinion a superior writer. His stories aren't usually structured classically, they're more like dreams and visions.

Like a mantra, I repeat Klarkashton, Klarkashton. I have mentioned him before, it seems. I'm sure I've mentioned Clive Barker's Books of Blood too.

Benemal wrote:One of Lovecraft's "disciples", Clark Ashton Smith, was in my opinion a superior writer. His stories aren't usually structured classically, they're more like dreams and visions.

I've heard this stated by friends of mine as well. A while ago I found a collection of short stories from him titled "Hyperborea" which I've been meaning to dig into forever. Hopefully soon. There's so much to read.

Jiva wrote: ↑Sat Jan 14, 2017 1:40 pm Well, this could go in either thread, but has anyone else read any Arthur Machen? Personally, I've only read The Great God Pan which is very short - it can easily be read in one go - but I found it quite intoxicating. You can see that Lovecraft was clearly influenced by it. The basic premise is a scientist trying to gain greater knowledge and inadvertently unleashing an occult force, which basically summarises at least half of Lovecraft's work.

Just finished The Great God Pan and it left me thinking of the meaning behind the recurring motive on Machens stories, that is, white Roman slabs of stone, often square in their shape, buried in the green of Welsh forests. These slabs are often fatal to those of too curious and lacking precautious measures. What lies under the wilderness could be seen as the old pagan wilderness where the powers of nature could be used in whatever way from healing to revenge. The pantheon of old running loose in the conquered woods. Monotheistic Christianity tried to put a leash on it, and in The Great God Pan a scientist approaches this force without proper respect and subtle ways of wholesome intuition, unleasing the force in violent manner. Towards the simple and predictive style of Machen a attitude that preserves respect nontheless may reveal hints of joining the order and the organized with the vitality that is presented in the horrors unimaginable.