Rating: 
Summary: Created His Own World
Review: I found it interesting that most of the stories by H.P. Lovecraft (at least in this volume) seem to take place within the same strange world. It's almost like some reference each other without having the same characters reappear. Many of the creatures in his stories are either aliens from another world or demons. I originally purchased this volume because of "The Colour Out of Space" which was used for the movie Die, Monster, Die starring Boris Karloff and Nick Adams. You also have "Herbert West - Reanimator" which was used for Re-Animator. Although I haven't seen it, judging from the DVD case, the movie Dagon is actually based on "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" and not "Dagon." ("Innsmouth" has the Order of Dagon in it.) Although there is a quote from Stephen King on the back, I didn't find these stories overly scary. They were enjoyable and interesting. "The Picture in the House" and "The Hound" are good horror stories. His writing style took a little getting used to. Using words like "shew" struck me as a bit odd at first. These are the only stories of his I've read, but I do feel he is a great writer.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for the Mtv generation
Review: I know Lovecraft is supposed to be the master of horror and all- I first heard his name from reading that Bradbury short story about the dead guy and the furnaces. And I know there is a whole subculture of Cthulhu-ites out there ready to crucify me for saying: This book wasn't that scary. Maybe it was because I already knew about the Squid-faced god, but I wasn't really chilled, terrified, or perturbed at all reading these stories. Maybe it's because I grew up on resident evil and jaws, maybe it's because I'm a cretin, but I was very disappointed. For all the time Lovecraft spent building mood and throwing around terms like "non-euclidean" and "cyclopean," it seemed that all of the stories of his I read follow the same pseudo-boring pattern of building mood with big words by an almost insane narrater and then a non-horrifying release when you see the monster. Don't be offended if you already know and love Lovecraft - then this review is not for you. I merely direct this towards anyone born after 1980.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing!
Review: I must frankly express disappointment. Before this book I had only read "The Dunwich Horror", and thought it was great, but I was 10 at the time. In particular I am very disappointed by the story "The Call of Cthulhu" - sailors pursued by self-confessed rubbery monster. Both "Celephais" and "Nyarlathotep" are *much* better, though not really Cthulhuesque. Many of the stories (e.g. "The Outsider", "The Picture in the House") are very predictable (the end can be guessed at very soon after the first paragraphs). "Herbert West" is mind-numbingly boring. "The Colour Out of Space" is better, admittedly, but depths are plunged with "The Whisperer in Darkness", which includes the classic quote "I myself am here with you--my brain is in that cylinder and I see, hear, and speak through these electronic vibrators". Electronic vibrators aside, the idea that New England is in danger from English-speaking sentient crabs who live on Pluto is just... no, I can't quite take it seriously. "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" was similarly poor... actually, I enjoyed "The Hound", so it's not a total loss, but I am now a bit at a loss as to Lovecraft's reputation and influence.
Rating: 
Summary: Definitive Lovecraft texts in paperback ...
Review: I think very few of the readers of Lovecraft actually know the scholarly history behind the stories; by which I mean not only the many textual errors and typos in previous editions of his work, but also the many allusions and archaic words and terms he uses in his stories. Let us be honest, Lovecraftian prose is an acquired taste. Yet for those of us who read him with enjoyment, each of us can say why this writing nearly a century later still retains its vast power to enrapture and entertain. I recall readings I have done of some of his stories aloud that tickled as well as ingratiated the audience-- this even if you can estimate the surprise Lovecraft has for you before it arrives. With S.T. Joshi's editing of the texts, Lovecraft's work was finally awarded the respect it deserves. For many years these corrections and restorations were only available in Arkham's hardcovers, but now they are making an appearance in paperback via Penguin (and the annotated trade editions by Dell as well). In this first 420-page Penguin collection we have eighteen stories arranged chronologically, from Lovecraft's early Poe-influenced prose to the late-period cosmicism of the Mythos fiction. Joshi gives an admirable 14 page introduction which introduces Lovecraft's life and thought, which in many ways are essential backgrounds to know in order to derive the maximum from the text. If you need extra help there are 60 pages of explanatory notes in the back of the book-- unless you already know what a Pithecanthrope is! (Neo-Greek coinage devised by Haeckel to denote hypothetical link between man and ape). When I ran into Lovecraft scholar Robert M. Price at a convention the month this book was published, he and I both agreed that Lovecraft's status would be helped greatly by Penguin's decision to feature Lovecraft. It's a grand step toward the canonicity that Lovecraft's catalog deserves. His unique and original take on the weird story, centering on the scientific and the unknown quantities in human life-- including in particular the horrifying amorality of the universe-- is not only both influential and important but uncannily relevant as we begin a journey into a new and darker age.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating and chilling
Review: I'm not much into horror really, but these stories have all the essential ingredients of good writing: wonderful prose, suspenseful storylines, evocative description, etc. And all of the imaginative horrors that Lovecraft came up with are memorable. For anyone who likes terror tales or science fiction, this is an excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: Fairly good.
Review: Its interesting reading those who critise HP for being a bit dull. In my most humble opinion, HP LOvecraft is a true horror writer. Horror is not, adopting HP's view of the world, a Freddy Kruger slashing to bits teenagers, or a world over run with zombies- the REAL horror is a wholly uncaring universe, with human efforts and endevours meaning absolutly nothing. The Cthulu mythos , as it is called, all flows from that basic concept- the universe, and the "great old ones" that populate parts of it, do not care for human endevour and that is enough to drive one mad. This philosophy is well reflected in the chilling opening lines of the "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". With that in mind this is an excellent introduction to HP. It contains a mix of his more serious and well known works " The Call of Cthuthlu" and " The rats in the walls", to some of the more obscure and self parodying works. This is not the full stretch by any imagination, but serves as an excellent intorsuction to a writer whose influence cannot be understated. There are some very short stories, plus the a selection of the longer ones in the canon. Joshis intorduction, and footnotes while from time to time are distracting are scolerly and informative. All in all this is THE best introduction to HP. Bear in mind that the Cthulhu mythos is not for all readers. If you are expecting more direct and blunt horror such as King, you will be disappointed. If you want thought provoking writing, that will get you thinking and linger with you after you turn off the lights you will not be disappointed at all. Grade: A++
Rating:
Summary: Academic treatment of Lovecraft
Review: Its interesting reading those who critise HP for being a bit dull. In my most humble opinion, HP LOvecraft is a true horror writer. Horror is not, adopting HP's view of the world, a Freddy Kruger slashing to bits teenagers, or a world over run with zombies- the REAL horror is a wholly uncaring universe, with human efforts and endevours meaning absolutly nothing. The Cthulu mythos , as it is called, all flows from that basic concept- the universe, and the "great old ones" that populate parts of it, do not care for human endevour and that is enough to drive one mad. This philosophy is well reflected in the chilling opening lines of the "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". With that in mind this is an excellent introduction to HP. It contains a mix of his more serious and well known works " The Call of Cthuthlu" and " The rats in the walls", to some of the more obscure and self parodying works. This is not the full stretch by any imagination, but serves as an excellent intorsuction to a writer whose influence cannot be understated. There are some very short stories, plus the a selection of the longer ones in the canon. Joshis intorduction, and footnotes while from time to time are distracting are scolerly and informative. All in all this is THE best introduction to HP. Bear in mind that the Cthulhu mythos is not for all readers. If you are expecting more direct and blunt horror such as King, you will be disappointed. If you want thought provoking writing, that will get you thinking and linger with you after you turn off the lights you will not be disappointed at all. Grade: A++
Rating:
Summary: Fairly good.
Review: Lovecraft is one of those writers you either love or hate. Some of it is just personal preference. For example, Lovecraft's prose is a baroque and complex. It is generally evocative but at times clumsy, but always suited to the story. If you prefer a more Hemingwayesque style then look elsewhere. If you don't like weird and scary works don't bother. However if you lack these prejudices then you might be interest. Lovecraft does have his faults though, his racism sometimes enters into the story as in "He". Also his fiction can range from the truely [bad] such as "Herbert West-Re-animator" to the astoundingly good such as "The Colour out of Space" and "Shadow over Innsmouth." It is foolish to present his fiction as flawless. However, it is even more foolish to ignore it.
Rating:
Summary: Influential master
Review: Reading Lovecraft's stories today, it's hard to suppress the feeling that you've heard this one before. You probably have, of course - though in a different form and under a different name. While much of his work is plainly unoriginal (the ghosts of Poe and Lord Dunsany whisper just a little too loudly in places), it's no overstatement to say his comparatively small corpus has informed most of twentieth-century horror. And though many have tried, no one has quite matched the overblown pitch of his macabre, lugubrious little melodramas, nor rivaled the gloriously monstrous adjectival orgy of his prose. More interesting, though, than his scenarios or style is the world view which inspired them. "Was I tottering on the brink of cosmic horrors beyond man's power to bear?" asks the narrator of 'The Call of Cthulhu' - a sentiment no doubt shared by many tired souls living through the godless pandemonium of the early twentieth century. While more 'serious' writers like T. S. Eliot responded to the apparent end of civilization with a sparse modernism and renewed religiosity, Lovecraft embraced a 'mechanistic materialism' which emphasizes man's ultimate cosmic insignificance. His monsters might not frighten you, but in tale after tale it is this which is most chilling. Arranged in the order in which they were written - and supplemented by a solid Introduction, suggestions for further reading, and very detailed notes - S. T. Joshi's Penguin edition (like its companion, 'The Thing on the Doorstep') is a useful volume for those wanting to taste Lovecraft's mad genius, witness its development, and learn something about the man and his place in history.
Rating:
Summary: The Contents of This Book
Review: Since there are so many different Lovecraft collections out there, it may be useful to prospective buyers to know what's actually in this one: [First, preliminary material by S. T. Joshi:] Introduction; Suggestions for Further Reading; A Note on the Text; [Hereupon stories by H. P. Lovecraft:] Dagon; The Statement of Randolph Carter; Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family; Celephais; Nyarlathotep; The Picture in the House; The Outsider; Herbert West--Reanimator [a collected magazine serial]; The Hound; The Rats in the Walls; The Festival; He; Cool Air; The Call of Cthulhu; The Colour Out of Space; The Whisperer in Darkness; The Shadow Over Innsmouth; The Haunter of the Dark; [By Joshi again:] Explanatory Notes Unlike in THE ANNOTATED H. P. LOVECRAFT and MORE ANNOTATED H. P. LOVECRAFT, also edited and annotated (though in the latter case co-edited and co-annotated) by Joshi, the equally copious annotations here are collected at the back of the book (thereby being what are technically known as "endnotes") rather than placed at the bottom of story pages where they're referenced (known as "footnotes"). And also unlike the "ANNOTATED" volumes, THE CALL OF CTHULHU AND OTHER WEIRD STORIES lacks photographs that highlight the relationships between the subjects in the stories and the persons and places of Lovecraft's life; features smaller print, which makes it a bit harder to read but means more stories can be packed into the volume. THE CALL OF CTHULHU AND OTHER WEIRD STORIES now has out a sequel, THE THING ON THE DOORSTEP AND OTHER WEIRD STORIES, a similarly arranged collection of Lovecraft fiction with an introduction and endnotes by Joshi and put out by the same publisher, Penguin. Each of these Penguin volumes, as well as the two "ANNOTATED" volumes published by Dell, presents its selection of stories in the order they were written, a practical advantage when reading Lovecraft.
| 
