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The Gothic Tales of H. P. Lovecraft
H. P. Lovecraft is best known for his tales of cosmic horror, in which unnameable nightmares torment the limits of human consciousness. This mastery of weird and unspeakable terror is underpinned by the writer's sizeable contribution to Gothic fiction. This new collection of Lovecraft's stories is the first to concentrate on his Gothic writing and includes tales from the beginning to the very end of the author's career. The writer's weird vision mixes brilliantly with the trappings of earlier Gothic horror to form innovative mosaics of frightful fiction that will long haunt the reader's subconscious.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2014
About the author
H.P. Lovecraft
7,057 books19.9k followersHoward Phillips Lovecraft, of Providence, Rhode Island, was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction.
Lovecraft's major inspiration and invention was cosmic horror: life is incomprehensible to human minds and the universe is fundamentally alien. Those who genuinely reason, like his protagonists, gamble with sanity. Lovecraft has developed a cult following for his Cthulhu Mythos, a series of loosely interconnected fictions featuring a pantheon of human-nullifying entities, as well as the Necronomicon, a fictional grimoire of magical rites and forbidden lore. His works were deeply pessimistic and cynical, challenging the values of the Enlightenment, Romanticism and Christianity. Lovecraft's protagonists usually achieve the mirror-opposite of traditional gnosis and mysticism by momentarily glimpsing the horror of ultimate reality.
Although Lovecraft's readership was limited during his life, his reputation has grown over the decades. He is now commonly regarded as one of the most influential horror writers of the 20th Century, exerting widespread and indirect influence, and frequently compared to Edgar Allan Poe.
See also Howard Phillips Lovecraft.
— Wikipedia
Lovecraft's major inspiration and invention was cosmic horror: life is incomprehensible to human minds and the universe is fundamentally alien. Those who genuinely reason, like his protagonists, gamble with sanity. Lovecraft has developed a cult following for his Cthulhu Mythos, a series of loosely interconnected fictions featuring a pantheon of human-nullifying entities, as well as the Necronomicon, a fictional grimoire of magical rites and forbidden lore. His works were deeply pessimistic and cynical, challenging the values of the Enlightenment, Romanticism and Christianity. Lovecraft's protagonists usually achieve the mirror-opposite of traditional gnosis and mysticism by momentarily glimpsing the horror of ultimate reality.
Although Lovecraft's readership was limited during his life, his reputation has grown over the decades. He is now commonly regarded as one of the most influential horror writers of the 20th Century, exerting widespread and indirect influence, and frequently compared to Edgar Allan Poe.
See also Howard Phillips Lovecraft.
— Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 6, 2018
Fear, frogs and fungoids...
I have an ongoing love/hate relationship with Lovecraft. When he manages to restrain his worst excesses, he’s the equal of any horror writer I’ve read and far superior to most, but when he gets into full “weird” mode, he seems to lose control and goes wandering off through chapters as long and tortuous as the ancient tunnels and buildings he describes. So the idea of some of his shorter, more Gothic tales collected in one volume appealed to me greatly. I’m happy to say I loved this collection – every story got either a four or five star rating individually, a rare occurrence that has happened to me only once before, as far as I remember.
There are thirteen tales in the collection, ranging in length from eight pages to forty or so. They are simply presented, without illustrations or notes. However there is a short but informative introduction by Dr Xavier Aldana Reyes, Senior Lecturer in English Literature and Film at Manchester Metropolitan University and a member of the Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies. Reyes discusses how Lovecraft’s reputation as a major influence in weird fiction has led to his more traditionally Gothic work being somewhat overlooked. But Reyes points out that even in his weird fiction, Lovecraft often used Gothic concerns. Having read the stories, I’d say the reverse is also true – that his Gothic tales often include elements of his major weird works, particularly in the settings, the hint of unknown fears from something more cosmic than ghostly, and the idea of the degeneration of humanity, which recurs frequently not only in Lovecraft’s work but in that of many of his near contemporaries.
Reyes also mentions Lovecraft’s well-known racist views. The stories collected here have been selected to avoid the worst of these. I’m not sure whether that’s the right decision – to get a real flavour of the man, unfortunately one has to be made aware of his views, since they underlie so many of his recurring themes. However, there’s no doubt in my mind that the less overtly racist stories are considerably more fun to read.
But enough of the analysis! It’s all about the stories, of course! Here’s a flavour of a few of the ones I enjoyed most...
The Alchemist – a young man is brought up in the castle of his ancestors by an old servitor. On his 21st birthday he is given papers revealing the family curse – each head of the family will die around the age of 32. Naturally, this thought obsesses the young man, so he sets out to find the reason for the curse and to reverse it if he can. Lots of Gothic in this one – the ancient castle with ruined wings, decayed aristocratic family, bats, cobwebs, darkness, curses and so on. And a nicely shocking moment when... nah! I’m not telling! And only ten pages... well done, HP!
The Moon-Bog – the narrator’s friend returns to his ancestral home in Ireland. At first all is well... until he decides to drain the bog for peat. This is also heavily Gothic but has touches of his trademark weird – the frogs especially are a delightfully Lovecraftian touch, but I shall say no more about them... It’s excellently written with some wonderfully atmospheric descriptions of the bog before and during the draining.
The Shunned House – an empty house, a nameless horror, and no Lovecraft collection would be complete without phosphorescent fungoids! This is straight horror, well-paced, and full of great imagery even though it’s written in plainer, more restrained language than usual.
The Strange High House in the Mist – this, I felt, was more clearly heading into weird territory though still with Gothic aspects.
It tells of a house in Kingsport, a fictional town in Massachusetts, and one of Lovecraft’s regular settings. It’s set high on an inaccessible cliff where the sea mists meet the clouds, providing a conduit through which pass things unknown to puny humanity. Until one man decides to ascend the cliff...
The book itself is gorgeous. The cover illustrations on back and front are embossed in what looks like silver, but seems to have different tones in it so that it takes on different colours in some lights. The print is clear and the paper is high quality, with a lovely thickness and weight to it. Given the Gothic theme, it would be perfect as a gift not just for existing Lovecraft fans but for anyone who enjoys Poe or MR James and hasn’t yet sampled the delights of weird fiction – a good introduction that clearly shows the crossovers between the genres. Of course, if you’re anything like me, you might prefer to keep the gift for yourself...
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, The British Library.
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“Shrieking, slithering, torrential shadows of red viscous madness chasing one another through endless, ensanguined corridors of purple fulgurous sky...”
I have an ongoing love/hate relationship with Lovecraft. When he manages to restrain his worst excesses, he’s the equal of any horror writer I’ve read and far superior to most, but when he gets into full “weird” mode, he seems to lose control and goes wandering off through chapters as long and tortuous as the ancient tunnels and buildings he describes. So the idea of some of his shorter, more Gothic tales collected in one volume appealed to me greatly. I’m happy to say I loved this collection – every story got either a four or five star rating individually, a rare occurrence that has happened to me only once before, as far as I remember.
There are thirteen tales in the collection, ranging in length from eight pages to forty or so. They are simply presented, without illustrations or notes. However there is a short but informative introduction by Dr Xavier Aldana Reyes, Senior Lecturer in English Literature and Film at Manchester Metropolitan University and a member of the Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies. Reyes discusses how Lovecraft’s reputation as a major influence in weird fiction has led to his more traditionally Gothic work being somewhat overlooked. But Reyes points out that even in his weird fiction, Lovecraft often used Gothic concerns. Having read the stories, I’d say the reverse is also true – that his Gothic tales often include elements of his major weird works, particularly in the settings, the hint of unknown fears from something more cosmic than ghostly, and the idea of the degeneration of humanity, which recurs frequently not only in Lovecraft’s work but in that of many of his near contemporaries.
Reyes also mentions Lovecraft’s well-known racist views. The stories collected here have been selected to avoid the worst of these. I’m not sure whether that’s the right decision – to get a real flavour of the man, unfortunately one has to be made aware of his views, since they underlie so many of his recurring themes. However, there’s no doubt in my mind that the less overtly racist stories are considerably more fun to read.
I cannot even hint what it was like, for it was a compound of all that is unclean, uncanny, unwelcome, abnormal, and detestable. It was the ghoulish shade of decay, antiquity, and desolation; the putrid, dripping eidolon of unwholesome revelation; the awful baring of that which the merciful earth should always hide.
But enough of the analysis! It’s all about the stories, of course! Here’s a flavour of a few of the ones I enjoyed most...
The Alchemist – a young man is brought up in the castle of his ancestors by an old servitor. On his 21st birthday he is given papers revealing the family curse – each head of the family will die around the age of 32. Naturally, this thought obsesses the young man, so he sets out to find the reason for the curse and to reverse it if he can. Lots of Gothic in this one – the ancient castle with ruined wings, decayed aristocratic family, bats, cobwebs, darkness, curses and so on. And a nicely shocking moment when... nah! I’m not telling! And only ten pages... well done, HP!
The Moon-Bog – the narrator’s friend returns to his ancestral home in Ireland. At first all is well... until he decides to drain the bog for peat. This is also heavily Gothic but has touches of his trademark weird – the frogs especially are a delightfully Lovecraftian touch, but I shall say no more about them... It’s excellently written with some wonderfully atmospheric descriptions of the bog before and during the draining.
The Shunned House – an empty house, a nameless horror, and no Lovecraft collection would be complete without phosphorescent fungoids! This is straight horror, well-paced, and full of great imagery even though it’s written in plainer, more restrained language than usual.
The Strange High House in the Mist – this, I felt, was more clearly heading into weird territory though still with Gothic aspects.
In the morning mist comes up from the sea by the cliffs beyond Kingsport. White and feathery it comes from the deep to its brothers the clouds, full of dreams of dank pastures and caves of leviathan. And later, in still summer rains on the steep roofs of poets, the clouds scatter bits of those dreams, that men shall not live without rumour of old, strange secrets, and wonders that planets tell planets alone in the night.
It tells of a house in Kingsport, a fictional town in Massachusetts, and one of Lovecraft’s regular settings. It’s set high on an inaccessible cliff where the sea mists meet the clouds, providing a conduit through which pass things unknown to puny humanity. Until one man decides to ascend the cliff...
The book itself is gorgeous. The cover illustrations on back and front are embossed in what looks like silver, but seems to have different tones in it so that it takes on different colours in some lights. The print is clear and the paper is high quality, with a lovely thickness and weight to it. Given the Gothic theme, it would be perfect as a gift not just for existing Lovecraft fans but for anyone who enjoys Poe or MR James and hasn’t yet sampled the delights of weird fiction – a good introduction that clearly shows the crossovers between the genres. Of course, if you’re anything like me, you might prefer to keep the gift for yourself...
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, The British Library.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
April 12, 2023
I feel silly rating books by classic authors because like… what do I know … everyone on earth praised [fill in with any classic author] at some point so if I didn’t like it I must be missing something
but. this was boring as shit lmao
I read this more to say that I have read lovecraft than to actually read it (also because my library books weren’t in yet and I was bored af) which I feel is a rite of passage so yay another one checked off the list but also I could have read literally one of these stories and gotten the same effect. there were like idk 12? short stories in this collection and they were all so similar. in fact, here is his formula, in case you’re looking for some writing inspiration:
[weathered, anxious, sickly, or nervous WHITE MALE main character] + [unsettling, unfamiliar, creepy setting] + [unknown lurking figure] + [use the word “phosphorescence” and/or “maelstrom” about 50 times] —> [climax occurs in literally the last sentence]
unfortunately for me (and also for him, this three star rating will TANK his sales obviously #get fucked) I was looking forward to read about cthulhu because that is what he is KNOWN FOR… and yet… nothing. sad :(
but. this was boring as shit lmao
I read this more to say that I have read lovecraft than to actually read it (also because my library books weren’t in yet and I was bored af) which I feel is a rite of passage so yay another one checked off the list but also I could have read literally one of these stories and gotten the same effect. there were like idk 12? short stories in this collection and they were all so similar. in fact, here is his formula, in case you’re looking for some writing inspiration:
[weathered, anxious, sickly, or nervous WHITE MALE main character] + [unsettling, unfamiliar, creepy setting] + [unknown lurking figure] + [use the word “phosphorescence” and/or “maelstrom” about 50 times] —> [climax occurs in literally the last sentence]
unfortunately for me (and also for him, this three star rating will TANK his sales obviously #get fucked) I was looking forward to read about cthulhu because that is what he is KNOWN FOR… and yet… nothing. sad :(
November 13, 2021
What is left to say about Lovecraft himself and his work? This is a good edition to collect.
December 2, 2018
A great collection of dark tales with exquisite gloomy language and dark undertones.
February 1, 2024
DNF 62 %
i read 8 out of these 13 short stories and it felt a little like a chore each time i opened the book, so i decided starting now i'll stop pushing through books i don't like and just leave them unfinished if they bore me.
i don't really know how to rate this collection of stories since the writing is truly beautiful, very atmospheric and gloomy, and i liked the way the setting of each story was described very detailed. however, the stories kind of all seem very similar and after a while that bothered me. and almost all of the stories were constructed in the same way, a male main character, extensive description of the setting and the conclusion/climax of the story in the last paragraph. i am easily scared, so i expected to be creeped out at least a bit, but it was't scary at all. and something else that bothered me: in all of these stories there was like one female character?? but at least there was a note at the beginning of the collection pointing out lovecrafts racist views, advising readers to be critical.
eventually i didn't hate this book, but i probably won't be reading anything else by lovecraft soon.
i read 8 out of these 13 short stories and it felt a little like a chore each time i opened the book, so i decided starting now i'll stop pushing through books i don't like and just leave them unfinished if they bore me.
i don't really know how to rate this collection of stories since the writing is truly beautiful, very atmospheric and gloomy, and i liked the way the setting of each story was described very detailed. however, the stories kind of all seem very similar and after a while that bothered me. and almost all of the stories were constructed in the same way, a male main character, extensive description of the setting and the conclusion/climax of the story in the last paragraph. i am easily scared, so i expected to be creeped out at least a bit, but it was't scary at all. and something else that bothered me: in all of these stories there was like one female character?? but at least there was a note at the beginning of the collection pointing out lovecrafts racist views, advising readers to be critical.
eventually i didn't hate this book, but i probably won't be reading anything else by lovecraft soon.
July 27, 2019
I teach Gothic fiction at A-level, so I was really surprised at myself for not knowing who this author was.
This collection of Lovecraft’s Gothic short stories are a delight. They are everything you want in a Gothic tale: crossing thresholds, horror vs terror, abjection, liminality, the supernatural and the list goes on. His influences are clear: Matthew Lewis, Bram Stoker, Edgar Allen Poe, Ann Radcliffe etc. and at times, especially in Lovecraft’s earlier tales, seem less like a hybrid of horror and the traditional Gothic, and more like a parody. I wish he didn’t describe Gothic aesthetics as ‘Gothic’, for example the “Gothic door”, “Gothic chair” and “Gothic windows”.
Overall though, I will definitely be using these as resources and I thoroughly enjoyed reading them. He certainly bridges traditional Gothic into a cosmic horror, teetering on the edge of sci-fi. Little did I know that Lovecraft has inspired a plethora of creatives from Stephen King to even video games like “Dark Souls”, “Bloodborne” and even “Call of Duty”. It was only today that I realised DC’s Arkham Asylum is a nod to his fictional city ‘Arkham’ - go Batman!
Thoroughly enjoyed reading these books, so much so that I’ve bought ‘Necronomicon’ (Commemorative Edition). As a last point, the front cover is gorgeous and fitting to Lovecraft’s work. A must have for every Gothic lover.
This collection of Lovecraft’s Gothic short stories are a delight. They are everything you want in a Gothic tale: crossing thresholds, horror vs terror, abjection, liminality, the supernatural and the list goes on. His influences are clear: Matthew Lewis, Bram Stoker, Edgar Allen Poe, Ann Radcliffe etc. and at times, especially in Lovecraft’s earlier tales, seem less like a hybrid of horror and the traditional Gothic, and more like a parody. I wish he didn’t describe Gothic aesthetics as ‘Gothic’, for example the “Gothic door”, “Gothic chair” and “Gothic windows”.
Overall though, I will definitely be using these as resources and I thoroughly enjoyed reading them. He certainly bridges traditional Gothic into a cosmic horror, teetering on the edge of sci-fi. Little did I know that Lovecraft has inspired a plethora of creatives from Stephen King to even video games like “Dark Souls”, “Bloodborne” and even “Call of Duty”. It was only today that I realised DC’s Arkham Asylum is a nod to his fictional city ‘Arkham’ - go Batman!
Thoroughly enjoyed reading these books, so much so that I’ve bought ‘Necronomicon’ (Commemorative Edition). As a last point, the front cover is gorgeous and fitting to Lovecraft’s work. A must have for every Gothic lover.
September 6, 2022
In the past I have only read several of H.P. Lovecraft's short stories, so it was nice to finally read an entire collection. These are presented in chronological order, with the last story being the final one Lovecraft ever wrote.
These are definitely gothic tales, but it was interesting to see how the storytelling changed from first person accounts to third person, and the genre definitely twisted more into sci-fi/cosmic horror. You can tell in these stories when Call of Cthulhu was written, as aspects of that mythos become ingrained in his stories. Because of this, I actually think I enjoyed his early works more.
The following are each story included in this collection, the year it was written (Not published), a one sentence summary, and my personal rating of the story.
The Alchemist (1908) - A man, who is the last of his line, discovers that his family is impacted by a generational curse that began 600 years ago. 4 Stars
The Tomb (1917) - As a boy, Jervas stumbles upon an old tomb in the woods. He spends years trying to open it, but one day is seemingly guided by a spiritual force to the key in his attic. His decision to descend into the darkness will change the course of his life. 4.5 Stars
The Moon-Bog (1921) - A man laughs at the warnings about messing with the bog from the locals. 3.5 Stars
The Music of Erich Zann (1921) - A man who lives on the 5th floor of an apartment hears strange, frantic music coming from a room on the 6th floor. 4 Stars
The Outsider (1921) - An individual with no recollection of where they came from or who they are seeks out the light. 5 Stars
The Hound (1922) - Two men build a private collection of artifacts by graverobbing. After acquiring a certain jade piece they start to encounter unusual phenomena around their museum. 4.5 Stars
The Lurking Fear (1922) - A man is obsessed with what locals deem a haunted mansion. Whenever there is a lightning strike during a storm people tend to wind up dead. 3.5 Stars
The Festival (1923) - A man returns to his ancestral home to discover that something evil lies beneath. 3 Stars
The Shunned House (1924) - An abandoned house has a history of sucking the life out of those that live there. A man and his uncle, fueled by their curiosity, are determined to discover the house’s secret. 3 Stars
Cool Air (1926) - A man befriends a doctor who lives in the apartment above his, but this doctor has a strange condition where his room must always be kept cold. 4 stars
The Strange High House in the Mist (1926) - A philosopher climbs the cliffs above his town to get to a cottage that is steeped in local lore. 2 Stars
The Dreams in the Witch House (1932) - A man believes that mathematics may be the key to unlocking other dimensions. 4 Stars
The Haunter of the Dark (1935) - A man is fascinated with an abandoned church that holds a treasure trove of dark secrets. 2 Stars
As you can see none of my descriptions mention women. There is only one story where you could say one of the main characters is a woman, and it's not in a positive light. Most of the stories do not include a female character at all, so you will always be following a man's perspective here. I guess you could say that Lovecraft wrote what he knew, and stuck with that formula, which he did with more aspects than just this one.
There is definitely a formulaic approach to his storytelling, and his last story in particular felt like an amalgamation of every story that came before it. Most of the time it didn't bother me, as the plot was interesting enough to make up for it, but I feel like I'll now be able to spot a Lovecraft story instantly.
Averaging all the ratings comes to a 3.62. This book started out so strong, so I'm really disappointed in those 2 stars at the end ! I rather enjoyed reading this though, and as far as short story collections go I'd say it's one of my favorites for now.
These are definitely gothic tales, but it was interesting to see how the storytelling changed from first person accounts to third person, and the genre definitely twisted more into sci-fi/cosmic horror. You can tell in these stories when Call of Cthulhu was written, as aspects of that mythos become ingrained in his stories. Because of this, I actually think I enjoyed his early works more.
The following are each story included in this collection, the year it was written (Not published), a one sentence summary, and my personal rating of the story.
The Alchemist (1908) - A man, who is the last of his line, discovers that his family is impacted by a generational curse that began 600 years ago. 4 Stars
The Tomb (1917) - As a boy, Jervas stumbles upon an old tomb in the woods. He spends years trying to open it, but one day is seemingly guided by a spiritual force to the key in his attic. His decision to descend into the darkness will change the course of his life. 4.5 Stars
The Moon-Bog (1921) - A man laughs at the warnings about messing with the bog from the locals. 3.5 Stars
The Music of Erich Zann (1921) - A man who lives on the 5th floor of an apartment hears strange, frantic music coming from a room on the 6th floor. 4 Stars
The Outsider (1921) - An individual with no recollection of where they came from or who they are seeks out the light. 5 Stars
The Hound (1922) - Two men build a private collection of artifacts by graverobbing. After acquiring a certain jade piece they start to encounter unusual phenomena around their museum. 4.5 Stars
The Lurking Fear (1922) - A man is obsessed with what locals deem a haunted mansion. Whenever there is a lightning strike during a storm people tend to wind up dead. 3.5 Stars
The Festival (1923) - A man returns to his ancestral home to discover that something evil lies beneath. 3 Stars
The Shunned House (1924) - An abandoned house has a history of sucking the life out of those that live there. A man and his uncle, fueled by their curiosity, are determined to discover the house’s secret. 3 Stars
Cool Air (1926) - A man befriends a doctor who lives in the apartment above his, but this doctor has a strange condition where his room must always be kept cold. 4 stars
The Strange High House in the Mist (1926) - A philosopher climbs the cliffs above his town to get to a cottage that is steeped in local lore. 2 Stars
The Dreams in the Witch House (1932) - A man believes that mathematics may be the key to unlocking other dimensions. 4 Stars
The Haunter of the Dark (1935) - A man is fascinated with an abandoned church that holds a treasure trove of dark secrets. 2 Stars
As you can see none of my descriptions mention women. There is only one story where you could say one of the main characters is a woman, and it's not in a positive light. Most of the stories do not include a female character at all, so you will always be following a man's perspective here. I guess you could say that Lovecraft wrote what he knew, and stuck with that formula, which he did with more aspects than just this one.
There is definitely a formulaic approach to his storytelling, and his last story in particular felt like an amalgamation of every story that came before it. Most of the time it didn't bother me, as the plot was interesting enough to make up for it, but I feel like I'll now be able to spot a Lovecraft story instantly.
Averaging all the ratings comes to a 3.62. This book started out so strong, so I'm really disappointed in those 2 stars at the end ! I rather enjoyed reading this though, and as far as short story collections go I'd say it's one of my favorites for now.
November 5, 2020
Very shortly: racial slur and illegal paragraph-length sentences. Most stories are not that interesting and sound more of a summary of the story itself. I think I only fully enjoyed 3 stories; the shortest ones too.
January 3, 2018
ırkçısın ama olsun
December 25, 2019
Some good, some bad, some get the fuck on with it.
September 28, 2026
I have done various explorations into the odd writings of H.P. Lovecraft, the progenitor of the Cthulhu Mythos. This usually meant tackling a massive, black tome compendium entitled Necronomicon - before eventually running out of steam trying to complete all of the stories.
This time, I got a slice of his stories that related to the Gothic tradition of writing. It was a gift from a pair of my close friends, and it relates less to the massive cosmic threats that are present in tales such as Call of Cthulhu and At the Mountains of Madness. It instead dials into the haunting of mundane locations, of old manors, abandoned churches, and cursed families. Gothic stories have been a fascination of mine recently, specifically how they came into existence in a time when writers gazed upon dilapidated castles and abandoned noble houses and wondered what could bring about such ruin. The answer is that these old systems were almost destined to rot, to degrade.
Where Lovecraft's Eldritch tales focus on the fear of cosmic nature, these gothic tales instead focus on the fear of human-wrought structures and how we let them fall into disrepair. They are fascinating, fanciful tales that are engaging and punchy, befitting their length. It is also interesting to see his writing style again - a mix of folk tales related by unreliable narrators, or epistles left behind by the damned. I highly recommend it as a more grounded entry into his Byzantine bibliography.
This time, I got a slice of his stories that related to the Gothic tradition of writing. It was a gift from a pair of my close friends, and it relates less to the massive cosmic threats that are present in tales such as Call of Cthulhu and At the Mountains of Madness. It instead dials into the haunting of mundane locations, of old manors, abandoned churches, and cursed families. Gothic stories have been a fascination of mine recently, specifically how they came into existence in a time when writers gazed upon dilapidated castles and abandoned noble houses and wondered what could bring about such ruin. The answer is that these old systems were almost destined to rot, to degrade.
Where Lovecraft's Eldritch tales focus on the fear of cosmic nature, these gothic tales instead focus on the fear of human-wrought structures and how we let them fall into disrepair. They are fascinating, fanciful tales that are engaging and punchy, befitting their length. It is also interesting to see his writing style again - a mix of folk tales related by unreliable narrators, or epistles left behind by the damned. I highly recommend it as a more grounded entry into his Byzantine bibliography.
September 29, 2019
It's a very well curated mix of stories, emphasising Lovecraft's original gothic writing rather than the cosmic horror for which he is more famous.
The language is beautiful, though after a while you realise that Lovecraft uses the same few words and motifs everywhere (e.g "eldritch gnarled roots"). Not just that, but Lovecraft actually repeats settings quite often. This really isn't a bad thing – he's has created a handful of perfectly creepy environments so I think he has every right to explore them via multiple plots.
The plots of some of the gothic ones are very predictable (that probably wasn't the case in the early 20th century), though again, it's worth reading just for the rich and grotesque imagery. However, some of the others are riveting and disturbing, for example The Lurking Fear and The Hound (which included Lovecraft's first reference to the Necronomicon), The Strange High House in the Mist, and The Haunter in the Dark.
However, the best short story by far was The Music of Erich Zann, perfectly melding a gothic style with subtle hints towards cosmic horror. Definitely worth a read.
The language is beautiful, though after a while you realise that Lovecraft uses the same few words and motifs everywhere (e.g "eldritch gnarled roots"). Not just that, but Lovecraft actually repeats settings quite often. This really isn't a bad thing – he's has created a handful of perfectly creepy environments so I think he has every right to explore them via multiple plots.
The plots of some of the gothic ones are very predictable (that probably wasn't the case in the early 20th century), though again, it's worth reading just for the rich and grotesque imagery. However, some of the others are riveting and disturbing, for example The Lurking Fear and The Hound (which included Lovecraft's first reference to the Necronomicon), The Strange High House in the Mist, and The Haunter in the Dark.
However, the best short story by far was The Music of Erich Zann, perfectly melding a gothic style with subtle hints towards cosmic horror. Definitely worth a read.
October 26, 2023
"All was in vain; the death that had come had left no trace save destruction itself."
The Gothic Tales of H.P. Lovecraft is a short story collection of H. P. Lovecraft's horror stories.
"I was the only one who came back that night to the old fishing town as legend bade, for only the poor and the lonely remember."
H. P. Lovecraft is often quoted as being one of the first horror writers and, just for that, it's worthwhile checking out his stories. I read this book over the course of two and a half years. Every now and then, it's fun reading one of those horror classics. However, I still prefer contemporary horror. Still you have to give credit to the vast universe of Arkham and the Miscatonic world H. P. Lovecraft created.
"And at last I resolved to scale that tower, fall though I might; since it were better to glimpse the sky and perish, than to live without ever beholding day."
The Gothic Tales of H.P. Lovecraft is a short story collection of H. P. Lovecraft's horror stories.
"I was the only one who came back that night to the old fishing town as legend bade, for only the poor and the lonely remember."
H. P. Lovecraft is often quoted as being one of the first horror writers and, just for that, it's worthwhile checking out his stories. I read this book over the course of two and a half years. Every now and then, it's fun reading one of those horror classics. However, I still prefer contemporary horror. Still you have to give credit to the vast universe of Arkham and the Miscatonic world H. P. Lovecraft created.
"And at last I resolved to scale that tower, fall though I might; since it were better to glimpse the sky and perish, than to live without ever beholding day."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2020
Although I enjoyed several of these tales, the rest are a bit of a slog and very repetitive, featuring similar words to describe very similar circumstances. There is variety among gothic fiction, which I love, and this isn’t it.
I also feel that, in the very best gothic fiction, setting and flowery language create a tone and serve the plot in some way, perhaps by foreshadowing or creating a sense of claustrophobia. Here, we have an overdose of details regarding landscape and architecture. When used to set the tone, these repetitive details quickly grow stale and ineffective, and as foreshadowing devices they are as subtle as a highway collision.
Highlights that rise above generic gothic tropes & language include:
-The Music of Eric Zann
-The Dreams in the Witch House
I also feel that, in the very best gothic fiction, setting and flowery language create a tone and serve the plot in some way, perhaps by foreshadowing or creating a sense of claustrophobia. Here, we have an overdose of details regarding landscape and architecture. When used to set the tone, these repetitive details quickly grow stale and ineffective, and as foreshadowing devices they are as subtle as a highway collision.
Highlights that rise above generic gothic tropes & language include:
-The Music of Eric Zann
-The Dreams in the Witch House
February 16, 2025
I've finally finished it! I am not a fan. This collection included 13 short stories. I liked only two - the 11th and 13th. While the rest were a slog to get through and even boring given the similar narratives in all the stories, these two were better. I actually even enjoyed The strange high house in the mist. Will not be reading his work again.
The stories included in this collection were:
1. The alchemist
2. The tomb
3. The moon-bog
4. The music of Erich Zann
5. The outsider
6. The hound
7. The lurking fear
8. The festival
9. The shunned house
10. Cool air
11. The strange high house in the mist
12. The dreams in the witch house
13. The haunter of the dark
The stories included in this collection were:
1. The alchemist
2. The tomb
3. The moon-bog
4. The music of Erich Zann
5. The outsider
6. The hound
7. The lurking fear
8. The festival
9. The shunned house
10. Cool air
11. The strange high house in the mist
12. The dreams in the witch house
13. The haunter of the dark
August 2, 2023
His earlier ones are very formulaic and (a little bit dull) seemed to put me in the habit of forgetting what had happened as soon as I started the next sentence, but his later ones were very good — the shunned house, the strange high house in the mist, the dreams in the witch house, and the haunter of the dark
April 14, 2023
2.5*, some of the early ones in the book seemed a little repeating, with the haunted house scenario. Though liked when it got mixed up a little. And I liked the writing style, even if the stories weren't my favourite.
July 12, 2025
Although dated in some areas, the gothic horror of these stories still read beautifully. Even without heavy gore or violent slashers, the supernatural elements give a great chilling feel that lingers with you.
February 17, 2019
Awesome for people like me who aren't super familiar with HP Lovecraft's works. I'll be going back to this book a lot!!
January 19, 2023
Some of my favorite Lovecraft stories bound in one fantastic book. An exceptionally nice publication.
June 19, 2023
cool writing but some of it was repetitive and it felt like every story ended with “and then the man rushed away from the scary thing” oooo spooky
October 9, 2023
Queer.
December 12, 2023
It’s clear why he is so influential but I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite.
December 18, 2025
It is such a delight to read this. H.P. Lovecraft does a great job at capturing a gothic ambience in his stories.
September 23, 2023
An entertainingly eldritch collection of 13 of H. P. Lovecraft's short stories, including The Hound (where grave-robbers are pursued by a vengeful entity), The Haunter in the Dark (where a writer uncovers ancient horrors deep within a foreboding church), and The Music of Erich Zann (where a reclusive musician creates haunting melodies that seem to ward off otherworldly entities lurking in the streets below). The stories - some of which I'd encountered before, others which were completely new to me - are characteristically weird and eerie, and fans of the genre will no doubt enjoy the collection. 6/10
October 6, 2020
Some quite challenging!
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