Last year a dozen faux-Lovecraft anthologies were published. But it all started in 1990 with Lovecraft’s Legacy edited by Robert E. Weinberg and Martin H. Greenberg. Robert Block’s informative Introduction puts Lovecraft into perspective. Each of the writers in this collection includes a short note at the end of their stories where they tell how they first encountered Lovecraft’s work and which story most affected them. My favorite story in Lovecraft’s Legacy is F. Paul Wilson’s “The Barrens.” If you’re a fan of Lovecraft, you’ll really enjoy these stories.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction: An Open Letter to H. P. Lovecraft By Robert Bloch
A Secret of the Heart By Mort Castle 1
The Other Man By Ray Carton 33
Will By Graham Masterton 53
Big C By Brian Lumley 71
Ugly By Gary Brandner 97
The Blade and the Claw By Hugh B Cave 109
Soul Keeper By Joseph A Citro 142
From the Papers of Helmut Hecker By Chet Williamson 159
Meryphillia By Brian McNaughton 173
Lord of the Land By Gene Wolfe 190
H P L By Gahan Wilson 211
The Order of Things Unknown By Ed Gorman 251
The Barrens By F Paul Wilson 269
A great lineup of writers in the ToC.
Bill, this was one of the first anthologies of faux-Lovecraft original stories. Now, a dozen of these Lovecraft-inspired anthologies are published each year.
I hadn’t realized there were so many of these. I agree this one has a better lineup of authors.
In a related item (and I’m kicking myself here for not taking the picture), we went to a Starbucks on ritzy Worth Avenue in Palm Beach yesterday. While walking around the corner we spotted a car with one of those Jewus “fish” things on the back, only this one had “Cthulhu” written inside!
Jeff, I’ve seen those Cthulhu “fish” things and was tempted to get one for our car. But Diane vetoed the idea. She doesn’t like bumperstickers or any other “additions” on her car.
I read a lot of these in my teens but have not gone back to them though continue to love the work of Bloch, Kuttner et al. The one new tales anthology that I definitely have was edited by Ramsey Campbell and I liked it a lot as I recall – not near book bookshelves but I think it must be “New Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos”?
Sergio, there’s a cottage industry of publishing Cthulhu Mythos and faux-Lovecraft stories. WEIRD SHADOWS OVER INNSMOUTH was published last month. There’s more Lovecaft-like anthologies coming out from Titan Books.
No FFB for me today, I’m at Left Coast Crime. Report at my blog and a new one up this evening.
Rick, I’m glad you’re reporting on LCC. We all wish we were there!
George, I have got to start reading Lovecraft before I read this fine collection of stories.
Prashant, you’ll find Lovecraft to be a unique writer with a unique vision.
Fever reason, Lovecraft was never a writer I warmed up to and I’m not sure why.
Don’t know what happened. That should start out For whatever… brain faster than my fingers I guess.
Randy, that happens to me, too. Then I know I should cut back on my caffeine consumption.
Randy, H. P. Lovecraft doesn’t appeal to every taste. But, I’m partial to him and his eerie works.
I’m with Randy. I never understood the appeal of Lovecraft’s stories, but they’ve certainly stood the test of time.
Steve, despite the turgid writing style, Lovecraft’s “vision” creeps me out. And, apparently, a lot of other people are attracted to Lovecraft’s work for similar reasons. The Library of America has published a Lovecraft volume. That’s a sure sign of “making it.”