H. P. Lovecraft’s “The Colour Out of Space” is one of my favorite Lovecraft tales (Lovecraft stated “The Colour Out of Space” was his favorite story). A meteorite falls in a field near a farm outside of Arkham, Massachusetts. Scientists investigate the weirdly colored goo but are baffled by its alien properties. Back on the farm, the crops grow in a wild fashion. But when people try to eat the vegetables, a terrible taste renders them uneatable. The farmer and his family degenerate from drinking the well water where the “colour” resides (sounds like a precursor to Flint, Michigan). Lovecraft ratchets up the dread with each page as the alien presence works its lethal effects. Michael Shea updates Lovecraft’s classic story by setting it in 1984. Two scientists find the “color” is active again and growing stronger. The Park rangers are the first to fall under the color’s creepy effects. Then even more dreadful events occur. If you’re a fan of H. P. Lovecraft, you’ll enjoy this updated version of a menacing alien encounter.
Definitely sounds like good pulpy fun – thank George.
Sergio, I’m a fan of Michael Shea’s pastiches. He’s done some fun writing in the Jack Vance mode: http://georgekelley.org/forgotten-books-323-the-incompeat-nifft-by-michael-shea/
I agree on the Lovecraft story. I’ve noticed a number of movies in recent years that ripped off the idea (without attribution) for gruesome (but usually not very good) horror movies. The original is still the greatest.
Jeff, where Michael Shea gives the “color” a personality, Lovecraft kept his “colour” alien and remote. Lovecraft had the scarier presence.
Arkham, Mass. Could it be a coincidence that there used to be/ is a publisher called Arkham house, though I think it was in Wisc.?
Maggie, H. P. Lovecraft’s friend, August Derleth, founded Arkham House to publish Lovecraft’s work after Lovecraft’s death. Arkham House also went on to publish supernatural fiction and fantasy, too. The early Arkham House editions are very very expensive!
Arkham House is still with us, even though it’s had some hard times over the last decade or so. And Arkham has published some sf, along with the horror and fantasy (and as a sideline, Derleth published his Sherlock Holmes pastiches about Solar Pons in his Mycroft and Moran imprint. Derleth had been a major Wisconsin regionalist fiction-writer, when not writing pastiches, and was also involved with leftist and pro-labor causes…the horror fiction he wrote in his own voice was A Lot better than his fake-Lovecraftian work, where he tried to tie the Elder Gods into a Christian framework.
Todd, I have very few Arkham House volumes. I agree with you on Derleth. The Solar Pons stories are fun.
Brian Alissa also wrote a Nebula-winning story, “The Saliva Tree”, based on “The Colour out of Space”.
Steve, great minds think alike! I’m rereading THE SALIVA TREE now! I’ll post a review maybe next week for FFB!
Sorry, Brian Aldiss, of course.
Shea is one of the more talented latter-day Lovecraftians. His “The Autopsy” was definitely in this mode. And since Vance was so influenced by Clark Ashton Smith…Shea would probably have enjoyed writing for the Wright WEIRD TALES, unless Wright got weird about him, as he did about Leiber.
Todd, Michael Shea is an underrated writer.
George – You’ve hit on two of my favorites! I did Michael Shea’s Fat Face not long ago and a German film version of The Colour Out of Space. Love all of this!
Scott, your review of FAT FACE motivated me to reread “The Colour Out of Space” and Micheal Shea’s COLOR OUT OF TIME. Thanks for the nudge!