Robert E. Howard is best known for his Conan the Barbarian stories. But Howard–along with the Mythos circle of Robert Bloch, Clark Ashton Smith, Fritz Leiber, and August Derleth–were encouraged by Lovecraft to write stories using Cthulhu, Azathoth, Yog-Sothoth, Nyarlathotep, Shub-Niggurath, Hastur, and Tsathoggua.
CTHULHU: THE MYTHOS AND KINDRED HORRORS (1987) includes some of Howard’s best Mythos stories. “The Black Stone” provides a creepy artifact. “The Thing on the Roof” shows what can happen if you read a book of forbidden knowledge like Junzt’s Nameless Cults (aka, The Black Book). Very scary!
Howard shows the result of selling your soul to the Devil in “Dig Me No Grave.” “The Shadow of the Beast” has this line: “There are worlds and shadows of worlds beyond our ken, it seems, and bestial earthbound spirits lurk in the dark shadows of our own world beyond their time.” (p. 131) That line could have been part of many of these stories about the mysterious aspects of the secrets of the Mythos.
Robert E. Howard even infused some Mythos elements in his famous Bran Man Morn story, “Worms of the Earth.” If you’re a fan of Lovecraft and enjoy eerie stories with incredible creatures, CTHULHU: THE MYTHOS AND KINDRED HORRORS will delight you! GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- 1 • Introduction (Cthulhu: The Mythos and Kindred Horrors) • (1987) • essay by David Drake
- 5 • Arkham • (1932) • poem by Robert E. Howard
- 7 • The Black Stone • [Cthulhu Mythos Tales] • (1931) • short story by Robert E. Howard
- 29 • The Fire of Asshurbanipal • [Cthulhu Mythos Tales] • (1936) • novelette by Robert E. Howard
- 59 • The Thing on the Roof • [Cthulhu Mythos Tales] • (1932) • short story by Robert E. Howard
- 71 • Dig Me No Grave • [Cthulhu Mythos Tales] • (1937) • short story by Robert E. Howard
- 89 • Silence Falls on Mecca’s Walls • (1987) • poem by Robert E. Howard
- 91 • The Valley of the Worm • [James Allison] • (1934) • novelette by Robert E. Howard
- 119 • The Shadow of the Beast • non-genre • (1977) • short story by Robert E. Howard
- 133 • Old Garfield’s Heart • (1933) • short story by Robert E. Howard
- 145 • People of the Dark • (1932) • short story by Robert E. Howard
- 169 • Worms of the Earth • [Bran Mak Morn] • (1932) • novelette by Robert E. Howard
- 209 • Pigeons from Hell • (1938) • novelette by Robert E. Howard
- 247 • An Open Window • (1932) • poem by Robert E. Howard
When I discovered Lovecraft in the early 1970s, I read all of his books, then those by members of his circuit and his followers. One was Howard, and I definitely read Skull-Face and Others, an Arkham House collection. You could still buy reasonably priced Arkham House books then.
Jeff, when I was living in Madison, Wisconsin in the 1970s, I should have bought Arkham House books when I ran across them in used bookstores. They were reasonably priced–a fraction of what they’re going for now!
You were right there at the epicenter! I had a friend who told me about Arkham House and I bought a few things, like Ramsey Campbell’s first book, The Inhabitant of The Lake and Less Welcome Tenants.
Jeff, I kick myself for not being more aggressive in my buying of Arkham House books while I was in Madison. Those books are now 10 times the cost!
I remember loving the Frazetta covers
Maggie, I still enjoy Frazetta’s artwork.
I’m not much for modern Lovecraft pastiches but the vintage stories by his inner circle are certainly worth a look and sometimes more readable. This looks pretty good. You can still find some affordable Arkham editions, all of them by (very fine) women writers. What does that tell you?
Byron, it tells me I should have bought more Arkham House books when I had the chance!
I’ve read very little of these kinds of stories, and what I did read left me feeling meh! Maybe I should try an REH!
Bob, Robert E. Howard wrote some pretty entertaining Western stories.
I know! I was referring to the Lovecraftian books and stories!
The Lovecraft Circle, as it’s usually put. For me, Bloch and Leiber were the chief artists in that field…Ramsey Campbell probably my favorite among the next gen of Lovecraftians, (though I’m letting someone in that Second Gen slip my memory at the moment; having just seen a pretty heavy episode of FINDING YOUR ROOTS, with Lizzy Caplan learning of her family who had to survive, when they could, the Nazi camps).
But Derleth did publish no little impressive work, and his successors as well, even if Derleth did try to oversimplify Lovecraft’s view of the universe.
Todd, I’ve read a lot of Ramsey Campbell who can occasionally channel Lovecraft in many of his stories.