Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn

[jason10mm]

I bought 4 lovecraft compilations for my kindle a few years back. They are called "The Collected Stories of H.P. Lovecraft" vols 1-4. They go in chronological order and have most of his collaborations (so far the Harry Houdini one was the only ommission) and seem to be verbatim to the Arkham Press print editions I also have. These are, IIRC, the Joshi approved Lovecraft originals rather than the Derleth alterations available previously.

Nice to see some free versions, though I'm pretty sure most of Lovecraft was published well after the "public domain" cut-off, so I'm not sure all his stuff is fair game or if it is owned by Wierd Tales or his estate. But I doubt anyone is really going to fight over it either. I don't mind paying for well-edited and compiled digital collections because it means I'm more likely to get some of the other guys from that era who aren't as popular.

Anyone read the Robert E. Howard mythos tales? IIRC one or two took place in Scotland. "Worms of the Earth" has Bran Mac Morn as the hero, a pict who, in Howards world, are somewhat degenerate remnants of a greater civilization who now live in Scotland. No kilts or anything, but scottish nonetheless Naturally Howard's heroes respond to eldritch horror with fisticuffs, sword blows, or revolver fire, rather than the bleak insanity, copious fainting, or long winded journal entries of Lovecraft's protagonists.

[artificer]

Nice to see some free versions, though I'm pretty sure most of Lovecraft was published well after the "public domain" cut-off, so I'm not sure all his stuff is fair game or if it is owned by Wierd Tales or his estate. But I doubt anyone is really going to fight over it either. I don't mind paying for well-edited and compiled digital collections because it means I'm more likely to get some of the other guys from that era who aren't as popular.

Parts of his work have been in litigation for decades. The only complete folio of his work was published by Arkham House in Sauk City, WI in 1939.
The cheapest copy I've ever seen has been $1000.

As a child, my local library had an original copy. It's no longer in their collection (I checked online a few years ago).
I spent many a summer's night up late reading that book til I almost wore the words off the page.

[jason10mm]

That would be an interesting addition to my library, but I'm not going to drop a grand on it! I'm always finding "new" stories in every collection I pick up, so there are obviously a lot more out there. Lots of collaborations have recently (well, in the last 2 decades since I first ripped through all his stuff in high school) shown up.

If anyone wants a fairly entertaining and informative guide through Lovecraft, I can't recommend the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast (hppodcraft.com, IIRC) enough. They start chronologically, so the shorter stuff is first, and you can follow along as HPL refines his craft. We are just past The Dunwich Horror. The kindle versions I listed above are perfect for this as they are in the same order the podcast guys are using.

Apologies if I have already mentioned these guys here, I see so many "What's this Lovecraft guy all about" threads across the interwebs I forget (or am I just slowly going insane????).

Oh, that Miskatonic tartan can't come fast enough! I've already got the leather for my cultist sporran, just gotta practice stitching first on a Rob Roy. Thinking of making a leather bound Necronomicon as well. Got some good ideas for that (and of course, like everything, the internet is WAY ahead of me

[Dale Seago]

I've already got the leather for my cultist sporran, just gotta practice stitching first on a Rob Roy. Thinking of making a leather bound Necronomicon as well.

That raises several questions I'm not sure I'd dare have answered, and makes me wonder whether you should be congratulated or quickly locked away.

[Drac]

Been reading -



Funny. If you you can get into major geek humor (and there seems to be more of us than normal around here) you'll love this book.

Jim