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prelina's review against another edition
4.0
Well, I could sum up all the stories with:
"The dread was so intense, I can't even describe the sheer amount of it! But if you saw it with your own eyes, you would certainly be changed forever!"
But they were good, despite the fact that I grew somewhat tired of Lovecraft's manner of conveying horror.
I especially enjoyed the last one "At the mountains of madness", since it felt like here Lovecraft gave away more about his universe.
I had read "The call of Cthulhu" before, but it did nothing for me the first time. Seems like it was necessary to re-read after getting to know Lovecraft's alien universe a bit more. And it can really get a hold on your imagination, if you let it.
"The dread was so intense, I can't even describe the sheer amount of it! But if you saw it with your own eyes, you would certainly be changed forever!"
But they were good, despite the fact that I grew somewhat tired of Lovecraft's manner of conveying horror.
I especially enjoyed the last one "At the mountains of madness", since it felt like here Lovecraft gave away more about his universe.
I had read "The call of Cthulhu" before, but it did nothing for me the first time. Seems like it was necessary to re-read after getting to know Lovecraft's alien universe a bit more. And it can really get a hold on your imagination, if you let it.
renart's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
anjoupair's review against another edition
4.0
This was my first essay into Lovecraft. I am not sure whether all of his fiction is so formulaic as this collection or whether instead it was a conscious effort of the editor to select similar stories in an effort to familiarize the reader with Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. In any case, the formula works well, though I enjoyed some more than others. One of Lovecraft's strategies is to heighten suspense by having his narrators seem reluctant to tell their horrifying tales. One might think this tactic would become tiresome in a longer work, but "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward," the longest piece of fiction Lovecraft ever wrote, was the most enjoyable.
joshsimp's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
itsyeboy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
onyxreader's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.0
Very slow stories, not remotely interesting with too many descriptions and a plot usually going nowhere. All stories end somewhat boringly or without a point.
The book is also hard to read and unrewarding.
The book is also hard to read and unrewarding.
lenci's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
imnotmillied's review against another edition
3.0
Not too bad for my first experience of Lovecraft, but I think I will leave his works in the 'little and not often' category of books to read. The structure of each story is very similar and the longer ones are quite long-winded. I liked the short stories but the whole book was hard for me to read, which is odd for it's length.
You can also tell that Lovecraft's favourite word is 'cyclopean' and I still have no idea what he's talking about when he says 'cyclopean pillars'. Lovecraft is also a white supremacist and after doing some research and thinking, you can really tell, even in the little he talks about race, none of the instances are good and some stories are definitely racist metaphors or analogies.
Update: Cyclopean sounds like a cool word but it's just irregular stonemasonry when used for buildings. >:(
You can also tell that Lovecraft's favourite word is 'cyclopean' and I still have no idea what he's talking about when he says 'cyclopean pillars'. Lovecraft is also a white supremacist and after doing some research and thinking, you can really tell, even in the little he talks about race, none of the instances are good and some stories are definitely racist metaphors or analogies.
Update: Cyclopean sounds like a cool word but it's just irregular stonemasonry when used for buildings. >:(
mh_books's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
alexaperdomo's review
4.0
«El que susurra en la oscuridad», también conocido como «El que susurra en las tinieblas» es un relato de ciencia ficción de H. P. Lovecraft publicado en 1931. En este, como en los anteriores, hay algunas referencias al mito de Cthulhu, aunque no se centra en él.
Esta historia está narrada por el profesor Albert Wilmarth, un escéptico que se niega a creer que exista una gota de realidad en los relatos de las personas que aseguran que criaturas no-humanas habitan las colinas de Vermont, hasta que empieza a intercambiar correspondencia con Henry Akeley, un granjero que le asegura tener pruebas que le harán cambiar de parecer.
La ficción del relato me recordó a un par de películas, pero el misterio descrito cuando el profesor va hasta la granja de Akeley y se encuentra con cosas extrañas que le hacen comprender la realidad de lo contado por el granjero, me recordó muchísimo al terror sentido por los protagonistas de «Signs».
Particularmente no me gustan los libros que emplean mucho el recurso de cartas. Suele aburrirme leer el intercambio poco dinámico entre dos protagonistas. Este relato tiene gran parte de esto, razón por la cual costó un poco que fluyera la lectura. Sin embargo, me parece una muy buena historia, llena de descripciones gráficas y auditivas.
La existencia de seres de otros planetas o galaxias viviendo entre nosotros, haciéndose pasar por personas comunes y corrientes, es una idea que hemos visto reflejada muchas veces en series y películas. Pero leerlo de quien fue uno de los primeros en inventarse tales historias es una experiencia que no se cambia por nada.
Esta historia está narrada por el profesor Albert Wilmarth, un escéptico que se niega a creer que exista una gota de realidad en los relatos de las personas que aseguran que criaturas no-humanas habitan las colinas de Vermont, hasta que empieza a intercambiar correspondencia con Henry Akeley, un granjero que le asegura tener pruebas que le harán cambiar de parecer.
La ficción del relato me recordó a un par de películas, pero el misterio descrito cuando el profesor va hasta la granja de Akeley y se encuentra con cosas extrañas que le hacen comprender la realidad de lo contado por el granjero, me recordó muchísimo al terror sentido por los protagonistas de «Signs».
Particularmente no me gustan los libros que emplean mucho el recurso de cartas. Suele aburrirme leer el intercambio poco dinámico entre dos protagonistas. Este relato tiene gran parte de esto, razón por la cual costó un poco que fluyera la lectura. Sin embargo, me parece una muy buena historia, llena de descripciones gráficas y auditivas.
La existencia de seres de otros planetas o galaxias viviendo entre nosotros, haciéndose pasar por personas comunes y corrientes, es una idea que hemos visto reflejada muchas veces en series y películas. Pero leerlo de quien fue uno de los primeros en inventarse tales historias es una experiencia que no se cambia por nada.