EPISODE5 - The Lovecraft Geek
Which Lovecraft story (or stories) would you suggest to a new reader and why? I have heard you speak of the canon and canonicity in the past and would like to hear you introduce the idea vis-a-vis the works of Master Lovecraft. How would you go about defining what is and is not in the Cthluhu canon? Crypt of Cthulhu is coming out as a series of books. Do you believe that the promise of Hell in Abrahamic religions is more horrifying on a cosmic scale, compared to the fate of Lovecraftian protagonists? Does an equivalent of "afterlife" exist in Lovecraftian canon, for example in Dreamlands, or is it strictly defined in materialistic terms (death = the end of suffering)? Do you see so-called Outer Gods as literal deities or metaphors for the unknowableness of Cosmos. Do you see a parallel between Sutter Cane (In the Mouth of Madness) and Nyarlathotep from the story of the same name? Both involve a psychological contagion, transmitted by an obvious but ineffable and incomprehensible vector, and both Cane and Nyarlathotep seem only the smallest appendage of a larger threat, like the glowing lure of an anglerfish. Can the Geek provide any insight? Are there any Lovecraft pieces that you think are unjustly overlooked in favor of the big ones? If so what are they and what brings you back to them? Do you think contemporary Lovecraftian writers have enlarged upon any of the themes or subtexts in The Case of Charles Dexter Ward? Would HPL like the cooperative rather than competitive modern Mythos games? What is your interpretation of the ending to the Lovecraft story "The Picture in the House"? In the October 20th episode you mentioned an article in which you explore the faces of evil in Lovecraft. Do you know where we can find it? Also do you think that Lovecraft's cosmicism might have been influenced by the relatively recent discoveries of the age of Earth and the fossils of dinosaurs, or would it be safer to suppose that Lovecraft's immense knowledge of Astronomy would have been sufficient? Favorite Lovecraft stories.
