Oh, shit... That's what i forgot...

[wolven7]

So, i'm reading The Children of Cthulhu, and in reading "The Stuff of Stars, Leaking," by Tim Lebbon, and i came upon this quote:

"He'd always been cautious of the dark. That's what he'd told people: cautious. Never really afraid, even when he was young. Cautious. Like he was around electricity or acid. He treated them with respect lest they hurt him, and he respected the dark equally.

"He thought it was the reaction most likely to be welcomed by whatever lived there."

I like that. A Lot.

This book is doing wonderful things, to my head, and my modes of operation. But it's mythos, and it is, at its deepest roots, Poe.

So far, the stories "Details," by China Miéville, "A Victorian Pot Dresser," by L.H. Maynard and M.P.N. Sims, the previously mentioned "The Stuff of Stars, Leaking," and "Nor the Demons Down Under the Sea," by Caitlín Kiernan are my favourites. Actually, i've thoroughly enjoyed every story i've read, thus far, either for the style of writing, the narative itself, the inspirational materials, or all of the above. Fucking gorgeous.

Mythos. Gotta love it.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Cthulhu fthagn!

R'lyeh!

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Ia! Ia! Et cetera.

[absinthetics.livejournal.com]

You know, the Cthulhu thing totally skipped over me. ...I always tell people I didn't find goth, goth found me. I just woke up one day and people said 'omg you're so '...''. I looked around and said 'well yeah, i guess all these people are kinda like me'. For this reason, i missed out on some big things. (similarly I don't consider sandman goth, because my definition of goth is more classic. He's something goth kids like, he's not himself goth however). Anyhow. wtf is this Cthulhu stuff and how do i get involved?

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Well, Howard Philip Lovecraft was a student of Poe, in the same way that Baudelaire was a student of Poe. They never actually met, but as the influence of the latter's work spread, he found more followers. They style of Horror, and Mystery that Poe created-- giving the narrative its own voice, usually that of the Narrator-- allowed people to more fully explore th reaches of terror. I love Poe, i tend to fawn.

In any event, Lovecraft was one of the first people to follow this path. Some people say he studied with Crowley, some say that's shite, but wherever he learned, he heard tales of ancient sumerian gods and Goddesses, and things aht were neither. Learned of Egyptian practices, and the alignment of the pyramids, with the stars. South sea islands, where nothing seemed quite right, spatially...

Your best bet is to start here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthulhu

Also, the story "The Call of Cthulhu" details his first "appearance." "The Shadow Over Innsmouth," "The Dunnwich Horror," and "The Lurker at the Threshold" are all important to the Mythos. Also, the "Evil Dead" films. Too many things, to mention, have been inspired by it.

Find Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/034542204X/ref=pd_sim_b_4/002-8909287-0609664?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance). It'll help.

:)

[okkitten.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're enjoying it. I probably should have bought myself a copy....ah well, hindsight is 20/20. Maybe I'll pick one up tonight. I've got enough on my debit card.

[wolven.livejournal.com]

I am enjoying it Very muchly, thank you so very very much. Even the ones that i don't like as muc, I still like. :)

Get yourself a copy, so we can talk about it. *nods*