Lovecraft for Beginners: Where to Start

Cthulhu. Arkham. Lovecraft. In the horror genre, it's impossible to overlook the name of the classic and legend whose rich imagination brought so much to the world. Despite his relatively short life (it has been 88 years since his death on March 15th, which he met at the age of 46), he enriched literature with a phenomenon that still fascinates many today and lives on across various media (beyond books, you can now find Lovecraft-inspired board games, PC games, gamebooks and RPGs, movies, music – basically anything you can think of).

If we still feel Lovecraft's influence across so many different spheres today, one would expect he must have written a mountain of work to keep his mythology alive and attractive for 21st-century readers. When we look at another founding father of the genre – which J. R. R. Tolkien certainly was for fantasy, just as Lovecraft was for horror – we see, alongside his magnum opus (The Lord of the Rings), so many other works expanding his world and history.

However, a closer look at Lovecraft's work reveals that his output wasn't actually that vast, considering the significance it holds for us. From a general perspective, H. P. Lovecraft is primarily the father of the Cthulhu Mythos, but his literary legacy consists mostly of short stories and novellas, which can make it challenging for readers to navigate the various editions and potential connections. We already took a look at Lovecraft's influence on the horror genre in the past.

Verdict: So, what should you definitely add to your To Read list? Let's take a look together today!

The Call of Cthulhu

If you want to get straight to the heart of Cthulhu, it's definitely worth starting with this collection of short stories. While it's only a piece of the mythos puzzle, if you're going to venture into the world of immense horrors the author has prepared for us, you might as well start with the most iconic of all the Great Old Ones.

At the Mountains of Madness

A crucial work in Lovecraft's bibliography is definitely the scientist's account of a catastrophic Antarctic expedition sent by Miskatonic University. He provides testimony while simultaneously trying to discourage others from similar ideas, fully aware that he will be labeled a madman.

The story introduces the ancient and extraterrestrial history of Earth and blends a number of the author's recurring motifs – ancient beings that once ruled the world, an interest in polar expeditions, geology, and an admiration for Edgar A. Poe. Divided expedition members, mysterious tracks, groundbreaking discoveries – the stage is set for a grim turn of events!

When they also find a mention of the last city of the Great Old Ones, you'd expect their fate to be sealed…

Lovecraft's original 1936 story has also seen comic book adaptations. A successful one is definitely the two-volume manga At the Mountains of Madness by Japanese writer and illustrator Gou Tanabe, who managed to capture the dark atmosphere and horror elements of Lovecraft's stories with his artistic skill. You can read more in our review.

The Dunwich Horror

The story set in the fictional Dunwich is essentially the core of the Cthulhu Mythos, allowing us a glimpse into the Necronomicon, the fictional work of Abdul Alhazred. The main character is Wilbur Whateley – a precocious, monstrous son of one of the lonely Dunwich families who guards part of the terrifying secret of the forbidden book. Knowledge that should not be revealed to any human, because the armies of evil survive, and if someone were to summon them, the apocalypse would be within reach…

I think the titles mentioned above are the foundation regarding the author's mythology. However, if you are tempted to gradually explore how the author's skill evolved throughout his life and investigate where his imagination wandered, the Knihy Zlín project offers a unique opportunity to read through the collected writings that were published in Czech between 2010 and 2013 and are still available to readers. Hidden behind beautiful illustrations by František Štorm, a dense and captivating atmosphere of Lovecraft's stories awaits the reader in five volumes.

The Collected Works of H.P. Lovecraft

These collected works were gradually released individually in these books: The Tomb, Moon-Bog, The Call of Cthulhu Part 1, The Call of Cthulhu Part 2, and The Shadow Out of Time. Two years ago, they were re-released in a beautiful box set, making it easy to get them all at once. A reader can work through them gradually according to their mood or choose a completely different reading order.

I started the Works in order, beginning with The Tomb, because skipping around isn't really my style. I immersed myself in the fantastical and bizarre world of Lovecraft's prose, which either enchants the reader or repels them – it depends on how big a fan of the horror genre you are.

Right in the first volume, I was reminded of the story Dagon, which I had the pleasure of experiencing earlier this year in the gamebook of the same name. It sends shivers down your spine whether you're reading it or experiencing it firsthand with the gamebook.

Another of the many stories that stuck in my memory was The Cats of Ulthar – it seems Lovecraft was a cat lover just like me, and let's be honest, after reading it, I look at my own feline demons with a bit more respect.

However, there are so many stories in the complete Works that I don't have the space to analyze them all in one article. I also think that every reader should form their own opinion – some stories you might like more, some less; we all have different tastes.

So, get your hands on any of the mentioned books and let yourself be captivated. Either you'll fall for the Cthulhu Mythos, or you'll lose your mind while reading, just like many of the author's heroes. Give it a try and see. After all, reading is a safe hobby, and what could possibly happen? Fortunately, an original Necronomicon isn't available…

Verdict: How are you doing with Lovecraft? Have you read the Works? Or are you just getting started? Don't put it off and let us know on the imago Discord if you think there's a better system for getting to know Lovecraft and his world.

author Jana Mrkvicová