The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath

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Gilvan Blight

New member
Wow someone really doesn\'t like Lovecraft. I personally don\'t see how anyone can rate the Thomas Covenant books as higher then anything by Lovecraft. Except for a couple cool concepts like the Arch of the world, those were some of the worst fantasy books I have ever read. Only reason I read them is I got them Free. Stepping out of Fantasy, I don\'t see how anything by Lovecraft can be considered worse then The Great Gatsby and The Glass Menagerie, the two books I hate the most in the world.

As usual though, people have differing opinions. It\'s interesting to put your money where your mouth is, though quite arogant to think that everyone should like what you like and dislike what you like.

On another note: here\'s an Amazon link to the Tales of Book I meantioned above:

http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Cthulhu-Mythos-H-Lovecraft/dp/034542204X/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223560246&sr=8-5
 
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supervike

Super Moderator
Very interesting Scott...

If i reread them, can I have the same deal? lollol


I like the discussion! It\'s too easy nowadays to just agree with other folks, and it\'s good to see passion about a topic as \'high minded\' as reading.

I\'ll be interested to know if old Rev takes you up on it.
 
Infidel Castro

Infidel Castro

New member
To be fair, I don\'t think I\'d turn around and call him great at the end of the book at this rate, not even for another year\'s subscription! Maybe my honesty deserves the $10 sub anyway :D
 
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ScottRadom

Shogun of Saskatchewan
Originally posted by Gilvan Blight
.

As usual though, people have differing opinions. It\'s interesting to put your money where your mouth is, though quite arogant to think that everyone should like what you like and dislike what you like.
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Hey, whoa there! Two Things...

1)Nothing, not even Lovecraft, is worse than Thomas Covenant. I shudder to think about those 6 awful, awful books.

2)This is not arrogance, I do not expect or want everyone here to adhere to my expectations of literature or anything else for that matter. Reverend started this post with the EXACT same reaction I had after reading Lovecraft, \"Why?\". Why is he considered good, why do people still hail this hack as a master of the maccabre etc. were the exact same reactions I had. But, like a good soldier I waded through every book of his I could find. I kicked over every literary stone trying to find the one that great Cthullu would jump out from under and leave me effected in some way instead of bored and all head-scratchy. I\'ve read about 90% of his stuff so feel I have at least a big enough cross section of his work to make my personal judegment on the entire body of his work and not just one poor story.

So I am not slamming any Lovecraft lovers. Nor will I slam people who vote for the other party, or people who boo me off stage come karaoke night (Though my \"Freebird\" is an \"Acquired\" taste!) or anything like that. I just feel strongly about Lovecraft (Obviously) and think if I could save just one kindred spirit from the expense in money and importantly time from wading through his schlock then I can go to sleep at night thinking that \"Scott Radom is changing the world one person at a time\".

Now THAT is arrogance my friend!

And I checked the link and they sell that collection at my buddies game store. I\'ll pick it up, thanks!
 
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ScottRadom

Shogun of Saskatchewan
Originally posted by reverend
To be fair, I don\'t think I\'d turn around and call him great at the end of the book at this rate, not even for another year\'s subscription! Maybe my honesty deserves the $10 sub anyway :D
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Sir, I stand by my offer! And you don\'t need to declare him as great to get your subscription, I only want you to say he was good.

And sorry, the offer only extends to Rev.

And BTW, if anyone, ever, comes out of the woodwork to declare themselves a Thomas Covenant fan than I think we should all do something for them.

Like a coupon for some psychiatric assesment or something.
 
Infidel Castro

Infidel Castro

New member
Erm, I quite liked Covenant, but only in the same way I like riding up really long hills on my bike - just to say I did it!
 
Avelorn

Avelorn

Sven Jonsson
What he is marketed as is something different as to what he really writes.

I like a lot of his short stories even if they aren\'t pageturners. It\'s the Mythos I like and it has developed over time. IIRC The Dreamquest of UK (hehe) was written early. But I could be wrong.

He likes cats that\'s for sure! :)
 
Dragonsreach

Dragonsreach

Super Moderator
Staff member
Originally posted by ScottRadomAnd BTW, if anyone, ever, comes out of the woodwork to declare themselves a Thomas Covenant fan than I think we should all do something for them.
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Shrives self of Woodwork.
I enjoyed Thomas Covenant. As a Non-hero (as opposed to Anti-hero) his character has depth and good structure as a somewhat selfish man, bitter about his own disease the effect it has had on his life forced into a situation where he must help others.

So yes, you can do something for me. :D
Don\'t assume that everyone has exactly that same taste in literature that you have. :D


Lovecraft however is a far differing writer than Donaldson. His prose is/was archaic even for the era in which he wrote and the levels of descriptive \"horror\" are seriously tame by the standards of today\'s Gore-fest writers. And to be truely honest I didn\'t find them particularly enthralling and yet I couldn\'t put down Peter Benchley\'s JAWS when I read it at the same time period.
 
C

Crestion du Sable

New member
Originally posted by ScottRadom
Originally posted by reverend
To be fair, I don\'t think I\'d turn around and call him great at the end of the book at this rate, not even for another year\'s subscription! Maybe my honesty deserves the $10 sub anyway :D
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Sir, I stand by my offer! And you don\'t need to declare him as great to get your subscription, I only want you to say he was good.

And sorry, the offer only extends to Rev.

And BTW, if anyone, ever, comes out of the woodwork to declare themselves a Thomas Covenant fan than I think we should all do something for them.

Like a coupon for some psychiatric assesment or something.
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I liked the first Thomas Covenant book (I don\'t remember the name atm). However, I really don\'t like getting to know characters, then starting book two to get to know new characters. I didn\'t bother with book 3-6 though I own them all. (got them at a 5c a peice at a thrift store)
 
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Zora

New member
Well, it\'s been awhile, but I remember liking the books, after I got through the EXTREMELY tedious first part of the first book.

I like the \"ordinary guy finds he\'s special or powerful\" kind of theme.

I think we all want that at some point.
 
Infidel Castro

Infidel Castro

New member
Originally posted by Zora
Well, it\'s been awhile, but I remember liking the books, after I got through the EXTREMELY tedious first part of the first book.

I like the \"ordinary guy finds he\'s special or powerful\" kind of theme.

I think we all want that at some point.
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I feel like that halfway through my second pint and it lasts for hours sometimes :beer:
 
S

supervike

Super Moderator
I\'ve gotten all excited about Lovecraft now!

I think there are a few of his stories I haven\'t read, like Dagon. I gotta see if I can find that!
 
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ScottRadom

Shogun of Saskatchewan
Originally posted by elouchard
Originally posted by ScottRadom
So I am not slamming any Lovecraft lovers.
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Except those ones you talk about in the numbered points in your first post.
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Yeah, except those guys.....

Yes I hate Lovecraft, it appears some here like him. I am not, have not, and will not attack you guys. Sorry if it seemed that way, I thought it apparent that I wasn\'t seriously suggesting you guys hate Reverend for reccomending MORE Lovecraft to him.

Some here also agree with me, though perhaps not as extreme as I feel about Lovecraft. I was just happy to have someone post a reaction that feels exactly my first reaction after reading his works. Then I read more, and more and have no problem ragging on the author himself. He\'s still an awful author.

I stand by my words.... Reverend, do I owe 10$ to the good people at CMON for a one year subscription?

And as a positive counterpoint does anyone have any authors from this genre they can reccomend besides Lovecraft? I like Richard Matheson but can\'t thin kof any others. World War Z is a must read for any knid of gamer or zombie enthusiast.
 
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supervike

Super Moderator
I don\'t feel attacked at all!

I\'m surprised at your vehement hatred of the stories, but that\'s probably only because I enjoyed them so immensely.

World War Z is good fun too!
 
Infidel Castro

Infidel Castro

New member
Originally posted by ScottRadom

I stand by my words.... Reverend, do I owe 10$ to the good people at CMON for a one year subscription?

And as a positive counterpoint does anyone have any authors from this genre they can reccomend besides Lovecraft? I like Richard Matheson but can\'t thin kof any others. World War Z is a must read for any knid of gamer or zombie enthusiast.
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Ain\'t no need to be splashing the cash my friend. This has been a cracking thread to my mind and I for one won\'t be extolling the virtues of the lad Lovecraft. By the way all, there\'s a sex shop called Lovecraft in Cardiff, and Super Furry Animals used the name as inspiration for their album, Lovekraft. Trivia!
 
G

Gilvan Blight

New member
Ha, I\'ve seen a sex shop called Lovecraft in Missasauga Ontario as well. Had to pull over and take a picture of that one.

I\'d still recommend trying a different story, the man was quite prolific and his style changed as he wrote. The one about The Innsmuth look I enjoyed (can\'t remember the name), as well as Call of Cthulhu (though the part about driving a boat through Cthulhu\'s head is a bit daft).
 
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