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Gee, what wou'd Mr. Lovecraft say? (pg. 4)
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| SYSTEM-J |
It depends. Poe didn't just write horror - he practically invented detective fiction and some claim he made some of the earliest science fiction too. His horror is more supernatural, with hauntings and the restless souls of the dead over horrific things from before time and beyond space. I don't know if that's more of this world, or less.
I'd also say that Poe is a lot more dated than Lovecraft, because he was writing a century earlier and it's difficult for the modern reader to really take that gothic macabre very seriously. |
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| bamski |
| quote: | Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
It depends. Poe didn't just write horror - he practically invented detective fiction and some claim he made some of the earliest science fiction too. His horror is more supernatural, with hauntings and the restless souls of the dead over horrific things from before time and beyond space. I don't know if that's more of this world, or less.
[QUOTE]I'd also say that Poe is a lot more dated than Lovecraft, because he was writing a century earlier and it's difficult for the modern reader to really take that gothic macabre very seriously. |
My fear was that this level would be reached sooner or later. It took me so much 'practice' just to learn how to read/enjoy Shakespeare for more than a few pages, so it sounds that I'm up for a challenge. :p
Do you have any relatively short, not-so-heavy Poe works in mind? |
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| netroM |
| quote: | Originally posted by bamski
My fear was that this level would be reached sooner or later. It took me so much 'practice' just to learn how to read/enjoy Shakespeare for more than a few pages, so it sounds that I'm up for a challenge. :p
Do you have any relatively short, not-so-heavy Poe works in mind? |
Poe mostly wrote short novels or poems. The Black Cat was the first one I read. |
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| Halcyon+On+On |
| quote: | Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
Your surface-level irony is marginally less effective than one of Lovecraft's laboured plot twists. |
Oh dread, I've been critiqued! |
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| SYSTEM-J |
| quote: | Originally posted by bamski
My fear was that this level would be reached sooner or later. It took me so much 'practice' just to learn how to read/enjoy Shakespeare for more than a few pages, so it sounds that I'm up for a challenge. :p
Do you have any relatively short, not-so-heavy Poe works in mind? |
Poe isn't really difficult, not at all compared to Shakespeare. His writing is very lucid and he went for obvious and vivid results. Poe is the short-story writer, who defined the form. He believed that a piece of literature or art should aim to create a single and vivid effect and that every element within should exist to facilitate the chosen effect.
It's been five years or more since I've read him, but his work should be freely available so I advise you to just go explore. I'm not sure you'll find what you're looking for, though. |
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| Lews |
As a distant family member of Poe I highly recommend him :p Such a brilliant writer.
I've actually never read any Lovecraft. Does anyone have any suggestions of where to start? Looking on Amazon I see a ton of different "ultimate collection" type books, but I don't know how to choose one over another. |
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| bamski |
You could even give youtube a shot if you can stand listening to them. Try to find ones that have the same narrator as the one in my post.. or whatever voice you prefer, of course :)
And be sure to check out that (awesome) link Hal posted.
I wouldn't start with Call of Ctulhu, I'm about halfway through At The Mountains of Madness and I'm still liking it, although I must say it's getting quite obscure.. Try that cats of ulthar that I've been babbling about, it won't take you long to read.
You may struggle in order to find something you like, there's like a hundred stories, ranging from anything between two pages to about a hundred. Most of them borderline, other's just.. uncomprehendable. :p
Hal, Meat, J.. did you know, or, why the didn't you, or anyone tell me that Hellraiser drew it's inspiration from his stories??
edit: Lews; http://www.dagonbytes.com/thelibrar...atsofulthar.htm |
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| igottaknow |
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| bamski |
| You're living in the past igk, quit living in the past. |
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| infiniteJEST |
| By remembering the past, we bring it into the present. :) |
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| EddieZilker |
| quote: | Originally posted by igottaknow
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NOT AGAIN!!! GOD Damnit!
:whip: |
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