Michael L. (thundarr) reviewed on 1/9/2011

So I like the C'thulhu mythos as much as the next Lovecraft nerd, but there's a practice amongst certain contributors that started after HPL's death that I can't really stand: including HPL as a character in the mythos and implying that his body of work exists in that universe. This self-referencing seems to acutely break the established suspension of belief that all speculative fiction needs.

No one does this as often as August Derleth, and he seems to invoke the name of his colleague every few pages. If this isn't something that bothers you, then that won't be a problem.

Derleth's other habit which is disagreeable to me is his painting of the mythos as a stark good-versus-evil instead of the uncaring eldritch abominations that Lovecraft originally created. Instead of being unimaginably powerful and alien, he reduces it to a standard Christianity analogy.

If you're looking for something more along the lines of Lovecraft's original works, I suggest Robert E. Howard.

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