The Call Of Cthulhu
Of all Lovecraft's stories, this is the one most often
credited for bringing the so called "Cthulhu Mythos" into
his work. In the story, the narrator discovers, through
the notes of his late father, a plan by various cults to
bring the Elder God Cthulhu into the world. It is, while
not Lovecraft's best, a very good story that brings a lot
of imagination and thought into a seemingly unoriginal idea.
This story is also a great example of the "trust no one" theme
so prevelant in today's media. The narrator expects to share
his father's fate soon, and is urging you to take his
story seriously. It is this feeling of genuine urgency and
fear that ranks this story among Lovecraft's best.
Unfortunately, it is not without its flaws. For one thing,
Lovecraft's open disdain for the religion and culture of
blacks is especially prevelant in this story. Though this
would be expected of a New England man in the early thirties,
it did detract from my enjoyment of the story. The other
main problem with this story is the ending, which is
needlessly vague. Even with its problems, this story is
an eloquent piece of writing that any fan of Lovecraft's
other work will definitely enjoy.