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In his lifetime, Lovecraft was almost completely ignored by the mainstream media. His works, masterful though they were, went unnoticed by most authors and critics of his time. Those that did read them found them too strange and original compared to the writings of his contemporaries. In fact, the only place that Lovecraft found he could get his works published in were sleazy pulp magazines like Weird Tales. Strangely enough, it was in this small magazine of stories about Tarzan and Houdini that Lovecraft found most of his supporters. Somehow people found their way to his works and he began to develope a cult following of sorts. Unfortunately this group didn't really begin to grow in numbers until long after his death. It was in this way that Lovecraft started to grow to a level of popularity that he had never been able to enjoy in life. Today, most writers consider the works of Lovecraft as classics, though they are still nowhere near as well known as they deserve to be. They could not find acceptance in the people of their time because of their controversial subject matter, and today they lack the gory images and quick action that most of today's readers want. Lovecraft filled his writing with the power of good old fashioned prose. Where today's writers like Dean Koontz or Clive Barker show detailed descriptions of mutilations and death to get the shock quality, Lovecraft uses suggestion and mystery to incite fear. The prose in his stories is poetic and flows wonderfully. This is what sets Lovecraft apart, what elevates him above the rest.