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Post by Josh on Apr 1, 2009 19:28:16 GMT -8
So, my assistant Claude is helping me out with a fantasy/ sci-fi literature unit right now and he's got us reading "The Color Out of Space" by HP Lovecraft just now.
I'm really enjoying it so far. Very Poe-esque.
I've done some reading on Lovecraft's life. Very dark and tragic. He had a decidedly anti-Christian streak, yet I find some themes already in his writings that resonate with a Christian worldview.
I'll keep you posted, because I know there are some Lovecraft fans out there.
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Post by b on Apr 3, 2009 8:04:06 GMT -8
My favorite style of writing is the short story, and my favorite genres of short stories are science fiction and mystery. Since I am also fascinated by the time period of the early 1900s, H.P. Lovecraft stories are at the crossroads of several things that I enjoy.
Somewhat in the vein of writers like Edgar Allan Poe, H.G. Wells, and Arthur Conan Doyle, I think that the Lovecraft stories immerse the reader in a very rich atmosphere of emerging science discoveries vs. ancient mysteries, with a weird fantasy/horror element thrown in.
Although they are certainly not for everyone ( That is an understatement! I do not recommend them for everyone! ) I have found them to be an intriguing escape into a strange, thought provoking world, when I am in the right mood for that.
I have been reluctant to recommend Lovecraft stories to people, because they are filled with difficult and archaic language, disturbing, nightmarish images, and occasional sentiments that I strongly disagree with.
I can not really act as a Lovecraft apologist, but I could recommend a few stories that I personally found interesting.
I am interested to hear others thoughts, especially relating to a Christian worldview, as that would redeem some of the many hours I have spent reading and discussing Lovecraft stories.
On a related note, any Ray Bradbury fans out there?
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Post by robin on Apr 3, 2009 8:40:29 GMT -8
I'm going to have to check out Lovecraft. I have been reading more fiction lately, in fact more than I have ever read before. I haven't read any science fiction that I can think of, unless one would consider CS Lewis's Space trilogy science fiction. What i really enjoy is crime novels. I'm finishing a book right now, by Robert Wilson, called 'A small death in Lisbon'. After I finish that I will look into Lovecraft.
Robin
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Post by b on Apr 3, 2009 9:17:47 GMT -8
A good place to start is the story that Josh mentioned, "The Colour out of Space". If you like it, then you might enjoy some others. If not so much, then it may not be your cup of tea.
I never even heard of CS Lewis's space trilogy. That guy was prolific!
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Post by robin on Apr 3, 2009 13:30:49 GMT -8
Sounds good. I'll look into it.
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Post by Josh on Apr 3, 2009 14:45:27 GMT -8
Ok, here's a thought I had on "The Colour Out of Space"- Lovecraft's suggestion that the evil presence must first wear down it's victims (both their strength and sense of morality) before they can be destroyed resonates with our faith. The monstrous evil in the story doesn't have the same effect on everyone. It's kinda like the ring in the Lord of the Rings, which affects Bilbo with his relative innocence much less than Boromir, the proud warrior. Brian, I thought your email was funny enough to include here:
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Post by b on Apr 3, 2009 15:20:45 GMT -8
Good reach for a usable moral, and an excellent comparison with Lord of the Rings.
Another good Science Fiction / Fantasy writer is John Christopher ( sometimes called Samuel Youd ).
He wrote 2 trilogies that I have read. They are both set in England and are quick reads.
One was called "The Tripods" and was about life on earth conquered by aliens, as some of the humans tried to build up a resistance force. I first read this one as it was serialized in "Boys Life", the Boy Scouts of America magazine.
The other is called "The sword of the spirits" or "The Prince in Waiting". It deals with an earth that has been wrecked by war, and the new generations that slowly rebuild society that is very much like medieval Europe. This has overtly Christian themes.
I read these series when I was in junior high, and really enjoyed them. I would recommend these ones for anyone who was interested in sci-fi or fantasy stories.
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Post by Josh on Apr 5, 2009 19:21:41 GMT -8
Brian,
I remember a pbs special of the "tripods" as a kid and I was fascinated by it. I always wondered what author that was related to.
Back to Lovecraft:
After reading "The Color Out of Space", where to next?
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Post by Josh on Apr 7, 2009 15:49:21 GMT -8
Brian sent me this hilarious article regarding Lovecraft. I actually had my class read it and some of them thought it was serious at first: www.theonion.com/content/news/lovecraftian_school_board_memberAlso, have any of you guys ever seen any "Night Theater" episodes (with the same guy from Twilight Zone). Claude showed a "Night Theater" spoof on Lovecraft to the class that was pretty hilarious: Carl Reiner plays a cynical professor who unwittingly evokes Cthulhu by uttering his name numerous times during a classroom lecture, much to the horror of his students. It was entitled "Mr. Peabody's Last Lecture".
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Post by Margot on Apr 7, 2009 20:44:10 GMT -8
Oooh! Brian, the trilogy is so wonderful! Definitely try to check it out! I remember that I had to wade through a bit of the first book before things clicked for me. After that, I was hooked. While reading those books I truly felt like I was being transported to a different place and I still remember having the sense that I was viewing the rest of my life through a telescope. My daughter had the same experience! Amazing.
Side note: I was going to look at this thread the other day, but decided against it because I thought it was about some new transportation sponsored by HP.....I haven't been happy with them since we bought our last printer... ;D
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aimee
Advanced Member
Posts: 136
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Post by aimee on May 11, 2009 15:41:10 GMT -8
H.G. Wells wrote a short story that I came across a while back and really liked. It's called "The flowering of the strange Orchid" It reminds me a little of this genre.
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