Lovecraftian n.

For zealous Lovecraftians there are a few choice tidbits—a short autobiography, his commonplace book, and his ‘History and Chronology of the Necronomicon’.

Some of the most popular stories….have not been specifically referred to merely because it is felt that confirmed Lovecraftians, if they feel that the ideas and opinions herein expressed may provide a slight trace of a new and fresh viewpoint, may like the intellectual entertainment of re-analyzing some of these tales for themselves.

For the avid Lovecraftian, this collects various writings purportedly from or about his dread Necronomicon….The compleat Lovecraftian obviously must have it on his shelves.

It will be news to many readers who never heard of Selected Letters or Arhkam House, who number far more than the present relatively tight circle of Lovecraftians.

‘The Feaster from Afar’ by Joseph Payne Brennan (an old-time horror-story writer and Lovecraftian) also gets a fair amount of Lovecraft’s New England rural feeling.

Being a faithful Lovecraftian and avid role-playing games, I was very excited to see Gahan Wilson’s ‘I Hear You Callin, Cthulhu’ (August ’85).

Burleson has started a considerable controversy by writing long-winded ‘deconstructions’ of Lovecraftian verse, sometimes several thousand words of murky amphigory about a single, short poem. Response from fellow Lovecraftians has been decidedly underwelming [sic].

Lovecraft’s immersion in invented scholarship, if not his sense of place, proved irresistible to the younger writers who formed his cult, and he encouraged them to elaborate the Cthulhu mythology. Lovecraftians now include all manner of professional occultists, heavy-metal bands, and devotees of role-playing games.

Since much of Joshi’s adult life revolves around his friendships with fellow Lovecraftians, ‘What Is Anything?’ parenthetically illuminates some of the secret history behind the rise of Lovecraft during the past half century.