The Call of Cthulhu

I've finally gotten around to reading more about the Cthulhu mythos I keep hearing references to; and I must say that I enjoyed what I read. This short story is apparently the first one that all interested readers should go through before moving on to other books.

It nicely sets the stage for the feeling of dread and of the horrible enormity of the fate looming over mankind. What a bleak picture it paints, and how it insignificant mankind is compared to entities almost ageless in comparison.

The way the story is told to us from the perspective of a rich gentleman's point of view somehow enhances the flavour and feel of the mystery surrounding the strange cult being introduced to us. The prose was florid, yet surprisingly quite readable; I'd expected to stumble a bit given that the story was written so long ago. It was a very enjoyable read.

This was somewhat of a mixed bag with the majority of the stories being great and some that felt flat, but all of them being morbid.
The author has an amazing imagination and ability to create atmosphere. I could feel the dread and instead of being scared I was curious to know more.

My favorite stories include Dagon, The Call of Cthulhu, The Colour out of Space, and The Whisperer in Darkness.

I can see how some of my favorite authors have been inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's writing and it felt special to finally read the original.