Lovecraft is not really scary.

[CODE-D]

So escapist, after spending time on the internet especially here where there are many references to cthulu and such I decided to give lovecraft literature a shot and well...it is boring as fuck. Not only that its not even really scary due to the fact that it constantly depends on two factors.
Pointlessness
and
Madness

The mystery starts, they discover great monsters of long ago or monsters are among us and dont even try to fight back cause they are hopelessly more advanced than us even though they are just fucking blobs of mesh that dont really ever do anything unless of course they scale down to our level to cause chaos but whatever.
He also plays with madness at the mere sight of these things or learning about them but it just comes off as silly to me as there is really no reason for this besides that theyre uber advanced and we are pointless, and yet nothing happens.
Events that take place are usually isolated to a handful of characters to make it scary but whatever cause at the end of the day the blobs of madness are just whatever and the fear lies in that nobody is aware of them besides the ones who had the experience. But nothing ever happens even though there several of these entities so from now on I am going to assume the lovecraft characters who have these experiences are just that, insane. Yep the the whole lovecraft universe is just a hallucination tapped into by any of the main characters and what drives them insane is its own babble which is well represented as giant sentient blobs of madness.
And that basically describes lovecraft. So the next time someone makes a comment about cthulu I will respond with boat. If someone goes on about azathoth, i will think oh that blob in space that isnt going to do shit and whos form I could never comprehend so why bother.

ps-also the names, cmon.

 

[Loop Stricken]

You sound like you have no imagination whatsoever.

Incidentally there's a story of his that pokes fun at basically everything you said. Can't recall the name, though...

 

[CODE-D]

You sound like you have no imagination whatsoever.

Incidentally there's a story of his that pokes fun at basically everything you said. Can't recall the name, though...

I have plenty of imagination and
give me the name of that story.

 

[Sixcess]

You have to take into context that these stories were written a long time ago. There is very little comparable to the Lovecraftian mythos in the supernatural or horror literature of the era, and the rare stuff that comes closest, like Hodgson's The Night Land is even more obscure than Lovecraft ever was.

The pacing of the stories is also very much of that era. The aforementioned Night Land was written even earlier, in 1912, and compared to that Lovecraft's work is fast paced.

I find the atmospheric descriptions of some of the locations where the stories take place more unsettling than the monsters themselves. Pickman's Model, the Shadow over Innsmouth, The Whisperer in the Darkness and The Colour out of Space are some examples of Lovecraft evoking a very strong sense of place.

Perhaps he's not scary to a modern reader, but the ideas and, as I mentioned, the atmosphere, is way ahead of the norm for that time. I think he holds up rather well.

 

[Loop Stricken]

You sound like you have no imagination whatsoever.

Incidentally there's a story of his that pokes fun at basically everything you said. Can't recall the name, though...

I have plenty of imagination and
give me the name of that story.

I can't remember! For all I know it's un-nameable, like all his insanity-inducing cyclopean horrors.

 

[Oirish_Martin]

You have to take into context that these stories were written a long time ago. There is very little comparable to the Lovecraftian mythos in the supernatural or horror literature of the era, and the rare stuff that comes closest, like Hodgson's The Night Land is even more obscure than Lovecraft ever was.

The pacing of the stories is also very much of that era. The aforementioned Night Land was written even earlier, in 1912, and compared to that Lovecraft's work is fast paced.

I find the atmospheric descriptions of some of the locations where the stories take place more unsettling than the monsters themselves. Pickman's Model, the Shadow over Innsmouth, The Whisperer in the Darkness and The Colour out of Space are some examples of Lovecraft evoking a very strong sense of place.

Perhaps he's not scary to a modern reader, but the ideas and, as I mentioned, the atmosphere, is way ahead of the norm for that time. I think he holds up rather well.

Pretty much this.

Lovecraft's thing was cosmic horror. Not horror at a particular unfortunate event, but a much grander scale of horror where the universe either doesn't care or is sustained by creatures who just want to fuck you up.

Again, this may not be so big of a thing these days seeing as everyone and their dog is some kind of existential nihilist or whatever.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Also you have to bear in mind, we have a much better idea of what's out there nowadays than they did then.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

The fear in Lovecraft is a fear of the unknown. Of a universe that is so vast that humans can't even comprehend a fraction of it. We are so small and weak, whose to say there aren't things out there that are to us as we are to ants. Massive entities of such incredible age and harboring such unknowable malice for lesser existence that their mere EXISTENCE threatens our species as a whole. That if one of them were to turn an errant eye, on accident, and spy us across the vastness of the cosmos then our fates would be sealed before we could even cry for help. And no power, religion or science, can hope to stay this inevitability. Our only respite is that these beings either haven't noticed us yet, or are having too much fun molding and shaping our fragile lives.

It's the fear of the deep ocean, of great terrors so close and yet hidden from our plain sight. It's a fear of your your fellow man, of the hidden urges and desires held in their heart and your own. It's the fear of knowledge, of the insatiable thirst for understanding that leads to these truths, and the inevitable refuge in insanity that must follow.

Yeah, if you are just focusing on his monsters you have no imagination.

 

[CODE-D]

You have to take into context that these stories were written a long time ago. There is very little comparable to the Lovecraftian mythos in the supernatural or horror literature of the era, and the rare stuff that comes closest, like Hodgson's The Night Land is even more obscure than Lovecraft ever was.

The pacing of the stories is also very much of that era. The aforementioned Night Land was written even earlier, in 1912, and compared to that Lovecraft's work is fast paced.

I find the atmospheric descriptions of some of the locations where the stories take place more unsettling than the monsters themselves. Pickman's Model, the Shadow over Innsmouth, The Whisperer in the Darkness and The Colour out of Space are some examples of Lovecraft evoking a very strong sense of place.

Perhaps he's not scary to a modern reader, but the ideas and, as I mentioned, the atmosphere, is way ahead of the norm for that time. I think he holds up rather well.

the stories you listed are actually a bit creepy but notice how they have less to do with the cosmic horror hes known for.
But they couldve been better or at least in the case of innsmouth.

 

[Chairman Miaow]

Only experience with Lovecraft is the Bethesda game and it was amazingly scary.

 

[Renco van der Tang]

When Lovecraft wrote his stories, mankind knew considerably less about the universe than we do today, and the idea that the universe just does not care, that there is no benevolent god that watches over us, was still kind of new and terrifying.
Yeah, his writing isn't scary by modern standards, but he's very good at evoking an atmosphere of disquiet.

Also, The Colour out of Space is as cosmic and horrible as cosmic horror gets.

 

[Verzin]

lovecraft is not really scary

As the dude once said,
yeah, well...that's just like...your opinion man.
If you don't find the themes of madness and the vast unknown in Lovecraft's works at the very least horrifying and disturbing, you're doing something wrong.

maybe we're just different, but I think he's awesome. I enjoy his books very much. If you want really terrifying horror, I suggest you turn your head to real-world events. Not much is more frightening than the prospect of living in certain parts of the world. If you want entertaining horror, Lovecraft is one of the best.

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

Lovecraft was trying to capture a kind of horror that's like if you were an ant, and you suddenly discovered humans.

To the ant, the humans are giant boots that crush and destroy without reason or cause, can kill hundreds of your friends in a matter of seconds, and cannot be reasoned with or defeated. To the human, ants are just ants. Something not sentient or worthy of your concern, something you don't care about if you happen to step on one (you might not even realize you DID step on one).

It's perfectly understandable that this kind of horror isn't for everyone. But you have to admit it at least gets one thing right. The protagonists are usually totally helpless. That's how a horror character is supposed to be.

 

[CODE-D]

lovecraft is not really scary

As the dude once said,
yeah, well...that's just like...your opinion man.
If you don't find the themes of madness and the vast unknown in Lovecraft's works at the very least horrifying and disturbing, you're doing something wrong.

maybe we're just different, but I think he's awesome. I enjoy his books very much. If you want really terrifying horror, I suggest you turn your head to real-world events. Not much is more frightening than the prospect of living in certain parts of the world. If you want entertaining horror, Lovecraft is one of the best.

yeah, well...that's just like...your opinion man.
Ya see why I dont really care for that slacker lebowskis line being quoted. He points out that I have an opinion and yes i do, otherwise I wouldnt have typed anything at all would I? And implies that no others have the same opinion as I but some do.
That line is going in my top worst lines to ever quote.

 

[Verzin]

lovecraft is not really scary

As the dude once said,
yeah, well...that's just like...your opinion man.
If you don't find the themes of madness and the vast unknown in Lovecraft's works at the very least horrifying and disturbing, you're doing something wrong.

maybe we're just different, but I think he's awesome. I enjoy his books very much. If you want really terrifying horror, I suggest you turn your head to real-world events. Not much is more frightening than the prospect of living in certain parts of the world. If you want entertaining horror, Lovecraft is one of the best.

yeah, well...that's just like...your opinion man.
Ya see why I dont really care for that slacker lebowskis line being quoted. He points out that I have an opinion and yes i do, otherwise I wouldnt have typed anything at all would I? And implies that no others have the same opinion as I but some do.
That line is going in my top worst lines to ever quote.

you dare impugn the dudes honor? wtf man?
You're obviously a square.

also, the reason I quoted him was because you stated your case as an absolute.

EDIT: you may not have enjoyed it or felt it was scary, but there are people who do. You're whole point seems to revolve around how you didn't like the monsters or the insanity and thought that nothing ever happens.
O.K.
That's valid I 'guess', but I disagree that it's not frightening.

 

[CODE-D]

lovecraft is not really scary

As the dude once said,
yeah, well...that's just like...your opinion man.
If you don't find the themes of madness and the vast unknown in Lovecraft's works at the very least horrifying and disturbing, you're doing something wrong.

maybe we're just different, but I think he's awesome. I enjoy his books very much. If you want really terrifying horror, I suggest you turn your head to real-world events. Not much is more frightening than the prospect of living in certain parts of the world. If you want entertaining horror, Lovecraft is one of the best.

yeah, well...that's just like...your opinion man.
Ya see why I dont really care for that slacker lebowskis line being quoted. He points out that I have an opinion and yes i do, otherwise I wouldnt have typed anything at all would I? And implies that no others have the same opinion as I but some do.
That line is going in my top worst lines to ever quote.

you dare impugn the dudes honor? wtf man?
You're obviously a square.

also, the reason I quoted him was because you stated your case as an absolute.

oooooooh the hubris
I do indeed impugn on that "the dude"

And my opinions always absolute when I make a stance. I do not reason in this case for I am telling.

 

[Verzin]

I do not reason in this case for I am telling.

O.K. goodbye.

 

[CODE-D]

I do not reason in this case for I am telling.

O.K. goodbye.

Yes I am done with this as well.

 

[DoPo]

While I'm not going to say you lack imagination, I'd say you're not using it properly if you can't find the horror in Lovecraft. Saying "Cthulhu was rammed by a boat, so meh" is failing to comprehend it. Attila the Hun is not very impressive, because he was just a dude, correct? Well, not really - you have to consider more than that.

And what do you expect? What would you say it's scary? Because I am pretty sure I can reduce it to "not scary" the same way you did - by focusing on one aspect of it.

 

[Vicarious Reality]

It was fun reading his works when i was a teenager
It probably does not hold up to anyones adult expectations nowadays

I particularly enjoyed the shadow out of time for its alien communication