Very few of our generation seem to know of or even to have heard of H.P Lovecraft, and yet his influence on modern culture has been vast and wide-ranging. His readership was already limited when he was alive and writing during the 1920s, and has gradually subsided since then.
Perhaps most comparable to Edgar Allan Poe, Lovecraft described his own genre of sci-fi/horror as “cosmicism” or “cosmic horror.” His short stories revolve around the idea that the true mysteries of life and the world are beyond human understanding and that the hidden horrors of this universe are hostile to humankind.
While you may not have heard of Lovecraft, no doubt you will have come into contact with some aspects of his work; Stephen King marked Lovecraft as his greatest influence, as did Alan Moore (of the V for Vendetta and Watchmen graphic novels). Other examples of Lovecraft’s influence are the Metallica song “The Call of Ktulu” (based on one of his better known stories The Call of Cthulu) and even in an episode of South Park, in which the demon-god Cthulu features under the control of Cartman.
The Necronomicon is a superb collection of the best pieces of Lovecraft’s work, beautifully contained in a tactile black binding, with gold-etched print and an image of Cthulu on the front. The great thing about this book is that it feels like you actually are holding the giant grimoire of forbidden lore and magic that’s featured in the stories. Lovecraft writes vividly and powerfully to give a real sense of horror and fantasy, and accompanied by some beautifully hand-drawn images, the stories are also extensively imaginative and complex.
Lovecraft has created whole civilisations and races each with their own spellbinding history, as well as imagining a whole pantheon of awesome demon-gods. Some of the best stories in the collection to look out for are The Lurking Fear, The Call of Cthulu, At the Mountains of Madness and The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath.