Pirate Ghosts - Tales of Hauntings at Sea

Pirate Ghosts - Tales of Hauntings at Sea

This compilation of nightmare shorts written by such literary giants as H. P. Lovecraft, Robert Bloch and Washington Irving promises the reader 'with bloodcurdling buccaneers, spectral ships, uncanny experiences under the Jolly Roger and eerie spirits from a historic past that refuses to stay dead'. Pretty high expectations, huh?

The anthology could have been renamed Caribbean Magic Ghosts with some Piracy Themes Thrown in the Mix. Few had pirates as main characters and just as many did not even include any manner of sea rovers.

This is not to say that the anthology, compiled by Frank McSherry, Jr., Charles G. Waugh and Martin H. Greenberg isn't an inviting read. The short stories include some great nightmare themes and effectively scare the reader.

H. P. Lovecraft's The Terrible Old Man is one such story that eschews the piracy theme but is as creepy as Robert Bloch's The Red Swimmer, a great story of revenge on a bloodthirsty pirate.

The lengthiest short, Henry S. Whitehead's Seven Turns in a Hangman's Rope is a tedious read as he lays on one subordinate clause after another, extending sentences into paragraphs. The detail in which he describes the depth of the white witch's knowledge and sense into voodoo and obeah was unnecessary, gaging its lack of impact on any of the climatic scenes.

August Derlith's The Blue Spectacles, Carl Jacobi's The Digging at Pistol Key and John Masefield's Anty Bligh, along with the tales of Irving, Lovecraft and Bloch are just plain spooky fun. These are wonderful tales of vengeful ghosts, macabre magic (and a pirate or two) all thrown in with eerie tropical settings. Since I recently reviewed a biography of Jean Lafitte by Jack C. Ramsay Jr., I was pleased to see the dashing pirate appear in The Blue Spectacles. It and Irving's story were the only two with pirate ghosts.

Clark Ashton Smith's A VinTAGe from Atlantis is a short read that contains some of the best pirates in the book, but tends to get preachy. Before I Wake by Henry Kuttner is a slow-moving tale of a young boy haunted by dreams of piloTAGe to magical places. Pirates are Mentioned as part of his fantasy while the story clutches the island magic obeah tightly to its breast.

Lady Eleanor Smith's No Ships Pass could probably be the forerunner of the Twilight Zone-esque 'you are here now and there is no way back' theme. Again short on pirates, but a great story.

Pirate Ghosts is a must read for lovers of the nightmare genre but not for the pirate aficionado or fan. The Caribbean magic has interwoven a spell among the pages and presides over the stories, and gives us a nice tropical scare.

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How to Write Lovecraftian Fiction

Perhaps no other singular writer has had a more vital affect on the field of weird horror fiction than Howard Philips Lovecraft. Following in the wake of Lovecraft's mostly posthumous success, many writers of weird horror and fantasy have taken up the task of producing Lovecraftian fiction. In this article, we will discuss some general guidelines about how to write Lovecraftian fiction.

Lovecraft largely wrote in a subgenre he himself labelled "cosmic horror". His central body of work suggests a cosmic history extending far beyond the knowledge of humanity. His universe is populated by discrete huge entities known as "The Elder Gods" and "The Great Old Ones". Next to these alien races, mankind appears historically insignificant and technologically primitive.

Love Craft

There are many respects in which a piece of fiction could be said to be "Lovecraftian". Firstly, the story might deal with well these kinds of vast alien intelligences operating beyond the human sphere of knowledge. A story might also be determined Lovecraftian with respect to the atheistic worldview espoused by Lovecraft in his fiction - that humans are merely soulless, insignificant animals in the greater cosmic scheme. Lovecraft himself referred to this philosophical position as "mechanistic materialism". In this way, Lovecraft implicitly challenged the ingrained assumption that the magical necessitated the supernatural. His Elder Gods were not true gods, but aliens sufficiently influential, considerable and knowledgeable to be worshipped as such by humankind.

How to Write Lovecraftian Fiction

Another respect in which a story might be determined Lovecraftian is the use of language. As a self-styled antiquarian, Lovecraft used many terms that were determined archaic in his own lifetime. Many Lovecraftian imitators hope to transport something by employing idiomatic words and spellings from the Lovecraftian oeuvre, such as "eldritch" and "connexion". But while this can go some way in providing flavour to a story, it is not by itself enough to yield a worthwhile contribution to the field.

If you are wanting to lead to the definite mythology of the Lovecraftian universe (also sometimes referred to as "The Cthulhu Mythos") then you could plainly write a tale featuring the entities and cosmic backdrop Lovecraft himself did. Many writers, both pro and amateur, have shaped a large body of Mythos fiction. However, with so many imitators of Lovecraft's style and language, the kinds of fiction that become customary need to have some distinctive feature. Stories which are well Lovecraftian could be said to import something essentially Lovecraftian to a novel setting, contribution a new take or a new twist.

A true contribution to literature of a Lovecraftian "spirit" will need something beyond mere imitation of archaisms, settings or names. Aspiring Lovecraftian writers would do well to ask themselves what it was that Lovecraft was trying to achieve in his fiction. Beyond the trappings of the Lovecraft tale, what is the essence of what he was trying to chronicle in his stories of cosmic horror? What today is the relevance of what Lovecraft was saying? Can this alarming worldview be imported to a new setting, with new kinds of characters and locations? To be successful in writing Lovecraftian fiction, the aspiring writer needs above all else to read Lovecraft and to internalise the meaning and significance of his work. Only when a writer has a true bearing of the direction from which Lovecraft speaks can they gather a deeper comprehension of how to write Lovecraftian fiction.

How to Write Lovecraftian Fiction

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Pure Poetry

Introduction to Pure Poetry: Pure Poetry: pure but mysterious poetry is or has been looked upon as either too highbrow, or too lowbrow, depending what generation you were born in, raised in, or happened to slip into. I can only define such things in my own terms. Some folks, who have jumped into this genre of poetry, have become too soft, or too morbid. There never seems to be a balance. Robert Howard did a good Job in this area, Clark A. Smith, was slanted to the more morbid side, and H.P.

Lovecraft was a tinge in the middle someplace. George Sterling was perhaps the more flexible of the group, but could he be considered pure poetry then, since he did put restrictions onto himself; Robinson Jeffers on the other hand did his best, but wasn't the equal to the others I've Mentioned so far, so I feel, but close. Lin Carter made his point in this genus style of poetry and to me was not the equal of the others I've Mentioned thus far; but Richard L. Tierney was good, and overlooked--there are more to mention but not sufficient space to mention them.

Love Craft

Pure poetry has a flare for the fantastic. The imaginative poetry of this type comes out to its limits of expression; perhaps a forgotten art nowadays. My friend Phillip Ellis is perhaps one of the last, of the new generation to pick up on this dying style. Myself, I am a difference of it: I use and like the style, the symbolism, images and metaphors it demands to have. Yet I am myself am in violation of this like Sterling--both of us guilty of not using its full force, as Clark A. Smith did; not saying he was good than Sterling or Tierney or Howard. Some might say I scratched its covering compared to others, if well this is the case, then I am happy I did that much, and left the morbidity out; it is not in my veins to go beyond the limits of my values, not out of sainthood, perhaps out of knighthood moreso. With this I end with these last words: in this type of poetry, the swine doesn't ordinarily pick out the pearls, nor can find them, so don't expect for them to notice them.

Pure Poetry

Pure Poetry

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My Arkham bad dream Boardgame recapitulate - Hands On Play

Arkham bad dream is a boardgame that isn't for the faint of heart. I discovered this after a marvelous Saturday evening of running through a game with my brother and a few beers in tow. Now, I need to spend some more time with Arkham bad dream to truly learn the depths that it contains, but it is safe to say that this is one heck of a big, fun game.

First, a dinky history. Arkham bad dream is a boardgame based upon the works of a writer named H.P. Lovecraft. I won't get into too much information about the writer here, but a quick rundown is that he wrote bad dream novels with a sci-fi flavor that are set in the 1920s. One of the main ideas behind his short stories and novellas is that there are aged gods who don't even care about our existence. You play as investigators who are attempting to close "gates" that are letting the creatures or gods through. I highly advise reading the works of Lovecraft if any of this sounds even the least bit intriguing, as it is absolutely fun stuff (although the language he uses can be a bit tough to slog through).

Love Craft

The gorgeous color gameboard that is included represents locations in the imaginary town of Arkham, a mid-size town that is sort of like a 1920s Boston. On the right side is what is called the Other World, locations that connect to Arkham through the previously Mentioned gates. The Other World represents locations in other planes where the old gods (and creatures) reside. I love the artwork here, it is absolutely top notch.

My Arkham bad dream Boardgame recapitulate - Hands On Play

Here is a break down of the way things go: each person playing controls a character with differing sets of attributes. These characters go around the board trying to close gates or tackle the great old ones head on. The typical game turn is broken down into a few phases, namely: upkeep, moveMent, encounters in Arkham, encounters in the Other Worlds and then finally the creatures (or mythos, as they are ordinarily referred to in this setting) turn. As you a character lands on different locations they can gain money, buy items, or even gain allies to help them in their fight.

A unique thing about this game is that you and your fellow players are competitive against the board and not each other. This makes it more cooperative than head to head. You can also play solo, just you and your lonesome taking on the board and creatures. The randomness of the encounters make it sharp and give it a ton of replay.

That said, this boardgame isn't for everyone. You don't need to be a Lovecraft fan, but it does help. It has a huge amount of pieces (over 700) so it takes a bit to set up. And the subject matter makes it a game you don't absolutely want to play with the house (unless of procedure your house has relatives from Dagoth - slow-witted joke, I know).

But if you love deep boardgames, this one is determined the pinnacle. The business has done a marvelous Job of bringing the work of Lovecraft to the tabletop!

My Arkham bad dream Boardgame recapitulate - Hands On Play

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The Truth About H.P. Lovecraft, Cthulhu, and the Necronomicon

About 30 films have been based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Fans, from casual readers to wannabe Cthulhu Cultists, look for books by and about Lovecraft, but it's hard to find decent scholarship about the scholar of Weird Fiction. One of the few books that looks at the works of Lovecraft in an spellbinding way is called H.P. Lovecraft and the Modernist Grotesque. This book puts the works of Lovecraft into a literary context that makes sense. Unlike most things about Lovecraft, written by Cthulhu - obsessed fans who believe the Necronomicon is in fact the wisdom of the Old Ones, H.P. Lovecraft and the Modernist Grotesque is the Ph.D. Dissertation of an English Professor. He is a literary scholar first and a Lovecraft fan second, which means that he is less liable to fall into the same old patterns of sensationalism, delusions, and biography that overshadows actual literary analysis.

This dissertation could use a small bit of polishing up - a few typos and a misspelled name (Ph.D. Students are under a whole let of pressure), but the leading thing is that it does things that no other book about Lovecraft does, including the identifying (and supporting) of a thoroughly new literary kind (the Modernist Grotesque), suitable determination of Lovecraft as a modernist, and particular study of Lovecraft's deconstruction of leading institutions through saTire and depictions of logical fallacies. This book also discusses fan phenoMena like Cthulhu worshipers, hoax Necronomicon copies, and literary elitists' bias against fear-based fiction. After reading about Lovecraft for years, a have seen very few works that perform as much as this one in terms of in fact developing an insight of Lovecraft's work. Some great biographies exist (Joshi's especially) but not sufficient true, classic literary criticism. In order for Lovecraft to be given the respect he deserves, we need real literary scholars analyzing his work the way they would analyze the work of any other great writer. That's why I like this book so much.

Love Craft

The Truth About H.P. Lovecraft, Cthulhu, and the Necronomicon

The Truth About H.P. Lovecraft, Cthulhu, and the Necronomicon

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The Phantom of a Gory Hell

For centuries, writers frighten community with many new appearances in literature. Bram Stoker shook the world with the notorious and controversial "Dracula" while H.P Lovecraft crafted the ideology of reanimation in "The Reanimator." Clive Barker molds all of his inspiration (Poe, Miller, Cocteau, Bradbury) to create his own expanding to the nightmare genre. He cleverly uses a fantasy world coexisting within our own and the distinctive role of sexuality of the supernatural. Some ideas obtain directly from the Bible. "I think the Bible and religious illustrations are often the place where we first find the possibility of sexuality." Barker includes a detailed construction of many complex universes of which his characters thrive. He piques the reader's curiosity, respectfully gaining their attention. "I want to be remembered as an imaginer, man who used his imagination as a way to journey beyond the limits of self, beyond the limits of flesh and blood, beyond the limits of even possibly life itself, in order to contemplate some sense of order in what appears to be a disordered universe," he says. "I'm using my imagination to find meaning, both for myself and, I hope, for my readers."

Barker was born in Liverpool, England to painter Joan Rubie and husband, Leonard Barker, a director for an industrial relations firm. After completing his studies at Dovedale traditional school, he continued in Quarry Bank High School. As a graduate of Liverpool University (English and Philosophy), the school honors the writer with a self portrait hung exterior the entry to the religious doctrine departMent.

Love Craft

Distinguishable novels from The Damnation Game (1985) to The Candle in the Cloud (2009) helped originate his career..Additionally, many collections have been released to the public, together with Books of Blood (1984-1985) and Incarnations: Three plays (1995). Not only has Barker completed works of fiction, but also authored works of non fiction: The Painter, The Creature, and The Father of Lies: Essays by Clive Barker (2009). From gory scenes of murder to the blood-splattered parades, he continues to shock and intimidate readers. "To those who have never died," he grins. "May I say: Welcome to the world!"

The Phantom of a Gory Hell

Most of the novels and short stories written are interpreted into movie franchise. The novella The Hellbound Heart (1986) has been transcribed into the bloody series Hellraiser. The series Candyman is based on his short story The Forbidden (1987). "The sale of a book to a movie house can completely convert its "hopes" It's all one huge self-serving principles and I don't like it at all. I don't think it does us who love books any good whatsoever. I think it's very good for citizen who love movies, but I don't think it's good for the citizen who love books." Some authors claim that movies tarnish the exciteMent from the novel they mimic. "I think they have," Barker expresses. "People think the movies are fun-and you very well know they are not-from a length they're fun, but when you get up close to them they are a lot of very, very hard work and it's often unrewarding hard work. Unrewarding in the sense of never positively feeling as though your work is ever safe." He continues to justify that the safety of an artist's ideas is a traditional concern. "To have a place to put your ideas that is obtain enough that your ideas are going to come through purely, undiluted to your readership is the most important thing in the world."

Over the policy of life, Barker dreamt of achieving a exact goal: to use his artistic view in a collection of media. Using sketches and illustrations created with talent, the scholar of nightmare interjected three video games in market with the irregularity of one cancellation: Undying (released Feb. 7, 2001), Jericho (released Oct. 23, 2007) and Demonik (canceled). His creativity stretches beyond fancy drawing and intricate scripts, providing his own voice for the character Ambrose in Undying.

Barker developed his own superhero comic books. He creates adaptations of his work from films and novels: Nightbreed, Pinhead, The Harrowers, Book of the Damned, and Jihad.

With his name well known, Barker's work does not halt to a stop. He has many plans for the future: Black is the Devil's Rainbow: Tales of a Journeyman (2010), The Scarlet Gospels (which is only a draft as of now). He plans to create a sequel to Jericho and movie adaptations of the children's fantasy novel The Thief of always (2005) and Tortured Souls (2001).

Any author can compile a work of nightmare fiction, but it takes a scholar to animate the story. Clive Barker has taken the unknown, bringing fear and anxiety to his viewers. But, what does he claim? "I have the general compleMent of anxieties, neuroses, psychoses and anything else-but I'm positively not that special," he laughs in his raspy voice. To the world, Mr. Barker, you are the contemporary scholar of blood and the macabre - The new H.P. Lovecraft of today.

The Phantom of a Gory Hell

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Pirate Ghosts - Tales of Hauntings at Sea

This compilation of horror shorts written by such literary giants as H. P. Lovecraft, Robert Bloch and Washington Irving promises the reader 'with bloodcurdling buccaneers, spectral ships, uncanny experiences under the Jolly Roger and eerie spirits from a historic past that refuses to stay dead'. Pretty high expectations, huh?

The anthology could have been renamed Caribbean Magic Ghosts with some Piracy Themes Thrown in the Mix. Few had pirates as main characters and just as many did not even include any manner of sea rovers.

Love Craft

This is not to say that the anthology, compiled by Frank McSherry, Jr., Charles G. Waugh and Martin H. Greenberg isn't an fascinating read. The short stories include some great horror themes and effectively scare the reader.

Pirate Ghosts - Tales of Hauntings at Sea

H. P. Lovecraft's The Terrible Old Man is one such story that eschews the piracy theme but is as creepy as Robert Bloch's The Red Swimmer, a great story of revenge on a bloodthirsty pirate.

The lengthiest short, Henry S. Whitehead's Seven Turns in a Hangman's Rope is a tedious read as he lays on one subordinate clause after another, extending sentences into paragraphs. The information in which he describes the depth of the white witch's knowledge and touch into voodoo and obeah was unnecessary, gaging its lack of impact on any of the climatic scenes.

August Derlith's The Blue Spectacles, Carl Jacobi's The Digging at Pistol Key and John Masefield's Anty Bligh, along with the tales of Irving, Lovecraft and Bloch are just plain spooky fun. These are breathtaking tales of vengeful ghosts, macabre magic (and a pirate or two) all thrown in with eerie tropical settings. Since I recently reviewed a biography of Jean Lafitte by Jack C. Ramsay Jr., I was pleased to see the dashing pirate appear in The Blue Spectacles. It and Irving's story were the only two with pirate ghosts.

Clark Ashton Smith's A VinTAGe from Atlantis is a short read that contains some of the best pirates in the book, but tends to get preachy. Before I Wake by Henry Kuttner is a slow-moving tale of a young boy haunted by dreams of piloTAGe to magical places. Pirates are Mentioned as part of his fantasy while the story clutches the island magic obeah tightly to its breast.

Lady Eleanor Smith's No Ships Pass could probably be the forerunner of the Twilight Zone-esque 'you are here now and there is no way back' theme. Again short on pirates, but a great story.

Pirate Ghosts is a must read for lovers of the horror genre but not for the pirate aficionado or fan. The Caribbean magic has interwoven a spell among the pages and presides over the stories, and gives us a nice tropical scare.

Pirate Ghosts - Tales of Hauntings at Sea

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