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The literary legacy of H. P. Lovecraft is profound. Renowned horror author Stephen King regards him as “the twentieth century’s most exceptional master of the classic horror narrative.” His influence transcends literature, inspiring elements in H. R. Giger’s Necronomicon (named after Lovecraft’s Necronomicon), which later shaped the iconic design of the xenomorphs in the 1979 film Alien.
Lovecraft’s tales are rooted in “weird fiction” and “cosmic horror,” laying the groundwork for the Cthulhu Mythos. For those new to Lovecraftian horror, imagine forbidden knowledge, colossal tentacled beings, and humanity’s insignificance against vast cosmic forces. While he remains a horror legend, his racist ideologies seeped into his writing. Fortunately, other authors have reimagined his Mythos, expanding on his characters, settings, and themes. Dive in for a contemporary twist on cosmic horror.
10. The Fisherman (2016), John Langan
The Fisherman delivers a Lovecraftian tale of ambition and consequences. The story centers on Dan and Abe, two widowers who bond over their love for fishing. Intrigued by rumors of Dutchman’s Creek, they seek solace from their grief, only to be drawn into a world far beyond their understanding.
Echoing themes from Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror (1929) and Stephen King’s Pet Sematary (1983), The Fisherman weaves a chilling narrative of sorrow and malevolent forces. Starting as a poignant study of grief, the story gradually descends into surreal and unsettling territory. One critic notes, “Few horror novels have left me so unsettled that I lost sleep.” Horror enthusiasts will find this a must-read.
9. The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe (2016), Kij Johnson
Regardless of your stance on Lovecraft’s works, The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe is likely to captivate. Johnson penned this novella as a response to Lovecraft’s The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, published posthumously in 1943. This tale, part of his Dream Cycle, leans more toward fantasy than horror, focusing on a mystical realm accessible only to male dreamers. While Lovecraft’s protagonist is Randolph Carter, Johnson shifts the lens to Vellitt Boe, a woman from the Dreamlands, offering a fresh perspective.
Johnson’s work serves as both homage and critique, addressing Lovecraft’s omission of female characters. She remarks, “Lovecraft’s legacy offers endless avenues for exploration and rebuttal. There are countless ways to engage with his work.” Beyond its feminist commentary, Johnson’s novella beautifully expands the enchanting universe Lovecraft envisioned. Familiarity with the original story, though not essential, enriches the experience.
8. Meddling Kids (2017), Edgar Cantero
Edgar Cantero explains that his novel originated from a bold concept: “Famous Five meets Cthulhu.” He was drawn to the idea of a group of former teenage sleuths reuniting as damaged adults, realizing their childhood case was far darker than it seemed. The concept was later reimagined as Scooby-Doo meets Lovecraft when it became clear that American readers were less familiar with Enid Blyton’s works.
While the mysteries in Famous Five and Scooby-Doo often flirt with the supernatural, they typically resolve with rational explanations. Meddling Kids, however, embraces the eldritch horrors synonymous with Lovecraft. For fans seeking a blend of Scooby-Doo’s antics and Lovecraft’s themes of forbidden knowledge and monstrous entities, this book delivers.
7. The City We Became (2020), N.K. Jemisin
The City We Became is a fantasy novel that evolved from N.K. Jemisin’s short story The City Born Great. The story revolves around major cities worldwide, each personified by a human avatar who embodies the city’s essence. When New York City’s avatar falls into a supernatural coma, the avatars of its five boroughs must unite to combat a shared adversary.
This adversary, known as the Enemy, manifests as an eldritch creature with tentacles, among other forms. Jemisin describes the book as her way of grappling with how much fantasy literature is indebted to Lovecraft while addressing his significant flaws. The Enemy symbolizes not only a Lovecraftian monster but also Lovecraft himself and the racism embedded in his writings.
6. The Innsmouth Legacy series (2014-2018), Ruthanna Emrys
The series begins with the novella The Litany of Earth (2014), a modern reimagining of Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth (1936), and expands into two novels, Winter Tide (2017) and Deep Roots (2018). Set in a world where Lovecraft’s creatures exist, the U.S. government has confined them to internment camps. The narrative unfolds through the perspective of Aphra, a Deep One, who begins life in human form but later transforms into a fish-like being.
Emrys’s approach adds depth and humanity to Lovecraft’s monstrous creations. In an interview with The Verge, Emrys reflects on Lovecraft’s duality: “I’m frightened by those who view me as a monster. Lovecraft provides insight into that mindset,” yet “his characters are repeatedly compelled to understand the Other’s perspective.”
5. The Mist (1980), Stephen King
While Lovecraft’s influence permeates much of King’s writing, The Mist explicitly channels eldritch horror. The story follows David Drayton and his son as they become trapped in a supermarket by an eerie mist filled with otherworldly creatures. The survivors must contend not only with the horrors outside but also with the escalating tensions among themselves.
Frank Darabont wrote and directed a 2007 film adaptation starring Thomas Jane as David. While staying true to the novella, Darabont crafted a far bleaker ending that King praised: “I thought it was brilliant. It defied Hollywood conventions—defied everything, really! It was utterly nihilistic. I loved that.” A decade later, a TV adaptation was poorly received, largely due to its abandonment of the Lovecraftian horrors that King and Darabont had so effectively brought to life.
4. Ring Shout (2020), P. Djéli Clark
Set in Georgia, Ring Shout follows Maryse Boudreaux as she battles demonic beings summoned by the Ku Klux Klan. Clark blends the grim realities of the Jim Crow era with Lovecraftian supernatural horror, crafting a tale that examines how humans can become monsters in a metaphorical sense. Clark’s mastery of body horror creates visuals so vivid that “Guillermo del Toro would eagerly bring them to life on screen.”
Like many authors on this list, Clark wrestles with the dual nature of Lovecraft’s legacy. He states that his work “is not a tribute to Lovecraft but rather a critique.” Clark takes inspiration from Lovecraft’s eldritch creatures while subverting the problematic aspects of his storytelling.
3. Lovecraft Country (2016), Matt Ruff
Released on the same day as The Ballad of Black Tom, Matt Ruff’s Lovecraft Country comprises interconnected short stories centered on Black protagonists. The narrative follows Atticus Turner and his loved ones as they confront a clandestine group of occultists, eldritch terrors, and the brutal realities of Jim Crow America.
One critic calls the book “a form of exorcism” against Lovecraft’s racist legacy. Another notes that it “celebrates Black nerd culture and the resilience of readers of color who find joy and meaning in a genre that often excluded them.” Ruff’s novel boldly addresses systemic racism while portraying its Black characters as heroes embarking on thrilling sci-fi journeys. HBO adapted the book into a 2020 series starring Jonathan Majors as Atticus, which, despite critical acclaim, was canceled after one season.
2. The Ballad of Black Tom (2016), Victor LaValle
Victor LaValle’s acclaimed novella reimagines Lovecraft’s The Horror at Red Hook (1927) through the eyes of a Black protagonist. Set in 1924 Harlem, it follows Tommy Tester, a hustler enlisted by the enigmatic Robert Suydam for a plot involving Lovecraft’s Great Old Ones. The tale merges cosmic horror and forbidden knowledge with sharp critiques of racial injustice. A TV adaptation is underway at AMC, with LaValle serving as co-executive producer.
In a Vox interview, LaValle argues that since Lovecraft’s influence is deeply embedded in pop culture, we should “embrace its strengths and reject its flaws.” This philosophy inspired him to create a story that critiques Lovecraft’s problematic views while harnessing the eerie, otherworldly dread of his work.
1. The Courtyard (2003), Neonomicon (2010), and Providence (2015), Alan Moore
Alan Moore, renowned for Watchmen (1986-1987), also collaborated with illustrator Jacen Burrows to create comics set in the Lovecraftian universe. Moore’s exploration of Lovecraft began with a prose anthology contribution titled “Yuggoth Cultures,” where he treated Lovecraft’s sonnets as “fungal spores in Petri dishes,” cultivating new narratives from their imagery and themes. This marked the start of a lifelong creative engagement with Lovecraft’s legacy.
Antony Johnston initially adapted Moore’s ideas into The Courtyard in 2003, followed by Moore’s own writing in Neonomicon (2010-2011). The series concluded with Providence (2015-2017). Rather than simply reworking Lovecraft’s concepts, Moore’s comics serve as a deep critique of Lovecraft’s life and works. Familiarity with Lovecraft’s stories is recommended, as the comics extensively reference and reinterpret his canon.
