1: Essential for devotees of Leiber and Lovecraft
Fritz Leiber and HP Lovecraft aren't usually thought of as having any similarities. After all, Leiber is best known for the extraverted character-driven fantasies about Fahfrd and the Grey Mouser while Lovecraft is remembered for his profoundly eerie blend of psychological horror and science fiction. Yet the two men corresponded extensively for the last few months of Lovecraft's life, and Lovecraft had kind words to say about the earliest Fahfrd and Mouser story. Clearly, there is more here than meets the eye of the casual fan and this book illuminates the artistic relationship between these two great authors.
The first third of the book reproduces Lovecraft's letters to both Leiber and his wife. Many negative words have been written about Lovecraft's personality elsewhere. I was amazed to see how patient, generous, kind, and selfless Lovecraft really was in these letters. Lovecraft was terminally ill and frustrated in his own career but instead of brushing off Leiber, he welcomed the younger writer and gave him advice as a father to a son. I left this section of the book with a deeper respect for Lovecraft as a person, and was in awe as to the type of mentor he might have been.
The second third of the book consists of Leiber's Lovecraft-influenced short fiction. This is in a very different vein from his better-known fantasy material, although it also includes the very first Fafhrd and Mouser tale - the "Adept's Gambit." Leiber is a far more accessible and humanistic author than Lovecraft ever was, and the bulk of the short stories here can be easily enjoyed by any reader. They are eerie, and they are haunting - but easier for a newcomer to appreciate. The final two stories "Arkham to the Stars" and "Terror from the Depths" are more explicitly Lovecraftian in both setting and style. "Arkham" is a cross-over of sorts featuring characters from multiple Lovecraft stories. "Terror" is a sequel to Lovecraft's own "The Whisperer," featuring once again the investigative literature professor Dr Wilmarth. These stories are certainly enjoyable on their own, but the reader will not be able to fully appreciate them unless he has also read the requisite Lovecraft books Leiber uses as source material. It's hard for me to choose a favorite story here, but I lean toward "Terror."
The final third of the book consists of Leiber's analyses of Lovecraft's writing and his memories of the man. Leiber provides thoughtful analysis of his friend's strengths and weaknesses and helps to place Lovecraft within perspective in the worlds of horror and science fiction. This section is repetitious, but it also provides some of the most meaningful insights into Lovecraft that I have ever read.
This isn't the place to begin your acquaintance with either Leiber or Lovecraft but you will learn more about both men as a result of reading this book.
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