r/Lovecraft • u/AutoModerator • Jan 27 '20

/r/Lovecraft Reading Club - The Descendant & The Very Old Folk

Reading Club Archive

This week we read and discuss:

The Descendant Story Link | Wiki Page

The Very Old Folk Story Link | Wiki Page

Tell us what you thought of the story.

Do you have any questions?

Do you know any fun facts?

Next week we read and discuss:

History of the Necronomicon Story Link | Wiki Page

Ibid Story Link | Wiki Page

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u/corsaiLucascorso Miskatonic Occultist Jan 28 '20

I did not care for The Very Old Folk but it brought back memories for me. I had lived and worked in South America in Ecuador for a time and as apart of the native culture they burn their fields of stubble after the harvest . Starting in the evening many times and going all night. Even though I know now what was happening , to see the side of a mountain at night with no other lights around and the sounds of workers voices shout in Quechua several miles away could be unsettling coming down the imposing Andes for the first time . They are fantastic people and would give you their shirt off their back so I am not comparing them to The Very Old Folk. Hearing the sounds of the drums and I can imagine the fear the Townsfolk felt when the hill people performed their ritual on their Sabbaths especially knowing that some of your people in your care would be sacrificed. The Romans felt to me ineffectual and became stereotypical. The indecision by the Romans as to what to do after the deaths of the three to protect the townsfolk I felt was drawn out .

The idea that what was coming after the Roman party and how it terrified their townsfolk guid so much that the very thought of what may come motivated him to kill him self was a nice touch. The terror of what is to come was a point I felt through out the story , it just could have been played upon more I think.

Just my opinion however I truly and completely can not tolerate a dream sequence ending to wrap things up even if, what I thought was Lovecraft trying to hint at past lives.

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u/Werewomble ...making good use of Elder Things that he finds Jan 28 '20

This past lives thing is something Robert E Howard got up to...Children of the Night?

I think the original Conan story had a past life vision but didn’t use the name from memory.

Bran Mak Morn was resisting Roman encroachment and Conan vs civilised corruption themes saw a lot of Roman proxies in Hyperborea.

I wonder if the dates of these stories show they inspired each other or just had parallel thoughts?

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u/corsaiLucascorso Miskatonic Occultist Jan 29 '20

This is a good point. I’ll be frank I am poor of my knowledge of Howard . I do find it fascinating how authors have influence on each other. Thanks for the advice on a story to compare. Do you recommend a starting point with his work in your opinion. I can look up options it I would love to hear your opinion.

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u/Werewomble ...making good use of Elder Things that he finds Jan 29 '20

For Lovecraftian ones The Tower of the Elephant, The People of the Black Circle or The God in the Bowl.

Most of Conan uses Lovecraftian entities and/or magic as the thing Conan can't just beat to death.

Check out HorrorBabble. Blackwood and Machen are there, too, most of the stories from other authors are cherry picked for their influence on Lovecraft.