Hi all,

This may have been asked before and there may be another topic about it, but as people age and have more experiences, personal tastes can change.

I have been off-and-on filling out my background knowledge of the Mythos by reading H.P. Lovecraft, Robert Chambers (The King in Yellow), and more recently, Derleth.

I know Derleth gets a bad rap as being the inferior writer, but as far as inspiration for AH goes, I am starting to feel like FFG pulled more from Derleth than Lovecraft. The mythos started with Lovecraft, sure, but I don't think we get as many details and specificities about otherworld locations, deities, and creatures as from Derleth's writings (with the exception of the Dunwich Horror, The Call of Cthulhu, and Moutains of Madness). As far as I can tell, the concept of having the Guardians help combat the Ancient One is based on Derleth.

But I may just be reading the wrong Lovecraft stories.

Right now I am reading "The Shadow Out of Space" by Derleth, and it really clears up a lot of lore surrounding the "conical shells," body swapping, and purpose/origin of the City of the Great Race.

What are your favorite Derleth and Lovecraft (and other mythos) stories? Which ones lend us more background information to better envision the locations found in Arkham Horror?

Honestly, "Herbert West, Reanimator" was probably my favorite Lovecraft series. I think its 5 parts. But I'm not sure if it ever fit in to Arkham Horror or not :c

Derleth's innovations may have strayed from Lovecraft's original intentions, but I find his prose easier to read than Lovecraft's.

As for stories, "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" is hard to beat. (See http://www.dagonbytes.com/thelibrary/lovecraft/theshadowoverinnsmouth.htm )

Some other short stories you might want to try (not necessarily Mythos)

The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis by Clark Ashton Smith http://wikilivres.ca/wiki/The_Vaults_of_Yoh-Vombis

The Wind by Ray Bradbury: http://raybradbury.ru/library/story/43/2/0/

The Chaser by John Collier: https://www.utdallas.edu/~aargyros/the_chaser.htm

William and Mary by Raold Dahl: http://www.ceng.metu.edu.tr/~ucoluk/yazin/William_and_Mary.html

The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/POE/cask.html

Thank you! Keep 'em coming! I have a dramatic reading of The Shadow Over Innsmouth, which was pretty good, but I haven't read it myself.

And The Cask of Amontillado is quite good. One of the most memorable Poe stories for me by far. I will definitely take a look at the other there as well. I should try to read some Raold Dahl. I saw the animated BFG when I was little, and it sucked me in.

Honestly, "Herbert West, Reanimator" was probably my favorite Lovecraft series. I think its 5 parts. But I'm not sure if it ever fit in to Arkham Horror or not :c

Dr. West has a small but poignant role in AH: he can be found in the Allies deck of the Kingsport expansion.

Honestly, "Herbert West, Reanimator" was probably my favorite Lovecraft series. I think its 5 parts. But I'm not sure if it ever fit in to Arkham Horror or not :c

Dr. West has a small but poignant role in AH: he can be found in the Allies deck of the Kingsport expansion.

OMG REALLY?! EEEEEEEEeeeeeee why am I fangirling I don't know....

Now I need that expansion XD