![]() ![]() Fortunately, there are many books inspired by Lovecraft that have done cosmic horror better in every respect. Lovecraft is long-dead and long-since public domain, meaning that readers can consume his stories without worrying that they’re funding his positions, unlike with living bigoted authors however, the racism is still deeply unpleasant to read. As Jason Sanford notes in a blog post, Lovecraft was virulently racist even by the standards of the 1910s. While many problematic authors of the past have been defended by apologists, with the repeated refrain “they were a product of their time,” this already-flimsy defense cannot be applied to Lovecraft. Lovecraft is almost as famous for his racism and antisemitism as he is for his cosmic horror fiction. However, Lovecraft’s literary legacy is tainted by Lovecraft himself. While his stories vary wildly in quality, there are some brilliant moments that have influenced media from books and films to video games and TTRPGs for the past century. Lovecraft may not be the creator of the cosmic horror genre, but he is perhaps the figure that looms largest in its history. There’s something about humans facing overwhelming powers beyond our comprehension that’s…definitely not comforting, but kind of relatable. As the world has become increasingly baffling, nonsensical, and outright terrifying, I’ve been drawn to reading cosmic horror stories more and more. ![]()
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