Lovecraft: The Whisperer In Darkness

by H. P. Lovecraft

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“  . . . is the Lord of the Woods, even to . . . and the gifts of the men of Leng . . . so from the wells of night to the gulfs of space, and from the gulfs of space to the wells of night, ever the praises of Great Cthulhu, of Tsathoggua, and of Him Who is not to be Named. Ever Their praises, and abundance to the Black Goat of the Woods. Iä! Shub-Niggurath! The Goat with a Thousand Young!

And it has come to pass that the Lord of the Woods, being . . . seven and nine, down the onyx steps . . . (tri)butes to Him in the Gulf, Azathoth, He of Whom Thou hast taught us marv(els) . . . on the wings of night out beyond space, out beyond th . . . to That whereof Yuggoth is the youngest child, rolling alone in black aether at the rim. . . .

(BUZZING VOICE)

     . . . go out among men and find the ways thereof, that He in the Gulf may know. To Nyarlathotep, Mighty Messenger, must all things be told. And He shall put on the semblance of men, the waxen mask and the robe that hides, and come down from the world of Seven Suns to mock. . . .”

Another of Lovecraft's essential tales. This one eschews from his past sources where he hints at some ancient supernatural thing from which you catch only a glimpse at, and comes straight out with it.

     The Mi-Go, or the Fungi from Yuggoth, are here and gave been for ages. They have vastly superior technology and an interstellar society. They could conquer the Earth, but have no real use for it - beyond various metal ores which they are already mining. Thus all they want is secrecy to get their materials.

Mi-Go - The Fungi from Yuggoth

     Or do they? Lovecraft readers will note that the creature’s symbology is mentioned in the Necronomicon. That they regard Cthulhu and Yog Sothoth in a favorable light, and this story adds new names to the horror- Shub-Nuggurath: The Black Goat if the Woods with a Thousand Young and Tsathogga: an amorphous frog creature who lives under the earth.

    This story beautifully marries science fiction and horror. Blending the Cthulhu Mythos into the horrors of space so effortlessly, it was as if they had been that way all aong. It certainly shows a definite shift from the supernatural to science fiction, as was becoming much more popular at the time. He even added details which were from current science then. Yuggoth is identified as Pluto, which had just been discovered by astronomers.

          The Whisperer in Darkness not only expands Lovecraft’s own creations, but draws in from other sources as well. Specifically from the works of Ambrose Bierce in the form of Hastur (a benign god of shepherds), the Laki of Hali, Carcosa (ancient and mysterious city is barely described, and is viewed only after its destruction by a character who once lived there). These were later expanded upon by Robert W. Chambers adding to it The King in Yellow and the elder sign. People always seem to forget these were not the creations of Lovecraft.

          This story hasn't been adapted into too many other mediums, but I have included what I could find below. Enjoy and Caveat Emptor.

For more readings, try books by Rex Hurst. 
 

 Audiobook version

Trailer for the 2011 film

Second Trailer for the 2011 film
For more readings, try books by Rex Hurst.