American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)

I guess some more of my commentary on the Robert E. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft letters. A bit of a slog but they are certainly worth reading for a glimpse at the ideas of each author about history and folklore.

In this episode, I look continue my read-through of the BAROQUE CYCLE and come toward the end of THE CONFUSION. In this section of the tale, we pick up with the adventures of Jack Shaftoe in the Indian Ocean, where he becomes a temporary king.

In part four of my review of Neal Stephenson's THE CONFUSION, we see the high point of Eliza's character, as she uses the Nine Years War to destroy an alchemist banker (sort of) villain. It all comes down to the emergence of new banking systems in Western Europe.

Here starts a 9-part series exploring the Lovecraft-Robert E. Howard letters. It will be a nice way to finish up this series. The conversation begins with a discourse on the peopling of the British isles.

This is part three of my review of THE CONFUSION (Book 2 of the BAROQUE CYCLE). In this section, Eliza in France, escapes a trap by marrying a villain, while changes are in the works for the English banking system.

We end out look at Lovecraft's stories with THE CHALLENGE FROM BEYOND, a round-robin tale. Started promising but then Lovecraft hijacks it. Next up, a 9-episode conclusion to this book club focusing on the Howard-Lovecraft letters.

This part of THE CONFUSION by Neal Stephenson focuses on the voyage from Spain to Cairo and Jack Shaftoe and the Cabal stealing the Solomonic gold from creepy French slave traders and the Pasha's men. Plus, Jack gets revenge for Eliza. Lots of fun.

In books four and five of THE BAROQUE CYCLE, the story becomes "confused". We will explore these two intertwined stories in six episodes. We start with a reintroduction to Jack Shaftoe in Algiers, still a galley slave.

As we wrap up this look at the Lovecraft revisions we come to the Kenneth Streling story "In the Walls of Eryx", a science fiction tale with a Lovecraftian theme.

THE DIARY OF LORENZO TYPER is a Lovecraft collaboration with William Lumely. It is a pretty solid story that relates to the Lovecraft mythos.

In this part of the BAROQUE CYCLE, we see Eliza go on an adventure in the Rhineland and Daniel rake part in the Glorious Revolution, making a deal to destroy alchemy.

H. P. Lovecraft and E. Hoffman Price's epic sequel to "The Silver Key" ("Through the Gates of the Silver Key") establishes a multiverse and does more to expand Lovecraft's universe than any of revision.

Eliza make a deception, shorting VOC stock by spreading rumors of the "Fall of Batavia" and the foundations of a new banking system are laid in England. Meanwhile Daniel Waterhouse finds himself in political trouble.

A story E. Hoffman Price that discussed with H. P. Lovecraft, TARBIS OF THE LAKE is a supernatural love story about a stalker mummy.

Set immediately after KING OF THE VAGABONDS, ODALISQUE follows Eliza in the Versailles court caught between the French and William of Orange. This novel is partly epistolary.

In this episode of the H. P. Lovecraft Book Club I look at a bunch of works by R. H. Barlow, which Lovecraft helped revise. They area an interesting mix that show the development of a young talent. My favorite is TILL A' THE SEAS.

The final part of my review of THE KING OF THE VAGABONDS by Neal Stephenson. Watch as Jack descends into madness, helps Huguenot galley slaves, crashes a party and becomes infamous. We also see Eliza get trapped.

In this episode of my coverage of THE BAROQUE CYCLE by Neal Stephenson, I dig deeper into KING OF THE VAGABONDS. Jack and Eliza learn about commerce and witches before going their separate ways. They will meet again in 20 years or so.

This is a pretty wild story by Duane Rimel, and revised by H. P. Lovecraft, about a leprosy infection leading to the machinations of a mad scientist. Recommended.

Here, I look at two Duane W. Rimel stories revised by H. P. Lovecraft: THE TREE ON THE HILL and THE SORCERY OF APHLAR. They are fine.

Part one of my review of KING OF THE VAGABONDS from the BAROQUE CYCLE by Neal Stephenson. In this section we meet two more of our heroes of the story: Jack Shaftoe and Eliza. Through this story we get another view of European society during the Baroque

Seen as the last of the H. P. Lovecraft stories ghost-written for Hazel Heald. The scenes with old people telling stories in general shops gives me a real Stephen King vibe. 

In the later parts of QUICKSILVER (from THE BAROQUE CYCLE) we see Daniel Waterhouse become a public figure, meet Leibniz, and witness the horrible banking system of 1660s England.

I look at yet another H.P. Lovecraft story. In this episode it is the Hazel Heald revision OUT OF THE AEONS. This story is notable for its world building and a possible cameo by Randolph Carter.

In this section of QUICKSILVER we get a close look at the Royal Society in the mid-1660s. Neal Stephenson has great fun characterizing people like Oldenburg, Hooke, Wilkins, and (the fictional) Daniel Waterhouse.