The Call of Cthulhu
H.P. Lovecraft · 1928 · Short Story
It established the 'cosmic horror' subgenre, where alien intelligences are not just different but fundamentally unknowable, terrifying, and beyond human comprehension or interaction.
What it is
This foundational cosmic horror story introduces the concept of ancient, incomprehensible alien entities that predate humanity and whose awakening threatens human sanity and existence. It emphasizes the insignificance of humanity in the face of vast, uncaring cosmic forces.
Craft in this work
↓Passed on to(5)
Lovecraft's own later work directly built upon the mythos and themes established in 'The Call of Cthulhu'.
Lem's portrayal of an incomprehensible, non-anthropomorphic alien intelligence echoes Lovecraft's themes of alien vastness and unknowability.
The Zone's alien artifacts and phenomena, dangerous and beyond human understanding, reflect the cosmic indifference and peril found in Lovecraft's work.
The Strangers, ancient and manipulative alien beings, evoke a sense of cosmic power and hidden control reminiscent of Lovecraftian entities, albeit in a more direct, human-like form.
Watts explicitly draws on Lovecraftian themes of terrifying, non-human intelligence and the limits of human perception in the face of the truly alien.