13 replies to this topic

[Halfdane]

Picked up the audiobook* of The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard.

Backpacking into the mountains with a friend this weekend, and I'm interested to know if anyone has any fitting recommendations.

I'm looking for some stories that are appropriately terrifying to listen to while I lay next to a glowing fire, burning my throat with whiskey, dizzying myself staring at the oppressive nothingness perched above, with mile after black mile of soulless forest and mountains reaching out behind me.

My friend has read HPL's complete fiction, but has not yet made the jump to REH. Hoping you guys can help me get him into REH by showing the two authors' comparable skill in the realm of horror.

*I do not own the book version of The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard, so the only stories I've read already are the ones that overlap into my other Del Rey editions, such as Worms of the Earth.

[johnnypt]

The Black Stone is perfect for that situation. The finale takes place out in the mountains.

[emerald]

Hey, Pigeons From Hell is in that collection.

If you ask me that's not only the scariest story REH ever wrote, it's one of the scariest stories to appear in the pulps, one of the scariest short stories of the 20th century.
And I know I'm not alone in thinking highly of this one.

[Halfdane]

Yeah, I've heard Pigeons from Hell is a cut above the rest. The Black Stone might be a better fit if it echoes our real-life setting.

And thanks for the quick responses, guys -- it looks like we're now leaving late tonight. The other two I'm considering based on surface-level knowledge alone are People of the Dark and The Haunter of the Ring.

[thedarkman]

I agree, Pigeons from Hell will do the trick.

On another note, and a little off topic, see if you can find The Wendigo, by Algernon Blackwood. I think you can download the audiobook for free online (public domain), but I cannot remember the site off hand, The Wendigo is the scariest campfire tale of all time, trust me!

[Halfdane]

Oooh, thanks. I couldn't find any Blackwood or Who Goes there? by John Campbell in my library system. Free online audiobooks wasn't something I'd tried, but that seems to have done the trick. Again, thank you! Man, we're going to be up all night listening to Howard, Lovecraft, Blackwood & Campbell.

[Haemogoblin]

I think "Old Garfield's Heart" could be pretty weird to listen to at a campfire. Not as outright scary as "Pigeons from Hell," but spooky nonetheless.

[Herk]

Let us know how it went Halfdane.

[Herk]

Picked up the audiobook* of The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard.

Backpacking into the mountains with a friend this weekend, and I'm interested to know if anyone has any fitting recommendations.

I'm looking for some stories that are appropriately terrifying to listen to while I lay next to a glowing fire, burning my throat with whiskey, dizzying myself staring at the oppressive nothingness perched above, with mile after black mile of soulless forest and mountains reaching out behind me.

My friend has read HPL's complete fiction, but has not yet made the jump to REH. Hoping you guys can help me get him into REH by showing the two authors' comparable skill in the realm of horror.

*I do not own the book version of The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard, so the only stories I've read already are the ones that overlap into my other Del Rey editions, such as Worms of the Earth.

Thx HD I've just reserved that audiobook at my local library.

[Halfdane]

Thx HD I've just reserved that audiobook at my local library.

It was pretty awesome.
This is the protective case/speakers we got for $20 at Office Depot, by the way. This thing is cheap, rugged, and most importantly -- loud.

For the off-trail hike in, we ended up attaching it to the outside of my pack and playing Xuthal of the Dusk. This ended up being the most satisfying use of the speakers/stories. Really kept us going!

First night, we camped in a clearning in the woods & listened to Wendigo. We'd seen a black bear in the area before, and heard a big snap in the woods, so we were more wary of that than the fiction -- though I'm sure that added to it.

The next night we camped on a big flat rock that shot up in the middle of a river & listened to The Black Stone. Unfortunately we were so exhausted that we passed out in the middle of it!

Anyway, great trip, and I highly recommend the REH audiobooks. El Borak & the "Best of"s aren't done in this format, as far as I can tell.

[thedarkman]

Sounds like you had a great time! The Wendigo has special place in my heart as the tale takes place in my back yard. Blackwood had come to Canada several times to go on moose hunts, and thats where he came up with the idea, based on local legend. The area in rhe story, north of Rat Portage, is the same area I go for camping and hunting. Rat Portage was the original name for my home town (changed to Kenora now), and Blackwood would have used it as a starting point for moose hunting and fishing trips. The way he describes the vast forests and endless lakes is spot-on. And it can be quite haunting at night, with the sounds of loon and wolves in the background.

[deuce]

Sounds like you had a great time! The Wendigo has special place in my heart as the tale takes place in my back yard. Blackwood had come to Canada several times to go on moose hunts, and thats where he came up with the idea, based on local legend. The area in rhe story, north of Rat Portage, is the same area I go for camping and hunting. Rat Portage was the original name for my home town (changed to Kenora now), and Blackwood would have used it as a starting point for moose hunting and fishing trips. The way he describes the vast forests and endless lakes is spot-on. And it can be quite haunting at night, with the sounds of loon and wolves in the background.

Yeah, Blackwood's The Wendigo is one of my favorite tales by him. A pity that Derleth and his brood more than half-ruined the concept later (IMO).

BTW, we know that REH wrote a yarn titled "Wendigo! Wendigo!". Unfortunately, it seems utterly lost.

[thedarkman]

Really? That could have been an awesome tale. I would have loved to see Howard's take on the Wendigo legend. I really think his horror stuff is under-rated; I think Howard runs a close second with Lovecraft in this regard! I'm no literary expert, just my 2 cents.

[Libaax]

I would say The Man on the Ground, Wolfshed, In the forest of Villefere is good stories to read at fire camp. Specially the first werewolf story use the forest well as creepy setting.