The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana: A Guide to Lovecraftian Horror (Call of Cthulhu Fiction)

You just found out that you've inherited a copy of Reverend Winter-Hall's translation of the Sussex Manuscript. (What is it? Is it dangerous?) At night in your dreams you hear people chanting, "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn," over and over again. (What does it mean?) You desperately need to know what the Pnakotic Pentagon looks like. And where Olaus Wormius was born. And how to find the Laniqua Lua'huan. Not to mention the Twin Obscenities, the Wailing Writher, and the Tikkoun Elixir. Who you gonna call?Encyclopedia Cthulhiana.Or rather, to give its proper and full title,Encyclopedia Cthulhiana, Being an Investigation into the Myth-Patterns of the Xothic and Commorium Legend-Cycles with Notes on the Alhazredic Demonology, or, A Compendium of Lore Relating to Those Beings Who Once Ruled the Universe and Those Who Have Revered and Renounced Them, As Expressed Through the Mythology of All Cultures and Explained in the Works ofH.P. Lovecraftand Others in a Manner Thought to Be Fictional by the Uninitiated and Rational. This 400-page second edition by Daniel Harms is the ultimate reference to the names and vital stats on characters, deities, monsters, locations, sigils, and infernal tomes that pertain to what is more casually known as theCthulhu Mythos. Harms lays it all out in a tone of absolute seriousness, whether he's writing about the Dimensional Shamblers, the Empty Triumph of the Flying Polyps, or Bugg-Shash--"an inky blackness covered with many eyes and mouths which emit a chittering sound." Contains a foreword with a brief history of the Mythos, notes on the second edition (about 60 percent larger than the first), suggestions for further reading, brief notes on its use in theCall of Cthulhugame, A to Z entries, four appendices (three on the Necronomicon, plus a time line of the Mythos), and a bibliography.--Fiona Webster The Cthulhu Mythos was first created by H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937), a Providence author considered by many to be the finest horror story writer of the twentieth century. Lovecraft's tales are a blend of fantasy, science fiction, and horror, with the latter being especially prominent. Many of his tales describe a pantheon of powerful beings known as the Great Old Ones.Since Lovecraft's time the Cthulhu Mythos has grown exponentially, until it has become increasingly difficult to keep track of, even for devoted fans. Many writers have contributed to it, including Robert E. Howard, Robert Bloch, Brian Lumley, and Stephen King. This book is the first major attempt in many years to provide a comprehensive guide to H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. This second edition of Encyclopedia Cthulhiana has been extensively revised and contains over a hundred and fifty additional pages and scores of new entries. New features include thumbnail illustrations of the most important signs and symbols and a timeline of the Cthulhu Mythos spanning billions of years. Many entries have been revised to reflect our latest understanding of the Mythos, and the infamous Necronomicon appendix has been greatly expanded. Also present for the first time is "A Brief History of the Cthulhu Mythos," which examines the evolution of the genre. The Cthulhu Mythos was created by H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937), a Providence, RI, author considered by many to be the finest horror writer of the twentieth century. Lovecraft's tales are a blend of fantasy, science fiction, and especially horror. Some of his stories describe a pantheon of powerful beings from beyond the stars, the Great Old Ones--among them Cthulhu, the sleeper beneath the sea.

Since Lovecraft's time the Cthulhu Mythos has grown exponentially and has become increasingly difficult to keep track of, even for devoted fans. Many writers have contributed to it, including Robert Bloch, Ramsey Campbell, August Derleth, Robert E. Howard, Stephen King, and Brian Lumley. This book is the largest comprehensive guide to H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos ever published.