How about some Lovecraftian artifacts? shop.vermilion.cc/collections/cthulhu?ref=HorrorBabble Pocket Watches, Playing Cards, Enamel Pins ... even an Umbrella! (The link above is an affiliate link)
Not really that surprising. Lovecraft eventually collected a group of weird writers (Long, Bloch, Howard, Smith, etc.) who would freely collaborate and borrow elements from each other's stories. This ultimately laid out the skeleton for what would become the Cthulhu Mythos as we know it. And part of this involved them playfully inserting caricatures of each other into their stories (typically with gruesome results). Another example of this phenomenon can be seen with Lovecraft himself. In several stories, Lovecraft alludes to the Atlantean high priest, Klarkash-ton. This was actually a personal nickname he developed for his good friend, Clark Ashton Smith, during their many years of correspondence.
I remember reading this decades ago. The moment when the doctor sees. . . whatever he sees inside the poor victim's skull and exclaims that he's 'not a healer of devils!' stuck with me. The artistry of not showing the reader what the doctor saw was something I didn't realize until much later.
Another fantastic story and narration. I like this one. Frank, Howard, and Wells! I like how Frank Belknap Long threaded the three into his stories. He has some great ones! Once again, some of the dialogue makes me laugh! 44:58 "A malicious trick, that. To deliberately drug me. Had I known that glass of water... You drug me and then asked me to walk? Frank, you're as unreasonable as an artist!" When I was a kid, Dr. Smith was the name of my doctor. Thanks again!
Hey I just wanted to say thanks for all the great stories. Your way of reading and the great novels have gotten me through some really hard times in my life. After a head injury it really means a lot to have access to such great books, as reading is now more difficult for me. IDK if you guys will read this but thanks for making this accessible.
I’ve discovered this channel and binge watched lovecraft mythos series when I was in the hospital on morphine, it was an amazing experience, great stories and amazing narration! Especially the screaming
Remember, these beings get a stronger foothold in our reality the more we try to assign a form to them, draw analogies about them, or understand them in any capacity. Very likely, they were doing something to their victims that conveyed both their motives and methods, as the victims' comprehension would simply let them dig deeper into their psyche/brain and accelerate the process. It would be utterly sadistic if said beings understood the concept (and dwelling on that question too much would probably only give them another way in). Further, *_that loud exposition was also planting the conceptual seeds necessary to spread his condition to everyone in earshot._* By crying out in horrifying recognition of what was happening to him, Henry Wells was widening the portal they were opening through his head. And that realization was probably half the pain.
"It's my brain it wants!" Excellent again, Horrorbabble. You are the masters of adaptations classic and contemporary & good to your listeners in perpetuity, providing perfectly-produced narrations w/a special focus on HP Lovecraft's amazing mythos and this fine tale, "The Space Eaters", is no exception.
This is an amazing story. Please more Frank Belknap Long! Excellent narration and pronunciation as always. Howard, Frank, Smith, and Wells, hmm? Curious character names. Curiously familiar.
I Think Henry Wells may actually be in refence to Henry H Wells aka Mayor Henry Wells of Brewster NY, as he mentions travelling from Brewster, but I'm doing more (admittedly difficult) research on this. There's scant information about him on the interenet. How did I come to this conclusion you ask? I grew in Brewster Ny, lived near Wells St, where the Well's House was and went to Henry H Wells Middle school, named after this Mayor I'm trying to find more info about
I cant believe i havent listened to this before now. This was an amazing story and i love the voices youve done in it. I could feel the fear and everything else in it. Thank you
I saw a similar short story to this in an old anthology series called "Monsters." The episode centered around a scientist and his friend and the victim he studied was missing his brain entirely.
I believe it was Tales from the Darkside. Hole in the head was the give away. Only difference is the two protagonists are doctors and the action takes place entirely in the house.
This story has a very unique concept: that giving form and clarity to a horror makes it more dangerous. Most horror writers (including Lovecraft) follow the opposite principle, believing that explaining a lot about a thing takes something away from it, and rather use our most primal fear - the unknown - in their favor by keeping things murky. Here, Howard's character was targeted specifically because he gave the thing definite form through his articulation of it.
excellently horrific rendition of this classic. there are few narrators on TH-cam that can portray tales from this Mythos with such credible fear. Listen to this with a torch to hand!!
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes i saw the sign. Life is demanding without understanding. I Saw the sign and it opened up my eyes, i saw the sign.
Kinda ballsy to have character tell a story and then have "not" H. P. Lovecraft spend paragraphs talking about how he could never write something so scary.
I love how characters begin to adopt Lovecraft's literary voice as they are exposed to eldritch forces. As if an external, mondterous force is trying to impose a Lovecraft story onto the world
The 1991 episode of the series , Monsters , was called , the space eaters . Kind of cheap , but definitely entertaining. Loved that show as a young kid . Its very similar but much shorter and to the , slightly cringe , point.
Yeah I listened to this when Ian first published it, then it came up again this morning on my recommendations and I couldn’t be happier. 3 years apart and just as terrifying!
Wow, this was one of the best stories I've listened to in the last year. I thoroughly enjoyed the Willows maybe it's because I have this fascination of haunted forests and things of that nature and this novel delivered in Spades, thank you mr. Gordon for once again delivering an amazing performance.
Hey, Josh...I liked this one a lot and I LOVED the willows. Since you and I have similar tastes is there anything in particular you recommend that's similar?
1. “...Lo, I should contrive a new language [to express myself], my dreams....” 2:45 to 4:00. Newtonian. Loving this, thanks. 2. Coupled with the relationship with the Trog, by inherent / genetic memories, are how anthros / mythologists are coupling literature. Edge of my seat, will require a few bites, so thank you 🙏🏽🌙🎩🌹 vis. Joseph Campbell, “Hero with....” these concepts, writes the author of this story, employs the same ideas in form, aspect and all the above. As a timeless piece. These anthropologists, are calling this genetic memory. It takes a real special kind of author wrap himself around both Greek and pregreko models. Thanks again 🎩✌🏽
this was the best Cthulhu story i’ve ever heard. great reading. all the others i’ve heard go on snd on describing the “thing” without much action or story! thanks :) 🌷
I remember listening to this story before going to bed for almost two months straight. I had very poor internet where I was and had this one qued up and ready to go and would fall asleep from exhaustion despite listening intently. Its so well written and masterfully narrated. I came back to hear it one more time and its still my all time favorite.
So I had started listening to this reading yesterday night, but halfway through I decided to stop because oh boy did it terrify me. The way you narrate is beautifully haunting and I shall now attempt to listen to the second half. Wish me luck EDIT: Absolutly wonderfully read and Frank Belknap Long you did indeed managed to write a Horror Story like no other one. Magnificient.
😂. Wish we could add photos to the comments like on Facebook , because I am eating a bag of Space raiders (4 bags actually!! 😊) at this moment.... I'm a regular Space eater !!
Just finished listening , I didn't remember the ending to this so I really enjoyed hearing it ,. . flawless wonderful reading as always Ian. Thank you .
When you start thinking about the implications and realize you can't stop thinking about the implications... I was enjoying a bomb pop before the message hit and foolishly got a brain freeze at the reveal. For future listeners enjoyment really let your mind wander while you do for maximum thrill. As always thank you Ian, I'm going to resist illustrating this beastie.
Shafts of dripping light... Writing oneself into dreadful oblivion while the narrator... well... the master of the light merges with the master of the story who is not Frank and a greater Cosmic light saves from destructive light of genius. Great imagination and so possibly true. Incredible atmosphere building performance!
There are some significant changes and the special effects are terrible, but it's certainly worth seeing. Btw, I have several rare paperbacks of Belknap Long's stories including the novella 'The Horror from the Hills', and could make some scans if needed for recording purposes. 'The Space Eaters' and 'The Hounds of Tindalos' are certainly the best and most Lovecraftian of the short stories, but his work is always highly imaginative and interesting.
Robert E. Howard, brought to bay by an eldritch horror, would have punched it in the face with his bare fists (in a display of dynamic speed and volcanic effort) until it backed off in acknowledgement of the indomitable human will and courage. As the Howard in this story is obsessed with conveying cosmic horror and the ultimate helplessness of man in the face of it, this is clearly Howard P. Lovecraft.
I was thinking of listening to this exact story to sleep to before work tomorrow, and lo and behold it appears in my recommendations list again. Not sure if the TH-cam algorithm has made its way into my head, or if the Space Eaters themselves have found me >.>
How about some Lovecraftian artifacts?
shop.vermilion.cc/collections/cthulhu?ref=HorrorBabble
Pocket Watches, Playing Cards, Enamel Pins ... even an Umbrella!
(The link above is an affiliate link)
Listened to this one a few years back while on night shift. One of my co-workers snuck up and scared the hell out of me. Great reading.
When you low-key insert Lovecraft as a character...10/10 reading as always, hadn't heard this before.
Low-key? That veil's so thin it's practically non-existent!
Seems like many of his friends did. He pops up in at least two of Bloch's stories.
@@Anthropomorphic Cool and funny concept imo.,
I never knew this either, thought that was pretty cool.
Not really that surprising. Lovecraft eventually collected a group of weird writers (Long, Bloch, Howard, Smith, etc.) who would freely collaborate and borrow elements from each other's stories. This ultimately laid out the skeleton for what would become the Cthulhu Mythos as we know it. And part of this involved them playfully inserting caricatures of each other into their stories (typically with gruesome results).
Another example of this phenomenon can be seen with Lovecraft himself. In several stories, Lovecraft alludes to the Atlantean high priest, Klarkash-ton. This was actually a personal nickname he developed for his good friend, Clark Ashton Smith, during their many years of correspondence.
I remember reading this decades ago. The moment when the doctor sees. . . whatever he sees inside the poor victim's skull and exclaims that he's 'not a healer of devils!' stuck with me.
The artistry of not showing the reader what the doctor saw was something I didn't realize until much later.
Another fantastic story and narration.
I like this one. Frank, Howard, and Wells! I like how Frank Belknap Long threaded the three into his stories. He has some great ones!
Once again, some of the dialogue makes me laugh!
44:58 "A malicious trick, that. To deliberately drug me. Had I known that glass of water... You drug me and then asked me to walk? Frank, you're as unreasonable as an artist!"
When I was a kid, Dr. Smith was the name of my doctor.
Thanks again!
Holy cow! That was a crazy story! I was biting my lip the whole time. I love this channel, Thank you Horrorbabble.
OMG remember reading this as a mere child, maby 1959, I loved these Fantisey and Science Fiction and Arkkham tales, even as a 9 Years old.
Bad
This one is of the best classic tales of horror of the time.
Hey I just wanted to say thanks for all the great stories. Your way of reading and the great novels have gotten me through some really hard times in my life. After a head injury it really means a lot to have access to such great books, as reading is now more difficult for me. IDK if you guys will read this but thanks for making this accessible.
I’ve discovered this channel and binge watched lovecraft mythos series when I was in the hospital on morphine, it was an amazing experience, great stories and amazing narration! Especially the screaming
I really liked this, but I laughed out loud every time dude screams, "THEY'RE EATING MY BRAIN!!!"
I thought that was really scary.
Remember, these beings get a stronger foothold in our reality the more we try to assign a form to them, draw analogies about them, or understand them in any capacity. Very likely, they were doing something to their victims that conveyed both their motives and methods, as the victims' comprehension would simply let them dig deeper into their psyche/brain and accelerate the process. It would be utterly sadistic if said beings understood the concept (and dwelling on that question too much would probably only give them another way in). Further, *_that loud exposition was also planting the conceptual seeds necessary to spread his condition to everyone in earshot._*
By crying out in horrifying recognition of what was happening to him, Henry Wells was widening the portal they were opening through his head. And that realization was probably half the pain.
please please more of these kinds of Eldritch madness 😁
Her eyes are gonna light up when I show her this Ian! Thank you so much!!
I have literally waited decades to hear this brought to life...an excellent presentation!
It's one of my fave stories in spite of its faults. The atmosphere is compelling and frightening. Also, Howard says "forsooth!"
"It's my brain it wants!" Excellent again, Horrorbabble. You are the masters of adaptations classic and contemporary & good to your listeners in perpetuity, providing perfectly-produced narrations w/a special focus on HP Lovecraft's amazing mythos and this fine tale, "The Space Eaters", is no exception.
This is an amazing story. Please more Frank Belknap Long! Excellent narration and pronunciation as always. Howard, Frank, Smith, and Wells, hmm? Curious character names. Curiously familiar.
I Think Henry Wells may actually be in refence to Henry H Wells aka Mayor Henry Wells of Brewster NY, as he mentions travelling from Brewster, but I'm doing more (admittedly difficult) research on this. There's scant information about him on the interenet. How did I come to this conclusion you ask? I grew in Brewster Ny, lived near Wells St, where the Well's House was and went to Henry H Wells Middle school, named after this Mayor I'm trying to find more info about
I cant believe i havent listened to this before now. This was an amazing story and i love the voices youve done in it. I could feel the fear and everything else in it. Thank you
Hi Ian, I hope you mean chronologically youngest, because although growing Old is Mandatory,
Growing Up is Optional ! 😊
A great reading of one of many of my favorite Cthulhu stories.
An utter joy. Thank you.
I saw a similar short story to this in an old anthology series called "Monsters." The episode centered around a scientist and his friend and the victim he studied was missing his brain entirely.
I believe it was Tales from the Darkside. Hole in the head was the give away. Only difference is the two protagonists are doctors and the action takes place entirely in the house.
Robert Sanders is Adaptation that short story
Excellent narration! I have an original Arkham House print of The Hounds of Tindalos - intriguing collection of stories indeed.
This story has a very unique concept: that giving form and clarity to a horror makes it more dangerous. Most horror writers (including Lovecraft) follow the opposite principle, believing that explaining a lot about a thing takes something away from it, and rather use our most primal fear - the unknown - in their favor by keeping things murky. Here, Howard's character was targeted specifically because he gave the thing definite form through his articulation of it.
excellently horrific rendition of this classic. there are few narrators on TH-cam that can portray tales from this Mythos with such credible fear. Listen to this with a torch to hand!!
Gorgeously read. Your voice, cadence and pacing - as always, perfect. THANK YOU.
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes i saw the sign. Life is demanding without understanding. I Saw the sign and it opened up my eyes, i saw the sign.
Wholeness and balanced vibrations thanks for the upload. Great performance
your voice I just know would be AWESOME for Algernon Blackwood's H.S.H this is another great one for ur perfect narration Ian😁
Kinda ballsy to have character tell a story and then have "not" H. P. Lovecraft spend paragraphs talking about how he could never write something so scary.
Excellent story.
One of the most entertaining entries in the yog-sathothary
Space is surprisingly high in carbs.
Ha! I wrote that 2 years ago!? I have no memory of it.
my introduction to frank belknap long and i am utterly speechless
I love how characters begin to adopt Lovecraft's literary voice as they are exposed to eldritch forces. As if an external, mondterous force is trying to impose a Lovecraft story onto the world
Read this at fourteen…….. scared the SHIT out of me!
My fave moment in the story is when Dr. Smith says, "Uuuncleeannn!"
You provided a good voice for him, BTW.
This story was damn good (narration was excellent as always). I'm glad to have stumbled across it.
I've got a glass of water! Can I have an opiate???😂😂😂
Me too, me too! Please good sir!
The 1991 episode of the series , Monsters , was called , the space eaters . Kind of cheap , but definitely entertaining. Loved that show as a young kid . Its very similar but much shorter and to the , slightly cringe , point.
I love this channel ❤💕♥
Wow it has already been 3 years
Still a amazing story especialy when its cold and foggy outside
Yeah I listened to this when Ian first published it, then it came up again this morning on my recommendations and I couldn’t be happier. 3 years apart and just as terrifying!
I thought I would have to stop this and watch a kid TV show. Bravo!
Wow, this was one of the best stories I've listened to in the last year. I thoroughly enjoyed the Willows maybe it's because I have this fascination of haunted forests and things of that nature and this novel delivered in Spades, thank you mr. Gordon for once again delivering an amazing performance.
Thanks as always Josh!
Hey, Josh...I liked this one a lot and I LOVED the willows. Since you and I have similar tastes is there anything in particular you recommend that's similar?
Story summed up:
Narrator: "Stories of horror are all the same and I've become jaded to them. Now here's mine.."
1. “...Lo, I should contrive a new language [to express myself], my dreams....” 2:45 to 4:00. Newtonian. Loving this, thanks. 2. Coupled with the relationship with the Trog, by inherent / genetic memories, are how anthros / mythologists are coupling literature. Edge of my seat, will require a few bites, so thank you 🙏🏽🌙🎩🌹 vis. Joseph Campbell, “Hero with....” these concepts, writes the author of this story, employs the same ideas in form, aspect and all the above. As a timeless piece. These anthropologists, are calling this genetic memory. It takes a real special kind of author wrap himself around both Greek and pregreko models. Thanks again 🎩✌🏽
Thanks for reading, you did an excellent job!
I'm glad you enjoyed it Troy - great suggestion, thanks again. Ian
this was the best Cthulhu story i’ve ever heard. great reading.
all the others i’ve heard go on snd on describing the “thing” without much action or story! thanks :) 🌷
I remember listening to this story before going to bed for almost two months straight. I had very poor internet where I was and had this one qued up and ready to go and would fall asleep from exhaustion despite listening intently. Its so well written and masterfully narrated. I came back to hear it one more time and its still my all time favorite.
Am currently experiencing that phase of your life you described. It’s a great story to be stuck on.
I've never heard of this one. I'm so intrigued .That name alone has me excited, what a treat to unwind with after a long day. Thank you very much!!
So I had started listening to this reading yesterday night, but halfway through I decided to stop because oh boy did it terrify me. The way you narrate is beautifully haunting and I shall now attempt to listen to the second half. Wish me luck
EDIT: Absolutly wonderfully read and Frank Belknap Long you did indeed managed to write a Horror Story like no other one. Magnificient.
T
As terrifying as this story was ,it was really really funny. Howard is such a rescue
Loved it awesome 😎
Howard is the type of guy that insults everyone at the party and has the nerve to wonder why he just got punched in the face
Great story, thanks for reading it.
I see that you don't know me or my channel very well. As far as I know there has been only one channel from which downloaded stuff.
:) love this story, thanks
I always come back to this one. So atmospheric, and so ambiguously terrifying.
Fantastic work as always, Ian. I especially liked the echoing quality in the further-away voices on this one.
This story is hilarious. "Our brains will go COOOOOLD!"
Wow, he killed off Lovecraft! Long wrote some great stuff. I hadn't run across this story before. Thanks very much for this!
I'm 8 minutes in and I feel like he's perfectly describing my restless leg syndrome😔
It is too late. If we have listened to one word, one syllable, then they are already in our brains. We are done. Can't you hear the sound?
Wow first Cthulhu mythos story not writer by lovecraft
Not bad just kinda werid
😂. Wish we could add photos to the comments like on Facebook , because I am eating a bag of Space raiders (4 bags actually!! 😊) at this moment.... I'm a regular Space eater !!
Best. Crisps. Ever.
HorrorBabble Aren't they just...they are addictive!! 😁
Just finished listening , I didn't remember the ending to this so I really enjoyed hearing it ,. . flawless wonderful reading as always Ian. Thank you .
i f falen in love with cosmical horror
You're an incredible narrator!
Thank you for this read. I was listening to this when I was traveling to Kansas. Scared me good! " MY BRAIN! THERE EATING MY BRAIN!"
When you start thinking about the implications and realize you can't stop thinking about the implications... I was enjoying a bomb pop before the message hit and foolishly got a brain freeze at the reveal. For future listeners enjoyment really let your mind wander while you do for maximum thrill. As always thank you Ian, I'm going to resist illustrating this beastie.
Who remembers that 80's TV show called Monsters ?
TENTH TIME ⏲️ OF LISTENING
THANK YOU IAN 👍
Shafts of dripping light... Writing oneself into dreadful oblivion while the narrator... well... the master of the light merges with the master of the story who is not Frank and a greater Cosmic light saves from destructive light of genius. Great imagination and so possibly true. Incredible atmosphere building performance!
Woohoo! You made my day. I've always loved this story, even the ropy TV adaptation.
I found out about that yesterday - I think I need to watch it!
There are some significant changes and the special effects are terrible, but it's certainly worth seeing.
Btw, I have several rare paperbacks of Belknap Long's stories including the novella 'The Horror from the Hills', and could make some scans if needed for recording purposes. 'The Space Eaters' and 'The Hounds of Tindalos' are certainly the best and most Lovecraftian of the short stories, but his work is always highly imaginative and interesting.
Thanks for the offer Andi - we have to be careful with FBL as not all of his works are in the public domain. Much appreciated, either way. Ian
fantastic
Holy cow that was amazing... What a master ofenglish... I wonder if Frank Belknap was really friends with Howard Lovecraft...
Excellent Forget zombies demons ghosts and vampires This should be made into a Movie:-[)
yikes!!! so totally ridiculous, but so real in the telling. just enough scariness. (if that’s a word :) great reading - thanks
My favourite FBL story.
I love how Lovecraft himself is a character in this story. "The Crawling Chaos" indeed.
what did the doctor find inside the mans skull. not fair. i wanna know !!!
it can't be described...I suppose.
The Trail of Cthulhu would be a great addition.
Not in the public domain I'm afraid Makaan! Ian
Been a long time since I read The Space Eaters, this was a great way to reacquaint myself with the story, thanks!
I love that his writer homey here is clearly Frank BL's homey HP Lovecrizzle.
Oh god, not the brains 😬
I wonder if this somehow influenced John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness.
Content excellence- thanks so much
Is this an adventure experienced by Frank Long and Robert Howard or Howard Lovecraft?
Robert E. Howard, brought to bay by an eldritch horror, would have punched it in the face with his bare fists (in a display of dynamic speed and volcanic effort) until it backed off in acknowledgement of the indomitable human will and courage. As the Howard in this story is obsessed with conveying cosmic horror and the ultimate helplessness of man in the face of it, this is clearly Howard P. Lovecraft.
This one was a banger! Great!
Maybe the "eater" was cancer: HPL's cancer.
Well that was ridiculously creepy, thanks for the reading :)
26:54 Wheeeeze 😭💀
munch that space
Ah I've found you again my british friend.
Taxi driver: "cold night isn't it sir"
Me: "cold! It'll be cold indeed when THEY get in..."
Taxi driver: 😳
Can someone please explain the very ending to me? Why was Frank saved?
I was thinking of listening to this exact story to sleep to before work tomorrow, and lo and behold it appears in my recommendations list again. Not sure if the TH-cam algorithm has made its way into my head, or if the Space Eaters themselves have found me >.>
Please tell me that this portrayal of H.P. Lovecraft is true-to-life. I like him already!
It is an excellent story ('
Lovecraft and Robert Howard meet their worst nightmares. too bad their characters aren't there to save them! LoL, very fun.
Gonna pretend that's HG welles with howie lovecraft. Loving this.
More proof that "fiction" is truth...🤔
I think that the anthology series either Tales From the Darkside or Monsters did a version of this tale