NYARLATHOTEP by H. P. Lovecraft

I’ve been curious about the character of Nyarlathotep (Mr. Arkham) from the “Fall of Cthulhu” graphic novels. In “Fall of Cthulhu,” Nyarlathotep is the main antagonist, the big-bad, if you will, who is out to merge The Dreamlands with the reality in which humans occupy. He sets events in motion by resurrecting the mad prophet, Abdul Alhazred, so that new pages might be added to the Necronomicon to, in a sense, rewrite history.

The “Fall of Cthulhu” graphic novels are horrifically drawn (I mean that in the best way possible, and by horrific, I am superb), mind crippling, and above all else, well plotted by Michael Alan Nelson. You don’t want to miss out on this hell ride.

My curiosity about Nyarlathotep led me to pick up the one Lovecraft anthology published by Del Rey that I was missing. It also means that I have duplicate and even triplicate copies of some stories and still don’t have a complete collection. I’m going to pause for a second: Publishing world, what’s up. Why is there not a complete works of Lovecraft available? If you have to, to make a profit, break it into volumes, so that you can also include his poetry, please do. I will by each in both hardcover (for the collection) and in paperback (readers copies). Just do it, please!

Okay, back to the story, “Nyarlathotep.” It is a short, two and a half page story about a traveler who is, as rumor has it, a dark god out of the depths of Egypt. Everywhere Nyarlathotep has traveled and put on his gruesome mystical performance, madness, murder, and chaos have followed in his wake.

The story is told from the perspective of a non-believer attending one of Nyarlathotep’s shows. This non-believer is a man of science and, as he puts it, of stronger stock than most. So, when Nyarlathotep calls forth dancing lights and cracking thunder, the non-believer shouts fraud, claiming the trick a simple use of static electricity.

Nyarlathotep by force of will repels everyone out of the performance area.

On the non-believer’s way out, he begins to slip into what must be The Dreamlands. He sees things that no mortal mind can fathom. He does not have time to convert before he is sucked into madness by witnessing the composite evil that is Nyarlathotep’s soul.

The story is good. If you are a fan, you’ll enjoy it. I just wish there was more to it. I guess that it where “Fall of Cthulhu” come into play. So far, I am happy with how Michael Alan Nelson has expanded upon this aspect of The Cthulhu Mythos.

Read it here: Nyarlathotep

Lovecraft, H. P., “Nyarlathotep.” The Dream Cycle of H. P. Lovecraft: Dreams of Terror and Death. New York: Del Rey, 1995, 52 – 54.