to me, this is the best lovecraft story ive heard so far. very beautifully worded and a powerful metaphor about mans current situation; of arrogantly exploring natures deepest hidden secrets (like the self proclaimed half god of the story) with so little anticipation of its likely outcome (the law of unintended consequences)
This is poetry without rhymes. Tis a man of ages past, who wrote flows of words. To bring rhythm to aid their strength. I adore these readings, thank you :)
I agree with you all. Even though I have read a lot of Lovecraft, it is extremely relaxing sitting back and listening to a great narrator spinning a good yarn...
The so-called Other Gods, in all human faiths, have the unending habit of never responding when desired or desperately needed by the mortal faithful. Is silence our only comfort?
The Other Gods are most likely Outer Gods. The description matches pretty well. Nyarlathotep was known to protect the gods of the dream lands, as well. So, I like to imagine him being there in the end.
Well, Lovecraft himself never used the term "Outer Gods" to my knowledge. He would generally either refer to them as Other Gods, such as in this story, or as Ultimate Gods, such as in Nyarlathotep. Nyarlathotep would likely be among the Other Gods, as he is their soul, and the others are mindless without him.
I don't know why ,somehow this reminds me of Elvis Presley , I heard long ago that he had some very mean bodyguards ,the earth gods sound like rich aristocrats that shun the poor while the other gods sound like heavily muscled body guards , but instead of grabbing you it sounds like they paralyse the the intruder and make him vanish.
It's actually far worse than that. The Other Gods are not mere body guards of the Earth Gods, but rather deities of a still-higher echelon. Barzai The Not-So-Wise-After-All calls them "The gods of the outer hells that guard the feeble gods of earth!" I imagine them as being as high above the earth gods as the earth gods are as high above us. So they're not like bodyguards, more like big brothers, protecting their younger siblings from the other snobby kids on the playground. Barzai went looking for gods because he thought he was their equal, but instead found something so much greater than he could possibly comprehend.
About the confusions of man, who in their ignorance, and sheer arrogance claimed themselves to be higher than the gods, or equal to them. ~He would have been spared, if he had bowed his head, made the offerings of blood, time, energy, and food. if he had listened to them, as a student, as a apprentice would heed his masters words, if he would have been wise enough to show humility, he could have been rising to their heights, instead, he choose to leak out their wisdom, as if betrayal would have elevated him. Fools. look at: "the devils quran" at page 52, the lines 24, 25 and 26, within the sura al taj 24And then say: Show me your prophets ,that they may speak for your god? Nay, they are dead to a man. 25For we slew Muhammed, and Isa and Moses and many more besides, 26.for prophets lie and then die.
