contains both HPL material and selected stories by the most prominent writers of the ‘Lovecraft Circle’. The magical
philosophies and techniques illustrated herein were experimented with by the Church of Satan and are currently
applied effectively by the Temple of Set.” JL: “The LVT places Lovecraft’s works in the ‘5’ category not because we
worry that anyone might inadvertently move his lips while reading, but because the rites and gods of HPL can be
misused through misinterpretation. No one believes there to be a Cthulhu, and yet it is possible to become so
involved with the creation of a Cthulhu working that one strays over into a King in Yellow trap with a resulting loss
of contact with reality.” DW: “Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos was re-edited 1990. These stories by diverse hands are
powerful extensions of HPL concepts. Of particular note are ‘The Hounds of Tindalos’ by Frank Belknap Long and
‘The Terror from the Depths’ by Fritz Leiber. If the latter’s theme of negative architecture grabs your fancy, look for
his Our Lady of Darkness (very much a TOS-5).”
7C. The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers. NY: F. Tennyson Neely, 1895 (Dover paperback available).
(COS-5) (TOS-5) (LVT-5) AL: “First on my list, as it is the work of a writer of cheap romances who became
dæmonically possessed after being involved in espionage work of a delicate nature, the implications of which are
still cycling. Chambers, in his literary emergence from the Impressionists of his day, cast a die for Lovecraft, Orwell,
Huxley, and many others. Yes, the reading of The King in Yellow in its entirety can drive one mad, if one realizes
the insidiousness of the thing.” MA: “This is the book at the core of HPL’s mythos and the model for his fictional
Necronomicon. It constitutes the beginning of a type of Black Magic unknown prior to this century - at least in
traditional esoteric circles. It may be read by the non-Initiate with consequences no worse than confusion, but to the
Adept this book is exceedingly dangerous if misapplied. [See also #7J.]” JL: “Those conversant with the
handling of dangerous chemicals or sensitive explosives will find #7C a book to be savored. Those not so skilled in
cautious handling should delay #7C until later Initiatory levels are attained.”
7D. The Necronomicon by George Hay (Ed.). London: Neville Spearman, 1978. (TOS-3) MA: “The fame of
HPL’s fictional Necronomicon inevitably inspired other authors to produce books purporting to actually be that
terrible tome. Some are good-humored tributes; some appear to be deliberately fraudulent. This Hay version, which
is both a collection of commentaries and a ‘translation’ of the Necronomicon, is both the most entertaining and the
most scholarly of the good-humored types. Included are essays by Colin Wilson (#4A, #7E, etc.) and David Langford
(#21D), with ‘translation’ by Robert Turner [from the ‘John Dee Edition’ - which was invented by Frank Belknap
Long for one of his Cthulhu-mythos stories!].”
7E. The Mind Parasites by Colin Wilson. NY: Bantam Books #F-3905, 1967. [Deutschland: Die Seelenfresser.
März Verlag, Berlin, 1983.] (TOS-3) MA: “When Wilson criticized HPL in The Strength to Dream, August Derleth
challenged him to write a better HPL-style novel. Wilson’s response was this book, the writing of which increased
his respect for HPL and caused him to embark on his own series of related novels and short stories. This Bantam
edition contains a preface by Wilson explaining this. Other novels in the series include #19A and The Space
Vampires (sequel to Parasites - later made into the science-fiction movie Lifeforce - which in my opinion is more
interesting than the Space Vampires novel).”
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7F. Selected Letters of H.P. Lovecraft, Volume V. Sauk City: Arkham House, 1976. (TOS-4) MA: “The fifth and
final volume in this Letters series, this one is recommended because it encompasses the period 1934-37, when
HPL’s personal philosophy had reached its greatest maturity and complexity. Many of the letters are far more
revealing of his thought than are even the most ambitious of his stories. Arkham House [and various paperback
licensees] make a deliberate effort to keep the #7B books more or less continuously in print, but other Arkham
works, such as the HPL Letters series, tend to be limited editions, infrequently reprinted if at all. Hence if you are
interested in specialized Arkham works and see what you want in a used or specialty bookstore, you are advised to
snap it up without delay if the price is reasonable.”
7G. Lovecraft at Last by HPL and Willis Conover. Arlington, Virginia: Carrollton/Clark, 1975. (TOS-4) MA:
“This is a beautifully presented and bound account of HPL’s correspondence with Conover, containing some
unusual insights into the Cthulhu mythos and some rare photographs of HPL himself. Many HPL letters are
included in both photo-facsimile and typeface - including one in which HPL recounts the history of his mythical
Necronomicon in great detail, to include its inspiration by #7C.”
7H. The Man Who Lived in Inner Space by Arnold Federbush. NY: Bantam Books #Q8794, 1973. (TOS-5)
(LVT-5) MA: “In this beautiful, ethereal, occasionally chilling novel, a man whose body and lifestyle are shattered by
the surface world and its inhabitants becomes more and more enchanted by the sea, first watching it, then studying
it, then living near it, then living in a permanently-submerged habitat, then finally adapting his body to an
amphibian existence. HPL treated a related theme in his The Shadow Over Innsmouth, but the only horror to be
found in Federbush’s account comes from the savagery of the surface world and its inhabitants. This is not a
superficial novel, but one which looks carefully into human anatomy and oceanography. A powerful ‘genetic
memory’ statement, it ranks with #7C and #22G as a magical text. An excellent non-fictional bibliography is
appended for those who wish to pursue this area further.” JL: “Federbush’s man of the sea is a magician who focuses
his Art towards the central aim of Magic: the control of one’s life and the universe impacting upon it. An
entertaining book in its own right, it should nonetheless be read with some caution.”
7I. H.P. Lovecraft: A Critical Study by Donald R. Burleson. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1983.
(TOS-4) DW: “This is the best historical overview of Lovecraft’s life with reference to his fiction. Good information
on how the fiction transformed the man. A great magical study.”
7J. The Hastur Cycle by Robert M. Price (Ed.). Oakland, California: Chaosium, 1993. ISBN: 1-56882-009-7.
(TOS-5) MA: “In the words of the editor: ‘13 tales that created and define Dread Hastur, the King in Yellow, Nighted
Yuggoth, and Dire Carcosa’. #7C was a lightning-rod that drew to itself various preexisting themes, melded them
into a Working of Power, and sent them forth into Lovecraft’s Mythos and the Dead Dreams of others. Here in this
volume are several of these Pre- and Remanifestations, by authors such as Bierce, Machen, Chambers, Blish,
Campbell, Carter, and Derleth. Most fiendishly are actual attempts at reconstructing The King in Yellow drama
itself by Blish and Carter - both too close to the Essence of the Pallid Mask for [their] comfort.” DW: “Chaosium
publishes an ongoing series of books of fiction connected to the Cthulhu Mythos, including many out-of-print items
and rarities. As Chaosium is a gaming company, these books are available in many role-playing gaming stores.
Chaosium, 950-A 56th Street, Oakland, CA 94608-3129, USA.”
* * *
F7A. The Curse. 1987. Claude Akins. MA: “Interesting treatment of HPL’s The Color Out of Space.”
F7B. Die, Monster, Die! 1965. Boris Karloff, Nick Adams. MA: “Another shot at The Color Out of Space, much
more stylized and remote from the original than #F7A.”
F7C. Re-Animator. 1985 Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott. MA: “A charmingly horrible adaptation of HPL’s early
series of short stories Herbert West-Reanimator.”
F7D. From Beyond. 1986. Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton. MA: “Since audiences survived #F7C, the same
gang returned with this somewhat more startling HPL-theme film - not very true to the story, as Howard was not
into black leather S&M, but reasonably Yuggothy.”
F7E. The Dunwich Horror. 1970. Sandra Dee, Dean Stockwell, Ed Begley, Sr., Sam Jaffe. MA: “The first
‘modern’ HPL film. Sandra Dee was added to the story to give it a female victim, and there is nothing physically
unusual about Wilbur Whateley, although Stockwell portrays him weirdly enough. The only appearance by the ‘Old
Ones’ is as a group of hippies dancing through the meadows.”
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F7F. The Haunted Palace. Vincent Price, Lon Chaney Jr. MA: “For some odd reason, this film is fully titled
‘Edgar Allen Poe’s The Haunted Palace. In actuality it has nothing to do with Poe; the story is adapted from HPL’s
novel The Strange Case of Charles Dexter Ward. It is a loose adaptation.”
F7G. The Resurrected. Live Home Video, 1991 (ISBN 1-55658-765-1). MA: “A superb rendition of The Case of
Charles Dexter Ward, true to the original except moved forward to contemporary time. Available in DVD.”
F7H. Dagon. 2001. MA: “Director Stuart Gordon, who gave us #F7C & #F7D, really outdid himself with this
one, which is essentially HPL’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth reset [interestingly/convincingly] to a decrepit
Spanish fishing village. As is usual with HPL protagonists, things start creepy and get progressively worse. Don’t
watch this one late at night, alone, or if you’re planning a Spanish coastal vacation.”
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Category 8: Vampirism and Lycanthropy
as of February 26, 2003
This category is important for much the same reason as #7: The legends of the vampire and the
werewolf reveal suppressed characteristics of the human soul which the magician may recognize,
control - and occasionally avoid when sensing them to obsess the personalities of immature or
hysterical humans. It is important to note that the literature in this category is selected not for its story
value, but for its in-depth treatment of these phenomena. Here may be found some of the most ancient
and essential instincts and intelligent dispositions of the soul - qualities among the first to be challenged
and ostracized by profane society because of its brutish fear of such godlike prerogatives. Because of the
superstitious taboo which has lain over them for so many centuries, it is widely assumed by profane
society that vampirism and lycanthropy are mere myths, playthings for monster-movies. They are not.
8A. The Vampire Papers by Bernhardt J. Hurwood (Original title: Terror by Night, later released as The
Monstrous Undead). NY: Pinnacle Books #523-00975-5, 1976. (TOS-3) MA: “Unlike the werewolf or vampire
sections of most occult anthologies, this book focuses directly on the sexual and psychopathic bases of both
archetypes. Other sections dealing with necrophilia, cannibalism, blood rituals, and premature burial have made
this one of the books least likely to be kept in stock at your neighborhood bookstore. A short but informative
bibliography is appended. [See also #8I.] Books dealing exclusively with subjects such as necrophilia [sample title:
The Love of the Dead (!)] were evaluated for this reading list but rejected as being mere attempts to pander to
degenerate and morbid tastes. #8A relates such themes to the more significant precepts addressed by this reading
list category.”
8B. The Annotated Dracula by Leonard Wolf. NY: Clarkson N. Potter, 1975 (paperback edition also
produced). (TOS-3) MA: “A richly-annotated facsimile publication of the first edition of the classic by Bram Stoker.
This edition includes descriptions and explanations of the many factual events and references included in the novel.
Complete with maps, photographs, and a series of magnificent illustrations by Sätty. [Historical note: A review of
this book was struck from the Church of Satan newsletter because of a clash between Anton LaVey and Wolf over
the length of a ‘Satanic pregnancy’ (Wolf = 13 months, LaVey = 9 months) and also because of a parting of ways
between LaVey and Sätty some years back.] Wolf is also author of #8D.”
8C. The Vampire by Ornella Volta. NY: Award Books #A807S-MAC, 1962. (TOS-4) MA: “Only slightly less
gory than #8A, this book explores various psychological implications of vampirism and proceeds to case studies.
Again the nature of its contents makes it unlikely that this book will be easily located.”
8D. A Dream of Dracula: In Search of the Living Dead by Leonard Wolf. NY: Popular Library
#445-00159-125, 1972. (TOS-4) MA: “This is a painstaking, if somewhat rambling and Freudian study of the
vampire in contemporary society, with many references to historic incidents. Wolf is author of #8B and a San
Francisco State University Professor. An excellent bibliography is appended.”
8E. The Werewolf by Montague Summers. New Hyde Park: University Books, 1966. (TOS-3) MA: “Completed
in 1933, this is a detailed history of lycanthropy, backed up with extensive notes and bibliographical entries. Useful
as an overview of the subject. Not nearly as hysterical in tone as some of Summers’ other works.”
8F. The Werewolf of Paris by Guy Endore. NY: Farrar & Rinehart, 1933. (TOS-5) MA: “This novel is to
lycanthropy what Dracula is to vampirism. If you are so rash as to order a copy, the book dealer may shoot you on
sight [with a silver bullet]. Not advisable to read during the full Moon, particularly if you have neighbors who might
resent your howling at it.”
8G. Man Into Wolf by Robert Eisner. NY: Philosophical Library, 1951 (republished Santa Barbara: Ross-
Erikson, Inc., 1978). (COS-4) (TOS-4) MA: “Highly regarded by Anton LaVey as a psychological analysis of
lycanthropy, this work is an anthropologically-based treatment of sadism, masochism, and lycanthropy in the form
of a 30-page lecture and 233 (!) pages of footnotes to that lecture. The issue is whether man is inherently savage or
whether he imitated savagery from other species and hence has the prerogative to rid himself of it. The notes are
very extensive, amounting to an annotated bibliography of lycanthropic literature. Introduction to the original
edition by Sir David K. Henderson and to the 1978 edition by Donald Lathrop.”
8H. Cult of the Cat by Patricia Dale Green. NY: Tower Publications, 1970 [later reprinted as The Archetypal
Cat by Spring Publications, Dallas, TX]. (COS-3) AL: “Without question the most enlightening book yet written on
the relationship of the cat to Satanism.”
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8I. Vampires by Berhardt J. Hurwood. NY: Omnibus Press, 1981. (TOS-3) MA: “Hurwood (author of #8A)
produced this as a ‘coffee-table’ book on vampires - bits and pieces of interesting information concerning vampirism
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br /> in general. It is less analytical and psychological than #8A, while at the same time being more story-, movie-, and
legend-oriented. Included are an extensive bibliography, an indexed listing of all films on the theme of vampirism,
and even a directory of vampire-related organizations.”
8J. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. NY: Ballantine Books, 1976. (VAM-1) (LVT-3) Robertt Neilly
IV°: “Though IV has an excellent story line, its real value consists of its examples of vampiric/human characteristics
thought to be hidden from view. The story is told from the vampire’s perspective, and addresses many aspects of the
‘ancient & essential instincts’ discussed in the preamble to this category. The novel also explores goals for those who
would tap the mind’s potential. Described is the process of transformation & transmutation from human to vampire,
together with the experience of surviving death via the Will.” J. Lewis VI°: “Anne Rice’s vampires are beings
operating generally at a highest and best level, although the human creeps in again and again. The Order of
Leviathan affiliate will find her undead exploring the problem of an eternal, powerful existence.”
8K. The Monster with a Thousand Faces: Guises of the Vampire in Myth and Literature by Brian J. Frost.
Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1989. (TOS-3) (VAM-3) D&RW: “This tidy
little 150-page survey covers both non-film vampire legends and the various ways in which vampiric themes have
been treated in film. A very useful addendum to the book is an extensive list of novels and short stories dealing with
the subject of vampirism. Frost is a long-time amateur devotee of weird fiction, and evidently accumulated enough
data on this particular subject to assemble it thus.”
8L. The Living and the Undead: From Stoker’s “Dracula” to Romero’s “Dawn of the Dead” - by Gregory A.
Waller. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1986. (TOS-3) (VAM-3) MA: “Contributed to the reading list by Setian
James Sass. An exhaustive study of the influence of the vampire theme in contemporary Western culture,
particularly through film interpretations, with special attention to the Hammer Film Draculas and the two versions
The Temple of Set II Page 47
