Ratenef
Blissfully Ignorant
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« on: July 19, 2010, 11:28:26 AM » |
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Gentlemen,
I see that you broke out The Call of Cthulhu into 3 episodes, which was the right thing to do. However, it was only a 30 or so page story and had obvious break points.
And you did a similar thing with Herbert West - Reanimator, an even shorter tale.
The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath is nearly 150 pages and it doesn't have any clear points of deliniation! It is a nearly 42,000 word single 'chapter' novella.
Are you going to take this is much bigger chunks than you did The Call of Cthulhu or Herbert West? Or are you going to be discussing this story for the next several episodes.
With the size of the story, I think it would be unjust to try and summarize it in a single episode. However, I don't think it needs the same level or amount of disection or attention that The Call of Cthulhu or Herbert West required.
I want to know how many 'weeks' I have before I really need to have read this story. As I'd like to read the story in a similar pace to that of your discussion.
Much appreciated,
Trevor Chapman
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Chris Lackey
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« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2010, 03:42:38 AM » |
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I think we're probably going to cover it in 3. But we won't know until we record it. Could be more.
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Bulbatron
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« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2010, 08:16:12 AM » |
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It took me forever to read this story. I read it in fairly small chunks, day after day, sitting on my kitchen floor each evening, waiting for my dinner to cook! Finally, I got through it.
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Chrizzie Frizzie
Blissfully Ignorant
Posts: 31
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« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2010, 10:43:09 AM » |
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 Its funny to read all these posts about Kadath. It feels like i've stumbled on some kind of self-abuse support group. I've made it through the first two pages. I hope our fearless hosts give good instructions on where to end each episode. If the whole thing is like the first two pages, I'm going to need hand-holding the whole way.
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Viatorium Press
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« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2010, 04:55:25 PM » |
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There is one awesome and obscure character in Dream Quest that I hope you guys mention in the show. His name is S'ngac, a violet gas from another reality who studies the secrets of the universe. S'ngac is mentioned, not by name, in Celephais, and Carter learns about him (it) from Kuranes in Dream Quest. There is a really great (and I think hilarious) moment near the end of Dream Quest that involves S'ngac briefly. I love these obscure things in this tale...this violet gas reflects another cosmicist belief that there is more intelligent life out there that has no relation to human form...
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old book
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« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2010, 05:01:22 PM » |
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I can honestly report I've read the entire thing three times that I'm sure of over the space of many decades. It can be done!!!
The most important things to remember (if I recall correctly):
1. When you start reading the same sentence over again for the fourth time, it's time for a break.
2. You aren't required to find the secret meaning in any of it. The idea is to treat you to a feast of imagery from HPL's fevered brain. You are supposed to let your imagination bathe in the light of the phantasy, let it pass and move on to the next delicate glass flower in the orangery Lovecraft keeps. If the imagery seems fleeting to you, you're doing it right!
3. There is no moral to the story, the "hidden meaning" is that the disparate dream worlds connect in odd ways in the story. If they don't connect or resonate with your dream worlds, there is no blame, there is no mistake you or HPL made here.
4. The map is not the territory. In this case it's not even a map. Leng and Kadath are inaccessible. They are closed, as Eden was closed. Traversing Leng is not a possible route for reaching Kadath. You can glean just a little glimmer about Leng from earlier authors. Maker of Moons by Chambers seems to be original publication, I could be wrong.
5. One day at a time. If you fail today, you can try again tomorrow.
6. You admit that you are powerless to finish Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath of your own volition, and call on a Higher Power to work within you to finish the book.
13. You're bound to miss something. That's why hppodcraft is so great, because these guys notice things I sometimes miss.
0. If all else fails, place the volume under your pillow preceding slumber. You might find you awake in the morning knowing the entire contents.
Hello. My name is old book, and I finished Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath.
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We live on a placid Rhode Island and Providence Plantations of ignorance in the midst of the black seas of an infinity of dark foreigners, and it was not meant that we should voyage too far.
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Nasserism
Blissfully Ignorant
Posts: 8
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« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2010, 03:39:40 AM » |
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I read Dream Quest in short spurts over a couple of weeks and found it to be thick but beautiful in its own way. I really have the utmost confidence that Chris and Chad will find the right balance for the story.
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Viatorium Press
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« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2010, 05:21:00 AM » |
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Whatever Chris and Chad do with (or to) the Dream Quest, I am sure it will full of wit and humor. Many times I have laughed out loud with my headphones on and disturbed my wife in the next room...
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old book
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« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2010, 07:41:36 AM » |
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There is one awesome and obscure character in Dream Quest that I hope you guys mention in the show. His name is S'ngac, a violet gas from another reality who studies the secrets of the universe. S'ngac is mentioned, not by name, in Celephais, and Carter learns about him (it) from Kuranes in Dream Quest. There is a really great (and I think hilarious) moment near the end of Dream Quest that involves S'ngac briefly. I love these obscure things in this tale...this violet gas reflects another cosmicist belief that there is more intelligent life out there that has no relation to human form...
The same sort of thing crops up in Clifford T. Simak's Tme is the Simplest Thing, a sentient gaseous thing called The Pinkness. |
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We live on a placid Rhode Island and Providence Plantations of ignorance in the midst of the black seas of an infinity of dark foreigners, and it was not meant that we should voyage too far.
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daveydawg
Blissfully Ignorant
Posts: 4
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« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2010, 08:06:13 PM » |
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Chris, I think 3 episodes is fair analysis time for Dream Quest. The quicker the better as coming up shortly is Charles Dexter Ward! Many of your guests have mentioned The Rats in the Walls as their introduction to Lovecraft, well, Charles Dexter Ward is mine and I am looking forward to see what you do with it.
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Ruth - CthulhuChick
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« Reply #10 on: July 22, 2010, 12:40:05 PM » |
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Oh dear. I need to actually read that, don't I? Two failed attempts so far. *sigh* Thanks old book for the tips.  |
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old book
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« Reply #11 on: July 23, 2010, 03:33:14 AM » |
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CthulhuChick:--
It might be possible to find a reading of it and thus to cheat, that is, to save the eyes by using the aural inputs.
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We live on a placid Rhode Island and Providence Plantations of ignorance in the midst of the black seas of an infinity of dark foreigners, and it was not meant that we should voyage too far.
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Kaelestes
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« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2010, 03:40:55 AM » |
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CthulhuChick:--
It might be possible to find a reading of it and thus to cheat, that is, to save the eyes by using the aural inputs.
CthulhuChick, you can listen to the entire novella for free at this website. This is how I'm getting through it! http://www.archive.org/details/LovecraftKadath |
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The Colour scorched my lands
and burned away my family.
Need money for Eldersign.
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Yojimbo
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« Reply #13 on: August 10, 2010, 12:15:09 AM » |
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I read the Dreamquest for the first time last year and loved it. It was so full of mad ideas and disturbing imagery, that the complete lack of a coherent plot didn't matter to me. Having not gotten too deeply into the Dream Cycle, I didn't pick up on all the callbacks, but I did get excited at the appearance of a certain artistic fellow (and was suitably shocked and intrigued by his change in circumstances).
I also enjoyed The Silmarillion, though, so I admit my tastes can be weird.
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Lambda
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« Reply #14 on: August 10, 2010, 07:20:16 AM » |
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3 episodes seems okay, they'll have to skip some of the more nonsensical details though.
Personally, I love Dream-Quest. It's almost like Lovecraft's Alice in Wonderland - crazy and totally ridiculous. You just have to love it.
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