Short Story Review: At the Mountains of Madness by H.P.Lovecraft
Genre(s): Fiction, Horror, Lost World | Publication Date: 1936 | Russ Rating: 9.5/10
Disclaimer: H.P. Lovecraft was a notable bigot and racist. Despite the fact that many of his literary works are given apt praise, he was a deplorable and intolerant human being. While I myself do not believe that his works should be avoided due to his idiotic personal beliefs, I understand those who feel accordingly. Nevertheless, I wanted to say that when I compliment Lovecraft, it is his writing alone that I admire. In the end, I think he was an incredible writer, but a deplorable person. Even though I believe his works should be explored, that doesn’t mean I admire or think anything positively about the man who wrote them.
After talking about doing this for almost a year, I am finally doing my first book review. While this is technically a short story review, At the Mountains of Madness has a way of lingering on one’s mind. After reading it I knew it had to be one of the first short stories or books that I discussed. There is a reason that many consider this one of the quintessential pieces of Eldritch Horror. Lovecraft’s writing scientific and verbose descriptions give way to some of the most haunting imagery in literary history. While the Cthulhu mythos is widely recognized today, this must’ve been utterly unknerving when it was first published back in 1936.
While I have a lot to say on this piece, nearly all of its positive, aside from many misgivings about the author. In the following sections I aim to not explain the characters, but give my perceptions of them and their importance to the overall narrative. Although there will undoubtedly be spoilers to follow, I will do my best to give a primarily spoiler-free account of the story and will denote any major spoilers before I give them. That said I highly recommend you check out the short story for yourself, especially around the spooky season.
“It was just then, as I was trying to steer safely though the pass, that his mad shrieking brought us so close to disaster by shattering my tight hold on myself…” (Lovecraft, 122)
Overview:
The Key Character(s):
The characters involved in the At the Mountains of Madness storyline are all profoundly interesting. They are each scholars from a credible University, wishing to make their mark on the scientific world. At the time of this books publishing, and to this day, there has been little of the Antarctic fully explored. The mysteries that fascinated these University explorers still largely exist today, but its likely the horrors found by the Miskatonic University expedition will remain fictional. Nevertheless, the characters who discovered them are intriguing in their own right.
William Dyer: Is the main protagonist of the novel, and the narrator. I found his personality interestingly paradoxical. Despite being desperately afraid of the horrors around him, he trudges forward in the name of science and discovery. Yet, after the story concludes he isn’t completely sure the horror’s he witnessed are worth the emotional and mental scars he must bear along with the information. His technical and precision detailed descriptions are a large part of what makes the entire novella so disturbing. His scientific descriptions help make the entire situation feel strangely realistic.
Danforth: Is Professor Dyer’s main companion throughout most of the expedition. He provides an extra set of eyes to witness the horrors of the forsaken mountains, and a direct representation of how they might affect one’s psyche. Although Professor Dyer might have escaped from the situation mostly unscathed, Danforth remains permanently scarred by the experience. The horrors he witnessed At the Mountains of Madness haunt him for the rest of his life. His character plays a crucial part in adding to the uneasiness of the overall narrative, even when it appears they might escape unharmed, Danforth is subjected to an even greater madness.
Professor Lake: Reflects many of the most common fallacies within humans. He is impatient, callous, arrogant, and greedy. He rushes ahead in an effort to obtain more geological samples, and uncovers a shocking cavern full of undocumented flora and fauna. Instead of waiting for his allies to assist him in the discovery, he proceeds to excavate and dissect some of his more interesting findings. However, his fellow researchers eventually discover that he is the one who has been dissected. In many ways, Professor Lake is the perfect representation of Man’s Ego. We presume we are the most intelligent species and the Earth belongs to us by right of our intelligence. Yet, what would we do if we weren’t the smartest species on the planet.
Gedney: Is the most tragic character of the novella. He goes missing after Geney’s experiments, but is found much later in the story. Unfortunately only his body is recovered, but it tells a greater story. What the creatures do with Genedy’s body not only indicates a similar intelligence, but once possibly greater than our own. After all, The Elder Things have allegedly been around since the Earth’s infancy.
The Following Section Contains Significant Spoilers
The Elder Things: The Elder things are the creatures initially discovered by Professor Lake, but they aren’t even the most terrifying creatures from the novella. Instead their presence alone is one of the most unsettling parts of their creation. A more advanced species of seemingly foreign and powerful creatures secretly living peacefully beyond human intervention is one of the key aspects of the Cthulhu mythos and this series brings it to attention beautifully.
Overall, At the Mountains of Madness has some of the most interesting and diverse characters given its status as a short story. It is very easy for the reader to get an accurate feel for every character and the interesting quirks that further the story. While many don’t typically praise Lovecraft for his character writing, William Dyer is easily one of the most charismatic protagonists of any horror tale.
The Setting(s):
The setting of At the Mountains of Madness is a key part of what makes the story so unsettling. Even today, much of the Antarctic remains virtually unexplored. Its harsh climate and unforgiving conditions aren’t likely to give way to life, but what if they could? The implication of such an unrelenting biome giving rise to a diverse cast of flora and fauna never before seen by man is a fantastical premise. Moreover, it is one that many people actively believe.
Antarctica: According to Voyagers Travel, much of the Antarctic has yet to be completely explored. In fact, many speculate that over 98% of Antarctica remains unexplored. This is an incredible percentage given the vast size of the continent. Despite the fact that we have consistent access to satellite and airplane imagery, it doesn’t make the landmass any less mysterious. If any place in the modern world was to house an alien species it would easily be either Antarctica or the depths of the ocean.
The Plateau of Leng: Is a mythical place located in the Dreamlands in the Cthulhu mythos. Its very possible the explorers never actually set food in The Plateau of Leng, but its incredibly important that they think they do. Since I am still reading through much of Lovecraft’s fictional mythology, I cannot speak to the Plateau of Leng with a place of authority, yet it is one of the most interesting fictional places I have ever read about. It’s secrecy coupled with many of its more impossible aspects paint the picture of an ancient and terrible place beyond human comprehension.
In conclusion, At the Mountains of Madness might have a seemingly simple setting, at first glance. However, that is one of the biggest advantages of the Novella. Its seemingly simple setting is turned on its head upon some of the most shocking fictional discoveries in the horror realm. It says a lot that audiences today are still captivated by this incredibly intricate and ancient fictional universe.
The Plot:
The plot of At the Mountains of Madness begins somewhat slow. After all, it is an archeological and geological excavation. The story begins with the assumption the Miskatonic researchers won’t find anything aside from an interesting shale sample. That said, what they do discover changed the fate of both the real and narrative worlds.
Without spoilers, the plot of At the Mountains of Madness is incredibly succinct. Once the action gets going, there’s no stopping it for the remainder of the novella. Although there are some parts where the descriptions and exploration seems to drag on, it is used to build the suspense of the coming scenes. Overall it really seems like every piece of the novella fits together beautifully. Even the surprise ending wraps one final uneasy bow on the entire experience.
Overall the plot of At the Mountains isn’t overly complicated or intricate, but that is a large part of the overall charm. A seemingly simple expedition is turned on its head with the discovery of a lifetime. However, this discovery seems incredibly realistic. From Professor Lake’s hasty reaction, to Dyer’s callous explorations, every piece of the book seems to make sense concerning the overall narrative. Although H.P. Lovecraft himself is reprehensible, the plot he created is worthy of praise.
The Writing:
The writing style Lovecraft employs in At the Mountains of Madness is highly methodical. Every single one of Dyer’s descriptions is incredibly detailed and helps paint a specific picture of what Lovecraft had in mind. Although there is something to be said about a man who can recount such horrible imagery to such a refined detail, and most of it isn’t good. That said, without the expansive descriptions the book would be virtually without tension or world-building.
The Following Section Contains Significant Spoilers
The Elder Ones are one of the most interesting fictional beasts ever created. They have such a rich implied history that there almost seems like there should be countless history books on these ancient extra-terestrials. Yet, it is the fact that humans have ever officially encountered the Elder Ones is what makes their inclusion so concerning. Moreover, Lovecraft’s unknowing yet apt descriptions helps make for one of the most interesting creatures in fiction. However, there is an even stranger beast located within the novella. The Shoggoth is one of the most insane creatures ever conceived of. There is almost no reasoning for its creation and yet it fits perfectly within the overall mythos.
In the end, the writing of At the Mountains of Madness might seem overly scientific, but it perfectly suits the overall narrative. It might be somewhat jarring for modern readers, but it is an invaluable asset to the story. The writing is obviously the most important part of any story, but Lovecraft seems to take full advantage of the idea of suspense which is the majority of the novel. However, unlike similar stories the payoff is actually much more expansive than the reader could’ve imagined.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, despite my personal misgivings with H.P. Lovecraft his novellas are definitely worth checking out. If you are a fan of the science fiction or suspense horror genres, this is definitely a short story you would enjoy. Moreover, even though the author himself is rather deplorable, he has written an expansive mythos to get lost in. Lovecraft is ultimately the perfect indication that even the best writing might be written by a lackluster human being. Either way, there is a reason that At the Mountains of Madness is considered one of the greatest short stories of all time. It was definitely far ahead of its time.
