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H.P. Lovecraft
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The Terrible Old Man Kindle Edition

by H. P. Lovecraft (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 244 ratings
The first story set in the fishing village of Kingsport, which is featured in the later works of the one of the greatest horror writers of all time.
 
It is rumored that the mysterious old man who lives alone in the small New England town was once a sea captain. It is also rumored that he is hoarding a treasure. When three robbers decide to steal it, they will encounter a bloodthirsty evil unlike any they ever imagined . . .
 
“The Terrible Old Man is the story of three career criminals looking to rob the eponymous character, an eccentric retired mariner so ancient that no one alive remembers his youth. . . . This is also the first story set in the fictional New England geography that Lovecraft will detail over the course of future writing. . . . So, what we see in these stories is Lovecraft beginning to construct the alternate world which will be the home to his most famous works, at least as much a unifying element of the author’s oeuvre as those details subsequent writers and critics have defined as the ‘Cthulhu Mythos.’ As such, The Terrible Old Man is not only an effective piece of eerie storytelling, it is also an important stepping stone in the development of a bigger Lovecraftian world.” —The Blood-Shed
 
“A piece of minimalist brushwork, with most of the narrative suggested by negative space . . . In sharp contrast to the central Mythos tales, the horror is allusive and oblique, the violence kept off-stage.” —Tor.com
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  1. Print length
    26 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Open Road Media
  4. Publication date
    April 7, 2020
  5. File size
    3.9 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B086MP95XH
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media (April 7, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 7, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.9 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 26 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 244 ratings

About the author

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H.P. Lovecraft

H.P. Lovecraft

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H. P. Lovecraft was born in 1890 in Providence, Rhode Island, where he lived most of his life. He wrote many essays and poems early in his career, but gradually focused on the writing of horror stories, after the advent in 1923 of the pulp magazine Weird Tales, to which he contributed most of his fiction. His relatively small corpus of fiction--three short novels and about sixty short stories--has nevertheless exercised a wide influence on subsequent work in the field, and he is regarded as the leading twentieth-century American author of supernatural fiction. H. P. Lovecraft died in Providence in 1937.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
244 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book wonderfully written and entertaining to read, with positive feedback about its pacing. The story length receives mixed reactions from customers.

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7 customers mention "Readability"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and fun to listen to, with one mentioning it definitely holds your interest.

"Enjoyed the story very much. Definitely Holds your interest. Very well written! But expected more of it. Much too short!." Read more

"...Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of eye issues and damage from nerve damage. 🏡🔰😤👔 2022..." Read more

"...Could have been very interesting had it been a book. Loved what I read!" Read more

"...since I assumed it was at least a novella, but still, a fun read...." Read more

7 customers mention "Writing quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting the author's talent for creating engaging content.

"Enjoyed the story very much. Definitely Holds your interest. Very well written! But expected more of it. Much too short!." Read more

"...A nice first read for those interested in this excellent author." Read more

"...later, developed Lovecraftian tale, but with elements there, and well-written." Read more

"Written by a genius. I never lose the awe I hope for Lovecraft's writing. He always paints suspenseful and beautiful story with his words." Read more

4 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book terrible good.

"...It wasn't great, it wasn't bad, it was a fast read and ended abruptly with you as the reader, filling in the blank spaces left behind. Meh...." Read more

"It was terrible good...." Read more

"Bad, bad, bad..." Read more

"Awful......" Read more

16 customers mention "Story length"10 positive6 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the story length of the book, with some finding it memorable and quick to read, while others note it is very short.

"Enjoyed the story very much. Definitely Holds your interest. Very well written! But expected more of it. Much too short!." Read more

"A very short short story. A disappointment, since I assumed it was at least a novella, but still, a fun read...." Read more

"...It wasn't great, it wasn't bad, it was a fast read and ended abruptly with you as the reader, filling in the blank spaces left behind. Meh...." Read more

"...I would recommend this novella to anyone looking for a quick read...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Helen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Page turner
    Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Enjoyed the story very much. Definitely Holds your interest. Very well written! But expected more of it. Much too short!.
    One person found this helpful
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  • K. Johnson
    3.0 out of 5 stars Exactly as expected
    Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    After reading many of the reviews, I had an idea of what to expect and this book was exactly that. Keeping in mind the time period in which it was written, and the way books were light on content, I expected exactly what I got. It wasn't great, it wasn't bad, it was a fast read and ended abruptly with you as the reader, filling in the blank spaces left behind.
    Meh. Sometimes I just like to read older authors just to get a feel for something from another era, and this is one of those 'other era' kind of books.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining listening 🔰😮
    Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Another will written fantasy adventure thriller short story by H. P. Lovecraft about the old man 🚹 who is about to be robbed by three men. What went wrong with their plan? I would recommend this novella to anyone looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of eye issues and damage from nerve damage. 🏡🔰😤👔 2022
    Helpful
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  • Rick C.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent stuff. Much better than most of the "free" books available here.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I've not dabbled in Lovecraft for decades. This brief reintroduction will have me searching for additional works. A nice first read for those interested in this excellent author.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Mark Demo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beware of old people
    Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed reading this article about Lovecraft's earlier work. The author has a talent for making the reader imagine the UNIMAGINABLE! I will look for other works by him.
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  • Seabird
    5.0 out of 5 stars Not very long
    Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Would loved for it to be a book. Just got settled down and read through in five minutes! Could have been very interesting had it been a book. Loved what I read!
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  • Reddfoxx
    3.0 out of 5 stars Short story
    Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    A very short short story. A disappointment, since I assumed it was at least a novella, but still, a fun read. Not quite the later, developed Lovecraftian tale, but with elements there, and well-written.
    Helpful
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  • Dave The Magic Man
    4.0 out of 5 stars Early Lovecraft
    Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    It's been said that the imagined horror can be worse than having it handed to you. Such is the case of "The Terrible Old Man". Less is more.
    Good short story.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Chris Straughan
    3.0 out of 5 stars Dated but still a worthwhile read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 23, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    For its time, this story may have been considerably scary. It certainly appears as if it had a lasting impact over the ages. However age has not treated it kindly as it leaves much to be desired in a modern era. A good note however is its lack of explanation which does increase the tension of its story. No explanation as to who the man is, what he did to the three robbers and why he speaks with the bottles. This leaves readers curious and wanting more. Thus they may seek answers in other stories by Lovecraft prompting them to read more. Overall, however short, this story is worth reading.
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