It's not a bad idea to call this Cthulhuism &…
“It's not a bad idea to call this Cthulhuism & Yog-Sothothery of mine "The Mythology of Hastur" - although it was really from Machen & Dunsany & others, rather than through the Bierce-Chambers line, that I picked up my gradually developing hash of theogony - or daimonogony. Come to think of it, I guess I sling this stuff more as Chambers does than as Machen & Dunsany do - though I had written a good deal of it before I ever suspected that Chambers ever wrote a weird story!”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The author reflects on blending influences from early 20th‑century weird fiction—Machen, Dunsany, Chambers—to forge a personal mythos, acknowledging both homage and original development.
In simple terms: A hybrid mythic creation rooted in classic weird fiction.
Key Takeaway
Personal mythos can emerge from remixing literary influences.
Themes
intertextuality
mythic world‑building
authorial influence
genre evolution
Mood
playful
reflective
Type
personal essay
literary commentary
When to use this quote
- writing a new story
- lecturing on weird fiction
- curating a themed anthology
- discussing literary lineage
Key Concepts
Cthulhu mythos
Hastur lore
daimonogony
Practical Applications
- Developing a unique setting for a novel
- Teaching a class on genre blending
Questions to Reflect On
- How does borrowing from predecessors shape originality?
- What responsibilities does an author have when remixing mythic elements?