"Peter Cannon stands alone among Lovecraft scholars, in both his ability to place Lovecraft in a larger context and his inability to take himself too seriously. His essays break away from the reverential and myopic outlook that too often pervades Lovecraft studies, reminding us that Lovecraft is simply one among many literary artists. By being unafraid to attack when appropriate and ridicule when necessary, Cannon presents Lovecraft in a brilliant white light and forces us to assess the writer's achievements objectively." -- from the "Introduction" by Steven Mariconda.