Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft and Thomas Ligotti !

[Ismael Hegazy 99]

Do you think Thomas Ligotti can be seen as the philosophical heir to both H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard—carrying forward their shared vision of cosmic indifference, human insignificance, and the collapse of meaning, but stripping it of mythic heroism and leaving only pure existential dread?

 

[Knygathin]

I would agree. Of the three, I think probably Ligotti and Howard have the darkest outlook. My impression of Lovecraft, especially in reading his letters, is that he had a detachment from his intellectual vision, being able to overcome some of his anxiety and actually enjoy being alive as a civilized gentleman and artist. I don't know how much of Robert E. Howard's writings Ligotti has read, but he is at least philosophical heir to Lovecraft; and Howard in his turn was inspired by Lovecraft, so they are all connected.

 

[cannibal cop]

Yes, but in terms of literary style I think he owes more to Poe and Robert W. Chambers.