The Night Land by W.H. Hodgson

[vladtolenkov]

I've got Nightshade's hardback edition of The Night Land by William Hope Hodgson, and I've told myself several times that I AM going to read it, but I haven't yet except for a few false starts.

I first became aware of it when I read Lovecraft's Supernatural Horror in Literature, and it sounded amazing. The archaic prose style puts lots of people off, but I am undaunted as I've waded my way through my share of 19th C. novels (I'm an English Major).

Just curious if anybody here has read it or even Hodgson's other famous story The House on the Borderland.

[stonetoflesh]

I haven't tracked down a copy of The Night Land yet, but I've heard and read many good things about it. The House on the Borderland is a pretty fun creepy tale, I read it last year. I don't remember the prose being particularly difficult, certainly no more than Dunsany, Lovecraft or Smith; it was certainly easier and faster than Eddison or William Morris...

[dwayanu]

The prologue to the main story in TNL may be rough going. I'm not sure why Hodgson chose such a narrator-protagonist. And of course you have not said why you keep setting aside the book. I think the Night Land itself is a memorable creation and the adventure engaging.

[terje]

I really liked the House on the Borderlands, but has not yet been able to get through the Night Land. And yes in my case it is the pseudo-antiquated language that puts me off, though the world of the night land is fascinating.

Have you seen the anthologies with short stories set in the Night Land? They are available from this site: www.thenightland.co.uk

[welleran]

The Night Land is well worth reading, though it is not always easy because of the prose style. Still, the underlying ideas are amazing and there is a very good reason why Lovecraft spoke very highly of it. It certainly gives one a real sense of eerie, evil "otherness" that makes for great literature and great gaming ideas. The House on the Broderlands is another good one, easier to read but, IMHO, not quite as awe-inspiring.

[crusssdaddy]

A very easy entry into the world of The Night Land is the short story 'Awake in the Night'. This story made a few 'Best Of' lists and compilations a couple years ago:

www.thenightland.co.uk/nightawake.html

[palmer]

I've thought the Nightland might make an interesting one-shot or short campaign. Maybe via a gate of some sort, the characters could move from their home game world to the Nightland to rescue someone, or retreive something. It would pretty much be a very atmospheric overland dungeon crawl, since everything is trying to kill you, and/or, suck out your soul. There isn't any negotiating or parley with the monsters of The Nightland. There really isn't any treasure to be won either. And I sure as hell would'nt want any characters to bring back a working diskos to the home game.