Abstract
In Supernatural Horror in Literature, H. P. Lovecraft identifies weird fiction as a rarified form of supernatural horror, characterized by atmospheric effect and violation of natural laws. He correlates reader receptiveness to these elements with heightened sensitivity to the best fiction published in pulp horror magazines. Lovecraft’s views on the reception of weird fiction persisted for decades after his death, propagated by many authors, critics, editors, and publishers. Developments from the 1980s onward, including the hybridization and evolution of weird fiction, have led to a weakening consensus. Even as Lovecraft’s claims seem to weaken, however, ongoing debates about the character of weird fiction are reanimating them, with some writers celebrating the form’s specialness, even as other developments have devalued weird fiction as a meaningful label.
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