can i get a quick rundown on Thomas Ligotti?

>>9377042
>the call that saved the human race

>>9377042
>dude metaphysical nihilism lmao

He started writing in the 70s but thought his own work was shit so he discarded it. It wasn't until the 80s he felt his stories were worth keeping. He started publishing in small zines like Nyctalops, Nocturne, and Crypt of Cthulhu, the latter in which he caught the attention of people like Lin Carter (famous Lovecraft scholar and archivist) and writer Ramsey Campbell. He remained a cult figure until the past couple years, with the tv series True Detective throwing some light on him, as well as Penguin Classics re-publishing his first two books.

He's an oddity in that he writes horror stories, but his influences aren't horror writers. Style-wise he follows in the steps of Bruno Schulz, Thomas Bernhard and Vladimir Nabokov, though thematically he's closer to Poe or Lovecraft, with his already-kinda-insane protagonists existing in an indifferent or hostile world that only accentuates their madness.

His worst stories read like pastiches of the above mentioned authors (though they're still miles ahead from most writers in the genre). But when he's good he comes up with something like: http://weirdfictionreview.com/2011/12/the-red-tower-by-thomas-ligotti/

Doesn't write or publish much due to mental and medical issues.

>>9377150

good post

>>9377150

thanks that clears it up a bit, any suggestions on where to start? Is Grimscribe a good starting point?

>>9377228
yes

>>9377150
>though thematically he's closer to Poe or Lovecraft
Kafka more so, I'd have said. Especially later on.

>>9377053
>Bogdanoff
>Ligotti

>Bog
>Gott

They are connected, but in ways mortals cannot understand

>we're all just puppets on a string man, bwa-hahahahaha!

>>9377042
existence was a mistake