"The Alchemist" by H. P. Lovecraft / A HorrorBabble Production

[@HorrorBabble]

"The Alchemist" is a short story by American author H. P. Lovecraft, written in 1908. The tale, which first appeared in the magazine, United Amateur, in 1916, centres around a man’s quest for answers with regards to the mysterious deaths of his ancestors, all of whom died at approximately thirty-two years of age. Chapters: 00:16 - Introduction 00:54 - The Alchemist 24:04 - Further Listening Bandcamp link: horrorbabble.bandcamp.com/album/the-alchemist Narrated by Ian Gordon for HorrorBabble Music and production by Ian Gordon & Jennifer Gill Image by Evelyn_Chai: pixabay.com/users/evelyn_chai-8705727 Support us on Bandcamp or Patreon: horrorbabble.bandcamp.com www.patreon.com/horrorbabble HorrorBabble MERCH: teespring.com/stores/horrorbabble-merch Search HORRORBABBLE to find us on: AUDIBLE / ITUNES / SPOTIFY Home: www.horrorbabble.com Rue Morgue: www.rue-morgue.com Social Media: facebook.com/HorrorBabble instagram.com/horrorbabble twitter.com/HorrorBabble

[@Tralman1965]

Impressive in that this was written by an 18 year old. H. P. Was so gifted!

[@billl2903]

I swear every time I listen to your videos, I hum right along with those piano notes in the intro like a tone deaf fool. I can’t be alone in doing it lol.

[@HorrorBabble]

Ha!

[@TsukiumisGuy]

In 2020, the American Rock Band BLUE OYSYER CULT, turned this into a song on their new Album THE SYMBOL REMAINS.

[@appiusverus4796]

the moment I saw your comment, I had to check it out. Amazing! Thanks for that!

[@TsukiumisGuy]

@@appiusverus4796 Glad I could help.

[@jopenope457]

Always great to find a narrator that doesn't go crazy with voices. Loved it, you are a great narrator!

[@jamiecameron7615]

You spoil us again with more H.P!!! Thank you very much!!

[@erra9490]

I so appreciate you and your crews' work. Thank you for sharing it with us, and thanks to those who support the site. Y'all have helped alot of people get thru many a long night.

[@billsummy2412]

I have been waiting for this one ..... AWESOME ! Thank you HorrorBabble :-)

[@Nanosuit37]

Excellent! Very good! You are a very talented narrator Mr. Gordon. Thank you Mr. Gordon and Horror Babble. Excellent as always. Until next time.

[@donaldmccleary9015]

I absolutely love this story. The narration is excellent. Thanks for narrating this. This story was in the first book of Lovecraft stories I read and I have a great fondness for it. The description of the ruined architecture is awesome. This one never gets old! You did a great job with Charles' words at the end.

[@williamcarroll9380]

I wish I had a collection of CD 's . The way you read is surely poetry. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Thank you. Ian

[@guyyatsu]

I wish you had a collection of CD's nutz

[@serendipity_hunter3974]

Yes!!!! I’ve been waiting for this one. Think I suggested this n the very beginning of my discovery of you. Thanks Ian.

[@katyavolkov4089]

Hard to get by each night without your daily uploads! So glad you’re back! ❤️

[@markmccullough6921]

Thank you for another magnificent Lovecraft reading. Utterly addicted to HorrorBabble and loving revisiting these fabulous tales.

[@johnoliva5153]

Thank you so much.Somehow I missed this story.Glad I found it here.You are the best.

[@litaholic4572]

Wonderful reading! I just started to delve into the works of Lovecraft and am deeply entrenched in his gripping and vividly chilling prose. Your voice is a perfect fit for his tales and I am excited to listen to more.

[@MrsCaranAmy]

This was definitely a superb find and tale. Thanks for a great narration.

[@M35567]

I’m used to Wayne June but your damn good. A nice mix up. I enjoy your almost fantastical speech makes it genuine fun, which is rare found in lovecraft work

[@HorrorBabble]

Thanks for stopping by!

[@kimnorth7060]

My favourite Lovecraft story perhaps because I study alchemy

[@Inquisitor_Zama]

kim north so, ignorant chemistry?

[@blarg2429]

@@Inquisitor_Zama More likely something along the lines of understanding alchemical theories for the sake of their historical significance. There's no clear dividing line between magical or protoscientific ideas and ones that modern people tend to take seriously, it's more of a gradient. That's not to put chemistry and alchemy on even footing in terms of which gives better tools for understanding how chemicals work and how to use them, just that alchemy isn't _just_ protochemistry, it's also a kind of philosophy. You know how chemists will refine a natural substance into just the part of it that's useful to them, leaving it unrecognizable in the process? That's what happened to alchemy to turn it into chemistry in the first place, so to speak.

[@Mrhandgrenade]

​@@blarg2429its been 4 YEARS

[@blarg2429]

@@Mrhandgrenade And?

[@prolificendangered1955]

Awsome!Happy belated New Year HB!

[@kacperx66]

The only story that gave me chills and made me truly terryfied. 10/10

[@Faladaena]

Blimey, narration in _real_ (the Queen's) English *and* HPL pen-fruit galore?? I will have me some more of that, thank you very much! [clicks sub button]

[@barryg528]

You can really see Poe’s influence in this one

[@scottwalton829]

I think his real surname is Le Saucier. Down there making sauces for 600 years. You didn’t think Pierre did the cooking did you?

[@Gorboduc]

He did 'em in with his killer bechamel.

[@judclark7376]

Lost in the sauce

[@joemo1033]

And here I am. And there you are. All at 8 o'clock.

[@XRAY20000]

Hh- ... How?

[@joemo1033]

@@XRAY20000 How indeed.

[@clark6050]

Yay! you finally did my favorite Lovecraft story!

[@markuscriticus8278]

So, the curse was just... Him killing them normally?

[@rachweatherilll69]

Lol and living for 600 years

[@markuscriticus8278]

@@rachweatherilll69 Okay, but that's not a curse on somebody else, that's just a thing you do. Was the guy actually a really crappy wizard who who only knew one spell?

[@atrocious_pr0xy]

@@markuscriticus8278 a 600 year old troll, fam.

[@rachweatherilll69]

You're being too critical Markus Criticus lol

[@rachweatherilll69]

P.s I wish I knew that one spell but look like I'm age 25 for 600 yrs hahaha

[@Vates104]

This is a truly great KZbin channel. My favorite is Edgar Allan Poe. After that Nathaniel Hawthorne and H G Wells. Lovecraft, Kafka, Borges are close behind. I also like Mrs Riddell, Leonid Andreyev, and R Murray Gilchrist.

[@benwil6048]

Perfect timing I thought I would miss it today xD

[@kenneth83DK]

Thx once again for ensuring my entry to the fleeting halls of sleep.

[@williamcarroll9380]

Love your reading. Thank you Ian.

[@Pistolbomb]

I love your short stories!

[@Inquisitor_Zama]

Gotta say, just came across your channel recently after I started diving back into lovecraft, and I have to say your voice is perfect for it.

[@olalustig5397]

Hell yeah,more lovecraft!More cthulu mythos!

[@lacyhart2043]

Awesome thanks so much for your nice story Lovecraft is cool

[@daanasmr]

What a coincidence! I just read this one on my channel today. I'm still listening though! ;)

[@robertwalker-smith2739]

I wonder if this is HPL's first use of the 'uttermost revelation at the very end of the narrative' trope. Other than that, this is like Clark Ashton Smith doing a Dunsany pastiche. Which is to say, completely delightful.

[@robbabcock_]

Wonderful tale!

[@docbrown7916]

Good read as always Ian !!

[@michaelkay5142]

🌵🐺🇲🇽¡Saludos desde Flagstaff Az!🇺🇸🐺🌵

[@MacobstonProductions]

This made my day :)

[@danbreeden1801]

Wonderful story from a young Lovecraft

[@vintagegamesintoxicatedlam1195]

Now I want to play some advanced dungeons and dragons......

[@rachweatherilll69]

That's a long time to hold a grudge lol

[@constantin5509]

Great reading. Good story.

[@BeastlyEwok]

Kinda saw that ending coming. Still a fantastic tale.

[@Aurora-fn6bp]

Great story.

[@nightmareyes9998]

“I! I! I! I AM CHARLES LE SORCIER”

[@soulreaver1983]

Excellent video dude! Very well read!☺👍

[@The4books]

Pretty good maiden voyage story!

[@danbreeden5481]

Excellent story

[@robber233]

Part of me thinks the old alchemist chose to meet his end... after all whats left when all you've lived for will be gone? The last of his cries seem to be in fear of the very thing he tried to do. Render his enemies forgotten.

[@icarusyeen2059]

Chuck Wizard's curse of 'shoot you in the face'

[@philippel.9086]

Charles le sorcier seems like a nice guy!

[@Crysomandiaz]

I would swipe right.

[@philippel.9086]

Crysomandiaz 😂 anyone who writes that he’s interested in dark magic in his tinder profile is husband material!

[@Crysomandiaz]

@moonknight 8 and he can prove he can give you a very long life :D

[@gothicdragonwarriorqueen5819]

Scary-as-shit cool!!!🙂🖤💀☠👻⚰🦇🕷🕸

[@magisterirae]

Great book

[@miiks...5...3...9...]

So did he just sit around for 32 years before killing them? For a magicak mastermind that unlocked the gift of immortality he seems rather stupid

[@chocolatebunnies6376]

It does sound silly, but upon reflection I find it to make sense. Having a routine repeat every 32 years may be the perfect way to structure an eternal life. Like a New Year’s/Christmas celebration. Reminds him what life is all about. He doesn’t have to just sit around in the meantime, 32 years gives complete freedom to take on other projects as well.

[@alexeisenhauer5874]

18:56 “Oi ‘as it ben two an tirty yars olraidy then?” 😵🎩

[@Jadguy24]

Chuck the Wizard’s spell of “I kill you!”

[@kristinacable]

Fantastic xoxo :)

[@courtschmied]

"IT IS I, I ,I THAT HAS LIVED FOR 600 _years_" I heard that sneaky edit lol Still, fantastic reading!

[@HorrorBabble]

I had to listen to that 6 times in order to figure out what you were referring to! We sometimes add FX to character voices, but in this instance, you're listening to the raw take.

[@ChiefSmackahoLLC]

Ian really is just _that good_

[@snakeseverywhere3256]

The Demons Head

[@williamcarroll9380]

I really wish I had CD 's

[@risker-wx9mw]

13:52 nothing important, just saving my spot.

[@Duchess_Van_Hoof]

Oh, it is *that* infamous story.

[@Nergal_Slayer]

What are you referring too? What is this story known for?

[@EricDaMAJ]

Back when Lovecraft wrote like a modern Hollywood screenwriter - saying the quiet part aloud and telling rather than showing. Still, pretty good for 18.

[@mariofan1ish]

A Lovecraft story without the word eldritch or tentacles? 5/10

[@Skepticfornow]

You can transmute without a circle?!?

[@brennacoleman6815]

The Hardly-Metal Alchemist (he'd be a lot more like Hohenheim, tho)

[@yamiyomizuki]

I know i asked before but would you consider reading An Offering To The Moon by Clark Ashton Smith? You actually read the sequel thereto The Uncharted Isle.

[@HorrorBabble]

Would you mind sending your suggestion via our website? That way we can keep track of it. Here's a link: www.horrorbabble.com/contact

[@montynelson5033]

its literally just- hm a wizard hasplaced a curse on my family that is killing them. how do i stop this curse!! magic?! (panic ensues) meanwhile the wizard is straight up murdering his family

[@ADeadmansperspective]

Hey Ian, I know this is an old video. But if I credit you can I borrow a few lines of your narration for a review of the short story? I actually linked your reading of the hound on my review for that story. I didn't take any part of your video, I just like your narration of that story best.

[@HorrorBabble]

Absolutely!

[@ADeadmansperspective]

Thank-you Ian. You're the best. Would you mind if I reviewed one of your origonal stories? I always liked "The Things that Came From Winter Hill".

[@TWBIAP]

Why is it all curses have to rhyme?

[@trillcosby4399]

So the elixir of eternal life is metal af

[@bittybitty8233]

💙🙋🏼‍♀️💙

[@bittybitty8233]

No notification of this...NOT COOL Y.T. ❗❗❗

[@HorrorBabble]

I'm not sure if this will be of any use to you, KB: support.google.com/youtube/answer/3382248?co=GENIE.Platform%3DiOS&hl=en

[@Duchess_Van_Hoof]

Have you considered doing Carmilla? It is wonderfully creepy at times, and she has a far more vibrant personality than Dracula ever haf.

[@HorrorBabble]

It's on our working list, DVH. We're hoping to record it eventually. :)

[@BeautifulEarthJa]

.....what happened next? I must know!!!!!

[@heatrayzvideo3007]

I listen to these when I have to sleep at work - I work in residential home for disabled people. I wonder if I'm odd loving the macabre before I sleep.

[@evancarneal7057]

I feel like I'm also this petty

[@philippel.9086]

:D

[@mauricedavis2160]

♊✨🙏

[@architecyudha8904]

onivia

[@AMTheOcarinaPlayer]

Anyone else are because of Full Metal Alchemist? 😏

[@AndrewLawsonjughead67]

Amateur ? He was no Amateur Ha

[@FrankMonday]

I do a variation of the reading here! kzbin.info/www/bejne/laOcaYeAm8mEb9U

[@TheHangedMan]

H.P. wrote this when he was 18... and it shows. Honestly not great. lol

[@davidmayhew8083]

What makes this writer so popular? I don't get it. I loathe his writing style. Is it name fetishizm? I think so.

[@madderhat5852]

So many wonderful H.P. stories. What is your H.P. source ? Hahahahahahahaha............um, I'll leave now.

[@Vlad_the_inhaler69]

So bro didnt expand his magical prowess in the meantime, he could've used the immortality to learn more and more magic over the time .