"The Festival" by H. P. Lovecraft / 2023 Recording

[@pjm3005]

Great tale. Pretty much encapsulates everything that the Mythos is about. Can't believe that this one isn't one of his more popular stories.

[@itzybitzyspyder]

I like this one. The slow winding path from holiday tidings to Eldritch gatherings. Over the river and through the veil to grandmother's house we go!

[@GordonHouston-Smith]

The first H.P.L. story that I read, some 40+ years ago, I was hooked. Still one of my favourites. Narration second to none.

[@klausbuck7069]

It was one of my first Lovecraft stories, too. Every Christmastide, my family listens to The Festival, either read by one of us or on Hororbabble.

[@spackretired]

My favorite Christmas story... Every year under the Christmas tree...🧟‍♂️

[@ImCarolB]

That last line is a gem!

[@falgalhutkinsmarzcal3962]

"Unmentionable Necronomicon," he mentioned.

[@bertorosso5377]

Yep. My mind has been shattered.

[@andreasfilis9001]

One of the finest stories. I really love it.

[@thrashmetaldave]

A wonderful reading of one of Lovecraft's best eldritch tales

[@tellket]

Thank you for the post.

[@Eddy929292]

One of my favourite weird tales

[@BellusVerus]

Reminds me of my hometown,Newport, Rhode Island and the areas known as cliff walk and Ocean Drive. Aside from the casual drunken university student, I’ve seen some odd things there at night, similar in theme, that other locals sometimes would talk about. Nothing to this extent of course though lol. Always look forward to your uploads and fantastic narration! Keep up the great work!

[@jessisage4708]

Yay! Love this one so much i know parts of it by heart❤❤❤ thanks for the treat!

[@midknightgeek6629]

The first Lovecraft story I ever read back in High School in the early 80's, immediately followed by "The Tomb"...was completely hooked! Still. Thank you for the reading. Give it a whole new dimension and atmosphere! 😎👍

[@donaldmccleary9015]

A wonderful tale that never gets old. I listen to every version of this you record. I love the descriptions of the old houses, architecture, and interiors. This story perfectly describes old New England this time of year (I love it every time I hear it). Great tale for a cold winter night (they all are)! Thanks!

[@litaholic4572]

One of the best Lovecraftian tales I've experienced so far. It exerts a drawing yet haunting pull that you are unable to be free of and get taken thorough the course despite its chilling air.

[@picklerick.n.666]

God bless you and your work and your team sir ❤ deep respect from Croatia-Europe ❤

[@thefisherking78]

One of those stories I keep coming back to over and over again

[@ruth_southernstar]

Thank you so much. I really enjoyed this tale, and your narration. From Ruth x

[@mortuarycookiezshane4192]

I always forget how much I like this one until I hear it or read it in a collection again. Thanks as always!

[@soulreaver1983]

Many thanks for another masterpiece Ian!😎👍🏻

[@stevesimz0017]

My favorite. Want to visit Marblehead one day.

[@paullevine1813]

I had a friend back in my Jr High school days who lent me a book with HPs stories & i fell in love with them & found i couldn't get enough so i searched out as many as i could finally finding all or close to all Lovecraft's work which I've read many times over & along with August Derleth they are my favorite writers & i can't leave Mr. Poe out of this as these were the greats i have come to love. Super job as always Ian & Horror Babble & i can't leave out Warren as he's really not dead.

[@Ronirvan]

Great reading master. I long to see another recording of The Dunwich Horror, my favorite.

[@HorrorBabble]

There's a new rendition in the works, being recorded specifically for our upcoming expanded Cthulhu Mythos collection.

[@Ronirvan]

@@HorrorBabble My utmost thanks sir!

[@tellket]

Love to curl up to a good reading. Thank you for all your posts and merry Christmas to you and all yours. ❤

[@paulandreotti1639]

@Horrorbabble 1:57 Respectfully requesting a sequel written for Horrorbabble's Christmas special and the 100th anniversary of this story.

[@HorrorBabble]

We're returning to Winter Hill this Christmas... But there are many more Christmases to follow!

[@teslastellar]

A wonderful story and perfect narration 👍 Thank you Ian 🙂💕

[@joshstarling9422]

I'm here from signalis.

[@brandontadday6288]

“Great holes secretly are digged where earth's pores ought to suffice, and things have learnt to walk that ought to crawl.”

[@RolandWieffering1]

I have always found this a special story. Naming the Yule Tide, and the dark people who had to learn the language of the blue eyed fishermen. And the Yule Tide is indeed the name before Christianity renamed it. Appointments made a century ago. It gives the story a timeless atmosphere. Sounds great. Thanks Pals.....🤫🤔

[@Driven2Beers]

Still better than Christmas with my in-laws!

[@thefisherking78]

Hahahaha

[@АртёмДубравин-ы6у]

you are hitting one home run after the other! great job

[@0therun1t21]

Oh hell yes, thank you!

[@szabolcsmezei4088]

Thank you, thiis is probably my favourite Lovecraft story, alongside The Strange High House in the Mist. I hope to hear that in your performance too. Oh, you have recorded it, and I have listened to it... how quickly memory fills anew.

[@AcornElectron]

“I now observed that I had with me an electric lantern and two spades, whilst my companion was supplied with a similar lantern and a portable telephone outfit…..” Re-recordings are always welcome if they improve on the original. Keep up the good work and, as always, stay safe!

[@nownowpippo]

that ending is chillin

[@Nanosuit37]

Well done. Very good. Excellent as always. Thank you Mr. Gordon and Horror Babble. Until next time.

[@edmundkempin3170]

Excellent reading. One of ny favourite Weird Tales for sure

[@robbabcock_]

Wondrous tale! 👏

[@ScottishLeo]

YT just recommended your channel, so far I'm eerily thrilled & can't wait to explore further creepy stories Great thumbnails even tho some of em make my spine squirm

[@laurahenriksen19]

Always like this one x

[@nancyM1313]

❤ Horror Babble

[@tellket]

Thanks!

[@HorrorBabble]

Thank you very much!

[@Mare_Man]

I think this is one of the best entry points into Lovecraft's work

[@bigsarge2085]

❤‍🔥

[@samsonsoturian6013]

The truth behind this horror is Christmas really had diverged REALLY far away from its earliest known origins in Saternalia. Originally new years, the winter solstice, and the holiday were on the same day but two calendar corrections destroyed that.

[@HorrorBabble]

Interesting...

[@psychkosys]

With several books to choose from while he waits, he goes stampeding right to the Necronomicon. Must have had a nice looking dust jacket. 😂

[@joannewatts9892]

One of my favorite Lovecraft stories .. I discovered an entire nest of rattlesnakes under my old deck , so I'm hold up in my room terrified . I had to hear an Ian Gordon story with a seditive to calm me down tonight 🐍🐍🏚️🏞️🐿️🐦 I'm afraid for my squirrel & bird friends ♠️🐍

[@ZephaniahL]

Dear Lord. Have those demon spawn burnt alive!

[@joannewatts9892]

@@ZephaniahL that would be cruel ! I've encountered rattlesnakes before & they're not out to get you . They eat mice & rats & I have a problem with mice , so I'll live & let live.. it's just a bit shocking at first , but just back away from them & you'll be okay 🐍🐍🏚️❣️

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Ask them to play maracas on your disco track.

[@guaporeturns9472]

@@sub-jec-tivGreat idea!!

[@guaporeturns9472]

@@ZephaniahLI have em around my place , they don’t bother me much

[@Shamalamalam]

Classic, Robert E Howard ties some unheard westerns into the Mythos.. might be worth checking out.

[@HorrorBabble]

Indeed!

[@Slechy_Lesh]

12:26

[@anthonybarnwell767]

Today is my birthday 🎉🎉

[@ImCarolB]

Happy birthday to you!

[@HorrorBabble]

Happy Birthday for yesterday!

[@anthonybarnwell767]

Thank you mr Gordon

[@tctheunbeliever]

I don't know why, but among all the horrors of this story something about the old woman at the spinning wheel really unsettles me. That's honestly not meant to be a pun.

[@Bbergster]

Family….

[@tamlandipper29]

Listening again, is there a link here to A Long Weekend at Happy Chambers?

[@HorrorBabble]

Very possibly: "The eyes never moved, and the skin was too like wax. Finally I was sure it was not a face at all, but a fiendishly cunning mask."

[@Eris123451]

If you keep that up you'll putting Acorn Electron out of a job.

[@PlayNiceFolks]

I have an idea. Do some of HPL's letters. There's a couple of gems in there.

[@HorrorBabble]

I'm not sure letters would be relevant here, unless included as part of a new story perhaps.

[@unclesam1756]

This was good, but I actually like the older recording a bit better.

[@HorrorBabble]

I can't argue with that.

[@nathanharper5670]

You can tell it's his earlier work because his padding is clumsier and lacking his sesquipedalian prose. Also, thanks for being a real human, unlike the robots at Gates of Imagination.

[@HorrorBabble]

AI?

[@nathanharper5670]

Gates of Imagination certainly is - unless you, as a person, would see 6 asterisks on a page and say the word "asterisk" the exact same way six times in a row. (I commented on their "The Lair of the White Worm" video with a timestamp, if you're interested to hear it yourself.) It also struggles with words where the letter E has an I sound, and vice-versa. And they put out waaay too much content to be paying humans and a recording studio (unless they're somehow making a ton of money with them). It's a pretty good AI, but still can't get emphasis right, like - for instance - you do.

[@HorrorBabble]

Oh dear... There's a time and place for AI, but that sounds like overkill to me.

[@nathanharper5670]

Indeed. THE ROBOTS ARE COMING FOR US!!!

[@Khomatone]

I am Providence.

[@rubbaclaymo2822]

what are the odds of hearing you read Dante's inferno?

[@HorrorBabble]

Unlikely... Though references to it will appear in future originals.