the finder's commentary

[JJ Burke]

i was wondering how people feel about the common mythos story-ending device of 'the finder's commentary,' in which the main storyline (typically) builds to a climax but doesn't resolve itself, and then there's a sort of cameo character saying 'these are the documents i found at the grisly scene of...' it's usually in the form of a news clipping or a police report or some document that insinuates a persistent threat that goes beyond the main character(s) who may or may not have died or gone crazy..

do you think this is too cliché or cut-corner? or can it be done with dignity? cite examples if you can. i'm grading you on this

[Erich Zann]

JJ Burke,

Are you referring to HPL's works only?

[JJ Burke]

any story by any writer. there are some endings like this in the one mythos anthology book i own, and i have seen more elsewhere. i don't want to pick on any particular writer or story.. just wondering if people noticed it as a trend and whether they have any opinions

[Jesus Prime]

I only ever use a first person narrative, whether it be top-down and looking at the past, or as a diary of sorts, because I like to have the same voice going the whole way through, for the most part.

[E.A. Lovecraft]

I think that device is somewhat tired and usually comes across as a cop-out in short stories. It's also often accompanied by a device that irks me to no end: the write-not-flight syndrome.

"Notebook Found in a Deserted House," by Robert Bloch, doesn't have the evidence presenter (for lack of a better term) cutting in at the end; the title takes care of that role neatly. But, if memory serves correct, it has the equally overplayed (and more ridiculous) device whereby the evidence's creator actually writes about the horror even as it approaches to do him in.

I want to say "The Hounds of Tindalos" and "The Haunter of the Dark" do the same thing, but I don't have immediate access to either story to check.

[Jesus Prime]

I think that device is somewhat tired and usually comes across as a cop-out in short stories. It's also often accompanied by a device that irks me to no end: the write-not-flight syndrome.

"Notebook Found in a Deserted House," by Robert Bloch, doesn't have the evidence presenter (for lack of a better term) cutting in at the end; the title takes care of that role neatly. But, if memory serves correct, it has the equally overplayed (and more ridiculous) device whereby the evidence's creator actually writes about the horror even as it approaches to do him in.

I want to say "The Hounds of Tindalos" and "The Haunter of the Dark" do the same thing, but I don't have immediate access to either story to check.

To be fair, if I remember rightly, "The Haunter of the Dark" explains that Blake wishes a diary left to warn anyone off doing what he did; but it does have that same feel to it. I have to confess I did exactly the same thing in "The Lure of the Kraken", but I left it open as to whether the writer has actually seen the Kraken tearing up the shore beside his house, or if he's just gone insane from living in fear and is imagining it.

[JJ Burke]

i'm nearing the end of my story.. (not like it matters, since nobody read part 2).. and i'm just trying to formulate a nice whiz-bang twist ending without being too desperate about it. one idea was to have a news article at the end, showing the mysterious aftermath of the climax.. but i get the feeling like that's 'giving up' on making a self-contained story from one person's perspective. i probably won't do this..

what's everybody's favorite mythos story ending?

[Jesus Prime]

Food for thought. I like people to get through the story alright, and wonder what the fuck was going on. Like "The Shadow Out of Time" or "The Whisperer In Darkness", or, of my own devising, "Thorn Within", "Where The Wild Things Are" and "Dreams From Outer Spheres".

[odin2]

....what's everybody's favorite mythos story ending?

The Statement of Randolph Carter, and The White Ship,
Have some of the best endings of all the Mythos stories I have read...

[JJ Burke]

what about those 2 endings sets them apart from other stories? (i haven't read them, so if you can explain without spoiling, go for it)

[E.A. Lovecraft]

I have to confess I did exactly the same thing in "The Lure of the Kraken", but I left it open as to whether the writer has actually seen the Kraken tearing up the shore beside his house, or if he's just gone insane from living in fear and is imagining it.

I haven't read that one yet, but will probably get to it soon in light of this thread. I enjoyed the other stuff of yours that I read.

I'm not convinced that the "finder's" device cannot be used effectively. It is, however, a bit stock these days, and I suspect using it makes it relatively easy for some authors to avoid putting in the extra effort to create the kind of ending that punches the reader in the gut.

If a story is a finder's narrative, then I prefer to know up front. It doesn't seem like such a letdown that way.

[E.A. Lovecraft]

i'm nearing the end of my story.. (not like it matters, since nobody read part 2)..

I'm glad you brought that up. I was too busy to read it when you posted it, planned on getting to it later, then forgot it was there.

[Jesus Prime]

If a story is a finder's narrative, then I prefer to know up front. It doesn't seem like such a letdown that way.

It seems quite corny just starting with "So I found this book on the side of the road and I'm going to read it to you". I don't think an entire tale can be done with the finder's narrative, but, as seen in "The Call of Cthulhu", you can add sections in using it without losing anyhting major.

[E.A. Lovecraft]

It seems quite corny just starting with "So I found this book on the side of the road and I'm going to read it to you".

Nobody said anything about "I'm going to read it to you." However, a little foreshadowing and some deft maneuvering can work wonders for setting up the premise and the mood.

[Jesus Prime]

What, so it's "I found this book. I'm too cheap to buy you anything new, so have it instead" ?