The Cult of Alien Gods: H. P. Lovecraft and Extraterrestrial Pop Culture
Encyclopedia
The Cult of Alien Gods: H. P. Lovecraft and Extraterrestrial Pop Culture is a 2005 book by Jason Colavito, a contributor to Skeptic magazine
, and published by Prometheus Books
. The central thesis of the book is that the "ancient astronaut theory
" popularized by Erich von Däniken
in Chariots of the Gods? was directly influenced by the Cthulhu Mythos
series of science fiction horror stories by H. P. Lovecraft
. It also branches out to examine both the literary influences of Lovecraft as well as the wider "extraterrestrial pop culture" (such as Stargate SG-1
).
Skeptic (U.S. magazine)
Skeptic is a quarterly science education and science advocacy magazine published internationally by The Skeptics Society, a nonprofit organization devoted to promoting scientific skepticism and resisting the spread of pseudoscience, superstition, and irrational beliefs...
, and published by Prometheus Books
Prometheus Books
Prometheus Books is a publishing company founded in August 1969 by Paul Kurtz, who also founded the Council for Secular Humanism and co-founded the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He is currently the chairman of all three organizations. Prometheus Books publishes a range of books, including many...
. The central thesis of the book is that the "ancient astronaut theory
Ancient astronaut theory
Some writers have proposed that intelligent extraterrestrial beings have visited Earth in antiquity or prehistory and made contact with humans. Such visitors are called ancient astronauts or ancient aliens. Proponents suggest that this contact influenced the development of human cultures,...
" popularized by Erich von Däniken
Erich von Däniken
Erich Anton Paul von Däniken is a Swiss author best known for his controversial claims about extraterrestrial influences on early human culture, in books such as Chariots of the Gods?, published in 1968...
in Chariots of the Gods? was directly influenced by the Cthulhu Mythos
Cthulhu Mythos
The Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe, based on the work of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.The term was first coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent of Lovecraft, who used the name of the creature Cthulhu - a central figure in Lovecraft literature and the focus...
series of science fiction horror stories by H. P. Lovecraft
H. P. Lovecraft
Howard Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
. It also branches out to examine both the literary influences of Lovecraft as well as the wider "extraterrestrial pop culture" (such as Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
).
Table of Contents
- The Crossroads of Fact and Fiction
- Science and Pseudoscience in Lovecraft's Time
- Science Fiction and Horror before Lovecraft
- The Prophet of Providence
- The Spread of the Lovecraft Circle
- The UFO Craze in Fact and Fiction
- The French Connection
- Charioteer of the Gods
- The Fork in the Road
- The Sirius Mystery
- The Orion Mystery
- Dusting for Fingerprints
- The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
- Ancestors from Nibiru
- Taking Off from Nibiru
- The UFO Cults and Human Cloning
- A Modern Mythology for Troubled Times
- Appendix: A Continuum of Belief