The Challenge from Beyond

Introduction

The challenge from beyond is a round-robin (collaboration) 1935 horror short story written by Howard Phillips Lovecraft, Frank Belknap Long, Robert E. Howard, C. L. Moore, and Abraham Merritt. It was published in Fantasy Magazine and is part of the Cthulhu Mythos. Howard wrote one chapter of this story. It was published in September 1935 in Fantasy Magazine, a fan publication.

This unique literary experiment, The Challenge From Beyond, comprises two distinct parts created by an ensemble of science fiction and fantasy writers, each contributing to a narrative that bridges the realms of the mundane and the extraordinary. Here’s a detailed summary of each author’s contribution to the fantasy version, followed by a list of characters and their roles.

C. L. Moore

George Campbell, relishing his vacation in the Canadian woods, discovers a peculiar, ancient crystal cube after being awoken by a nocturnal disturbance. This cube, smooth and perfectly formed despite its evident antiquity, captivates Campbell with its inscrutable presence and mysterious, cuneiform-like inscriptions. Intrigued and unsettled, Campbell’s initial examination reveals little about the cube’s origin or purpose, setting the stage for a journey beyond the bounds of his understanding.

A. Merritt

As Campbell investigates the cube further, it begins to emit a faint, mesmerizing light, accompanied by ethereal sounds reminiscent of distant music. This phenomenon intensifies his curiosity and unease, drawing him into an inexplicable, almost hypnotic engagement with the object. The cube’s glowing and the strange music hint at an otherworldly essence, suggesting that the artifact is more than merely a relic of the past.

H.P. Lovecraft

Campbell’s encounter with the cube transcends the physical as he experiences a disorienting journey across cosmic distances, ultimately finding himself disembodied in a realm far removed from human understanding. This segment plunges Campbell into a nightmarish introspection, where he grapples with the reality of his situation and the horrifying possibility that he has become entangled in an ancient, extraterrestrial scheme beyond his comprehension.

Robert E. Howard

Campbell, now trapped in the body of an alien creature on a distant world, embraces his new, monstrous form with a sense of liberation and power. Determined to carve out a dominion for himself in this unfamiliar reality, he employs his human cunning in a brutal struggle for survival and supremacy. This act of defiance against his circumstances demonstrates Campbell’s refusal to be a victim of fate, showcasing a primal, almost barbaric resolve.

Frank Belknap Long

Meanwhile, on Earth, the body of George Campbell, inhabited by the mind of an alien creature, undergoes a transformation reflecting its new, non-human consciousness. This metamorphosis culminates in a grim tableau that juxtaposes the savagery of nature with the existential horror of a being torn from its world and thrust into an alien existence. The narrative closes with a profound meditation on identity, belonging, and the inherent violence of life, both on Earth and across the cosmos.

Characters and their roles

  • George Campbell: A university professor on vacation, whose curiosity leads him to a life-altering encounter with an ancient, alien artifact.
  • The Alien (Inhabiting Campbell’s Body): An entity from a distant world, thrust into Campbell’s body, struggling with its new, bestial form on Earth.
  • Yukth: The supreme lord of science on the alien planet Yekub, who becomes a victim of Campbell’s desperate bid for freedom and power.
  • Tothe: The alien creature whose body George Campbell inhabits on the planet Yekub, enabling Campbell’s struggle for dominance in an alien society.
  • The Worm-Priest: A guardian of the alien deity, killed by Campbell in his quest to seize control of Yekub.
  • The Red God of Yekub: A powerful entity revered by the inhabitants of Yekub, symbolizing Campbell’s ultimate conquest and transformation.

Published in:

More information, links, etc.: