The Colour Out of Space

When a meteorite crashes on the Gardner family's farm in Massachusetts, it releases an indescribable colour, an alien entity that slowly poisons the land, warps nature, and drives the family to madness. The first of Lovecraft's short stories to exhibit his trademark blend of science-fiction and horror, The Colour Out of Space explores themes of isolation, the limits of human understanding, and the terrifying indifference of the universe. Published in 1927 in the science-fiction magazine Amazing Stories, The Colour Out of Space is considered one of Lovecraft's finest works, and was the author's personal favourite. Though virtually unknown and financially unsuccessful during his lifetime, H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) is now regarded as one of the most influential 20th-century writers of supernatural horror fiction. Widely credited with inventing the "cosmic horror" genre—fiction that explores humanity's insignificance in the face of vast, unknowable cosmic forces—he also created the "Cthulhu Mythos", a shared universe of ancient alien beings and forbidden knowledge that has influenced generations of horror and science fiction writers.