Is 'I Love Azathoth' Based On Lovecraftian Lore?

As someone who's devoured every Lovecraft story multiple times, I can confirm 'I Love Azathoth' absolutely draws from Lovecraftian lore but remixes it brilliantly. The creator clearly understands cosmic horror fundamentals - the insignificance of humanity, incomprehensible entities beyond spacetime - but gives Azathoth surprising depth. Instead of being just a mindless nuclear chaos at reality's center, the story explores what might happen if Azathoth briefly gained consciousness and formed attachments. The descriptions of R'lyeh rising maintain that classic eldritch architecture vibe with non-Euclidean geometry that would make H.P. proud, while the cultists speak in authentic-sounding rituals that feel lifted from 'The Call of Cthulhu'. What's fresh is how it blends this with modern romance tropes without losing the existential dread that defines Lovecraft's work.

Having analyzed both Lovecraft's original texts and 'I Love Azathoth' side by side, the connections run deeper than surface-level references. The story operates on multiple layers of Lovecraftian influence. At its core, it preserves the ontological horror - characters frequently experience reality-warping visions that echo 'The Dreams in the Witch House', where mathematics and physics break down in impossible ways. The protagonist's gradual descent into madness mirrors classic protagonists like those in 'The Shadow Over Innsmouth', except here the madness comes from affection rather than terror.

Where it innovates is in characterization. Lovecraft rarely gave his cosmic entities personalities beyond 'indifferent', but 'I Love Azathoth' imagines how such beings might interact with humans on emotional levels. The Outer Gods aren't just forces of nature here; they have curiosities and quirks that make them feel alien yet strangely relatable. Nyarlathotep appears as a trickster figure much like in 'The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath', but with added layers of manipulative charm that drive the plot forward.

The story also expands on Lovecraft's mythology in clever ways. It introduces new grimoires that feel authentic to the Mythos, like the 'Liber Carnis Divinum' that details forbidden romances between humans and entities. The inclusion of lesser-known deities like Hypnos and Atlach-Nacha shows the creator did their homework beyond just the popular Cthulhu stuff. For readers who enjoy this blend, I'd suggest checking out 'The Arrival of Missives' for another fresh take on cosmic horror romance.

From a literary adaptation perspective, 'I Love Azathoth' treats Lovecraft's universe like jazz - it knows the standards but isn't afraid to improvise. The lore accuracy shines in details like the protagonist's dreams being gateways to Yog-Sothoth's realm, directly referencing 'Through the Gates of the Silver Key'. The color out of space makes a cameo as an alien matchmaker, which is such a smart repurposing of that concept.

What fascinates me is how it handles the inherent racism in Lovecraft's work. Instead of ignoring it, the story actively subverts those elements by having POC characters interact meaningfully with the Mythos. The Haitian vodou priestess who teaches Azathoth about human emotions through music is a standout - she transforms something meant to be terrifying into something beautiful, which feels like poetic justice. The eldritch languages incorporate genuine linguistic patterns from Lovecraft's notebooks, but the story adds emotional contexts he never considered. For those interested in similar reimaginings, 'Winter Tide' does equally interesting things with the Innsmouth legacy.