william hope hodgson

William Hope Hodgson is one of my favorite writers. A purveyor of eerie and supernatural stories, this British author is often compared with H.P. Lovecraft, though most science fiction and fantasy fans today have never heard of Hodgson. Many of his tales revolve around strange horrors from the sea. Hodgson himself was an experienced seaman, sailing around the world three times. Though he loved the sea as a youth, he eventually grew to loathe it. He was killed at the age of 41 (my current age) in that colossal waste of human lives now known as World War I.

I just noticed this review of his works, which tackles the author from a rather high-brow literary perspective. In fact, check out the whole site for reviews of other science fiction and fantasy authors, though your favorites might not be there because they aren't considered worthy from a literary standpoint. For more on Hodgson's life, check out this short biography too.