From December 2017, updated for 2026.
The New Weird is an anthology of fiction and essays published in 2008 by Tachyon Publications and edited by Ann VanderMeer and Jeff VanderMeer. There are in this book fifteen stories, plus a seven-part round-robin story, eleven essays, a list of recommended reading, and biographical notes on the contributors. Eleven of the fifteen stories were published previously. A twelfth, "Crossing into Cambodia: A Story of the Third World War" by Michael Moorcock, was evidently written in 1979 but not published until in this book. The point here is to get at what is called "the New Weird." I'm not convinced there is such a thing, but I'm only just beginning. Already, in reading about Michael Moorcock, the first writer on the list to follow, I'm starting to see into the phylogeny of this supposedly new sub-genre or sub-sub-genre of fantasy. ["The New Weird" is obviously not new anymore in 2026, but then it may never have been new.]
I asked a friend what is "the New Weird." He said that it's weird fiction that departs from the supposed racism, sexism, misogyny, etc., of a previous era. I take that to mean that it is specifically a reaction to H.P. Lovecraft. In reading about "the New Weird," I have also gotten the idea that it's a general reaction to the conservatism of twentieth-century fantasy in the work not only of Lovecraft but also of J.R.R. Tolkien, and to a lesser extent, C.S. Lewis.
I have already written at length about the inherent conservatism in fantasy vs. the implicit progressivism of science fiction. They are, after all, genres about opposites: fantasy is about the past, while science fiction is about the future. Of course, racism, sexism, misogyny, etc., are not necessary parts of weird fiction. Yes, there are weird fiction stories that include these things, but they don't have to be in there in order for it to be proper weird fiction. If you doubt, that, read, for example, the stories of C.L. Moore. To go more deeply, though, I suppose that to readers and writers of certain political persuasions, anything that is conservative is necessarily racist, sexist, and so on. I guess the idea is that if we're going to rid weird fiction of these things, the past must be overthrown and weird fiction remade, hence "the New Weird."
I don't think Lovecraft goes very easily into the same basket as Tolkien and Lewis. Although he was a Tory, Lovecraft's conservatism seems to me a kind of default position, sometimes an affectation, perhaps also a psychological response to the facts of his childhood. It's worth pointing out, too, that Lovecraft loosened up as he aged. He even had nice things to say about socialism, as so many people did in the 1930s. By socialism, I mean both types--those two angry bedfellows known as international and national socialism, that, although they may hate each other, also can't live without each other.
Lovecraft was also a materialist and an atheist. He would seem to have philosophical sympathizers among today's readers and writers of fantasy, especially of "the New Weird." Tolkien and Lewis on the other hand were devout Christians. It seems to me that their conservatism came more naturally to them than Lovecraft's and that it was less a reaction to loneliness and alienation than it was a choice, certainly in the case of the ex-atheist Lewis, who consciously and joyously converted to a new faith.
Jim Morrison was onto something when he sang, "Women seem wicked/When you're unwanted." Replace "women" with "black people," "brown people," "foreigners," "Jewish people," etc., and you might have a better idea of where Lovecraft's fear of and hostility towards these groups came from. People who perceive themselves at the bottom of the ladder are always looking to get one rung up. They often do that by trying to push another guy down. Those who feel inferior often try to boost themselves by talking down someone else. In any case, I would like to write about the authors represented in The New Weird in chronological order by their work. In writing about the first author, I believe I'll get pretty quickly to the origins and essence of this supposedly new sub-genre (or sub-sub-genre or . . .)
To be continued . . .
Copyright 2017, 2026 Terence E. Hanley
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