Llopis, Rafael
Entry updated 12 September 2022. Tagged: Author, Critic, Editor.
(1933-2022) Spanish psychiatrist, author, editor and translator, specializing in Fantastika and Horror. As an expert in this field, he is considered one of the greatest promoters of the macabre and mystery genre in the Spanish language, in particular introducing the works of H P Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos to Spain.
His first work as editor was Cuentos de Miedo ["Tales of Horror"] (anth 1963), followed by Los Mitos de Cthulhu ["The Cthulhu Mythos"] (anth 1969), for which he translated some of the included stories. This featured a brief introductory history of the Mythos, and was divided into three sections: precursors, the Mythos proper and posthumous additions. The Anthology was invaluable to interested Spanish readers; its introduction appeared in English as "The Cthulhu Mythos" (Fall 1992 Lovecraft Studies, trans Anne K. Scargill and Scott D Briggs).
As a fiction author in his own right, Llopis began to publish work of genre interest in 1969 with the story "Palabras" ["Words"] for the landmark magazine Nueva Dimensión #10. His work also appeared in other important Spanish sf Fanzines: Ad Infinitum, Cyborg, Delirio and Fundación.
Works as translator include Trece historias de fantasmas ["Thirteen Ghost Stories"] (coll 1973) by M R James. The introduction, "Etapas de la historia de los cuentos de miedo" ["Stages in the History of Horror Stories"], argues that in its last stage, "the neoterrifying", the genre merges into science fiction and initiates the exploration of our limitless Inner Space.
Llopis's Horror study Historia natural de los cuentos de miedo ["The Natural History of Horror Stories"] (1974; exp rev 2013) devotes three chapters to sf, explaining to Spanish readers the basics of Genre SF, its origins and the new apogee.
Also of interest is El novísimo Algazife o Libro de las Postrimerías, ["The Newest Algazife or The Book of the Aftermaths"] (1980), an unclassifiable book that proposes a new approach to Egyptian Mythology and the Cthulhu Mythos. His final three essays – "Lovecraft, historia y leyenda" ["Lovecraft, History and Legend"], "Los Mitos de Cthulhu" ["The Cthulhu Mythos"] and "Intentos de Sistematización de los Mitos" ["Attempts at a Systematization of the Mythos"] – appeared in a special issue of the magazine Spanish Graphiclassic (2019) dedicated to H P Lovecraft and the Mythos. [JoR]
Rafael Llopis Paret
born Madrid, Spain: 17 April 1933
died Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain: 24 March 2022
works
- Historia natural de los cuentos de miedo ["The Natural History of Horror Stories"] (Madrid, Spain: Júcar, 1974) [nonfiction: pb/]
- Historia natural de los cuentos de miedo ["The Natural History of Horror Stories"] (Madrid, Spain: Fuentetaja, 2013) [nonfiction: exp rev of the above: pb/]
- El novísimo Algazife o Libro de las Postrimerías ["The Newest Algazife or The Book of the Aftermaths"] (Madrid, Spain: Hiperión, 1980) [nonfiction: pb/]
works as editor
- Cuentos de terror ["Tales of Horror"] (Madrid, Spain: Taurus, 1963) [anth: hb/]
- Los mitos de Cthulhu ["The Cthulhu Mythos"] (Madrid, Spain: Alianza, 1969) [anth: also partly as translator: pb/Daniel Gil]
- H P Lovecraft. Viajes al otro mundo. Ciclo de aventuras oníricas de Randolph Carter ["Travels to the Other World. Cycle of Oneiric Adventures of Randolph Carter"] (Madrid, Spain: Alianza, 1971) [coll: pb/Daniel Gil]
- M R James. Trece historias de fantasmas ["Thirteen Ghost Stories"] (Madrid, Spain: Alianza, 1973) [coll: pb/Daniel Gil]
- Antología de cuentos de terror ["Anthology of Horror Tales"] (Madrid, Spain: Alianza, 1981) [anth: also partly as translator: published in three volumes – Daniel Defoe to Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens to M R James, and Arthur Machen to H P Lovecraft: pb/Daniel Gil]
works as translator
- H P Lovecraft and August Derleth. Los que vigilan desde el tiempo ["The Watchers Out of Time"] (Madrid, Spain: Alianza, 1981) [coll: trans of The Watchers Out of Time and Others (coll 1974): pb/Daniel Gil]
- Arthur Machen. Un fragmento de vida ["A Fragment of Life"] (Madrid, Spain: Siruela, 1987). [novella: first appeared February 1904 Horlick's Magazine: hb/]
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