H. P. Lovecraft

H. P. Lovecraft was an American writer of the early 20th century whose stories were a combination of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. He was an antiquarian who had a love for the 18th century.

His 1936 novella At the Mountains of Madness introduced the fictional alien race called the Elder Things, the creators of the Shoggoths. A Celestis Fictional Generator would later bring them to life.

The Doctor spoke of having corresponded with Lovecraft and how both men shared a love of ice cream. The Doctor had even considered taking him on a trip to the 18th century but decided that it would have just disillusioned the writer.

Fitz Kreiner had never read anything by Lovecraft. As a child, he had once picked up a book by the author but his mother had seen him and assumed that "lovecraft" was the subject. (EDA: The Taking of Planet 5)

Behind the Scenes

 * Another of Lovecraft's creation, the Great Old Ones, are real in the Doctor Who Universe. The Taking of Planet 5 never states whether the Doctor's Lovecraft also wrote about them.
 * Use of the term "Old One" was rarely consistent and was used both for the Great Old Ones and Elder Things in both Lovecraft's writings and in Doctor Who.
 * It is very unlikely that Lovecraft liked ice cream. He was chilled easily and had an intense hatred of the cold.