Author Appeal : Deconstructing horror and philosophy tropes seems to be a big one. Also, any of the recurring themes under Paranoia Fuel.Crosses the Line Twice : Everything in My Work Is Not Yet Done Crowning Moment of Awesome : Arguably, the ending of "My Work Is Not Yet Done". Cult Classic : In a manner of speaking, but for different reasons than most bearing this distinction.Everyone Is Jesus in Purgatory Genius Bonus : While rarely essential to the enjoyment of his work, having a robust literary background does not hurt when reading Ligotti.Hell Is That Noise : "Do you know the sound of something that stings the air?"The Law of Fan Jackassery : Mostly on the "obscure/friendly" end, with a small handful of nasty exceptions .Magnificent Bastard : If a true antagonist can be discerned in a Ligotti story, the sheer elegance and ingenuity of their cruelty is rarely in question, regardless of how unspeakably amoral their behaviour may be.Narm Charm : Intentionally invoked throughout Songs of a Dead Dreamer , usually in Homage to Vladimir Nabokov . Simon Smirk, narrator of "The Chymist", is particularly over-the-top .Needs More Love Nightmare Fuel : Arguably, nearly everything that Ligotti has ever written. Averted only in a few of his early vignettes, which lean more towards pure surrealism or philosophical deconstruction , as well as some of his poetry, which is simply exceedingly depressing .Paranoia Fuel : Puppets , doctors , pills, carnivals, dolls , abandoned buildings, office work, shadows, flowers, gastrointestinal disorders, souvenirs, OCD, dreaming, art galleries, strange masks , rare books, bondage, chamber music, maps, abstract ideas... Think of it, and this man has made it horrifying.Squick : Frequently presented in extremely detached prose .
Uncanny Valley : Intentionally invoked frequently.Tear Jerker : Perhaps not the best term... Depression Fuel is more apt.Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds : Plomb from "The Spectacles in the Drawer". Frank Dominio from "My Work Is Not Yet Done" could also be seen as one of these before his transformation .