Synopsis of The Walker on the Wind
This is the first story of several to incorporate Mythos fiction into the world. Many others will play this trick. Just like Robert Howard will refer to Machen’s writings in his Mythos fiction, in this case, the writings of Algernon Blackwood are referred to. But we go a step further, and Lovecraft’s Call of Cthulhu is referenced
Introducing the Wind-Walker as an entity that is an air elemental is a bit blatant. I have no qualms with a creature having an elemental overtone, and being called Wind-Walker certainly suggests it. But, perhaps you can dial back the rational objective conversation of it. Keep the descriptions and nature a bit more hidden. Derleth strikes again!
As a matter of fact, I think this whole story is made better by removing one paragraph where he babbles on about everywhere he’s visited, and the short research by Norris into Blackwood and Lovecraft. Pull that out, and your story is much better. Still, I like that this doesn’t reveal nearly as much of the world as the previous story, and the creature introduced here is a major one, used fairly regularly by writers later (and named in a later story we’ll read).
Derleth’s approach is better here than in the previous story, and it’s a bit stronger writing because he doesn’t make some of the same consistency errors in the previous one. Even the one coincidence, (not a spoiler, since it’s on the second page) where he looks up and spies the creature above just as it is depositing the bodies is explained because a bitter cold wind had suddenly struck and he naturally looked up to see what it was from. You’re learning August, you’re learning.
As a story, it’s better than the previous one, and I give it 3 outta 5 stars.