[1][2][3][4] In his introduction to The Philosopher's Stone (1969), Wilson explained how he wrote The Mind Parasites at the urging of August Derleth.

Derleth replied to Wilson, offering a friendly challenge to write a narrative exploring Lovecraft's themes.

[6] The story is about Professor Gilbert Austin's conflict with the Tsathogguans, invisible mind parasites that menace the most brilliant people on Earth.

Reviewing The Mind Parasites for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Joanna Russ gave the book a negative assessment.

Pringle described the novel as a "stilted version" of the traditional science fiction plot of humanity being controlled by invisible entities, and said The Mind Parasites "doesn't live up to the author's reputation gained in other fields.