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Post by benedictjjones on Nov 19, 2008 15:22:31 GMT
It came like a malignant shadow with seductive promises of power. And somewhere in the night... a small girl smiled as her mother burned... asylum inmates slaughtered their attendants... in slimy tunnels once- human creatures gathered. Madness raged as the lights began to fade and humanity was attacked by an ancient, unstoppable evil..
this is probably my favourite james herbert book. it has it all!! and the hordes of 'darkened' people are like an unstoppable horde (almost zombie like - but with weapons!!) there are some great scenes in this one and the flashback to the mass suicide/orgy has some disturbing bits (i'm sure we've seen the shotgun inserted into ladies privates a couple of times in the pulps but this was the first book in which i encountered this particular coup de grace). the hero's pretty indistinguishable from some of herberts other but that's no bad thing. if you haven't read this one - GET YOUR HANDS ON IT!!
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Post by erebus on Feb 24, 2009 18:29:06 GMT
The best Herbert in my opinion. The orgy piece leaves and impression with everyone I think. Some great parts. Like the mass riot at the footy game. And the creepy bit were the cop looks through the letterbox and sees the poor legless doggy. All in all a scary book. The cover always scared me as a nipper too.
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Post by dem bones on Feb 24, 2009 22:16:27 GMT
James Herbert - The Dark (Nel, 1980) Blurb: It came like a malignant shadow with seductive promises of power. And somewhere in the night .....
A small girl smiled as her mother burned ... Asylum inmates slaughtered their attendants .... In slimy tunnels once-human creatures gathered. Madness raged as the lights began to fade and humanity was attacked by an ancient, unstoppable evil ....Been wondering which Herbert to make a start on next, Gents, and between you you've sold me on The Dark (just have to get the gloomy Stallion done with first). Not even sure if i've read this before. The riot at the football match rings a bell, but I thought that was in Domain!
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Post by franklinmarsh on Feb 27, 2009 20:58:26 GMT
Currently flying through James Herbert's The Dark. (Look out for spoilers!) Wonderful! The only criticism so far is Rip's assertion that it is basically a retread of The Fog being proved more or less correct, (although as this followed Lair, a Rats sequel, was this a concious attempt to emulate former glories?).What the hey, it's crammed full of good creepy, gruesome stuff. A scene set in a 'mental hospital' is what the critics (well the good ones) would call 'nerve-shredding'. All this plus football violence, the National Front, acid burns, mass murder and suicide, comedy cops - and a possible contender for Worst Pub Landlord. Being British I have to complain in the strongest possible terms about the cruelty to 'nice' animals -he can butcher as many rubbish humans as he likes but is sawing a dogs legs off with a hedge-trimmer really necessary? Possibly the last 'classic' Herbert.
(From the old board - cheers Dem - and that cover is the mutts'.)
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Post by dem bones on Mar 7, 2009 8:52:46 GMT
Chris Bishop, a psychic sleuth with plenty of emotional baggage (dead daughter, wife in mental institution, etc.) is persuaded by Jacob Kulek and his daughter, Jessica, to return to the house in Willow Road where he'd witnessed the terrible aftermath of a mass suicide the previous year. Kulek, blind, workaholic, is one of the very few Paranormal researchers Bishop has any time for and reluctantly he takes his commission, though he's in no rush to revisit the Beechwood House, scene of his most terrifying experience, the exact details of which he's blocked from his mind. Kulek's theory is that the recent spate of brutal, motiveless murders in the neighbouring houses are connected to the gruesome events of the previous year, and that Beechwood is haunted by the evil forces unleashed by his late former associate, Boris Pryshak, mad genius, a man who devoted his life to experimentation in the darker sciences. By the close of Part 1, Beechwood House has been demolished, Bishop has witnessed a re-run of the events of suicide night played out by the ghosts of the participants, and Kulek has been attacked by a naked killer nurse who tries to throttle him with her hair.
About a third of the way through and it reads like a concession to fans who felt that this deep and meaningful Fluke and Shrine stuff was all very well, but what they really fancied was another The Fog. The incredible orgy-cum-murder & suicide party is among Herbert's most powerful set pieces, and you can't help but throw up at the prospect of that terrified little poodle trying to run away on its stumps, but my favourite few pages to date are given over to an exchange between Detective Chief Inspector Peck and local boy Inspector Ross as the latter fills him in on the finer details of yet another incredible outbreak of hostilities amongst the residents of Willow Road .....
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Post by benedictjjones on Mar 7, 2009 9:57:03 GMT
that cover is a lot better than the one i've got.
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Post by erebus on Mar 7, 2009 11:32:44 GMT
Ahh Ive just had a flashback to that nurse part. As a young lad that scene always stuck with me. I recall she is looking after an old man who's bedridden. And she.......Oh you know the rest.
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Post by allthingshorror on Mar 7, 2009 11:41:07 GMT
Tony Masero did the cover art for this one Dem.
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Post by benedictjjones on Mar 7, 2009 16:21:12 GMT
erebus:i'd forgotten about that part, i remember it now though
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Post by andydecker on Jun 3, 2023 11:15:16 GMT
This edition Signet, 1980:
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Post by helrunar on Jun 3, 2023 14:31:39 GMT
Wow. What a gorgeous painting.
Great scan, Andreas; thanks!
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