Shaun Hutson - Heathen

[andydecker]

Shaun Hutson - Heathen ( Little, Brown & Co., 1992, 311 pages)



Mark Taylor

In 1992 this was Hutson's only novel published under his name. In the meantime, Macdonald had been sold to Little, Brown, so he had the next publisher.

Heathen is a frustrating novel in many regards. There is a gun-wielding heroine 20 years or so before it became fashionable, surely more believable as the contemporary woman of action. There is an occult conspiracy and even an undead or two. But the supernatural angle remains in the background until nearly the end, this is first all about a not very interesting thriller, before it mostly becomes a gun-porny shoot-em-up. Nearly 100 pages before it gets into gear. It is not without suspense and there is enough brutal gore at the end, and the protagonists are Hutson's usual obsessed lot. Still the impression remains that the basic plot - a continuation of the Hellfire Club complete with the sacrifice of infants - would have been served more if told from another viewpoint.

[ripper]

I view this one as another of the horror/thriller mixes that Hutson wrote before moving to pure thrillers. I had a version of the book on audio cassette purchased in the late 90s which also featured an interview with Hutson. I remember he was asked how he got into writing horror books and he replied that he had read a book by a well-known horror author and thought to himself that he could do just as well himself. He didn't name the author, but I had the impression it was someone who hit the big time in the 70s.

[dem bones]

Feb 12, 2022 19:42:52 GMT ripper said:

I view this one as another of the horror/thriller mixes that Hutson wrote before moving to pure thrillers. I had a version of the book on audio cassette purchased in the late 90s which also featured an interview with Hutson. I remember he was asked how he got into writing horror books and he replied that he had read a book by a well-known horror author and thought to himself that he could do just as well himself. He didn't name the author, but I had the impression it was someone who hit the big time in the 70s.

It was GNS, and the novel in question was Night of the Crabs. Not sure where I read it, but it stuck in my mind. Think it might have been in an interview he gave Terror, a short-lived (two issues) early 'nineties mag.

[ripper]

Feb 12, 2022 20:03:35 GMT dem bones said:

Feb 12, 2022 19:42:52 GMT ripper said:

I view this one as another of the horror/thriller mixes that Hutson wrote before moving to pure thrillers. I had a version of the book on audio cassette purchased in the late 90s which also featured an interview with Hutson. I remember he was asked how he got into writing horror books and he replied that he had read a book by a well-known horror author and thought to himself that he could do just as well himself. He didn't name the author, but I had the impression it was someone who hit the big time in the 70s.

It was GNS, and the novel in question was Night of the Crabs. Not sure where I read it, but it stuck in my mind. Think it might have been in an interview he gave Terror, a short-lived (two issues) early 'nineties mag.

Thanks, Dem. GNS was top of my suspects list, followed closely by James Herbert.