The Sanctuary - Glenn Chandler

[bushwick]

(can't find a pic online anywhere...anyway, it's a red-tinted photo of a human skull lying in the grass...does the job, bit dull though)

This is Chandler's second Hamlyn nasty, after 'The Tribe'. In this one, a group of teenagers take a boat to an abandoned Scottish island. The guy who planned the trip is a keen bird-watcher, and Inch Crag is a sanctuary for wildlife. It's also a place of superstition and death, as the big kilt-wearing Scot who takes them there informs them. No one has lived on the island for years, and anyone who's tried to visit never comes back to tell the tale. The island seems to have a mind of its own. Despite all this, the big cliched Scottish lad takes them over, and one by one, they meet their fate.

I've hacked through this and have nearly finished it. It's an 'animals attack' clone (not that you'd necessarily think so by the generic 'horror' cover) and it's handled pretty well. Chandler's writing is sober and effective, with just enough exposition of character for us to care when the youngsters start meeting their comeuppance. The back cover tags it a 'nasty', and it is fairly nasty I suppose, but not too shocking. We've seen decapitation by eagle and fatal stinging by thousands of jellyfish, but nothing up to some of the excesses of the period. Reads a little old-fashioned, really. There will be some supernatural side to the story which will be divulged in the last few pages, I reckon (an occultist is buried on the island). Might pop back here when I've finished...but I probably won't!

Descriptions of nature are handled well ( as in GNS). A very sober book though, compared to lots of stuff I've read from the period. No way near as unhinged and far-fetched as 'Slither' by John Halkin, say, and less memorable. Not bad though, worth a go. Will have to look for "The Tribe" as it's meant to be a lot more gruesome.

By far the most interesting thing about this, for me, is what Amazon is saying! I got this from Empire Exchange in Manchester the other week for FORTY PENCE, yet the two copies currently available in Marketplace are going for around fifty quid! Bejasus! Is this book really that rare?

Next Hamlyn? I have a copy of The Specialist by Jasper Smith that I've never read. Looks very unsavoury. Anyone read this?

[allthingshorror]

Lifted some scans from the Hamlyn site:






I remember reading this years ago and then giving the book to a charity shop. £50?

[bushwick]

Cheers Johnny. Think I prefer the skull to the claw ( although the claw may be funnier).

Yes, £50, I shit you not. Living proof:
www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=sanctuary+glenn+chandler&x=0&y=0

I can't see anyone snapping them up for that price, can you? The Tribe is going for a penny. Unless someone knows something I don't? Unless it's highly desirable for Taggart completists, maybe?

I don't like to sell books, but shit!

edit: just checked abebooks and the same two sellers are on there, looking for about 80 USD...

[dem bones]

Nov 29, 2008 12:30:09 GMT bushwick said:

I can't see anyone snapping them up for that price, can you? The Tribe is going for a penny. Unless someone knows something I don't? Unless it's highly desirable for Taggart completists, maybe?

For all I know, it might be ultra-rare, Bush, but i doubt it. Don't forget The Black Book of Horror was up there for £100 not so long ago - yes, that The Black Book of Horror, the one you can still buy direct from Dr. Terror at cost price.

We had some guy on the old board trying to flog us his collection of mostly run-of-the-mill horrors, and he warned us not to try and play smart with him because he'd checked adebooks and knew what they were "worth". He's probably still out there somewhere, trying to flog a 70th reprint of The Rats for a grand ....

Really enjoyed your review. "We've seen decapitation by eagle and fatal stinging by thousands of jellyfish" does it for me so that's yet another scratched on the wall as a most wanted.

[bushwick]

Finished. Not a bad ending, rushed as is often the way with these things. There is a 'twist' at the end but not a massive surprise as such, but ends on a good set-piece, pretty grim, with only one survivor. Well written, reasonable gore levels, not much unintentional humour value - worth a punt but not in the same insane league as Richard Lewis or John Halkin.

[drauch]

As an American, this one was pretty elusive and nigh impossible to even find a copy online, but eventually one surfaced and I snagged it without even batting an eye at the price. I adored The Tribe, so this was imperative. 

Largely agree with the initial forum posting here. A slow burn at first that culminates into a frantic island adventure with evil Golden Eagles. In one particularly eerie scene, our poor ginger hypochondriac chubby gent, after already been mauled for invading the eagle's nest, is stirred awake at night. The door slowly creaks open and a form passes by. After a few moments it circles back by and saunters in, ripping open the bandaged wounds and spilling more blood. And just like that it leaves, the humans wide aware that it came in just to cause misery!

Mid-way the book changes the eagles angle and goes for a 'best of' nature assault (midges, jellyfish, clegs, seabirds, tidal wave). Tight pacing, but as mentioned, not altogether what I would call nasty. There's a few particular scenes of ick and dread, but not the gory, nihilistic offerings in Chandler's previous outing.

There's frequent mentioning of a sorcerer, so even the least discerning reader is going to wager where this is going; and, while it keeps leaning for a very particular, trope-ish ending with destiny or the chosen-one or such foolery, it instead opts for a very bizarre one--unfulfilling at that. 

Like most unattainable things, the wait and desire usually build up for something grand. While no means did it meet my absurd demands, but still a romping good time that I could recommend, especially for fans of evil nature, mysterious islands, or survival fare. 

[andydecker]

Glenn Chandler - The Sanctuary (Hamlyn, 1981, 171 pages)

Cover found on the net.