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Post by franklinmarsh on Mar 4, 2009 12:30:42 GMT
Further to Dem's Pulp 101 thread, the newspaper reviews of certain novels are intriguing. Bestsellers often give you pages of tosh telling you how brilliant the author/novel is, but it's a rare beast such as Iain Banks The Wasp Factory that published good and bad reviews - the bad reviews focussing on the more disgusting aspects of the novel and therefore attracting a certain type of reader....
I'm currently engrossed in James Herbert's Domain, and was surprised at the welter of press comments in the front of the book. It's a ninth impression 1990 paperback, and the only press comment on the outside of the book is '...UNPUTDOWNABLE...' The Standard.
Inside we get three pages of comments. The Daily Mirror comment would strike fear into any Vault Pulp fan - '...420 pages of skilful horror...' but a large chunk from The News is more cheering '...Herbert has lost none of his touch when it comes to graphic descriptions of death, destruction and bloodletting...' then they ruin it with '...though none of the violence is gratuitous.' Huh!
The Evening Echo - 'Mr Herbert ranks as one of Britain's greatest living horror writers...'
Sentinel - '...Seldom have I read a more blood-curdling and disturbing book than DOMAIN...' (He/she doesn't get out much)
Huddersfield Daily Examiner - '...you never know what's lurking around the next page.'
Grimsby Evening Press - 'Mr Herbert has the knack of making each successive book more horrifying than the rest - and I for one am thankful for it!' (I agree with the enthusiasm if not entirely sharing the sentiment.)
The reviewer for the Brighton Evening Argus even gets to mention the nuclear holocaust. Oh what a giveaway!
The Manchester Evening News has the old fave '...don't read it before you go to bed...' but the Daily Express wins the hyperbole award '...what must be the ultimate rat novel...' Erm....no.
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Post by dem bones on Mar 4, 2009 12:59:52 GMT
Quoted inside Jim's The Dark (which, coincidentally, is also "his most terrifying novel yet" - Cambridge Evening News), the Camberra Times reviewer helpfully advises "to be read in one sitting and certainly with most of the lights switched on", so full marks to them for tackling 336 pages of miniscule print in one hit, 'specially as after three days i'm only up to p. 83. Further to Dem's Pulp 101 thread, Credit/ blame where it's due, FM. Pulp Room 101 was Killercrab's inspired idea, and if ever there was a more definitive 'what this board is all about' thread .... |
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