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Post by H_P_Saucecraft on May 21, 2009 22:26:11 GMT
Charles L. Grant - Night Songs (Hamlyn 1984)This one comes in at nearly 400 pages, bit of a doorstop by Hamlyn standards, but looks good anyway: P.S. - The Scar & The Specialist are on the way. Cover scan for the latter, when I get it (I know dem has allready done a thread for The Scar).
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Post by dem bones on May 21, 2009 23:19:37 GMT
Not the first name that springs to mind when you think Hamlyn Horror! Charles L. Grant, via his Shadows anthologies, was the prime mover of the 'Quiet Horror' "movement" ("Shadowpunk" as Karl Wagner affectionately dubbed it), a direct reaction against the type of chainsaw massacre slashers and creature features that were Hamlyn's stock in trade. There are some great stories in the Shadows collections to be sure, but personally, it's not a period i hold much affection for as that seems to be when the 'serious' writers came to prominence. On the plus side, Grant himself, who wrote three of the most moving stories i've ever read, made no secret of his fondness for the novels of ..... Guy N. Smith!
So, i'm wondering if Grant has written a nasty here, or if Hamlyn were treating the public to a glimpse of their previously unsuspected 'tasteful' side? Be interested to see what you have say about Night Songs, Dave, though i appreciate you've quite a few novels to get through just now!
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Post by marksamuels on May 22, 2009 10:21:09 GMT
Dem
My thoughts exactly and just what I was going to ask. That cover is truly stunning and "in yer face". It quite made my morning!
Mark S.
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Post by marksamuels on May 22, 2009 10:59:31 GMT
Btw, I just noticed something, Dem. My post count seems to have stuck (at 127?)! I'll never get beyond "Devil's Coach Horse" Mark S.
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Post by marksamuels on May 22, 2009 11:15:57 GMT
Nope, scratch that. After logging in to my profile, it seems to be ticking over again Mark S.
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Post by killercrab on May 22, 2009 15:11:13 GMT
Excellent work on the Hamlyn titles. I never knew there were so many!
KC
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Post by dem bones on May 22, 2009 16:01:16 GMT
Seconded. To be honest, i thought Hal Astel had nailed all of them but Dave's turning up some well obscure gems. Can't help thinking that if Peter Haining had still been there, many of these would have been New English Library publications.
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Post by killercrab on May 22, 2009 18:56:56 GMT
Oh yeah - I pretty much agree. I think perhaps the difference is the *nasty* bit - the Hamlyns are much closer to the video nasty era in my eyes. There certainly are some near the bone books from Nel - Eat Them Alive or any number of savage westerns. I think horror wise the Nels on the whole tend towards the supernatural and thats all for the better. It's what gives their books the draw for me if you like. I'm not adverse to reading gruesome - but give me vampires roaming safari parks ... ;D
KC
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