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Post by franklinmarsh on Apr 16, 2009 10:40:18 GMT
A choice between a new handbag and a copy of Slugs? Caroline, surely that's no choice at all? Quite right - that's why I got the handbag! Couldn't you at least have slipped the book inside? Not that I'm endorsing shoplifting or anything. (Unlike Mr H) Good news, Jonathan! Well sort of. Not sure I'd want to cough up more than 2 quid apiece for the great man's works, love them though I do.
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Post by carolinec on Apr 16, 2009 13:44:11 GMT
Quite right - that's why I got the handbag! Couldn't you at least have slipped the book inside? Not that I'm endorsing shoplifting or anything. Franklin, I'm shocked! There, look, the little smileys show how shocked I am. I'll have you know I'm a fine, upstanding member of society in "real life"! I couldn't walk out of a shop with slugs in my handbag ...
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Post by erebus on Apr 16, 2009 17:37:25 GMT
Well I'm not afraid to say it but Shaun Hutson is my favorite writer. Don't if its his books that don't sell as well more a case of Books themselves not selling to well. Older folk mid to late 30s like me will recall the boom in novels back in the heyday and almost every house hold had a case full of paperbacks when I was a kid.
As for short stories , Well you could try his website. Any Christmas Back back back issues of Kerrang mag had a annual Hutson tale. Or pick up FEAR issue 2 for his short story The Prize.
As for EREBUS. Great Book.
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Post by carolinec on Apr 16, 2009 22:31:30 GMT
As for short stories , Well you could try his website. Hey, I might try that, thanks! I guess if I google him it'll throw something up? I suppose I shouldn't knock him so much on the basis of having read only a few pages of a couple of books (no idea which ones). LATER EDIT: You're not going to believe this but I've just been to Hutson's website, found a few short stories, read one called "Soft Centre", and thought it was absolutely brilliant! Perhaps he just writes that awful "spelling-it-out-in-grisly-detail-for-the-reader-'cos-they-ain't-got-no-imagination" stuff purely in fun, because he can sell it? But, hey, he really can write good stuff! ;D
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Post by vaughan on Oct 2, 2009 7:10:34 GMT
My latest read is a second trip to Hutson territory. My first, Deathday, was not a complete success.
Of course, I have Slugs and it's sequel here, but it seemed a bit obvious going for that - I'm going to like it, I already love the movie and it's a killer animal book after all......
So on to Erebus it was.
The first thing I must say is that the cover of my book is the same one shown in this thread. But I could kick myself, because I saw a copy with a much better cover in a secondhand shop a month or so ago, and didn't grab it to save a pound fifty.... madness.
Anyway, on to the book. I must admit that overall I thought this one was terrific. I see some talk of gore, and shall we shall, some highly descriptive writing about it. Hey, that's all good for me. A bit of splatter makes the day pass faster. ;D
The basic premise though, and the setting, was what really set the thing off. While there was a mystery - however thinly veiled - it carried itself well. There was plenty of excitement, and action.
There were only two flaws. The first was the sex scenes - the first of what happens immediately after our lead gets shot through the shoulder "leaving an exit hole the size of a fist". No problem, bandage the guy up and have some sex. --LOL--
The second was the climax to the book. Like some Masterton I've read I felt Hutson needed to calm down a bit. The book grows in scale toward the end, and the smaller foundations on which it is built can't really support it. It's over-the-top, but not in a good way.
Still, I can certainly forgive it for that. It's a really fun read, and I'd certainly recommend it to all and sundry.
Wish I'd bought the superior cover though..............
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Post by robertmammone on Feb 7, 2010 12:39:58 GMT
Hutson was king while I was high school in the late 80s. Couldn't go wrong with him and Erebus was one I picked up around that time.
I would imagine you are all aware he's written outside the genre, with different pseudonyms? WW2, westers, that sort of thing. Some of his WW2 stuff sells well on ebay, as I recently discovered.
His recent books - oh dear. Why he's gone down the road of writing novels full of 3 page chapters is beyond me.
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Post by andydecker on Feb 7, 2010 13:19:54 GMT
Some of his WW2 stuff sells well on ebay, as I recently discovered. Yes. But these novels are rather weak. Just with more gore to compensate for the slight plots and the cardboard characters. His western were even more awful. No comparison with anything Laurence James or Terry Harknett wrote. his recent books - oh dear. Why he's gone down the road of writing novels full of 3 page chapters is beyond me. Yes. I read his last ones. I don´t mind the lean and condensed style he adopted as it really bring things to a point. It is a good combination with his eternally pissed off characters. But the stories? DYING WORDS at least gave some hope, but BODY COUNT had an ridiculous plot which even the boring splatter orgy couldn´t redeem, and LAST RITES began so good and fell so apart at the end that it was truly a major disappointment.
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Post by erebus on Feb 7, 2010 15:32:12 GMT
Yeah LAST RITES ending did seem hurried and not clearly defined. But BODY COUNT was very poor. Probably his worst effort . ( Manhunter computor game anyone ? )
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