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Post by andydecker on Apr 1, 2020 8:44:42 GMT
Phil Rickman – December (Berkley, 1996, Original McMillan 1994, 678 .) In the twelfth-century ruins of the Abbey, it is said every stone was cemented in blood. On December 8, 1980, that blood will run again …
The Abbey's tower house is now a recording studio, and a hot young band called The Philosopher's Stone has gathered to tap into the site's dark history. But no one could predict the powerful forces that rise the night of December 8. The explosive tragedy. The horrifying death. And in the aftermath of that fateful session, the members of the band agree to destroy their tapes … and never meet again.
But thirteen years later, the Abbey tapes – known as The Black Album – resurface. And the scattered members of The Philosopher's Stone know that it's time for a reunion. Time to return to that dark December night – for one last performance …
It's been a long time since I read this. It didn't leave a strong impression, except that it dragged in places. But maybe it was the topic, I am no fan of band tales. Still haven't read Armageddon Rock, and I never finished The Kill Riff. |
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Post by ropardoe on Apr 1, 2020 8:53:34 GMT
This is my favourite non-Merrily Watkins Phil Rickman book. It's enhanced by the fact that the chief setting is clearly based on Llanthony Abbey in the Black Mountains. It's a very strange, haunted place - it also inspired two of L.T.C. Rolt's best stories ("Cwm Garon" and "House of Vengeance"), as well as featuring in M.R. James's "A View from a Hill".
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Post by andydecker on Apr 1, 2020 9:51:12 GMT
This is my favourite non-Merrily Watkins Phil Rickman book. It's enhanced by the fact that the chief setting is clearly based on Llanthony Abbey in the Black Mountains. It's a very strange, haunted place - it also inspired two of L.T.C. Rolt's best stories ("Cwm Garon" and "House of Vengeance"), as well as featuring in M.R. James's "A View from a Hill". The Watkins series was with the exception of the Dee novels the only work Rickman could sell the translation rights. No Horror novel found a publisher. They stopped publishing the series after No.11. I tried the first Watkins, but honestly couldn't get into it. The whole szenario rather baffled me with its - for the European outsiders view - complicated church politics. Is this authentic or just made up? I gather the excorcism thing is an invention  , but the rest of it?
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Post by ropardoe on Apr 1, 2020 10:33:13 GMT
This is my favourite non-Merrily Watkins Phil Rickman book. It's enhanced by the fact that the chief setting is clearly based on Llanthony Abbey in the Black Mountains. It's a very strange, haunted place - it also inspired two of L.T.C. Rolt's best stories ("Cwm Garon" and "House of Vengeance"), as well as featuring in M.R. James's "A View from a Hill". The Watkins series was with the exception of the Dee novels the only work Rickman could sell the translation rights. No Horror novel found a publisher. They stopped publishing the series after No.11. I tried the first Watkins, but honestly couldn't get into it. The whole szenario rather baffled me with its - for the European outsiders view - complicated church politics. Is this authentic or just made up? I gather the excorcism thing is an invention , but the rest of it?
Most of the Merrily Watkins background is absolutely genuine, including her "deliverance" role (not exorcism). I must admit that side of the books tends to get in the way of the story for me, but not enough to spoil them. Not sure I follow about the series stopping being published. It's still going, although Phil Rickman has been seriously ill so the next one has been delayed till 2021. |
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Post by andydecker on Apr 1, 2020 11:49:30 GMT
Most of the Merrily Watkins background is absolutely genuine, including her "deliverance" role (not exorcism). I must admit that side of the books tends to get in the way of the story for me, but not enough to spoil them. Not sure I follow about the series stopping being published. It's still going, although Phil Rickman has been seriously ill so the next one has been delayed till 2021. No, no, the German edition stopped with 11. They translated the series from 2009 to 2014, but after stopping the publisher didn't even kept them avaiable. All are OOP. Thanks for the info. Fascinating. Sorry to hear that about Rickman. |
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Post by ropardoe on Apr 1, 2020 12:00:06 GMT
Most of the Merrily Watkins background is absolutely genuine, including her "deliverance" role (not exorcism). I must admit that side of the books tends to get in the way of the story for me, but not enough to spoil them. Not sure I follow about the series stopping being published. It's still going, although Phil Rickman has been seriously ill so the next one has been delayed till 2021. No, no, the German edition stopped with 11. They translated the series from 2009 to 2014, but after stopping the publisher didn't even kept them avaiable. All are OOP. Thanks for the info. Fascinating. Sorry to hear that about Rickman. Ah right, I'm with you now. |
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Post by helrunar on Apr 1, 2020 13:04:33 GMT
That's very concerning about Phil Rickman. Hope he can get better and enjoy life again. I read the first few Merrily books a couple of years ago, but had to stop when I got to one about a deranged killer... just too disturbing for me, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to follow the subsequent installments if I skipped a volume.
I think the most memorable one for me was the one where Merrily defeated the evil sex Bishop from Hell. I was really cheering for her in that one.
H.
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Post by ropardoe on Apr 1, 2020 15:11:21 GMT
That's very concerning about Phil Rickman. Hope he can get better and enjoy life again. I read the first few Merrily books a couple of years ago, but had to stop when I got to one about a deranged killer... just too disturbing for me, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to follow the subsequent installments if I skipped a volume. I think the most memorable one for me was the one where Merrily defeated the evil sex Bishop from Hell. I was really cheering for her in that one. H. I don't think skipping a volume or two should be too much of a problem. I recommend you give The Fabric of Sin a try - it's the one which centres around M.R. James's strange experience at Garway church. |
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ltd
Crab On The Rampage
Posts: 16 
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Post by ltd on May 5, 2020 7:55:01 GMT
It's still going, although Phil Rickman has been seriously ill so the next one has been delayed till 2021. I'm sorry to hear that. Have enjoyed a lot of his books over the years.
A few years back went to a talk he did at a local bookshop(more of a Q&A session really) and he came across as a genuinely nice bloke. |
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, but the rest of it?
