The Ghosts of Sleath
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Product Description
Product Description
Investigator David Ash is sent to the picturesque village of Sleath in the Chiltern Hills to look into mysterious reports of mass hauntings. What he discovers is a terrified community gripped by horrors and terrorized by ghosts from the ancient village's long history.
About the Author
James Herbert is one of the most influential and widely imitated authors of our time. His previous novels are 'The Rats', 'The Fog', 'The Survivor', 'Fluke', 'The Spear', 'Lair', 'The Dark', 'The Jonah', 'Shrine', 'Moon', 'Domain', 'The Magic Cottage', 'Sepulchre', 'Haunted', 'Creed', 'Portent' and 'The Ghosts of Sleath'.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Twice the haunting,
By
This review is from: The Ghosts of Sleath (Paperback)
The Ghosts of Sleath is a first for James Herbert, as while his Rats trilogy was a loosely linked series featuring the same threat over a span of years, this novel marks the first occasion that Herbert has produced a direct sequel to a previous novel continuing the narrative of the lead character, in this instance picking up the story of 'ghost hunter' David Ash three years after the events of Haunted. Haunted is a tough act to follow, being perhaps Herbert's most effective novel, a concise and unsettling ghost story built around a major plot twist. Following the cynical Ash's confrontation with the supernatural in Haunted, there's no real mileage to be had out of the characters 'are they real, are they fake?' debunking of ghosts, so Herbert instead takes the traditional sequel route, with The Ghosts of Sleath expanding the action, so now instead of a haunted house we have an entire haunted village.The ultimate backstory explanation for the hauntings, with dark family histories and black rites is all pretty standard genre material, as is the ghost climactic revenge on their enemies, but The Ghosts of Sleath remains a fantastic read due to Herbert's storytelling skills. After the misfire of Portent Herbert is back to his best, with a group of vividly drawn characters, evocative writing, and some inventive and gruesome set pieces, with the ghost of a child-abusing parent haunting the ghost of his own dead son being a particularly inspired idea. At twice the length The Ghosts of Sleath lacks the cutting brevity of Haunted, and feels a little bloated as a result, and while this sequel doesn't quite live up to the original it comes close enough to be a fantastically macabre ghost story, and ranks among Herbert's better novels. Recommended - but do read Haunted first.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
OK, But Not His Best,
By J.Flood (Dublin,Ireland) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Ghosts of Sleath (Paperback)
I enjoy reading ghost stories, and have found many of this author's novels to be very good such as, The Secret Of Crickley Hall, The Fog etc.
In this one, Psychic Investigator David Ash, is sent to the small, isolated village of Sleath, where there has been a number of strange events, that have unnerved some of the locals. I found this book a reasonable enough read, but not of this author's better books. Although it is set in the 1990s (when the book was first written), the village and the people in it, made me feel, at times, as if I was reading a novel that was set about thirty years earler. There is certainly some very creepy parts in the story, but I found it quite predictable in many parts, also. Only really worth a look, if you like horror novels.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Can I borrow your 5* version please?? read my anti spoiler,
By
This review is from: The Ghosts of Sleath (Paperback)
After reading the reviews by the 5* reviewers I have come to the conclusion that they must have read a different book than the one I picked up. I would call this an anti spoiler, because reading it will save you spoiling a good few hours of your time... This is the first Herbert book I have read and it will definately be the last.
I got half way through this book and wanted to pick up the yellow pages instead because it has more content. Some of the reviewers said this was a scary book?? Where?? The only thing remotely scary about this book is the fact that someone deems it publishable... Ok instead of bashing this book to death for no reason I will tell you why I didn't like it. Herbert went through 380 pages describing "the cold atmosphere and shadows" in every building, in every patch of woodland, under every bed in Sleath. Now some people will undoubtebly say "he is setting the scene".. well no, we get it , its supposed to be spooky, like someone is watching you- you dont have to repeat, repeat, repeat the same sentence in 30 different ways... The plot of the story is stupid... You are left at the end wondering how many of the people in the village were in on the , wait for it "Satanic Cult". They all died from freak accidents which were supposed to have been caused by paranormal activity, the trouble is it just doesnt ring true and it reads even worse. There is little explanation as to why the cult is formed, what they do etc, except a vague and all to brief brushing of the facts garnered from the church archives... Also the love affair between ash and grace is totally unneeded adds nothing to the book and it seems as though it was slung in there just to fill a few pages... The characters are boring, Ash gains no sympathy as the hero, Grace is about as engaging as a stick on a tree and phelan seemed to be just a rip off of the psychic out of the poltergeist films... Trust me, do not read this book if you have the will to live, if not go ahead, it just might finish you off
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