- Paperback: 322 pages
- Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd (3 Jan 2012)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1609286677
- ISBN-13: 978-1609286675
- Product Dimensions: 22.6 x 15.2 x 2.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 300,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Seven Days of Cain
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
Product Description
Product Description
Is anyone really innocent? On two continents, weeks apart, two people are brutally murdered: a Barcelona street performer and a New York playwright are each gruesomely tortured to death. In Britain, photographer Andy Bentley begins receiving mysterious emails. The messages refer to the killings and contain hints that the murderer has a personal connection to Andy. But what is it? Are the emails coming from the killer himself? And what, if anything, does Andy's past have to do with the deaths? As the answers begin to take shape Andy will be forced to confront not only the consequences of his actions, but also the uncertainly of reality itself. Before that happens, how much that he loves will be destroyed?
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Ramsey Campbell is a great writer of short stories (probably the best in the horror genre of the last few decades) but I sometimes think he loses focus at novel-length. There's a smidgen of that here, but overall this is a strong and creepy novel. The central premise is almost ridiculous (I won't say what it is), but Campbell pulls it off.
Typical of Campbell, there is a feeling of paranoia and menace in the descriptions; even of the mundane every day stuff. This gradually grows so that the central characters are questioning not just the events of the story, but the reality of their world itself. In a way this book is more like a modern version of some of Philip K Dick's world-twisting tales than a straight horror tale. Cracking stuff.
Typical of Campbell, there is a feeling of paranoia and menace in the descriptions; even of the mundane every day stuff. This gradually grows so that the central characters are questioning not just the events of the story, but the reality of their world itself. In a way this book is more like a modern version of some of Philip K Dick's world-twisting tales than a straight horror tale. Cracking stuff.
Format:Hardcover
I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I've only read a couple of books (and several short stories) from Ramsey Campbell. The first book I read from him was Creatures of the Pool, which was also published by PS Publishing. Because I liked it very much, I wanted to read The Seven Days of Cain. I'm glad I read it, because it was an excellent horror thriller.
I think it's best not to write anything about the plot of this book, because I don't want to reveal too many details to readers. In my opinion this is one of those books, which should be read without too much information about the plot and the characters - the plot will be ruined if you know what's going to happen - so I'll write about other things (it'll be a bit difficult, but I'll do my best).
Ramsey Campbell's The Seven Days of Cain is an exciting and masterfully written cross-genre book. The reason I mentioned cross-genre is that it's difficult to call this book simply horror, because it's nearer to crime and thriller genre than horror genre. I'm not a big fan of thrillers, but there are certain writers who write excellent and exciting thrillers. After reading this book I can say that Ramsey Campbell is one of these good writers, because his writing style differs greatly from mainstream thriller writers (in other words, he knows what he's doing and doesn't underestimate his readers). It's been a long time since I've read this good a cross-genre thriller.
I enjoyed reading The Seven Days of Cain, because Ramsey Campbell knew how to gradually build up suspense. He's a master of psychological terror and he made good use of it in this book. I liked Campbell's characterization and prose very much, because he knew how to describe things with all the necessary details and nuances. He made his characters believable and interesting. I can say that in this book Andy can be called a perfect character (the side characters are also good characters).
I can recommend this book to all horror and thriller fans, because it's perfect entertainment for dark and cold winter nights. I should probably warn you that if you start reading this book in the evening, you'll probably spend the whole night reading it.
I think it's best not to write anything about the plot of this book, because I don't want to reveal too many details to readers. In my opinion this is one of those books, which should be read without too much information about the plot and the characters - the plot will be ruined if you know what's going to happen - so I'll write about other things (it'll be a bit difficult, but I'll do my best).
Ramsey Campbell's The Seven Days of Cain is an exciting and masterfully written cross-genre book. The reason I mentioned cross-genre is that it's difficult to call this book simply horror, because it's nearer to crime and thriller genre than horror genre. I'm not a big fan of thrillers, but there are certain writers who write excellent and exciting thrillers. After reading this book I can say that Ramsey Campbell is one of these good writers, because his writing style differs greatly from mainstream thriller writers (in other words, he knows what he's doing and doesn't underestimate his readers). It's been a long time since I've read this good a cross-genre thriller.
I enjoyed reading The Seven Days of Cain, because Ramsey Campbell knew how to gradually build up suspense. He's a master of psychological terror and he made good use of it in this book. I liked Campbell's characterization and prose very much, because he knew how to describe things with all the necessary details and nuances. He made his characters believable and interesting. I can say that in this book Andy can be called a perfect character (the side characters are also good characters).
I can recommend this book to all horror and thriller fans, because it's perfect entertainment for dark and cold winter nights. I should probably warn you that if you start reading this book in the evening, you'll probably spend the whole night reading it.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Adam Raised a Cain
15 Feb 2012
Format:Paperback
Young Liverpool couple Andy Bentley and Claire are struggling to conceive a child. Andy works at his father and mother's photography studio; Claire works for a government-sponsored charitable organization that tries to provide homes and job training for the homeless. Things seem to be going OK, despite the fact that doctors can't figure out why Claire can't conceive.
Elsewhere, someone has murdered a playwright with the somewhat goofy name of Penny Scrivener in New York. One of Barcelona's "living statues" has been murdered in Barcelona; her name was Serena Paz. Soon thereafter, Andy begins getting emails about something he did in the past, apparently something awful, from an unknown sender with a flair for puzzles and word games. An old schoolmate of Claire's shows up outside her workplace, homeless, and very odd. A self-important writer shows up at Andy's studio, looking to get memorable photographs of himself, eventually offering Andy a chance for mainstream publication of his photos.
After 150 pages, one may think one knows where this novel is heading, but one really doesn't.
On the beach near Claire and Andy's house, the (real), and really odd Liverpudlian metal statues of the same figure repeated dozens of times, staring out to sea, sometimes seem to have one less member, or perhaps one more. On the horizon, giant windmills tilt at the sky, always intruding into Claire and Andy's perceptions of that environment.
Campbell's novels have often tugged and pulled at the nature of reality, perhaps most notably and successfully in Incarnate and The Grin of the Dark. Well, he's back at reality again, in a novel that functions as a sequel of sorts -- or perhaps more accurately a shared-universe tale -- as related to a previous but recent novel and a 40-year-old short story that turned out to have a concept within it that adapted well to the Age of Internet. Naming that novel and that short story would reveal too much, too soon of the novel's clever shift midway through, and knowledge of the two isn't necessary to enjoying The Seven Days of Cain, though that knowledge does add to the enjoyment -- and the level of existential disturbance.
The Seven Days of Cain supplies a lot of Campbell's trademarked description, both vivid and intensely allusive, that can sometimes make a story seem disturbingly dream-like, as background and midground and foreground collapse into one (the story does feature a photographer as a protagonist, after all). No one will be punished for anything resembling a "real" crime here, but punishment -- or judgement -- is coming nonetheless. Why and for whom? Read the emails carefully. Don't stand too long on the beach. Don't check your spam box too often.
Elsewhere, someone has murdered a playwright with the somewhat goofy name of Penny Scrivener in New York. One of Barcelona's "living statues" has been murdered in Barcelona; her name was Serena Paz. Soon thereafter, Andy begins getting emails about something he did in the past, apparently something awful, from an unknown sender with a flair for puzzles and word games. An old schoolmate of Claire's shows up outside her workplace, homeless, and very odd. A self-important writer shows up at Andy's studio, looking to get memorable photographs of himself, eventually offering Andy a chance for mainstream publication of his photos.
After 150 pages, one may think one knows where this novel is heading, but one really doesn't.
On the beach near Claire and Andy's house, the (real), and really odd Liverpudlian metal statues of the same figure repeated dozens of times, staring out to sea, sometimes seem to have one less member, or perhaps one more. On the horizon, giant windmills tilt at the sky, always intruding into Claire and Andy's perceptions of that environment.
Campbell's novels have often tugged and pulled at the nature of reality, perhaps most notably and successfully in Incarnate and The Grin of the Dark. Well, he's back at reality again, in a novel that functions as a sequel of sorts -- or perhaps more accurately a shared-universe tale -- as related to a previous but recent novel and a 40-year-old short story that turned out to have a concept within it that adapted well to the Age of Internet. Naming that novel and that short story would reveal too much, too soon of the novel's clever shift midway through, and knowledge of the two isn't necessary to enjoying The Seven Days of Cain, though that knowledge does add to the enjoyment -- and the level of existential disturbance.
The Seven Days of Cain supplies a lot of Campbell's trademarked description, both vivid and intensely allusive, that can sometimes make a story seem disturbingly dream-like, as background and midground and foreground collapse into one (the story does feature a photographer as a protagonist, after all). No one will be punished for anything resembling a "real" crime here, but punishment -- or judgement -- is coming nonetheless. Why and for whom? Read the emails carefully. Don't stand too long on the beach. Don't check your spam box too often.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Good entertainment...
21 Jun 2011
Format:Hardcover
I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I've only read a couple of books (and several short stories) from Ramsey Campbell. The first book I read from him was Creatures of the Pool, which was also published by PS Publishing. Because I liked it very much, I wanted to read The Seven Days of Cain. I'm glad I read it, because it was an excellent horror thriller.
I think it's best not to write anything about the plot of this book, because I don't want to reveal too many details to readers. In my opinion this is one of those books, which should be read without too much information about the plot and the characters - the plot will be ruined if you know what's going to happen - so I'll write about other things (it'll be a bit difficult, but I'll do my best).
Ramsey Campbell's The Seven Days of Cain is an exciting and masterfully written cross-genre book. The reason I mentioned cross-genre is that it's difficult to call this book simply horror, because it's nearer to crime and thriller genre than horror genre. I'm not a big fan of thrillers, but there are certain writers who write excellent and exciting thrillers. After reading this book I can say that Ramsey Campbell is one of these good writers, because his writing style differs greatly from mainstream thriller writers (in other words, he knows what he's doing and doesn't underestimate his readers). It's been a long time since I've read this good a cross-genre thriller.
I enjoyed reading The Seven Days of Cain, because Ramsey Campbell knew how to gradually build up suspense. He's a master of psychological terror and he made good use of it in this book. I liked Campbell's characterization and prose very much, because he knew how to describe things with all the necessary details and nuances. He made his characters believable and interesting. I can say that in this book Andy can be called a perfect character (the side characters are also good characters).
I can recommend this book to all horror and thriller fans, because it's perfect entertainment for dark and cold winter nights. I should probably warn you that if you start reading this book in the evening, you'll probably spend the whole night reading it.
I think it's best not to write anything about the plot of this book, because I don't want to reveal too many details to readers. In my opinion this is one of those books, which should be read without too much information about the plot and the characters - the plot will be ruined if you know what's going to happen - so I'll write about other things (it'll be a bit difficult, but I'll do my best).
Ramsey Campbell's The Seven Days of Cain is an exciting and masterfully written cross-genre book. The reason I mentioned cross-genre is that it's difficult to call this book simply horror, because it's nearer to crime and thriller genre than horror genre. I'm not a big fan of thrillers, but there are certain writers who write excellent and exciting thrillers. After reading this book I can say that Ramsey Campbell is one of these good writers, because his writing style differs greatly from mainstream thriller writers (in other words, he knows what he's doing and doesn't underestimate his readers). It's been a long time since I've read this good a cross-genre thriller.
I enjoyed reading The Seven Days of Cain, because Ramsey Campbell knew how to gradually build up suspense. He's a master of psychological terror and he made good use of it in this book. I liked Campbell's characterization and prose very much, because he knew how to describe things with all the necessary details and nuances. He made his characters believable and interesting. I can say that in this book Andy can be called a perfect character (the side characters are also good characters).
I can recommend this book to all horror and thriller fans, because it's perfect entertainment for dark and cold winter nights. I should probably warn you that if you start reading this book in the evening, you'll probably spend the whole night reading it.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Listmania!
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
