Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
The Horror Of Today, 11 Oct 2000
By A Customer
Despite his powerful work as a horror writer for over 20 years, Ramsey Campbell may be finding that horror is not selling as well as it used to. His subtle and ingenious tales of internal horrors manifested in terrifying reality have given way to a trend that seems dictated by popular demand and editorial constraint. This is not to say that he is not a master of this form, since I would dare anyone to compare The Face That Must Die with Brett Easton Ellis's American Psycho and find the British work inferior - I regard this as his landmark work, bereft of humanity and unrelentingly dark. But it is odd that even Shaun Hutson - who I feel ashamed to mention in a review of a true writer - is now submitting novels about London's gangland a la Snatch and Two Smoking Barrels. It is a trend that the general public is dictating, and which is cyclical in horror fiction, largely brought on by the influx of bad, derivative efforts that strain the masses patience and pockets. But here, Ramsey Campbell shows that horror is a universal context found almost anywhere in good literature, and not just a label imposed by PR spin-merchants. Characters are imbued with traits that are both recognisable and uncomfortable. The nature of evil is addressed, and shown as a part of so much we hold dear. Casual sadism towards children, institutionalised prejudices, and the unshakeable nightmare of perception. These are used with skill and variety, in a world where any motive is questionable, and every personality is only a step away from breaking down. Ramsey Campbell has seen the horror of today, in the tradition of the works of Robert Bloch, and the real terror is still coming from within - even when we mean the best. Stephen King may be "The King Of Horror", but there are those among us who believe that Ramsey Campbell has seen that we are all exponents of horror, channeling these intents for good or ill, and he is simply cast as the visionary to warn us all. We must read these works, and we must recognise ourselves.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Cambell is at the top of his game, 22 April 1998
By A Customer
Investigative reporter Geoff Davenport is happy with both his personal and professional lives. He loves his wife and his job. He is currently on an enjoyable publicity tour of Britain, trying to sell his newly released book. For Geoff, life is good. However, one phone call in the middle of the night abruptly turns everything upside down for Geoff. The voice on the other end apparently is his brother Ben, who accuses Geoff of letting it happen. A | |
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