James Herbert

[nullspin]

I thought I had read all the major horror writers but have somehow missed James Herbert. He is billed as 'the best selling english horror writer.' Is his stuff worth a read?
ns

[JohnShaft]

I'm sure there's a reader or two that's read more of his stuff than I null, but personally I'm not much of a fan.

He's been around a long time. I'm actually very suprised you haven't heard of him. I guess a long while back you could have called him Englands B Grade Stephen King. In fact I'd go so far as to say if you asked the British _general_ public to name a *British* horror author he would be named the most.

I've probably read half a dozen of his books, and none of them has impressed me - some have downright bored me and I've given up on them. Often his books sound good if you read the blurb, e.g. CREED or 48 (set in a 1948 England, if the Germans had won the war - Phillip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle had already used this scenario mind). But they never seem to live up to the potential of the story. There's just not enough happening.

The one thing that turns me off him is pretty much every book he writes seems to be churned out at 300 pages. No matter the story potential, or need for pages, bingo, it's 300 then done. Like it's all a process made to order for his publisher.

His most famous book/series is probably RATS, which dates back to the 70's. That's where he made his name, if name he has.

So that's my appraisal. He's been around a long time, written a hell of a lot of books, but I've yet to see him hit one out of the park. Maybe there's someone out there that can recommend him, but I honestly can't.

Incidentally, talking of British Horror writers, if you see any, and I do mean any, books by Geordie STEPHEN LAWS give them a whirl. I've actually been pretty entertained by every single one of his I've read.

[Tenebraeuk]

As a teen Herbert was probably my favourite author, read all his novels up to and including The Magic Cottage.

If I sat down and read one now (or any time since my very early 20s) I would probably view it as purile, childish nonsense, but I think that of all horror writers really, but as a kid they were great!

He tends to repeat themes (the Fog and the Dark being the most obvious example of two novels with virtually the same plot) and his books do have the air of made to order about them, as JS pointed out they are mostly 300 page affairs (though I must point out that Shrine and Domain were much longer novels, and both were pretty ggod) there is always the obligatory sex scene on page 110 and he always spaces his gruesome murders out at precise intervals to keep you reading.

In closing I must say I have fonder memories of reading Herbert as a 15 year old than Stephen King, I admit King is the far superior writer, but I just enjoyed Herbert more back then.

[Raven]

I've only ever read one James Herbert book and that was The Fog. I don't really remember all that much about it tho. I remember liking it tho lol

[nullspin]

Thanks for the 'heads up' on Stephen Laws I will pick up a couple from half.com . I actually started to look up Geordie STEPHEN LAWS, but found that a Geordie is:

Geordie n. & adj. Brit. colloq. n. 1 a native of Tyneside. 2 the dialect spoken on Tyneside. adj. of or relating to Tyneside, its people, or its dialect.

So thats a nice bit of trivia I can tuck under my hat for future reference. When i'm done with Laws I will check out Shrine and Dominion.
Maybe we should have a thread on 'favorite horror writers'. I have read all of King, Barker and the old standby Lovecraft. Don't much care for Koontz. Beyond that i'm pretty much tapped out.
ns

[Tenebraeuk]

Only ever read two Koontz novels, Whispers and Phantoms and I enjoyed both of them! Before reading Dominion you will have to reat Rats and Lair as Dominion is the final part of a trilogy.

And don't call me a Geordie, I am from Sunderland and therefore a Makem (and they hate geordies!)

[pat]

James herbert is a good brit writer,but graham masterton is the man to read!

[spiral]

Funnily enough, I've just started reading Rats. My local bookseller was doing a deal on Herbert books, so I picked it up at Half-price. I know what you mean about the 300 pages thing, John, most of his books have exactly the same thickness. Rats, I believe, is even shorter than 300 pages.

I must say, my first impressions are good. He doesn't write like a Bronte, by any atretch of the imagination, and he does fall into the old trap of building up a character's story in one big spiel, only to kill them off in one breath, afterwards, but I am enjoying it, despite its faults. Old school horror. Nice, easy read. Weirdly compelling.

Mind you, I wouldn't reckon I'd pick up too many of his other books. For Brit (or dutch, perhaps?) horror/ thriller lit, I'd recommend the bizarrely visceral Rupert Thomson (Five Gates OF Hell, Dreams Of Leaving etc)

[Nordicdusk]

I have red a couple of his books but im not really a fan i would not rush out to buy an other.

[spiral]

I have red a couple of his books but im not really a fan i would not rush out to buy an other.

Hey ND, I notice you're Irish. Where abouts do you live?

I from north of the border. :)

[Nordicdusk]

Hey ND, I notice you're Irish. Where abouts do you live?

I from north of the border. :)

Im from Waterford in the south east.

[dylanjmorgan]

James Herbert is pretty much hit and miss. The Rats was good, ditto The Fog. Others, in my opinion, is a must read. I'm trawling through his faerytale novel Once... and to be honest I'm struggling with it. Just sub par really.

He's written some good stuff, but none dynamic enough that I have to rush out and buy all his books.

Dylan.

[JohnShaft]

For a while I've lumped King and Herbert (as close as the U.K. came to the English King, 20 years ago) in the same bracket. Has-been authors who have run out of ideas or enthusiasm. Basically the older the book the more weight it carries, and if you read recent books of theirs they really have fallen on hard times.

It's hard to believe that the once untouchable King of the late 70's-early 80's could fall on such hard times... The King is truly dead.

[spiral]

It's hard to believe that the once untouchable King of the late 70's-early 80's could fall on such hard times... The King is truly dead.

I thought Cell was something of a return to form, but it seems that his latest book, Lisey' Story is a bit of a let down.

King's main problem, for me, is the verbose style of writing that seems to plague him lately. On and on he will ramble about nonsense that no one cares for, leaving the reader to wade through innane dross, waiting for substance. Desperation, for example, was a potentially great book ... yet I put it down without finishing, frustrated by endless interruptions to the main story's flow with nonsensical, meandering sub-stories.

Apparently he wrote Cell within a week. Perhaps that's why ALL of his meandering was absent. Perhaps King needs that discipline to write a good book...