James Herbert's Latest

[Flapdoodle]

I started reading James Herbert's latest novel - The Haunting of Crackley Hall (Or something.)

It was terrible. It has to be one of the worst openings I've ever read. It starts off in a car, with boring descriptions of the countryside, head hopping, boring descriptions... Blurgh.

The writing is OK, yet somewhat soulless... I got past Chapter One and just thought: I don't care. So gave up.

[MelodyO]

I'm never quite sure if this kind of story makes me feel better or worse about my own writing. Although I'm sort of tempted to name one of my characters "Crackley Hall". He'd be a rotund Englishman, methinks.

[zahra]

Flapdoodle, I threw this waste of my time across the room when I finished it. I gave up reading Herbert years ago, because I thought he was a limited writer, but thought I'd give this a go, pretty sure that he'd have improved.

He seems to have got worse.

Clumsy, cliched, boring, predictable - and I bought the blasted thing hardback.

Mr Herbert, you owe me £16.99, mate.

[beezle]

I didn't even know he was still writing.

But I have enjoyed books of his.

[Flapdoodle]

Flapdoodle, I threw this waste of my time across the room when I finished it. I gave up reading Herbert years ago, because I thought he was a limited writer, but thought I'd give this a go, pretty sure that he'd have improved.

He seems to have got worse.

Clumsy, cliched, boring, predictable - and I bought the blasted thing hardback.

Mr Herbert, you owe me £16.99, mate.

I find it absolutely gutting that this toilet paper is on the shelves, whereas an author like Ramsey Campbell seems to have vanished from the shelves. I wouldn't wipe my arse with a James Herbert book.

[Will Lavender]

I find it absolutely gutting that this toilet paper is on the shelves, whereas an author like Ramsey Campbell seems to have vanished from the shelves. I wouldn't wipe my arse with a James Herbert book.

I hear you.

Ramsey Campbell's early books are impossible to find, for some reason. I spend a good deal of my youth browsing through used bookstores trying to find some vintage Campbell. One of the greats of the genre, IMO.

[zahra]

I hear you.

Ramsey Campbell's early books are impossible to find, for some reason. I spend a good deal of my youth browsing through used bookstores trying to find some vintage Campbell. One of the greats of the genre, IMO.

I seem to remember a book of his when I was a kid, called 'The Doll Who Ate His Mother'. Can't remember what the flip it was about, but maybe it's still at my childhood house...I'll have to have a rummage next time I go.

[Will Lavender]

I seem to remember a book of his when I was a kid, called 'The Doll Who Ate His Mother'. Can't remember what the flip it was about, but maybe it's still at my childhood house...I'll have to have a rummage next time I go.

That was, unless I'm mistaken, Campbell's first novel. It was out of print by the time I was looking for it, and alas: I never found a copy.

Stephen King raves about it in Danse Macabre.

[zahra]

That was, unless I'm mistaken, Campbell's first novel. It was out of print by the time I was looking for it, and alas: I never found a copy.

Stephen King raves about it in Danse Macabre.

If I find one at the house, it's yours for $150...Just kidding. Amazon has 17 for sale starting $3. Start clicking, babe.