Ramsey Campbell

[ravenus]

Recently I read his book Ancient Images and thought I'd speak about t here. Please discuss about this and his other works here.

I picked up the book because of its very interesting premise, an editor and film buff hunting down a lost Karloff-Lugosi B-horror called "Tower of Fear", which had a very troubled history of making and was suppressed before release, but finding herself being discouraged by forces not entirely of the natural world.

But I should say that I was disappointed overall. While it's not all bad, the book doesn't so much expand and dig into its intrguing outline, preferring instead for most of its length to dance on the sidelines with its bland, stereotype characters and situations. I say, the characters in this book are some of the incredibly boring I have come across.

There are some pretty decently written sequences where Campbell raises a certain old-skool creep factor but it is not enough IMO to offset the general feeling of lacklustreness.

Campbell has written some fine horror short stories but this novel of his leaves me in serious doubt of his ability to handle the long form work.

[Leto]

Originally Posted by ravenus

But I should say that I was disappointed overall. While it's not all bad, the book doesn't so much expand and dig into its intrguing outline, preferring instead for most of its length to dance on the sidelines with its bland, stereotype characters and situations. I say, the characters in this book are some of the incredibly boring I have come across.
.

You've just sum_up the main problem on all his novels. Great expectations, and then...ppfft...no real horror.

[knivesout]

There's a thread here called 'The writer who ate his horror', where I basically express the same opinion based on reading two of his novels, including his debut 'The doll who ate his mother'. Definitely a writer who should stick to the short form.