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Post by ian on Jun 11, 2009 19:43:53 GMT
How can we not have a classics category without having a thread dedicated to Mr. Herbert?
So how shall we start?
Oh, I know, Does anyone think he should go back to his shock and kill plots like The Spear and The Dark.
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Post by williemeikle on Jun 11, 2009 20:41:18 GMT
Definitely... the stuff he's doing now bores me to tears.
Then again, I haven't really liked anything since "The Ghosts of Sleath"
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Post by Jim on Jun 12, 2009 9:53:17 GMT
to be honest, I would rather he didn't publish anyhing else. Its almost as though he has begun to dry up. And that really really hurts me to say that. Him , Masterton and G N Smith were a huge part of my childhood.
Masterton looks as though he may also be going that way, his new book, Basilisk, has an feeling of scrapping the barrel for ideas
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Post by shaun on Jun 12, 2009 10:01:18 GMT
The books I read of his lately were, for want of a better word, boring. His early work had an edge. His stuff now is written as though he's trying to conform.
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Post by danielirussell on Jun 13, 2009 6:39:25 GMT
I've only read 4 Herbert books, 2 old and 2 new (ish).
The Rats and The Fog, although quite similar, were very, very entertaining.
Once... was different but too, namby pamby (best way I can think to describe it).
Secret of Crinkley Hall was, although well written, very unoriginal. Was just a rehash of The Haunting of Hill House.
Yeah, thinks seem to be sliding.
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Post by jeff on Jun 14, 2009 16:36:12 GMT
I think I've read all of Herbert's books twice, with the exception of "Once", if you know what I mean. For me his earlier books were the best: Spear, Rats, Sepulchre and the Dark.
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Post by steppedonwolf on Jun 14, 2009 17:17:53 GMT
The Spear is one of my all time favourites. It's a shame that his books have been sliding recently (just like Wilbur Smith, alas).
Hope he gets back on track soon. I hear there's a new David Ash book on the way?
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Post by funkdooby on Jun 18, 2009 6:25:21 GMT
I definitely think Herbert's work began to suffer once he started taking 2-3 years to write a novel. His earlier stuff, while rougher round the edges, was certainly a lot more spontaneous and gripping.
Shrine and Sepulchre always stick in my mind, although I think I probably enjoyed every one of his novels up to and including The Ghosts Of Sleath, with the exception of Moon. Of his later stuff, Others was brilliant. The rest is mostly missable.
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Post by ian on Jun 18, 2009 6:31:48 GMT
Did you not like Moon?
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Post by funkdooby on Jun 18, 2009 7:09:16 GMT
No, thought it was pretty poor, to be honest.
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Post by darrelljoyce on Jun 24, 2009 21:57:11 GMT
No, thought it was pretty poor, to be honest. Me too, although I am a long-time fan.
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Post by darrelljoyce on Jun 24, 2009 22:04:12 GMT
How can we not have a classics category without having a thread dedicated to Mr. Herbert? Indeed! I like most of his books (have read all of his novels except 'Crickley Hall'), although I agree that there are qualitative differences between his early output and his more recent books. 'The Spear,' 'The Dark,' 'Shrine,' 'Domain' and 'Haunted' are all classics, in my view, whereas later works like 'Once' and 'The Ghosts of Sleath' seem somewhat lethargic in comparison (for me, this trend reached its nadir with '48' and, later, 'Nobody True').
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Post by ian on Jun 24, 2009 22:46:11 GMT
I remember reading 48 for the first time when it came out and I did wonder if there was more than one James Herbert.
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Post by horrorphile on Jul 9, 2009 20:49:49 GMT
Like most of the fans of James Herbert, I have to agree that his older stuff is the best. I also think he peaked with '48, which was the most recent book I read. I wish I could find more of his stuff in the states. It's so hard to find anything by him across the pond (so to speak)...
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Post by ian on Jul 9, 2009 21:16:06 GMT
Hi horrorphiile and welcome to the board sir. (Make sure you introduce yourself in the appropriate section!)
Are there any of Mr. Herbert's classics you have yet to read? And What other Brit horror writers have you read so far?
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