Post by Vaughan on Oct 16, 2009 14:21:03 GMT
I'd really been looking forward to reading this one. Oh sure, I remember it from its initial publication, and somehow the story around it has managed to stick in peoples mind all the way through modern times. This is such a classic tale!
And so I bought the paperback that started it all, and dug in.
And what a utterly horrible experience it was. To call this bad insults all the other things you've labeled bad in the past. This book requires a whole new definition of the word bad.
How on Earth did a story such as this - with some very very bad writing - manage to do so well? Oh well, I guess timing is everything, and people were more gullible back then.
The story itself is pretty much your bog standard Hammer House of Horror Yarn. Try not to laugh at the pig with red eyes as you move alone. In truth, not much happens. Doors fall off - but the owners take it in the stride. FOUR FOOT Porcelain tigers jumps around and takes a nibble on the fathers ankle.
Really boring stuff all in all. But what really made is so painful was the writing. With up to 8 exclamation marks PER PAGES (and no, I'm not making that up) you fear s though the book has lost it's mind.
My favorite moment comes in Chapter 24 (in my book, page 165):
But George couldn't get up from his chair! He was pinned to his seat by a firm and on his shoulders. It was a struggle George couldn't win.
The shadow hovered over Chris. George, helpless, shouted: "It's in Chris's room!" No-one heard him.
"It's in Chris's room! he repeated. Then the pressure on his shoulders lifted and George felt himself being pushed. His arms came free and he could see Chris was out of bed, wrapped inside the dark shape.
George swung his hands wildly about, again screaming: "It's in Chris's room!" He felt another violent push.
"George!"
His eyes snapped open. Kathy was leaning over him, pushing at his chest. "George!" she cried. "Wake up!"
He leaped from the chair. "It's got Chris!" he yelled. "I've got to get to get up there!"
Kathryn grabbed his arm. "No!" She was pulling him back. "You're dreaming. Chris is here!"
You'll have to a long way to find that many exclamation marks (and that's not all of them on that page) - or to meet the hilarity of the "Where's Chris!" dialog.
But it sums up the book entirely. AWFUL.
Really hated this one, the mind boggles at its success.
And so I bought the paperback that started it all, and dug in.
And what a utterly horrible experience it was. To call this bad insults all the other things you've labeled bad in the past. This book requires a whole new definition of the word bad.
How on Earth did a story such as this - with some very very bad writing - manage to do so well? Oh well, I guess timing is everything, and people were more gullible back then.
The story itself is pretty much your bog standard Hammer House of Horror Yarn. Try not to laugh at the pig with red eyes as you move alone. In truth, not much happens. Doors fall off - but the owners take it in the stride. FOUR FOOT Porcelain tigers jumps around and takes a nibble on the fathers ankle.
Really boring stuff all in all. But what really made is so painful was the writing. With up to 8 exclamation marks PER PAGES (and no, I'm not making that up) you fear s though the book has lost it's mind.
My favorite moment comes in Chapter 24 (in my book, page 165):
But George couldn't get up from his chair! He was pinned to his seat by a firm and on his shoulders. It was a struggle George couldn't win.
The shadow hovered over Chris. George, helpless, shouted: "It's in Chris's room!" No-one heard him.
"It's in Chris's room! he repeated. Then the pressure on his shoulders lifted and George felt himself being pushed. His arms came free and he could see Chris was out of bed, wrapped inside the dark shape.
George swung his hands wildly about, again screaming: "It's in Chris's room!" He felt another violent push.
"George!"
His eyes snapped open. Kathy was leaning over him, pushing at his chest. "George!" she cried. "Wake up!"
He leaped from the chair. "It's got Chris!" he yelled. "I've got to get to get up there!"
Kathryn grabbed his arm. "No!" She was pulling him back. "You're dreaming. Chris is here!"
You'll have to a long way to find that many exclamation marks (and that's not all of them on that page) - or to meet the hilarity of the "Where's Chris!" dialog.
But it sums up the book entirely. AWFUL.
Really hated this one, the mind boggles at its success.