|
Post by Dreadlocksmile on Jul 24, 2009 13:48:27 GMT
When Creatures Attack!!!
Right then, everyone enjoys a good pulp horror novel where some creature or another attacks mankind. Guy N Smith, John Halkin and Richard Lewis are mostly responsible for unleashing the majority of these onto the public.
In a bid to come up with the next deadly creature to attack mankind, horror authors worldwide have left no stone unturned to come up with the next beast to go on the rampage.
Now, I think I've got almost every creature to have threatend mankind at one stage or another through the glorious years of the pulp horror novels listed in this poll. If I've missed any out, then please do say which (preferably with the name of the novel and author to accompany the creature in question).
But back to the poll...what are your top 5 creatures to attack?
|
|
|
Post by Dreadlocksmile on Jul 24, 2009 13:54:17 GMT
Just realised that I left out 'Pigs'. Richard Haigh - The City
|
|
|
Post by williemeikle on Jul 24, 2009 15:10:53 GMT
There's always "Doctor Rat" by William Kotzwinkle where mankind gets shafted by everything else... apart from a mad lab rat
|
|
|
Post by Dreadlocksmile on Jul 24, 2009 15:31:16 GMT
There's always "Doctor Rat" by William Kotzwinkle where mankind gets shafted by everything else... apart from a mad lab rat I haven't heard anyone mention that novel for ages!!! Doctor Rat was one of my first ever online reviews (over 5 years ago). It really was quite a poor quality review that I did: Dreadlocksmile review:A darkly humorous take on the use of animals in human research. Seen from the eyes of a lab rat, you have a bizarre and disorientating angle on the world. Taking to lead other animals in a revolution to make the world theirs once again, Doctor Rat is a political statement on the way we treat our planet and its inhabitants. A novel to question your views and moral standing on the ethics of animal testing. You will laugh and smirk at some of the writing, but there will always be that underlining notion of cruelty to others. I hope more people get to read this novel. www.amazon.co.uk/review/R2BX9D69CQWJW/ref=cm_cr_rdp_permHowever, it's not really a 'pulp horror' creatures vs mankind kind of novel. But that was one hell of a blast from the past!
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Jul 24, 2009 17:53:38 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Dreadlocksmile on Jul 24, 2009 18:00:52 GMT
Top darts!!! I had no idea about those two jimmcleod. Nice work.
|
|
|
Post by steppedonwolf on Jul 24, 2009 18:15:26 GMT
This is an incredible book - seek it out if you can.
|
|
|
Post by Dreadlocksmile on Jul 24, 2009 18:23:00 GMT
This is an incredible book - seek it out if you can. Which one dude? I'm always open to suggestions / recommendations.
|
|
|
Post by steppedonwolf on Jul 24, 2009 18:25:50 GMT
Sorry, this was a reply to the posting of Doctor Rat by William Kotzwinkle - I forgot to reply to it properly.
|
|
|
Post by Dreadlocksmile on Jul 24, 2009 18:40:00 GMT
I already have a copy (the same version as pictured above). I nabbed it off my dad when I was ten I think. I remember reading it the first time and being somewhat freaked out by the whole premise. I later re-read it when I was about 15 or something and understood what Kotzwinkle was trying to do.
I second Steppedonwolf's recommendation. It's a good read. Not really in keeping with this forum though. Although it does have some 'nasty' moments as far as I can remember.
|
|
|
Post by ian on Jul 27, 2009 5:57:21 GMT
Newts? Remind me...
|
|
|
Post by Dreadlocksmile on Jul 27, 2009 8:16:12 GMT
Hahahahaha....I thought someone might question that one. John Halkin's novel 'Slither' as I'm sure you're aware was some weird worm-like-lizards that had a contretemps with mankind. Throughout the novel I kept thinking 'newts' dammit...'newts'. So I'm of the school of thought that they're some hybrid newts on steroids. I considered listing them as lizards or worm-like-lizards but then I thought "f**k it". Newts will do!!!! Agree? Disagree? Care very little?
|
|
|
Post by shaun on Jul 27, 2009 8:26:10 GMT
I have that Slither book somewhere. I remember it from the cover, but don't remember what it was about!
|
|
|
Post by shaun on Jul 27, 2009 8:27:07 GMT
Where are the cockroaches? They would survive a nuclear war, so they must be on the list.
|
|
|
Post by Dreadlocksmile on Jul 27, 2009 9:10:01 GMT
I have that Slither book somewhere. I remember it from the cover, but don't remember what it was about! Hope this helps... Dreadlocksmile review:First published back in 1980, John Halkin's pulp horror novel `Slither' was the first book in the `Slither-Slime-Squelch' creepy-crawly series. The novel was released at a time when pulp horror novels depicting graphic gore and violence (to be later categorised as splatterpunk) was at its hey-day. This was mostly due to the unprecedented success of James Herbert's groundbreaking classic splatterpunk 1974 novel `The Rats'. The novel begins in the dank sewers of London, where thirty-six year old, TV film cameraman Matt Parker is filming a TV documentary about urban growth through the centuries. Whilst left on his own for a short period, Parker is attacked by a swarm of limbless newt like creatures later referred to as the `worms'. Hungry for human flesh and with a taste for blood, these bizarre creatures swarm on their victims, ripping into their flesh with razor sharp teeth. Parker survives the ordeal, but is left severely disfigured. The media go crazy over the notion of these seemingly mutant worms, actually attacking a fit and strong human being. Soon enough though the media hype draws to an end and as such the worms are dismissed as no more of a menace than ferrets. After his near death experience with the worms, Parker has no intention of simply dismissing the creatures that left him disfigured. One way or another, he was going to prove to the world the danger these worms posed. In a quaint little village within Middlehampton the first of the carnivorous worms begin to strike once again. By now the worms have grown not only in size but in their numbers. Nowhere where there is water is safe anymore, as they swarm out of ponds, swimming pools and down bath pipes. The British population now faces a new and truly horrifying enemy...the worms. Bursting with gruesome deaths throughout, John Halkin's debut novel `Slither' packs in a vast array of graphic deaths at the hands of these bizarre and imaginative invertebrates. Halkin surprising never really defines exactly what these carnivorous vermillion limbless newts are. One almost gets the impression that Halkin planned to have the deadly creatures as either newts or worms and the publishers persuaded him otherwise, meeting somewhere in between by way of a somewhat confusing compromise. This does nothing to weaken the plot however, and if anything adds a darker air of mystery to their ambiguous roots. The tale's principal character Matt Parker is a well developed and easily identified with character whose frustrating mission easily draws sympathy from the reader. Once the `worms' attack again, this time in greater numbers and on a more recurring and greater scale, the novel quickly takes off into an all out splatterpunk fest. Halkin's imaginative deaths and building tension in the face of such a preposterous enemy to mankind, is nothing short of commendable. The `worms' display a surprising intelligence that adds another level of fear to the storyline. The novel reads like Shaun Hutson's 1982 novel `Slugs' but with the attacking creatures displaying a higher level of cunning. Indeed, as the novel progresses, the `worms' appear to take on roles in a similar way to that of ants, with their `workers', `soldiers' and of course the most deadly of them all - the queen worm. Ending with a nail biting and action packed finale, Halkin manages to keep the pace racing from when the worms launch their all out attack on the community of Middlehampton until the books final conclusion. Unfortunately, the first few chapters of the novel (forming perhaps the first third of the book) are somewhat of a slower pace, setting down the scene and carefully building up the tension before the inevitable lager scale attack takes place. The worm like creatures are an interesting and novel idea for the enemy, although the concept and general plot is now so over saturated from the sheer abundance of similar pulp horror novels that flooded the market during the 80's. That said, `Slither' is a thoroughly enjoyable read with many twists and turns to the storyline that you can't help but get immersed in Halkin's new epidemic. The novel runs for a total of 215 pages and was first published by Hamlyn Paperbacks. Where are the cockroaches? They would survive a nuclear war, so they must be on the list. I don't remember there being a pulp horror novel involving cockroaches (although I'm quite surprised that there hasn't been one). Anyone know of one? Richard Lewis's 'Devil's Coach-Horse' was devil's coach-horse beetles turned nasty. The 1988 horror film 'The Nest' was cockroaches on the rampage...but I don't think this was originally a book (or made into a book at a later date).
|
|