| Author | Message | ||
     John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 |
(Ramsey Campbell's) JUST BEHIND YOU PS Publishing 2009 Fear The Dead Digging Deep Double Room The Place of Revelation The Winner One Copy Only Laid Down Unblinking Breaking Up Respects Feeling Remains Direct Line Skeleton Woods The Unbeheld The Announcement Dragged Down Raised by the Moon Just Behind You and, if you're lucky... Safe Words | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 |
I've been meaning to get myself in gear to add more to this section of the board for some time, so how about this for starters. I'm not sure if RC was joking when he said he wanted the original title of this to be Ramsey Campbell's Just Behind You but I hope it's a true story as I think that's marvellous. Anyway, some comments on the first few stories: Fear the Dead – A splendid title to begin a collection. Little Jonathan’s grandmother dies. His father has left home & his mum seems to be on the verge of a lesbian relationship with teacher Trudy. It’s not surprising, then, that he has a few issues, not least of which is the worry that if people talk ill of his grandmother their words will cause something dreadful to happen. It’s all in his mind of course…or is it? The description of the ‘thing in the corner’ is just wonderful and certainly not suitable for those of a nervous disposition. The deliciously terrifying image it conjured up certainly made me smile, but not as much as Jonathan’s encounter with the school bullies, which evoked a few chuckles before the onset of the horrors in earnest. Digging Deep – Often in my presence Ramsey has clasped his hands around his midriff and his face has creased into a smile as he has informed me that ‘It’s a comedy, you know’ and nowhere is that more evident than in this jolly tale of a man buried underground with only a mobile telephone for company and a nearby police station staffed with individuals who think he’s pulling a Halloween prank. Nice punchline, too. Double Room – Poor old Edwin ends up staying at a hotel where someone in the room next door seems to be mirroring his every sound and action. As the story unfolds we discover the real reason why he’s so jittery. Perhaps the most surprising part of this story was a poignant and tender passage that brought a tiny tear to the JLP eye. Who would have thought Mr Campbell was actually such an old romantic? But then, a lot of the best horror writers are, you know. The Place of Revelation – Young Colin’s Uncle Lucien has a habit of sitting on his bed when he comes to visit and encouraging him to tell stories about the strange forest that he visits. In the story notes at the back Ramsey says this story is paying a debt to another ‘giant of the field’ but I’m not sure which one, quite possibly because I may not have read him (I do have a few gaps). There are certainly touches of Machen here, and quite possibly Robert Holdstock as well, but by far the best bit is the cosmic terror at the end and the feeling of utter gibbering insignificance it instils, and that is entirely Mr Campbell’s own doing. The Winner – Stuck in a horrible pub having had his ferry cancelled, Jessop realises that there are far worse things lurking in wait for him than the terrors to be found in the pub toilets. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 |
I love Skeleton Woods. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 |
And Dragged Down. And Just Behind You is one of the finest horror stories ever written. And no, I'm not biased on that issue. | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 |
John, I didn't mean to be so guarded! The giant referred to was Machen - I was expecting my debt to be all too obvious. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 |
I'm sure it's my fault for not getting it, Ramsey - thanks for setting me straight! | ||
| Almills (Almills) Username: Almills Registered: 05-2010 |
I thought the "debt" in "The Place of Revelation" might've been to Walter de la Mere's "A Mote," which also shares fantastical visions of an uncle-- though the imagery did feel wonderfully "White People"-like. Anyway, I agree with Gary-- "Just Behind You" is such a satisfyingly unsettling (and melancholy) story, especially for lovers of horror, with all its implications of what it means to be 'haunted'-- how obsession, grief, & guilt from the past manifest in a paranoia projected onto the present... I felt the ending was so tragic with its outburst upon the son (his reconciliation mistaken as menace)-- well, it's certainly planted itself as one of my favorites. |