| Author | Message | ||
     Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.131.110.233 |
Er, have these guys READ this book? http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/john-gordon/house-on-brink.htm | ||
| Hubert (Hubert) Username: Hubert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 78.22.227.106 |
Found it second-hand a couple of weeks ago. The title rang a bell, because it's the book Ramsey's holding in the picture on the dustjacket of Demons by Daylight. Have only read a few chapters, as the style of writing doesn't agree with me. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.219.8.243 |
I didn't like it either, I'm afraid. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.131.110.233 |
It's worth sticking with - the funny thing is, reading it out to my kids got me into it this time. It WAS bumpy compared with modern stuff. What's funny is as a kid I read it no problem, and it became one of my favourites. The letter I got from Gordon when I wrote to him a few years ago was so lovely I carry it around like a talisman. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.131.110.233 |
Huw - could I see that picture? Are you able to scan it? A favourite writer holding a favourite book - that's got to be seen! | ||
| Hubert (Hubert) Username: Hubert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 78.22.227.106 |
You talkin' to me?  No scanner here, sorry. | ||
| Huw (Huw) Username: Huw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 218.168.185.105 |
I think John Gordon's a fine writer, Tony. Some of today's writers could learn a thing or two from him, in my opinion. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
The Giant Under the Snow could almost qualify as the first horror book I read. I was nine and I wasn't allowed to read my Dr Who book in school - I was told I HAD to read something form the school library and that was the only thing that appealed. And it wasn't half bad as I recall. I've got Gordon's short story collection on the shelf but I haven't read it yet | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.131.110.233 |
I've just been talking about how Gordon works better for me in the long form, something about his subtlety needing a long time to immersed oneself in. His tone and timbre are out of date, sadly, but shouldn't be - I still try to emulate him. Reading him again I'm in awe, and deeply jealous. | ||
| Huw (Huw) Username: Huw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 218.168.185.105 |
John, once more it turns out we have something in common. The Giant Under the Snow is the first supernatural/horror book I ever bought and read. I bought with my pocket money when I was about eight (for Craig: pocket money = allowance). I still have that book somewhere - it's a Penguin, or Puffin, as I recall. I like the sense of mystery and adventure in his books, as well as the dark touches (he does atmosphere very well). His books are marketed as children's or 'young adult' books, but I find them just as enjoyable now, as a grown-up. Tony and Lord P. - did either of you ever read the sequel to The Giant Under the Snow, Ride the Wind? It's not bad, although I definitely prefer the earlier novel. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.131.110.233 |
Brink is about as adult as a book gets. It pains me he's not appreciated now for in all honesty he can be as good as Garner, if not better, for Garner can be impossibly difficult sometimes, these days in particular. Brink has at least as much going on as Owl Service. | ||
| Huw (Huw) Username: Huw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 218.168.185.105 |
I always preferred John Gordon's books to The Owl Service, which I've never been particularly fond of, though I know most people think very highly of it. | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.74 |
I think Gordon is a fine writer, but I think Garner is a genius. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.131.110.233 |
That's where the difficulty lies - we need to stretch ourselves to accommodate it! Not a bad thing. Red Shift was amazing, if perplexing with the modern-sounding bits set in the past. And talk about bleak. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.219.8.243 |
I think Garner is a genius Me too. "Elidor" was a pivotal book in my literary education. | ||
| Huw (Huw) Username: Huw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 218.168.185.105 |
I must confess I've not read either Red Shift or Elidor. I read The Owl Service as a youngster and found it interesting but didn't really enjoy it for some reason. Perhaps I should give it another go - I might like it more now. | ||
| Steve Bacon (Stevebacon) Username: Stevebacon Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 90.210.209.176 |
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen is, like, totally rad, dudes. | ||
| Steve Bacon (Stevebacon) Username: Stevebacon Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 90.210.209.176 |
Sorry about that, chaps. I came over all American there for a sec. |