This is another classic from Herbert, its similar in some ways to The Fog, i.e, the majority of people go mad with only a few people not succumbing who are left to save the world from evil.
The story, as always, sees a main male character by the name of Chris Bishop who is a cynical ghost ... Read review
It came like a malignant shadow with seductive promises of power and somewhere in the ... more
night, a small girl smiled as her mother burned. Asylum inmates slaughter their attendants while the lights fade and humanity is attacked by an ancient evil.
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Advantages: Herbert at his best Disadvantages: None
...similar in some ways to The Fog, i.e, the majority of people go mad with only a few people not succumbing who are left to save the world from evil.
The story, as always, sees a main male character by the name of Chris Bishop who is a cynical ghost hunter (much in the mode of David Ash of the Haunted/Ghosts of Sleath) sent to investigate the strange goings on in a quiet suburban house.
As usual with Herbert there is plenty ... ...to the plot. There are several excellent scenes which really grip you and have you frantically turning the pages over to get to the next line, the one I really enjoyed was the football crowd chapter. Having experienced first hand being part of such crowds (albeit with not so violent results) at football grounds I could really associate with the atmosphere that Herbert captures so authentically. In fact I enjoyed that bit so much I actually went back ... more
This is another classic from Herbert, its similar in some ways to The Fog, i.e, the majority of people go mad with only a few people not succumbing who are left to save the world from evil.
The story, as always, sees a main male character by the name of Chris Bishop who is a cynical ghost hunter (much in the mode of David Ash of the Haunted/Ghosts of Sleath) sent to investigate the strange goings on in a quiet suburban house.
As usual with Herbert there is plenty of suspense thrown in with lots of twists and turns to the plot. There are several excellent scenes which really grip you and have you frantically turning the pages over to get to the next line, the one I really enjoyed was the football crowd chapter. Having experienced first hand being part of such crowds (albeit with not so violent results) at football grounds I could really associate with the atmosphere that Herbert captures so authentically. In fact I enjoyed that bit so much I actually went back and read the whole chapter again.
Anyway, the story progresses with further mayhem being caused by some mysterious force that seems to lurk in the dark and turns ordinary people into homicidal maniacs who murder and rape for no apparent reason, they usually then end up ending their own lives in some horrific way.
In a strange way you can almost sense that Herbert enjoyed writing this book as it seems to flow from page to page and you get the impression that he really threw himself into it. I know it kept me in its grasp from start to finish …… a finish incidentally which has a totally unexpected twist but which I am not even going to give you a clue about because it will spoil it.
In summary another excellent offering that you will not be able to put down and which you will end up reading over and over again.
Advantages: Good story, great description of characters Disadvantages: None
...I consider him to be the best British horror writer around. So finding myself with some spare time I decided to pick up this novel again.
The intro on the back of the novel gives you a slight taste of whats to come without giving anything away.
The introduction and 1st chapter appear to be more like several intros, not quite setting the story but again just dropping hints.
The main character is Chris Bishop, a sceptical 'ghosr hunter' who aim ... ...Jessica and Jacob Kulek of the Research Institute of Parapsychological Study to talk about an incident at a house called Beechwood where Bishop had encountered some pretty gruesome happenings and where a cult had apparently been carrying on some pretty deviant activity.
The main body of the story centres around Beechwood and Willow Rd where it is situated and Bishop and Jessica go off to investigate. Unexplainable and shocking events are still happening ...
Emma1973 30.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Dark - James Herbert
Advantages: Could read again and again Disadvantages: Not a book for the young
This was the second ever James Herbert book I read and I am so glad that I did! I was able to read this book in a relatively short period of time as I was so addicted to it and really just couldn't put it down for too long. The story line was really gripping and I actually found myself really getting into the characters lives too! Its a book that you must pay attention to, I don't feel its a book you can just pick up and put down when you feel like ... ...the story if you did this. This was such a pleasure to read and I would definately read it again! I feel it would make a pretty awesome movie! James Herbert's attention to character detail is amazing, you can really feel yourself imaging the character in that situation and seeing how they look and act. This book could be read again and again! ...
Little-Princess 16.05.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Dark - James Herbert
Advantages: Brilliant scare Disadvantages: You'll never want to turn the lights off again
You'll never turn the lights off again!!!
If you are a true horror lover, then this is the best one to read, you will never look at shadows the same way again.
In true Herbert style this one really does keep you on the edge of your seat.
Children that set fire to their parents, in mates killing attendents. the whole human race going nuts over the dark.
If the dark was an entity would it really be this bad, I hope not. Scary stuff, probably one ...
carla33 05.09.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of The Dark - James Herbert
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Advantages: Short Gripping Read Disadvantages: A Bit outdated and cliche'd
and a part of him he thought never enev existed.
If You like this and other JamesHerbert novels, I would suggest you look for By Horror Haunted - edited by Stephen Jones and JamesHerbert's Dark Places as they are great insightful books.
I'll be totally frank about this though. I really need to re-read the book. I remember bits of it, but not all of it. I think the girl he falls in love with was sent to investigate on him, and he maybe still working within the police, but undercover, or he is on sabatical and simply trying to olve a certain part of the case on his own. I definately remember the ending being very strange!! ...
Advantages: Fantastic read for horror enthusiasts Disadvantages: James Herbert can't write fast enough
If Most Haunted ever had to go to Lockwood Hall I think they would retire.
I love JamesHerbert anyway, But this is one of those books you just can't put down because you insist you have to scare the pants off yourself. In fact I would put this as a second only to 'The Dark' .
If you like scary books and you've never read a good one yet then JamesHerbert is a good place to start with this one as a first. It has all the usual twists and turns of a Herbert, and the creepies to go with it.
The story starts as David Ash thinks he has run over a small boy on the bridge as he enters the small village of Sleath, But as with all Herbert stories things are never as they seem, even from the very beggining.
A fantastic read. Highly recomended to any horror enthusiast. ...
Advantages: Excellent and engrossing storyline, believable characters Disadvantages: can be a little over-descriptive in places
force will not be denied, and he is brutally murdered. As he dies, our attention is then drawn back to the photograph, where the seven members of the Byker Chapter now become six as Phil's image disappears from the picture as if he had never existed.
Then we meet Richard Eden, the flawed hero of the story, who gets the irresistable urge to have a look at his copy of the Byker Chapter photograph, only to discover that Phil is missing from it. So begins his race against time to track down and try to save his former friends and ultimately himself from an enemy that is aeons old and cannot be seen.
Some of you may recognise elements of this storyline from novels such as 'It' by Stephen King, 'The Dark' by JamesHerbert and 'Darkness Comes' by Dean R Koontz, but even after reading these titles previous to Spectre, I found it more than ...
Product Information for "The Dark - James Herbert" »
Product details
Type
Fiction
Genre
Horror
Title
The Dark
Author
James Herbert
ISBN
0330376209; 0450047385; 0450049701; 0450053237
Manufacturer's product description
It came like a malignant shadow with seductive promises of power. And somewhere in the night...a small girl smiled as her mother burned...Asylum inmates slaughtered their attendants...in slimy tunnels once-human creatures gathered. Madness raged as the lights began to fade and humanity was attacked by an ancient, unstoppable evil.
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