Over at Tor.com, Grady Hendrix and I have begun another series on horror fiction. This one is "Evil Eighties," and first up is my look at John Farris. Happy Friday the 13th!
I could talk about it over there but when I think of Farris, I think of The Guardians, a novella collected in Scare Tactics. I read it when I was pretty young and didn't quite "get" everything so I can only remember the vaguest of plot details now, but that atmosphere? That never went away. It all seemed so elegant that although I remember being disappointed that it wasn't more...supernatural I still couldn't put it down and loved just wallowing in the mood and world.
All Heads Turn When the Hunt Goes By is probably my favourite title of a horror novel that I've never actually read. Really, it's so good that the novel could only disappoint...
I've read almost all of Farris' work starting with When Michael Calls back in high school. He is an odd case in horror fandom in that he is usually glossed-over or not even mentioned by most people. Maybe it's because a lot of his novels are hard to find on shelves? But they are worth the hunt. Mainly stuffed with clockwork like plot driven action and suspense, he also has a talent for characterization (his antagonists are particularly vivid), and palpable atmosphere. My favorite, if I had to choose would be FIENDS-I still remember those cave scenes!
@Jonathan Stover: Believe me AHTWtHGB will NOT disappoint in the least Jonathan! Give it a go. You can thank me later!
I dunno why he's kinda overlooked; honestly I've seen his books on used bookstore shelves all over the country. Maybe he's not more widely read bc his stuff sometimes veers into "mainstream thriller" territory and has more than just horror going on and I know that can turn off some readers (me included).
I could talk about it over there but when I think of Farris, I think of The Guardians, a novella collected in Scare Tactics. I read it when I was pretty young and didn't quite "get" everything so I can only remember the vaguest of plot details now, but that atmosphere? That never went away. It all seemed so elegant that although I remember being disappointed that it wasn't more...supernatural I still couldn't put it down and loved just wallowing in the mood and world.
ReplyDeleteAll Heads Turn When the Hunt Goes By is probably my favourite title of a horror novel that I've never actually read. Really, it's so good that the novel could only disappoint...
ReplyDeleteI've read almost all of Farris' work starting with When Michael Calls back in high school. He is an odd case in horror fandom in that he is usually glossed-over or not even mentioned by most people. Maybe it's because a lot of his novels are hard to find on shelves? But they are worth the hunt. Mainly stuffed with clockwork like plot driven action and suspense, he also has a talent for characterization (his antagonists are particularly vivid), and palpable atmosphere. My favorite, if I had to choose would be FIENDS-I still remember those cave scenes!
ReplyDelete@Jonathan Stover: Believe me AHTWtHGB will NOT disappoint in the least Jonathan! Give it a go. You can thank me later!
I dunno why he's kinda overlooked; honestly I've seen his books on used bookstore shelves all over the country. Maybe he's not more widely read bc his stuff sometimes veers into "mainstream thriller" territory and has more than just horror going on and I know that can turn off some readers (me included).
ReplyDelete