tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post796094717685984698..comments2023-04-13T13:19:51.726+01:00Comments on Life happens between books: Feelgood horror fictionLucy Fishwifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468092971495182126noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post-78566971249190182962008-12-08T13:18:00.000+00:002008-12-08T13:18:00.000+00:00You're right, you're right. Although I think he's ...You're right, you're right. Although I think he's deliberately adopting what Robertson Davies would call "the rough demotic" because he assumes that's who his readers mostly are; in his desire for everyone to be able to identify with the characters he makes them all as blue-collar as possible.I think it's down to the fact that everyone supposedly hates the middle classes (I'm PROUD to be bourgeois, PROUD I tell you) so middle-class characters in a book are all either selfish members of the chattering classes or laughable PC weeds. Another reason I love Phil Rickman - the heroine is not only unapologetically middle-class but a vicar...Lucy Fishwifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12468092971495182126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post-58921194895196440152008-12-06T19:09:00.000+00:002008-12-06T19:09:00.000+00:00I think you have hit upon the charm of King's horr...I think you have hit upon the charm of King's horror over that of others Lucy, even if his is arguably more amateurishly written.The Poet Laura-eatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07779308486569849157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post-34331941167383405672008-12-05T12:50:00.000+00:002008-12-05T12:50:00.000+00:00SS - He does quite a lot of self-sacrifice as well...SS - He does quite a lot of self-sacrifice as well, somehow that's the only way some of his characters get redeemed. It happens in The Shining and also in The Stand. Actually quite Catholic! ("Stephen King as religious author - discuss" !!) Phil Rickman is actually a superhero called Rick-Man, his mystic ability is to change into a rickshaw when trouble threatens... (well, it could happen...)<BR/><BR/>MM - Your brothers read some dreadful tripe. That's not intergenerational/family scoff, it's discernment. Although I have to agree - my bro used to read E E "Doc" Smith and even at the age of 14 I could tell they were bloody awful.Lucy Fishwifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12468092971495182126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post-7970243465977471222008-12-05T11:07:00.000+00:002008-12-05T11:07:00.000+00:00Is the scoff mechanism a family thing rather that ...Is the scoff mechanism a family thing rather that generational? There's a stack of books that I haven't read, probably never will, because my brother read them.mantua makerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08100402931220060133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post-66868187068275338462008-12-05T03:09:00.000+00:002008-12-05T03:09:00.000+00:00Well! I've picked up a good author rec, and some ...Well! I've picked up a good author rec, and some good gossipy tidbits along with. You are on target with hope/redemption in King...goes back...remembering back even to The Shining...<BR/><BR/>I totally love that there is a talented Rickman family. It would have bugged me no end even a couple of years ago, but I'm at peace with that. :)ScentScelfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12264276265890227820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post-33783054909479173212008-12-04T11:10:00.000+00:002008-12-04T11:10:00.000+00:00BT - I know, that's exactly why my mum won't read ...BT - I know, that's exactly why my mum won't read it - I'm sure there's an inbuilt generational scoff mechanism. I do recommend him - he's not really Horror at all, more Morality Tale With Some Gruesomeness. <BR/><BR/>Helg - I recommend Phil Rickman highly. I love the way he now has a whole invented clan of relatives...I very much liked his brother as Wolverine in the "X-Men" films...Lucy Fishwifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12468092971495182126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post-82206156996463275242008-12-03T15:07:00.000+00:002008-12-03T15:07:00.000+00:00I will take your rec of Phil Rickman into consider...I will take your rec of Phil Rickman into consideration. Alan's brother, huh? What a clan!<BR/>I also believe S.King is given the short end of the stick too many times because people judge by the -mostly mediocre- film adaptations and not the actual novels, which are quite good (and very descriptive and atmospheric!)Perfumeshrinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222733129203280662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post-68268467313003664352008-12-02T18:01:00.000+00:002008-12-02T18:01:00.000+00:00Like Steve, something has stopped me from going ne...Like Steve, something has stopped me from going near King. I think it's partly because I associated 'Horror' with the sort of James Herbert idiom you mentioned, partly because my children liked it from a youngish age (so I assumed it must be awful), and partly because the films are aimed at the people who live over the top of the Downs, who marry their sisters. I now see that I'm a prejudiced OG, and I'm going to start with Phil Rickman. (He played pretty good keyboards in 'Yes' anyway.Brother Tobiashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14298549883526952305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post-88321160310344500322008-12-02T12:22:00.000+00:002008-12-02T12:22:00.000+00:00Oh Steve what a treat you have coming to you (if y...Oh Steve what a treat you have coming to you (if you're into the crossover Crime/Supernatural type genre, that is...). Phil Rickman writes great big dark semi-crime novels that are stubbornly english (ie the plots involve Fred West, Elgar, Conan Doyle etc) - rather like Christopher Fowler does with his Bryant & May series. No way could they ever be Hollywoodified (hurrah). Although the thought of a Hollywood studio making a film about a female vicar in the current climate of religious shock 'n' awe is unlikely. I recommended "December" to Rol and have just realised it's out of print but can be obtained very cheaply from *cough*amazon*cough*. Spend that 1p (plus postage)!! And read "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" by Stephen King. Very uncharacteristic.Lucy Fishwifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12468092971495182126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post-1304054345546845142008-12-01T19:34:00.000+00:002008-12-01T19:34:00.000+00:00I have never heard of Phil Rickman and must confes...I have never heard of Phil Rickman and must confess that I have never read a Stephen King novel in my life. I've always been resistant for some reason - probably allowed myself to be soured by the movies of his books (Shawshank and Green Mile excepted). I probably should give him a go though I think I'm more likely to try Rickman first.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133900289384226725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post-86062797339200070772008-12-01T17:17:00.000+00:002008-12-01T17:17:00.000+00:00PS - Alan Rickman, ha ha. If he wrote horror do yo...PS - Alan Rickman, ha ha. If he wrote horror do you suppose it would all be in a heavily Vincent Price voice?Lucy Fishwifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12468092971495182126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post-34180169403360143572008-12-01T16:38:00.000+00:002008-12-01T16:38:00.000+00:00You're right! The good ones all have Hope/Redempti...You're right! The good ones all have Hope/Redemption as a key factor. And I so nearly went back and added a sentence to that effect. I just read a book called "The Birthing House" by some bloke who desperately wants Stephen King to be his best friend, and it wasn't REALLY bad, but it ended miserably in an abattoir of nastiness and I felt quite dispirited by it. Hence turning to Phil Rickman. I recommend "The Wine Of Angels" or, deeply odd and very good, "December" - all about whether or not the recording of a new album in an old studio is being cursed/haunted by the ghost of John Lennon...Lucy Fishwifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12468092971495182126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1352411146204226127.post-37797134161546392992008-12-01T14:29:00.000+00:002008-12-01T14:29:00.000+00:00I agree 100% about King, Lucy - he shouldn't be fi...I agree 100% about King, Lucy - he shouldn't be filed under 'Horror', but 'Hope'. Even at his bleakest, you always feel he's writing on the side of the angels.<BR/><BR/>Not read any Phil Rickman, but I do like his brother Alan, so I've added him to my list.Rolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02103804480646939038noreply@blogger.com