12-03-2008, 03:40 PM
Back in the seventies I used to read a lot of what my grandmother called 'penny dreadfuls'. They were the horror equivilant of a category romance today. Sure they were formulaic but there were some real gems in there if you dug for them. One of the reasons I am reluctant to reread favourite works from childhood/teenage years is the fear that they won't stand up to my memories of them.
These days I occasionally read horror classics like Henry James or Algernon Blackwood and I'm amazed at how substantially different the writing style is to today.
I tried to read Ann Rice and ploughed my way through Interview with a Vampire but to be honest it bored me silly and I never went back. Sounds like I made the right choice given her attitude.
As for Barbara Erskine, I really hope she pulls it together and returns to her usual great writing but I don't hold much hope. I still have a couple of books from her back catalogue I haven't read because I was so put off by Kingdom of Shadows. When I eventually do read them I'll post reviews. And for all her old fans there's still her short story collections.
These days I occasionally read horror classics like Henry James or Algernon Blackwood and I'm amazed at how substantially different the writing style is to today.
I tried to read Ann Rice and ploughed my way through Interview with a Vampire but to be honest it bored me silly and I never went back. Sounds like I made the right choice given her attitude.
As for Barbara Erskine, I really hope she pulls it together and returns to her usual great writing but I don't hold much hope. I still have a couple of books from her back catalogue I haven't read because I was so put off by Kingdom of Shadows. When I eventually do read them I'll post reviews. And for all her old fans there's still her short story collections.
