A WICKED ADULT FAIRY TALE (Once - James Herbert)

Member Name: chrissypops

Product:	Once - James Herbert
Date:	02/01/02 (491 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A coloured plates, its a good read

Disadvantages: Its cold under that toadstool at the moment ;-)

Being a James Herbert fanatic, I had to put down my current reading material to start reading this new blockbuster book called Once.. What a mix eh? Going from Chicken soup for your soul which is an inspirational book full of short but heart tugging stories and putting it down to read a horror story. You think that's weird, my sister reads two or three books at once. Know wonder she's so confused!!

Once.... by James Herbert was newly released horror novel in September '01. In fact I picked it up over the weekend as part of my Christmas present from my husband. Does any other wife buy her own pressies??? Umm perhaps its just a man thing. Anyway after paying 9.99 at Asda ( Retail hardback is 16.99) plus a nice 20 % discount as Tim works for them, I took it home, put kids to bed, ignored Tim and the PC and delved into the world of Faeries..

The story is held around a man called Thom ( short for Thomas I think and said that way too) Kindred and his childhood home, Castle Bracken. After being away for 16 years, Thom returns to the Bracken Estate after having a stoke to convalesce and recuperate. On returning to Castle Bracken, his old friend Hugo and his spooky manservant " Bones" were waiting to greet him. Thom stayed at Little Bracken which was a small cottage inside the huge grounds and this is were his childhood memories start to appear. Hugo was privately tutored by Bethan, Thom's mum and they used to live in Little Bracken, until 16 years ago when she died.

Strange things start to happen after a few days after Thom goes back to his childhood home. Why did the mysterious Nell Quick want to seduce Thom? What's the connection with the fairy folk (faerefolkis) and the evildoers ? . A true horror done as an erotic fairy tale just for adult.

Erotic? Not like Mr Herbert to be erotic, thought he was a horror writer? Well, yes James Herbert is one of the best Horror writer around in my opinion but Once..
. has something more. In all of James's books there is always some sort of sexual tension between one or two of the main characters. Usually keeping the tension strong but only including maybe one explicit scene to tempt the readers imagination. In Once... there must be at least 4 or 5 sexual scenes. Did I mind? Of course not. James is a very talented writer and none of these scenes were smutty or over done. Obviously he is just experimenting with his writing and that's fine by me.

Another unusual thing that James has done and I don't think he's done it in any of this hard back books, is that he has included 4 colour plates. I have only a few of Herbert's books in hard back and I know on occasion he might include the odd sketch. He often puts a map of the place that he has based his book on in the front pages as this helps feel your way around the book itself. But I don't think he has ever included colour plates. Illustrated by Steve Stone, these colour plates are beautiful. So rich in colour and texture, it gives your imagination a leap into the book. The first one of a young lady hidden behind some bushes, naked but only a taster of flesh showing. The colours are soft, yielding and very well illustrated. You could almost be there. As you are reading the relevant part of the story, you turn over and see this picture and bang. ......you are not just a reader of the book. You are an onlooker, there in the trees. Soft wind on your face and you can smell the flowers in the air.

The other colour plates, and I wont describe them because it would spoil the story are equally exquisite in their own right. As the mood of the book deepens so do the illustrations. The use of colour changes from soft, sultry to dark, hateful and it really sets your mind on fire. You know what they say about colours and the imagination. I felt that although the first illustration was relevant to the part that you were reading, the others didnt come
like that. Which I felt was a shame. They came after you had read the part, so I feel that they could be moved slightly. On the whole the illustrations are a good idea and certainly added plus to the book.

James's writing is supassable. In all this books, he pays attention to incredible detail. Making everything in the book leap out at you in 3 dimensional writing. Unfortunately sometimes this can make the books, especially the first few chapters a little slow. If you like detail, then it wont bother you, but sometimes you feel like skipping a few pages. Don't. Part of reading a book, a good book is about not just being a reader, but seeing the situations within the book unfold, like you were in that persons life. Once.. is a little slow in the first few chapters but stick with it. The book is worth it.

The story itself is a little predictable but it still didnt stop me from enjoying the book. There are some twists to Once.. but not as many as some of his earlier books. I really love the fact that all of his books are based on a place in England. Many of them down the beautiful west coast of England. This is an added bonus as most people have seen if not heard about the beauty of the west country, so you really visualize where you are. Funnily enough most of the places that Herbert's books are based on I have been and have some fond memories.

I think all in all I was a little disappointed with Once.. Mainly because the horror within Once .. isn't about the gory stuff that he used to write about. In many ways this book reminds me of the Magic Cottage. The horror within both books are similar. The constant fight against good and evil, the balance of life and what happens when someone delves into something that they don't know anything about. Its more subtle but still has the impact of making you think. Perhaps this is the true horror. Horror of nature, of reality, of truth. If this is the way that James is going, it
s going to take a little getting used to but I think I will still like it.

So if you like subtle horror about fairies, love, passion and belief, get this book and sit under the big toadstool in the garden. But remember, take the heater out there... .its cold!

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