Bill Crider was a big fan of Robert R. McCammon’s work and urged me to read his books. I confess, I much preferred Stephen King books over Robert R. McCammon’s work although both writers worked the same side of the Horror street.
I’ve had this copy of They Thirst since it was first published in 1981 by Avon books and I finally got around to reading it. They Thirst is McCammon’s fourth book and this is significant because McCammon later “disowned” his first four books (Baal, Bethany’s Sin, The Night Boat, and They Thirst) and resisted their reprinting.
They Thirst concerns a vampire apocalypse aimed at Los Angeles. Vampire Prince Conrad Vulkan and his minions set up residence in an abandoned castle in the hills of LA. From there, they slowly start their move to take over the city.
McCammon’s 531 page book features a dozen characters: a newspaper reporter, a policeman whose father was bitten by a vampire, a dying priest who senses the vampire conquest, a comedian and his girl friend who are chased by vampires, and plenty of Bad Guys.
The problem in books like They Thirst is how does the writer sustain the horror of the event. After the first dozen blood suckings what do you do to carry the plot forward? That’s something Stephen King figured out…but McCammon did not at this point in his writing career. GRADE: C+
I find McCammon’s early work to be readable, training wheels books. (He later admitted that they were not as bad as he once thought.) McCammon soon found his voice with such respected novels as USHER’S PASSING, SWAN SONG, STINGER, THE WOLF’S HOUR, MINE, BOY’S LIFE, and GONE SOUTH. (Though SWAN SONG still reads to me like ersatz Stephen King.) BOY’S LIFE and GONE SOUTH marked a great departure for him and I found both absolute joys to read. After a period of inactivity, he roared back with his series of Matthew Corbett historical mysteries. I would not hesitate to recommend his books, with the caveat that the earliest ones that show a very good writer learning to develop his craft.
Jerry, I share your analysis of McCammon’s career arc. After a shaky start, McCammon found his voice and produced a number of good novels. I confess I have not read any of McCammon’s Matthew Corbett historical mysteries, but now I want to read one.
I recall reading several McCammon novels, and I’m pretty sure this was one of them. As well as I can recall I thought it was just OK. The others I read–USHER’S PASSING, SWAN SONG, and BOY’S LIFE- were better, but I never considered him to be a significant rival to King. Another writer I was reading around the same time who WAS a significant rival to King (and to anyone else who wrote horror) was Michael McDowell. His six volume BLACKWATER was really something, but his best was the astonishing THE ELEMENTALS, for my money the best novel to come out of the 80s horror boom.
Michael, McDowell also gave us BEETLEJUICE and adapted THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. A fantastic talent.
Jerry, we’re going to see the musical version of BEETLEJUICE next month!
Michael, I agree with you on Michael McDowell and BLACKWATER. Marvelous! I have THE ELEMENTALS around here somewhere. It goes to the top of the Read Real Soon stack!
This is the first time I have heard his name and although I have read several King novels, a lesser King would probably not be for me. The Kings I like most are those with few otherworldly creatures.
Patti, I prefer King’s “short” fiction (which can be lengthy) to his 1000 page novels.
Indeed. Both King and McCammon in my experience of both of them are best when they are more concise. Though I still won’t revisit the Gunslinger stories anytime soon, after finding the first couple as published in F&SF apparently unrevised from his early drafts and more than dire.
Todd, I agree with you on the GUNSLINGER series.
Yes, your analysis (all of you) agrees with my assessment. I did really like BOY’S LIFE (much like SUMMER OF NIGHT by SSDan Simmons) and read his short story collection, but a lot of his books are too long (and, as George pointed out, repetitive) for my taste. He’s no Stephen King or Dean Koontz.
Jeff, Subterranean Books has been reprinting plenty of McCammon books with wonderful covers: https://subterraneanpress.com/search.php?search_query=robert%20mccammon
I have Boy’s Life and Gone South somewhere in my never-to-be-read collection so they will go in the donation box the next time I spot them. The only King I have read was Joyland published by Hard Case Crime.
Kent, I recommend any and all of Stephen King’s short story collections:
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams
Different Seasons
Everything’s Eventual
Four Past Midnight
Full Dark, No Stars
Hearts in Atlantis
If It Bleeds
Just After Sunset
Night Shift
Nightmares & Dreamscapes
Skeleton Crew