After his harrowing adventures in The Elder Ice (you can read my review here), ex-boxer Harry Stubbs returns to economic hardship in 1925 England. Harry finds work as a “guide” to a man from Singapore named Yang. Yang is interested in the work of Roslyn D’Onston, a one-time journalist who turned into a sorcerer. D’Onston was a suspect in the Jack the Ripper murders. Harry Stubbs finds himself in the grip of occult powers and necromancy. If you’re in the mood for a quirky adventure novel, Broken Meats delivers. GRADE: B+
Sadly – and somewhat surprisingly – my library doesn’t have any of David Hambling’s books. I can see it’s Amazon time coming up.
Jeff, I have a couple more David Hambling’s spooky novels to read. He’s an author to watch!
Skip, and I hate the title.
“occult powers and necromancy” ???
I could never understand why some people are so fascinated by this, sorry!
Wolf, I have a vivid imagination. Remember what Shakespeare wrote in HAMLET: “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” Hamlet was talking about the ghost of his father, but David Hambling is dealing with “re-animation” in a Lovecraftean sense.
Wolf – as the opening makes clear, one man’s occult is another man’s science…it’s SF rather than demonology.
David, I’m a big fan of all things Lovecraft and faux-Lovecraft. Your books hit the Sweet Spot!
Rick, the title comes from a line in Rudyard Kipling’s “The Ballad of East and West.” It also enters into the plot in a scary subterranean scene in the book.
It’s a terrible title. The rest of it is better, or your money back…
David, I have ALIEN STARS (a great title!) on my Read Real Soon stack. I really enjoy Harry Stubbs! How did you come up with that character?
I’m currently reading THE DULWICH HORROR OF 1927.
Jeff, what do you think of THE DULWICH HORROR OF 1927?