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| Author: | IanW [ Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:54 am ] |
| Post subject: | Book reviews |
If you have a review of Steve's books, wish to write one or if you know of any, post them here! |
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| Author: | IanW [ Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:19 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
ADVENTURELAND Steve Harris One meeting I was outside the hall talking to Luka and the subject of books we had read came up. Luka saying that back in the nineties she had read a book in which the action revolved around Basingstoke. Intrigued I asked the question “Authors name and title?” and Luka replied that she thought it was called Adventureland and believed the author was someone called Stephen Harrison, a local writer. Now this tweaked a memory because many years ago when Rita and I were courting we vaguely knew a guy (he used the same pub as us) called Steve Harris who had written a book called Wulf, yes with a u and Luka thought that sounded like the same guy. So a trip to the library was arranged to see if the book was available. Rita was struggling to remember Steve’s face but like me could remember when Wulf was first published and Steve hawking copies around the pub. Eventually a copy of Wulf was found and as soon as we’d looked at the photo and biography the penny dropped and we had a whispered reminiscence about the good old days. A quick scan of the "Also by" page showed me he had also written a book called Adventurland and enquiries showed that they also had a copy in store so I booked it out; - (actually I did Paul does not have a library card ! R) Advetureland is a gothic horror book mostly set in the Advetureland fairground in War memorial park in Basingstoke. The heroes are Davy and his girlfriend Sally, both in their early 20’s. After the Adventurland moves into town people start to go missing and it is down to Davy and Sally to solve the mystery and save the day. Fighting against them are demons, the fairground teamsters, and the local hard case that doesn’t like Davy and fancies Sally quite a lot. The story moves around the town in both this and a demon dimension with many recognisable features of the town. Sadly some have now gone with the Town’s redevelopment but it still felt strange reading about so many familiar places. For instance Davy watches the arrival of Adventurland while sitting by the Black Dam roundabout, Sally worked at the perfume counter at Owen Owen’s , later to become Allders, and now that’s gone. But the strangest of all was that The Dragon pub featuring in several scenes is in fact The George, now an Italian restaurant, only moved to the west by one street. I say strange as The George, or The Hole in the Wall as it was known to its regulars was the pub that Rita and I met in and from where we knew Steve. Strangest of all was a fight described in the book was so familiar I am sure that Rita and I were in the pub when it really took place; just the names have been changed to protect the innocent. This is a good book with the action set at a good steady pace and the feelings of nostalgia it generated were excellent. I would highly recommend it to anyone who remembers the Basingstoke of the late 20th Century and to anyone else who enjoys reading light horror. This book will help anyone interested in finding out who I am and why the everyday strains just flow by. It also describes the town of my youth, (poor old bugger. R) and the lifestyles of its provincial townies in a bygone age. Paul Russell Original review is here... http://www.genesis-sf.org.uk/archives/bookshelf.htm |
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| Author: | IanW [ Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:00 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
The Devil on May Street Steve's sixth (published) novel (not counting The Switch which no publisher will touch) is well up to the standard of his early books. Which is to say it's a gutsy modern horror novel with more invention and pure brio than a hundred episodes of Star Trek. Stevie and Johnny see another boy disappear on a swing, at the top of each arc he fades out and then is gone. They might want to follow but their dog Duke is not so sure, especially when he is attacked by a gobbling. There is a way through to the May Street of the 1960s where their parents lived and dealt in drugs until they came up against a really evil hard case. There was one self-mutilation scene I couldn't read but that maybe just me. Unlike the woman with the pin, I'm only scratching the surface of this complex and intricately-plotted story which has nothing of the gothic about it and more than a little love. Steve even has some fun with film titles in his chapter headings. Now I shall always remember that once a year is Kool Day! Originally written in the JVK book reviews here... http://www.enkil.demon.co.uk/Pages/boorv.html |
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