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1. #1 posted by Martin Jones

   

   Aug 1st, 2007

   I’ve not read his three most recent books but The Grotesque and Spider are essential: the best of the ‘New Gothic’ along with the likes of Mick Jackson’s The Underground Man. The Grotesque in particular is like Poe on uppers, with a rich plate of black ‘humour’ running straight through it. Also, his first collection of stories, Blood & Water, is highly recommended, with audacious tales ranging from colonial India to the Apocalypse… a pity that ‘Clove The Vampire’ is not in any collection: a hilarious tale of vampirism and cricket!
   And excellent interview.

2. #2 posted by Martin Jones

   

   Aug 1st, 2007

   Actually, I think it might have been called ‘Cleave The Vampire’… I tore the story from the pages of an anthology years ago. It’s around here somewhere.
   ‘An’ excellent interview, not ‘And’.

3. #3 posted by John

   

   Aug 1st, 2007

   Thanks for the tips, he’s one writer I’ve missed. Don’t think I’d paid any attention until Cronenberg filmed Spider (and I’ve still not got round to seeing that either) but that interview definitely piqued my interest.

4. #4 posted by Martin Jones

   

   Aug 1st, 2007

   The later novels didn’t interest me purely because I assumed they dealt with insanity without the ‘gothic’ trappings and touch of decay that can be found in the earlier works (something I unashamedly find more appealing). This interview, however, suggests otherwise. The film version of Spider is worth a look, although when you read the novel you’ll realise how much they had to leave out. Good performances.
   However, I have yet to see the adaptation of The Grotesque, starring Alan Bates and Sting… not bad for a book whose narrator is 99% paralysed!

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