Campbell, Ramsey

Holes for Faces

ISBN: 9781626410060
Portland, OR: Dark Regions Press, 2013. Limited First Edition. Hardcover. Signed by Ramsey Campbell. "One of the heirs apparent to early-twentieth-century American author H.P. Lovecraft, (Ramsey) Campbell's horror stories are often set in contemporary Merseyside, England, his own hometown, and involve quite ordinary characters. His unsettling, dreamlike prose, however, transforms his work into very effective horror fiction. Holes for Faces collects many of his best tales from the first decade of this (twenty-first) century. An attempt to avoid a haunted house leads to worse danger. The announcements at a railway station deal with stranger things than trains, and is that another railway station in the distance or a different kind of destination? A childhood game becomes a source of terror, and so does a radio quiz show. Even Christmas decorations may not be trusted, and beware of that Advent Calendar! A hotel provides amenities you mightn't welcome, and a visit to a tourist attraction attracts an uninvited follower. A train journey may never end, unless it already has, and a visit to a hospital brings back more than memories. A myth about a horror film has unwanted consequences. There are angels you mightn't want to see too clearly, if that's what they are. And you'll have to decide if it's better to stay in the dark or see what's waiting there. You'll find uncanny dread in these pages, and disquiet and terror, but also poignancy and comedy of paranoia. One theme runs through all the stories: youth and age." (from front flap) A collection of choice stories, both selected & never-theretofore-published, written between 2005-2013 by Ramsey Campbell (b. 1946), the acclaimed & award-winning British horror-fiction author. In his precocious youth during the 1960s, Campbell corresponded with, was inspired & mentored by none other than William S. Burroughs, the very Patron-Icon of our enterprise- see our presentation, The Cut-Up Life of WSB, which was delivered at the European Beat Studies Network (ebsn.eu) in September 2023, from the carousel of our site to learn more. Hardcover in unclipped dust jacket, one of a Special Edition of 300 copies signed by Campbell in bold black ink at front colophon preceding title page. At same, there is a line that was meant to be filled in with a hand-written number ("This is number_"). No number was written on this copy, an omission that may indicate its status as an author's proof or presentation copy. Including an attached silken red ribbon-bookmark. A delightfully disturbing (disturbingly delightful?) & desirable collectible by a WSB-influenced Master of the Macabre, in a very rare contemporary form. Book in very fine condition, appearing substantially mint inside & out. Dust jacket very fine with only a bit of rubbing, faint scratching to front, back covers & spine; some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same & flaps. Very Fine / Very Fine. [Item #6253]

Price: $120.00