Absolute Horror Book Forum

Spiders by Richard Lewis.

Now if you see this little gem lying about as I did, 10p from a charity shop (Best Buy Ever), then take it in your hands, pay at the counter, go straight home and read this book.

I, like most, am not too keen on the eight legged wonders; though I don't have a phobia of them, I really hate the way they feel when they skitter over your flesh, especially across the hairs on the back of your hand. So it gave me a good fright too. Right at the outset, in the first chapter Lewis introduces you to the spiders and what the little devils are capable off... and it ain't nice either.

However, not only do you have an intelligent and well written horror story here, but as it unfolds a second genre thriller emerges as well. This is a real roller-coaster of a novella (only 160 pages), which kept me enthralled to the climax. No long "intro" or "outro" to soften the pace - Lewis' description of the atrocities the spiders cause, is very Splatterpunk (a term which surfaced in the '80's) also, so not for the squeamish..

Now this book is set in England around the late '70's (when it was written), and if you can remember that time you'll fondly smile when Lewis mentions the tuning dial on the television sets (tuning dial - says the youngsters, didn't you have a remote? HAHA!) and other items of the time, like the old cars.

This is the best book I've read this year. Highly Recommended.

10/10.

Come join me - We ALL Float Down Here.

PENNYWISE Stephen



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