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Oxrun Station #7
The Universe of Horror Volume 1: The Soft Whisper of the Dead
Charles L. Grant's town of Oxrun Station became real to horror fans (much like Lovecraft's Arkham and King's Castle Rock). While most of Grant’s stories were contemporary, he did write a trilogy of “historical” novels placed in an earlier Oxrun.
The Soft Whisper of the Dead is the first of these. It is the account of the evil Count Braslov's attempt to subjugate the Oxrun population to his vampiric will. It is fun, fast-paced and fraught with gas-light atmosphere, plucky women, and the excitement of the classic vampire tale.
The Soft Whisper of the Dead is the first of these. It is the account of the evil Count Braslov's attempt to subjugate the Oxrun population to his vampiric will. It is fun, fast-paced and fraught with gas-light atmosphere, plucky women, and the excitement of the classic vampire tale.
141 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1982
5 people are currently reading
310 people want to read
About the author
Charles L. Grant
309 books263 followersCharles Lewis Grant was a novelist and short story writer specializing in what he called "dark fantasy" and "quiet horror." He also wrote under the pseudonyms of Geoffrey Marsh, Lionel Fenn, Simon Lake, Felicia Andrews, and Deborah Lewis.
Grant won a World Fantasy Award for his novella collection Nightmare Seasons, a Nebula Award in 1976 for his short story "A Crowd of Shadows", and another Nebula Award in 1978 for his novella "A Glow of Candles, a Unicorn's Eye," the latter telling of an actor's dilemma in a post-literate future. Grant also edited the award winning Shadows anthology, running eleven volumes from 1978-1991. Contributors include Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, R.A. Lafferty, Avram Davidson, and Steve Rasnic and Melanie Tem. Grant was a former Executive Secretary and Eastern Regional Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and president of the Horror Writers Association.
Grant won a World Fantasy Award for his novella collection Nightmare Seasons, a Nebula Award in 1976 for his short story "A Crowd of Shadows", and another Nebula Award in 1978 for his novella "A Glow of Candles, a Unicorn's Eye," the latter telling of an actor's dilemma in a post-literate future. Grant also edited the award winning Shadows anthology, running eleven volumes from 1978-1991. Contributors include Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, R.A. Lafferty, Avram Davidson, and Steve Rasnic and Melanie Tem. Grant was a former Executive Secretary and Eastern Regional Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and president of the Horror Writers Association.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 1, 2024
A gothic vampire novel that breaks no new ground, but does so proudly and lovingly. In the intro, Grant states his purpose beautifully, to bring the monsters back from being overt metaphor, from overthinking them until they no longer become scary, and to just have fun recreating and playing in the world of old school Hammer Horror. It’s an added pleasure for him to have brought this vibe to his town of Oxrun Station, which is already so cozy to me.
This book and its ethos are my damn aesthetic and I loved every word of this book. Not only is it a terrific send-up of Hammer Horror gothic, but the early chapters, when there are bumps in the night, whispers outside the door, sounds of wings in the night, and a mysterious wolf lurking about, were genuinely creepy and had my flesh crawling.
This book and its ethos are my damn aesthetic and I loved every word of this book. Not only is it a terrific send-up of Hammer Horror gothic, but the early chapters, when there are bumps in the night, whispers outside the door, sounds of wings in the night, and a mysterious wolf lurking about, were genuinely creepy and had my flesh crawling.
December 27, 2019
4.2 stars! Second time I've read Soft Whisper of the Dead
Oxford Station novel. One of a threesome where, Grant set out to write novel equivalents of Hammer horror films. A werewolf, mummy, and in this case, a vampire. He succeeded in spades and stakes. Saturated, rich colored dresses abound with low neck lines, men dressed to the nines. The dialogue, setting, pace, and even the weather echoes classic Hammer horror.
"The Soft Whisper of the Dead" takes place around February 1881. Fun fast read. The Hardcover edition has 15~ illustrations. Such a pleasure to relax upon feather pillows, under emerald silk sheets, immersed in an old fashion book. Not much gore or hard-core horror. That said, the poetic prose and settings were worth the price.
Welcome edition to any serious horror collection. Compulsory for Hammer Horror fanatics.
Oxford Station novel. One of a threesome where, Grant set out to write novel equivalents of Hammer horror films. A werewolf, mummy, and in this case, a vampire. He succeeded in spades and stakes. Saturated, rich colored dresses abound with low neck lines, men dressed to the nines. The dialogue, setting, pace, and even the weather echoes classic Hammer horror.
"The Soft Whisper of the Dead" takes place around February 1881. Fun fast read. The Hardcover edition has 15~ illustrations. Such a pleasure to relax upon feather pillows, under emerald silk sheets, immersed in an old fashion book. Not much gore or hard-core horror. That said, the poetic prose and settings were worth the price.
Welcome edition to any serious horror collection. Compulsory for Hammer Horror fanatics.
May 21, 2018
Loving ode to the Universal Pictures horror classics of the 1930s and ‘40s. Grant seems to be riffing on “Dracula’s Daughter” (1936), so it’s almost like getting a 1980s novelization of a movie made 50 years prior. Readers may find the prose off-putting because Grant successfully translates the “old creeker” style of German Expressionist / American B-movie to the page in a way that is wonderfully nostalgic and fun. Perfect reading for a rainy Sunday or Halloween night.
January 30, 2025
Perfectly dreadful in style and structure. No sense of place delineated for a new reader like myself about Oxrun. I always thought Grant had a reputation as a stylist, but the first few pages are very off-putting.
July 29, 2016
The Soft Whisper of the Dead is another re-read for me, and it's another of Grant's books that I first read almost 20 years ago. I remember not thinking much of the book at the time, enough so that as I was reading it this time, I remembered almost nothing about the plot. This might have been a good thing, since I didn't have any specific memories to affect the experience which, it turned out, was a pretty good one.
There's nothing particularly original about this novel, since Grant takes all of the familiar tropes of classic vampire movies and throws them all together. The book is intended to be an homage of those very movies, which is stated clearly in the foreword to the novel, so it's not a disappointment to find something so familiar. In a way, the story can be viewed as a retelling of the original Dracula story, just with different characters. It doesn't break any new ground, but, as Grant notes in the foreword, it didn't intend to. If nothing else, it was written as a response to vampire novels of the time it was published (1982) where the vampires were viewed as tragic and brooding instead of cold-blooded and terrifying, so Grant was looking to retread old ground in his own way. And he succeeded in a big way. Of all his books thus far, this was the one that really captured me and compelled me to read through to see how the story would end.
Grant's prose, while it doesn't necessarily feel dated, does have a sort of flow to it that's reminiscent of older fiction. When he takes his usual storytelling style and applies it to a turn-of-the-century vampire story, it winds up being a perfect fit. Setting the story in Oxrun Station is also a perfect fit, since he had already established the town as a place where strange and inexplicable things happen; with this novel, we start to see where those things may have originated.
With this novel, I recognized Grant's skills at characterization. His character names are somewhat plain and unmemorable, enough so that in nearly all of his novels I've gotten lost trying to remember who was who when the scene changed, but it's easy to identify characters by their mannerisms. I may not remember the name of the female vampire in the novel, or even the main male protagonist, but I recognize how they carry and present themselves. This has been true of the last few novels of his I've read, but I came to realize it with this particular book.
It's been fun reading Grant's books in order, but from here I'm going to break from his chronology and jump straight into the next two books in this series, about werewolves and mummies. It makes the most sense, and there are only two other books in between the first and second book. I just hope they will be as good as this one was.
There's nothing particularly original about this novel, since Grant takes all of the familiar tropes of classic vampire movies and throws them all together. The book is intended to be an homage of those very movies, which is stated clearly in the foreword to the novel, so it's not a disappointment to find something so familiar. In a way, the story can be viewed as a retelling of the original Dracula story, just with different characters. It doesn't break any new ground, but, as Grant notes in the foreword, it didn't intend to. If nothing else, it was written as a response to vampire novels of the time it was published (1982) where the vampires were viewed as tragic and brooding instead of cold-blooded and terrifying, so Grant was looking to retread old ground in his own way. And he succeeded in a big way. Of all his books thus far, this was the one that really captured me and compelled me to read through to see how the story would end.
Grant's prose, while it doesn't necessarily feel dated, does have a sort of flow to it that's reminiscent of older fiction. When he takes his usual storytelling style and applies it to a turn-of-the-century vampire story, it winds up being a perfect fit. Setting the story in Oxrun Station is also a perfect fit, since he had already established the town as a place where strange and inexplicable things happen; with this novel, we start to see where those things may have originated.
With this novel, I recognized Grant's skills at characterization. His character names are somewhat plain and unmemorable, enough so that in nearly all of his novels I've gotten lost trying to remember who was who when the scene changed, but it's easy to identify characters by their mannerisms. I may not remember the name of the female vampire in the novel, or even the main male protagonist, but I recognize how they carry and present themselves. This has been true of the last few novels of his I've read, but I came to realize it with this particular book.
It's been fun reading Grant's books in order, but from here I'm going to break from his chronology and jump straight into the next two books in this series, about werewolves and mummies. It makes the most sense, and there are only two other books in between the first and second book. I just hope they will be as good as this one was.
May 26, 2014
There aren't many books I can say have altered the way I read. I can't remember if any ever have actually, it's not really the kind of thing that even occurs to someone when they pick up a novel and begin to read I wouldn't think.
When I started to read this, I read the author's Prologue first. This isn't something I'm usually liable to do. I tend to view these little sections as a kind of 'look at me, look at me...' kind of shout out from the author, and therefore skip them entirely. However, on this occasion I found myself starting into the Prologue without really realising it. It was interesting. Apparently the author was a fan of the old, classic horror movies. The Universal, and the Hammer horror type, and this immediately struck a cord with me. Perhaps it was because of this that I found myself really employing the full and complete abilities of my imagination and applying them wholesale to the reading of this novel, far more than I might otherwise have done. I found myself immersed in the thick fog and staring transfixed at every heaving bosom whilst each and every scream felt so real and impacted so hard that I swear once or twice I actually looked toward the window to see where it had come from.
I don't really know why this novel had such a dramatic affect on the way I read, but I'm glad it did. Perhaps it just comes down to the circumstances at the time with everything around me converging to make it all so much more vivid, I don't know. I don't care either really. My eyes are open, and I don't intend to shut them again anytime soon.
If you're a fan of classic horror, or love that Hammer Horror atmosphere complete with distressed maidens, vampiric vixens, fog aplenty and, ...oh yes, those heaving bosoms, then pick this up, dive in, and drown in it's beauty.
A very solid 5/5 stars.
When I started to read this, I read the author's Prologue first. This isn't something I'm usually liable to do. I tend to view these little sections as a kind of 'look at me, look at me...' kind of shout out from the author, and therefore skip them entirely. However, on this occasion I found myself starting into the Prologue without really realising it. It was interesting. Apparently the author was a fan of the old, classic horror movies. The Universal, and the Hammer horror type, and this immediately struck a cord with me. Perhaps it was because of this that I found myself really employing the full and complete abilities of my imagination and applying them wholesale to the reading of this novel, far more than I might otherwise have done. I found myself immersed in the thick fog and staring transfixed at every heaving bosom whilst each and every scream felt so real and impacted so hard that I swear once or twice I actually looked toward the window to see where it had come from.
I don't really know why this novel had such a dramatic affect on the way I read, but I'm glad it did. Perhaps it just comes down to the circumstances at the time with everything around me converging to make it all so much more vivid, I don't know. I don't care either really. My eyes are open, and I don't intend to shut them again anytime soon.
If you're a fan of classic horror, or love that Hammer Horror atmosphere complete with distressed maidens, vampiric vixens, fog aplenty and, ...oh yes, those heaving bosoms, then pick this up, dive in, and drown in it's beauty.
A very solid 5/5 stars.
September 10, 2015
The best thing about this book is the title. While there are some nice atmospheric details, it's pretty much all downhill from there.
May 4, 2024
I made the mistake of listening to the last half of this book on audio and have to say the narrator brought the enjoyment of the read down considerably. In fact, for a while until I did a little research on the narrator, I was convinced it was an example of AI narration. It wasn't, but I was surprised.
That being said, it truly was a fun exploration into the old monster movies of yesteryear. I believe Charles L. Grant said he had written these as a tribute to the old Bela Lugosi movies, but as I read it, I found myself envisioning more of a Hammer Films vibe. This is a compliment. Although I adore the old Universal horror movies, I have a soft spot for Christopher Lee as Dracula and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. Dracula was more feral. More bestial and terrifying in those flicks, and so too was the Count in this book.
Was it the best homage to these movies? Not really. I found that Kane Gilmour's Crypt of Dracula to be far better homage to Hammer's take on Dracula, but this book definitely scratched a good monster story itch.
That being said, it truly was a fun exploration into the old monster movies of yesteryear. I believe Charles L. Grant said he had written these as a tribute to the old Bela Lugosi movies, but as I read it, I found myself envisioning more of a Hammer Films vibe. This is a compliment. Although I adore the old Universal horror movies, I have a soft spot for Christopher Lee as Dracula and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. Dracula was more feral. More bestial and terrifying in those flicks, and so too was the Count in this book.
Was it the best homage to these movies? Not really. I found that Kane Gilmour's Crypt of Dracula to be far better homage to Hammer's take on Dracula, but this book definitely scratched a good monster story itch.
July 27, 2022
Grant, Charles L - The Soft Whisper Of The Dead
Supposedly the first part of a trilogy, this actually reads like the sequel to The Dark Cry Of The Moon.
Chief Lucas Stockton is now an older man, while Ned, last seen as a boy in Dark Cry is now an adult.
In this outing, the undead arrive in Oxrun Station.
A pale, not seen by day, old friend of our heroine, and an elegant count.
Bodies are soon discovered, throats gashed or ripped out.
As before, R. J. Krupowicz provides highly stylized illustrations that serve better this time around.
Very quick read, that feels much like Salem’s Lot lite.
Enjoyable, if not essential horror reading.
Supposedly the first part of a trilogy, this actually reads like the sequel to The Dark Cry Of The Moon.
Chief Lucas Stockton is now an older man, while Ned, last seen as a boy in Dark Cry is now an adult.
In this outing, the undead arrive in Oxrun Station.
A pale, not seen by day, old friend of our heroine, and an elegant count.
Bodies are soon discovered, throats gashed or ripped out.
As before, R. J. Krupowicz provides highly stylized illustrations that serve better this time around.
Very quick read, that feels much like Salem’s Lot lite.
Enjoyable, if not essential horror reading.
December 29, 2024
Nè male nè bene.
Ennesima storia sui vampiri non negativa nè spiacevole, ma che purtroppo non ha nulla di originale né di innovativo.
Non riesce a dare brividi in nessun momento anche se le ambientazioni di un paesino di altri tempi, anche se a livello temporale non è nettamente situata, sono l’aspetto più positivo.
Restano tante scene in sospeso, forse un po’ troppe, e pesano sull’evolvere della storia, perché qualche scena un po’ più diretta e finalizzata non sarebbe guastata.
Sarebbe stata da sottolineare l’idea dell’invito ad entrare che mostra la conoscenza del personaggio, e carina l’idea della scena finale.
Ennesima storia sui vampiri non negativa nè spiacevole, ma che purtroppo non ha nulla di originale né di innovativo.
Non riesce a dare brividi in nessun momento anche se le ambientazioni di un paesino di altri tempi, anche se a livello temporale non è nettamente situata, sono l’aspetto più positivo.
Restano tante scene in sospeso, forse un po’ troppe, e pesano sull’evolvere della storia, perché qualche scena un po’ più diretta e finalizzata non sarebbe guastata.
Sarebbe stata da sottolineare l’idea dell’invito ad entrare che mostra la conoscenza del personaggio, e carina l’idea della scena finale.
February 2, 2026
A fun read. I discovered this book while reading Grady Hendrix’s Paperbacks from Hell, and decided to track down the series. I love the setting and town. The book being in 1880 in the small town of Oxrun Station, which is about to be visited/terrorized by a vampire. The characters are fun and we get snippets of their backstory. There’s not a lot of development but Grant does a pretty good job of creating a lived in town. My only complaint is this is a very short book. The vampire story is predictable and by the numbers. This not necessarily a bad thing but it wraps up way too quickly. I wish there was more here. But a fun read for any fan of classic horror.
September 11, 2022
I had pretty high hopes on this one based on the reviews I had read online, but....sadly it belongs in the meh-category. Sure, Grant was a skillful writer with a firm grip on language, so no complains there. It is just that the story is really not much to talk about, and had suited a comic book better. The characters feels paper-thin and uninteresting. Sorry, I really wished this one to be a bang, but it turned out to be whimper.
September 17, 2023
Choosing the edition with that cover because LOOK AT IT. Grant's slow-burn low-key horror can still manage to be utterly ruthless and take no prisoners, and here a mysterious visitor to Oxrun Station immediately results in bodies dropping all over the place. Slow burn doesn't mean fast paced, and the story flies along with plenty of misdirection and atmosphere.
June 25, 2022
A crisp, spooky vampire story set post-Civil War in the small, fictional town of Oxrun Station. I found it reminiscent in tone to 'Salem's Lot. Lots of good, eerie atmosphere - and some really lovely writing, too.
December 7, 2023
This was the first of a trilogy of offshoots of the Oxrun series
A bit shorter than the other novels but a good read.
I saw it described as a print version of a hammer or universal monsters film and that is just what it is
A bit shorter than the other novels but a good read.
I saw it described as a print version of a hammer or universal monsters film and that is just what it is
October 31, 2021
It was a fun read but nothing particularly great. The illustrations tho were amazing!
March 17, 2022
Computers can't read, i only txt.
A brilliant Gothic horror entertainment not spoiled by hundreds of transcription typos: esp. "comer" 4 "cnr".
Seriously, 4 more words!?!
A brilliant Gothic horror entertainment not spoiled by hundreds of transcription typos: esp. "comer" 4 "cnr".
Seriously, 4 more words!?!
June 1, 2023
Classic goth vampire horror full of mystery and chills. The audio narration was terrific as well!
January 26, 2024
3.5 rounded up. Just a typical vampire story. Nothing to exciting
February 26, 2025
It doesn't bring anything new to the vampire genre, but that is part of its charm. It is a fast-moving plot that uses all the Victorian vampire tropes in a fun way. Popcorn fun.
December 29, 2025
A fine vampire movie in book form. Short, well written and better than expected.
February 12, 2016
I am so loathe to say anything negative about a Charles L. Grant novel that this review really pains me. There are definitely some nice bits to this novel, but it simply isn't up to snuff for him.
The biggest problem with the novel, IMHO, is that the villains aren't nearly as engaging as I would have hoped. They mostly seem to take up space and I never really felt afraid or intrigued by them.
That said, the book is a fairly short, brisk read. Grant creates some delightfully atmospheric set pieces. In addition, the introduction of the book (where he declares his love of the classic monsters) is delightful and worth reading.
Grant is a wonderful author overall. This simply isn't one of his strongest books. That said, still better than Twilight.
The biggest problem with the novel, IMHO, is that the villains aren't nearly as engaging as I would have hoped. They mostly seem to take up space and I never really felt afraid or intrigued by them.
That said, the book is a fairly short, brisk read. Grant creates some delightfully atmospheric set pieces. In addition, the introduction of the book (where he declares his love of the classic monsters) is delightful and worth reading.
Grant is a wonderful author overall. This simply isn't one of his strongest books. That said, still better than Twilight.
July 15, 2012
An Oxrun Station novel, set in the 19th century. One of three featuring the classic monsters: This is the vampire novel. The other two are "The Long Night of the Grave" (the mummy's story) and "The Dark Cry of the Moon" (the werewolf's tale) (sorry, I couldn't resist).
All of the novels are faithful renditions of the classic stories. The monsters are bad, the humans are true, and good triumphs over evil. Wonderful stories. All are out of print, unfortunately.
All of the novels are faithful renditions of the classic stories. The monsters are bad, the humans are true, and good triumphs over evil. Wonderful stories. All are out of print, unfortunately.
November 2, 2014
The first in a series of three novels that use the old Universal horror films of the 1930's and 1940's as inspiration. This one has many similarities to the movie Son of Dracula. The author is able to capture the mood and setting of
Those classic films and puts them to good use. This works as an old school vampire tale, brief, subdued and enjoyable. But it does perhaps wrap up too quickly.
Those classic films and puts them to good use. This works as an old school vampire tale, brief, subdued and enjoyable. But it does perhaps wrap up too quickly.
December 5, 2009
Old fashioned horror story where things go bump in the night and everything is obscured by fog.
Other than a few questionable editing issues, the story's pacing was good and the horror palpable.
Other than a few questionable editing issues, the story's pacing was good and the horror palpable.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews