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A call for help... from a little girl long dead.Barbara Waugh experienced the worst horror a mother can imagine. Her little girl, Angela, was murdered. Horribly. But now, years later, mysterious phone calls bring both hope and fear. Each time, the girl's voice on the other end simply pleads, 'Mummy, help me.'Could Angela still be alive after all? Barbara's desperate search for the truth - and her daughter - will lead her into a living nightmare, an evil world of torture, murder and gruesome rituals, where the initiated have abandoned their names... and are searching for new victims.
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
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About the author
Ramsey Campbell
857 books1,591 followersRamsey Campbell is a British writer considered by a number of critics to be one of the great masters of horror fiction. T. E. D. Klein has written that "Campbell reigns supreme in the field today," while S. T. Joshi has said that "future generations will regard him as the leading horror writer of our generation, every bit the equal of Lovecraft or Blackwood."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
November 14, 2018
What a nailbiting and eerie book! Barbara Waugh's daughter was kidnapped and presumably killed when being 4 years old. Now Barbara Waugh receives calls from her daughter. Is it really her? Who was killed back then? Was her daughter abducted by a sinister sect that calls itself 'the nameless'? A parent tries to find if her daughter's still alive. Quick paced story with a nasty twist at the end. Absolutely recommended. A Campbell classsic you shouldn't miss!
November 5, 2020
Bárbara Worth,una agente literaria, pierde a su esposo y poco tiempo después secuestran a su hija Angela de cuatro años . la cual dan por muerta luego de encontrar su supuesto cadáver. Nueve años después recibe una llamada de Angela diciendo que esta viva y que necesita contactarla.
se tejerán varios misterios, detrás de los cuales está involucrada una secta muy particular.
Puntos a favor de la novela: la atmósfera y el clima que gira en torno de los hechos. Tiene buenos pasajes de misterio sobrenatural . Una buena premisa y un buen prólogo
punto en contra: principalmente en la primera mitad hay saltos en el tiempo y falta de continuidad. Por momentos Son confusos los flashbacks con los hechos que suceden simultáneamente en el presente. Lamentablemente no se llega a explotar al máximo la premisa ni lo que se plantea en el prólogo.
El autor se empeña en describir todos los pensamientos, y todas y cada una de las suposiciones que rondan la cabeza de los protagonistas, lo que por momentos resulta bastante molesto y tedioso.
se tejerán varios misterios, detrás de los cuales está involucrada una secta muy particular.
Puntos a favor de la novela: la atmósfera y el clima que gira en torno de los hechos. Tiene buenos pasajes de misterio sobrenatural . Una buena premisa y un buen prólogo
punto en contra: principalmente en la primera mitad hay saltos en el tiempo y falta de continuidad. Por momentos Son confusos los flashbacks con los hechos que suceden simultáneamente en el presente. Lamentablemente no se llega a explotar al máximo la premisa ni lo que se plantea en el prólogo.
El autor se empeña en describir todos los pensamientos, y todas y cada una de las suposiciones que rondan la cabeza de los protagonistas, lo que por momentos resulta bastante molesto y tedioso.
October 3, 2019
A really strong, eerie, uncomfortable book about a truly savage cult. Unfortunately, even the author thinks the last two pages are weak.
October 5, 2021
Bannon alzò lo sguardo con un vago sorrisetto
quando aprirono la porta della sua cella e Santini senti un'ondata di nausea. Di tutte le bestie che tenevano chiuse a San Quentin, Bannon era la peggiore. Santini non riusciva a ripensare a quello che aveva fatto alla ragazza senza che gli venisse voglia di vomitare.
Angela è una bambina di quattro anni con dei doni speciali: può parlare con i morti e trasmettere un senso di pace e beatitudine a quanti la circondano.
Ma il potere di Angela è anche un faro accecante che disturba e ferisce coloro che hanno rinunciato al loro nome, abbracciando un'esistenza nell'oscurità, ed infliggendo alle loro vittime mutilazioni e torture cercando di placare una fame più grande di loro, alla ricerca dell'atrocità suprema in nome di qualcuno o qualcosa che si annida nelle tenebre.
Nove anni dopo il rapimento e la brutale uccisione della sua unica figlia, Barbara Waugh inizia a ricevere delle strane telefonate da qualcuno che dice di essere Angela.
È mai possibile che sia ancora viva?
Riuscirà Barbara a salvare sua figlia prima che la misteriosa setta dei senza nome porti a compimento ciò che ha in serbo per lei?
Barbara ritornò in punta di piedi sul pianerottolo;
aveva appena richiuso la porta che di nuovo sentì quella voce indistinta, dentro la stanza con Angela.
Stava per girarsi e allontanarsi, dicendosi che il microfono accanto al lettino aveva raccolto una trasmissione, quando si rese conto che un microfono non può fare una cosa del genere. Qualcuno stava mormorando qualcosa ad Angela dietro la porta.
Inizia così la ricerca disperata ed allucinante di una donna che ha perso prima il marito e poi la sua bambina, in un racconto tetro ed agghiacciante che miscela alla perfezione descrizioni inquietanti, linguaggio sofisticato, un orrore lovecraftiano strisciante che ti rimane sottopelle, ed infine una narrazione avvincente dal punto di vista dei vari personaggi, il tutto senza lesinare colpi duri allo stomaco ed al cuore del lettore.
Il ronzio delle scariche di fondo, lontane voci metalliche la raggiungevano per poi svanire. La casa si fece buia, il silenzio più profondo, e infine si rese conto che stava seduta li come una catatonica, sperando ciecamente nel
fantasma della sua bambina assassinata. Questo non poteva che sprofondarla ancor di più nella disperazione.
A un tratto il disgusto per se stessa fu così forte che riuscì a tirarsi indietro.
Perdere i propri figli è l'incubo di ogni genitore, figuriamoci ritrovarseli brutalmente assassinati o rapiti da una setta satanica.
Nella stanza a pianterreno le era venuto in mente un animale, ma questo appariva un essere informe, un feto coperto di ragnatele e polvere, o di ragnatele e polvere composto.
Era così veloce che si era arrampicato lungo il suo corpo ed era arrivato quasi alla faccia prima che si mettesse a urlare.
Per questo motivo, essendo padre di una bambina, ho vissuto con angoscia la ricerca di Angela da parte di sua madre ed i suoi compagni, circondati da un'atmosfera claustrofobica, opprimente ed inquietante, che sembra stringersi come una morsa attorno a loro mentre corrono ignari e disperati, pagina dopo pagina, incontro ad un terribile destino.
Lui la accompagnò al parcheggio sotto il Barbican e portò via la macchina. Il soffitto basso incombeva come una nuvola temporalesca, il tubo al neon sulla sua testa
tremolava come un lampo. Mentre si dirigeva verso casa, per riprendere i tentativi di mettersi in contatto con l'Other News, si chiese distrattamente se qualcuno avesse mai ripulito il parcheggio: uno degli angoli bui sembrava pieno di ragnatele.
Una lettura che difficilmente potrei definire piacevole, e che in alcuni momenti mi ha fatto venire veramente la pelle d'oca, ma comunque appassionante, che mi ha tenuto incollato a leggere tutto d'un fiato le ultime cento e passa pagine e che, alla fine, ha fatto riaffiorare in me un ricordo da tempo rimosso:
avevo già letto questo libro una ventina di anni fa circa a casa di una mia zia, una vecchia edizione cartonata antecedente a questa, trovata invece a prezzo irrisorio in una libreria dell'usato romana, il cui titolo facente capolino da uno scaffale aveva attirato inesorabilmente la mia attenzione.
« Qui i nomi non contano », ribatté l'uomo sulla
sinistra, mentre quello sulla destra allungava la mano e le torceva il braccio finché lei non lasciò cadere il coltello. Quello con le labbra spesse lo raccolse. La bambina guardava affascinata mentre gli altri uomini la tenevano e lui le tagliava i tendini delle braccia e delle gambe.
Probabilmente ero troppo giovane per apprezzarlo e lo avevo completamente dimenticato, ma poche pagine prima della conclusione, la scena finale è riaffiorata repentina ed inesorabile dagli abissi delle mie memorie facendomi sobbalzare.
Tornò senza parole all'albergo, trascinandosi per le strade. Una pioggia leggera prese a cadere sul suo viso e sulle braccia nude, ma nulla poteva rinfrescarla.
Non aveva il coraggio di chiamare la polizia, non
poteva far nulla tranne sperare che Gerry avesse trovato la setta, sperare in un'altra telefonata.
Un finale forse non all'altezza del racconto, molto diverso rispetto a quello presente nel decisamente non memorabile adattamento cinematografico (The Nameless) del 1999, ritenuti debole dallo stesso autore e dalla maggior parte delle recensioni qui presenti, ma che francamente non mi ha deluso minimamente.
Pareva impossibile che ci fosse una casa in quell’isola di terreno abbandonato sotto il cavalcavia. Evidentemente avevano deciso di lasciarla lì perché non valeva la pena neppure di demolirla. Ted si sforzava di ragionare per convincersi che se non altro riusciva ancora a
pensare lucidamente, visto che non poteva far nulla per impedire che lo trascinassero verso l'edificio.
Un classico del terrore poco conosciuto e decisamente non per tutti, ma che a mio parere non dovrebbe mancare nella libreria di ogni appassionato del genere.
Era troppo tardi per consentirsi dei dubbi: Ted aveva messo il suo bagaglio sul nastro trasportatore e ora le valigie si allontanavano
come tante bare verso il forno crematorio.
« Non preoccuparti », le disse lui, stringendole il braccio cosi forte che le fece male. « Se Angela chiama, so esattamente cosa fare. »
Cinque stelle.
quando aprirono la porta della sua cella e Santini senti un'ondata di nausea. Di tutte le bestie che tenevano chiuse a San Quentin, Bannon era la peggiore. Santini non riusciva a ripensare a quello che aveva fatto alla ragazza senza che gli venisse voglia di vomitare.
Angela è una bambina di quattro anni con dei doni speciali: può parlare con i morti e trasmettere un senso di pace e beatitudine a quanti la circondano.
Ma il potere di Angela è anche un faro accecante che disturba e ferisce coloro che hanno rinunciato al loro nome, abbracciando un'esistenza nell'oscurità, ed infliggendo alle loro vittime mutilazioni e torture cercando di placare una fame più grande di loro, alla ricerca dell'atrocità suprema in nome di qualcuno o qualcosa che si annida nelle tenebre.
Nove anni dopo il rapimento e la brutale uccisione della sua unica figlia, Barbara Waugh inizia a ricevere delle strane telefonate da qualcuno che dice di essere Angela.
È mai possibile che sia ancora viva?
Riuscirà Barbara a salvare sua figlia prima che la misteriosa setta dei senza nome porti a compimento ciò che ha in serbo per lei?
Barbara ritornò in punta di piedi sul pianerottolo;
aveva appena richiuso la porta che di nuovo sentì quella voce indistinta, dentro la stanza con Angela.
Stava per girarsi e allontanarsi, dicendosi che il microfono accanto al lettino aveva raccolto una trasmissione, quando si rese conto che un microfono non può fare una cosa del genere. Qualcuno stava mormorando qualcosa ad Angela dietro la porta.
Inizia così la ricerca disperata ed allucinante di una donna che ha perso prima il marito e poi la sua bambina, in un racconto tetro ed agghiacciante che miscela alla perfezione descrizioni inquietanti, linguaggio sofisticato, un orrore lovecraftiano strisciante che ti rimane sottopelle, ed infine una narrazione avvincente dal punto di vista dei vari personaggi, il tutto senza lesinare colpi duri allo stomaco ed al cuore del lettore.
Il ronzio delle scariche di fondo, lontane voci metalliche la raggiungevano per poi svanire. La casa si fece buia, il silenzio più profondo, e infine si rese conto che stava seduta li come una catatonica, sperando ciecamente nel
fantasma della sua bambina assassinata. Questo non poteva che sprofondarla ancor di più nella disperazione.
A un tratto il disgusto per se stessa fu così forte che riuscì a tirarsi indietro.
Perdere i propri figli è l'incubo di ogni genitore, figuriamoci ritrovarseli brutalmente assassinati o rapiti da una setta satanica.
Nella stanza a pianterreno le era venuto in mente un animale, ma questo appariva un essere informe, un feto coperto di ragnatele e polvere, o di ragnatele e polvere composto.
Era così veloce che si era arrampicato lungo il suo corpo ed era arrivato quasi alla faccia prima che si mettesse a urlare.
Per questo motivo, essendo padre di una bambina, ho vissuto con angoscia la ricerca di Angela da parte di sua madre ed i suoi compagni, circondati da un'atmosfera claustrofobica, opprimente ed inquietante, che sembra stringersi come una morsa attorno a loro mentre corrono ignari e disperati, pagina dopo pagina, incontro ad un terribile destino.
Lui la accompagnò al parcheggio sotto il Barbican e portò via la macchina. Il soffitto basso incombeva come una nuvola temporalesca, il tubo al neon sulla sua testa
tremolava come un lampo. Mentre si dirigeva verso casa, per riprendere i tentativi di mettersi in contatto con l'Other News, si chiese distrattamente se qualcuno avesse mai ripulito il parcheggio: uno degli angoli bui sembrava pieno di ragnatele.
Una lettura che difficilmente potrei definire piacevole, e che in alcuni momenti mi ha fatto venire veramente la pelle d'oca, ma comunque appassionante, che mi ha tenuto incollato a leggere tutto d'un fiato le ultime cento e passa pagine e che, alla fine, ha fatto riaffiorare in me un ricordo da tempo rimosso:
avevo già letto questo libro una ventina di anni fa circa a casa di una mia zia, una vecchia edizione cartonata antecedente a questa, trovata invece a prezzo irrisorio in una libreria dell'usato romana, il cui titolo facente capolino da uno scaffale aveva attirato inesorabilmente la mia attenzione.
« Qui i nomi non contano », ribatté l'uomo sulla
sinistra, mentre quello sulla destra allungava la mano e le torceva il braccio finché lei non lasciò cadere il coltello. Quello con le labbra spesse lo raccolse. La bambina guardava affascinata mentre gli altri uomini la tenevano e lui le tagliava i tendini delle braccia e delle gambe.
Probabilmente ero troppo giovane per apprezzarlo e lo avevo completamente dimenticato, ma poche pagine prima della conclusione, la scena finale è riaffiorata repentina ed inesorabile dagli abissi delle mie memorie facendomi sobbalzare.
Tornò senza parole all'albergo, trascinandosi per le strade. Una pioggia leggera prese a cadere sul suo viso e sulle braccia nude, ma nulla poteva rinfrescarla.
Non aveva il coraggio di chiamare la polizia, non
poteva far nulla tranne sperare che Gerry avesse trovato la setta, sperare in un'altra telefonata.
Un finale forse non all'altezza del racconto, molto diverso rispetto a quello presente nel decisamente non memorabile adattamento cinematografico (The Nameless) del 1999, ritenuti debole dallo stesso autore e dalla maggior parte delle recensioni qui presenti, ma che francamente non mi ha deluso minimamente.
Pareva impossibile che ci fosse una casa in quell’isola di terreno abbandonato sotto il cavalcavia. Evidentemente avevano deciso di lasciarla lì perché non valeva la pena neppure di demolirla. Ted si sforzava di ragionare per convincersi che se non altro riusciva ancora a
pensare lucidamente, visto che non poteva far nulla per impedire che lo trascinassero verso l'edificio.
Un classico del terrore poco conosciuto e decisamente non per tutti, ma che a mio parere non dovrebbe mancare nella libreria di ogni appassionato del genere.
Era troppo tardi per consentirsi dei dubbi: Ted aveva messo il suo bagaglio sul nastro trasportatore e ora le valigie si allontanavano
come tante bare verso il forno crematorio.
« Non preoccuparti », le disse lui, stringendole il braccio cosi forte che le fece male. « Se Angela chiama, so esattamente cosa fare. »
Cinque stelle.
September 9, 2018
Barbara Waugh is a British literary agent, wheeling and dealing book auctions. Nine years ago her four-year-old daughter Angela was kidnapped. Now in the power of a Satanic cult called ""The Nameless""she will be initiated into the cult's worst practices when she reaches her 13th birthday.
Helping Barbara in her quest is a book sale hungry reporter named Gerry Martin, who poses as a derelict in order to infiltrate the cult.
Much of the violence happens off stage.
Helping Barbara in her quest is a book sale hungry reporter named Gerry Martin, who poses as a derelict in order to infiltrate the cult.
Much of the violence happens off stage.
March 25, 2014
Okay, this is bleak. Dark, gloomy and depressing from the outset, especially if, like me, you have a young daughter.
It is doubtless every parent's nightmare that they might lose their child, especially if they were brutally murdered. But could there be a worse fate than that? What if they were actually kidnapped by a secretive and sadistic cult? Years after you thought that were dead they were instead being initiated into unspeakable rites of violence and torture for this shadowy organisation? Becoming, perhaps, a mere tool of a malevolent and nameless force of nature seeking only to express its own wicked vision?
The imagery is persistently dirty and grey. City noise constantly threatens to overwhelm the character's hearing when they need it most. Urban decay pervades almost every passage of the narrative. A sense of horror, despair and helplessness pervade throughout as the protagonist moves inexorably towards her inevitable doom. It all adds up to what one could not possibly call a pleasant reading experience and yet one cannot deny that it was superbly effective and well done. I think Campbell pretty well achieved what he set out to do here.
The inevitable comparisons with Stephen King abound in the cover blurb but I just don't see it. I think Campbell's is far less accessible, far more abrasive, than King's. Campbell is also more subtle although I think he honed his powers in this regard later on in his career. Still a powerful and effective horror story if you don't mind the inherently grim subject matter.
It is doubtless every parent's nightmare that they might lose their child, especially if they were brutally murdered. But could there be a worse fate than that? What if they were actually kidnapped by a secretive and sadistic cult? Years after you thought that were dead they were instead being initiated into unspeakable rites of violence and torture for this shadowy organisation? Becoming, perhaps, a mere tool of a malevolent and nameless force of nature seeking only to express its own wicked vision?
The imagery is persistently dirty and grey. City noise constantly threatens to overwhelm the character's hearing when they need it most. Urban decay pervades almost every passage of the narrative. A sense of horror, despair and helplessness pervade throughout as the protagonist moves inexorably towards her inevitable doom. It all adds up to what one could not possibly call a pleasant reading experience and yet one cannot deny that it was superbly effective and well done. I think Campbell pretty well achieved what he set out to do here.
The inevitable comparisons with Stephen King abound in the cover blurb but I just don't see it. I think Campbell's is far less accessible, far more abrasive, than King's. Campbell is also more subtle although I think he honed his powers in this regard later on in his career. Still a powerful and effective horror story if you don't mind the inherently grim subject matter.
February 4, 2020
Conceptually, The Nameless ticks all the boxes; a harrowing tale, scary components of the human and not-so variety, a plot which contains a mix of crime and horror, and decent characterisation. Yet the book just didn’t work for me. The best way to pinpoint my problem is the writing style; disjointed at times, too descriptive in others, the overt focus on time and place was more hindrance than useful contribution. This, anchored by a strange ending curtailed what could’ve been a pretty decent horror.
April 24, 2015
Well, this was disturbing.
The Nameless introduces us to literary agent, Barbara Waugh. Barbara's only child, Angela was murdered 9 years ago, and she is trying to move on from that trauma as best she can. Then, one night, the phone rings. It's Angela. She's alive and she wants her mommy to come find her.
Not bad but, not great. There are suspenseful/creepy moments but that only works well when you care for the characters. I didn't so, I wasn't too invested in their outcome. Yet another book that suffers from awesome-snippets-of-horror-crappy-story syndrome. Yes, that's a thing.
2.5 stars rounded up
The Nameless introduces us to literary agent, Barbara Waugh. Barbara's only child, Angela was murdered 9 years ago, and she is trying to move on from that trauma as best she can. Then, one night, the phone rings. It's Angela. She's alive and she wants her mommy to come find her.
Not bad but, not great. There are suspenseful/creepy moments but that only works well when you care for the characters. I didn't so, I wasn't too invested in their outcome. Yet another book that suffers from awesome-snippets-of-horror-crappy-story syndrome. Yes, that's a thing.
2.5 stars rounded up
November 8, 2018
2,5 στα 5
Θα έπρεπε να αγωνιώ διαβάζοντάς το, αλλά αυτό δεν μου συνέβη σε κανένα σημείο του . Δεν τα πήγαμε καλά, ελπίζω σε άλλους αναγνώστες να αρέσει περισσότερο.
Θα έπρεπε να αγωνιώ διαβάζοντάς το, αλλά αυτό δεν μου συνέβη σε κανένα σημείο του . Δεν τα πήγαμε καλά, ελπίζω σε άλλους αναγνώστες να αρέσει περισσότερο.
December 15, 2020
Opowieść o zdesperowanej matce, o dziecku, które miało już nie żyć i sekcie, która nie odpuszcza.
Desperacja matki zdaje się być podstawą emocjonalną "Bezimiennych", których akcja przenosi nas w lata 60. i 70. XX wieku, czas, w którym temat sekt porywających dzieci był tematem głośnym i działającym na wyobraźnię. Ludzie poszukiwali ukojenia duchowego w najdziwniejszych możliwych miejscach. Niejednokrotnie dochodziły do opinii publicznej głosy o ofiarach z ludzi, aktach kanibalizmu czy zbiorowych samobójstwach. W powieści mamy do czynienia właśnie z taką sektą – bezlitosną w swoich działaniach, przerażającą w swojej ślepej wierze. Krwawe rytuały, brutalne morderstwa, makabryczne tortury są jedynie wstępem do ich zwyrodniałego świata niepojętego szaleństwa, który być może dzisiaj nie robi już takiego wrażenia, ale przed laty z pewnością potrafił przerazić.
Jest taka scena w "Bezimiennych", która świetnie oddaje atmosferę tej powieści. Barbara jedzie z malutką Angelą metrem. Dziecku przypatruje się jakaś kobieta o rozbieganych oczach, na której twarzy Barbara dostrzega szczere obrzydzenie. Obrzydzenie na widok jej małej, śmiejącej się córeczki.
Ta scena pokazuje, jak wynaturzona jest rzeczywistość wokół bohaterów – jak wrogi potrafi być świat, jak okrutni i uszkodzeni ludzie, których mijamy każdego dnia. Barbara nie spodziewa się tego, co nadchodzi, ale odczuwa niepokój i ten niepokój zagnieżdża się również w sercu czytelnika. Ramsey Campbell nie owija w bawełnę, wystawiając swoich bohaterów na najgorsze możliwe próby. Ukazuje również jak skupiona na swoich chorych celach sekta przekształca kogoś czystego i niewinnego w postać okrutną i pozbawioną jakichkolwiek skrupułów. Atmosfera gęstnieje ze strony na stronę, a im dalej zapędzamy się z Barbarą w poszukiwaniu prawdy, tym bardziej ponura staje się wizja jej przyszłości.
Co prawda "Bezimienni" nie gwarantuję fajerwerków, ale z zaintrygowaniem śledziłam losy matki i córki, mając od początku na uwadze kontekst społeczno-historyczny fabuły. Dopiero w tym kontekście tak charakterystycznej epoki lat 60. i 70. XX wieku "Bezimienni" nabierają tego dodatkowego znaczenia, które pozwoli im Wam przeżyć kilka chwil czystej i szczerej grozy.
Desperacja matki zdaje się być podstawą emocjonalną "Bezimiennych", których akcja przenosi nas w lata 60. i 70. XX wieku, czas, w którym temat sekt porywających dzieci był tematem głośnym i działającym na wyobraźnię. Ludzie poszukiwali ukojenia duchowego w najdziwniejszych możliwych miejscach. Niejednokrotnie dochodziły do opinii publicznej głosy o ofiarach z ludzi, aktach kanibalizmu czy zbiorowych samobójstwach. W powieści mamy do czynienia właśnie z taką sektą – bezlitosną w swoich działaniach, przerażającą w swojej ślepej wierze. Krwawe rytuały, brutalne morderstwa, makabryczne tortury są jedynie wstępem do ich zwyrodniałego świata niepojętego szaleństwa, który być może dzisiaj nie robi już takiego wrażenia, ale przed laty z pewnością potrafił przerazić.
Jest taka scena w "Bezimiennych", która świetnie oddaje atmosferę tej powieści. Barbara jedzie z malutką Angelą metrem. Dziecku przypatruje się jakaś kobieta o rozbieganych oczach, na której twarzy Barbara dostrzega szczere obrzydzenie. Obrzydzenie na widok jej małej, śmiejącej się córeczki.
Ta scena pokazuje, jak wynaturzona jest rzeczywistość wokół bohaterów – jak wrogi potrafi być świat, jak okrutni i uszkodzeni ludzie, których mijamy każdego dnia. Barbara nie spodziewa się tego, co nadchodzi, ale odczuwa niepokój i ten niepokój zagnieżdża się również w sercu czytelnika. Ramsey Campbell nie owija w bawełnę, wystawiając swoich bohaterów na najgorsze możliwe próby. Ukazuje również jak skupiona na swoich chorych celach sekta przekształca kogoś czystego i niewinnego w postać okrutną i pozbawioną jakichkolwiek skrupułów. Atmosfera gęstnieje ze strony na stronę, a im dalej zapędzamy się z Barbarą w poszukiwaniu prawdy, tym bardziej ponura staje się wizja jej przyszłości.
Co prawda "Bezimienni" nie gwarantuję fajerwerków, ale z zaintrygowaniem śledziłam losy matki i córki, mając od początku na uwadze kontekst społeczno-historyczny fabuły. Dopiero w tym kontekście tak charakterystycznej epoki lat 60. i 70. XX wieku "Bezimienni" nabierają tego dodatkowego znaczenia, które pozwoli im Wam przeżyć kilka chwil czystej i szczerej grozy.
October 29, 2018
Rather bleak even for a novel by this author, this deals with the plight of literary agent, Barbara, whose husband was killed while working abroad. His death brought on labour, but she and her daughter survived and all seemed well, until she decided to go back to work in London - and her daughter was snatched from nursery while in the care of others. The woman running the nursery fetches a psychic round against Barbara's wishes while the police are still searching, and the woman has just told Barbara that her daughter is gifted but those who have her must be prevented from corrupting that, when a policeman arrives. A child's body, which cannot be identified due to gunshot wounds, has been found. (The book was written in the late 1980s or so, therefore there is no DNA testing which could perhaps prove otherwise).
Nine years later Barbara is trying to rebuild her life and has a tenuous relationship with a man who is divorced but trying to see his daughter despite the mother's opposition, when she starts to receive phone calls from a girl who claims to be her daughter, who would be around 13. And so starts a wild goose chase where Barbara is sent from place to place, even to Scotland, in order to meet her daughter who somehow is never at the hinted at locations. Meanwhile, others who are drawn into Barbara's quest find they have a very short life expectancy.
The book begins with a prologue where a man visits a murderer on death row in the 1940s, posing as a psychiatrist, in order to question him on why he carried out a barbaric torture and murder of his victim. Eventually it is revealed that this man was the founder of a cult, one built on the idea of torture and murder in order to somehow feed a force from beyond. This is as far as the slightly Lovecraftian/Cthulhu Mythos parallel goes, but Barbara comes to believe that this cult has her daughter and there is a deadline to rescue her, as children are fully initiated into the cult at age 13.
The atmosphere of the story is well conveyed: urban decay, noise pollution, filth and rubbish abound and are well evoked. The cult thrives in such settings. However the ending is distinctly weak: I found it unconvincing firstly that and secondly . So on balance I can only rate this as an 'OK' at 2 stars.
Nine years later Barbara is trying to rebuild her life and has a tenuous relationship with a man who is divorced but trying to see his daughter despite the mother's opposition, when she starts to receive phone calls from a girl who claims to be her daughter, who would be around 13. And so starts a wild goose chase where Barbara is sent from place to place, even to Scotland, in order to meet her daughter who somehow is never at the hinted at locations. Meanwhile, others who are drawn into Barbara's quest find they have a very short life expectancy.
The book begins with a prologue where a man visits a murderer on death row in the 1940s, posing as a psychiatrist, in order to question him on why he carried out a barbaric torture and murder of his victim. Eventually it is revealed that this man was the founder of a cult, one built on the idea of torture and murder in order to somehow feed a force from beyond. This is as far as the slightly Lovecraftian/Cthulhu Mythos parallel goes, but Barbara comes to believe that this cult has her daughter and there is a deadline to rescue her, as children are fully initiated into the cult at age 13.
The atmosphere of the story is well conveyed: urban decay, noise pollution, filth and rubbish abound and are well evoked. The cult thrives in such settings. However the ending is distinctly weak: I found it unconvincing firstly that and secondly . So on balance I can only rate this as an 'OK' at 2 stars.
July 17, 2024
Ay, qué flojo me ha parecido. Como con "The Leftovers", parece mentira que la adaptación a la pantalla haya podido levantar -y de qué manera- un material de partida tan mediocre. Habrá que leer otras novelas de autor, y sobre todo sus relatos, para ver si mejora: lo que llevo leído de él no se corresponde, por desgracia, con la fama de maestro del terror que posee.
September 4, 2024
* 2,5 ⭐️
January 4, 2020
This is another 'paperback from hell' from the 80s I have had for awhile, and my first Campbell novel. The rather linear story concerns the abduction of a young girl, her official death, and then almost a decade later the girl out of the blue calling her mother on the phone. The mother/main protagonist Barbara are understandably distraught and the rest of the novel concerns Barbara's attempt to find her daughter. Lurking around this is a mysterious cult-- the unnamed-- that presumably abducted her and still have her.
Campbell builds a lot of suspense and his use of language is exceptional. Observations of the world around the lead are all tainted by filth, grime and dust. Nonetheless, the ending really falls flat and I cannot go into it without spoilers.
Campbell builds a lot of suspense and his use of language is exceptional. Observations of the world around the lead are all tainted by filth, grime and dust. Nonetheless, the ending really falls flat and I cannot go into it without spoilers.
March 14, 2024
The smothering atmosphere of grimy desolation in The Nameless unnerves and displays Campbell's mastery of urban horror. I was in awe at his creative ability to gather such ominous charge out of description. The whirling, paranoid descriptions of walking through the streets... brilliant.
The storytelling is, sadly, a mess. The spectral servant of the cult is given no context whatsoever. The main character goes on a business trip to America during the search for her missing child. The (sigh) Manson family declare the Nameless as even more evil than them. Even more regrettably it ends in a sentimental, abrupt magic finale. I think this needed another draft, but even a weaker Campbell novel has its charm. I particularly liked the use of traffic sounds to elicit horror.
The storytelling is, sadly, a mess. The spectral servant of the cult is given no context whatsoever. The main character goes on a business trip to America during the search for her missing child. The (sigh) Manson family declare the Nameless as even more evil than them. Even more regrettably it ends in a sentimental, abrupt magic finale. I think this needed another draft, but even a weaker Campbell novel has its charm. I particularly liked the use of traffic sounds to elicit horror.
September 15, 2019
5 stars.
I managed to track down this old Ramsey Campbell from a second hand seller on Amazon and wow, what a gift it was. This book was always lying around my house when I was a kid due to my mum’s love of horror. It’s a gut-wrenching story, a child missing- it couldn’t get much worse surely? Oh but it does. I was on tenterhooks. Staying up late reading and then feeling uneasy in the dark and quiet. It’s really all I could ask for in a horror book.
I managed to track down this old Ramsey Campbell from a second hand seller on Amazon and wow, what a gift it was. This book was always lying around my house when I was a kid due to my mum’s love of horror. It’s a gut-wrenching story, a child missing- it couldn’t get much worse surely? Oh but it does. I was on tenterhooks. Staying up late reading and then feeling uneasy in the dark and quiet. It’s really all I could ask for in a horror book.
August 17, 2008
I think this is one of his best, involving a very nasty cult, a mother searching for her missing daughter, and a house no one in their right mind would want to go in to. On Atmospherics alone (Campbell's strength), this might be a 5 star book. It was made into a movie -- though I don't remember being all that crazy about it.
September 4, 2015
Hmm, I don't mind ambiguity, in fact I actively encourage it because it gets you thinking but when things are mentioned but have very little expansion it can be aggravating especially when a story starts off interesting and books you from the off...wasn't terrible per say but maybe just a tiny bit more explanation would have helped.
April 8, 2024
A savage cult kidnaps a girl of three. A body of a little girl turns up burnt. The mother is told that her girl was killed. Nine years later the mother receives a phone call from her lost daughter.
Great premise, great promise. It is an uncomfortable read with the 'bad' looking over your shoulder at all times. A couple of nice twists in the plot keep the thrill up but the end is very disappointing. The author's note in the end also alludes to his dissatisfaction with how he decided to wrap up the story.
Great premise, great promise. It is an uncomfortable read with the 'bad' looking over your shoulder at all times. A couple of nice twists in the plot keep the thrill up but the end is very disappointing. The author's note in the end also alludes to his dissatisfaction with how he decided to wrap up the story.
December 2, 2011
For at least half of this book, I enjoyed the leisurely pacing, and the vagueness of whatever worldwide, horrific movement was taking place. Campbell, however, has a problem paying things off.
The book opens in 1940 with a death row scene featuring a man posing as a psychiatrist and an inmate who struggles to explain why he had to return years later to finish torturing a woman he almost killed at his first attempt. "I just needed to finish," he says. Thirty years later, a woman in England learns both that her husband has died in Saudi Arabia and that her pre-school-age daughter has been stolen from her school. Ten years later this same woman gets a phone call from her daughter.
There are other missing children, a traumatized teenager who has escaped from a cult, and --what Campbell does best -- a range of characters drawn from the London literary scene of the 1980's, a scruffy underground newspaper where the editor hasn't quite lost his Oxford accent, and an array of policemen and wait staff from London to Glasgow. There are a couple of scary bits, but if the cult is of "The Nameless" most of what they do and the supernatural elements they employed remain simply "the inadequately explained."
Again, I am baffled by Campbell's reputation and the praise these books have received.
The book opens in 1940 with a death row scene featuring a man posing as a psychiatrist and an inmate who struggles to explain why he had to return years later to finish torturing a woman he almost killed at his first attempt. "I just needed to finish," he says. Thirty years later, a woman in England learns both that her husband has died in Saudi Arabia and that her pre-school-age daughter has been stolen from her school. Ten years later this same woman gets a phone call from her daughter.
There are other missing children, a traumatized teenager who has escaped from a cult, and --what Campbell does best -- a range of characters drawn from the London literary scene of the 1980's, a scruffy underground newspaper where the editor hasn't quite lost his Oxford accent, and an array of policemen and wait staff from London to Glasgow. There are a couple of scary bits, but if the cult is of "The Nameless" most of what they do and the supernatural elements they employed remain simply "the inadequately explained."
Again, I am baffled by Campbell's reputation and the praise these books have received.
June 28, 2018
Upon finishing this novel, I read some of the reviews here on Goodreads, and although I respect the opinions of those reviewers who claimed it was too slow-moving and left unanswered questions, I simply could not disagree more. The Nameless is a complete novel for me, everything I look for in a novel. It was gripping, ambiguous, terrifying, and emotional. Keeping in mind that this book was written before I was even born, I found there to be some original content that hasn't been overdone in the genre, and of course, I always love the ever-mounting suspense of a good Ramsey Campbell tale. It's like a spider's web that wraps me tighter and tighter until my arm is hopelessly attached to the book! Once I was 3/4 of the way through, I had to keep going until the end. I see a lot of mixed reviews here for this title, but I don't know... I really liked it, personally.
December 2, 2024
2024 Book #39:
The Nameless (1981) by Ramsey Campbell
An eerie, slow-burning novel by one of Britain’s most consistent horror writers. The Nameless follows Barbara, a literary agent whose daughter (Angela) was kidnapped and presumably murdered by a mysterious cult. Nine years later, and events seem to suggest that Angela might still be alive. Campbell really excels at certain things, one of which is creating an oppressive atmosphere where horrors always seem to be lurking just out of eyeshot, where inscrutable forces may be conspiring in the background. Indeed, Campbell may be too good at this, as The Nameless occasionally comes off as a bit gray and one-note. But I prefer him in this mode rather than in his more over-the-top offerings such as The Hungry Moon (1986). In that novel, there were too many characters and too many things happening, making it difficult to feel very invested in any one character or plot-point. In The Nameless, the plot is mostly straightforward, and focuses on just one character and her psychological unraveling. Campbell’s prose is descriptive but never pretentious, with a penchant for peculiar metaphor (for example, clouds compared to uncooked rolls of dough). In some ways, Campbell is a writer squarely in the Lovecraftian tradition, using that tradition’s tropes (cults, cosmic entities, psychological instability) in modern, often urban contexts. But he adds real depth of character to this novel, such that Barbara’s turmoil is all the more devastating toward the story’s conclusion. Despite a somewhat dragged-out plot (as with most horror novels, this would have been punchier as a short story) and an undeniably hokey ending, The Nameless mostly succeeds at being an unsettling reading experience. One could say it’s a novel about the horror of failed agency, about what it feels like to not know if you’re in control. If you want an entry-point into Campbell’s extensive oeuvre, this might be good place to start. (low 4/5)
The Nameless (1981) by Ramsey Campbell
An eerie, slow-burning novel by one of Britain’s most consistent horror writers. The Nameless follows Barbara, a literary agent whose daughter (Angela) was kidnapped and presumably murdered by a mysterious cult. Nine years later, and events seem to suggest that Angela might still be alive. Campbell really excels at certain things, one of which is creating an oppressive atmosphere where horrors always seem to be lurking just out of eyeshot, where inscrutable forces may be conspiring in the background. Indeed, Campbell may be too good at this, as The Nameless occasionally comes off as a bit gray and one-note. But I prefer him in this mode rather than in his more over-the-top offerings such as The Hungry Moon (1986). In that novel, there were too many characters and too many things happening, making it difficult to feel very invested in any one character or plot-point. In The Nameless, the plot is mostly straightforward, and focuses on just one character and her psychological unraveling. Campbell’s prose is descriptive but never pretentious, with a penchant for peculiar metaphor (for example, clouds compared to uncooked rolls of dough). In some ways, Campbell is a writer squarely in the Lovecraftian tradition, using that tradition’s tropes (cults, cosmic entities, psychological instability) in modern, often urban contexts. But he adds real depth of character to this novel, such that Barbara’s turmoil is all the more devastating toward the story’s conclusion. Despite a somewhat dragged-out plot (as with most horror novels, this would have been punchier as a short story) and an undeniably hokey ending, The Nameless mostly succeeds at being an unsettling reading experience. One could say it’s a novel about the horror of failed agency, about what it feels like to not know if you’re in control. If you want an entry-point into Campbell’s extensive oeuvre, this might be good place to start. (low 4/5)
March 17, 2024
Nine years ago, Barbara Waugh’s four year old daughter, Angela was kidnapped, then confirmed dead. Despite regaining her career as a successful literary agent, Barbara still mourns her daughter and finds it difficult to move on.
Then she receives a phone call with a voice saying ‘mummy’ and everything changes. Convinced her daughter is still alive Barbara starts to investigate. Her journey leads her towards a cult of nameless people. As her quest deepens she starts to feel deeply uneasy. There is a deep sense of evil emanating from this cult and Barbara knows she needs to risk everything to try and find her daughter, before it’s too late.
This is a reissue of a 1981 classic from Ramsey Campbell. I’ve only read one book by him many years ago, so was interested to see if I felt his work had dated. Not so. Yes there’s a distinct style to his writing, which can take a while to get used to, and the writing did have an older, more vintage feel to it, but I felt this added to the charm of the story. Ramsey’s prose is rich in imagery, he describes things wonderfully and there are some vividly evocative descriptions of a 1970s London;
‘a prostitute wearing an abbreviated fur coat stood beside a clump of telephone kiosks, their red no brighter than her lipstick.’
This is certainly a slow burn, the story slowly unfolds as Barbara delves deeper into the mystery and as it does the creeping sense of malevolence and paranoia increases. There were a few occasions that my heart raced and I felt chilled to the bone. There are shades of Dennis Wheatley here, as the darkness and sense of foreboding slowly starts to seep from the pages;
‘the oven and cupboard were open - their dark interiors looked unpleasantly like spiders’ nests’
Yes there were a few questions unanswered by the end, but on the whole this is a great example of 1980s horror.
Then she receives a phone call with a voice saying ‘mummy’ and everything changes. Convinced her daughter is still alive Barbara starts to investigate. Her journey leads her towards a cult of nameless people. As her quest deepens she starts to feel deeply uneasy. There is a deep sense of evil emanating from this cult and Barbara knows she needs to risk everything to try and find her daughter, before it’s too late.
This is a reissue of a 1981 classic from Ramsey Campbell. I’ve only read one book by him many years ago, so was interested to see if I felt his work had dated. Not so. Yes there’s a distinct style to his writing, which can take a while to get used to, and the writing did have an older, more vintage feel to it, but I felt this added to the charm of the story. Ramsey’s prose is rich in imagery, he describes things wonderfully and there are some vividly evocative descriptions of a 1970s London;
‘a prostitute wearing an abbreviated fur coat stood beside a clump of telephone kiosks, their red no brighter than her lipstick.’
This is certainly a slow burn, the story slowly unfolds as Barbara delves deeper into the mystery and as it does the creeping sense of malevolence and paranoia increases. There were a few occasions that my heart raced and I felt chilled to the bone. There are shades of Dennis Wheatley here, as the darkness and sense of foreboding slowly starts to seep from the pages;
‘the oven and cupboard were open - their dark interiors looked unpleasantly like spiders’ nests’
Yes there were a few questions unanswered by the end, but on the whole this is a great example of 1980s horror.
July 6, 2015
Tengo sentimientos encontrados con este libro. Por una parte, me ha llevado a descubrir a un autor que, estilísticamente, me ha impresionado. Sus símiles, la atmósfera opresiva que crea y su sentido del lenguaje son soberbios. Sin embargo, el argumento, que al principio está bien desarrollado, con agilidad y algunas escenas de presentación de personajes estupendas, poco a poco se va enredando de una manera confusa y, en un par de giros, introduce 'deus ex machinas' que hacen que la historia se derrumbe debido a la incredulidad que provocan. Aún así, ya he comprado un par de novelas más de Ramsey Campbell, y me fustigo por no haber leído nada suyo antes. Cuando es bueno es realmente excelente.
January 27, 2016
Disturbing book, surprising ending, good writing tone, decent characterization, certainly worth reading for Horror fans. Slower pace and not the strongest suspense in the world, but the unusual twists and the underlying, demented theme make up for that.
March 15, 2020
Leí esta novela con altas expectativas, sabiendo que Ramsey Campbell es considerado como un nuevo clásico del terror, una especie de maestro contemporáneo de la narrativa del horror: incluso leí frases como "el mayor talento, desde Poe, para comprender una mente enferma". Sin embargo, La secta sin nombre se quedó lejos de cumplir las expectativas que tenía.
Y no es que sea una mala novela: al contrario, tiene muchos aciertos. Nos cuenta la historia de Barbara Waugh, una mujer que ha conseguido rehacer su vida tras la pérdida de su esposo y la posterior desaparición de su hija pequeña, de la cual solo pudieron encontrar su ropa, sobre un cuerpo irreconocible. Barbara se convierte en una exitosa editora, hasta que recibe llamadas de una joven, que asegura ser su hija.
Barbara se debate en la duda de si realmente su hija ha podido sobrevivir, y en qué manos. Irá encontrando pistas que le sugieren que la niña puede haber sido raptada por una secta siniestra, que lleva a cabo horrores ante los cuales la familia Manson parecen pastorcillos de Belén. Sin embargo, de ser cierto, esa secta es hermética: casi no deja pistas, solo se encuentran rumores sobre ella y sus integrantes (si es que existen de verdad) renuncian a sus nombres, por lo cual es casi imposible identificarlos.
Ramsey Campbell elige una novela donde la descripción prima sobre la acción y los diálogos, y en eso acierta: el autor es notable en las descripciones y en la creación de ambientes: las situaciones terroríficas no se nos cuentan directamente, sino que el autor va generando un ambiente opresivo, cruel y a través de los cuales Campbell va guiándonos, a través de sugerencias y una sucesión de hechos que van acumulándose.
Cuando dicen que Campbell es un gran estilista dentro del género, dicen la verdad: su prosa es elegante, y muy superior a la de muchos autores de estilo funcional y rápido, ansiosos por ir a la acción, a las "partes buenas". En este caso, en cambio, el autor toma distancia, propone y encuadra, pero no nos muestra, sino que deja que seamos nosotros quienes creemos el horror en nuestra propia cabeza.
Sin embargo, La secta sin nombre desmerece al estructurar la trama: la aparición de Margery, por ejemplo, resulta intempestiva. O que justo estén juzgando a una secta muy similar a los Sin Nombre en Estados Unidos en el momento en que ella viaja, y lo muestren por televisión para que ella lo pueda ver. No siempre Campbell construye su trama con la misma elegancia con la que construye ambientes. Lo mismo ocurre con algunos sucesos paranormales que entran y salen sin mayor explicación ni función evidente: el ¿fantasma? del esposo de Barbara, la magia negra de la secta, las capacidades especiales de la hija secuestrada... no se entiende mucho qué hacen ahí, aunque algo hacen, sin duda. Solo que nunca entendemos qué. Y por supuesto, es una pésima señal que el autor ponga en su novela fenómenos paranormales que luego no se explican ni sirven para nada, excepto crear confusión.
Y luego está el final, por supuesto. Cuando la tensión de la trama era máxima, y parece que no hay escapatoria... pues aparece una resolución simplona y por momentos grotesca. Los malos, que parecían invencibles, de pronto se diluyen como por encanto, y la niña corrompida vuelve a ser una niña buena, sin mayor explicación. Cuando todo parecía perdido, se resuelve inexplicablemente y en un par de páginas.
En un autor que suponemos talentoso y experimentado, recurrir a un Deus ex machina tan burdo y vulgar es derechamente inaceptable. Diera la impresión de que al llegar a las últimas páginas se hubiera dado cuenta de que no se le ocurría un cierre... y claro, para no botar el libro a la basura, pues lo terminó de apuro, con un golpe de suerte y ya está, que se jodan los lectores, ya les dí 250 páginas buenas, ahora se aguantan.
Sumando y restando, creo que leeré pronto otro libro del mismo autor. Porque la exquisitez de la prosa y lo interesante que resulta su exploración de la maldad merecen otra oportunidad. Quizá Los sin nombre no era para mí, o no era su mejor novela.
Y no es que sea una mala novela: al contrario, tiene muchos aciertos. Nos cuenta la historia de Barbara Waugh, una mujer que ha conseguido rehacer su vida tras la pérdida de su esposo y la posterior desaparición de su hija pequeña, de la cual solo pudieron encontrar su ropa, sobre un cuerpo irreconocible. Barbara se convierte en una exitosa editora, hasta que recibe llamadas de una joven, que asegura ser su hija.
Barbara se debate en la duda de si realmente su hija ha podido sobrevivir, y en qué manos. Irá encontrando pistas que le sugieren que la niña puede haber sido raptada por una secta siniestra, que lleva a cabo horrores ante los cuales la familia Manson parecen pastorcillos de Belén. Sin embargo, de ser cierto, esa secta es hermética: casi no deja pistas, solo se encuentran rumores sobre ella y sus integrantes (si es que existen de verdad) renuncian a sus nombres, por lo cual es casi imposible identificarlos.
Ramsey Campbell elige una novela donde la descripción prima sobre la acción y los diálogos, y en eso acierta: el autor es notable en las descripciones y en la creación de ambientes: las situaciones terroríficas no se nos cuentan directamente, sino que el autor va generando un ambiente opresivo, cruel y a través de los cuales Campbell va guiándonos, a través de sugerencias y una sucesión de hechos que van acumulándose.
Cuando dicen que Campbell es un gran estilista dentro del género, dicen la verdad: su prosa es elegante, y muy superior a la de muchos autores de estilo funcional y rápido, ansiosos por ir a la acción, a las "partes buenas". En este caso, en cambio, el autor toma distancia, propone y encuadra, pero no nos muestra, sino que deja que seamos nosotros quienes creemos el horror en nuestra propia cabeza.
Sin embargo, La secta sin nombre desmerece al estructurar la trama: la aparición de Margery, por ejemplo, resulta intempestiva. O que justo estén juzgando a una secta muy similar a los Sin Nombre en Estados Unidos en el momento en que ella viaja, y lo muestren por televisión para que ella lo pueda ver. No siempre Campbell construye su trama con la misma elegancia con la que construye ambientes. Lo mismo ocurre con algunos sucesos paranormales que entran y salen sin mayor explicación ni función evidente: el ¿fantasma? del esposo de Barbara, la magia negra de la secta, las capacidades especiales de la hija secuestrada... no se entiende mucho qué hacen ahí, aunque algo hacen, sin duda. Solo que nunca entendemos qué. Y por supuesto, es una pésima señal que el autor ponga en su novela fenómenos paranormales que luego no se explican ni sirven para nada, excepto crear confusión.
Y luego está el final, por supuesto. Cuando la tensión de la trama era máxima, y parece que no hay escapatoria... pues aparece una resolución simplona y por momentos grotesca. Los malos, que parecían invencibles, de pronto se diluyen como por encanto, y la niña corrompida vuelve a ser una niña buena, sin mayor explicación. Cuando todo parecía perdido, se resuelve inexplicablemente y en un par de páginas.
En un autor que suponemos talentoso y experimentado, recurrir a un Deus ex machina tan burdo y vulgar es derechamente inaceptable. Diera la impresión de que al llegar a las últimas páginas se hubiera dado cuenta de que no se le ocurría un cierre... y claro, para no botar el libro a la basura, pues lo terminó de apuro, con un golpe de suerte y ya está, que se jodan los lectores, ya les dí 250 páginas buenas, ahora se aguantan.
Sumando y restando, creo que leeré pronto otro libro del mismo autor. Porque la exquisitez de la prosa y lo interesante que resulta su exploración de la maldad merecen otra oportunidad. Quizá Los sin nombre no era para mí, o no era su mejor novela.
September 21, 2021
This is the tenth Ramsey Campbell novel I've read and what feels a bit different here is the first half reads more like a thriller than horror, focused around a sort of "race against time" plot which is still engaging -- but eventually we do get some expertly-written, creepy scenes. I would say however that Campbell's characteristic "half glimpsed hints at the horrific" are used far less here than in other novels.
This was Campbell's fourth novel and as is the case with his early work, there's a constant theme of urban decay and hostility throughout -- it's the searing hot days of August, the streets are full of rushing cars and loud, rattling subway rides. There's always a sense of being on edge,
...an absolutely constant roar of white noise from the heavy traffic, so intense that it was physically sickening. She had to halt beside a line of grubby parked cars and shove her hands against her ears [...] Her mind seemed to have been wiped like tape.
"In the August heat the oncoming traffic quivered like jelly; pangs of sunlight sprang from windshields. A tanker and a truck boxed in Gerry's Fiat, a giant truck lumbered overhead; Barbara felt she was about to be crushed in the thin metal shell."
As Campbell's novels go, this feels lighter both in terms of creepiness and in the prose itself. Stephen King wrote of Campbell in his book Danse Macabre "In a Campbell novel or story, one seems to view the world through the thin and shifting perceptual haze of an LSD trip that is just ending...or just beginning." This book is less like that -- the prose here isn't especially hallucinogenic or surreal -- this was a lighter novel I could just read.
The end is a bit disappointing, Campbell seems ready to just wrap things up, with very little explanation. In fact I think the nature of the horror in the story is too undeveloped and left too nebulous for the good of the story. Giving us clearer hints (without giving too much away) as to the nature of the horror, and doing so a bit earlier would have added to the dread.
This was Campbell's fourth novel and as is the case with his early work, there's a constant theme of urban decay and hostility throughout -- it's the searing hot days of August, the streets are full of rushing cars and loud, rattling subway rides. There's always a sense of being on edge,
...an absolutely constant roar of white noise from the heavy traffic, so intense that it was physically sickening. She had to halt beside a line of grubby parked cars and shove her hands against her ears [...] Her mind seemed to have been wiped like tape.
"In the August heat the oncoming traffic quivered like jelly; pangs of sunlight sprang from windshields. A tanker and a truck boxed in Gerry's Fiat, a giant truck lumbered overhead; Barbara felt she was about to be crushed in the thin metal shell."
As Campbell's novels go, this feels lighter both in terms of creepiness and in the prose itself. Stephen King wrote of Campbell in his book Danse Macabre "In a Campbell novel or story, one seems to view the world through the thin and shifting perceptual haze of an LSD trip that is just ending...or just beginning." This book is less like that -- the prose here isn't especially hallucinogenic or surreal -- this was a lighter novel I could just read.
The end is a bit disappointing, Campbell seems ready to just wrap things up, with very little explanation. In fact I think the nature of the horror in the story is too undeveloped and left too nebulous for the good of the story. Giving us clearer hints (without giving too much away) as to the nature of the horror, and doing so a bit earlier would have added to the dread.
January 19, 2022
Alcune parti sono interessanti. Molto dark tutto quello che riguarda la setta e bello il prologo.
Ho delle perplessità sull'organizzazione della struttura narrativa, che mi è risultata un po' noiosa. C'è come un'alternarsi tra momenti statici e momenti in cui i personaggi si muovono. Quando si muovono, c'è sempre una specie di inseguimento occulto, in cui si manifesta questa forza cattiva. Solo che è più o meno sempre tutto uguale. Mi sembra che funzioni meglio come soggetto cinematografico, per altro molto in linea infatti col cinema del periodo (1981), il primo slasher e l'italian giallo ancora in voga.
La conclusione adesso è scontatissima, all'epoca forse un po' meno anche se non era innovativa, si era già vista almeno 10 anni prima.
Uno degli aspetti più felici del libro è la sua dimensione urban weird, con tutto che accade nelle città, sfruttandone le strade, gli spazi più abbandonati, quelli di passaggio come nella sequenza di Ted a Glasgow o della protagonista che deve andare all'aeroporto a piedi. Di per loro, sono momenti intensi, che funzionano sul piano horror. Non mi convince come sono assemblati, il ritmo è carente e da quel che ho letto in giro mi pare sia un tema ricorrente nell'opera di Ramsey Campbell.
Comunque proverò anche altri suoi libri perché ha scritto alcune cose che sembrano interessantissime.
Ho delle perplessità sull'organizzazione della struttura narrativa, che mi è risultata un po' noiosa. C'è come un'alternarsi tra momenti statici e momenti in cui i personaggi si muovono. Quando si muovono, c'è sempre una specie di inseguimento occulto, in cui si manifesta questa forza cattiva. Solo che è più o meno sempre tutto uguale. Mi sembra che funzioni meglio come soggetto cinematografico, per altro molto in linea infatti col cinema del periodo (1981), il primo slasher e l'italian giallo ancora in voga.
La conclusione adesso è scontatissima, all'epoca forse un po' meno anche se non era innovativa, si era già vista almeno 10 anni prima.
Uno degli aspetti più felici del libro è la sua dimensione urban weird, con tutto che accade nelle città, sfruttandone le strade, gli spazi più abbandonati, quelli di passaggio come nella sequenza di Ted a Glasgow o della protagonista che deve andare all'aeroporto a piedi. Di per loro, sono momenti intensi, che funzionano sul piano horror. Non mi convince come sono assemblati, il ritmo è carente e da quel che ho letto in giro mi pare sia un tema ricorrente nell'opera di Ramsey Campbell.
Comunque proverò anche altri suoi libri perché ha scritto alcune cose che sembrano interessantissime.
September 16, 2022
Tiene algunas escenas bastante impresionantes rodeadas de un infranqueable mar de sopor, haciendo que esas aisladas islas de interés lleguen demasiado tarde a un lector ya desinteresado.
Aguanto mejor un libro moroso que uno indeciso, con escenas espeluznantes rodeadas de páginas y páginas de su vida como editora, que no sé cómo consigue ser más aburrida que una solterona perdiendo un punto en su jersey.
Cuando arrancó llego tarde... aunque el autor sabe cómo espeluznar, un rosario de espeluznes inconexos no hacen una historia.
El final fue mejor y "la maldad" mucho más comprensible que en la película en que eso de "maldad pura" y demás, quedaron un poco pegote. No así en el libro.
La novela no puede tener buena puntuación porque no definió su tono hasta su tramo final y hasta entonces era un galimatías indefinido con grandes tramos directamente soporíferos. Cuando se decidió a remontar, ya te daba igual todo. Llegó tarde.
Eso es lo importante y más significativo para mí: que cuando la cosa mejora... ya te da lo mismo, porque te pilla medio dormida.
Mini Reto 2022: Un libro convertido en película
Como parte del maratón de niños perversos... los niños hacen atrocidades, pero son impulsados y corrompidos por los adultos, que les llevan a hacerlas y les dirigen, así que más bien son casi tan víctimas como a aquellos a los que torturan.
Próximo del maratón: "El otro".
Aguanto mejor un libro moroso que uno indeciso, con escenas espeluznantes rodeadas de páginas y páginas de su vida como editora, que no sé cómo consigue ser más aburrida que una solterona perdiendo un punto en su jersey.
Cuando arrancó llego tarde... aunque el autor sabe cómo espeluznar, un rosario de espeluznes inconexos no hacen una historia.
El final fue mejor y "la maldad" mucho más comprensible que en la película en que eso de "maldad pura" y demás, quedaron un poco pegote. No así en el libro.
La novela no puede tener buena puntuación porque no definió su tono hasta su tramo final y hasta entonces era un galimatías indefinido con grandes tramos directamente soporíferos. Cuando se decidió a remontar, ya te daba igual todo. Llegó tarde.
Eso es lo importante y más significativo para mí: que cuando la cosa mejora... ya te da lo mismo, porque te pilla medio dormida.
Mini Reto 2022: Un libro convertido en película
Como parte del maratón de niños perversos... los niños hacen atrocidades, pero son impulsados y corrompidos por los adultos, que les llevan a hacerlas y les dirigen, así que más bien son casi tan víctimas como a aquellos a los que torturan.
Próximo del maratón: "El otro".
September 10, 2025
bit clunky at times, but still a good read!
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