The Influence [Import] [Paperback]

Ramsey Campbell (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Headline; New Edition edition (1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747250758
• ISBN-13: 978-0747250753
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the finest and most chilling modern ghost stories, June 3, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Influence (Hardcover)

THE INFLUENCE is perhaps the best demonstration yet of Campbell's skills as a novelist. Like INCARNATE and THE NAMELESS before it, this book sees Campbell writing at the peak of his abilities both as a sensitive chronicler of ordinary lives threatened by unpredictable forces, and as a literary conjuror of spine-chilling spectral terrors. In addition, this may be Campbell's most understatedly eerie novel since THE DOLL WHO ATE HIS MOTHER; but even so, some particularly frightening scenes and images in the latter half of the book may well be among the scariest that Campbell--or any horror writer, for that matter--has committed to paper within the last fifteen years at least.

Offering a haunting perspective on death and dying and a unique, skewed vision of what may lie beyond that proves both chilling and chillingly plausible, THE INFLUENCE is ultimately an intelligent, moving, terrifying meditation on loss, regret, and our need to come to grips with our own mortality--the result being arguably Campbell's most perfect novel so far.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ramsey not at his best, July 6, 2011

By 

Curt Fluegel "day one realist" (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Influence (Hardcover)

The book started out fine and I was just waiting for what I knew Campbell would provide: suspenseful, creative, and interesting reading. Unfortunately, it comes in very small doses. The plot moves slowly and has too much dull reading. The book ends leaving me a little confused as to what happened. I finally found out on the 2nd to last page how Allison was able to get Queenie out of Rowan's body. But even the explanation left me a little confused. I believe Campbell spends too much time on describing surroundings and not enough time on connecting with the reader on character thoughts, intent and beliefs--once again my opinion. I still enjoy his writing style and will seek out more of his novels. Some of his books I've read have been very very enjoyable. This is just not one of his better works.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Feel the Influence of Ramsey Campbell, March 29, 2006

By 

Deejaytee "Troy Palmer" (Bonnyville, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Influence (Hardcover)

Ramsey Campbell shows once again that he is an undisputed master of horror. He takes the things that go bump in the night and throughs it in your face. A great modern ghost story that will tingle the spine a send a chill deep to the core.