The Grin of the Dark

This is the most unusual horror novel I have read in a long time. There's practically no violence, none of blood and guts that is so ubiquitous in the horror genre, but there IS an absolutely unrelenting sense of impending dread and the climax of the book is far more satisfying than any gratuitous splatterfest. Half-seen, suggested weirdness pervades the book's atmosphere, and you're never quite sure if the narrator is completely off his rocker. This book is deft, subtle, and absolutely masterful, a needle driven in the ear rather than a roaring chainsaw.

This is a very good book by Mr. Campbell. There are a number of very surrealistic and spooky scenes in it, such as disembodied faces that slid along the floor, a bunch of bizarre clowns that put on a strange almost threatening performance just to name a couple. It involves a man writing a book about a long forgotten silent film star and his supressed films. The search takes the main character to several places where he encounters people who seem unnaturally agressive towards him. A very intriguing section deals with a person on a messageboard whose screen name is Smilemime. Smilemime is a major thorn in the main characters side throughout and creates a mystery as to who he is. This is a fun and concise read that has short chapters, so it reads pretty quickly. My favorite Campbell book remaines Incarnate, but this one isn't far behind.