Scissorman

by Mark Chadbourn

Genres: Horror

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

A two-time winner of the prestigious British Fantasy Award, Mark has published his epic, imaginative novels in many countries around the world. He grew up in the mining community of the English Midlands, and was the first person in his family to go to university. After studying Economic History at Leeds, he became a successful journalist, writing for several of the UK's renowned national newspapers as well as contributing to magazines and TV.

When his first short story won Fear magazine's Best New Author award, he was snapped up by an agent and subsequently published his first novel, Underground, a supernatural thriller set in the coalfields of his youth. Quitting journalism to become a full-time author, he has written stories which have transcended genre boundaries, but is perhaps best known in the fantasy field.

Mark has also forged a parallel career as a screenwriter with many hours of produced work for British television. He is a writer for BBC Drama, and is also developing new shows for the UK and US.

An expert on British folklore and mythology, he has held several varied and colourful jobs, including independent record company boss, band manager, production line worker, engineer's 'mate', and media consultant.

Having travelled extensively around the world, he has now settled in a rambling house in the middle of a forest not far from where he was born.

Reviews

[Carizza Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read this during a very difficult time in my life and have found it quite therapeutically disturbing, if not bloody and horrifyingly amazing. It plays with your mind quite a lot, and its crimson pages and depth are enough to keep you spinning even after the book ends.

[Chris Crawshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bit of a modern gothic horror read. Writing was good, story compelling. Some gore thrown in there. Eerie feel throughout. Fun read!

[Bellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blurb:
"When whizzkid City dealer Jon Summers cracks up under the strain of his hated job and a fast-paced drink and drugs lifestyle, his wife arranges for him to recuperate in an old Victorian house called Arcadia - the house where he spent three magical years as a child.
As Christmas approaches and Jon teeters on the brink of a complete nervous breakdown, he discovers the magic of Arcadia still lives, but over the years it has grown much darker. Inadvertently opening a door to somewhere else, John unleashes a childhood nightmare: the Scissorman, no longer a Victorian myth used to frighten naughty boys and girls, but a monstrous force that sweeps out of the night to carve up frail human bodies with its razored hands.
And it has a mission... "

The book had some really promising elements and I quite like the authors style, his strengths are the fantasy/horror elements and the atmosphere he creates for the spooky old Victorian house and its surroundings. But instead of concentrating on this, he spends too much time dwelling on the issues the main character has with his job and the financial world in general, which I wasn't particularly interested in. There also were a few developments towards end, that... I'm not really a fan of... and I'm still not sure what I think of the end.

All in all I was a bit disappointed, I think the author could have made more of this idea, but I'll probably give one of his other books a shot.