The Dark

by James Herbert

It came like a malignant shadow with seductive promises of power. And somewhere in the night... a small girl smiled as her mother burned... Asylum inmates slaughtered their attendants... in slimy tunnels, once-human creatures gathered. Madness raged as the lights began to fade, and humanity was attacked by an ancient, unstoppable evil.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Thriller, Supernatural, Paranormal, Fantasy, Audiobook

439 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

James Herbert was Britain's number one bestselling writer (a position he held ever since publication of his first novel) and one of the world's top writers of thriller/horror fiction.

He was one of our greatest popular novelists, whose books are sold in thirty-three other languages, including Russian and Chinese. Widely imitated and hugely influential, his 19 novels have sold more than 42 million copies worldwide.

As an author he produced some of the most powerful horror fiction of the past decade. With a skillful blend of horror and thriller fiction, he explored the shaded territories of evil, evoking a sense of brooding menace and rising tension. He relentlessly draws the reader through the story's ultimate revelation - one that will stay to chill the mind long after the book has been laid aside. His bestsellers, THE MAGIC COTTAGE, HAUNTED, SEPULCHRE, and CREED, enhanced his reputation as a writer of depth and originality. His novels THE FOG, THE DARK, and THE SURVIVOR have been hailed as classics of the genre.

Reviews

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite possible one of Herbert's best books, the one that really showcased what he was capable of. It reminded me of The Fog with the way he wrote some of the epic horror scenes, sheer awe ispiring macabre, but with this book there were many more such scenes. Startingout with a terrific opening scene, armed with the original premise of evil as a tangible psychic force, the story takes the readers on a really dark (pun intended) scary journey. It did get a tad slow in parts and the climax of the story (the first not the final part) was somewhat protracted and I would have liked to have seen the main characters more developed (which is kind of odd, cause Herbert is such a master of fleshing out minor characters), but those things are fairly minor detractors from this book. What Herbert really excelled with here were just these incredibly vivid terrifying memorable scenes of horror, really some of the best a genre reader can hope for, most impressive and imaginative. Highly recommended.

[Richard K. Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Did we lose a Horror Gem when he passed away!!? Still as good as it was in 1980.

Now, if you have never read James Herbert....where in the hell have you been? Do you really love horror? If so you MUST pick up this author's early works.....such as 'The Fog', 'The Dark' 'Spear' and i could go on and on! Now, this book is a lot like his horror debut; 'The Fog' but it is not as flawless as that one was.....but this is STILL a horror filled, and gore classic from 1980! When London starts seeing a rash of gruesome murders by children, and multiple suicide/murders in the most gruesome and graphic of ways, no one suspects that the Dark has come to London. What is the Dark? It is the home and place where pure hell, darkness, and the epitiomy of Evil lives! This is not a book for those of you who cannot take their horror thrown in your face in the opening chapter, and or where the horror scenes come one after the other and get more graphic with each new death and murder!! Yes, this book is only a little over 300 pages, and it is a quick read. I read it in just a couple hours over the last 24 hours. This is what I LOVED about Herbert and his horror classics! No fluff, horror got right to the point. Now, this one ends very abruptly, and it leaves you with a 'what the hell....' moment where you wanted it to go on, it doesn't. It is still a STRONG 4 🩸🩸🩸🩸 Read for me!

Pick it up!

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book started extremely intriguing with a mysterious sect, characters trying to find out why a whole street is haunted by strange cases of death and references to the dark. The dark is a real force here, gripping evil. Soon this dark spreads over London. Can it be stopped? After a very strong beginning the story got a bit too apocalyptic for my liking. Besides it was a bit too stretched in my opinion. There was some punch missing, especially in the later chapters. Nevertheless a very intense and very compelling read of Britain's Stephen King. A book as dark as the cover. Definitely nothing for those with fear of the dark or depressions. Classic horror as it should be. Really recommended.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have nothing but praise for James Herbert and nothing but sadness at his passing. He was an author who did seemed to be able to reinvent himself and his style and still stay quintessentially British. Now in the case of horror - its the fact the characters, places and events all remind me of the world around me (or at least of the 80s when I was growing up) rather than just another location a blockbuster story uses to destroy as a bit of time filler (come on we have all seen those movies who to make a point trash a European city or two).

So what of this book - it is from the phase where horror was full on almost tangible - yes Herbert can be visceral and graphic but also subtle and menacing and this book to me captures both aspects of his writing.

Now a little back ground here - I first read Herbert as I started to explore outside science fiction and found horror, now at the time horror or at least those books on the second hand markets were all gaudy eye grabbing extremes which when you read then often offered little extra.

However James Herbert offered something different, yes there were so truly graphic scenes but there was as story there, characters you could invest in and events you just had to read to the end of to see what happened.

If you wanted to read a great example of good 80s horror this is a find example and one I am sure I will return to again in the future.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm disappointed as I originally had this as a 4 star book (first read about 20 years ago) but I didn't enjoy it much this time around :(

What I like about James Herbert is that he has some excellent ideas and he can really tell a good story.
Elements of that are present in this book but I found the story very problematic in terms of believe-ability and delivery.
I don't understand the main character's motivation - he was very contradictory and quite tiresome!
I had to speed read parts because I was bored.
I'm upset as James Herbert is a favourite of mine but this one has not stood the test of time. I will continue re-reading as there are some gems that I want to experience again (The Rats & Creed are still excellent) but this one missed the mark.

[Lizz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t write reviews.

My, my, my, this was a nice surprise! Apocalyptic and horrific, this had a bit of everything for everyone: secrecy, magic, science, mystery, madness. Great character development. I appreciate that Herbert gives you insight into characters he will kill off in a few pages. I even enjoyed the action scenes, which for me is saying something.

Recommended for any horror junkies looking for a fix of the ultra-violence and a charming burgeoning romance.

[Leo . · Rating 4 out of 5]

The dark and the fog are very similar. A fog turns everybody crazy as does the dark. I think the fog is a better book but they are both worth a read.

[Jarek "the Mistborn" Dąbrowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good read. Great premise and characters. Got me scared a couple of Times real good plus one nasty nightmare:D Nice take on zombies. Recommend it to fans of the genre. For me 5 stars.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see why Stephan King loves Herbert! Stunning displays of violence perpetuated by 'normal' people and London is ripped asunder. The Dark is one of my favorite Herbert novels, and I think he set a record for introducing characters before they succumb to some sort of nasty foo. First published in 1980, The Dark rides the paranormal wave that was so popular in that era.

Our main protagonist, Bishop, is a 'ghost hunter' who has published several books on the paranormal, always seeking a scientific explanation for things that go bump in the night. The novel starts off as he is about to begin an investigation of an old house in London, but when he gets there and enters, all he finds are bodies. Turns out over 30 people committed some sort of mass suicide before he arrived. Flash forward 9 months or so, and strange, dastardly things start happening to the people in the surrounding houses, like shootings, rapes, knifings, even weed wacker foo!

Without going much into the plot, it seems some paranormal scientists (found dead in the old house) managed to somehow unleash an evil on the world, known as the Dark. When the night falls, the Dark takes over. Can the Dark be stopped? Read the book and find out! 4 Dark stars!

[Anja Henriksen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ole post-classic horror where the gothic take on ghosts and the paranormal has been switched with skepticism and a more scientific perspective.
Could I wish for a bit more detailed explanation of the theory behind this take, yes! But I guess it's rather hard to give an completely satisfying explanation of something there's no (yet) any explanation of. So with that in mind, yes I think it was a great story. We got a couple of the usual mortifying toe-cringing detailed sexscene of the parts of the sex lives of humans which often aren't very sexy in all honesty (love it!), we got some plumb women here and there, to
emphasize this is an old story from 1980, which I honestly didn't feel for the most part.

I got a big smile on my face several times reading this, feeling a strong connection, or call it inspiration or what you like to Duncan Ralston's Ghostland trilogy, though it's very different, the sole of the idea feels like born from the same vein.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was growing up, it was always my job to round up extra chairs for large family dinners. Every time I went into the basement to get the chairs, I would have to scramble back up the stairs quickly to ensure that the darkened basement was not behind me for any longer than absolutely necessary. Going down into the basement was fine, but for some reason it creeped me out to have that unknown darkness behind me. Now that I think of it, this is probably why the final scene of "The Blair Witch Project" freaked me out so much (and, in fact, is giving me chills just writing about it). "The Dark" is the first novel in a long time to tap into one of my childhood fears and actually made me start at some of the sounds my house makes at night (though I'm pretty sure those sounds were from the ice maker!)

This novel grabbed my attention fairly quickly and changed pace just enough to keep me interested, yet not so rapidly that I ceased to care. At various points I felt I was reading a haunted house story, a possession story, a good vs. evil story, a zombie tale . . . in fact, all of these elements came into play at some point and blended quite nicely. The ending was very satisfying ; I was very happy that Mr. Herbert was able to find an alternative to the "period" ending (as in "good wins out over evil.") or the "question mark" ending (as in "good wins out over evil?" (also known as "The Blob" ending (original, not the remake))).

I hadn't even heard of this author a month or so ago. I'm excited that there's a whole back catalog there for me to tap into.

[Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was absolutely loving this until around three quarters of the way through. It started off as a classic horror story with paranormal and mystery elements which I enjoy reading but it soon became a slog to get through. I think that Herbert was trying to make this more complex than it needed to be and it did not pay off.

On a positive note, the characters were interesting and likeable. The dynamics between them were also cleverly developed throughout. Sadly, though, I just did not enjoy the chapters which pulled the reader away from the main protagonists and into the perspectives of some random people who I didn't care for. Unfortunately, this became a major part of the novel towards the end. Likewise, I did not care for the ending - admittedly, I haven't fully wrapped my head around what occurred at the end but I do not have the motivation to do so. Having said that, I do admire the way in which Herbert melded the elements of the paranormal and science together at the end.

Overall, this started off as an enjoyable read but eventually became tedious and, sadly, a disappointment.

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Now see here, you stupid old prick. I think I’ve read enough James Herbert to have a valid opinion about him. As I sip this wine and battle the demons in my head that insist on believing my girlfriend is an enemy, I wrack my brain regarding this book and its required review. Like shit, it’s the same as all James Herbert’s trite but readable junk. The Dark is basically a better version of The Fog. Same fucking thing. An "metaphysical" substance renders people violently insane. Interspersed amongst a boring narrative of cliched, oh-so-perfect heroes is an intricate montage of horrible violence, all of which varies in enjoyment for the discerning horror connoisseur.

Much as I generally deride his work these days, I will never say Herbert can’t write. He knows how to make pretty sentences. Were this not so adequately written, I would have hated it. And at first I was struck by how enjoyable this story was. Predictable, recycled and devoid of innovation - but short of Fluke, that seems to be a staple of Herbert’s work. Still the narrative is engaging enough, much like a dumb but entertaining blockbuster movie. It does not take long, however, before you start to tire from the boring direction you know it is going to take.

There honestly were not many surprises in this book. The only things that surprised me were its unnecessary length - (his books are generally short) - and the lack of sex. These “surprises” win little credence with me. The violence was serviceable, rarely shocking though. There was one part that was disgustingly potent and darkly comical. A butcher hacks his wife up and then serves her to his customers. Kudos for that, James, you sick fuck. But otherwise this was forgettable and repetitive. Very occasionally it was scary … I guess. But fucking that’s not enough. James Herbert was heralded by many as Britain’s answer to Stephen King. This book has not changed my position on this statement that that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard”.

In short The Dark is a passable book. But its quality does not justify its length. The heroes are lame and boringly perfect, like almost all of Herbert’s heroes. They suffer what I call “down-to-earth syndrome”. There were some moments of enjoyment. I loved how much bullshit Jacob Kulek went through. Poor old bastard spends the whole dammed novel getting strangled, thrown out windows and hurt in multiple other funny ways. This was better than the last Herbert book I read - The Secret of Crickley Hall - but it was not as good as his best stuff. It sits comfortably in the middle of his repertoire. And I hate to say that average Herbert is nothing too wonderful anyway. Look elsewhere if you want to give him a try.

[Lisa - *OwlBeSatReading* · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's that odd smell? It keeps following me.

Is it the smelly people on the bus on my way to and from work? But, I can smell it sat at my desk at work. And at home. On the sofa. In bed. Is it me?! 🤨

I've just finished this vulgar little Herbert romp. Dirty little book, 35 years old with yellowing pages, complete with mildew. THAT’S the smell!!

The Dark has been tickling my senses all along. How gross. How fitting. :)

[✨Bean's Books✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. Nice and creepy.

[Jenn Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Damn, where do I even begin?!? This Author was recommended to me by another Fabulous Author Mr. Tim O'Rourke & I owe him a huge thank you for that!! This book was non-stop chills, thrills & action with more than one moment of just pure terror right from the start. I was gripping my Kindle wanting desperately to read on but afraid to at the same time, scared of what was to come. It was horrific bliss & I loved to fear every second of it!! I never saw the end coming!!! I look foward to reading much more from this Author & fully intend to invest in some Damn good nitelights Lol Peaceful sleep is but a dream tonight, this one will stick with me for awhile *shivers*

[Lel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has to be one of the creepiest books I've read. The book starts with a mass suicide/murder of a group of people in house. In true Herbert style this is explained in all its brutal, sadistic glory. The story goes on to be basically about the battle between good and evil that all people face, just with a more paranormal scary twist.
The idea in the book as good and evil being an energy force that can be controlled is an interesting one that raises many questions as you progress through the book. Can people be that easily influenced? Can you?
I would defiantly recommend this book to horror fans of any genre. It certainly made me a turn a few lights on in the house as I was reading it.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, solid read, with a few of Herbert's trademark tableaux of grue. The characterization is good, the pseudoscience enjoyably pulpy (we're talking '50's b-movie here), and the tension palpable. The ending is disappointing and pat, but other than the last ten pages, a good read.

Note: The gender politics are odd, as this is firmly a book of it's time, but it never quite indulges the sexism that was prevalent in splatterpunk a few years later. However, there are a few scenes of gore that are still disturbing now. Those who prefer quiet horror, as well as those weak of stomach, need not apply.

[Stu Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all-time favorites!

Scared the living shit out of me when I was a kid. Although it will be a bit dated by now, I still believe it will retain most of the fright factor. I need to go back and re-read it at some point. It's about supernatural darkness that envelops a small village in the Uk. I think it came out in the '70s, maybe '80s. Don't let that put you off though. It's worth a go for sure.

I have it on Audiobook, so maybe I'll give it a listen soon.

Highly recommend this one to everyone. Period.

[Deity World · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is James Herbert at his best, thriller, paranormal and fantasy at the same time such a classic read really enjoyed it

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Herbert does Quatermass, but makes it darker and more violent. Starts off really well but the last 100 pages feel really drawn out. 3.5 rounded up.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent horror story with supernatural overtones. Bishop is a psychic investigator who goes to Beechwood a house in the London suburbs where 37 people killed themselves. He has a vision of what happened and we enter a rabbit hole where a scientist has created an evil through the dark. Events of murder, suicide and violence slowly begin where people are infected or influenced to do evil acts by the dark. They also become zombies once their infected. The police and army are helpless as the craziness spreads throughout London.

Bishop with Jessica the daughter of Kulek the blind head of a psychic paranormal institute battle the dark in a series of battles. A great page turner. However, the ending for me was a little weak. The sudden white light that cleansed everything seemed a little convenient. Overall though Herberts story and the peoples madness in the street around the house, the insane asylum, tower block and madness in the street as London is overwhelmed by the dark is excellent.

[Carlos González · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pesar de no contar con los mismos recursos que el cine para producir terror (imágenes truculentas, juegos de luz y oscuridad, música aterradora...) sigo pensando que es posible lograr lo mismo a través de un libro.
Por eso seguiré buscando.
En este libro no lo encontré.

[Rae Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

*May contain spoilers*

Since discovering this in my mum's horror collection at around the age of twelve, it holds a darkly dear place in my heart. It was an ancient copy handed down by my grandma; half of the pages were loose and it was discoloured with age. I eventually upgraded to my own copy and recently re-read it for the dozenth time. It starts off pretty tame for Herbert, although I didn't realise this as a young novice reader all those years ago. It was the first book of his that I read, and I was riveted from beginning to end. The build up is gradual over the first chapters, until the force known as 'the Dark' begins to strengthen and expand, infecting the residents of London; twisting their minds and transforming them into murderous lunatics. As a horror junkie, this was perfect for me as the theme extends far beyond being purely supernatural and lavishes us with gore, deviance and insanity. This is the book that sparked my creative writing journey, and I've since remained a devout fan of Herbert's titles. The amount of research that goes into each story is impressive, and the psychological/scientific aspects offer a certain realism that leave us thinking, "What if ...?"

I've heard that James Herbert was known to chuckle at horror (as many fans of the genre can probably resonate with) and parts of his writing definitely show glimmers of a warped sense of humour. One of my favourite quotes from The Dark: "A man cutting his sleeping wife's throat with an electric hedge-trimmer, then cutting the legs off his dog isn't a joke. Running out of cable before he could attack two policemen outside is mildly funny, though."

Equally - and graphically - entertaining is the scene where a shotgun-wielding maniac slips in a puddle of blood and consequently blows his own head off. Genius! Is this Herbert's best work? Probably not, although my connection to it ensures that it will remain a firm favourite.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Herbert's The Dark is a creepy horror novel that is unfortunately mired by a lackluster ending. The novel contains some truly creepy scenes and setpieces. The entire novel builds up the air of desolation and makes the reader feel that there will be no end to the problem in the book, what makes the ending feel cheap is that the problem is resolved within a mere few pages. Which is a shame since the author had spent the rest of the novel building and building.

Overall I liked the novel even with the cheap ending. If you're looking for a solid horror/thriller book James Herbert's The Dark will fit the bill.

[Amanda M. Lyons · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of giving up on a book, but I've been dragging with this one and I don't know that I want to keep reading. I'm almost 2/3 of the way in and it just really doesn't have my interest. No judgement on fans of the book. Just not my cup of tea.

[Don Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely BRILLIANT book ! What a story ! And what a twist ! Completely took me by surprise! Herbert at his best here !!

[Jeanette Wonder · Rating 3 out of 5]

You ever read a book and it feels like you’ve been there before but can’t remember if you had already read the book? That was me with this one…

It started out with such a bang! A whole lot of visual yuck and I loved it. However each page kept getting further and further from that amazing intro. I felt it kinda lost track of its story and that included my interest.

But that beginning….

[Lee Foust · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cheesy as fuck cliche-ridden 1970s Catholic apocalyptic horror with a HUGE dose of sex-phobia, some misogyny, and a hint of racism. Took me right back to adolescence and reading The Rats and The Fog under the covers at night. Guilty pleasure. Yes, I'm utterly ashamed of myself--and I'm not even Catholic.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really creepy, heart stopping and mind boggling. Throughout the book from beginning to end, it's filled with gore, bloodshed and massacre. It brings the controvsial "debate" in whether whatever causes the bloodshed is based on scientific meaning or some sort of unknown forces that are trying to get rid of the human or at least the physical part of mankind.

To be honest at the beginning I thought the book was really good. I guess you can say I just lost interest and just finished reading it because I hate starting a book and not finishing it. Anyway, I would recommend this book to people who like to read about paranormal horror.