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The Elemental and Other Stories
- GenresHorror
187 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
25 people want to read
About the author
R. Chetwynd-Hayes
139 books58 followersRonald Henry Glynn Chetwynd-Hayes aka Angus Campbell.
Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes was an author, best known for his ghost stories. His first published work was the science fiction novel The Man From The Bomb in 1959. He went on to publish many collections and ten other novels including The Grange, The Haunted Grange, And Love Survived and The Curse of the Snake God. He also edited over 20 anthologies. Several of his short works were adapted into anthology style movies in the United Kingdom, including The Monster Club and From Beyond the Grave. Chetwynd-Hayes' book The Monster Club contains references to a film-maker called Vinke Rocnnor, an anagram of Kevin Connor, the director of From Beyond the Grave.
He won the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement for 1988, and the British Fantasy Society Special Award in 1989.
Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes was an author, best known for his ghost stories. His first published work was the science fiction novel The Man From The Bomb in 1959. He went on to publish many collections and ten other novels including The Grange, The Haunted Grange, And Love Survived and The Curse of the Snake God. He also edited over 20 anthologies. Several of his short works were adapted into anthology style movies in the United Kingdom, including The Monster Club and From Beyond the Grave. Chetwynd-Hayes' book The Monster Club contains references to a film-maker called Vinke Rocnnor, an anagram of Kevin Connor, the director of From Beyond the Grave.
He won the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement for 1988, and the British Fantasy Society Special Award in 1989.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 11, 2019
Typical mix of tongue in cheek horrors from Chetwynd-Hayes. No duds in this collection, though for me 'The Labyrinth' and 'Someone Is Dead' just outstay their welcomes and are not up to the standards of the other five.
Chetwynd-Hayes was a stylish and I think underrated writer. Don't expect depth and profundity, he was simply a very entertaining and skilful writer who was very adept at construction; characterisation; a witty turn of phrase; and along with Robert Aickman, a very imaginative creator of the bizarre situation. Chetwynd-Hayes's horrors however are more tangible. It's easy to see his appeal to film-makers ('From Beyond The Grave' being a favourite of mine) and his stories were the perfect vehicle for the likewise tongue in cheek horrors of Vincent Price ('The Monster Club').
'The Jumpity-Jim' is an atmospheric favourite here, with a little creature hiding away in an unlikely place; though 'A Time To Plant - A Time To Reap,' 'Birth,' 'The Wanderer,' and 'The Elemental' - memorably filmed with Ian Carmichael in the compendium film 'From Beyond The Grave' are all filled with Chetwynd-Hayes's often eccentric characters in freakish circumstances.
A fine and easy to read collection for a rainy night - it grips, entertains, and makes you smile.
Chetwynd-Hayes was a stylish and I think underrated writer. Don't expect depth and profundity, he was simply a very entertaining and skilful writer who was very adept at construction; characterisation; a witty turn of phrase; and along with Robert Aickman, a very imaginative creator of the bizarre situation. Chetwynd-Hayes's horrors however are more tangible. It's easy to see his appeal to film-makers ('From Beyond The Grave' being a favourite of mine) and his stories were the perfect vehicle for the likewise tongue in cheek horrors of Vincent Price ('The Monster Club').
'The Jumpity-Jim' is an atmospheric favourite here, with a little creature hiding away in an unlikely place; though 'A Time To Plant - A Time To Reap,' 'Birth,' 'The Wanderer,' and 'The Elemental' - memorably filmed with Ian Carmichael in the compendium film 'From Beyond The Grave' are all filled with Chetwynd-Hayes's often eccentric characters in freakish circumstances.
A fine and easy to read collection for a rainy night - it grips, entertains, and makes you smile.
July 22, 2016
As a big fan of Amicus' From Beyond the Grave, I purchased this book for the title story The Elemental. The movie was fairly true to the story, but it wasn't even the best of the lot. Other keepers included The Labyrinth, Someone is Dead, and my favorite The Jumpity-Jim.
RCH creates such unique monsters and reinvents old ones in such an inspiring way. Definitely a good read.
RCH creates such unique monsters and reinvents old ones in such an inspiring way. Definitely a good read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews