Way back in the 1990s, when I was making my first fumbling attempts to put words together in story form, one of the writers whose work I most loved and admired was Michael Marshall Smith.
I first encountered his work in Nicholas Royle’s anthology Darklands, in the closing story ‘The Dark Land.’ It still remains a favourite of mine, and one of the most nightmarish stories I’ve ever read. I was still living with my parents at the time and vividly pictured the events of 'The Dark Land' taking place in their house. I read everything else of his I could find, first short stories and then the novels: Only Forward, followed by the equally impressive Spares.
Whether writing tales of horror and science fiction as Michael Marshall Smith, thrillers and suspense as Michael Marshall or adventure as Michael Rutger, he has the kind of style I’ve always striven for – the kind of deceptively easy-looking, witty, conversational writing where you almost forget you’re reading a book, which then blindsides you some piercing insight or description when you least expect it. On top of that, he’s a genuinely nice chap.
So to get a blurb from him for The Ravening has been amazing. I had to pinch myself a couple of times to be sure it wasn’t all a very pleasant dream. But it was very real indeed, and here the blurb is.
“Huge in scope and yet intimate, a triumph of horror that you won’t be able to put down.” – Michael Marshall Smith, International Bestseller.
Thank you, Mike. I’m incredibly grateful.
Daniel. :)
PS: Be on the lookout tomorrow for an exclusive cover reveal for The Ravening!
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