Creed

By: James Herbert

Narrated by: Damian Lynch

Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's Summary

A grim picture. Joseph Creed is a paparazzo, one of that un-illustrious band of photographers whose sole purpose in life is to chase and harass celebrities for candid shots, preferably of the seedier kind. Creed, himself, is a sleaze of the first order, but good at his job; nothing will stop him getting the right shot. He's a coward, a liar and a would-be blackmailer. He's also a womaniser and a divorcée. He looks a little like the actor Mickey Rourke (and is aware of it).

After the funeral ceremony of a major Hollywood actress, he photographs a man of ravaged appearance desecrating the grave. Creed himself is observed and there follows a series of horrific events designed to intimidate him into handing over the film. The person he has photographed bears a remarkable resemblance to a man hanged in the 1930s for murder and the mutilation of children. Creed eventually discovers his antagonists are the Fallen Angels of Europe, whose origins can be traced to Biblical sources. Their powers are waning, the centuries and the evil they have perpetrated have taken their toll. The demons are weary.

James Herbert was one of Britain’s greatest popular novelists and our number-one best-selling writer of chiller fiction. Widely imitated and hugely influential, he wrote 23 novels which have collectively sold over 54 million copies worldwide and been translated into 34 languages. Born in London in the '40s, James Herbert was art director of an advertising agency before turning to writing fiction in 1975. His first novel, The Rats, was an instant best seller and is now recognised as a classic of popular contemporary fiction. Herbert went on to publish a new top-10 best seller every year until 1988. He wrote six more best-selling novels in the 1990s and three more since: Once, Nobody True and The Secret of Crickley Hall. Herbert died in March 2013 at the age of 69.

©1990 James Herbert (P)2013 Audible Ltd

Wow this hasn't aged well :/

Amidst great writing and wonderful narration is a disappointingly dated narrative.

Firstly depending on when you became familiar with Micky Rourke really shapes how you percieve the lead characters image which I suppose could be quite comical. The social and celebrity references are understandably dated and a paparazzi commenting on Lady Diane will always feel uncomfortable in light of events preceding the books authorship.

However despite the purposeful misoginistic anti hero lead seemingly meant to have an air of repulsion about his perspective, sadly the author has surrounded him with two dimensional female characters who are either stupid, neurotic, sexual objects or a combination of all three, which reinforces and confirms the protagonists misoginistic reality made for an uncomfortable and at times offensive read.

The stories only saving grace is it reflects some societal change around gender and the wonderful writing style of James Herbert creates suspense, vivid imagery and horror, sadly it doesn't superceded the above and I wouldn't recommend this book for that reason.

As good as I remembered.

Words won't do justice, just as good as I remembered from when I read this many many years ago.
Well read excellent!

Classic James Herbert with a touch of humour.

James Herbert and Stephen King were the royalty of 70’s horror. I devoured their books, Carrie, Salem’s Lot and The Shining from King, The Rats, The Fog and The Survivor from Herbert. Both writers though evolved during the 80’s Herbert’s books for example became less blood and gore and more diverse with books such as The Jonah, Shrine and The Magic Cottage. The 1990’s would see him continue to move away from the blood & gore of his beginnings. Creed, his first book of the 90’s exemplified this.

For a start, Creed has humour, witness a man being attacked by a toilet for example! And then there’s the scene in which Joe Creed, the protagonist, is confronted with Laura, which is pure Carry on Screaming! I could not stop myself from seeing Fenella Fielding as Laura especially when she utters the line ‘Let me breathe you, Joe.’ The scene then morphs into classic 1970’s Herbert with ‘phantoms of emissions’ or ‘Semen demons’, Herbert however still keeping tongue firmly in cheek. He called Creed his ‘Abbot & Costello Meets Frankenstein’ novel.

Joseph Creed is a paparazzi, he is a low life, ‘a sleaze of the First Order - maybe the Grand Order, considering his trade.’ His also the hero of this book and nothing like any of the heroes of Herbert’s previous novels, he is a likeable rogue. His troubles start when he does what he is paid to do - he takes a candid photo of someone in an embarrassing situation.

James Herbert’s Abbot & Costello analogy is a good one. Just like that movie it still has all the monsters and ghouls, Frankenstein, the Mummy, Dracula and the Wolfman all make an appearance in a finale reminiscent of a classic universal horror movie. But there is a sense of fun in all of it. Even the sex scenes are hilarious, I am thinking of Laura again.

James Herbert at his very best.

From the very beginning, this fast
breathtaking story keeps you eagerly awaiting the next chapter.

Entertaining, smart & humorous

The last James Herbert book I read was in the late 80's or early 90's. Parts of this book were like opening a window into that era, pre-mobile phones, digital cameras, computers etc.
The entertaining story started off with a gripping opening scene in a graveyard and then continued at a great pace from scene to scene, keeping one's attention through to the end.
An entertaining and very enjoyable listen.

Don't bother

Not very horror and not that interesting. There is the seed of a good story but the main character is just someone we'd usually despise with no redeeming features. That doesn't help.

If you're a big JH fan you'll probably get on with this book. I hadn't read a JH book for maybe 20 years. I'll not rush to another one.

Enjoyed this!

A rattling good yarn. Not one of Herbert's finest but enjoyable with a fresh take and twist on the genre. Recommended

Not impressed

I found this book very hard to keep my mind on It and kept losing track of the story.
Definitely the worst James Herbert book I’ve read or listened too.

Fantastic

James Herbert at his best, funnier than most of his books to. Still full of horror though.

funny and raunchy fun

Funny raunchy fun. Joe creed our very unwilling hero.
Goes up against demons with nothing but his camera and wit .