The Dead - by David Gatward

The Dead by David Gatward

Published by Hodder Children’s Books – July 2010


This, the first in a trilogy of children’s horror fiction titles from David Gatward is a clear shot across the bow towards a series of books by a certain Mr Darren Shan who has, let’s face it, pretty much taken the zombie/monster/horror for children market as his own.
There are, of course, others chipping away into the genre for this age-group, Charlie Higson’s The Enemy and it’s sequel due (which I believe is also entitled The Dead) are probably the closest Shan has had for direct competition.
But with this release, its marketing campaign and, in particular, its artwork and book jackets (which are by Mel Grant – who also does Shan’s covers as well as those amazing Iron Maiden album covers) this is as close as we’ll get to all-out teen horror warfare in the bookstores.

David is clearly a horror film and book fan, and wears his heart on his sleeve in a similar way to how I remember discovering Shaun Hutson’s novels years back. You just know when a horror writer loves their subject and when they are well versed in the traditions and the excitement of certain classic movie scenes.

The story is that of a young boy, Lazarus Stone (great name and hint of things to come) who is approaching sixteen when the book begins.
The appearance of a flayed man in his home to give him a message , a warning about The Dead and Hell, couldn’t fail to make me think of the Clive Barker Hellbound Heart novella and the subsequent Hellraiser films. The fact that David quotes a line from the Pinhead Cenobite on one of the first pages of his website demonstrates that these reference points in the book are of no happy coincidence – the man clearly loves his horror – and that’s great because it comes across in the book to the reader.

Lazarus, assisted in part by his horror movie loving friend Craig, is faced with questions over what his father does for a living and why he has mysteriously gone away without leaving a way of contacting him – oh, and the small matter of The Dead coming back into this world and bringing Hell with them.
As the story races along, it becomes clear that all may not be as it first appears for Lazarus and his loved ones.

It’s a fast paced book – perfect for the age group it is clearly aimed at, but this forty year old tarnished horror fiction and film fan got a lot out of it too, and I’ll certainly be seeking out books 2 & 3 (The Dark & The Damned) when they are released.

www.davidgatward.com
www.hodderchildrens.co.uk




Keith B Walters