E F Benson

[paranoid marvin]

Any thoughts on EFB as a writer of horror?
Less well known for them, but he did write a number of horror stories (albeit in some cases with more than a dash of humour).

Interestingly, he was in attendance during the master of ghost stories first two readings of his own tales and clearly they had some influence on him and his supernatural writings.

His stories are very well constructed, with some interesting characters, and very atmospheric, but (in my opinion) they are a little let down with unsatisfactory endings, or no real ending at all; they build to a climax that is often absent.

Having said that, I'm glad I've read a number of his works. Whilst he is no match for M R James, he is a nice alternative.

 

[Randy M.]

I've read about half of The Collected Ghost Stories of ... and enjoyed them. A few stand out: "Caterpillars" (by far, for me, the creepiest of his stories), "How Fear Departed the Long Gallery," "Mrs. Amworth" (though modern readers will figure it out early, I enjoy how he builds it), and "The Room in the Tower." The rest have been enjoyable but kind of blend together. I think he's an enjoyable alternative to James and the one writer of that time that I've read who comes closest to matching him. (Vernon Lee maybe matched James, but did not write many ghost stories.)

What I find interesting between James and Benson is that they were born within a few years of each other, yet I find James as a writer feels more pre-1900, while Benson's stories feel more post-1900. I'd be hard-pressed to say why, though.