Cannibals
"Cannibals" is a horror novel by Guy N. Smith, published in 1986. , Kevin Enhart (Illustrator), Tara Paulsson (Editor), David Owain Hughes (Foreword)
Plot Summary
Wanting some extra income, Scottish fisherman Doug Geddis builds holiday chalets on the Beck, an area of land left to him by his deceased wife. Located near Geddis's home in Invercurie, a hamlet on a small peninsula of the Highlands, the chalets soon attract tourists. Outsiders who, local people complain, will disrupt their traditional ways.
But a more sinister reason lies behind the locals’ opposition. In truth, the community is afraid that a dark and shameful secret will be exposed. In an effort to contain the problem, Geddis warns his chalet guests not to visit Blair Long, the dangerous nearby mountain. Inevitably, his guests ignore him – and walk straight into the jaws of a deadly peril.
Before long, the nightmare the locals had feared becomes a sickening reality. Visitors and inhabitants alike pay dearly for the holiday camp...
Themes and Style
Survival Horror: The primary theme of the novel is survival, with the characters facing extreme conditions that force them to confront their primal instincts.
Human Depravity: "Cannibals" delves into the dark side of human nature, examining what people are capable of when pushed to the brink.
Isolation: The setting of a remote island adds to the novel's atmosphere of isolation and hopelessness, heightening the sense of dread and fear.
Cultural Clash: The interactions between the survivors and the indigenous tribes highlight themes of cultural misunderstanding and the clash between civilization and primal customs.
Reception
"Cannibals" received mixed reviews from readers and critics. Fans of Guy N. Smith's work appreciated the novel for its intense and graphic depiction of horror and survival. The vivid descriptions and relentless pace kept readers engaged, while the psychological aspects of the story added depth to the terror. However, some critics found the subject matter too disturbing and the characters not as well developed as they could be.
Author Background
Guy N. Smith (1939-2020) was a prolific British author known for his contributions to the horror genre. With over 100 novels, his works often feature elements of the supernatural, the macabre, and the grotesque. He is perhaps best known for his "Crabs" series, which involves giant killer crabs terrorizing humanity. Smith's ability to create gripping and eerie stories has earned him a dedicated following among horror enthusiasts.
Legacy
While "Cannibals" may not be as widely recognized as some of Smith's other works, it remains a notable entry in his extensive body of horror fiction. The novel's exploration of human survival and depravity continues to resonate with readers who appreciate dark and intense narratives.
Overall, "Cannibals" is a classic example of Guy N. Smith's ability to blend visceral horror with psychological depth, creating a story that is both horrifying and thought-provoking. The novel stands out for its unflinching look at the darker aspects of human nature and the lengths to which people will go to survive.
My writing career began at an early age with 56 stories published in a local newspaper “The Tettenhall Observer”. I was inspired by the boys’ papers of the 1950s, Adventure, Rover, Hotspur, Wizard etc., all of which I read weekly.
Times changed to meet the demands of a new young readership. Many of those story papers either ceased publication or had their original text content replaced with picture strip stories.
As the years progressed I tried to find a market for my kind of stories. Then, by chance, a copy of “Our Boys” came my way. It was published by the Educational Company of Ireland, Dublin, and part of it was in the Irish language.
Tales of the Mounties (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) have always fascinated me so I introduced a character of my own, Kincaid. He featured in 5 stories; “The Coming of Kincaid” (October 1971) “Kincaid Cleans Up” (November 1971) “A Man called Blaze” (December 1971) “Scourge of the North West” (May 1972) and “Yukon Pursuit” (June 1972).
The September 1971 issue carried a story entitled “The Dive of Death”, about a stunt man featuring in a sports film”.
Science fiction was another genre which I had read extensively in my boyhood, nothing sophisticated like modern stories, virtually all concerning aliens landing on Earth or spaceships visiting a variety of planets in the Universe. My “The Beast from Space”, was set on Dartmoor where a monster from space lands, armed with a gun that shrivels up anything at which it is aimed.
All very basic, but reflecting stories which had once enthralled young readers. “Cannibal Island” (March 1972), a story of a cargo ship on its way to Hawaii to deliver a load of grain, is swept off course by a hurricane. The crew survive and they go ashore on an unknown island which happens to be inhabited by cannibals… Was this the germ of an idea which led to my novel “Cannibals” (Arrow 1986)?
Sadly, “Our Boys” is long gone, but for a short time it had provided me with a market for the type of fiction I would have loved to write had I been old enough in the days of those story papers which had thrilled me in my boyhood.
Guy N. Smith
Plot Summary
Wanting some extra income, Scottish fisherman Doug Geddis builds holiday chalets on the Beck, an area of land left to him by his deceased wife. Located near Geddis's home in Invercurie, a hamlet on a small peninsula of the Highlands, the chalets soon attract tourists. Outsiders who, local people complain, will disrupt their traditional ways.
But a more sinister reason lies behind the locals’ opposition. In truth, the community is afraid that a dark and shameful secret will be exposed. In an effort to contain the problem, Geddis warns his chalet guests not to visit Blair Long, the dangerous nearby mountain. Inevitably, his guests ignore him – and walk straight into the jaws of a deadly peril.
Before long, the nightmare the locals had feared becomes a sickening reality. Visitors and inhabitants alike pay dearly for the holiday camp...
Themes and Style
Survival Horror: The primary theme of the novel is survival, with the characters facing extreme conditions that force them to confront their primal instincts.
Human Depravity: "Cannibals" delves into the dark side of human nature, examining what people are capable of when pushed to the brink.
Isolation: The setting of a remote island adds to the novel's atmosphere of isolation and hopelessness, heightening the sense of dread and fear.
Cultural Clash: The interactions between the survivors and the indigenous tribes highlight themes of cultural misunderstanding and the clash between civilization and primal customs.
Reception
"Cannibals" received mixed reviews from readers and critics. Fans of Guy N. Smith's work appreciated the novel for its intense and graphic depiction of horror and survival. The vivid descriptions and relentless pace kept readers engaged, while the psychological aspects of the story added depth to the terror. However, some critics found the subject matter too disturbing and the characters not as well developed as they could be.
Author Background
Guy N. Smith (1939-2020) was a prolific British author known for his contributions to the horror genre. With over 100 novels, his works often feature elements of the supernatural, the macabre, and the grotesque. He is perhaps best known for his "Crabs" series, which involves giant killer crabs terrorizing humanity. Smith's ability to create gripping and eerie stories has earned him a dedicated following among horror enthusiasts.
Legacy
While "Cannibals" may not be as widely recognized as some of Smith's other works, it remains a notable entry in his extensive body of horror fiction. The novel's exploration of human survival and depravity continues to resonate with readers who appreciate dark and intense narratives.
Overall, "Cannibals" is a classic example of Guy N. Smith's ability to blend visceral horror with psychological depth, creating a story that is both horrifying and thought-provoking. The novel stands out for its unflinching look at the darker aspects of human nature and the lengths to which people will go to survive.
My writing career began at an early age with 56 stories published in a local newspaper “The Tettenhall Observer”. I was inspired by the boys’ papers of the 1950s, Adventure, Rover, Hotspur, Wizard etc., all of which I read weekly.
Times changed to meet the demands of a new young readership. Many of those story papers either ceased publication or had their original text content replaced with picture strip stories.
As the years progressed I tried to find a market for my kind of stories. Then, by chance, a copy of “Our Boys” came my way. It was published by the Educational Company of Ireland, Dublin, and part of it was in the Irish language.
Tales of the Mounties (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) have always fascinated me so I introduced a character of my own, Kincaid. He featured in 5 stories; “The Coming of Kincaid” (October 1971) “Kincaid Cleans Up” (November 1971) “A Man called Blaze” (December 1971) “Scourge of the North West” (May 1972) and “Yukon Pursuit” (June 1972).
The September 1971 issue carried a story entitled “The Dive of Death”, about a stunt man featuring in a sports film”.
Science fiction was another genre which I had read extensively in my boyhood, nothing sophisticated like modern stories, virtually all concerning aliens landing on Earth or spaceships visiting a variety of planets in the Universe. My “The Beast from Space”, was set on Dartmoor where a monster from space lands, armed with a gun that shrivels up anything at which it is aimed.
All very basic, but reflecting stories which had once enthralled young readers. “Cannibal Island” (March 1972), a story of a cargo ship on its way to Hawaii to deliver a load of grain, is swept off course by a hurricane. The crew survive and they go ashore on an unknown island which happens to be inhabited by cannibals… Was this the germ of an idea which led to my novel “Cannibals” (Arrow 1986)?
Sadly, “Our Boys” is long gone, but for a short time it had provided me with a market for the type of fiction I would have loved to write had I been old enough in the days of those story papers which had thrilled me in my boyhood.
Guy N. Smith