Weave Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 Name of Author: Dennis Wheatley Paperback: 320 pages ISBN-10: 1840225459 ISBN-13: 978-1840225457 Synopsis: Night after night, out there in the moonlight, Something was trying to get in at the bedroom window. A huge malevolent Something. Something not of this world. Inside, Toby Jugg, a wounded Battle of Britain pilot, thought first that he was hallucinating, then that he must be going mad, finally that this evil Something was real and striving to reach him. So begins what is probably Dennis Wheatley's most terrifying story of the supernatural. The struggle which ensues brought Toby unexpected help but also ungues treachery as it moves inexorably towards an appalling confrontation and seemingly inevitable catastrophe. No wonder Dennis Wheatley was called "The Prince of Thriller Writers". I decided to invest in 'The Haunting of Toby Jugg' after watching 'The Haunted Airman' (which is based on 'The Haunting of Toby Jugg'), which was really good viewing. I was expecting the book to be similar to the film and there was some similarities, the intensity of the story and of course the claustrophobic feelings of the narrator Toby Jugg but the film lacked the supernatural feel the book has. 'The Haunting of Toby Jugg' tells the story of Toby Jugg, a young RAF pilot who is shot in the back and suffers a spinal injury during a mission and is now confined to a wheelchair, something which Toby finds frustrating and demeaning. On the advice of his family and doctor he is sent to one of his many family's homes to recover and that is when the haunting of Toby Jugg begins. The story is written in diary form, the diary of Toby Jugg from the beginnings of his troubles until the very end, which makes really interesting reading, Dennis Wheatley writes in such a way that you quickly become engrossed. You share all of Toby's fears, triumphs and failures, while at the same time slowly unravelling the reason for the haunting, is it really all in Toby's mind?, an after affect of his war experiences?, Toby questions myself but at the same time knows what he is seeing, which of course frustrates him even more when the over-powering Helmuth (a family friend), Deb (Toby's nurse), his Uncle Paul and his Aunt Julia (his only family) do not believe him. Toby feels more and more isolated as no one believes what is happening to him. The best part of the diary is the fact you learn about Toby's background which makes interesting reading. At times Toby is very funny, his off hand comments are entertaining and a few times I laughed out loud. The only downside about the book was that Toby was quite racist but given the time that the book was written in, it makes sense, not good sense but sense, the book is still enjoyable, however, and Dennis Wheatley is excellent at writing good old fashioned supernatural and horror. Also the book is quite slow at the start but that just adds to the tension, which I loved. I am planning to read more Dennis Wheatley titles. If you get the opportunity, read the book and watch the film, then make your comparisons. Rating: 9/10 (because of the racist comments) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KW Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 OOoh! I've seen snippets of the Haunted Airman ( Robert Pattinson fan that I am ) and wish I could see the whole film!!!! Nice review! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 Sounds great - adding to wish list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedge Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 It's on my TBR shelf with all the other Dennis Wheatleys my aunt found in her garage last year. I'm looking forward to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellatrix Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 I read this & a couple of other of Wheatleys 'satanic' books ooh must be 20/25 years ago (read a lot of horror when I was younger, but not much recently). I had them in my room in halls at university and had a friend that refused to come into my room once she realised they were there - can't remember why they frightened her so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne123 Posted December 28, 2008 Share Posted December 28, 2008 I saw 'The Haunted Airman' on BBC4 quite a while ago when it was on, and I remember thinking it was really good. Ages passed and I just forgot about it. Then, I went to see Twilight, and afterwards I looked up Robert Patterson because I knew I recognised him from something other than Harry Potter. I then realised it was 'The Haunted Airman' I saw a while ago, so I asked for the book for christmas which I got and im now currently reading, and im looking for a copy of the programme to watch again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty_kitty Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 I love the haunting of Toby Jugg and i have a lot of Dennis Whaetleys books but i found the Haunted Airman rubbish and was very disappointed in it. I think the book is more scarey though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo-Bridge Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 You should try the House of Lost Souls by FG Cottam. He has made Dennis Wheatley one of the characters in the novel- its not very flattering! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne123 Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 If I like 'The Haunting of Toby Jugg' i'll definatly try more of his books! If I like one, i'll usually get the rest of the authors works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty_kitty Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 You should try the House of Lost Souls by FG Cottam. He has made Dennis Wheatley one of the characters in the novel- its not very flattering! I read this book and i wouldn't recommend it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morbid Hermit Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 I love Dennis Wheatley's supernatural/black magic books - actually The Haunting of Toby Jugg is one that I haven't read, so I appreciate the review! But if the original poster still wishes to read more works by him, I would recommened The Satanist, To The Devil a Daughter, The Devil Rides Out and Strange Conflict in particular. It comes as no surprise to see that there is a racist element to The Haunting of Toby Jugg - this is something which often crops up in Wheatley's supernatural/black magic fiction. His view of the world comes across rather blatantly in the way that the 'bad guys' are almost always non-white and left-wing, and he suggests a link between devil worship and communism, that kind of thing! But if the reader can ignore that and try not to roll their eyes at certain sentences, he is able to write some imaginative stuff IMO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted October 31, 2009 Author Share Posted October 31, 2009 I love Dennis Wheatley's supernatural/black magic books - actually The Haunting of Toby Jugg is one that I haven't read, so I appreciate the review! But if the original poster still wishes to read more works by him, I would recommened The Satanist, To The Devil a Daughter, The Devil Rides Out and Strange Conflict in particular. It comes as no surprise to see that there is a racist element to The Haunting of Toby Jugg - this is something which often crops up in Wheatley's supernatural/black magic fiction. His view of the world comes across rather blatantly in the way that the 'bad guys' are almost always non-white and left-wing, and he suggests a link between devil worship and communism, that kind of thing! But if the reader can ignore that and try not to roll their eyes at certain sentences, he is able to write some imaginative stuff IMO! Hi Morbid Hermit, how are you? I have To The Devil a Daughter & The Devil Rides Out on my tbr pile, it was not a surprise with the racist element, considering when they were written but I am glad to say I could get past it because Dennis Wheatley is a great writer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morbid Hermit Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 Hi Morbid Hermit, how are you? I have To The Devil a Daughter & The Devil Rides Out on my tbr pile, it was not a surprise with the racist element, considering when they were written but I am glad to say I could get past it because Dennis Wheatley is a great writer. Hi! I think you'll like both of those, then. Actually, those were the two of Dennis Wheatley's books which were made into Hammer Horror films, both starring Christopher Lee, who was a friend of Wheatley's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted October 31, 2009 Author Share Posted October 31, 2009 Hi! I think you'll like both of those, then. Actually, those were the two of Dennis Wheatley's books which were made into Hammer Horror films, both starring Christopher Lee, who was a friend of Wheatley's. I did know that, thanks Morbid Hermit, I watched a bit of 'To The Devil a Daughter' a few months ago. Thanks for the recommendations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morbid Hermit Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 I did know that, thanks Morbid Hermit, I watched a bit of 'To The Devil a Daughter' a few months ago. Thanks for the recommendations Ah, fair enough! Just a month or so ago I got Wheatley's non-fiction book 'The Devil and All His Works', an old hardback for just 1.50 from a charity shop. It shows how much research he's done when it comes to the occult (though he always warns his readers not to become involved with it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted October 31, 2009 Author Share Posted October 31, 2009 Ah, fair enough! Just a month or so ago I got Wheatley's non-fiction book 'The Devil and All His Works', an old hardback for just 1.50 from a charity shop. It shows how much research he's done when it comes to the occult (though he always warns his readers not to become involved with it). Sorry MH, I meant to say, 'I did not know that', what a find with 'The Devil and All His Works' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morbid Hermit Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Sorry MH, I meant to say, 'I did not know that', what a find with 'The Devil and All His Works' Hehe, well, glad to be of service then... Yes, I was impressed with finding The Devil and All His Works, particularly so cheap (on that day, the shop also had an old hardback copy of Lord of the Rings which I got for the same price - it's often worth a little look around charity shops when one has a spare moment!) I will have to seek out Toby Jugg in the near future! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beccles Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 Reminds me of James Herberts Survivor book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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