I was recently lucky enough to receive an advance review copy of Ramsey Campbell’s new novel Ancestral, published by Flame Tree Press. I’ll offer my thoughts at the end, but first let’s take a look at what it’s about. This book will become available on November 17th.
Ray and Lou are a happily married couple with a young son named Tim. Ray is a Bystone, but Lou was born a Stanton. Long before either of them were born the ancestors of both bloodlines were locked in an intense, bitter rivalry which lasted for years, but as time passed so did the conflict, to be forgotten by all.
Tim is a very thoughtful, polite young man with an active imagination which he outlets by writing stories. Most of his tales are about a pair of wizards who are locked in conflict with each other. Not everyone appreciates Tim’s reading of his stories about magic at school, however, which brings harsh complaints from some fellow students and their parents. When Tim’s own parents decide to let him choose where they should go for vacation, he randomly selects two areas on a map of Britain, for reasons he himself can’t explain. One is called Saltbay which is high up on the Lancashire coast. The other is found in the mountains across the country and is called Peakfoot.
Ray, Lou and Tim travel to a series of obscure sites in these places, ones the locals attempt to discourage them from exploring. They all have peculiar names, like Boggart’s Grot, Umbrage Cave, Fae Woods and Stalking Edge. Nothing acts natural inthese places: fog, the ocean, the trees, even darkness itself seem driven to assail them, and somehow Tim appears to be a key to it all. Over time, the dark essence of the sites they visited begin to affect Tim and those around him.
Ancestral hooked me in early on when Tim was reading his story about the battling wizards to his class, and while I knew that wouldn’t be the novel’s focus, I always enjoy it when Ramsey ventures into fantasy genre, even if it’s only briefly (Check out my posts about Ramsey’s fantasy hero Ryre for more on his fantasy work). I was also impressed by how much I liked Tim. In most novels, I find myself not really caring for child characters much, but that was not the case here. Tim comes off as a genuine, kind person who respects his elders and loves to lose himself in his imagination. His parents, Ray and Lou, are sweet people who want the best for their son. The extended family are also great in Ray and Lou’s respective parents. Mounting pressure comes from those in Tim’s orbit who feel he’s attempting to terrify his fellow classmates and friends with his stories. My favorite parts of the book, however, were the sites visited by Tim and his family. They were eerie, ominous and atmospherically crafted on a level only a master like Ramsey Campbell can produce. I really loved The Bystone’s journey across an atlas filled with Campbellian horrors. Having read a lot of Ramsey’s novels over the years, I’d have to rank Ancestral as one of my favorites. Highly Recommended!
Ancestral Flame Tree Press Link: https://www.flametreepublishing.com/ancestral-isbn-9781805520399.html
Ancestral U. S. Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1805520385?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback&th=1
Ancestral U. K. Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ancestral-Ramsey-Campbell/dp/1805520385
More on Ramsey’s Fantasy Hero Ryre: https://horrordelve.com/?s=Ryre
