His stories now focused on the evil in humankind, an evil that may arise from supernatural origins but is likely to be inherent. Campbell's next collections, Daemons by Daylight (1973) and The Heights of Summer (1976), trace this catharsis. But the mid- to late 1960's saw his work markedly metamorphosing as he came to terms with the Lovecraftian elements and began to control his influences, placing greater emphasis on character, particularly the psychology of his protagonists. He has also published short stories under the name of Jay Ramsey and Montgomery Comfort.Ĭampbell's earliest stories, dating from 1958-63, were collected in two special editions of The Crypt of the Cthulhu Tales: The Tomb Herd and Others (1986) and Ghostly Tales (1987) he later compiled a retrospective of all his Lovecraftian fiction, Cold Print (1985). He also novelised three 1930's movies, The Bride of Frankenstein (1977), The Wolfman (1977) and Dracula's Daughter (1977) under the US pseudonym of Carl Dreadstone and in England as E.

Movie imagery is evident in many of Campbell's stories and is the basis of Ancient Images (1989). James and Algernon Blackwood, plus imagery from comics and horror movies, particularly the film noir and the work of the early German directors.

His juvenilia, which he has no qualms over sharing with his readers, show the much stronger influence of writers like M. By the time the book appeared Campbell was already moving away from Lovecraft towards deeper roots. Highly imaginative, these stories, most fitting loosely into the Cthulhu Mythos, are glutinous with atmosphere but weak on character. This led to Campbell's first professional published story, The Church in High Street (1962) and his first published book, The Inhabitant of the Lake and Less Welcome Tenants (1964). August Derleth, Campbell's mentor in his formative years, encouraged him to establish his own milieu for his Lovecraftian stories. The most noticeable influence in Campbell's fiction is H. As well as writing he has reviewed films for BBC Radio Merseyside, and has been President of the British Fantasy Society. Born John Ramsey Campbell in Liverpool in 1946, he became a full time writer in 1973 after working in the Civil Service, public libraries. Ramsey Campbell is a respected British writer of horror and supernatural fiction.

Ramsey campbell the face that must die