Nightfall

Introduction

This is a short series of stories based on stories shared with me by Vocal friends. The fourth one is from James Khaos and is called Nightfall a Sanguine Universe origin story of Desire and Power. This is the story that means I can post my six hundredth Vocal Story one this one is published. So this is a very tenuous link but “Nightfall” suggests Night to me and I am going to list a few books and films that the word brings to my mind. My last story was a little difficult because I set myself the task of describing a 45 second sequence, but surprisingly there was so much in the video that, although it took me past midnight to complete, I managed to even impress myself, though I am not sure that I will impress anyone else with it.

So here we go.

The Night Land - William Hope Hodgson

This was published in 1912 and at the end of this section is my article on the author if you would like to find out more about him. It is a post unspecified apocalyptic event. It has been suggested the Milton’s “Paradise Lost” was a part inspiration for this story, especially in view of the hellish visions of sombre intensity that mark both works, and the use of massive structures (the Temple of Pandemonium in “Paradise Lost” and the Last Redoubt in “The Night Land”)

This novel runs to 200,000 words. The Last Redoubt is an eight mile high metal pyramid under siege from Watchers for thousands of years and you can find out more by visiting here or buying the book which is available as an ebook on Amazon.

Nightworld - F. Paul Wilson

This is the final culminating novel in The Adversary Series that started with “The Keep” and I have revisited the whole series many times. F. Paul Wilson is also a favourite of both my daughters. The series was originally six novels but recently “Signalz” has been added as a precursor to “Nightworld” making it the seventh novel. I need to get a copy of “Signalz” to read it and then re read “Nightworld.

Again this is an apocalyptic scenario first indicated by days actually getting shorter (still twenty four hours but night supplanting daylight). The scenario is light versus dark but while the Adversary is chaotically evil, the opponents have their faults and flaws too.

30 Days Of Night

A horror film released in 2007 directed by David Slade and starring Melissa George and Josh Hartnett.

A very simple concept, but based on a comic book. As a remote Alaskan town, Barrow, enters thirty days of Polar darkness, it is descended on by a horde of bloodthirsty vampires. Remember it is thirty days til dawn. Prior to this a stranger has come ashore and sabotaged all communications with the outside world so there is no cavalry coming to the rescue.

The film bears similarities to “Pitch Black” and “Assault on Precinct 13” but it works well, although the follow-ups were not as successful.

Night of The Demon

Released in the year I was born, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews and Peggy Cummins.Adapted from the M. R. James story "Casting the Runes", which had definitely inspired the Christopher Fowler book “Rune” and the film “Ring”. The film was also known as "The Curse of The Demon".

People are cursed to die by being passed a parchment. Passing the parchment to someone else marks the receiver out as the next victim.

Some of the best horror films are those where you actually see nothing of the “monster” or perpetrator, leaving your imagination to tie you up, but though this is a great filmit is seriously marred by producer Hal E Chester’s decision to include a “demon” in the finale. There was no need.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed and will investigate these four journeys into night shared by me.