CANDLENIGHT by Phil Rickman

Welcome to Page 25 of I Read That Book! On each Page, I’ll tell you a little about a book I read, often in a fun and informal manner, with the hope that you also may become interested enough to read it – or perhaps read it again if you’ve already enjoyed it once. The books I’ll be featuring come from a variety of genres at differing stages of my life, so whether you prefer history, literature, science fiction, or horror, there’s a good chance you’ll get some interesting ideas for your personal “To Be Read” list. Thank you for joining me on this journey as we flip through the pages of some of my favorite books. But before you start reading below, I invite you to grab a cup of your favorite beverage (coffee for me!) and find a comfortable place to sit, then turn to Page 25.

CANDLENIGHT by Phil Rickman

Publication Date: 1991

I finally read CANDLENIGHT about three years ago, even though I’ve had it sitting on one of my bookshelves for over two decades. My personal library is arranged by genre, and I decided it was time to read a horror novel, keeping in mind that I wanted to try a new author. Or at least new to me since Phil Rickman has been publishing for three decades now.

Notice on the cover that the title appears to be two words: Candle Night. However, the copyright page of my Jove paperback edition (1995) tells us that CANDLENIGHT is the correct title. This is also how it’s listed on Rickman’s Wikipedia page (see the link at his name in the paragraph above the book cover image), not to mention the book’s spine…which allows for the longer version of the title. While this may seem completely unimportant to some, those of us who keep listings of our books appreciate accuracy.

I’ve read dozens of horror novels over the years, but to the best of my recollection, this is the first one set in Wales. And one of the cool things I discovered as I started reading CANDLENIGHT is this handy-dandy guide (see image below) to Pronouncing Welsh.

To be honest, I didn’t find myself flipping back to the guide during my reading journey, but I really like that it’s there. The names of characters and locations—along with some of the dialogue—have enough Welsh that you won’t forget where this story is taking place.

That was the thing about Wales. Some places seemed cursed—filthy weather, soil you could hardly grow dandelions in—and some places, like this village, had it all. The change, when you came out of the forestry, the other side of the Nearly Mountains, was dramatic and yet subtle… the landscape greener, the weather milder, the whole atmosphere all-round mellower.

Rickman gives us our setting, as above, early on. And now for those of you who’d like a sample of some Welsh:

And Claire, face gaunt in the oil-light, hair drawn tightly back, showing the dark roots.

A student so brilliant it was unnerving.

She dialed the number one last time.

“Y Groes dau, tri, naw. Dyma Claire Rhys….”

If the dialogue above feels a bit creepy, you’re right. Claire has a connection to this village, and she starts to pick up the language faster than any normal person should. So, what’s the plot of CANDLENIGHT? The back of my paperback edition gives a nice summation of this horror novel.

To be honest, the book isn’t a page-turner like many of the horror novels I’ve read over the decades. Rickman uses a lot of psychological tension throughout, keeping the reader wondering if there will be a big payoff after turning page after page of this lengthy story. I reminded myself that this was Rickman’s first novel, and often first novels aren’t a good measuring stick of a writer’s true talent. But I persevered, committing myself to reading a minimum number of pages per day, and by the time I reached the last quarter of CANDLENIGHT, I had to know how it would end. It turned out to be worth it.

And don’t forget to join us here again when I flip to the next Page!

Note: The first 32 pages of I Read This Book! originally appeared on Substack.

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