The Spear (novel)

The Spear

First edition (publ. New English Library)
Author	James Herbert
Language	English
Publication date	January 1, 1978

The Spear is a 1978 novel by British author James Herbert dealing with Nazi occultism and the Holy Lance.

Plot summary

The book deals with a neo-Nazi cult in Britain and an international conspiracy which includes a right-wing US general and a sinister arms dealer, and their obsession with resurrecting Heinrich Himmler through the occult.

Reception

Ramsey Campbell praised the novel, saying "The Spear scores as a thriller, especially in its set pieces".^[1]

Court case

In an earlier version of The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail/The Da Vinci Code lawsuit,^[2] Trevor Ravenscroft sued James Herbert^[3] claiming the novel infringed on his 1973 non-fiction book The Spear of Destiny.^[4] Herbert declined to pay Ravenscroft damages and eventually removed the offending content.^[5]

See also

• Nazi occultism

References

1. Campbell, Ramsey, "James Herbert", in Joshi, S.T. (ed.) Ramsey Campbell, Probably. Hornsea, Drugstore Indian Press, ISBN 9781848639119 (pp. 272-73)
2. 'No surprise' in Da Vinci judgement
3. Ravenscroft v Herbert (1980) RPC 193
4. Ravenscroft, Trevor (1982). The Spear of Destiny. Weiser Books. ISBN 0-87728-547-0.
5. Nick Freeman (2006) 'A decadent appetite for the lurid'?: James Herbert, The Spear and 'Nazi Gothic'. Gothic Studies Volume 8 (2). 80-97.