The title story just wasn't my bag. Sorry....a lot of people loved it so give it a whirl. If you're really digging the first 20 pages, stick with it. The title story just wasn't my bag. Sorry....a lot of people loved it so give it a whirl. If you're really digging the first 20 pages, stick with it. Much more of the same follows to the bitter end.
The short story at the end of this was much better, in my opinion, thus the 3 stars to average things out....more
One of the highest rated books on my to-read list, and here I was in the mood for something creepy. No brainer.
This was pretty good, and structured asOne of the highest rated books on my to-read list, and here I was in the mood for something creepy. No brainer.
This was pretty good, and structured as two linked novellas between a central narrative. The influence of Stephen King here is obvious, albeit laid on a little too thickly with the repetitive italic thoughts. You know, where the protagonist keeps having these thoughts interspersed in the middle of paragraphs, like King is wont to do, but these got very repetitive to the point where it was distracting.
But, this a minor quibble in the grand scope of things. This is a good pair of stories, and there were some genuinely unsettling moments. I'm in the vast minority of Goodreads reviewers by not absolutely gushing 5 stars over this one, I'm more of a "liked it" kind of guy. And I liked it. Three stars it is....more
It's been a few days since finishing this novel and I'm still thinking about it.
By default, any novel that does that scores a five star review from meIt's been a few days since finishing this novel and I'm still thinking about it.
By default, any novel that does that scores a five star review from me.
A Head Full of Ghosts takes the concept of exorcism and examines the after-effects of it on the family and victim. I got this explanation from the author himself being interviewed on the This is Horror Podcast.
The story is relayed via narrative and a few blog posts, amusingly by a character named after Goodread's very own Karen Brissette. This is about the only point (and his naming a character after another well known author) where I was disinclined to give the book five stars. Nothing against Karen, but this playful aspect took me out of the story a bit.
Anyways, the story didn't really suffer from it. The narrative ran along like gangbusters, and I really, really liked how things ended.
An excellent and scary tale, and one that is still niggling away at me days later. Well done. ...more
Last week I saw a retweet of Stephen King's 16 must-read books. The Deep was one of them.
For a guy who, in his On Writing book, mentions several writiLast week I saw a retweet of Stephen King's 16 must-read books. The Deep was one of them.
For a guy who, in his On Writing book, mentions several writing habits that are indicative of Bad Writing, the fact that The Deep is considered a must-read makes me wonder if he has taken leave of his senses or, worse, if there is some sort of nepotism at work here. In fairness to him, I do not recall the overuse of similes as one of those habits. Maybe he digs these like a starved dog who has forgotten where he buried his bone (see what I did there? Isn't that terrible?)
Now, Cutter's similes weren't quite as bad as that one that just came off the top of my head, but...no, wait:
Luke gagged, his skin feeling too heavy on his bones, like being smothered under a sopping bear pelt.
Behold, I bow to thee, Cutter, Master of Similes.
To give credit where due, The Deep really started out great, although I would have preferred some more background on the 'Gets. There were several background stories of our main character, which were definitely the stronger points of the novel.
It was into the second-last part of the novel where the action rampped up relentlessly that the similes took over the narrative. Reading this part of the novel was a painful marathon of gross-out reveal, one after another after another after another to the point where it barely resembled storytelling at all. It was terrible and I couldn't wait to finish the damn thing. Don't get me wrong here...I can take the gross-outs, it was the writing style through this phase that I couldn't stomach.
This is really too bad. I enjoyed The Troop and was really looking forward to this one, which, for the most part was pretty good. But the last 25%? This ruined the entire novel for me and I don't think I want to trust my valuable reading time with him (or even Craig Davidson) again.
As always, your mileage may vary. Most of my GoodReads friends loved The Deep....more
For the past few months, I've been bingeing on the This is Horror Podcast. This is a great show out of the UK, and host Michael Wilson's enthusiasm foFor the past few months, I've been bingeing on the This is Horror Podcast. This is a great show out of the UK, and host Michael Wilson's enthusiasm for horror literature and movies, combined with his dry wit, makes it a great listen for my drives to and from work.
He's mentioned several authors that he's keen on, and the fact that Stephen King is an obvious favorite makes me take his recommendations to heart. One of these recommended authors is Adam Nevill (apparently the UK's answer to Mr. King), and the recommended book of his to start with was The Ritual.
Well, if this is his best, I'm a bit disappointed.
The Ritual's first 200 pages are fantastic. We have four old chums from University out on a hike in a Swedish National Park. Hutch, the de facto leader of the group, makes the unfortunate choice of a short cut through a vaguely mapped forest and they become hopelessly lost. And creepy things are discovered.
The fear and dread are palpable. In fact, towards the end of the novel, I had felt such a pall over my head that I couldn't wait to finish it and move on. I admit that this is a true talent for an author.
My problem is the second half of the book. The pacing ground to a halt, and there was a lot of rehashing of the same activities to the point that it was getting as circuitous as our heroes' futile wanderings in the woods. At this point, I was rushing towards the end because I was getting impatient with it. Ironically, with all the writing I had to rush through, there were still a few things that weren't explained fully enough. It's too bad, because like I said, those first 200 pages were five star material for sure. I'm loathe to give this three stars, because there are parts of this that show true talent and I don't want to deter anyone from him. So let's say 3.5 and show it as four. ...more
This was pretty good. It was more of an obligatory read rather than something that was part of my official to-read list. But it came in the collection This was pretty good. It was more of an obligatory read rather than something that was part of my official to-read list. But it came in the collection that included The Underdwelling, and not much of a time commitment, so I blew through it.
Tim Curran can paint a description like few can. In his hands, just the sound of something slithering can wriggle into your brain and keep you in a state of creep. His descriptions is his strengths and this is what made Dead Sea so amazing. This story was quite good, and a nice filler read. ...more
I very rarely accept friend requests from authors. Most of them are looking to expand their visibility, and I don't begrudge them that: it is their liI very rarely accept friend requests from authors. Most of them are looking to expand their visibility, and I don't begrudge them that: it is their livelihood after all. I'm just not interested in being used like that.
However, when I checked out Jonathan Janz's profile, he was not only an author, but an active Goodreads reader and reviewer of books. And we had the same tastes, and he did not offer free material for 'honest review'.
So I never felt obligated to read him. I hate being obligated to read anything.
Then a few weeks ago I was listening to Brian Keene's horror podcast and he mentioned Jonathan Janz's Dust Devils as one of his top 10 favourite reads in 2014. Well, the name sounded familiar and lo and behold, hey, this guy friended me on Goodreads last year! So I checked him out a little closer and discovered that Keene had also raved about his first, The Sorrows. So that did it, I slapped it on my to-read list.
Now the obvious dilemma: What if I don't like it? I have to maintain my integrity as a reviewer (I was THE Bill of Bill's Brutally Honest Book Reviews website, don't you know), and he seems like a really good guy. So I threw the dilemma to the wind and started reading it. And, oh shit...this really wasn't working for me. This revelation happened on a Friday night, and with my favourite reading morning a mere eight hours away, I decided at 30% that I was no longer interested in it, and I would start Saturday morning with something new. I'd just delete the book and not review it at all. The morning came and, undecided on what to read next, thought I'd read just a couple of more pages to give it one last chance.
And got severely hooked.
Janz had a couple of story arcs going at this point, and each were intense and very very absorbing. I could hardly put it down. This, to my delight (and relief), was destined for a five star rating.
So what happened to the five star rating? Well, (view spoiler)[ Janz had me in his grip until he crashed the helicopter onto the island, which struck me as the literary equivalent of throwing everything into the pot and turning up the heat to max. Once this happened, all of the brooding suspense and unease vanished. The story devolved into an Action movie, lots of gunfire, ANOTHER helicopter, just so no one is left out, and some unrealistic feats of heroism despite near fatal wounds. Incidentally, earlier in the novel Eddie dove into the ocean and his lungs filled with water. Not only did he not drown, but it seemed to be something he shrugged off easily. I'm a stickler for things like this, so this really bugged me and was one of the reasons I was going to drop it. Anyhow, the whole action filled climaxing will work for a lot of people, but I much preferred the tone of the 30-75% of the novel. (hide spoiler)]
I was going to give this three stars overall. But he was so stellar for a good chunk of the novel, I think he deserves better than that. So four it is, and I will likely read him again. ...more
In The Damned, Andrew Pyper centers a story around the afterlife. Our protagonist Danny has been there and back three times, has found success as an aIn The Damned, Andrew Pyper centers a story around the afterlife. Our protagonist Danny has been there and back three times, has found success as an author detailing his experiences, but unfortunately is haunted by his dead twin sister.
It's a fantastic premise and Pyper makes this a very engaging read. His concept of the afterlife is simple, but I thought it was very creative. For almost all of the novel, I had this pegged at five stars easy. This was the perfect mix of descriptive prose (at times extremely good), realistic dialogue, and plot development. It's a quite immersive and a fast read, and it's too bad that at 73% in, I had hit a few days where I became too busy to read. This break in momentum caused my reading enjoyment to suffer. This was at a point where a lot of action was beginning and I would have much preferred to cruise into that from where I was at in the story rather than come into it cold. I had thought that I would have to drop a star because of how I was feeling, but that would be so unfair to the book. I'm sure if I didn't have a break forced on me the whole thing would have been terrific. But it was really good. I enjoyed this a lot and loved the characters.
I'd have to say 4.5 stars overall, but I'm rounding up here. I still hold The Guardians as my favourite of his, but only by a very slim margin now. ...more
I can't remember where I saw the image, but I know I was very young and the drawing depicted a man with wild hair, cloak and top hat, brandishing a loI can't remember where I saw the image, but I know I was very young and the drawing depicted a man with wild hair, cloak and top hat, brandishing a long knife and a demented smile. This was Jack the Ripper, my first boogeyman. It wasn't long before my fascination grew and it continues to this day, this crazed murderer who stalked the streets of London, taunted police with letters, and was never caught.
I've never read Sarah Pinborough before, but The Reckoning has been on my list for years. It was only recently that I added Mayhem, after hearing Brian Keene highly recommend it on his podcast. I have long since stopped listening to his podcast (frankly, listening to a writer bitch and complain about the industry while getting progressively sloshed runs a bit long in the tooth), and some of his recommendations were beginning to smack of nepotism, so this one almost got dropped off. But I was stuck on what to read next, went to random.org to select which # on my list, and it was Mayhem. I'm so glad I kept this on the list. Brian was really on the mark here.
I loved this lady's writing. For one thing, the setting: this is London, 1888, one of my favourite settings (I loved the musical Oliver!, whose setting of dirty London continues to be fresh in my mind.) With an economy of words, she totally embedded me in this time and place; the desolate mood was very well captured here. Her characters are very well developed, and the story? How about the hunt for a serial killer with an ample dash of the supernatural (without sounding silly)? How about that this was based on actual events where these killings were occurring alongside Jack the Ripper's rampage? Sarah Pinborough has pulled me through a story that I couldn't wait to get back to, and I can't wait to get back to it in her sequel. More so, I can't wait to get back to her altogether. She's right up there with the top suspense writers in every way except maybe recognition. I mentioned the writing, didn't I? I hate including anything out of context, but I need to share this: I noticed that my breaths were shorter, as if the air itself were heavy and resisting inhalation, wanting to suffocate, rather than provide life.
Yeah, I felt that. So here's my recommendation: read Mayhem. My recommendation to me: read more Sarah Pinborough. I will, soon... Five stars for solid entertainment. I am 100% out of my reading slump. Thank you Sarah!...more
This is the 3rd Graham Masterton novel I've read and I've yet to 5-star the guy. Hopefully this is because I haven't read the best of him yet. AlthoughThis is the 3rd Graham Masterton novel I've read and I've yet to 5-star the guy. Hopefully this is because I haven't read the best of him yet. Although a 2-star rating looks bleak, it does translate to It Was OK, and that's how I felt about it. The story had a great start to it, with a couple of gleefully horrific occurrences, and I thought I was in for a real treat here.
It was an okay story, and a cool concept. My problem was character engagement. I really couldn't care less for any of them. Very sparce development here and if that doesn't bother you, you can go ahead and step into The House. I need more depth to characters, so two stars summarizes this brief review.
There aren't a lot of things in fiction that scare me anymore. The last book to freak me out was Tim Curran's Five stars for scaring me, Uncle Stevie.
There aren't a lot of things in fiction that scare me anymore. The last book to freak me out was Tim Curran's Dead Sea, and how long ago was that? Three years or so?
Revival's story sets out in a way that has become so typical of Stephen King: a coming of age story set in the nostalgia heaped 50s or 60s. This time it's the story of Jamie, born in the early 60s (as I was), and his coming of age in the Castle Rock district. The story is told with all the sensitivities I've come to expect from King, and I never tire of that. I'm a nostalgic guy myself, so I can read him doing this all day with a huge grin on my face.
When we first meet Jamie as a boy, a shadow passes over him as he is playing with his toy army figures. Charlie Jacobs, the new minister, or Jamie's "fifth business", as he calls him.
Jacobs becomes a central figure in Jamie's life, and this is what the story is all about as the years roll by. Jamie follows music, and Jacobs follows what he calls "secret electricity".
I don't want to reveal any more than necessary. If you've enjoyed King's works over the past few years, you definitely will not be disappointed. The "soft" King still is alive and well, tugging those nostalgic heart strings with rock and roll, small towns and first love.
If you've missed the old King with the scares he used to dish out, fear not. This one really scared me. Five easy stars for that alone. ...more
Like all newly discovered authors, I first heard of Edward Lorn via my GoodReads friends' reviews. As his name kept popping up it was becoming apparenLike all newly discovered authors, I first heard of Edward Lorn via my GoodReads friends' reviews. As his name kept popping up it was becoming apparent that he could not write a bad novel, so I slapped Bay's End, his first, on my to-read list. Now, the nice thing about Edward Lorn is that he is a self-published author, but he's not one of those guys who will solicit readers for reviews of free copies of their books. He's content with letting his work speak for itself via word of mouth, and it's awesome that this is working for him.
Also what I like about the guy is that he is an active book reviewer here, and they are great reviews. He's currently doing a re-read of King's works, which can be found here: https://edwardlorn.wordpress.com/52-i... King is an obvious influence on his writing and this is quite evident in Bay's End.
Bay's End is a small American town, and the story follows the summer of 1992 and 12 year old Trey Franklin. A new boy has moved in across the street, Trey's age, and the two become fast friends. As Lorn draws on his King influence, of course there will be bad things that happen in a little town.
Towards the end of the novel, it became quite predictable, but the reason for this was the Interludes that proceeded each section. This were brilliantly written, but the gist of them were mainly foreshadowing, which I wish he didn't have to do.
This is a short novel, and I blasted through it. His pacing is perfect, and although I didn't quite buy into Eddy's relationship with his parents at first, this smoothed over for me and I was totally absorbed throughout the novel. A warning: Lorn pulls no punches with this story. Some disturbing things happen, particularly (view spoiler)[ child abuse (hide spoiler)], so be forewarned (or spoiled, as it were).
I'm giving Bay's End a very strong four stars and am excited to read more of this guy. This will happen very soon. ...more
The first half of this short novel is the most intense descriptiveness of coping with severe burn injuries tAlan Ryker has some serious writing chops.
The first half of this short novel is the most intense descriptiveness of coping with severe burn injuries that I've ever read. Also, he has a firm grip on the human condition and there were many instances where I had to stop and think about what a shame it is that he is a "horror" writer and it's likely that discerning readers will never ever hear of him. Or perhaps not...the great thing about Goodreads is that this guy will be widely read, as there have been a few very highly followed reviewers who are shouting his name from the roof tops.
I really was set on giving this five stars after the first half.
I'm unsure now what I want to give it. This novel branches off into a genre that always makes my brain hurt: (view spoiler)[ Alternate Realities (hide spoiler)]. Ryker, for the most part, made this fairly easy to digest, up until the end. At that point, I wasn't all that accepting of what/where Cody was at and I starting to get mentally fatigued and that lessened the enjoyment for me. For that reason I'm hedging towards 3.5 stars. ...more
I have been meaning to read Bentley Little for well over twenty years, but his aguably best, The Store, has been so hard to find.
Recently iNo, no, no.
I have been meaning to read Bentley Little for well over twenty years, but his aguably best, The Store, has been so hard to find.
Recently it has been released for Kindle, so I was pretty quick to grab it.
23% in I had to stop.
As I've said in other reviews, I don't care how depraved things can get. In fact, the more depraved, the better! What I can't stand, though, are writers who defy human nature in their characters.
Even though this happens 23% in, I'll still protect this as a spoiler to that point.
(view spoiler)[ Imagine you are an eighteen year old girl, or young lady if you prefer. I don't care what small town you're from, but if you allow yourself to be degraded by submitting to a lie detector test TOPLESS, and agree to submit to giving a urine test fully nude in front of your interviewer, take a day or two to let that sink in, THEN run a gauntlet of verbal and physical abuse, only dressed in bra and panties, of course, all this for a MINIMUM wage crap job at a big-box store, you allow yourself all this? And you accept their embaces after, they say they love you and you say you love them, too, wiping tears from your eyes. (hide spoiler)]
If you can accept that as how a character would react, then sure, give The Store a try. You'll probably love it. I may have loved it when I was twelve. But I have no time for authors that are so out of touch with what people would logically do. ...more
Yet another entry into the end-of-the-world as we know it genre. And I feel fine.
Bird Box is immensely satisfying. That is, if you're into bleak, unneYet another entry into the end-of-the-world as we know it genre. And I feel fine.
Bird Box is immensely satisfying. That is, if you're into bleak, unnerving intensity. This novel has it from the get go, and doesn't let up. I've seen reviewers make comparisons to The Road, and maybe that's valid with how the present time storyline goes. I can't vouch for that: I couldn't get through The Road; I just found that novel to be bleak for the sake of it, with no real payoff in sight.
While Bird Box is bleak, there lies within the story the mystery of what has happened with the world. Combine that with suspenseful storylines that alternate between present time and flashbacks, an economy of words that brilliantly describe the settings and mood, great characters, and you've got one winner of a novel here.
The less said about the story the better. Dive into this one blind (pun intended), lock the doors, and for God's sake cover the windows. Highly recommended. ...more
The characters were very well done, and the pacing of the story was excellent. Once the mystery was oveJust what I needed. A short and absorbing read.
The characters were very well done, and the pacing of the story was excellent. Once the mystery was over, the fun kind of tapered off (that's just me. I love the unknown in a story; when it's found out, anything after that is usually anti-climatic). But, it wasn't for long, as this is a novella.
I'll probably read more of him someday. His writing reminded me a lot of Greg F Gifune, which is a very good thing....more
Greg Gifune is always a treat. So far his stories have slightly fallen short of the five star mark for me, but there is one attribute that always hitsGreg Gifune is always a treat. So far his stories have slightly fallen short of the five star mark for me, but there is one attribute that always hits five-star quality: his writing.
This guy is tough to beat. His prose is engaging, he is descriptively gifted, and his dialogue is genuine.
The Rain Dancers is a 77 page novella that tells the story of a couple who have returned to her small town to settle her late father's affairs, namely preparing his house for sale. On a rainy night, a stranger shows up at the door...
Yes, this is very creepy, and I loved how Gifune pulled me through it. I finished it yesterday, and I am still thinking about it.
I started out this review thinking that I would give this one four stars, but the quality of storytelling really deserves more. Let's say four and a half. And let's round it up, he deserves it. ...more
There's a lot of buzz about Nick Cutter these days. In normal life, he is Craig Davidson, a fairly mainstream author who has been shortlisted for the There's a lot of buzz about Nick Cutter these days. In normal life, he is Craig Davidson, a fairly mainstream author who has been shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. His Nick Cutter persona writes old-school horror. So now that he's becoming rather prolific, I figured I should jump on the bandwagon and check him out. The Troop is outright horror. Last Friday my wife made a delicious spaghetti dinner, which was indeed enjoyable, but given the point I was at in the novel and it being fresh in my mind, well let's just say I'd veer away from anything resembling long, thin and white worms while in the midst of this story.
Cutter relays the story with narrative interspersed with news articles and interviews (something he mentions in his afterword, a format that plays tribute to Stephen King, and how he wrote Carrie), and this format works very well to deliver the story in a suspenseful way.
I only have one gripe. There are two sections in the book that are diary entries by two of the boys. These are actually my favorite parts of the book. Any time an author delves deeper into the psyche of characters, this is when I become totally absorbed. I was very disappointed that there were only two of these entries in the story. This was a great opportunity to further flesh out these characters and it was missed.
On the other hand, this will satisfy those looking for a gross-out tale. My preference is the psychological suspense variety of terror, but this was entertaining and I burned through it. It was a good read overall and a good sample of what this writer can do. I'll probably read The Deep as well, and will also check out Craig Davidson's work.
A 4-star rating, but major bonus points for (view spoiler)[ revealing Shelley as a sociopath/psychopath!!! (hide spoiler)]
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