This was a pretty solid three stars for me. Good, but not great, though it did have some great moments. The pace was slow, but managed to keep my atteThis was a pretty solid three stars for me. Good, but not great, though it did have some great moments. The pace was slow, but managed to keep my attention. I found it a bit more frightening than I was expecting too, which was enjoyable. There's a lot of tie-ins to the Stephen King universe, which was cool, but maybe overdone too. At times it really did feel like a novella or a "side story" stretched out into the length of a novel.
Initially, I thought this was going to be some kind of 'Christine' rehash when I picked it up, but Stephen King made this book about a cursed stationary car almost comparable to the other one where a possessed car drove around killing people. There's a lot of mystery surrounding the Buick 8, but a lot of that plentiful mystery doesn't get resolved, which can also be annoying. Honestly, it's like Steven King made a book from spare parts taken from his other works, but he ends up making vehicle that works well enough to get us from beginning to end somewhat satisfactorily.
Not S.K.'s best, but certainly not his worst. ...more
You could say my expectations weren't high for an author to make plant-life terrifying, but Scott B. Smith made me scared enough to rethink walking thYou could say my expectations weren't high for an author to make plant-life terrifying, but Scott B. Smith made me scared enough to rethink walking through a flower shop anytime soon.
It's a simple story idea that gets under your skin with it's freshness and frighteningly tense situations. A half dozen tourists go out into the Mexican jungle to look for one character's missing brother and end up in a forbidden place with an ancient dark secret. Add in a ton of terrible decisions made at the bloody expense of character's live, and you've got a great horror story that deserves a round of applause. The only thing that got on my nerves is what a bunch of dingbats most of the characters proved to be throughout the story.
I love books like this; ones that take a concept (in this case, killer plants) that you might eye-roll at, but then have your eyes bulging in their sockets once you're glued to the pages. The Ruins is a thrilling read I highly recommend....more
It's been a long time since I read Stephen King's IT, and with the new movie that came out not too long ago (which I enjoyed) I felt compelled to go bIt's been a long time since I read Stephen King's IT, and with the new movie that came out not too long ago (which I enjoyed) I felt compelled to go back and give it another read, despite the fact that's it's the size of a brick (and not much lighter).
I've read a lot of books since digesting this tome, and it's altered my perspective a bit. I've always considered myself an SK fan, but I've grown weary and frustrated with many of his offerings since the turn of the century. His earlier works are the ones I dig, where I felt that King's imagination was really on its hot streak.
Upon rereading, the first thing that struck me is just how overwritten IT was. I remember it being long before, but not quite such a chore to get through. That being said, IT was still scary, still sent shivers down my spine (especially that scene with the Stanley and the dead kids in the water tower, and Patrick Hocksetter's secret fridge in the junkyard). The world and history of Derry (as well as Pennywise) is such a profound creation, that the impressiveness of it was not lost on me, even on a second time around. IT is such a big story and you really get wrapped up in the sheer size of it and the many characters involved. There are times, however, where you feel like the book is never gonna end.
Despite reading the novel again with a more critical eye, the overall enjoyment of IT was hardly diminished when all was said and done. I don't think I'll ever give it a third go, but I'm glad I gave it a second....more
Ah, old S.K. never fails to entertain and unsettle!
CUJO had been one of the elusive King novels for me, not sure why. I think it was because I'd hearAh, old S.K. never fails to entertain and unsettle!
CUJO had been one of the elusive King novels for me, not sure why. I think it was because I'd heard somewhere that Stephen King was really messed up on drugs and booze when he wrote this, to the point of not even remembering writing it later. I guess I thought it might be crap because of that.
Well, you'd never know it! I found this novel scarier than his usual fare in a different way because it's about a dog that contracts rabies and does what rabid animals do (Go Bananas!). There's something more naturally frightening about that, a departure from the paranormal and fantastical evils that you can always tell yourself later "Don't worry, it's not real". But take a massive St. Bernard and stick him with a degenerating brain infection, and you'll start to sweat a little at the prospect of being torn apart by such a crazed beast.
Cujo is gory, thrilling, and sad. It's a story of man's best friend becoming a human's worst nightmare. Definitely recommend for horror fans. King's got so many classics out there, and I can see why Cujo is a part of that list.
Trippy, unnerving horror. Just when you think you're already in the deep end, 'Pontypool changes everything' submerges you even further.
This novel isTrippy, unnerving horror. Just when you think you're already in the deep end, 'Pontypool changes everything' submerges you even further.
This novel is crazy. But crazy-good. It's like reading the fiction of a certified lunatic, albeit a very talented one. Simply put, Pontypool is a zombie story, but one unlike anything you've ever read before. Burgess doesn't just turn the genre on its head, he decapitates it, then sews on a Frankenstein-like replacement made from sections of his own fractured psyche.
Breathing new life into an overplayed genre, Burgess envisions an undead-type infection (something akin to '28 Days Later') that is spread through sound, making for an incredible play on words and use of language. The novel follows a number of strange characters with their own agendas who are navigating an epidemic as it increasingly infects everyone around them. Burgess's writing is poetic, unhinged, and above all genuinely frightening. It does, however, have a habit of losing you in places. So be warned.
As insane and experimental as much of it is, the book is also incredibly addictive and compelling, even when you're not sure what you're reading or where the plot is going. You just have to hold on, white-knuckled, and go along with the ride as it whips you along. It really feels like you may get thrown from this rollercoaster every now and then, but hold tight. You might get banged up a bit, but the ride is totally worth it....more
I read this when I was a teenager, and recently felt compelled to reread it. I loved it back then, and I damn I love it now. It was one of the novels I read this when I was a teenager, and recently felt compelled to reread it. I loved it back then, and I damn I love it now. It was one of the novels that made me a Stephen King fan.
There's so much Stephen King out there, maybe even too much I dare say (In all honesty, I find his more recent stuff a little hit and miss), but for me personally 'Pet Sematary' is King's ultimate masterpiece. It's the first thing I think of when someone mentions the man's name.
Whenever we think of 'Masterpieces', I think we tend to think of longer, more robust books. In King's case it would be 'The Stand', 'Under The Dome', or 'IT' (seriously though, 'IT' is a hard contender for King's finest, in my opinion). But I think King is totally in his element in every way with this novel. This is the period where his stories were quite original, there was a real rawness to his writing, and the stuff was at its most terrifying. Horror with a paranormal angle is where King gives me the coldest chills. Things that go bump in the night shrouded in darkness that have arrived from some other hell... that's what fills me with dread. And few do it better than King does.
Pet Sematary was the epitome of this for me; a story of love, family, loss, and eventually the stuff of your worst nightmares. The book was the perfect length, a story that roped me in, gave me the creeps, kept my eyes glued to the pages, and concluded in a way I can only describe as "Pure Horror".
It's one of the most well-know of the author's titles, and for very good reason. A definite must read. ...more
Read this wicked good book awhile back, but blanked on doing a review at the time. I happened to be looking through it just the other day and was struRead this wicked good book awhile back, but blanked on doing a review at the time. I happened to be looking through it just the other day and was struck again by just how good it was.
World War Z was one of those books that was not just brilliant, but different too, and I'm a firm believer that different is a very good thing these days where so many books and movies seem like I've read/watched them before. I thought the whole premise of the novel being a recounting of recent history of a 'Zombie War' was smart and highly effective. The technique allowed for an incredibly broad and fully realized world in which the human species (every culture, every country) discovers and battles the emergence of the undead.
This documentary-in-progress style completely reeled me in and hooked me from beginning to end. The political, militaristic, diplomatic, cultural and religious implications of a zombie plague were covered expertly. I loved this whole large-scale approach (told with individual's stories for a more personal perspective) rather than the 'lone protagonist' or 'small survival group' situational stories that so much zombie fiction is based on.
Simply put, World War Z is a must have for any horror buff's bookshelf. Couldn't recommend it enough.
*I'm reposting this review due to the fact that this book is FINALLY available in North America on Kindle. HUSK was easily one of the best books I rea*I'm reposting this review due to the fact that this book is FINALLY available in North America on Kindle. HUSK was easily one of the best books I read a couple years ago, and is currently in my top ten favorite books. It was exceptionally well-written and fast paced. I couldn't recommend it enough!
"Remember, there is a vast difference between those who seek to live forever, and those who are simply too scared to die...”
So, I finished this book, closed it, let out a long breath, and the words out of my mouth were literally: "Whoa"
Let me start by saying this novel really, really SCARED me. Not in a horror kinda way, but in a fearful of the future kinda way. The author makes this whole story feel incredibly real, like it all could already be happening. I really loved J. Kent Messum's debut 'BAIT'. His writing, story, and relentless pace was so freaking good that I hoped it wasn't a fluke. Husk proves it wasn't, and then some.
So, in the near future, the rich don't have to die like the rest of us. Those with the most $$$ get to upload their consciousness and become immortal. But after doing so, they just want to live again like real people. Unfortunately, they can't. But they can do the next best thing: Rent a Husk.
A Husk is basically a hooker who rents their body and brain out to billionaires for a high price. These clients take over the Husk's mind and 'pilot' them around, engaging in all kinds of shenanigans while the Husk's consciousness is in a dormant state. The Husk wakes up after sessions with no recollection of what has happened, but has to deal with the results of the client's indulgences (injuries, STDs, wronged individuals, etc). The novel follows Rhodes, a good-looking Husk who basically starts to investigate himself and his whereabouts on the job after he is struck with schizophrenic episodes and horrible feelings after his sessions. Where this investigation eventually leads him is some truly frightening territory.
The cast of characters in the book are really great (The bad guys are hella creepy), the world is so believable and unsettling, and the story has some serious depth to it, posing a lot of questions about the state of our world and what it means to be human, both now and in the future. Highly recommend this book if you're looking for something sharp, thrilling, and thought-provoking.
And that ENDING... OH MY GOD. Someone please tell me there will be a sequel!!!...more
A really great book. Bait gets 5 out of 5 stars from me for a few reasons...
Firstly, there was never a dull page in this novel. 'Action-packed' is suA really great book. Bait gets 5 out of 5 stars from me for a few reasons...
Firstly, there was never a dull page in this novel. 'Action-packed' is such a cliche term, but it describes this book perfectly. This novel really motors right from the prologue all the way to the epilogue. The novel was short, but it's also the kind of book you can't help but read very quickly. To be honest, I couldn't put the damn thing down once I started. Finished it in only a couple of sittings.
Secondly, I happen to really like shorter books. Lean, crisp, fast-paced storytelling really gets my attention and Messum's prose is considerably free of fat and pretense. This is some seriously talented writing that just feels effortless to a reader. It's the kind of novel you can knock out in a four-hour flight. I felt like I was strapped in for the ride for most of the book. It was over soon after it began, but man, what a trip!
Thirdly, I actually thought the whole premise was quite plausible (in a crazy fiction kind of way). There were some twists I saw coming, and some that completely surprised me. The documented brutality and criminal behavior U.S. servicemen over the years (Staff Sergeant Robert Bales murdering 16 Afghan civilians back in 2012, just one example), made me think that the villains and their motives weren't that far-fetched at all. The junkies themselves were crude and vulgar at times, but then again... they are junkies going through withdrawal. Addicts have a bad reputation, one that Messum seems to greatly understand. He gives the characters some context that plays a little on our sympathies, but he doesn't victimize them. My reactions to the characters (both protagonists & antagonists) were mixed, but I think that might have been the whole point...
I do need to caution readers: Bait is a very ADULT novel (I wouldn't recommend it for anyone squeamish or under 17... unless you want to be scared straight when it comes to drugs). It's incredibly visceral, violent, and gory at times. I think it's also a book you will either 'get' or you won't. Therefore, you will either love it or hate it. Messum offers an unflinching look at a very ugly side of society that most ordinary people would be quite happy to ignore or scurry from (and do). I read the whole thing as a sharp social commentary, one that observes the filthy underbelly of the human condition and certain fringes of society.
J. Kent Messum has certainly hooked my attention with his debut. Can't wait to see what this guy comes up with next. ...more
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