Only works if you have a fear of goats. -- 2 Stars
Scott Nicholson came highly recommended to me by my son’s best friend. We frequently have similar tastes in books, so I gave Nicholson a shot. But if “The Farm” is any indication, it looks like we’re not of like minds here.
“The Farm” is about a mother and daughter who move into the Blue Ridge Mountain area with their new husband/step father, a conservative, strange, older man. In spite of a strained relationship and very differing views of child rearing, the mother, Katy, wants her new relationship to work, but the daughter, Jett, begins to suspect that all it not what it appears on this farm.
It is difficult to say much more about the story overall without giving away the plot, such as it is. Some elements, such as haunting by a ghost and an animated scarecrow, were fairly interesting (if a bit obvious) and somewhat creepy, and the writing style itself was sufficient.
Where this novel fell flat for me was its primary frightening tool: Goats. Yes, you read that correctly. Goats.
Goats to this novel are what spiders or snakes or other creepy crawlers have been to many a horror movie or book. Mean, prolific goats, showing up at every turn, behaving strangely and eventually turning violent.
The problem is, while I understand that goats CAN be stubborn and hostile in real life, that does not make them into the “great white sharks” of farming communities. Not for this reader, anyway. All the scenes involving the supposedly scary goats fell flat, and since they were such an important part of the book, that means that most of the novel fell flat.
Again, I have no particular complaints about Nicholson’s writing itself, and may or may not try another of his books in the future. But unless you have a deathly phobia of goats, “The Farm” fails as a horror novel.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
“The Night Strangler” by Jeff Rice
Another solid horror novel from the 70's. -- 4 Stars
After reading and very much enjoying Rice’s “The Night Stalker” a couple of months ago, I went out of my way to locate his sequel, “The Night Strangler.” I am pleased to say that the effort was worth it!
Unlike “The Night Stalker,” I never saw the TV movie adaptation of “The Night Strangler,” so I went into it with no preconceived notions or expectations, beyond having enjoyed the first book.
The formula is very similar, but the villain is not. I like how the first book handled vampires, but this sequel has Carl Kolchak chasing a very different kind of monster. Not a werewolf or mummy or any other choice that must have been obvious in its day, but an alchemist! I will refrain from spoilers beyond that, but I found the choice and execution unique and satisfying.
I enjoyed the return of Carl Kolchak. And although I also enjoyed reading about his interactions with editor Vincenzo, I had a problem with the explanation for Vincenzo’s presence. Which brings me to the reason I could not give this book 5 stars.
First, it was again plagued by many annoying typos, if not quite as many as were in the first book. But second and more important, I did not care for the constant coincidences employed to bring the supporting cast into the picture.
From Kolchak’s editor to a fellow reporter down to the college professor who helped him in “The Night Stalker,” all of these familiar faces managed to find their way, with very little explanation aside from Kolchak himself, from Las Vegas to Seattle where “The Night Strangler” takes place. There’s a short moment of “Wow, you’re here in Seattle, too?”, some lip service to the fact that it’s a surprising coincidence ... and that’s it. It was distracting in its implausibility.
But again, setting aside what is a small portion of a well written novel, I enjoyed “The Night Strangler” enough to recommend it to anyone who liked “The Night Stalker,” and wish Rice had written more Kolchak novels.
After reading and very much enjoying Rice’s “The Night Stalker” a couple of months ago, I went out of my way to locate his sequel, “The Night Strangler.” I am pleased to say that the effort was worth it!
Unlike “The Night Stalker,” I never saw the TV movie adaptation of “The Night Strangler,” so I went into it with no preconceived notions or expectations, beyond having enjoyed the first book.
The formula is very similar, but the villain is not. I like how the first book handled vampires, but this sequel has Carl Kolchak chasing a very different kind of monster. Not a werewolf or mummy or any other choice that must have been obvious in its day, but an alchemist! I will refrain from spoilers beyond that, but I found the choice and execution unique and satisfying.
I enjoyed the return of Carl Kolchak. And although I also enjoyed reading about his interactions with editor Vincenzo, I had a problem with the explanation for Vincenzo’s presence. Which brings me to the reason I could not give this book 5 stars.
First, it was again plagued by many annoying typos, if not quite as many as were in the first book. But second and more important, I did not care for the constant coincidences employed to bring the supporting cast into the picture.
From Kolchak’s editor to a fellow reporter down to the college professor who helped him in “The Night Stalker,” all of these familiar faces managed to find their way, with very little explanation aside from Kolchak himself, from Las Vegas to Seattle where “The Night Strangler” takes place. There’s a short moment of “Wow, you’re here in Seattle, too?”, some lip service to the fact that it’s a surprising coincidence ... and that’s it. It was distracting in its implausibility.
But again, setting aside what is a small portion of a well written novel, I enjoyed “The Night Strangler” enough to recommend it to anyone who liked “The Night Stalker,” and wish Rice had written more Kolchak novels.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
“The Husband” by Dean Koontz
Changed premise is its only flaw — 4-1/2 Stars
As you know, I am a big Koontz fan, but the last few novels of his that I’ve read have failed to dazzle me. I picked up this book on Ebay with high hopes, and I’m pleased to report that most of them were met.
“The Husband” is a fantastic “what would you do?” novel! The title character, Mitch, is out gardening when he gets a phone call; his wife has been kidnapped and the ransom is $2 million. The problem is, Mitch honestly does not have that kind of money, but the kidnappers do not care, and they gun down one of his neighbors just to show how serious they are.
What follows is difficult to describe without giving too much away, and I hate spoilers as much as the next guy. Suffice to say that it is very intense in the best nail biting Koontz fashion.
I have only one problem with this book, one complaint that prevents me from giving it 5 stars. It’s not the fact that, once again, we are treated to the same character types in new situations; I have discussed this before, and have realized that if I’m going to read Koontz’s work, I have no choice but to accept that he has a very limited range of character types.
My complaint is that the novel does not really unfold as the initial premise suggests. The tag line of, “What would you do for love? Would you die? Would you kill?” suggested a tale along the lines of the Harrison Ford movie “Firewall,” with a desperate family man doing whatever it takes to protect his loved ones. What would Mitch do to save his wife? Would he rob a bank? Would he take his own hostage and demand a ransom? Barred from contacting the police for help, how far would this desperate husband go?
But in very short order, Mitch turns to his brother for help, and not long after that, it is revealed that Mitch’s family tree is not as “average” as the premise suggested. Again, I do not want to give too much away, but let me just say that I thought I would be getting “Firewall,” and instead got something more along the lines of a Martin Scorsese mafia story! It was very jarring, and not in a good way.
However, that stands alone as my reason for holding back that last 1/2 star. Koontz’s prose is top notch, his writing visceral and the tension sky high. If the book ha just been marketed a little differently, this might have ended up as one of my favorite Koontz books yet.
As you know, I am a big Koontz fan, but the last few novels of his that I’ve read have failed to dazzle me. I picked up this book on Ebay with high hopes, and I’m pleased to report that most of them were met.
“The Husband” is a fantastic “what would you do?” novel! The title character, Mitch, is out gardening when he gets a phone call; his wife has been kidnapped and the ransom is $2 million. The problem is, Mitch honestly does not have that kind of money, but the kidnappers do not care, and they gun down one of his neighbors just to show how serious they are.
What follows is difficult to describe without giving too much away, and I hate spoilers as much as the next guy. Suffice to say that it is very intense in the best nail biting Koontz fashion.
I have only one problem with this book, one complaint that prevents me from giving it 5 stars. It’s not the fact that, once again, we are treated to the same character types in new situations; I have discussed this before, and have realized that if I’m going to read Koontz’s work, I have no choice but to accept that he has a very limited range of character types.
My complaint is that the novel does not really unfold as the initial premise suggests. The tag line of, “What would you do for love? Would you die? Would you kill?” suggested a tale along the lines of the Harrison Ford movie “Firewall,” with a desperate family man doing whatever it takes to protect his loved ones. What would Mitch do to save his wife? Would he rob a bank? Would he take his own hostage and demand a ransom? Barred from contacting the police for help, how far would this desperate husband go?
But in very short order, Mitch turns to his brother for help, and not long after that, it is revealed that Mitch’s family tree is not as “average” as the premise suggested. Again, I do not want to give too much away, but let me just say that I thought I would be getting “Firewall,” and instead got something more along the lines of a Martin Scorsese mafia story! It was very jarring, and not in a good way.
However, that stands alone as my reason for holding back that last 1/2 star. Koontz’s prose is top notch, his writing visceral and the tension sky high. If the book ha just been marketed a little differently, this might have ended up as one of my favorite Koontz books yet.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
"The Regulators" by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
Interesting premise; mediocre execution. -- 3 Stars.
I am not generally a fan of Stephen King, but from time to time a concept of his intrigues me enough to give him a try. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised (liked “Cell”), and other times I am let down (hated “Dreamcatcher”).
However, I have been fascinated for some time with his whole Richard Bachman persona. For years, I have been meaning to pick up a copy of “Thinner,” and just never got around to it. My son’s best friend suggested that I try “The Regulators,” one of the most recent Bachman books. I agreed to give it a try. Having finished it, my verdict is mixed.
“The Regulators” is an intriguing idea that never feels like it lives to its full potential. A small, Midwestern town becomes isolated by an alien or demonic force known as Tak. Within this sphere of reality, the characters find themselves facing an evil that has been overwhelmingly influenced by the imagination of young autistic child.
Anything can happen, and does for the first half of the story. But it began to feel as though Bachman (King) was just making this up as he went along and then ran out of steam. It felt as though the story had some larger, more breath taking climax out there, somewhere, and the author just could not find it. Just as the characters cannot leave their lone street, the story becomes trapped as well.
Still, to give credit where credit is due, I have to admit that the writing was very compelling when the plot was working, without as much of the over laden details that I dislike about Stephen King. The deaths of various characters are visceral and disturbing, the latter of which shows that I was invested in the story more than it felt at other times. For that reason alone, I give the book an extra half star from 2-1/2 to 3 stars.
My son’s friend reports that this book has a “companion” novel, which King wrote under his own name, called “Desperation.” I have never read that book, but I caught the first half of a two evening TV mini series a few years ago. The fact that I did not feel compelled to tune in the for the second half suggests that I wouldn’t care for that book either.
I am not generally a fan of Stephen King, but from time to time a concept of his intrigues me enough to give him a try. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised (liked “Cell”), and other times I am let down (hated “Dreamcatcher”).
However, I have been fascinated for some time with his whole Richard Bachman persona. For years, I have been meaning to pick up a copy of “Thinner,” and just never got around to it. My son’s best friend suggested that I try “The Regulators,” one of the most recent Bachman books. I agreed to give it a try. Having finished it, my verdict is mixed.
“The Regulators” is an intriguing idea that never feels like it lives to its full potential. A small, Midwestern town becomes isolated by an alien or demonic force known as Tak. Within this sphere of reality, the characters find themselves facing an evil that has been overwhelmingly influenced by the imagination of young autistic child.
Anything can happen, and does for the first half of the story. But it began to feel as though Bachman (King) was just making this up as he went along and then ran out of steam. It felt as though the story had some larger, more breath taking climax out there, somewhere, and the author just could not find it. Just as the characters cannot leave their lone street, the story becomes trapped as well.
Still, to give credit where credit is due, I have to admit that the writing was very compelling when the plot was working, without as much of the over laden details that I dislike about Stephen King. The deaths of various characters are visceral and disturbing, the latter of which shows that I was invested in the story more than it felt at other times. For that reason alone, I give the book an extra half star from 2-1/2 to 3 stars.
My son’s friend reports that this book has a “companion” novel, which King wrote under his own name, called “Desperation.” I have never read that book, but I caught the first half of a two evening TV mini series a few years ago. The fact that I did not feel compelled to tune in the for the second half suggests that I wouldn’t care for that book either.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
“The Night Stalker” by Jeff Rice
Nice approach to a modern vampire story. -- 4 Stars
I saw “The Night Stalker” TV movie when it first aired back in 1972. It was very striking for its time, so when I found a copy of the book on Ebay, I bid on it immediately.
Like the novel “Bloodlist,” “The Night Stalker” brings a noir feel to the vampire genre (though “The Night Stalker” takes place in its then modern time of 1970, while “Bloodlist” is set in the 30's). Even though it was written nearly 40 years ago, as evidenced by the antiquated newspaper techniques and technology, its commentary on politics and all of the dirty games and cover ups involved is still very relevant today. Too relevant, sadly.
The main thing I liked about the book, however, was its realistic approach to vampires. Assuming that vampires were real ... how would they have functioned in 1970's society? How would they hunt, how would they keep themselves safely fed, how would they deal with modern press exposure and police capabilities, and even the difficulties of moving country to country? This novel addresses all of those questions, and it does so very well.
My least favorite element of the book, the part that keeps me from giving it 5 stars, was a distracting number of typos! Some of which actually changed the context of the sentences, so that I had to read some passages more than once to figure out what it meant. Sometimes even character names changed in spelling. I don’t know if they had looser editing standards when this was written/published, but it was very annoying.
But all in all, I enjoyed the book very much. The climax was a little different from what I remember of the TV movie, but if anything, the book’s version was once again more realistic. So my prior knowledge turned out not to be a spoiler, but an opportunity for me to react, “Yes ... that makes more sense.”
So long as you are forewarned about the typos, I would recommend “The Night Strangler” to any fan of now classic horror novels.
I saw “The Night Stalker” TV movie when it first aired back in 1972. It was very striking for its time, so when I found a copy of the book on Ebay, I bid on it immediately.
Like the novel “Bloodlist,” “The Night Stalker” brings a noir feel to the vampire genre (though “The Night Stalker” takes place in its then modern time of 1970, while “Bloodlist” is set in the 30's). Even though it was written nearly 40 years ago, as evidenced by the antiquated newspaper techniques and technology, its commentary on politics and all of the dirty games and cover ups involved is still very relevant today. Too relevant, sadly.
The main thing I liked about the book, however, was its realistic approach to vampires. Assuming that vampires were real ... how would they have functioned in 1970's society? How would they hunt, how would they keep themselves safely fed, how would they deal with modern press exposure and police capabilities, and even the difficulties of moving country to country? This novel addresses all of those questions, and it does so very well.
My least favorite element of the book, the part that keeps me from giving it 5 stars, was a distracting number of typos! Some of which actually changed the context of the sentences, so that I had to read some passages more than once to figure out what it meant. Sometimes even character names changed in spelling. I don’t know if they had looser editing standards when this was written/published, but it was very annoying.
But all in all, I enjoyed the book very much. The climax was a little different from what I remember of the TV movie, but if anything, the book’s version was once again more realistic. So my prior knowledge turned out not to be a spoiler, but an opportunity for me to react, “Yes ... that makes more sense.”
So long as you are forewarned about the typos, I would recommend “The Night Strangler” to any fan of now classic horror novels.
Monday, March 16, 2009
"Of Wolf and Man" by Christopher Andrews
Outstanding sequel! -- 5 Stars
I discovered Christopher Andrews when I read his first Triumvirate novel, “Pandora’s Game,” a very original cautionary tale about playing games with the unknown. This book introduced us to vampire Alastaire and his werewolf partner Sean, and ended with the story wide open for a sequel. I am pleased to see that Andrews took the plunge!
(I should admit here that I have not read the short story, “Connexion,” that came between these two novels. I am not a fan of short stories in general, so although I’ve been tempted to pick up Andrews’ collection “Darkness Within,” I have not gotten around to doing so. I think I was able to figure out the missing bits all right to read “Of Wolf and Man,” but I will almost definitely go back and check out the story now.)
“Of Wolf and Man” is everything that a sequel should be. Andrews revisits the familiar characters, but the plot is completely different from the first book, unlike so many other sequels (especially in movies) which are nothing more than rehashes of the predecessor. Sean the werewolf gets the spot light this time around, and the story involves dangerous werewolves loose in Alaska. The action gets rolling in the prologue and keeps momentum until the epilogue!
One of my only complaints about “Pandora’s Game” was that some of the other world chapters felt stretched out, to keep a back and forth pattern going through the whole book. That problem has been corrected in “Of Wolf and Man,” as the flashbacks don’t begin until specifically prompted by the plot. After that, Andrews uses them with his familiar style.
Trey the zombie, who was absent through large portions of “Pandora’s Game,” is given more attention here. I have never been a fan of traditional zombies, but Andrews puts an interesting spin on Trey, giving him a muted, handicapped personality rather than stripping him of all intelligence.
Another character I liked was the white wolf. While the alpha is technically the main villain, Andrews uses the white wolf with greater depth. He’s sort of like Darth Vadar to the Emperor in the “Star Wars” movies. The white wolf was successfully interesting and creepy in all the right places.
Andrews DOES address one particular plot thread that carries over directly from “Pandora’s Game” -- Sean’s cryptic relationship with his sister. As such, Andrews addresses some bold issues, and does so very well.
Like the first Triumvirate novel, “Of Wolf and Man” ends with a sequel clearly in mind. I, for one, await it with baited breath! The adjustment to the flashback chapters is just what I needed to bump this book from “Pandora’s Game’s” 4-1/2 stars up to 5 stars! In the meantime, I think I’ll finally get off my lazy butt and pick up a copy of “Darkness Within.”
I discovered Christopher Andrews when I read his first Triumvirate novel, “Pandora’s Game,” a very original cautionary tale about playing games with the unknown. This book introduced us to vampire Alastaire and his werewolf partner Sean, and ended with the story wide open for a sequel. I am pleased to see that Andrews took the plunge!
(I should admit here that I have not read the short story, “Connexion,” that came between these two novels. I am not a fan of short stories in general, so although I’ve been tempted to pick up Andrews’ collection “Darkness Within,” I have not gotten around to doing so. I think I was able to figure out the missing bits all right to read “Of Wolf and Man,” but I will almost definitely go back and check out the story now.)
“Of Wolf and Man” is everything that a sequel should be. Andrews revisits the familiar characters, but the plot is completely different from the first book, unlike so many other sequels (especially in movies) which are nothing more than rehashes of the predecessor. Sean the werewolf gets the spot light this time around, and the story involves dangerous werewolves loose in Alaska. The action gets rolling in the prologue and keeps momentum until the epilogue!
One of my only complaints about “Pandora’s Game” was that some of the other world chapters felt stretched out, to keep a back and forth pattern going through the whole book. That problem has been corrected in “Of Wolf and Man,” as the flashbacks don’t begin until specifically prompted by the plot. After that, Andrews uses them with his familiar style.
Trey the zombie, who was absent through large portions of “Pandora’s Game,” is given more attention here. I have never been a fan of traditional zombies, but Andrews puts an interesting spin on Trey, giving him a muted, handicapped personality rather than stripping him of all intelligence.
Another character I liked was the white wolf. While the alpha is technically the main villain, Andrews uses the white wolf with greater depth. He’s sort of like Darth Vadar to the Emperor in the “Star Wars” movies. The white wolf was successfully interesting and creepy in all the right places.
Andrews DOES address one particular plot thread that carries over directly from “Pandora’s Game” -- Sean’s cryptic relationship with his sister. As such, Andrews addresses some bold issues, and does so very well.
Like the first Triumvirate novel, “Of Wolf and Man” ends with a sequel clearly in mind. I, for one, await it with baited breath! The adjustment to the flashback chapters is just what I needed to bump this book from “Pandora’s Game’s” 4-1/2 stars up to 5 stars! In the meantime, I think I’ll finally get off my lazy butt and pick up a copy of “Darkness Within.”
Sunday, March 15, 2009
"Shadowfires" by Dean Koontz
Stumbles at first, then recovers. -- 4 Stars (Originally written February 23, 2009)
Having once again fallen away from reading for pleasure, I made a New Year's resolution to get back in the habit. So the first thing I did was pick up some books by my two favorite authors: Christopher Andrews and Dean R. Koontz.
"Shadowfires" is actually an older Koontz book, originally published under a pen name. And as I read it, it showed, in both good ways and bad. It was definitely a Koontz book, but it was rougher and more raw than his later works.
"Shadowfires" starts with a bang, shooting us into the action in less than 10 pages. Unfortunately, after such a promising start, the story then stalls out for a while. As a rule, I have no problem letting a mystery unfold, but this is one of those cases where one of the main characters (Rachael) has FAR more information than the other characters, OR the reader. So for about 100 pages, we are treated to frustrating, tight lipped silence from Rachael as she rushes from situation to situation, with her love interest, Benny, in tow. And when she finally spills her guts, the revelation is easily predicted.
Eventually, the plot regains its feet, and from there Koontz is back in his element. The story is equal parts horror, thriller, conspiracy, science fiction, and cautionary tale. We're treated to Koontz's same old characters, the man and woman with terrible histories who find life and love together, but I've come to accept that. The villain's motivations are deep, disturbing, and sadly realistic in their way. What starts as a simple and not very exciting premise grows into something much more.
One of Koontz's rougher, less polished elements here is a tendency toward repetitious descriptions. Something will be described from one character's point of view, and then a few pages later, it is described again (in much the same way) from another point of view, and THEN it happens again a few pages after that. I'm fine seeing the same elements from different points of view (Christopher Andrews does this, and very well), but having the texture of a monster's skin described as being scaly over and over and over got monotonous.
But still, Koontz pulls it all together for a very satisfying ending. For the first 100 pages or so, I had feared I might have to give Koontz no more than 3 stars (or worse), but by the end, he proved himself once again, leaving me feeling that this was a 4 star effort after all.
Having once again fallen away from reading for pleasure, I made a New Year's resolution to get back in the habit. So the first thing I did was pick up some books by my two favorite authors: Christopher Andrews and Dean R. Koontz.
"Shadowfires" is actually an older Koontz book, originally published under a pen name. And as I read it, it showed, in both good ways and bad. It was definitely a Koontz book, but it was rougher and more raw than his later works.
"Shadowfires" starts with a bang, shooting us into the action in less than 10 pages. Unfortunately, after such a promising start, the story then stalls out for a while. As a rule, I have no problem letting a mystery unfold, but this is one of those cases where one of the main characters (Rachael) has FAR more information than the other characters, OR the reader. So for about 100 pages, we are treated to frustrating, tight lipped silence from Rachael as she rushes from situation to situation, with her love interest, Benny, in tow. And when she finally spills her guts, the revelation is easily predicted.
Eventually, the plot regains its feet, and from there Koontz is back in his element. The story is equal parts horror, thriller, conspiracy, science fiction, and cautionary tale. We're treated to Koontz's same old characters, the man and woman with terrible histories who find life and love together, but I've come to accept that. The villain's motivations are deep, disturbing, and sadly realistic in their way. What starts as a simple and not very exciting premise grows into something much more.
One of Koontz's rougher, less polished elements here is a tendency toward repetitious descriptions. Something will be described from one character's point of view, and then a few pages later, it is described again (in much the same way) from another point of view, and THEN it happens again a few pages after that. I'm fine seeing the same elements from different points of view (Christopher Andrews does this, and very well), but having the texture of a monster's skin described as being scaly over and over and over got monotonous.
But still, Koontz pulls it all together for a very satisfying ending. For the first 100 pages or so, I had feared I might have to give Koontz no more than 3 stars (or worse), but by the end, he proved himself once again, leaving me feeling that this was a 4 star effort after all.
"Dream Parlor" DVD
Very good movie, but the book was better. -- 4 Stars (Originally written June 19, 2006)
If you've been following my reviews, you know that I am a fan of Christopher Andrews the author. I read his book adaptation of "Dream Parlor" about 6 months ago, and I loved it. I waited to see if the movie would become available for rent from Blockbuster, but I decided not to wait any longer and bought a copy. For the most part, I am pleased with my decision.
First, the movie is low budget, but I do not write this to be negative. Viewers should just be aware that this is an independent film, and should not expect the flash or special effects of current Hollywood fare. The film makers did a lot with what they had to work with, and the director has a good eye. There's some decent CGI work, but don't expect "The Matrix" here.
Second, the performances were better than one might expect from a low budget movie. I've already been impressed with Andrews as a writer, and now I see that he's a pretty good actor, too. So are Harold Cannon (who I think I've seen before) and Kevin Moore, and an enjoyable Kevin Crowther. Alison Storry was less impressive, but she was far from terrible. All together, a solid cast.
Finally, the movie has a slow but steady pace, which picks up noticeably in the final act. The total running time felt a little short, but I'll get to that in a moment. Social and religious commentary is evident, but it does not bog the movie down. The story is straight forward and relevant, and refreshingly high brow. There were some strobe effects that got a little hard on the eyes during the film's climax, but they don't last long enough to be a real problem. And as I mentioned in my review of the book, the main characters of Eli and Corbit are multi layered and very human.
My only real complaint is that some of the supporting characters ended up being a little flat and two dimensional. And having read the book, which was BASED on this movie, I was a little surprised by this. It had been several months since I read the book, but I kept feeling that something was missing here and there. So I looked through the DVD's special features, and sure enough, THERE were the deleted scenes that I was half remembering.
As I mentioned above, the movie is a little short, running just barely more than 90 minutes. So I can't help but wonder WHY some of those scenes were cut. A visit to the movie's website explains some of these decisions, but still ... with so much time to spare under the 2 hour mark, it seems that SOME of these scenes could have remained intact and fleshed out those characters. Especially Kirk, who could have been more than just a cookie cutter tough guy.
But again, I make these biased comments as a fan of Andrews' books in general, and "Dream Parlor" in particular. It is possible that, had I not KNOWN that something was missing here and there, I MIGHT not have noticed as much.
Still, overall I enjoyed this independent film, and consider it a worthy companion to its somewhat better novelization. Rent it if you can find it, buy it if you can't!
If you've been following my reviews, you know that I am a fan of Christopher Andrews the author. I read his book adaptation of "Dream Parlor" about 6 months ago, and I loved it. I waited to see if the movie would become available for rent from Blockbuster, but I decided not to wait any longer and bought a copy. For the most part, I am pleased with my decision.
First, the movie is low budget, but I do not write this to be negative. Viewers should just be aware that this is an independent film, and should not expect the flash or special effects of current Hollywood fare. The film makers did a lot with what they had to work with, and the director has a good eye. There's some decent CGI work, but don't expect "The Matrix" here.
Second, the performances were better than one might expect from a low budget movie. I've already been impressed with Andrews as a writer, and now I see that he's a pretty good actor, too. So are Harold Cannon (who I think I've seen before) and Kevin Moore, and an enjoyable Kevin Crowther. Alison Storry was less impressive, but she was far from terrible. All together, a solid cast.
Finally, the movie has a slow but steady pace, which picks up noticeably in the final act. The total running time felt a little short, but I'll get to that in a moment. Social and religious commentary is evident, but it does not bog the movie down. The story is straight forward and relevant, and refreshingly high brow. There were some strobe effects that got a little hard on the eyes during the film's climax, but they don't last long enough to be a real problem. And as I mentioned in my review of the book, the main characters of Eli and Corbit are multi layered and very human.
My only real complaint is that some of the supporting characters ended up being a little flat and two dimensional. And having read the book, which was BASED on this movie, I was a little surprised by this. It had been several months since I read the book, but I kept feeling that something was missing here and there. So I looked through the DVD's special features, and sure enough, THERE were the deleted scenes that I was half remembering.
As I mentioned above, the movie is a little short, running just barely more than 90 minutes. So I can't help but wonder WHY some of those scenes were cut. A visit to the movie's website explains some of these decisions, but still ... with so much time to spare under the 2 hour mark, it seems that SOME of these scenes could have remained intact and fleshed out those characters. Especially Kirk, who could have been more than just a cookie cutter tough guy.
But again, I make these biased comments as a fan of Andrews' books in general, and "Dream Parlor" in particular. It is possible that, had I not KNOWN that something was missing here and there, I MIGHT not have noticed as much.
Still, overall I enjoyed this independent film, and consider it a worthy companion to its somewhat better novelization. Rent it if you can find it, buy it if you can't!
"The Taking" by Dean Koontz
Well written, but constantly changing. -- 3 Stars (Originally written June 6, 2006)
I am a big Dean Koontz fan, and I WANTED to like this book. The concept intrigued me. I was told by a friend that it was too much like Stephen King's "The Mist," but since I am not the world's biggest King fan, I had not read "The Mist," and thought that maybe I would enjoy "The Taking" more because of that lack of comparison.
First, I have no complaint against Koontz's writing style. He is usually a very good story teller, and that remains true here.
Second, we are treated to Koontz's usual, standard Male and Female characters here. As always, they are well written, though not quite as three dimensional here as in some of his other books. I have accepted that he is essentially writing the same characters over and over in different story situations. If I am going to keep reading Koontz, I HAVE to accept that. So again, no complaint.
The problem I had with the book was that its THEME seemed to keep shifting. During the very effective and creepy beginning, it seems very much like the movie "Signs". Then, as Koontz moves into the middle of the book, it shifts into more of a "Twilight Zone" feel (or, granted, King's "The Mist," as it has been described to me). And as it moves towards the rather flat finale, it ends up being very BIBLICAL of all things. Or at least "religious," as it puts an all new spin a specific bible story.
If Koontz had just chosen and stuck with any ONE of these themes, I would probably have enjoyed it even more. Each portion was interesting, but squeezed together like this, they just didn't seem to FIT very well.
My second favorite author, Christopher Andrews, has been threatening Koontz's hold on the number one spot ever since I read his book "Paranormals" (which I highly recommend if you enjoyed the "X-Men" movie that just came out). With "The Taking" being the next Koontz book I've read since then, they are coming that much closer to changing positions for me. No disrespect, Mr. Andrews, but I hope that the next Koontz book I read is more up to his usual standards.
I am a big Dean Koontz fan, and I WANTED to like this book. The concept intrigued me. I was told by a friend that it was too much like Stephen King's "The Mist," but since I am not the world's biggest King fan, I had not read "The Mist," and thought that maybe I would enjoy "The Taking" more because of that lack of comparison.
First, I have no complaint against Koontz's writing style. He is usually a very good story teller, and that remains true here.
Second, we are treated to Koontz's usual, standard Male and Female characters here. As always, they are well written, though not quite as three dimensional here as in some of his other books. I have accepted that he is essentially writing the same characters over and over in different story situations. If I am going to keep reading Koontz, I HAVE to accept that. So again, no complaint.
The problem I had with the book was that its THEME seemed to keep shifting. During the very effective and creepy beginning, it seems very much like the movie "Signs". Then, as Koontz moves into the middle of the book, it shifts into more of a "Twilight Zone" feel (or, granted, King's "The Mist," as it has been described to me). And as it moves towards the rather flat finale, it ends up being very BIBLICAL of all things. Or at least "religious," as it puts an all new spin a specific bible story.
If Koontz had just chosen and stuck with any ONE of these themes, I would probably have enjoyed it even more. Each portion was interesting, but squeezed together like this, they just didn't seem to FIT very well.
My second favorite author, Christopher Andrews, has been threatening Koontz's hold on the number one spot ever since I read his book "Paranormals" (which I highly recommend if you enjoyed the "X-Men" movie that just came out). With "The Taking" being the next Koontz book I've read since then, they are coming that much closer to changing positions for me. No disrespect, Mr. Andrews, but I hope that the next Koontz book I read is more up to his usual standards.
"High Tension" DVD
[I do not normally do movie reviews, but as a fan of Dean R. Koontz, I felt compelled to write this one. I later reviewed the movie version of Christopher Andrews' "Dream Parlor" as well.]
How did they get away with this? -- 3 Stars (Originally written April 17, 2006)
I do not normally review movies. Books are usually my thing. And I know that this has been discussed in other reviews. But after seeing "High Tension," I just HAVE to agree and throw in my two cents.
The only reason this film is getting 3 stars from me is because the acting was pretty good, and the film makers certainly knew how to build visual tension. I hereby acknowledge their skill in those departments.
Now, having said that ... this movie is such a BLATANT rip off of Dean R. Koontz's novel, "Intensity," it is not even funny. Other people have commented that Koontz should sue for plagiarism, but I am sincerely baffled that he has not already done so!
The first three fourths (maybe a little more) of the movie are point for point, step by step directly the same as Koontz's novel. Oh, the fine details were different, but no more so than ANY novel adapted into a movie. If you were to write a simple synopsis of the plot of the majority of this movie, you could easily pass it off as a book report on "Intensity."
The movie follows the book (with ironic loyalty) until the final act, or what would have been roughly half way through the novel. Then, the movie takes a left turn that is INTENDED to mimic the twists of such films as "The Sixth Sense" or "The Usual Suspects" or "Fight Club." Sadly, it was nowhere near as successfully executed as any of those films. They were so desperate to create a twist that no one could out guess that it simply made no logical sense at all.
The truly sad thing is ... Hollywood now cannot make an adaptation of the great novel "Intensity." Because those viewers not in the know would (oh IRONY!) think that such a film was a "rip off" of "High Tension."
Sad ... very sad.
How did they get away with this? -- 3 Stars (Originally written April 17, 2006)
I do not normally review movies. Books are usually my thing. And I know that this has been discussed in other reviews. But after seeing "High Tension," I just HAVE to agree and throw in my two cents.
The only reason this film is getting 3 stars from me is because the acting was pretty good, and the film makers certainly knew how to build visual tension. I hereby acknowledge their skill in those departments.
Now, having said that ... this movie is such a BLATANT rip off of Dean R. Koontz's novel, "Intensity," it is not even funny. Other people have commented that Koontz should sue for plagiarism, but I am sincerely baffled that he has not already done so!
The first three fourths (maybe a little more) of the movie are point for point, step by step directly the same as Koontz's novel. Oh, the fine details were different, but no more so than ANY novel adapted into a movie. If you were to write a simple synopsis of the plot of the majority of this movie, you could easily pass it off as a book report on "Intensity."
The movie follows the book (with ironic loyalty) until the final act, or what would have been roughly half way through the novel. Then, the movie takes a left turn that is INTENDED to mimic the twists of such films as "The Sixth Sense" or "The Usual Suspects" or "Fight Club." Sadly, it was nowhere near as successfully executed as any of those films. They were so desperate to create a twist that no one could out guess that it simply made no logical sense at all.
The truly sad thing is ... Hollywood now cannot make an adaptation of the great novel "Intensity." Because those viewers not in the know would (oh IRONY!) think that such a film was a "rip off" of "High Tension."
Sad ... very sad.
"Bloodlist" by P. N. Elrod
Great vampire noir. -- 4 Stars (Originally written April 3, 2006)
Since my return to reading, as far as vampire novels are concerned, I've had one hit and one miss: "Pandora's Game" by Christopher Andrews was a big hit, while "Minion" by L. A. Banks was a big miss. I am pleased to say that "Bloodlist" by P. N. Elrod falls closer to the "Pandora's Game" side of the line.
While Andrews gave us a modern day vampire tale with some chapters flashing back to hundreds of years ago, Elrod has given us a vampire tale set against the backdrop of a 1930's noir detective story. Told in first person POV, the main character, Jack Flemming, is technically an out of work reporter, but the mood and plot are handled as though he were Philip Marlow.
Set up as the first in an on going series, "Bloodlist" covers Flemming's rise as a vampire, his exploration of his new found powers, and, with his last few living days missing from his memory, his attempts to solve his own murder. There is a storyline that is part subplot, part back story involving the woman who made him into a vampire, but that gets little attention here.
My only complaint would be in regards to one of the vampire's powers, or limitations. We're shown that crosses, garlic, and bullets do not affect him, while wood, sunlight, and running water do. Now, I've read before about vampires "unable to cross running water" or "being vulnerable to running water." Indeed, in this book, the presence of and proximity to running water is addressed repeatedly (including an unexplained phenomenon where the vampire's presence in a row boat makes it more difficult to row?).
But at the beginning of the book, he awakens having been washed ashore. Wouldn't the large body of moving water, which DOES affect him at other times in the book, have destroyed him even as he was created as a vampire? This element is addressed a LITTLE bit near the end, but for me, it was too little too late by that point, as I had spent too many pages thinking of it as a plot hole.
But otherwise, Elrod handles the story with impressive skill, and I look forward to reading more Jack Flemming books in the future.
Since my return to reading, as far as vampire novels are concerned, I've had one hit and one miss: "Pandora's Game" by Christopher Andrews was a big hit, while "Minion" by L. A. Banks was a big miss. I am pleased to say that "Bloodlist" by P. N. Elrod falls closer to the "Pandora's Game" side of the line.
While Andrews gave us a modern day vampire tale with some chapters flashing back to hundreds of years ago, Elrod has given us a vampire tale set against the backdrop of a 1930's noir detective story. Told in first person POV, the main character, Jack Flemming, is technically an out of work reporter, but the mood and plot are handled as though he were Philip Marlow.
Set up as the first in an on going series, "Bloodlist" covers Flemming's rise as a vampire, his exploration of his new found powers, and, with his last few living days missing from his memory, his attempts to solve his own murder. There is a storyline that is part subplot, part back story involving the woman who made him into a vampire, but that gets little attention here.
My only complaint would be in regards to one of the vampire's powers, or limitations. We're shown that crosses, garlic, and bullets do not affect him, while wood, sunlight, and running water do. Now, I've read before about vampires "unable to cross running water" or "being vulnerable to running water." Indeed, in this book, the presence of and proximity to running water is addressed repeatedly (including an unexplained phenomenon where the vampire's presence in a row boat makes it more difficult to row?).
But at the beginning of the book, he awakens having been washed ashore. Wouldn't the large body of moving water, which DOES affect him at other times in the book, have destroyed him even as he was created as a vampire? This element is addressed a LITTLE bit near the end, but for me, it was too little too late by that point, as I had spent too many pages thinking of it as a plot hole.
But otherwise, Elrod handles the story with impressive skill, and I look forward to reading more Jack Flemming books in the future.
"Paranormals" by Christopher Andrews
His best yet! -- 5 Stars (Originally written March 20, 2006)
If you've been following my reviews, you already know that I am a big fan of Dean R. Koontz and Christopher Andrews. Until now, Koontz has held the edge as my overall favorite with his books "Velocity" and "Intensity," with Andrews in a very solid second place with "Dream Parlor" and "Pandora's Game."
After reading "Paranormals," I might have to rethink which is my favorite.
"Paranormals" is EXCELLENT. Like Keith R.A. DeCandido did with "Spider-Man: Down These Mean Streets,"Andrews has taken the subject of super humans and elevated it to a more "meaningful" level. Sure, it's got vigilantes wearing costumes and women communicating with dogs and guys strong enough to bend steel in their bare hands and laser beams and force fields ... you get the idea.
But while all of THAT will definitely appeal to younger readers, or those young at heart (like me), Andrews deals with them on a mature level. There are explorations of what people would do if they suddenly became super human. There are villains who will kill your whole family or threaten to sell your children into slavery. There are even villains who sincerely don't WANT to be villains, but are forced to by circumstances beyond their control. A book that seems "light" on the surface has a lot more depth than you might expect.
We are introduced into this world in 5 chapters that are basically short stories, and then the four "real" main characters are introduced. As with "Pandora's Game," Andrews writes with an interesting back and forth style, weaving different story lines all together with impressive skill. Sometimes we see the same events twice, but from different points of view. Again, it gives the "simple" action sequences a surprising amount of depth.
I was very pleased to find that "Paranormals" is the first in an on going series. As with "Pandora's Game," I look forward to following these characters through further adventures. I loved this book, and I very much look forward to reading the next Christopher Andrews novel.
If you've been following my reviews, you already know that I am a big fan of Dean R. Koontz and Christopher Andrews. Until now, Koontz has held the edge as my overall favorite with his books "Velocity" and "Intensity," with Andrews in a very solid second place with "Dream Parlor" and "Pandora's Game."
After reading "Paranormals," I might have to rethink which is my favorite.
"Paranormals" is EXCELLENT. Like Keith R.A. DeCandido did with "Spider-Man: Down These Mean Streets,"Andrews has taken the subject of super humans and elevated it to a more "meaningful" level. Sure, it's got vigilantes wearing costumes and women communicating with dogs and guys strong enough to bend steel in their bare hands and laser beams and force fields ... you get the idea.
But while all of THAT will definitely appeal to younger readers, or those young at heart (like me), Andrews deals with them on a mature level. There are explorations of what people would do if they suddenly became super human. There are villains who will kill your whole family or threaten to sell your children into slavery. There are even villains who sincerely don't WANT to be villains, but are forced to by circumstances beyond their control. A book that seems "light" on the surface has a lot more depth than you might expect.
We are introduced into this world in 5 chapters that are basically short stories, and then the four "real" main characters are introduced. As with "Pandora's Game," Andrews writes with an interesting back and forth style, weaving different story lines all together with impressive skill. Sometimes we see the same events twice, but from different points of view. Again, it gives the "simple" action sequences a surprising amount of depth.
I was very pleased to find that "Paranormals" is the first in an on going series. As with "Pandora's Game," I look forward to following these characters through further adventures. I loved this book, and I very much look forward to reading the next Christopher Andrews novel.
"Spider-Man: Down These Mean Streets" by Keith DeCandido
Finally! -- 4-1/2 Stars (Originally written March 14, 2006)
After being disappointed with a couple of the DC Comics novels of late, I decided to give one of the Marvel versions a try. And I'm glad that I did!
While "Green Lantern: Hero's Quest" and "Superman: The Never-Ending Battle" were both fairly bland, this novel was quite refreshing. For one thing, it was clearly written with a mature audience in mind. That does NOT mean that there is endless swearing (there is some) or unnecessary sex scenes (none), but that the theme and tone are geared toward a thoughtful audience.
This is a drug novel. It might be a science fiction drug with science fiction side effects, but it is a drug story nonetheless. Young people die from this drug. And both Spider-Man and the police have to use their wits for detective work just as much as for battle scenes.
As far as I know, I have never read any of Keith R. A. DeCandido's work before, but I would love it if he were to write more of these types of super hero novels. In fact, if this series of books maintains such a mature feel, I would love to see Dean R. Koontz or Christopher Andrews take a crack at one.
My ONLY complaint, the only reason I am not giving this novel 5 stars, is because of the ending. While my favorite elements were the down to earth, realistic issues, when it eventually became evident that a popular Spider-Man super villain was behind it all, THEN I was ready for a climactic battle. Unfortunately, it was not to be. The final fights, of which there were two, were handled very briefly, adding up to only a few pages the first time, and over in essentially one page the second time. A bit disappointing. I wish the author had taken just one more chapter to play up those elements. But ...
Overall, I was very pleased. This book was very refreshing after DC's let downs. Thanks to this novel, I am now looking forward to Christopher Andrews' "Paranormals," which is apparently ALSO a super human story (though not from DC or Marvel). I'll be reviewing that one next!
After being disappointed with a couple of the DC Comics novels of late, I decided to give one of the Marvel versions a try. And I'm glad that I did!
While "Green Lantern: Hero's Quest" and "Superman: The Never-Ending Battle" were both fairly bland, this novel was quite refreshing. For one thing, it was clearly written with a mature audience in mind. That does NOT mean that there is endless swearing (there is some) or unnecessary sex scenes (none), but that the theme and tone are geared toward a thoughtful audience.
This is a drug novel. It might be a science fiction drug with science fiction side effects, but it is a drug story nonetheless. Young people die from this drug. And both Spider-Man and the police have to use their wits for detective work just as much as for battle scenes.
As far as I know, I have never read any of Keith R. A. DeCandido's work before, but I would love it if he were to write more of these types of super hero novels. In fact, if this series of books maintains such a mature feel, I would love to see Dean R. Koontz or Christopher Andrews take a crack at one.
My ONLY complaint, the only reason I am not giving this novel 5 stars, is because of the ending. While my favorite elements were the down to earth, realistic issues, when it eventually became evident that a popular Spider-Man super villain was behind it all, THEN I was ready for a climactic battle. Unfortunately, it was not to be. The final fights, of which there were two, were handled very briefly, adding up to only a few pages the first time, and over in essentially one page the second time. A bit disappointing. I wish the author had taken just one more chapter to play up those elements. But ...
Overall, I was very pleased. This book was very refreshing after DC's let downs. Thanks to this novel, I am now looking forward to Christopher Andrews' "Paranormals," which is apparently ALSO a super human story (though not from DC or Marvel). I'll be reviewing that one next!
"Bad Blood" by Alan Brooker
Oh, boy ... -- 1 Star (Originally written March 6, 2006)
Since my return to reading, I've been pretty lucky. I've picked up a book or two that wasn't all that great, but I've also been fortunate the other direction and found some real winners ("Velocity" by Dean R. Koontz and "Dream Parlor" by Christopher Andrews, among others). Sadly, "Bad Blood" marks the end of my winning streak.
The premise was border line interesting (I, for one, would have preferred that the plot STAY in space with the astronauts and bear creature). If Amazon allowed half-stars, I MIGHT be inclined to throw in that extra half-point. But I'm afraid that I cannot give this book even two stars.
The FIRST problem lies in the writing. Not even the writing "style," so much as the actual execution. The author clearly did not know the difference between the abbreviation "it's" and the possessive "its." He also seemed deathly afraid of questions marks; the book is FILLED with questions that end in periods. And it is not just dialogue being played that way; the incorrect punctuation overflows into the prose just as often. Finally, there are a large number of quotation marks that ended up facing the wrong way (but that MIGHT be the fault of the printer).
The SECOND problem lies in the ridiculous, out dated characterization of women. I enjoy erotica as much as the next red blooded, middle aged man. But to have EVERY SINGLE female in the book either be an open, sadistic sex pot or a secret, introverted sex pot was absurd. A huge bear monster rips a woman's shirt off; how does she react? Why, she becomes aroused, because the fabric happens to rub across her nipples! Right? After all, we all know that fear of death is an aphrodisiac! Right?
Please! Give me a break!
I had other complaints: American characters saying the word "bloody" as though they were all from the author's (apparent) home of New Zealand is just one of them. But I think I've made my opinion clear.
I am unhappy to give my first one-star review. But if I'm not honest about a really, really BAD book, how can I give good reviews to the ones that deserve it?
Steer clear of this one. Pick up a Koontz or Andrews book instead.
Since my return to reading, I've been pretty lucky. I've picked up a book or two that wasn't all that great, but I've also been fortunate the other direction and found some real winners ("Velocity" by Dean R. Koontz and "Dream Parlor" by Christopher Andrews, among others). Sadly, "Bad Blood" marks the end of my winning streak.
The premise was border line interesting (I, for one, would have preferred that the plot STAY in space with the astronauts and bear creature). If Amazon allowed half-stars, I MIGHT be inclined to throw in that extra half-point. But I'm afraid that I cannot give this book even two stars.
The FIRST problem lies in the writing. Not even the writing "style," so much as the actual execution. The author clearly did not know the difference between the abbreviation "it's" and the possessive "its." He also seemed deathly afraid of questions marks; the book is FILLED with questions that end in periods. And it is not just dialogue being played that way; the incorrect punctuation overflows into the prose just as often. Finally, there are a large number of quotation marks that ended up facing the wrong way (but that MIGHT be the fault of the printer).
The SECOND problem lies in the ridiculous, out dated characterization of women. I enjoy erotica as much as the next red blooded, middle aged man. But to have EVERY SINGLE female in the book either be an open, sadistic sex pot or a secret, introverted sex pot was absurd. A huge bear monster rips a woman's shirt off; how does she react? Why, she becomes aroused, because the fabric happens to rub across her nipples! Right? After all, we all know that fear of death is an aphrodisiac! Right?
Please! Give me a break!
I had other complaints: American characters saying the word "bloody" as though they were all from the author's (apparent) home of New Zealand is just one of them. But I think I've made my opinion clear.
I am unhappy to give my first one-star review. But if I'm not honest about a really, really BAD book, how can I give good reviews to the ones that deserve it?
Steer clear of this one. Pick up a Koontz or Andrews book instead.
"Cell" by Stephen King
Not what I expected. -- 4 Stars (Originally written February 20, 2006)
I am not the world's biggest Stephen King fan. Nor am I a fan of the zombie genre (what could be less scary than a monster whom you can escape with a fast walk?). So when a friend of my son's insisted that I borrow his copy of "Cell," I was humoring the young man more than anything else.
Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. This story is brisk and gripping, and not bogged down with a lot of the overly heavy details to which King is often prone. It is also shorter than many of his opuses, which pleased me.
But most importantly: This is NOT a zombie novel! Sure, the victims of the Pulse share many of the violent characteristics of zombies, but like the movie "28 Days Later," they are more like RABIES victims than the undead. And that's just the beginning. They quickly begin evolving as a group, making them more and more interesting than "regular" zombies with each page.
I was a HUGE fan of Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend" from all those years ago, and was disappointed to see the theme "devolve" into the zombies we are familiar with today. So it was nice to see King return the genre to the greater potential it once had with Matheson's vampires.
My biggest complaint would lie in the ENDING. As other reviewers have commented, the book feels incomplete. With Gary Brandner's "The Howling," I felt that we were missing an epilogue - in "Cell," I felt as though I were missing an entire final chapter, maybe TWO. Is King planning a sequel to "Cell?" I hope so; I will read it. As it stands ...
But again, overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and I would recommend this book to fans of "I Am Legend," "28 Days Later," and (to a lesser degree) the "Dawn of the Dead" 2004 remake. If you are a hard core fan of the George A. Romero zombie genre, you probably won't like it.
I am not the world's biggest Stephen King fan. Nor am I a fan of the zombie genre (what could be less scary than a monster whom you can escape with a fast walk?). So when a friend of my son's insisted that I borrow his copy of "Cell," I was humoring the young man more than anything else.
Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. This story is brisk and gripping, and not bogged down with a lot of the overly heavy details to which King is often prone. It is also shorter than many of his opuses, which pleased me.
But most importantly: This is NOT a zombie novel! Sure, the victims of the Pulse share many of the violent characteristics of zombies, but like the movie "28 Days Later," they are more like RABIES victims than the undead. And that's just the beginning. They quickly begin evolving as a group, making them more and more interesting than "regular" zombies with each page.
I was a HUGE fan of Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend" from all those years ago, and was disappointed to see the theme "devolve" into the zombies we are familiar with today. So it was nice to see King return the genre to the greater potential it once had with Matheson's vampires.
My biggest complaint would lie in the ENDING. As other reviewers have commented, the book feels incomplete. With Gary Brandner's "The Howling," I felt that we were missing an epilogue - in "Cell," I felt as though I were missing an entire final chapter, maybe TWO. Is King planning a sequel to "Cell?" I hope so; I will read it. As it stands ...
But again, overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and I would recommend this book to fans of "I Am Legend," "28 Days Later," and (to a lesser degree) the "Dawn of the Dead" 2004 remake. If you are a hard core fan of the George A. Romero zombie genre, you probably won't like it.
"Velocity" by Dean Koontz
Fantastic! -- 5 Stars (Originally written January 23, 2006)
I was a Dean R. Koontz fan long ago, and since I've gotten back into reading, I see Mr. Koontz has remained as skilled as ever. I recently read and was thrilled by "Intensity," but even so, I was STILL blown away by "Velocity!"
What can I say? Once this novel got going, which did not take any time, every chapters, almost every PAGE had me on the edge of my seat! Koontz throws you in with hero Billy and never lets either of you rest.
This novel is also strong in the What-Would-YOU-Do? category. While "Intensity" took me along for the ride, "Velocity" made me feel even more like I was at the center of the story. I kept trying to figure out how I would handle each situation even as I waited to see what Billy would do next.
As is Koontz's habit, we are once again treated to his standard "Man with a sad background" character. But this time, the "Woman with a terrible background" character is absent (or at least in a coma). And so, as with "Intensity," I was able to look past this "stock" character and focus more on the story.
As a result, I have no real complaints about Koontz's work this time around. "Velocity" edges out "Dream Parlor" by Christopher Andrews as my current favorite novel, and I am pleased to give another 5-star rating.
I was a Dean R. Koontz fan long ago, and since I've gotten back into reading, I see Mr. Koontz has remained as skilled as ever. I recently read and was thrilled by "Intensity," but even so, I was STILL blown away by "Velocity!"
What can I say? Once this novel got going, which did not take any time, every chapters, almost every PAGE had me on the edge of my seat! Koontz throws you in with hero Billy and never lets either of you rest.
This novel is also strong in the What-Would-YOU-Do? category. While "Intensity" took me along for the ride, "Velocity" made me feel even more like I was at the center of the story. I kept trying to figure out how I would handle each situation even as I waited to see what Billy would do next.
As is Koontz's habit, we are once again treated to his standard "Man with a sad background" character. But this time, the "Woman with a terrible background" character is absent (or at least in a coma). And so, as with "Intensity," I was able to look past this "stock" character and focus more on the story.
As a result, I have no real complaints about Koontz's work this time around. "Velocity" edges out "Dream Parlor" by Christopher Andrews as my current favorite novel, and I am pleased to give another 5-star rating.
"Dream Parlor" by Christopher Andrews, Based on a Screenplay by Christopher Andrews & Jonathan Lawrence
Liked the movie, LOVED the book! -- 5 Stars (Originally written January 9, 2006)
I read "Pandora's Game" a couple of months ago, and so when I was ready for more books, I was sure to include Christopher Andrews on my must read list. And unlike my disappointment in Gary Brandner's follow up to "The Howling," I am pleased to have quite the opposite experience with Andrews' "Dream Parlor."
The used copy I bought off of Ebay is pretty well read. It's a little beat up and many of the pages have been dog eared (all of the movie photo pages). All I can say is that I hope the previous reader enjoyed it as much as I did.
"Dream Parlor" is the novelization of a movie by the same name, which was co-written by Andrews. I looked it up at Blockbuster, but they don't have it for rent yet. I am SERIOUSLY considering buying it, because I absolutely LOVED this book!
(Update: I later did buy the movie, and enjoyed it very much, though it did not stand as well as the book. I gave it 4 stars at Amazon, and 7 stars at IMDB.)
The character of Elija Barrett is completely identifiable. He is a hero in the most HUMAN sense of the word. He stumbles, he falls, he's too hard on himself, and he doesn't seem to realize just how much good he accomplishes or how much it means to those around him (the lesson of a parent setting the bar too high for their child might not have been intentional, but it struck a deep chord with me). Dr. Corbit is an equally human villain. In fact, most of the supporting characters are given their moments in the spot light, which made them more than just regular plot pieces.
The movie stills are effective. They are not just random publicity shots clumped all together in the center of the book, but are sprinkled throughout the story, giving the reader a solid visual to go along with that particular passage of the book.
Not that extra visuals were needed. Andrews' writing is up another notch here. In "Pandora's Game," he used switching POV as an interesting technique. Here, the frequent interplay between the dreams and the waking world is equally involving.
For the first time since returning to reading and writing these reviews, I cannot think of a single drawback or flaw in this book. When push comes to shove, I think I'm still probably a bigger Dean R. Koontz fan, but standing on its own merits, I am pleased to give "Dream Parlor" my first 5 stars! And I am looking forward to "Paranormals" next.
I read "Pandora's Game" a couple of months ago, and so when I was ready for more books, I was sure to include Christopher Andrews on my must read list. And unlike my disappointment in Gary Brandner's follow up to "The Howling," I am pleased to have quite the opposite experience with Andrews' "Dream Parlor."
The used copy I bought off of Ebay is pretty well read. It's a little beat up and many of the pages have been dog eared (all of the movie photo pages). All I can say is that I hope the previous reader enjoyed it as much as I did.
"Dream Parlor" is the novelization of a movie by the same name, which was co-written by Andrews. I looked it up at Blockbuster, but they don't have it for rent yet. I am SERIOUSLY considering buying it, because I absolutely LOVED this book!
(Update: I later did buy the movie, and enjoyed it very much, though it did not stand as well as the book. I gave it 4 stars at Amazon, and 7 stars at IMDB.)
The character of Elija Barrett is completely identifiable. He is a hero in the most HUMAN sense of the word. He stumbles, he falls, he's too hard on himself, and he doesn't seem to realize just how much good he accomplishes or how much it means to those around him (the lesson of a parent setting the bar too high for their child might not have been intentional, but it struck a deep chord with me). Dr. Corbit is an equally human villain. In fact, most of the supporting characters are given their moments in the spot light, which made them more than just regular plot pieces.
The movie stills are effective. They are not just random publicity shots clumped all together in the center of the book, but are sprinkled throughout the story, giving the reader a solid visual to go along with that particular passage of the book.
Not that extra visuals were needed. Andrews' writing is up another notch here. In "Pandora's Game," he used switching POV as an interesting technique. Here, the frequent interplay between the dreams and the waking world is equally involving.
For the first time since returning to reading and writing these reviews, I cannot think of a single drawback or flaw in this book. When push comes to shove, I think I'm still probably a bigger Dean R. Koontz fan, but standing on its own merits, I am pleased to give "Dream Parlor" my first 5 stars! And I am looking forward to "Paranormals" next.
"The Howling 2" by Gary Brandner
Decent sequel. -- 3 Stars (Originally written January 5, 2006)
After finally finishing the pile of books I'd picked up on my splurge, I had to wait until the holidays were over (buying your kids gifts taps the old wallet), but after Christmas I returned to the used bookstore (and Ebay) for more of my most recent favorite authors: Dean R. Koontz, Christopher Andrews, and Gary Brandner.
"The Howling II" was a decent sequel. And that pretty much sums it up. It did a respectable job continuing the story of Karen and Chris, and Roy and Marcia. One of my few complaints about the original was that the ending had seemed to abrupt, and this book replaced some of that frustration with satisfaction of knowing what happened next.
But, sadly, the strength of the first book was not as evident here. Karen continues to intrigue me, dealing with her situation realistically, thinking that she is crazy first, and then deciding to believe in herself and DO something about her situation. But the book as a whole just didn't stand up as well as the first.
Another complaint: The time line does not make sense. We are shown that a couple of years have passed, Karen has gotten remarried, and so on. But then, when we're with Roy and Marcia, there's talk of her having been terribly ill for "months," and she's just now getting better. So ... what happened to the missing months before, or after, or during? It didn't track.
Overall, an entertaining, but not enthralling, book. I must admit to some disappointment, as I really enjoyed "The Howling," but no real regret. My only decision now is whether to read Koontz's "Velocity" or Andrews' "Dream Parlor" next.
After finally finishing the pile of books I'd picked up on my splurge, I had to wait until the holidays were over (buying your kids gifts taps the old wallet), but after Christmas I returned to the used bookstore (and Ebay) for more of my most recent favorite authors: Dean R. Koontz, Christopher Andrews, and Gary Brandner.
"The Howling II" was a decent sequel. And that pretty much sums it up. It did a respectable job continuing the story of Karen and Chris, and Roy and Marcia. One of my few complaints about the original was that the ending had seemed to abrupt, and this book replaced some of that frustration with satisfaction of knowing what happened next.
But, sadly, the strength of the first book was not as evident here. Karen continues to intrigue me, dealing with her situation realistically, thinking that she is crazy first, and then deciding to believe in herself and DO something about her situation. But the book as a whole just didn't stand up as well as the first.
Another complaint: The time line does not make sense. We are shown that a couple of years have passed, Karen has gotten remarried, and so on. But then, when we're with Roy and Marcia, there's talk of her having been terribly ill for "months," and she's just now getting better. So ... what happened to the missing months before, or after, or during? It didn't track.
Overall, an entertaining, but not enthralling, book. I must admit to some disappointment, as I really enjoyed "The Howling," but no real regret. My only decision now is whether to read Koontz's "Velocity" or Andrews' "Dream Parlor" next.
"Intensity" by Dean Koontz
A great book! -- 4-1/2 Stars (Originally written November 21, 2005)
As I mentioned when I reviewed "By the Light of the Moon," I have long been a fan of Dean R. Koontz. I often like his work even better than Stephen King's. The only drawback is that once you've read a few of his books, you soon realize that the majority of his male and female main characters are the same: A man with a sad background; a woman with a terrible background; they find one another in this crazy world; etc.
But in "Intensity," although we still get the same woman with a terrible background (and MAN, does Koontz know how to come up with HORRIBLE afflictions for these poor young women!), we are spared her male counterpart. And so I was able to REALLY get into the story this time.
And what a story! It's the ultimate being in the wrong place at the wrong time tale, with a young lady named Chyna staying with a friend on the very same night a psychotic killer arrives to murder the entire family!
What follows is one tense situation after another; the book is aptly named. I don't want to give too much away, but if you enjoy being on the edge of your seat, this book is perfect! Koontz also does some interesting tricks with the past and present tense telling of the story. The only books I have read with anything like it would be King's "The Cycle of the Werewolf," though the tense only changed once in that book, and Christopher Andrews' "Pandora's Game," which played similar tricks with the POV. Koontz's technique was effective and creepy.
The ONLY thing that prevents me from giving this book a 5 star rating (and believe me, it was close) was that there is an "element" (again, I don't want to give too much away) to the psychotic killer that I think was hinted at a little too early. It is revealed near the end, and I'm pretty sure that it was SUPPOSED to be a huge surprise. But I became suspicious of it about 1/3 through the book, and convinced I was right about ½ through the book. I kept hoping I would either be wrong, or that the "secret" would be revealed earlier and not be so much of the climax. But ... not to be.
But again, "Intensity" IS a great novel. And I recommend it strongly to anyone who enjoys thrillers!
As I mentioned when I reviewed "By the Light of the Moon," I have long been a fan of Dean R. Koontz. I often like his work even better than Stephen King's. The only drawback is that once you've read a few of his books, you soon realize that the majority of his male and female main characters are the same: A man with a sad background; a woman with a terrible background; they find one another in this crazy world; etc.
But in "Intensity," although we still get the same woman with a terrible background (and MAN, does Koontz know how to come up with HORRIBLE afflictions for these poor young women!), we are spared her male counterpart. And so I was able to REALLY get into the story this time.
And what a story! It's the ultimate being in the wrong place at the wrong time tale, with a young lady named Chyna staying with a friend on the very same night a psychotic killer arrives to murder the entire family!
What follows is one tense situation after another; the book is aptly named. I don't want to give too much away, but if you enjoy being on the edge of your seat, this book is perfect! Koontz also does some interesting tricks with the past and present tense telling of the story. The only books I have read with anything like it would be King's "The Cycle of the Werewolf," though the tense only changed once in that book, and Christopher Andrews' "Pandora's Game," which played similar tricks with the POV. Koontz's technique was effective and creepy.
The ONLY thing that prevents me from giving this book a 5 star rating (and believe me, it was close) was that there is an "element" (again, I don't want to give too much away) to the psychotic killer that I think was hinted at a little too early. It is revealed near the end, and I'm pretty sure that it was SUPPOSED to be a huge surprise. But I became suspicious of it about 1/3 through the book, and convinced I was right about ½ through the book. I kept hoping I would either be wrong, or that the "secret" would be revealed earlier and not be so much of the climax. But ... not to be.
But again, "Intensity" IS a great novel. And I recommend it strongly to anyone who enjoys thrillers!
"Minion" by L. Banks
Suffered by comparison. -- 2 Stars (Originally written October 31, 2005)
Whenever I read any book, I try to remain completely objective, to judge the novel by its own merits and not how it might, or might not, stand against other books. Unfortunately, with "Minion," I was not able to help myself.
First off, I don't think I would have really liked this book, no matter what. I could not identify with most of the characters. I got tired of all the "fist-tapping" (that "cool" thing that "cool" guys do because they think hugging, or even shaking hands, might appear "gay"), tired of the main character's obsession with barbeque potato chips. The group of good guys are also musicians, but they held their music in such high regard, calling the main character a "spoken word artist," that I was never quite sure WHAT form of music they played. Given the clubs and record label names, I am assuming that it was either rap or hip-hop, but it's never spelled out for certain.
Unfortunately, what made for a double whammy against this book was the fact that I had JUST finished "Pandora's Game" by Christopher Andrews. Believe me, if you are looking for a non traditional vampire/supernatural novel to read, THAT is the book to buy. It is one of my favorite recent books, and "Minion" suffered by comparison.
I CAN say that the SUBPLOT of this book held my interest a lot more than the main plot and characters. In fact, it is the story of Carlos Rivera that prompted me to give this book the two stars instead of just one.
BUT, this book ended with a cliffhanger, so I'm afraid that I will not find out what becomes of Carlos, because HIS story alone is not enough to interest me in buying the sequel. Too bad.
Whenever I read any book, I try to remain completely objective, to judge the novel by its own merits and not how it might, or might not, stand against other books. Unfortunately, with "Minion," I was not able to help myself.
First off, I don't think I would have really liked this book, no matter what. I could not identify with most of the characters. I got tired of all the "fist-tapping" (that "cool" thing that "cool" guys do because they think hugging, or even shaking hands, might appear "gay"), tired of the main character's obsession with barbeque potato chips. The group of good guys are also musicians, but they held their music in such high regard, calling the main character a "spoken word artist," that I was never quite sure WHAT form of music they played. Given the clubs and record label names, I am assuming that it was either rap or hip-hop, but it's never spelled out for certain.
Unfortunately, what made for a double whammy against this book was the fact that I had JUST finished "Pandora's Game" by Christopher Andrews. Believe me, if you are looking for a non traditional vampire/supernatural novel to read, THAT is the book to buy. It is one of my favorite recent books, and "Minion" suffered by comparison.
I CAN say that the SUBPLOT of this book held my interest a lot more than the main plot and characters. In fact, it is the story of Carlos Rivera that prompted me to give this book the two stars instead of just one.
BUT, this book ended with a cliffhanger, so I'm afraid that I will not find out what becomes of Carlos, because HIS story alone is not enough to interest me in buying the sequel. Too bad.
"Pandora's Game" by Christopher Andrews
Great start to a new series! -- 4-1/2 Stars (Originally written October 17, 2005)
I picked up a used copy of "Pandora's Game" on my recent book splurge, because the cover caught my eye and the synopsis sounded cool. Is "Pandora's Game" the best book I have ever read? Maybe not. But it IS an EXCELLENT book. I enjoyed it MORE than "The Howling," which, I believe, is now considered a classic horror novel. In fact, with the possible exception of "By the Light of the Moon" by Dean Koontz, I think it is my favorite of the books I've read recently.
Personally, I found "Pandora's Game" to be fresh and different. I liked the characters, especially the werewolf, and I thought the writing style was impressive, especially considering the two "worlds" that it covers. The switching POV alone qualifies this book as interesting; it was different from just about any other book I have read, before college or recently. It also had a plot twist near the end that I did NOT see coming, which is always a plus for any novel.
I did feel that a few of the chapters in World #2 could have been combined, but I'm guessing they were broken up to stick with the back and forth elements of the overall story. I liked the first one in the restaurant, and once we started seeing the personal histories of Alastaire and Sean, World #2 got more interesting. I just thought the story of Alastaire and Sean meeting Trey could have been told all at once instead of in four chapters.
But other than that single complaint, I would have been tempted to give this book FIVE stars. I can tell you that I am adding "Paranormals" and "Dream Parlor" to my reading list.
I picked up a used copy of "Pandora's Game" on my recent book splurge, because the cover caught my eye and the synopsis sounded cool. Is "Pandora's Game" the best book I have ever read? Maybe not. But it IS an EXCELLENT book. I enjoyed it MORE than "The Howling," which, I believe, is now considered a classic horror novel. In fact, with the possible exception of "By the Light of the Moon" by Dean Koontz, I think it is my favorite of the books I've read recently.
Personally, I found "Pandora's Game" to be fresh and different. I liked the characters, especially the werewolf, and I thought the writing style was impressive, especially considering the two "worlds" that it covers. The switching POV alone qualifies this book as interesting; it was different from just about any other book I have read, before college or recently. It also had a plot twist near the end that I did NOT see coming, which is always a plus for any novel.
I did feel that a few of the chapters in World #2 could have been combined, but I'm guessing they were broken up to stick with the back and forth elements of the overall story. I liked the first one in the restaurant, and once we started seeing the personal histories of Alastaire and Sean, World #2 got more interesting. I just thought the story of Alastaire and Sean meeting Trey could have been told all at once instead of in four chapters.
But other than that single complaint, I would have been tempted to give this book FIVE stars. I can tell you that I am adding "Paranormals" and "Dream Parlor" to my reading list.
"Isaac Asimov's Robot City: Odyssey" by Michael Kube-McDowell
Starts wooden, but eventually hooked me in. -- 3 Stars (Originally written September 19, 2005)
"Odyssey" is Book #1 in the "Isaac Asimov's Robot City" series. Written in the 1980's, this was apparently the first novel to take place in Asimov's robot universe that was not written by Asimov himself.
I read Asimov's robot novels many years ago, and remember enjoying them very much. When "Odyssey" first began, I found myself thinking, "Uh oh." The premise was interesting enough, if a bit standard (the amnesiac plot has been done to death). But the pacing was very stilted, and there was an overuse of having the main character, Derec, fall unconscious as a device to move the plot forward in both time and space. It would be fair to say that the story bordered on "boring."
BUT, after the first few chapters, I found myself becoming more involved in Derec's plight. On top of having to solve who HE is, he also has external mysteries which demand his attention. I became swept along with him, and started really caring about the story's resolution (for those of you who might feel the same, I should warn you that the book has a cliff hanger ending, so be prepared to follow at least Book #2!).
One complaint, after I finally got interested, was how easily Derec allowed some people to hold back information about his past when they clearly had it. If I were in HIS shoes, I would have grabbed Kate and SHAKEN it out of her!
Overall, a decent read, so long as you stick with it. For myself, I will PROBABLY end up buying Book #2, and HOPE that Derec's secret history is revealed therein.
"Odyssey" is Book #1 in the "Isaac Asimov's Robot City" series. Written in the 1980's, this was apparently the first novel to take place in Asimov's robot universe that was not written by Asimov himself.
I read Asimov's robot novels many years ago, and remember enjoying them very much. When "Odyssey" first began, I found myself thinking, "Uh oh." The premise was interesting enough, if a bit standard (the amnesiac plot has been done to death). But the pacing was very stilted, and there was an overuse of having the main character, Derec, fall unconscious as a device to move the plot forward in both time and space. It would be fair to say that the story bordered on "boring."
BUT, after the first few chapters, I found myself becoming more involved in Derec's plight. On top of having to solve who HE is, he also has external mysteries which demand his attention. I became swept along with him, and started really caring about the story's resolution (for those of you who might feel the same, I should warn you that the book has a cliff hanger ending, so be prepared to follow at least Book #2!).
One complaint, after I finally got interested, was how easily Derec allowed some people to hold back information about his past when they clearly had it. If I were in HIS shoes, I would have grabbed Kate and SHAKEN it out of her!
Overall, a decent read, so long as you stick with it. For myself, I will PROBABLY end up buying Book #2, and HOPE that Derec's secret history is revealed therein.
"By the Light of the Moon" by Dean Koontz
Great premise, same old characters. -- 4-1/2 Stars (Originally written September 6, 2005)
Back when I read books on a regular basis, I was a huge Dean R. Koontz fan. Now that I've returned, I see that Mr. Koontz has dropped the "R," improved his already impressive writing style, and kept the same basic characters types that he's always used. Again, I do consider myself a Koontz fan. When I decided to get back into reading, I made sure to include a couple of Koontz books in my splurge.
"By the Light of the Moon" starts fast and maintains that same pace from start to finish. The fictional science behind the plot is just realistic enough for suspension of disbelief, and the side-effects of the villain's wicked "stuff" are clever and become increasingly inventive as the story moves along. Koontz starts off with your standard, generic, run of the mill "psychic" powers, but then he gets more creative.
The only drawback about this book, and many other Koontz books I've read: The characters. This is NOT to say that they are "two dimensional" or "unbelievable." Taken on their own, they are fine. If this were the ONLY Koontz book you ever read, you would have no idea that this is his short coming, and for those single time readers, I would say this book is actually 5 stars.
BUT, for those of you who have read Koontz before or intend to read him again, you will find that he has once again brought us the same characters: The withdrawn man with a sad background; the hardened, withdrawn woman with a terrible background; and the third party (in this case, a brother), usually related to the man, who is deficient or handicapped in some way (in this case, autistic). And, against all odds, this lonely man and lonely, disgruntled woman somehow manage to find their mutual lights at the end of the tunnel ... you see where I'm going. In some ways, Koontz would have been better off just making all of these books ABOUT the same characters, and turning them into a series of sequels. Character wise, that's what we end up with, anyway.
But again, setting that aside, I really enjoyed this novel. I don't want to give anything away, but this books ends on a PERFECT note to set it up for a sequel. I don't think Koontz does them, but I wish he would in this case. I would LOVE to read it, and after all, in a sequel, the characters are EXPECTED to be the same.
Back when I read books on a regular basis, I was a huge Dean R. Koontz fan. Now that I've returned, I see that Mr. Koontz has dropped the "R," improved his already impressive writing style, and kept the same basic characters types that he's always used. Again, I do consider myself a Koontz fan. When I decided to get back into reading, I made sure to include a couple of Koontz books in my splurge.
"By the Light of the Moon" starts fast and maintains that same pace from start to finish. The fictional science behind the plot is just realistic enough for suspension of disbelief, and the side-effects of the villain's wicked "stuff" are clever and become increasingly inventive as the story moves along. Koontz starts off with your standard, generic, run of the mill "psychic" powers, but then he gets more creative.
The only drawback about this book, and many other Koontz books I've read: The characters. This is NOT to say that they are "two dimensional" or "unbelievable." Taken on their own, they are fine. If this were the ONLY Koontz book you ever read, you would have no idea that this is his short coming, and for those single time readers, I would say this book is actually 5 stars.
BUT, for those of you who have read Koontz before or intend to read him again, you will find that he has once again brought us the same characters: The withdrawn man with a sad background; the hardened, withdrawn woman with a terrible background; and the third party (in this case, a brother), usually related to the man, who is deficient or handicapped in some way (in this case, autistic). And, against all odds, this lonely man and lonely, disgruntled woman somehow manage to find their mutual lights at the end of the tunnel ... you see where I'm going. In some ways, Koontz would have been better off just making all of these books ABOUT the same characters, and turning them into a series of sequels. Character wise, that's what we end up with, anyway.
But again, setting that aside, I really enjoyed this novel. I don't want to give anything away, but this books ends on a PERFECT note to set it up for a sequel. I don't think Koontz does them, but I wish he would in this case. I would LOVE to read it, and after all, in a sequel, the characters are EXPECTED to be the same.
"Superman: The Never-Ending Battle" by Roger Stern
Not bad, not great. -- 3 Stars (Originally written August 8, 2005)
Overall, I enjoyed "Superman: The Never-Ending Battle" more than "Green Lantern: Hero's Quest" ... but not enough to give it that extra star in the rating.
I usually discuss my most notable likes and dislikes about the books I read, but the fact that I am having trouble with this one says something on its own. The book was an almost perfect "So-So." It was not really good, it was not really bad. There were SMALL elements that I liked, such as Superman's description of how it feels to fly. There were EQUALLY small elements that I did NOT like, such as the over use of Wonder Woman's plane.
But that's just it. These are LITTLE pluses and minuses. With the Green Lantern novel, I thought that the first half was better than the second half. THIS book was pretty much level all the way through. I would think of this book as a "5" out of 10, then as a 6, then back to a 5, then as a 4, the back to a 5. And so on and so on. You get the idea.
In the end, I decided it was just that: A middle of the road book. It was worth the time it took to read. Nothing more and nothing less ... but I guess it ALSO says something that, in the end, I AM now curious about reading the other Justice League of America books.
Overall, I enjoyed "Superman: The Never-Ending Battle" more than "Green Lantern: Hero's Quest" ... but not enough to give it that extra star in the rating.
I usually discuss my most notable likes and dislikes about the books I read, but the fact that I am having trouble with this one says something on its own. The book was an almost perfect "So-So." It was not really good, it was not really bad. There were SMALL elements that I liked, such as Superman's description of how it feels to fly. There were EQUALLY small elements that I did NOT like, such as the over use of Wonder Woman's plane.
But that's just it. These are LITTLE pluses and minuses. With the Green Lantern novel, I thought that the first half was better than the second half. THIS book was pretty much level all the way through. I would think of this book as a "5" out of 10, then as a 6, then back to a 5, then as a 4, the back to a 5. And so on and so on. You get the idea.
In the end, I decided it was just that: A middle of the road book. It was worth the time it took to read. Nothing more and nothing less ... but I guess it ALSO says something that, in the end, I AM now curious about reading the other Justice League of America books.
"The Howling" by Gary Brandner
A great read. -- 4 Stars (Originally written August 1, 2005)
I saw the movie version of "The Howling" many years ago. The one element which really stands out in my memory was the amazing special effects. It was the first movie to really show a graphic, "realistic" transformation from man to wolf, pulsing skin and all. Before "American Werewolf in London." Before "Thriller."
But that's about ALL I really remember. The amazing transformations, not the story itself. As such, I cannot recall exactly how true to the book the movie was, or wasn't. In a way, this FREED me to enjoy the novel all on its own.
"The Howling" (the book) does a great job setting the mood. The town of Drago is successfully weird and uncomfortable. SO uncomfortable that when Karyn starts wanting to leave, I was grateful that she was not as "slow" as many horror novel characters are. She originally rejects the idea of werewolves, as we all would and should. But then, as she is faced with indisputable evidence of the supernatural, she adapts. It reminded me of George Clooney's character in "From Dusk Til Dawn," where he says that he did not believe in vampires, but he DOES believe his own eyes, and therefore he now MUST believe in vampires. Karyn was a refreshing, strong, adaptable character.
My only complaints are: The ending seemed oddly abrupt, as though there had once been an epilogue that was now cut out. Also, the ONE element of comparison from movie-to-book that I just could not help was that I remembered the werewolves walking upright on their hind legs in the movie, but in the book they go around on all fours. I know its not fair, I know its more realistic too, but I really liked the upright werewolves, and was disappointed when they were different here.
But otherwise, this was a VERY enjoyable read. I got through it in just two days. Of all the books I've read since my return to reading, I think this is my favorite so far.
I saw the movie version of "The Howling" many years ago. The one element which really stands out in my memory was the amazing special effects. It was the first movie to really show a graphic, "realistic" transformation from man to wolf, pulsing skin and all. Before "American Werewolf in London." Before "Thriller."
But that's about ALL I really remember. The amazing transformations, not the story itself. As such, I cannot recall exactly how true to the book the movie was, or wasn't. In a way, this FREED me to enjoy the novel all on its own.
"The Howling" (the book) does a great job setting the mood. The town of Drago is successfully weird and uncomfortable. SO uncomfortable that when Karyn starts wanting to leave, I was grateful that she was not as "slow" as many horror novel characters are. She originally rejects the idea of werewolves, as we all would and should. But then, as she is faced with indisputable evidence of the supernatural, she adapts. It reminded me of George Clooney's character in "From Dusk Til Dawn," where he says that he did not believe in vampires, but he DOES believe his own eyes, and therefore he now MUST believe in vampires. Karyn was a refreshing, strong, adaptable character.
My only complaints are: The ending seemed oddly abrupt, as though there had once been an epilogue that was now cut out. Also, the ONE element of comparison from movie-to-book that I just could not help was that I remembered the werewolves walking upright on their hind legs in the movie, but in the book they go around on all fours. I know its not fair, I know its more realistic too, but I really liked the upright werewolves, and was disappointed when they were different here.
But otherwise, this was a VERY enjoyable read. I got through it in just two days. Of all the books I've read since my return to reading, I think this is my favorite so far.
"Darker Than You Think" by Jack Williamson
Enduring novel standing the test of time. -- 4 Stars (Originally written July 25, 2005)
The most pleasant surprise about "Darker Than You Think" for me is how NOT-dated it was. When I realized that it was a reprinting of a novel from the 1940's, I kind of expected the writing style to reflect its age. Not that 60 years is a LONG time in the writing world, but I have read other novels that practically screamed "Hey! I was written in the 1970's!" and so on. There was some jargon and lingo that was dated, and the newspaper was clearly NOT run in the computerized world. But other than that, this novel could ALMOST have been written this year.
My favorite element was probably the loose interpretation of lycanthropy. I wasn't as crazy about the use of the law of probability and such, but it was cool seeing one individual being able to turn into a wolf AND a saber tooth tiger AND a snake and so on. The explanation behind this was new and interesting, not quite like any other horror novel I have ever read.
The one thing about the writing style that DID bug me was the constant "shivering" by the main character. That and his flip flopping attitude about humanity versus the monster. For the first part, once the real "horror" of the plot started to unfold, the guy was CONSTANTLY "shivering" in horror or "shuddering" in fear, and let's not forget "gasping" words such as "Huh." By the end of the book, I think one of those words was used at least once per page. As for the flip flopping, he would embrace the monsters, then he would rebel on behalf of his human friends, then he would embrace the monsters again, then he would rebel. And on and on. It got a little tiring.
BUT ... looking past those two elements, I enjoyed the novel quite a lot. It is definitely a worthy read.
The most pleasant surprise about "Darker Than You Think" for me is how NOT-dated it was. When I realized that it was a reprinting of a novel from the 1940's, I kind of expected the writing style to reflect its age. Not that 60 years is a LONG time in the writing world, but I have read other novels that practically screamed "Hey! I was written in the 1970's!" and so on. There was some jargon and lingo that was dated, and the newspaper was clearly NOT run in the computerized world. But other than that, this novel could ALMOST have been written this year.
My favorite element was probably the loose interpretation of lycanthropy. I wasn't as crazy about the use of the law of probability and such, but it was cool seeing one individual being able to turn into a wolf AND a saber tooth tiger AND a snake and so on. The explanation behind this was new and interesting, not quite like any other horror novel I have ever read.
The one thing about the writing style that DID bug me was the constant "shivering" by the main character. That and his flip flopping attitude about humanity versus the monster. For the first part, once the real "horror" of the plot started to unfold, the guy was CONSTANTLY "shivering" in horror or "shuddering" in fear, and let's not forget "gasping" words such as "Huh." By the end of the book, I think one of those words was used at least once per page. As for the flip flopping, he would embrace the monsters, then he would rebel on behalf of his human friends, then he would embrace the monsters again, then he would rebel. And on and on. It got a little tiring.
BUT ... looking past those two elements, I enjoyed the novel quite a lot. It is definitely a worthy read.
"Green Lantern: Hero's Quest" by Dennis O'Neil
Starts stronger that it ends. -- 3 Stars (Originally written July 19, 2005)
I particularly enjoyed the first half of this book. Even though it was almost a "novelization" of Kyle Rayner's GL origins, it was still cool to join Kyle in his discovery of the power ring's abilities, and all of the potential therein. Telling the story in first person POV helped the reader share the experience.
BUT ... once the main part of the story got going, sadly, I lost a little interest. It sort of became "just another super hero novel," just interesting enough to finish, but not standing out in any particular way. I also bought "Superman: The Never-Ending Battle" at the same time. We'll see how they compare.
One other point of confusion: It has been a while since I have read the "Green Lantern" comic books, but I always understood that the power rings required a great deal of "Willpower" to operate. I understand that Kyle Rayner is supposed to HAVE this willpower, and so qualifies to possess it, but I still thought that making the ring create, like, a giant hand would have taken a little ... oomph! on the part of the ring wearer. It was confusing, and another letdown, that the ring seemed so EASY for Kyle to operate. Maybe DC has changed this rule over the years, and if so, it caught me off guard. Sorry, but this change/inconsistency alone prompts me to knock it down another Star rating.
But, overall, it was an enjoyable read, and I don't regret buying it. Flawed, but worth the time.
I particularly enjoyed the first half of this book. Even though it was almost a "novelization" of Kyle Rayner's GL origins, it was still cool to join Kyle in his discovery of the power ring's abilities, and all of the potential therein. Telling the story in first person POV helped the reader share the experience.
BUT ... once the main part of the story got going, sadly, I lost a little interest. It sort of became "just another super hero novel," just interesting enough to finish, but not standing out in any particular way. I also bought "Superman: The Never-Ending Battle" at the same time. We'll see how they compare.
One other point of confusion: It has been a while since I have read the "Green Lantern" comic books, but I always understood that the power rings required a great deal of "Willpower" to operate. I understand that Kyle Rayner is supposed to HAVE this willpower, and so qualifies to possess it, but I still thought that making the ring create, like, a giant hand would have taken a little ... oomph! on the part of the ring wearer. It was confusing, and another letdown, that the ring seemed so EASY for Kyle to operate. Maybe DC has changed this rule over the years, and if so, it caught me off guard. Sorry, but this change/inconsistency alone prompts me to knock it down another Star rating.
But, overall, it was an enjoyable read, and I don't regret buying it. Flawed, but worth the time.
"The Alien Years" by Robert Silverberg
Didn't live up to its potential. -- 3 Stars (Originally written July 18, 2005)
Hi! I'm an avid book reader of old who fell away from the habit after college. I recently decided to go back to my old hobby, and bought a bunch of books from my local new and used book store. I decided I might as well share my thoughts.
My first was "The Alien Years," by Robert Silverberg. I read some of his collaborations with Isaac Asimov years ago, and so maybe my expectations were a little high. The concept was great. Aliens come down and take over, but instead of blowing us all away like in "War of the Worlds" or "Independence Day," they set themselves up as unstoppable tyrants and, directly or indirectly, enslave us as a race. A medium-long book covering years and years of time. Plenty of time to explore this concept. Sounded great.
Sadly, in my eyes, the book did not live up to its potential. I enjoyed the second half better than the first, but overall, it kept feeling as though the best parts of the story were taking place ... "off stage?" "Between acts?" Something. Imagine having a forty page chapter build and build toward an event ... and then the event itself is summarized in the last page or two. Next chapter, seven years later.
Again, I feel that the book DID get better as it moved along, so I do not regret sticking with it. More and more action started taking place DURING the chapters instead of between them.
Over all, I guess the book was "just OK." It had the potential to BE "War of the Worlds" stretched out over fifty years, but instead, it just became something else entirely, something else not as exciting as it could have been.
Hi! I'm an avid book reader of old who fell away from the habit after college. I recently decided to go back to my old hobby, and bought a bunch of books from my local new and used book store. I decided I might as well share my thoughts.
My first was "The Alien Years," by Robert Silverberg. I read some of his collaborations with Isaac Asimov years ago, and so maybe my expectations were a little high. The concept was great. Aliens come down and take over, but instead of blowing us all away like in "War of the Worlds" or "Independence Day," they set themselves up as unstoppable tyrants and, directly or indirectly, enslave us as a race. A medium-long book covering years and years of time. Plenty of time to explore this concept. Sounded great.
Sadly, in my eyes, the book did not live up to its potential. I enjoyed the second half better than the first, but overall, it kept feeling as though the best parts of the story were taking place ... "off stage?" "Between acts?" Something. Imagine having a forty page chapter build and build toward an event ... and then the event itself is summarized in the last page or two. Next chapter, seven years later.
Again, I feel that the book DID get better as it moved along, so I do not regret sticking with it. More and more action started taking place DURING the chapters instead of between them.
Over all, I guess the book was "just OK." It had the potential to BE "War of the Worlds" stretched out over fifty years, but instead, it just became something else entirely, something else not as exciting as it could have been.
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