Title: The Night Boat Author: Robert McCammon Genre: Horror, Zombies Publication year: 1980
Review: The Night Boat was the second McCammon book I read aftTitle: The Night Boat Author: Robert McCammon Genre: Horror, Zombies Publication year: 1980
Review: The Night Boat was the second McCammon book I read after reading They Thirst way back in high school, when I fell in love with McCammon's writing. This is McCammon's take on the zombie subgenre, which pretty much ably demonstrates (like he did with They Thirst and vampires, Wolf's Hour and werewolves, and Swan Song and the apocalypse) fresh perspective and mastery of whatever horror trope he explores.
David Moore is a diver that makes his living on the salvage he finds from the Caribbean waters around the fictional island of Coquina. During one of his excursions, he finds an intact submarine, but while considering how to go about salvaging the museum piece, he accidently sets off a booby trap that would have destroyed it. Instead, it is freed from the bottom and appears just off the Coquina shore.
Moore inadvertently revives a curse that should have lay the sub to rest, and the superstitious indigenous people want the submarine returned to the depths, but the zombie crew that lay dormant have now been set free. They don't want to go back. They just want to feed. If you like horror with a splash or two or three of gore and other reddish bodily fluids, you might like this one as much as I do....more
Title: Hill Haven Creeps and the Halloween King Author: Brandon Berntson Genre: Horror, Halloween Publication Year: 2022
Review: I felt almost guilty aboTitle: Hill Haven Creeps and the Halloween King Author: Brandon Berntson Genre: Horror, Halloween Publication Year: 2022
Review: I felt almost guilty about not saving this for a Halloween read because it is so good, almost perfect for the holiday (like Bradbury's "Something Wicked This Way Comes"). The reason I give it a less than perfect rating is due to the fact that the novel seems derivative of the aforementioned Ray Bradbury's SWTWC and It by Stephen King.
The Carnival Comes to Town trope is prevalent in both stories and in this one as well. Here, there is a group of six twelve-year-old friends, very much like the Losers club (except no girl, and not seven) that attend the Carnival which only appears once every fifty years. The Halloween King is very similar to Pennywise in his abilities to terrorize by tapping into each child's mind to create a setting where each child's fears are exacerbated so that the Halloween King might feed on it.
Berntson might be writing an homage to King and Bradbury, but the horrors he creates are real and terrifying. If not for the obvious swiping, I would have given five stars, not four. This is a damned good read. And I do mean damned....more
Title: Pet Sematary Author: Stephen King Genre: Horror Paranormal, Kitchen Sink Publication Year: 1983
Review: The Creed family moves into their new home Title: Pet Sematary Author: Stephen King Genre: Horror Paranormal, Kitchen Sink Publication Year: 1983
Review: The Creed family moves into their new home that is situated in a gloriously idyllic area except for the Orinco trucks that race past the house on a regular basis. What follows is quite frankly one of the scariest and realistically horrifying novels I have ever read. It includes various subgenres of horror, such as: body horror, monsters, zombies, slasher, and others. I call it kitchen sink horror, because of the wide array of subgenres King includes.
Aside from all of that, King masterfully makes statements about death and the measures we use in order to cope with our inevitable encounters with death. Everyone dies, and because we do not exist in a vacuum, our death is the least of the ones we will need to contend. In fact, King himself has communicated a difficulty in re-reading this novel because the themes are so blatantly raw that to face them would be as painful as if to relive a life-altering event. He would rather not. Those events are the ones that haunt us until we no longer draw breath.
Review: The story is told in first person via various points of view, throuTitle: Dracula Author: Bram Stoker Genre: Gothic Horror Publication Year: 1897
Review: The story is told in first person via various points of view, through disparate media. It truly is an incredible work of art that should scare the $#!+ out of you. From the very beginning, with Harker's trip to Transylvania, the meeting of Dracula, the doomed ship Demeter arriving in London, the sickness that plagues Lucy, the meeting of Van Helsing, to the kidnapping and final chase with the Vampire Hunters. There are incredibly moving moments of thrill and pathos. This is a truly classic read.
Probably my fifth or sixth time reading, I love the deliberate pacing. Stoker does not appear to be in a hurry to tell the story. From switching points of view, the storytelling style is almost flawless in its execution. The prevalent theme of riffing on the Victorian values of the time is overtly sexy with the vampire brides' seduction of Harker, among others. Probably the only flaw was having your villain disappear throughout most of the novel. As far as characters and characterization, the book is told from the POV of the various characters which to my mind is brilliantly done.
I love this novel, despite the fact that I don't love the author. There is some incredible story here, with memorable characters that truly exemplify the best of the horror genre....more
Review: How many times have we ever engaged in a spontaneous act of rebellioTitle: Bottle Toss Author: Howard Odentz Genre: Horror Publication year: 2019
Review: How many times have we ever engaged in a spontaneous act of rebellion that we instantly regretted? I once through a snowball at a car window, the car stopping immediately and an undercover cop whipped out his badge to show me I had screwed the pooch. He must have seen the panic in my eyes because he let me go with just a warning. Bottle Toss begins in a similar way.
There's the throwing of a bottle, but the bottle causes a series of events that changes the course of several young lives. A car accident results in the bottle toss, where deaths may have ensued, and a sleeping evil may have been aroused, provoked, and given focus. The horror here is of a specific monster-type, but Odentz prefers to nuance as opposed to stating outright what type of horror this is. The mystery adds an element that I completely love.
I had never read this author before and reading this work was an unexpected surprise. Those gems are such a rare find that one must celebrate them whenever possible....more
Title: Chronicles of the Infected Box Set (Books 1-3) Author: Rick Wood Genre: Horror, Zombie Apocalypse Publication year: 2019
Review: I love zompoc narrTitle: Chronicles of the Infected Box Set (Books 1-3) Author: Rick Wood Genre: Horror, Zombie Apocalypse Publication year: 2019
Review: I love zompoc narratives. They don't always end with a sun rising upon a brand new day that demonstrates that the vampire/zombie/{insert monster here} has been vanquished and its a far cry from the previous iteration. One of the worst things about a zombie story is that they all seem to be the same; one of the best things about a zombie story is that they all seem to be the same.
A little girl, the Prime Minister's daughter, was left behind when London was evacuated. Now her father has decided to mount a rescue into a walled off part of the city, believing her to remain alive. The second novel has traitorous behavior, with a change to the party which becomes more pronounced as the reader enters the third novel.
The three novels are titled: Finding Her, Finding Hope (a little counterintuitive), and Finding Home as the closing novel. There's plenty of gore and blood and the pathos of possibly losing a beloved character. Clearly, I loved it....more
Review: Dean Koontz like most great post modern writers is a master at Title: Midnight Author: Dean Koontz Genre: Horror, Thriller Publication year: 1989
Review: Dean Koontz like most great post modern writers is a master at characterization. So it is only natural to expect that the characters in his books will carry the day. However, Koontz is really good at plotting intriguing stories, too. In those ways and more, Midnight is a really great read.
Moonlight Cove has a problem: people are dying and the answers given as to why are causing more questions that have reached beyond the borders of the small California town. The FBI has sent an agent Sam Booker to quietly, secretly investigate. Also, Tessa Lockland has come to the town to investigate her sister's "suicide." She knew her sister and if her sister was having trouble, she would have reached out.
The simple fact remains that something odd is happening in Moonlight Cove and there are witnesses to the oddities. Both, Chrissie Foster and Harry Talbot have witnessed citizens transforming into ravening beasts and their fears have prompted them to hide, but can they hide well enough to survive long enough for help to arrive? I loved it!...more
Title: The Librarian Author: M. N. Arzu Genre: Science Fiction Publication year: 2015
Review: This is an early addition to my Kindle almost ten years ago Title: The Librarian Author: M. N. Arzu Genre: Science Fiction Publication year: 2015
Review: This is an early addition to my Kindle almost ten years ago when the author offered a free copy to any who would review it, which I put on Amazon those many years ago. I looked at it again before eliminating it from my Kindle. The story continues to hold up and impress me as a first contact hard science fiction story. The story is imperfect, more of a 4 and a half stars, but I just can't see myself knocking it down to four stars.
An alien, who has spent his entire life here on earth, left to visit his planet of origin (earth has become his home planet.) When he returns to earth, he makes the mistake of allowing his nuclear trail to be tracked to the home he shares with his human wife. The federal government has him dead to rights but, they discover that the radiant alien looks like a regular human. In fact, he looks like a typical professor of sociology.
At heart, this is a love story but, I don't want to say much more. It's almost as if Gertie married the extra terrestrial. Uplifting, hopeful, and wonderfully speculative. A great, too-short read....more
Title: Cold Fire Author: Dean Koontz Genre: Horror, Thriller Publishing Year: 1991
Review: I have read Cold Fire several times over the course of my life,Title: Cold Fire Author: Dean Koontz Genre: Horror, Thriller Publishing Year: 1991
Review: I have read Cold Fire several times over the course of my life, and the names of the main characters: Jim Ironheart and Holly Thorne have become ingrained in my imagination. As per usual, for a Dean Koontz story, the reader is kept as much in the dark as the main character. The plot revolves around a mysterious compunction that causes Jim to travel to places and be prepared to help people. The urge to do good is what drives him, but he has no idea where those urges come from nor what is the final rationale.
The big reveal may or may not be worth it to some people, but can a compunction to do good, to act in a way so selfless as to be altruistic be unsatisfying? I'm not sure, I just know that the majority of this novel was extremely satisfying with the horror elements so prevalent as to cause Jim to question his sanity. How horrifying it seems to need to drive to a different state, stop in the middle of a cornfield and wait for something to happen that requires action.
What I have described is the way Jim Ironheart has saved lives. Some supernatural farce is providing a divination rod compelling Jim to travel to places and take with him some masking tape, binoculars, and chewing gum (more or less). I find the entire story fascinating....more
Title: The Graveyard Book Author: Neil Gaiman Genre: Horror, Fantasy Publication year: 2008
Review: This has to be one of the most magical, whimsical, horTitle: The Graveyard Book Author: Neil Gaiman Genre: Horror, Fantasy Publication year: 2008
Review: This has to be one of the most magical, whimsical, horror-filled stories I have ever read. Gaiman has a way of twisting whimsy into a mood that falls like a pall over everything he writes. At least that's the way it feels to me. Shadows, shadows, and more shadows, but there in the corner lies a switchblade. Then you hear the sharp sound of the button pushed, simultaneous to the blade quickly slashing through the air, then the gurgling of a throat cut, expelling air and blood.
The grisly murders of a family initiate this tale, but a baby has managed to escape his crib. The baby makes it to the cemetery nearby to receive protection from the undead denizens. Given the name of Nobody Owens, Bod eventually learns that he will need to leave the graveyard someday to investigate what happened to his family. Someone still wants him dead, and as Bod matures, the time draws near.
Clearly, I think this book is something special....more
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Author: J. K. Rowling Genre: Fantasy, Magic Publication year: 1997
Review: What a terrific beginning to an inTitle: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Author: J. K. Rowling Genre: Fantasy, Magic Publication year: 1997
Review: What a terrific beginning to an incredible, dramatic, fantasy series jammed to the fullest with emotional highs and lows, horror-filled moments, and tugs to the heart that sometimes jerked tears from my eyes. My middle son and I bonded over this one so many years ago.
The story is about a boy named Harry Potter who lost his parents to a dark wizard named Voldemort that went after Harry, but the lightning bolt meant to destroy rebounded off of Harry (leaving a scar on his forehead and making him a figure of renown in the wizarding world) and destroying Voldemort. As Harry has reached school age for Hogwarts the School of Magic he begins his education.
At Hogwarts, Harry befriends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley who become part of an iconic trio. There friendship is initiated and strengthened through massive trials throughout, not the least of which the fact that they all are awkward in distinct ways. Harry is an orphan trying to cope with fame that he has yet to earn. Hermione is a no-it-all that is dedicated to the craft in a way that almost seems deranged. Ron is the youngest son of a poor family who he himself has very little social skill and feels embarrassed at his poverty.
Title: Carmilla Author: J. Sheridan Le Fanu Genre: Horror Classic Publication year: 1872
Review: The last time I read this novella-length story was when ITitle: Carmilla Author: J. Sheridan Le Fanu Genre: Horror Classic Publication year: 1872
Review: The last time I read this novella-length story was when I was in high school when my favorite librarian directed me to what to her estimation was a proto-horror, vampire story with scandalous themes of lesbian love. I had loved the story back then, and was thoroughly scandalized by the what I deemed at the time to be the naughty bits. In my re-read, I found little to be shocked about and actually found myself emotionally moved by the relationship between Carmilla and Laura.
Here, Laura has led an isolated life, inside a vast castle where she lives with her father. When a carriage accident occurs near the castle, Laura invites Carmilla to stay in her home while she recuperates. Soon Laura finds that she has yearnings for Carmilla and begins suffering symptoms akin to the symptoms of others in the village nearby. A priest visits to essentially fix the situation; however, the priest complicates matters.
There are questions posed as to whether Laura's desires are natural or if the vampiric lure has caused Laura to behave in ways antithetical to her nature. Consequentially, this is recognized as an important work for its exploration of themes of identity in a mainstream work for 1872, it strikes me as courageous. Hence, the perfect stars. This is also creepy AF....more
Title: Carrie Author: Stephen King Genre: Horror Publication Year: 1974
Review: Carrie, Stephen King's first novel, is not my favorite novel. In fact, forTitle: Carrie Author: Stephen King Genre: Horror Publication Year: 1974
Review: Carrie, Stephen King's first novel, is not my favorite novel. In fact, for the longest time, it was my least favorite. However, during the most recent years, I have grown to enjoy it. The book deserves to be lauded as an intriguing debut, although my thoughts persist about the way the story is told. The narrative is shared through some exposition and various mediated sources: newspaper, magazine articles; and video from either TV news, and documentary sources. Although it might have some post modern appeal, I don't love it. It feels haphazard.
Carrie is a prepubescent teen with a domineering mother that is also convinced her daughter is a spawn of the devil. Just as Carrie begins to experience her menses for the first time, she has to rely on the kindness of a teacher to understand that what is happening is natural and to be expected. However, Carrie is experiencing other processes (such as telepathy) which may or may not be natural to her, and there are people who have targeted her as different enough to warrant abuse. The problem is that they don't know what they are messing with.
Clearly, King has always found a way to tap into the American zeitgeist to provoke horror that feels natural, stemming from fears native to our existential questions and exploitative of that nostalgia. This is where it all began....more
Title: The Shining Author: Stephen King Genre: Horror Publication year: 1977
Review: This is the third book published by the undisputed Master of Horror, Title: The Shining Author: Stephen King Genre: Horror Publication year: 1977
Review: This is the third book published by the undisputed Master of Horror, and in 1977 I was already a library geek that was borrowing three books a week from my local library. I was already a horror fan and so when the new book came out, the librarian was holding it for me behind the desk. My younger brother and I would go do our homework in the library once a week so that I could avoid chores. We would go every Wednesday because it was one of the days that new books came in.
Jack Torrance needs this job. He has been offered an opportunity to work as caretaker of a hotel in Colorado during its somnolent months. Danny Torrance is the strangely gifted five-year-old son that is receptive to the ghosts that walk the silent hallways. He is resistant to the voices, whereas he knows that his father is losing that battle, and when his father eventually succumbs, he knows what that means for he, his mother, and anyone else that stands in the way of acquiring new souls.
Horrifying, slow-crawl build, with iconic moments of paranormal activity manifesting in reality. Amazing story, with very real characters, and heart-wrenching, dramatic moments....more
Review: The Outage Box Set is a set of novellas Title: Outage Box Set (Books 1 - 5) Author: T.W. Piperbrook Genre: Survival Horror Publication Year: 2018
Review: The Outage Box Set is a set of novellas involving a CT snowstorm / blizzard and the town of Plainfield, Connecticut. When the lights go out, the heat also goes out and the option to hide and cover kind of goes out the window. Staring into the eyes of your loved ones, begging you to do something, the idea of renting a hotel room sounds like the perfect solution, but what happens when that option is taken off the table by a pack of furry denizens of the night?
The full moon is obstructed by the snow flurries burying all things in mountains of snow and the howls are freezing you in place. The Box Set is fast-paced, with high intensity, butt puckering horror situations, and gore deluxe. The entire series revolves around one family and follows sequentially. I had a great time, but I wanted more. The novellas were too short, in my opinion....more
Title: Eternal Midnight at the Video Store Author: Corey Daggett Genre: Horror Publishing Year: 2020
Review: En Memoriam of a time when families would meeTitle: Eternal Midnight at the Video Store Author: Corey Daggett Genre: Horror Publishing Year: 2020
Review: En Memoriam of a time when families would meet together at the video store to peruse the aisles, make movie selections, and barter over the choices. "You can choose the funny movie, if I choose the horror movie."
Fraught with nostalgia, fantasy, and some horror, Eternal Midnight. . . is about two sisters working at their uncle's convenience store with a video section. During one magical, whimsical, storm-filled night, when no customers arrived, the sisters sit and watch a marathon of action movies.
During the storm, a fracture in the continuum occurs causing a gateway near the store. The sisters can only hope that they learned some defensive moves from the videos they watched, as they face a nameless, monstrous god....more
Title: Dawn of the Dead Author: George A. Romero Genre: Horror / Zombies Publication Year: 1978
Review: I confess that this is my second favorite horror mTitle: Dawn of the Dead Author: George A. Romero Genre: Horror / Zombies Publication Year: 1978
Review: I confess that this is my second favorite horror movie. My little brother and I went to a New York City convention where George Romero introduced the movie and after watching it, special effects master, Tom Savini demonstrated an explosive FX. Marc and I never forgot that night. My brother is no longer around so that will always be a special memory. This book is a reminder.
It was awesome to read the story that is so familiar to me. Descriptions of the scenes and the horrifying situation elucidated with salient, gory detail. I am most assuredly a fan especially of the zombie apocalypse sub-genre. Blood, gore, grotesqueries, yum. I wholeheartedly recommend the e-book and if you can get it on audible, even better....more
Title: The Outsider Author: Stephen King Genre: Mystery, Horror Publication Year: 2018
Review: Ever since I was young (as in 5 or 6), there have been storTitle: The Outsider Author: Stephen King Genre: Mystery, Horror Publication Year: 2018
Review: Ever since I was young (as in 5 or 6), there have been stories about el Cuco, pretty much the Boogeyman for Latinos. Seeing the grisliness of the initial murder had my mind going in one direction, when I should have realized that the story would undergo a metamorphosis from police procedural mystery into a supernatural one. I really thought King was trying something completely new and I should have known better.
The horrific murder of a kid points to an English teacher / coach and although he has an alibi, he is dragged into court. At the courthouse, the teacher is killed in a public shooting by the victim's older brother. Private Investigator Holly Gibney is hired by the teacher's lawyer to clear his name. A group of "monster hunters" is formed as a consequence of understanding that there is a supernatural quality to the murder and other murders of a similar bend.
I loved seeing Holly Gibney continue from the previous books, where she was a supporting character. She still didn't behave as the main character, but it is awesome to see her transition into a more in front protagonist. She even has her own unique weapon. There is an attractiveness to Holly that is extremely engaging.
The novel is not a perfect book, but it really demonstrates what a great narrative can do to take you from a believable somewhat mundane serial killer story into an exercise in finding "El Cuco," recognizing him for what he is, and believing that this character is the embodiment (figurative and/or literal) of our nightmares made real. I loved it, and give me more Holly....more
Title: Swan Song Author: Robert McCammon Genre: Horror, Post-Apocalyptic Publishing Year: 1987
Review: The novel / tome begins with a world hopelessly on Title: Swan Song Author: Robert McCammon Genre: Horror, Post-Apocalyptic Publishing Year: 1987
Review: The novel / tome begins with a world hopelessly on the precipice of nuclear war that topples into that abyss with all it's ensuing chaos and predictable aftermath. There are individuals that were protected from the bombs, whether they were underground or in shelters. These survivors are the ensemble of players in the continuing struggle.
Foremost among the survivors is Swan, a young girl with big powers that quite possibly could heal the wounded land. As always in an apocalyptic narrative, there are those who would protect Swan for her value to the world, those that would seek to profit from Swan's prodigious talents, and those that would want her dead, just because.
There are depressing moments in Swan Song, but triumphant ones as well. This book might actually be better than Stephen King's The Stand, for its overall messages about war....more
Title: Dark Season: First Series Author: Amy Cross Genre: Horror Publication Year: 2012
Review: As one of the first pieces I ever put on my Kindle, and onTitle: Dark Season: First Series Author: Amy Cross Genre: Horror Publication Year: 2012
Review: As one of the first pieces I ever put on my Kindle, and one of Cross's first series, I did not know what to expect. I had never read Cross before (nobody had.) Ever since that year, I have treated Cross as a favored author. She likes to take established horror tropes and turn them on their ear. I will not spoil anything, so I will become silent on that topic.
At root, there is a dark romantic story involving: vampires, humans, werewolves, prophetic figures, and a psychotic doctor. The narrative may be a little too overt in the romance department for me, but it also provides true horror, blood, and gore sufficient to keep the tale interesting.
When Sophie Hart meets him who will eventually become her lover, she's surprised and distracted by the mere supposition that this vampire might be interested in something romantic with her. Yet, the reality of the situation is that there is a prophesy that proclaims that the union is destined to fail due to it's illicit, complex behavior.
The anthology is well-crafted. For something horror-related, it explains the intricacies of drawing attention to one's-self. There are some minor flaws in the manuscript related to some poor editorial choices, but none of them would I characterize as overly intrusive. Great monster romance to enjoy.
“The only people who believe in vampires these days are lonely hormonal teenage girls and pretentious, mascara-wearing guys.” ― Amy Cross, Dark Season: The Complete First Series...more
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