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THE DECEASED by Tom Piccirilli I am a fan of Piccirilli. I have yet to be disappointed. In THE DECEASED he tells a convoluted story in which the reader is pulled in at the same time as the characters themselves. The plot focuses on the family Maelstrom, a metaphor to be sure. Overall the book works well. The language is poetic, the themes interesting, the horror stimulating. I encourage anyone who likes to think while they read to give THE DECEASED a shot. |
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NECROPOLIS by Tim Waggoner In the same league with Edward Lee's CITY INFERNAL, Waggoner's NECROPOLIS takes place in a hellish otherworld. A place divided into five lands controlled by five barons of absolute rule. When you're in their part of the pentagram, you abide by their laws. Vampires, lycanthropes, zombies, yeah it's all here, including the Sweet Meat, a creature of . . . well, unforgettable edibility. If you're looking for fun, escapist fiction then Waggoner will not disappoint. But if you're looking for a novel that will engage your mind look elsewhere. |
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NEVERLAND by Douglas Clegg We've all read, no doubt, a novel of childhood written for adults -- Stephen King's IT (The Body - though not a novel), Dan Simmons' SUMMER OF NIGHT, and Robert McCammon's BOY'S LIFE come to mind. To that list add Douglas Clegg's NEVERLAND. Bravely told from the first person, this novel of family, commitment, and love is vivid and deep. But what brings the family and its secrets foreword with such clarity and detail is Clegg's exceptional skill as a writer. By itself, the story is engaging and entertaing, so much so, that it could have been told by a writer with lesser ability and still been a good read. But in Clegg's hand the narrative of a boy and his cousin colliding in both the everyday world and in that of Neverland is brilliant. A book for writers as much as a book for readers. Incredible! |
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NIGHT OF THE BEAST by Harry Shannon I do not care for psychics nor ancient evils in fiction -- or iconic evils of any kind, for that matter. The presence of either always seems to be a cover for an actual weakness in the author's ability to conjure a strong protagonist or a truly evil entity. In this well written novel, Harry Shannon uses both; but damned if he doesn't twist these conventions to good purpose. Using a style of storytelling that harkens back to the '80s, Shannon gives us psychics, zombies, vampires, and, yup, ancient evil in NIGHT OF THE BEAST. But they are not used as crutches for the hero and his antogonist. You won't find phony explanations nor cop-out resolutions either. There is no experiments gone awry, no military conspiracies, not even a sexy vampire mothering her brood. Oh sure, the ancient evil is there. But it isn't the story's antagonist. Hah, now you gotta go read it! |
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BONELAND by Jeffrey Thomas Within the first few pages of reading BONELAND it becomes evident that Jeffrey Thomas can write: Consistent, precise, and streamlined -- his word choice, sentence structure also suit his imagery and themes. At first, BONELAND seems to mock the reader's intelligence -- camera bugs, house bugs, etc. Is this science fiction, future history, horror . . . or something more? Soon enough the allegory reveals itself. BONELAND is here and now! This isn't simply fiction to entertain; it's judgement day and we're all guilty. BONELAND is the quick fix that condems the need for a quick fix. As violence, sex, and the death of compassion proliferate, the flesh of our humanity melts away. We need more books like BONELAND -- literate, visceral, poignant -- to demonstrate the price of emotional desnsitization. |
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BRIMSTONE by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child As always, Preston and Child deliver a large novel of suspense and well-described locations. Unfortunately, BRIMSTONE lacks surprise and reward. Pendergast and D'Agosta are together again, but where the contrast between brilliant, immaculate FBI agent and average, gruff, NYPD cop is usually the attraction, in this novel it's more of a distraction. Too often Pendergast's slight-of-hand saves the day -- way too friggin' often. And D'Agosta just stands there slack-jawed. The authors go so far as to having D'Agosta rely on Pendergat's abilities before they even enter into a dangerous situation. Bah, unless you are really desperate or simply want a diversion (say, a scenic trip to Italy), skip this one. |
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A CHOIR OF ILL CHILDREN by Tom Piccirilli Hear them speak. You won't forget them. They'll be in your head as surely as they're in their sibling's. Piccirilli's style is taught, lucid, varied prose that will have you accepting damn near anything he wants you to. A deep-south, rich, intellectual, business-oriented protagonist that conveniently seems to leave the impression of being a half-wit. Why not? But this man isn't just what he appears to be, which is deceptive, because he actually is what he appears to be. What? Exactly! Fortunately, the pay-off for such deph is equal to its challenge. The protagonist travels a long mental distance to discover, through gradual revelation, what haunts him and his family, a certain ghost of failure. A CHOIR OF ILL CHILDREN is odd, eccentric, but wonderful, exquisite in its mystery and dark humor. |
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THE RISING by Brian Keene With the exception of a few philosophical conversations between an atheist and a priest, this is a novel of pure action. Certainly, there are several other moments that touch on such topics as loyalty and love, etc., but overal this novel is a full on rush from one desperate moment to the next. Is this necessarily bad? Hell, no. We need to be entertained as well as engaged in deep thought. If I had to nit-pick, I'd have to address two topics. First, the reasoning behind the "rising": A government science project gone wrong, whereupon a hole is opened into the "void" releasing an ancient evil. Hmm. And, second, the underdeveloped character of an antogonist: an unreasoning, maniacal, military figure which holds sway over his unquestioning men. I guess it could happen. But, if these two things don't bother you then go for it. THE RISING is full of heart and is highly entertaining. |