Horror Books

Ten years ago Erin rescued Mickey a dwarf from four punks. They moved in together. Five years later, Mickey met a weeping dwarf Isolde and invited her to move in as their cook. A third dwarf Beau joined the family later on. Then there are the midget twins, Patrick and Sarah, Erin's older siblings to round out the family living in a former circus wagon turned into a cottage in Hester, New York. Erin is the income maker bringing in cash through phone sex with her clients.

Erin finds the circus canvasses that adorn the walls of the cottage quite magical especially when she dreams of escaping the bondage of her now bed ridden body. When she sleeps, Erin's spirit joins the canvas animals roaming Hester as predators in search of human prey. Erin has no problem with the hunt. When she was fifteen, she overpowered and drowned her parents with no remorse as her father sexually abused her. Now apparent innocents are dying leaving behind mutilated bodies. Witnesses insist nothing was there hat could have caused the mangling of a person in front of them.

PHANTOM FEAST is a supernatural thriller that starts slowly allowing the audience to distinguish the varying individual personalities of the family members especially the individual psychological longings (though the twins are not quite as delineated). Once the background and individualism is established, the compelling plot turns into paranormal mode at very rapid speed especially when the spirits of the canvassed animals and Erin begin their nocturnal killing spree. Diana Barron provides horror fans with an exciting psychological and supernatural thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Sometimes we make mistakes in life and we make it a point not to repeat them. My mistake was reading this book in bed just before I put out the lights. I won't do that again with Phantom Feast or any other book this great author writes. I felt empathy for the main character. I felt her fear and I felt the fear of the town. When a character tries to get away from horror only to find herself in a worse horror, I have to keep reading. When the one villain of the story is so vividly described, I realize I can't put the book down. Keep it going Diana Barron. Go ahead. Keep me up at night. I dare you.

Erin was once trapped in an abusive childhood; now she is trapped in a body that holds her prisoner. Even though she has devoted friends, who are like an extended family, to care for her, she longs for freedom. And just as she found a way to free herself from the horrors of childhood, she finds a way to be free once more, but the price may be the destruction of the entire town.

When invisible monsters stalk the streets of the little town of Hester, New York, and the fimiliar landscape is transformed into an exotic terrain ruled by hordes of wild beasts, the handful of survivors must find a way to combat the terror before all is lost.

Diana Barron has written a spell-binding first novel. She uses well-turned dialogue, diverse and credible characters and exciting narriation to bring her story to life, and the suspense and relentless action keep the reader turning pages.

I felt compassion for the victims, yet aside from the one true villain in the story, I understood and was touched by the plight of the antagonists as well -- victims themselves in a different way. Only a talented writer can create reader empathy for her characters, and Ms. Barron has talent to spare.

A well-done story with a satisfying ending.

Highly recommended.

I was pleased to meet Diana Barron at one of her book signings in October, but I had no idea what was in store for me when I bought Phantom Feast. Fortunately it was a Friday when I began reading, otherwise I would have been forced to cart the book around with me to my university classes and to work, because I honestly could NOT put Phantom Feast down. I paused from reading only once to call my mother and rave about this fabulously weird and wild story. What a gift for narration, what an imagination! I am absolutely crazy about the animals and the imagery within their tale. There is a sadness and a beauty that immediately connected my heart to them. Diana Barron has an immense talent for description, and the characters involved - let me warn you, they are not characters, but real people that jump right up at you off the pages. Even now they are romping around in my head along with all the wild beasts - read the book and you'll know what I am talking about. As I was walking through the story like an old friend of each victim, I mean villager of Hester, the hairs on the back of my own neck were standing completely upright. 'Yikes!' was the first word that came to mind, followed by 'hungry' - for more, more, more! My sincere compliments to the author for serving up a shockingly savory Phantom Feast. Can't wait for the next one.

I don't read a lot of horror novels, but when I read the horrifying first sentence of Phantom Feast I knew I was going to read it... but that first sentence scared me so much that I had to wait for a bright, sunny day! It was worth the wait - Diana's characters are both weird and wonderful, the imagery is detailed and vivid, and the plot takes twists and turns that constantly left me wondering what was going to happen next. It's one of those wonderful, rare books that make you forget where you are and fall into the world created by the author, only coming back to reality when the last page is turned. I can highly recommend this book to both horror junkies and neophytes who would just enjoy a darn good read alike, and I can look forward to reading Diana's next novel. I think I'm a horror junkie now :)

Take one rape and murder case, add a misunderstood child, and mix it all with some good old Southern hospitality, and you get a ghost tale that will make your skin crawl. Phantom Nights is an absorbing tale of murder, lust, racism, greed, and guilt. If you liked To Kill a Mockingbird or the film, In the Heat of the Night, you will find much to appreciate here.

Priest Howard, a wealthy Southern gent, has just died. Moments before his last breath, he accused his son, Leland, of being a thief in front of his black nurse, Mally Shaw. Leland is sure that Mally has evidence that will sink him in the upcoming elections. In the hopes of retrieving the evidence, Leland pays Mally a "friendly" visit, which ends badly for Mally. Leland covers up the evidence and believes the incident is over. There are only two problems. One, there was a witness. And two, Mally's ghost can't seem to rest until Leland's sins are brought to light and punished.

The characters are clearly drawn. The prose is written in a lyrical style that is poetic. This has real Southern flava. Has there ever been a more despicable character than the Bobby Gambier's mother-in-law? Leland Howard is the perfect bad guy, who starts out the book a suave, confident politician and gradually shrinks to a pathetic shrimp with an oral fixation. Readers who enjoy murder mysteries, ghost stories, or Southern fiction will love this so it has wide appeal. Read it in the summertime with a nice, tall glass of lemonade.

OK this is the 3rd book I've read by John Farris and I have enjoyed them all. This one is deeply satisfying. It's just a perfect supernatural thriller. Great plotting and characters.

You cannot do justice to this book by revealing the plot. What John Farris has created here is something very complex, deep, emotional, scary and timeless. John Farris never ceases to amaze me -- I wait for each of his new books with great anticipation and he never disappoints his readers. By the way, his publisher should really release the latest of the Fury book series: Avenging Fury. Why is it not on the shelves?? It is very sad that Farris is not more widely recognized and publicized. He has a unique voice and his previous books should constantly be in print and re-discovered. His publisher should really pay more attention to their greatest writer and make all of his novels available again -- mine are starting to fall apart!

The number one question I ask myself when I started this book is why haven't I heard of John Farris before now? My local bookseller at the time recommended the book after Mr. Farris had a booksigning at the store last year. I bought the book but it's sat on my TBR stack all this time. After reading this book, I have to admit that Farris is definitely a diamond buried beneath a ton of black coals of other less talented bestselling writers. This was the first time in a long while where I took the day off and read a book cover to cover. No skimming. Every word...every turn of phrase is literally an artistic masterpiece. I tried to research the author on the web, but he seems to be as much a phantom as the Dixie Traveler. Majority of the characters are multilayered and you do come to care for a great deal of them-none more so than Alex. Highly, highly recommended.

John Farris pulls out a classic....
I've read many of John Farris's novels and stories over the years but I was not prepared for how this left me, days after in fact. Stories rarely come this well written anymore. The bestsellers you see in the stores rarely come close to this
storytelling greatness yet John Farris remains obscure? I just love to sink into a period story(this one from the 50's)with such detail and with a touch beyond the grave. Excellent story. Reminds me how I felt when I read the great Joe R. Lansdale's classic tales 'THE BOTTOMS' and 'A FINE DARK LINE' which both have similar themes and terrific storytelling magic. This is sure to be one of the best of the 2005.

This is a good book for all ages. It's scarey and funny for kids.

This book is hilarious. The author does a great job in making this book funny for kids. You might think that it's going to be scary but t's cute. I read this book to my little brother and he loved it! My new favorite author is Barbara Park.

This story is about a boy.The bogeyman was under the boy bed whild he was reading a animal book . the bogeyman came , and The boy was scare.the bogeyman start to talk to the boy about something . The bogeyman tell story to the boy, and tell bogeyman told the boy to not leave his sock siting there because he going to chock . So the bogeyman went to the sister room.

I am finally purchasing a copy of this book after my son brought it home from his school library for the fifth time in a row. He's 3 1/2 and I thought it might scare him but I think it actually comforts him. It makes the bogeyman seem funny and harmless and gives kids a magical defense strategy (dirty socks). My son particularly appreciates that the bogeyman runs away to the sister's room at the end.

We have gotten this book at lesst 10 times over the past year at
our local library. I finally decided we had to own it.
The story is hysterical and really eases "boogeyman" type fears in
young children. We love to read it with our own "boogeyman" voice
(A heavy new york accent!). This is a stroy both parents
and kids will love. Barbara Park is the author and she is
also the author of the similarly hysterical Junie B. Jones series.
Highly recommended!

Not only is this book amazing and provoactive with regards to both historical literature as well as just plain exciting narratives, but George O'Har himself is a great man. I met him in England on an Oxford field trip and I can tell you the man himself is as ecelectic, exciting, alive, and awe inpsiring as is his literature. For this reason not only should you DEFINITELY read psychic fair but, in fact, any book George writes in the future.

Lucid, captivating and richly entertaining - George O'Har's razor-sharp wit, artful use of characterization and passion for historical context makes Psychic Fair a genuine page turner for thriller aficionados and mystery buffs alike. O'Har blends history, humor, adolescent kinship and the supernatural into a lively and sometimes chilling hands-down great read. I can't wait to see what O'Har has in store for us next.

I can imagine that this book would appeal to a wide spectrum of readers: horror fans; fans of revenge thrillers; readers fascinated by the occult; lovers of historical fiction; even sophisticated young adults. I read it simply because it was an excellent psychological thriller punctuated by O'Har's perennially crisp style and excellent knack for characterization--young Adrian Sparke as a character is as strong as the plot.

Devoured it; loved it. O'Har's story spans decades - indeed, centuries - and he has managed to create vivid, dialogue-driven characters in all time periods. This, I don't have to tell the avid reader, is no small feat. His narrative creates both fear and contemplation; in fact, just for kicks, he invented his own language (which made me think of Russell Hoban). At different times while reading, I was also reminded of Salinger, Fitzgerald, Harper Lee, and... surprisingly... Henry Adams. In all respects, the novel is a triumph, and potential consumers - and critics - are doing themselves a tremendous disservice if they don't carve out some time for themselves, pick up Psychic Fair, and give it a well-deserved read.

hey,
just wanted to let you all know that the author is my professor- and he's a really great guy. i'm waiting for my copy of the book, but i am SURE the book is GREAT too!

The pleasurable "Q Road" provides the reader with a genuine experience of rural Michigan coupled with characters who have grown from this place, whose lives are a reflection of their landscape.

The story, centered on an irascible, oft-cussing brute of a girl (Rachel) and her relationship with an ageing farmer (George), allows the reader to become engrossed in a landscape rife with contrast. The primary arc of the novel encompasses a few years from the late 1990's. Aside from the quirky and delightful love story between Rachel and George, as well as a few other minor arcs concerning the loveably flawed residents of Greenland Township in Kalamazoo County, the novel is a study on the friction between people with fundamentally different views on how their landscape should be shaped.

Rachel, along with her mother Margo, live off the land, hunting and skinning their meals with ease, as one with the natural environment as possible. George is caught in between. As a farmer he maintains an intimate relationship with the land while at the same time experiencing the near futility of his occupation with the constant pressures of money and labor. Then, with an assortment of characters, the rural/urban divide is examined through the clashes between wealthy developers, a middle class fleeing the city, and those who (like the Potawatomi in another arc of flashback skillfully threaded through the narrative) are forced to respond to the invasion.
A terrific, fast read. Highly recomended for anyone who loves the beautifully rugged ladscape of the nothern Mid-West.

This first novel begins with the image of wooly-bear caterpillars crossing a rural road. If this doesn't seem auspicious, read on. I found Q Road to be a generous surprise and I don't say this easily. The depiction of the extinquishing of a goldfinch's life is beautiful and perfect and right,though I fought it all the way. The depictions of the people and their sudden realizations are equally stunning. What it is to believe in God, what it is to love another person, to gasp even for air: all these are given to us by this young author. This is a monster, a wondrous, beautiful book.

Campbell's book revolves around a quirky cast of characters in rural Michigan: foul-mouthed, child-bride Rachel, her husband George, and her best friend, asthmatic, 12-year-old David, to name a few. The story itself is not particularly remarkable, but Campbell's writing makes you want to not miss a moment.

Rifle-toting Rachel, abandoned by her distant, fur-trapping mother, marries the much older George Harland, a down-on-his-luck farmer, because she wants his land. She grows to love him in her own weird, tacit way. She also loves David, who becomes even more devoted to the mysterious Rachel after his near-death experience in a burning barn. There are some more neighborhood characters thrown into the mix, but you get to know these three the best. There wasn't so much in the way of a plot, it was really just a simple story, beautifully written, about loving the place you live and the people who live there, about getting lost, even in familiar territory, and finding your way back with the help of family and friends.

Q Road is not for the faint of heart. Author Bonnie Jo Campbell takes you down a Michigan side-road to a rough-hewn world of brutally flawed characters. No sparkling wits, no dreamy introverts here; rather these misshapen and misfortuned people struggle through each and every day. Cantankerous and eccentric, they are driven to alienate kin and neighbors alike. Victims of violent acts of their past, broken marriages, rural recession and self-abuse, they gain pleasure from the misery of others.

Around them caterpillars are splattered under the wheels of cars, crows munch the remains of road-kill squirrels and cats devour birds, all in a landscape haunted by the death-march of the indigenous Potawatomi Indians. Out of this harsh reality, Campbell builds a story of grittiness, purpose and great humor that is suddenly jarred by a tragedy. An act of carelessness not malice, it threatens to overwhelm the community and break their spirit.

In Campbell's competent hands, there is no hysterical reaction and no desperation, just people digging deeper and accepting less. Q Road becomes a road to recovery. No giant steps, no minor miracles, just a poignant reminder that the human spirit needs just small kindnesses to prevail.

Bonnie Jo Campbell has, rightly, been described as a fresh new voice in American literature. This, her first novel, should be the launching point for a distinguished career.

As carefully stitched together as a patchwork quilt, with colorful squares made of quirky characters, the inhabitants of Greenland Township, Michigan, are bound by the commonality of their daily labor and innate love of their farmland. This is the heartland of America, land that has sustained generation after generation. But as much as a failing farm economy, suburbia encroaches upon this pastoral existence, and city people are willing to tolerate only so much discomfort in their newly constructed rural environment. Once sprawled across the countryside, secure from city confines, the old families are slowly replaced by pre-fab housing developments.

Q Road's three main protagonists are strikingly different people, each with particular idiosyncrasies, forming their own core family: father, child-bride, and son, love filling the solitary loneliness so long entrenched in their hearts. The spirited 17-year-old Rachel, a new bride who has married for the security of owning land, smashes through life with no guidance or socialization, save that of her own invention. George Harland, her middle-age-plus husband, is a sixth-generation farmer who knows only that his days are suddenly more bearable with Rachel sharing their backbreaking work and love-drenched nights. George cannot imagine life without Rachel.

When twelve-year-old David is drawn to the Harlands, it is for George's fatherly protection and Rachel's pure female strength, his own mother ever more distant and self-involved. On a clear day when trouble hovers in the air, David is the catalyst for catastrophe, his one breach of judgment forever changing the landscape of their future. For the three of them, life will never be the same again.

The Darwinian inevitability of nature vs. progress lurks around the perimeter of Greenland Township and Campbell skillfully portrays the hardships and realities of farming, as even the vigorous landscape becomes a vital player in the drama. Campbell's reality is hard-edged and she never shies away from its blunt and often brutal surfaces. Yet the eccentric characters of Q Road fit snugly into the environment, their own edges sharpened early by experience.

Q Road is like an Alice Hoffman novel with sharp teeth and a rapacious appetite. At the same time, the peculiar township inhabitants have many of the intransigent qualities of Carolyn Chute's Beans of Egypt, Maine. Sprinkled with quirky individuals, neighborhood malcontents and busybodies, Q Road is overflowing with the many faces of humanity, as they reach bravely toward their better selves. Luan Gaines/2003.

I loved this book so much I went and found out this author has 2 pen-names he uses for other genres. The story is untypical for a vamp novel in that the main character begins with no memory and has to discover he has become a vampire. The end of the book is good, but it left me waiting for another book that has yet to make an appearance. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a great read, all vamp lovers, and mystery buffs! Grab a copy while you can because most people that read this one continue to hang onto it.

This really is one of my favorite books of all time. I highly recomend it...It's just Great from front to back!!!!

Then this is the book for you. This book will keep you totally captivated. Before you are done with the first page you will be in complete suspense. I was not at all a fan of vampires, but I could not stop reading. This was a great book and I have recommended it to many.

Why S.A. Swiniarski isn't more well-known or more prolific I'll never understand, but after reading "Raven" I've come to realize that he is truly a great talent. Literature these days is oversaturated with vampire books, many of which simply cheap knockoffs of past ideas and concepts given little to make it different or original. With "Raven," Swiniarski has created a new type of vampire story, giving us some familiar concepts, but infusing them with some new blood (so to speak) and creating an atmosphere that is as cold as the winter in which this story takes place.

The story is about a former policeman turned P.I. who finds missing children, named Kane Tyler. He's somehow lost his memory and slowly learns that his wife was murdered and he was hired by a crime boss to locate his missing daughter. He also finds out gradually that he's suffered something more than memory loss...he's become a vampire. He discovers that those responsible for his transformation are also the ones behind the kidnapping and his wife's murder...or are they? Between trying to protect his own daughter, trying to finish his job, and trying to pick up the shattered pieces of his own life, Kane Tyler's case becomes more than a simple kidnapping.

Swiniarski's sense of detail is very vivid. Very drawn out, but without rambling on about trivialities or boring the reader to death with insignificant factoids. He gets right to the point and gives us exactly what we need to know. There is a good combination of comedy, drama, and action, and his writing style is impressive in that it allows you to form a picture of what is happening. As I read the book, I could actually SEE the images in my head. I could see Kane Tyler, I could see what he was doing, I could see the action taking place. Books are supposed to do that, but rarely can one form so clear a picture in the mind, and this book does that. It's that well-written. Good story, good characters, good dialogue...it's good. It's very good. "Raven" is an excellent book that makes for an exciting read for anybody into a good mystery, good horror, or good action. It's one of the best vampire books I've ever read, and it's one that I keep coming back to. If you can find a copy...give it a read. You won't be disappointed.

I picked this book up because I liked the cover. The premise sounded good, so I bought it. I'll just about take any paperback home if it meets these two standards. I found a lot of really good and fun books like that. "Raven" is one of the best I've done this with. I didn't know where Mr. Swiniarski came from but I hope he will always grace us with a vampire story every once in awhile. This is a great book! I don't usually read vampire books and when I do they have to be special. Not your run of the mill, evil master, innocent people chased and the hero kills the vampire for the ending. This story has those elements, but the author has added many more levels to his story. Mr. Swiniarski does a fantastic job of developing characters and plot in "Raven". I read this book in January 1997 and it has stayed with me since. (I've also been hoping for another one with this hero, Kane Tyler.) If you are ever lucky enough to find a copy of "Raven" get it. Even if your are not a total vampire or horror fan. This is a great read. I did find out recently that Mr. Swiniarski has two other pen names, S. Andrew Swann, which he uses to write science fiction. Another pen name is Steven Krane, in which he has written "Teek".

I spent much of my childhood in the wilderness learning the joy of nature from a woman much the same as Hattie. It was a treasured weekend spent reliving my own memories within this wonderfully descriptive tale. My "action/suspense" reading husband couldn't put it down. We eagerly await Gladys Smith's next adventure.

The book is reasonably good. but a bit decptive in the title. Only about 1/3 of the book is actualy about rafting on the river. The river is known as the Salmon, nicknamed the river of no return because of the rapids and waterfalls that make it a one-way river.

I could not put this book down. It caught my sense of adventure and swept me through the pages before I knew what hit me. I think this would make a great movie. I hope someone has already bought this to make the film. I would love to read more of this author's work.

Gladys Smith paints vividly with words. The reader experiences the drama and surroundings in a way that makes the story live. My husband and I read THE RIVER OF OUR RETURN, then passed it on to others who have been as enthusiastic about it as we are. Well worth reading. We look for more from this author.

Gladys Smith's lyrical and sensual prose seduces the reader into a journey of adventure and of reclaiming the Feminine through water and wilderness, through nurturing and courage, through love and connectedness. Hattie pulls herself away from the grave of her husband, from her own doubts and fears, and confronted by the needs of a child, opens her heart to new loves and her life to the often not so tender mercies of the river and the wilderness. The returns the river brings are of silence and action, of passion and compromise, each character pulled into the whirlpool of her or his own depth and into deep connection with each other and the world around them. On the surface this is a delightful adventure, below that a love story of heart and forgiveness, and below that the story of reconnection with the pulse of life that flows in all that is. The reclaimed Feminine within nature, woman, man, and boy offers healing and the return to life fully lived. Smith's prose- simple, clear and elegant-forms a sound craft by which the reader, spellbound, navigates the return, secure within a seamless "fictive dream" that rushes, like the river, too fast to story's end.

This volume contains genuinely creepy tales from various parts of the world. The writing is atmospheric and Katherine Coville's illustrations are well-crafted. This would be an ideal choice for anyone looking for a spooky book to read to classes at Halloween, around the camp-fire, or just for their own entertainment. And really, who could resist a book with memorable monsters like the Tailypo, the Cegua, the Golem, and the Loup-Garou?

This book is a well put together collection of folktales and true ghost stories from all over the world . i enjoyed it very much.
There is a nice diverse mix of stories, but no matter where they are from, all are relatable because fear is a universal human emotion.
Beautifully done illustrations set the mood of the book off perfectly.

Short and Shivery

Do you like reading ghost stories that leave you afraid to turn out the lights at night? Short and Shivery by Robert D. San Sousi has many haunted stories that are really creepy.
In the story of "The Haunted Inn" a guy named Wei along with a couple of his friends were driving around. All of a sudden a storm appeared. Because of the violent storm they had to stop and stay at an inn. They were greeted warmly by the innkeeper and his wife. I felt one of the best parts in "The Haunted Inn" was when the group went up in front of Wei's friend's face. The reason I mentioned both both of these incidents in the stories is because they were the creepiest.
In another story, "The Duppy"the protagonist, a boy named Jubal Lescot had an aunt that died when he was six. He told us she had been mean and evil. He overheard his neighbor talking about a duppy, or a ghost. A few weeks later he went to the graveyard to spy on the duppy, but instead, the duppy spotted him! One of the best parts in "The Duppy" was when Jubal came running from the duppy and ran into his father. His father said, "In the morning we will put the duppy to rest." They were going to kill!
If you didn't enjoy the last book you read, you shouldn't wait to read this. This book has many different stories, and each will excite you. Go and buy it now! These stories will creep you out.

My sons, ages 8 and 5, absolutely LOVE these stories! They are just scary enough without going overboard, and have great plots that keep their attention the whole time. We will definitely be buying more in this series.

This book was great because it had so many scary folk tales and tall tales. I liked that it had short stories. I liked this book more because of all the scary stories that they have in this book. The one I like the most was "The Water Fall of the Living Ghost".

I liked this book alot. I am very into the whole series. It resolved alot of the fighting between the covens but the introductin of alex and his explanation of himself at the end left alot to be wanting. I really really hope that there is a second book and that it awnsers all the questions the end.

Nancy Holder is a fantastic Author and she is at her best with these books.
I had all four Books finished within a few days because I couldn't stop reading them... I just hope that there's a fifth book because the fourth ends in a cliffhanger that leaves you desperately wanting more.
Magic isn't the only thing that makes these books so interesting and wonderful, and believe me Nancy does a wonderful job with that alone, but the way she describes the characters and their emotions and the events going on around them... It almost makes you feel as if you're there and it makes these books addicting. She has such a way with words.
I like how the books go between the past and the present... It gives as glimpses of past events that relate to what is going on the the present.. Or that would explain what is going on in the present... And she does a wonderful job of doing so.
I love the incantations said by both the "Cahors" and the "Deveraux" at the beginning of each chapter.
I really can't say enough good things about these books, I love them and I recommend them to anyone who likes this sort of thing. They really are wonderful.

I agree with all the reviews for this book. It was an excellent book. I was upset that there were a lot of questions for me as a reader as to what is going to happen. I emailed Nancy and she informed me that there were more books planned in the series, but there was a slight problem with the publishing company. I still keep my fingers crossed that she will write more in the series.

all the mystery and drama comes to a head in this book. the tri-coven struggles to move on without holly, who is enthralled to michael. he has devious plans of his own which if he succeeds will put him as the head of the supreme convent and have holly dead(old news there he has been trying to do that since book 1). this book is full of betrayal,love, lust and all the good things that we have come to love from this series. i think legacy was a little better, but i hope nancy holder plans a lot more of these books because they are too good to put down.

The fourth in the Wicked series, Spellbound finally brings down the dreaded war onto the heads of all of the young people involved. Michael Devereaux has openly attacked the Tricoven, killing several of their numbers even as he takes out hundreds of innocent lives. The Supreme Coven attacks Michael, and even his sons have turned against him. But there is still much dissension between the ranks of the Tricoven, even though they realize failing to work together could destroy the world. Holly is a mess, held captive by Michael and unaware of herself or her surroundings. The Tricoven must keep their remaining numbers alive, attempt to rescue Holly, convince the Mother Coven to help them out, and destroy Michael Devereaux.
This book has even more emotion, turmoil, and magick. Holly's uncle finally puts in a true appearance in this book, and Nicole grows to even more importance. But I'll warn you, it's a cliffhanger; not much is resolved by the end of the book so--we'd better hope there's a fifth!

This was a great book with well conceived stories and top rate characterization and writing - best Mythos work I've read so far.

HOWEVER. I'm one of those who read all the info on the front and back covers of the book before I start on the innards, and I was not happy to find that the editors had felt it necessary to print the full culmination of the final story on the back cover. This was a spoiler of epic proportions.

Buy the book, but do NOT read the cover text... What the HELL were they thinking? *sharon*

No-one is harder on Lovecraft homages than I am. I despise the imitators, the writers who make nary an effort to honor HPL. I was dubious when I first received this book with somewhat hokey cover art. I groaned inwardly when I noticed it was not so much an anthology but a series of stories centered around a few main characters.

But...

...it works. It works wonderfully. Think of it as part Tom Clancy, part Dan Brown, part john Shirley and even part of the master himself. While working within the Cthulu mythos the authors deftly sidestep the cliches and pitfalls so many other authors have fallen into.

Well worth the price. Get it and enjoy it.

The Spiraling Worm chronicles two men's attempt to make the world free from evil. Dixon and Peel are on a mission to stop the men who are trying to bring back the creations of the Elder Gods, and through their adventure they will find that there is much more at stake then a strange artifact.

The Spiraling Worm is a well-done story written by two of today's finest small press authors. John Sunseri has had over 50 stories published since 2000 and David Conyers' stories have been nominated for several awards. These two authors work together to create a believable and easy-to-understand glimpse at H.P Lovecraft's grand Cthulhu mythos.

If you're interested in Lovecraft, the mythos, or any of the two authors' work, The Spiraling Worm is a book you will want on your bookshelf. If this review could be longer, it would, but doing that would reveal plots of the short-story chapters.

As a new reader to this genre and of these authors, I was genuinely suprised. I purchased the novel on the strong recommendation of a close friend, and was not disappointed. The Spiraling Worm is the most thrilling, exciting, and well written book I have read in a long time. I shall eagerly await a sequel.

Exotic locales, extra-dimensional monsters, black-ops--The Spiraling Worm is a terrifying action-packed collection from two terrific authors. In each tale, a new monster is introduced, and the heroes--Major Harrison Peel of Australia and NSA man Jack Dixon--must find a way to maintain order in an increasingly chaotic universe.

The episodic nature of the stories is reminiscent of TV shows such as X-Files, but sometimes the installments fail to resolve the way an episode should. David Conyers' story "Impossible Object," for example: one of the most interesting stories in the book--yet also the most unsatisfactory. In this one, scientists are studying a mysterious relic that appears differently to each viewer: what is a door to one is a jar to another. Most of the researchers disappear while examining the object, and no one can figure out its purpose. The idea is intriguing but the cliffhanger ending doesn't resolve the mystery and the impossible object garners only a brief mention later in the collection; it could have been used to greater effect.

Despite this falter, most of the stand-alone stories produce an awesome impact: John Sunseri's "To What Green Altar" effectively mixes terrorists, Roman Catholics, and the fire deity Cthugha, while Conyers' "False Containment" spawns a hideous monster that absorbs and infuses with humans, animals, and plant matter, growing as it goes. Nevertheless, the most memorable stories are heavily interlinked. "Resurgence" by Sunseri and "Weapon Grade" by Conyers both feature shoggathai, giant protoplasmic slaves of the Old Ones. In "Resurgence," these beasts rise from their prisons in Antarctica to devour plant, animal, and human life, and in "Weapon Grade," the fates of the shoggathai are revealed--while one of the heroes suffers the consequences of saving his homeland.

Filled with fast, action-packed stories that read like episodes of a good TV show, The Spiraling Worm is an excellent installment in the Cthulhu mythos.