Horror Books

Very original! As an avid reader (as in, I'm NEVER without at least one book I'm reading), I settled down to read this, not expecting anything more complicated than a basic Faust-ian plot. I was happily surprised. This has a good bit of very original plot twists. Quite often, when I was guessing what was around the next corner, I was wrong. And that doesn't happen very often anymore. I recommend this and (even more), the second book in the series - Witness:The Black Volume.

Hello - I am Jackie Coupe the writer of the above novel.
It was initially released in July of last year as a white jacketed book - you can probably still see it listed here.
You can see some the reviews against that edition and they are very complimentary.
The five stars you see are based on those reviews.
It has been re-released with vigour by a new publisher and is here for the first time as an electronic download also.
I am however not going to promise you and easy ride, not with Black Volume on it's way so soon now.
If you are going to get caught in the Witness storm and ebooks are what you prefer get your hands on yours now.
I promise you a chilling time.
For further news and reviews you can access my profile that advises of my webpage, tell me what YOU think.
Your the ones buying the books!

Thank you
Jackie Coupe

i dont usually bother with this type of thing but i will tell you i realy enjoyed this book

but dont take my word for it...

I haven't read anything as different as this for a long time
I've enjoyed it's difference and originality
I would really recommend to Stephen King fans and followers of Shaun Hutson etc
I would say to you read this if you only read one book a year,
treat yourself!
But be warned, its a bit gory!!!
enjoy and well done...

This but has endless twists turns with a grafic nature in discribing the actions of the lead player,demons whispering in your ear, tugging at your very soul,the story aims around whats starts off as an average family,but one by one people start dissapearing ,and death knocks some on this poor guys door, you almost feel sorry for him,james the main player, a normal everyday person.

i enjoyed every min of this book because in a strange way you can relate to it

I keep a special spot on my bookcase reserved for my top ten favorite collections of short fiction. This book is on that shelf, along with volumes by Poe, Bashevis Singer, Ligotti, Robert Aickman, Borges, Bradbury, Le Fanu, Lovecraft, and Clark Ashton Smith. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Holy Moley! This is one of the strangest books I've ever read, and I loved every minute of it. Most of the books I read end up getting traded to used bookstores, but this is one that's definitely staying on my shelf. I'm sure I'll be reading it again and again for many years to come. Not only did it rock my world, it rocked my whole darn universe. I'll say it again: Uber Weird!

Robin Spriggs has presented us with a New Year's treat with his first compilation 'Wondrous Strange.' From the fantastic to the horrific to the humorous, these 'Tales of the Uncanny' kept me burning the night oil into the wee small hours. Mr. Spriggs leads us through a lush landscape of intertwining branches and gnarled roots which always prevent your seeing what's around the next bend. The new millenium welcomes such a pure voice in fantastic fiction. A true pleasure from a true original!

This collection of 25 short stores by author Robin Spriggs is aptly titled. Wondrous strange is both wondrous and strange. The stories are haunting and hypnotic. They are quiet horror; the type of stories that gnaw at you long after you've put the book away. They are stories you won't forget.

Robin Spriggs has already received several rec.'s for the Horror Writer's of America "Stoker" award (in the short fiction category as well as for this particular collection). At times he reminds you of the magic of early Ray Bradbury; at other moments he is as disturbing as this lyrical a prose writer could manage to be. If you love dark fiction, especially of the literate variety, you will not be sorry you bought this delightful book.

This novel is wonderful for teaching students to think about what could happen in a natural or man-made disaster. I think pairing this book with Alas, Babylon is a wonderful idea. I am also thinking of including in the unit Lord of the Flies. How do people handle natural disasters, man-made disasters, and war? Discussions will be great!

To start let me say that the author is one of my favorites and that is why I purchased this book. I am also a fan of this genre too. I found the book very entertaining and interesting. The thought of earthquakes so bad that the world reverts back to it infancy is terrifying and believable. In this case the people do horrible things to survive because they know no better way to survive in such a bleak world were there are no more supermarkets and drive thru windows. The only weak part, I thought, was the end. Christopher usually has some very good endings that make you really take a step back and look at yourself and the world a little differently. This ending was a little more "happy" but also abrupt and i felt i needed a little more explanation or closure. Something explain what eventually happens to the main character and his boy companion.

Overall it was a good read, but also check out the Sword of the Spirits Trilogy and the Tripods Trilogy by the same author. Very good books, geared for young readers, but good at any age. You'll be glad you did.

This is a page turner and a classic. Written in 1965 this book is timeless. Highly Recommend!

John Christopher writes exciting sci fi novels about catastrophic shifts in the world order. He has tackled everything from mass starvation (The Death Of Grass) to epic changes in the earth's weather (The Long Winter) to alien invasions(The Tripod trilogy) to giant earthquakes, which is the central catastrophe of this book.

After an enormous series of cataclysmic earthquakes wipes out modern civilization, a group of survivors struggle to stay alive in the ruins of the British Isles.
This is one of John Christophers most gripping adventure stories, filled with strange settings and memorable characters;
I especially liked the image of the oil tanker beached on the bottom of the now dry English Channel, its sole occupant slowly going mad.

John Christopher has written several novels of global catastrophe,of which this is certainly the best.
The basic premise is that of extreme earthquakes on a worldwide scale, which reduce towns and cities to piles of rubble and plunge the survivors straight back into the Stone Age. Much of western Europe is drastically uplifted, transforming the English Channel into a muddy desert overnight - whist elsewhere, lands are thrown down and drowned under inrushing seas.
The cataclysm and its aftermath are seen from the viewpoint of Matthew Cotter, a Gurnsey horticulturalist who finds himself one of a handful left alive on the former island. The future they face, attempting to begin life again with what they can scavenge amid the devastation, seems hard and uncertain enough.
Matthew then treks across the empty seabed to England, in the faint hope that his student daughter has also survived. He finds the situation far worse in a wider land, with many competing bands of scavengers. Pillage, rape and murder are now the norm as mankind revets to utter barbarism.
The actual scientific likelihood of such immense convulsions in the Earth is very doubtful, and the author's explanation - as a new mountain-building episode - is certainly nonsense, since such events take tens of millions of years. The sheer dramatic impact of a global earthquake, however, makes this book greatly entertaining for all but the most pedantic.
Its central emphasis is on the reactions of people, totally unprepared, who see their world turned (almost literally) upside down and everyone they knew destroyed. While some find natural strength and determination, even leadership, others respond with violence, with apathy and despair, or retreat into lunacy. John Christopher displays a subtle and far-ranging mastery of characterisation. He has created a stark and very believable vision of human struggles to survive in a world made suddenly strange, lawless, primitive and hostile.
It might have been even better to see Matthew Cotter and others ten or twenty years on, after the barbaric majority had mostly starved or slain each other and nature had begun to reclaim the shattered country. Would naval vessels have survived in mid-ocean and acted as nuclei for new communities? Or would the fallout from wrecked nuclear power stations have caused widespread cancers, sterility, mutations - and ultimately lethal new diseases, which would finish off the human race?
This is, surely, the essence of "thought-provoking" literature.
Regardless of unanswered questions, I would rate "A Wrinkle in the Skin" as being among the finest pieces of speculative fiction I have read.

This one really creeps up on you. Tom Moran delivers thoroughly entertaining, genre-bending blend of humor, mystery, and--oh yeah--plenty of horror. Following the exploits of the comically inept, but lovable, John Smith, the novel deissorients and shocks its readers as it descends from comfortably humorous to grotesquely horrific. Be warned: this has one of the most graphic climaxes out there. With the exception of some poor editing by the publisher, this is an excellent debut.

I found Mr. Moran's book to be interesting and very well wriiten. His writing style keeps the reader involved in the story. I had a hard time putting the book down. I am looking forward to Mr. Moran's next novel with anticipatication.

This is a knockout of a first book and quite appropriately titled. You are pulled into the story from page one and you won't be released until the last page - I read it in one afternoon! There's a canine in this story named Unique and all I can say is You Go Girl! If this first book by Tom Moran is any indication of the level of his storytelling and creativity, I've got just one question - hey Tom, when's your next book coming out? Read this book - you're going to love it.

Acquired Taste$ is an exceptional thrill-ride of suspense and horror; an incredible debut. The author does an excellent job in capturing the reader's attention from the start. The story is strong and intriguing, which only adds to its already disturbing believability. An excellent read.

This book was very intriguing. It covers a variety of genres, including horror, suspense, comedy, and romance. Mr. Moran does a good job developing chracters and proceeds to weeve a great story. It's definitely a book you can't put down until you're finished with it. Mr. Moran also uses the story to explain (presumably) his philosophy on money and it's ill effects on personalities. It was a great read and I look forward to more novels from Mr. Moran.

Blood and Rain
Blood for the Masses

Reviewed By
B.L.Morgan

What does the word "Epic" mean to you? To me an "Epic" is a tale that has far reaching consequenses for the entire human race. An Epic shows our good traits and faults on a grand scale. AfterAge by Yvonne Navarro very much qualifies as an "Epic."

In AfterAge a plague of Vampirism has taken hold of the world. Angelet, an ancient female vampire caused this plague which threatens the extinction of the human race. She can see that unless she changes the way things are going her kind will become extinct along with the living humans. Too many vampires, not enough people make for a grim future for both.

AfterAge begins after the plague is well underway and life for the few humans left is a constant struggle for survival. Civilization is a thing of the past. The cities are empty shells. During the day the humans have free reign. Food is not too hard to find because of canned goods. But during the night is when the vampires come out to play. Droves of them. Hiding is the most effective survival strategy. Sometimes that is not enough.

The characters in AfterAge stay in your mind long after you've closed the last page. I finished AfterAge about a month ago and sometimes Deb or Jo or Vic pop into my mind for no reason at all. These characers as well as all the others became living breathing people during the story.

You'll fing yourself fearing for these peoples lives. There are scenes in AfterAge that will make your skin crawl and scare the hell out of you and others that make you feel like crying. There was one scene of foreshadowing where I turned to my wife and said, "Damn, I don't think they are going to make it." I was reacting like these were real people. This book is that good.

The structure of AfterAge is one that I've encountered over and over again in Stephen King novels. The story shifts back and forth between several groups of characters, the good guys and the bad guys and it all comes together at the end.

AfterAge takes place in Chicago. The empty dead city, over-populated by blood sucking fiends after dark becomes a frightening character in its own right. Yvonne Navarro painted a dead Chicago perfectly. According to the inside back cover she lives there so all the locations are dead on accurate.

This is without a doubt one of best novels I have ever read. If you really want to be able to say you've read the best that the horror field has to offer then you need to find a copy of Afterage.

How many vampire novels are out there? I can't begin to count the number of them that I've read in the past. Some are fantastic, a lot are really good, and still more are pretty darn bad. Fortunately, Navarro has given us a really, really good vampire novel set in Chicago in the aftermath of a vampiric plague that has ravaged the earth.

A relatively small group of human survivors exists in downtown Chicago. They don't know about each other because they all live in fear simply trying to survive each night while the vampires stalk for food. Anyelet is the queen vampire who decided not too long ago to create more of her kind in order to not have to hide her existence. Unfortunately, this quickly grew out of hand, and now the vampires must scrounge for a food source. Navarro gives us a story telling us what happens when these few humans and these powerful vampires clash, and the struggle the humans face to free themselves from the plague.

This was such an entertaining and creepy novel to read. There were a few passages that actually had me checking over my shoulder to see if anyone was there (I dare you to read the first several pages detailing the doctor's search and discovery mission without shivering). It's no wonder that this novel gained enough attention to warrant a special hardcover release. The story has adventure, vampires, guns, medical experiments, human slaves used as food, and an apocalyptic vision. Afterage is relatively original, well-written, and fun. Sometimes that's exactly what you need in a good, scary read. If you want something refreshing after reading all those other copycat vampire novels, then give this one a try.

This is an end of the world, vampires take over type of story. I would equate it with The Stand, or Swan Song in scope and basic theme. Though Navarro does tell a story more briskly than King or McCammon did in those two novels. I truly enjoyed this very original novel. I am however sad that nothing I have read from Yvonne Navarro after this has even come close to what she accomplished with this tale.

Vampirism spreads across the world like a plague. As humanity dies out for the exception of a few bands of people that hold out in the city. Scavenging by day and hiding by night. A small group of people come together to fight the cause of the plague, and to save the few survivors that are kept and bred like cattle by the head vampire. A quasi "I Am Legend" like novel with a almost spirtual like ending. The book is a page turner, and was my first introduction to Navarro's works.

This wonderful novel by Yvonne Navarro features a plague-ridden earth ruled by vampires. The surviving humans are being used as a blood bank by the vampires, who are immune to the plague. But a small group of humans begins to fight back... Yvonne Navarro's characters are excellently drawn, and very believable. And it's a good, scary read as well. If you liked I Am Legend, you'll love this book!!! Currently available only on disc from the author - see her info on this page!

The shipper sent, and I recieved within two days (which considering that I requested standard shipping is pretty impressive.) As for the book its self... Its not as good as the first volume but not bad either. I m giving the book 4 stars, and the shipper I would give 5.

If you are collecting or just wanting to read the comic saga... this omnibus contains the "Deadliest of the Species" , Booty, Hell-Bent, Pursuit, Lefty's Revenge, Chained to Life & Death, and Xenogenesis.
Deadliest of the Species is about a girl who can't sleep and dreams about the past of fighting the predators & aliens.
Booty is a one-shot special dealing with predators trying to capture an
alien queen onboard a space station.
Hell-Bent is about a predator who is facehugged and a crew member who must make a choice on living or not.
Pursuit is about an android/hybird who is being hunted by the predators & marines.
Lefty's Revenge is about a predator who befriends a human fighter and seeks revenge on her while fighting aliens.
"Chained To Life & Death" is another story is about a predator whose thoughts are about life & death while fighting an alien.
Xenogenesis is mostly about corporate espionage gone wrong when aliens & predators suddenly appear.

This was the first ALIEN or PREDATOR comic i ever read, when it was first released. If i recall it came out in six issues. thats six months of waiting. and at the time, though i loved the story(Its so much more complex than either of the Franchises movies) I had a hard time following it. now being older and more mature, being able to read the entire story again was great. Because of this, storyline, i immediatlly sought out other predator and alien comics.. and now i cant wait to be re-introduced to the worlds through the omnibuses!

Nothing against the movie, but the comics are way better!! For the price of the comics individually, this is a great buy! I always thought movie company's did sketches of movie shots so they could get a better idea of how to film the movie. This comic definitely would have been better as a movie adaptation then what they made for as a movie. Enjoy!

I never read these comics when they were first released and I was quite pleased the stories. With over 450 pages per volume it is well worth the price. I don't know much about the upcomming AvP movie but I hope in the future they include the Marines to give the humans a fighting chance.

As Mrs. Brogan nurses her son along with Dan and Sun Dance, she weaves a marvelous tale of her childhood. It reminds all children that their parents were small once too and thinking that maybe parents are as dull as you might think. The shocking conclusion will leave you waiting on pins and needles for the next book in this funny, exciting series.

Amber Cat was a good book; of course, it was confusing, as all 2 of the 2 books (Dog Friday, Amber Cat) that I read so far by Hilary McKay were. It was confusing as in it didn't exactly give some important details; some so important that you couldn't exactly picture the few scenes, although there were options floating around my head when I read these parts, but none were right, and I will now never know, given to the fact that the author didn't explain the parts and details well enough so that I could see them in my head. But the book made a point, unlike a lot of other books, and it didn't carry on and on with one boring subject, as some other books do also. I also think that Sun Dance's mind was a little jumbled, and that Mrs. Brogan's stories about her childhood were very fascinating and sounded fun. I think that when Robin was going to build a raft, it was not a good idea either. Harriet was very interested and I really enjoyed reading about her and everybody else.

Robin Brogan,Mrs. Borgan Robin's mother and Robin's best friend Dan are the main characters of the story. The Amber Cat is a sequel to Dog Friday and if you like it you will for sure like the Amber Cat. I read Dog Friday first and liked it but if you read Amber Cat first you might not understand it very well. The Amber Cat goes back to when Robin's mother was a kid. Robin's mother has a friend that was alive when her parents were kids. Mrs. Borgan was telling this story when Robin , Dan, and Sun Dance had the Chicken pox. Robin's uncle Charlie was there one summer when they were kids. He hasn't seen Robin since his dad died. Charlie, Robin's uncle, was coming to visit Robin and his mother. The Amber Cat goes back to when Robins mother was a kid.Why I like these books is because they are strange books and thats the tipe of books that I like. Robin finds a dog and since he found him on Friday Robin calls him Friday.

This book is about a mother who stays home with three boys while they have the Chicken Pox. She tells them an amazing story about when she was 11 and played at the beach with her cousins and a mysterious girl named Hillary. The author made me feel like I was right there watching them. I felt like I was in a secret world. There were many characters with interesting personalities. The ending left me thinking everything through again in my mind. I would highly recommend this book!

This was one month's selection for our Mother-Daughter reading group. Half the group couldn't get past the first three chapters (that's never happened before!), and the other half of the group persevered and finished the book, and LOVED it. The beginning is very confusing and there are so many characters introduced, that it's hard to keep track of who's who. Right up until the last chapter, there are things that are unexplained, so it's like putting a puzzle together AFTER you've read the book. This is a book best read silently by yourself---too complex to read aloud. The author does a wonderful job of weaving magic about how we influence the lives of those around us, as well as those who come after, and how others who came before have influenced our lives. My daughters (9 and 10) and I loved this book.

Good book. I bought it for a class (Supernatural Literature) but actually enjoyed reading it. If you enjoy supernatural lit., you'll like this book because it explores different aspects and different authors of this genre.

This book is an excellent addition to any Lovecraft fan's library. The real meat of this essay is in its introduction, where he defines the supernatural horror genre. The other sections deal with the history and evolution of the modern (for his time) weird tale. Throughout these sections he examines and reviews various weird tales or stories that have examples or elements of the weird tale in them. There are some familiar names among them, but readers should discover some other stories that might be worth a read. The essay has been annotated very well by Joshi and he has made it extremely easy to track down many of the stories, tales, and events mentioned in the essay. He has also written a preface that talks about the history of the essay, some of the revisions Lovecraft made to it, and the other events that were going on in Lovecraft's life as he wrote this essay. I highly recommend this book for Lovecraft fans, especially those who might be trying to emulate his work.

Joshi's annotations make a useful reference work more so. Lovecraft's essay has been a staple for criticism of horror and Gothic literature for decades. Joshi's annotated edition takes the reader past the introduction of primary sources and draws important connections between them. The edition's selected bibliography of referenced authors is equally useful, especially for the newcomer to the genre. -FCA

I studied and taught H. P. Lovecraft's work during my years at the University of Chicago, and I read his long essay "Supernatural Horror in Literature" long before most people had heard of it. The new popularity of Lovecraft's fiction--based in large part, for better or worse, on bad films that borrow his titles but have little or anything to do with his work--makes Joshi's annotated version of this essay timely. In 1925 Lovecraft's friend W. Paul Cook asked Lovecraft to write an article about "terror and weirdness in literature." Realizing that he didn't know enough about the genre, Lovecraft systematically read the Gothic literature that preceded him, and the weird fiction that was more or less contemporary with his own work.

His essay remains one of the most thoughtful and insightful discussions of "weird fiction" ever written. Others have used his essay as a springboard for their own work--Joyce Carol Oates' American Gothic Tales and David Punter's The Literature of Terror, for example. But Lovecraft read, understood, and described these stories as only a writer himself and a master of the macabre could. Joshi's notes are excellent (albeit at times opinionated), and the texts Lovecraft cites in his essay deserve new readers. If you're a Lovecraft fan--or if you're a fan of "weird" tales--read this book.

Finally, the long awaited annotated edition of HPL's essential essay of horror/weird fiction is here...

The only flaw/drawback to this edition is the decision to keep all annotation notes in the back of the book unlike previous annotated Lovecraft works. Granted, having the annotations at the bottom of the revelant page did slow down a straight reading of only the text in the annotated story collections. However, an indepth reading was not hampered by having to track down the exact footnote/annotation.

Even with this minor design point, your Lovecraft library deserves this new annotated edition of a Lovecraft classic...Once again, S.T. Joshi proves his status as THE Lovecraft scholar with his in-depth research that sheds new light on this classic work for the modern reader.

This novel really illustrates how difficult it is for people who are different to navigate about in an unfriendly world. But it's not pessimistic (rather it's funny!) & it's very well written. I love the Poetical allusions and the symbolism.

In a fair world, this author would stand on the stage with James Joyce--this book is THAT good!

This is a great book with wonderful characters and imagery. It's kind of Noir and very Underground, and also extremely poetic and touching. It's the best book I've read in a very, very long time. I just love it!

This is one of the very best books I have read in a long time. It's very powerful and moving, and contains some excellent information for those of us who are forced to live in a world which doesn't understand nor care. I hope this author publishes many more books because this one definitely spoke to me!A+++

This is a very excellent novel. I haven't ever read anything quite like this. It is very realistic & hard-hitting, yet it's also very GOOD, as in James Joyce good or J.D. Salinger good. This is a story with a message, yet it's also entertaining to read. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

This is an excellent reference for the lost and searching Seekers of Truth, few though there may be. This novel brings up many age-old questions and gives a few answers. The symbolic framework is awesome (the author knows her Jung), but the story itself is very informative and readable. I would recommend this to anyone in the Underground who is interested in alternative religion and/or Psychoanalytical theory.

At this point, I am confident that those that are following this manga have realized that this story is so good that it consumes your life. Each volume gets better and better, even though when reading the first one I thought that there was no real way to improve on that, and little by little the story becomes darker. When I watched the anime I thought it was one of the most violent and sexually explicit productions in the genre, but the manga easily tops that. The amazing quality of the graphics contributes to the vividness of these scenes.

At the end of volume 2, Guts was in serious trouble, beaten almost to death by the count and his inner demon, and hanging on barely by a thread. The present volume starts with a crucial development, since by using the Behelit, Guts, Puck, the count and his daughter end up in a different dimension. One where they encounter the God Hands, and where there are important revelations about Guts' past and the meaning of the brand. Also, a main character from the anime makes his appearance. Griffith is one of the demons in this hellish dimension, and it is clear that Guts already knows and hates him.

The final episode in this volume has to do with Guts' childhood, which is when the main story in the anime really begins. We get to see Guts as a baby, "rescued" by the ruthless Gambino and his lover from a sure demise, and then witness his tough upbringing. This trip back in time is a great idea, since it allows the readers to understand this fascinating character better. The end of the volume is as disturbing as it is enigmatic, so once again, it is probably a great idea to have the next one handy.

A new level of violence is reached in this volume, so there may be a few people that could stand this until now but find this new step to be overwhelming. Nevertheless, I believe that most hard-core fans will find this volume to be extraordinary and will be looking forward to the next one, as am I.

Guts is in rare form as he confronts the target of his search in this volume. Berserk is a violent and disturbing book. Guts seems to no longer care about anything or anyone except revenge on the one who betrayed him. In many ways, this reminds of Conan (dark, bloody fantasy where magic is both rare and feared).

The TV series was largely a flashback except for the first episode. In volume 3 of the manga, is still focusing on "the present" though there are elements of the flashback present.

Having watched the TV series and yearned for an actual ending, I began buying these volumes. As only maybe 7 of these have been released and the manga is something like 28 volumes, I don't know that it will happen. However, I am seeing much more of his further adventures (that take place after the final episode of the TV series) even in just these first few volumes.

Berserk, amazingly, continues to get better, and for a series that was already a five in my book, that makes it very difficult to rate this, as five is the highest it can go here. With this volume, I'd give it a six easily, and possibly a seven. The artwork is great, the characters and their interactions are well-done, and the dark atmosphere that surrounds the story of Guts is enough to gag on, but in a good way, to be sure.

In this volume, Guts's battle with the Count continues, only now there is a witness to this fight of blood and madness, the Count's daughter and pride Theresia. And, of course, the ever present Puck. But just as the conclusion seems to be coming, the fight is interrupted by the God Hand, and among this group of five demon gods is Guts's hated rival, Griffith. This is probably the highlight of the manga, especially if you've seen the anime series, as it finally links Guts's past to his present. After that, the story goes deep into the past, and to the tortured childhood of Guts under the mercenary Gambino.

I'd recommend this volume and all of the Berserk manga volumes to anyone who is a fan of mature manga. In fact, I highly recommend buying not one or two but three at a time, money permitting, because you'll find yourself finishing these books in short order.

Advance Warning: This volume contains some very mature content (including an orgy scene and implied molestation), so for anyone who feels uncomfortable about things of this nature, do stay away. This is definitely a manga for adults and should be read with care. Treat this like a bottle of prescription medicine: keep it high on a shelf where no children can reach it.

When we last saw Guts, he was getting assaulted by the Count, now turned into a hideous monster. In volume 2, Guts fought bravely, but was easily overpowered by the Count, who is capable of throwing Guts around the castle like he's nothing. In the end, Guts was knocked out cold, nearly dead. Puck didn't know what to do, and the Count's daughter, Theresia, was left in her room. This volume concludes the fight, but it ends in a way that keeps you on your toes. Anyone that's seen the animated series before reading these books will see some jaw-dropping images halfway through, as characters we only got a small taste of in the final episodes make a return. The only word that comes close to describing what I felt when reading this volume is "intense". Every page had something incredible going on, even more than the past two volumes. There's really no need to read the rest of my review if you don't want me to tell you what happens. And if you've already read the first two books, then you'll get this without needing to read a review.

Guts is still on the ground as the Count's about to finish him off. Puck, incredibly emotional over knowing that his companion's about to die, tries to stall in case Guts is able to get a second wind. Telling the Count that he knows what happened, and how he's become a monster just to hide his true form by not accepting who he really is. That humans aren't as weak as he makes them out to be. The Count laughs at this, and admires Puck for actually saying something, since he always thought elves had the intellect of birds or squirrels, and says he'll let him go free. When Puck goes to try and revive Guts, a Behelit falls from his pack. The Count sees this, and goes after Puck. Just then, Theresia runs into the room, distracting the Count, who now focuses on her. Guts awakens, and attacks again. This time though, he uses Theresia as a shield, knowing the Count won't attack him through his own daughter. Guts makes some swift moves, and cuts off the Count's head. But, the blood from his body and head reaches the Behelit. The nose, eyes and mouth on it move around into the form of a face, and it's time. God Hand has been summoned, and they come to grand the Count his wish, which is to avenge him and kill Guts. Guts looks terrified, but sees their newest member, and takes it upon himself to complete his mission.

The last third of the book ends with a flashback, and starts where the animated series truely started (after we're introduced to Guts as the Black Swordsman). We see Guts as he was born from his mother's corpse after she was hanged from a tree, and Gambino and his lover, Shisu, pick him up. They're part of a band of mercenaries, and because Shisu lost her child, she grows attatched and keeps him, though he's just barely alive. Gambino raises Guts as a fighter, training him with a sword bigger than he is. But, some of his men see Guts as an omen- how they found him under those conditions, and fear he's bad luck. This starts when Shisu dies of a disease, and is continued in the next volume. Guts grows to be a good fighter, and while Gambino seems abusive, there are some moments where he's seen as a gentle person. This is something the animated series left out. The book ends with a terrifying moment for Guts. Something that's change him for the rest of his life.

Go on and get this book. It's intense, the artwork never loses its quality, and you'll never want to stop reading. Heck, buy one of each volume all at the same time so you can move on right away- it's that good. I rarely rave about much, but Berserk is easily the single best book I've read. Not just comics, but that includes novels too. The only problem, and this is very slight, is that these translations get cut-off in some books. A letter will be missing from a word or something because the word bubble is on the edge of a page. It's not a big deal, and it's not like we don't understand what the characters are saying, but it makes me wonder if they'll fix this in the future reprints. Blah, just get the books.

Oh, how it pains me to read a volume of Berserk, each one leaving me pining even more so for the next one. For fans of the anime series, volume three is THE volume to own! Where the first two books started off showing a bit more of Guts life right at the moment, not much reference is really made to the part of the story shown to us in the anime, which was pretty much one giant flashback.

However, in this volume, we get to see Griffith!! Already a proud member of the demonic Godhand (and loving it, may I add), the interaction between the two is absolutely fascination. And, there is a also a flashback to when Griffith and Guts used to fight battles together, back when Griffith was still Guts' Idol.

And, might I add, I really like Puck, a character unique to the manga alone. With the story being as graphically violent as it is, its kind of nice seeing a little compassion comeing from somewhere at least. This little Elf is pretty darn cute and he does add a bit of comic relief.

But best of all, in this volume, we get to see baby Guts!! He's so cute!! And 3 year old guts, and 6 year old guts, and 9 year old guts! (I'm sure you see a pattern here). After finishing the exciting story arc of the mad ruler turned demon slug type creature, we are shown a flashback of Guts' birth and past growing up. Most of this was depicted in the anime, but we see slight variations. His adopted father, while being depicted in the anime as being moderately cruel all throughout (not counting when he totally loses it at the end), he is shown here with a wider variety of personas, going from horribly cruel, to surprising moments of kindness.

However, the end leaves you hanging with a part of his past that wasn't in the anime at all, so I'm absolutely dying for the next volume. This is a series that you won't want to miss. Berserk is my all time favorite manga and anime ever!