Horror Books

This book was good, it was the type of book that made you guess who-done-it, I could not figure who was behind the Halloween mask either. I really thought I had it figured out,
I kept hoping the person in the Halloween mask was someone that we knew in the book but the ending was a surprise.

Throughout the time tht I read this book I could not stop trying to figure out who the guy behind the Halloween mask was. I mad a list of people that it could be and throughout the book I crossed off who it couldn't be I was down to Sloan and Phillip at the end. While Charlie was calling Tanner's father I was a bit suspicious that it was her father. But then that suspicion was cleared up when Charlie had gotten through to him. Usually I can predict what is goiing to happen in the end, but in thhis casee every chpter was a neww turn. This book kept my attentioon the whole time and I was glued to the book and finished it in one sitting.

Diane Hoh, in my opinion, usually isn't that wonderful a writer. But this time--whoa! This book rocked! I mean, the main character was so cool! She was strong and smart, and I loved how she got her OWN way out of the situation. I also liked her boyfriend. The killer was very scary, I thought. Espeacially when he would say crazy stuff to her that he had heard in the mental institution....anyway, read it! It won't let you down!

This book out rates any 'old stupid horror R.L.Stine book. Diane Hoh knows how to scare the reader, and make you want to read on and on. You couldn't this book- or any other of her books, for that matter- down. It was scary!

Make no mistake about it: this is a love story, in the truest sense of the word. And one of the first things I noticed about this story was how very different it is from most of the popular literature around today. It is about love, not lust. About two people, who may be called soulmates, searching the universe for each other despite being locked into separate realities from which they cannot escape. It is beautiful, and haunting and ethereal, touching upon themes which are neglected nowadays, so saturated are we in pop culture and gross superficiality.
T.M. Wright has a very unique style of writing, and a very sure way of drawing the reader into his alternate reality. And it is an alternate reality which we look at through a glass darkly. We know there is something very askew here, just wrong enough to be barely noticible. And this is the brilliance of this book: the very adept ability to bring slowly into focus all those minor details that were just ever so slightly out of sync with the reality we know and love.Nothing here is obvious; you have to do a little work on your own to figure it all out, which I, for one, really appreciate.(and no, I am not going to do a spoiler here and tell you the whole story. that's your job.)
I also have to mention Wright's approach to the simplicities of daily life and to the interaction of two people in a relationship. These things are the rocks that hold this story to the ground, being absolutely real. There is no playing around here with cutsey clever dialogue or simile and metaphor laden descriptions that just try one's patience. You are there, you've been there. This is the way it is, and you relate to it, absolutely. I have run into very few writers who can so unapologetically convert the mundanity of daily life to something far more interesting in the pages of a book.
All in all, this is a very complex and sophisticated story told with astounding simplicity. I absolutely love it. Read it, turned back to page one and reread it. It is not one of those read it and forget it paperbacks to keep you entertained on the beach; it stays. How often does that happen?

Possibly T.M. Wright's strongest novel to date, a haunting, moody, evocative ghost (?) story that centers on the lost but somehow lasting love between a man and a woman, each married to someone else. There is great humanity here that shows us our passions stay with us throughout life, death, and madness. This novel will touch you with its realism and romantic hopefulness even as it describes the traumatic emotional world in which we all live. Find out for yourself. Buy it now, you won't be sorry. Hightest recommendation.

"Cold House" has a nice blend of many of T.M. Wright's strengths... creepy atmosphere, all-too-human characters, and an unraveling past that binds them all together. The writing, without question, is simply outstanding. However, I didn't feel as connected to this story as I did with "Sleepeasy" or "The House on Orchid Street", but "Cold House" is still well worth the experience.

This has to be one of the best books of 2003, in my opinion. Haunting, lyrical, very wild (in spots): if you've ever loved someone romantically, or been loved, or will love, or hope to love... I can't be too enthusiastic about "Cold House." Buy it. You won't find a more fascinating read anywhere.

The book Come Like Shadows is a amazing book full of comparisons.
i.e
-comparisons of setting
-comparisons of characters
-comparisons of themes
-comparisons of historical info

all these r compared with the real life Macbeth except way different and way kewler

Welwyn Katz's Come Like Shadows is the story of sixteen-year-old Kinny O'Neil who things she's landed the job of a lifetime as the assistant to the director of Shakespeare's Macbeth at the famed Stratford Festival. But she finds that the director is acting strangely, the cast members are hostile, and a woman is killed in a freak accident on the very first day of rehearsal. Then there is an the antique mirror she found as a prop and which seems to have some kind of malevolent power when Kinny and her friend Lucas see strange images within its depths. Kinny and Lucas find that they must struggle to protect one another when assailed by unleashed forces that could destroy them all! Come Like Shadows is a superbly written action/adventure fantasy for young readers ages fourteen through young adult.

I loved this story. It was well written and interesting. Katz's has a great twist on the character of Macbeth. Though I must admit that I find it hard to read/watch/study Shakespeare's play now without thinking of Macbeth as a good guy.

The book also appealed to me because it's set in a familiar place, Stratford. But even if you have no idea what country Stratford's in, don't let that keep you from reading the book.

Welwyn Katz has a good talent for plots of a type that no one would have thought of, such as in modern Arthurian "The Third Magic." Here, attention is swerved toward Macbeth, the evil witches of legend, and a modern-day Shakespearan production.

The book opens with Macbeth (the REAL Macbeth) interrupting a sinister ritual performed by the three witches to insure their immortality. As a result, the eldest witch and Macbeth become trapped within a mirror, only to have the hag escape almost a millennium later.

Teenage Kinny O'Neil has a summer job at a Canadian Stratford's theater, helping with the production of "Macbeth." But a supposed curse on MacBeth plays (check the Idiot's Guide to Shakespeare--there have been a lot of misfortunes) seems to be coming true via a series of sinister occurrances, that involve the hand mirror. And the witch, who wants to gain a girl's body, is targeting Our Heroine.

Kinny and Lucas can see Macbeth in the hand mirror, thus prompting them into investigating the sinister magics of the three witches. The journey to stop the witches from unleashing their evil will take wits and brains - and a voyage to Scotland, the place where it all started...

A great chiller, full of atmosphere and creepiness in the forms of the three witches and their sorcery. Katz weaves a spellbinding aura around the book, such as the opening chapter and the scenes where Macbeth can be glimpsed in the mirror -- and the climax, of course. We are also given more grounded visions of places like Stratford (a beautiful place, BTW, book descriptions truly cannot do it justice). He/she also managed to make the backstage events and preparations seem equally intriguing, no mean feat.

Kinny is well-written and drawn. She reacts in a manner in keeping with her age and background, but evolves over the course of the book into a more mature and experienced gal. I thought Lucas was a bit weird, but not enough that I didn't like him (although I wish a bit more time had been spent on him)

Sadly, no book is perfect. One thing that could -- and should, for it is handled rather clumsily -- have been dropped was the occasional political statement concerning Canada and French Canadians. While it is in keeping with the statement that Macbeth's events are universal, the handling wasn't subtle enough to be likable.

Overall, this is a very cool book if you are a fan of fantasy/horror or Shakespeare. Or both.

great script, great art, great atmosphere. You can smell the fear and tension in the cold air of Barrow.....The edition it's awesome (great print quality, oversized format, slipcase).

I'm worry because I did not receive the graphic novel yet. I sent an e-mail yesterday and I'm still waiting an answer.
I'd never got this kind of problem with Amazon, so I'm confident that will all be arranged soon

I enjoyed the book(s) very much.
The art is great and dark, the story is sometimes a bit lame, but the original idea of Barrow and 30 days of a night is great. The books are high quality, there is also some extra content, and considering all aspects it is a good value for your money and truly a collectors piece.

This is one of the nicest hard cover collections of a comic I have ever seen. The discription does not do it justice. I received this as a Christmas gift, and even the person that got it for me did not know it is signed by both of the main artists and is a numbered limited set of 2,000. This is a must for any 30 Days of Night fan!!

OK.... where to begin...? It's weird. VERY weird.

The Complete Pagana is a book of mythology from some other world, and reads like African or Native American fables, ("So-and-so went to the sea and asked...." etc.). There are a number of characters (godlings) and I often found myself going, "What? Who?" after reading a section.

I won't lie to you: I picked this book up because it was Chaosium Fiction, so I assumed it would be C'thulhu-like. I was wrong; the only similarity is that The Complete Pegana also deals with the impact of gods among mortals. I'm not a quick reader, and this book took me a lot longer than it should have.

But that's my only complaint.

Lord Dunsany was one of the key figures in the development of modern fantasy and this book gives a rare chance to see where it all began. It presents the entire contents of two books - "The Gods of Pegana" (1905) and "Time and the Gods", along with three excellent related stories. Pegana offers a genuine artifical mythology, in wonderful, sonorous language - if you enjoy reading myths and legends, you'll probably enjoy this. The first volume consists of short, spare tales from the beginning of the world on, looking even to the end. Many of the stories in the second volume are more elaborate, as are the three linked "Beyond the Fields We Know" pieces, which are among Dunsany's finest work. Reading "Idle Days on the Yann", for example, it is not hard to feel yourself drifting along as the narrator voyages through strange and wonder-full lands. This is a very welcome publication - the author can be very hard to find in print - and a great read. Hopefully readers will feel inspired to try some of Lord Dunsany's later collections and books - "The King of Elfland's Daughter", for example, is just back in print.

Many of Dunsany's most eerie and effective stories are collected in this excellent collection. TIME AND THE GODS is probably his single best work, and all of the stories from that long out-of-print masterpiece are to be found here. This should be enough to persuade Dunsany enthusiasts in favor of this volume.

For those who haven't read Dunsany, he is one of fantasy's true masters; many have imitated his archaic, elaborate style, but none have succeeded in capturing the peculiar Dunsany magic without being artificial. Dunsany's strange meditations on time, destiny, prophecy, and fate are reminiscent of Borges, and his prose is rich and (as noted) perilous to imitate.

S. T. Joshi's introduction somehow makes it seem as if Dunsany's chief merit were his influence on Lovecraft, but it is more correct to say that Lovecraft's chief merit is his influence on others, while Dunsany remains a neglected literary master, one of the few writers ever to capture wonder and mystery at their most elemental in wrappings of elaborate, aristocratic prose.

Dunsany is a master of language and of myth. Reading his prose reminds me of listening to Bach; seeing light through stained-glass windows.

Anything by Dunsany (John Edward Moreton Drax Plunkett, Lord Dunsany) is worth reading; the Complete Pegana is exceptional. There is something in Dunsany's construction of an alternate world of gods and men, of the Great god, who made the world and then slept; and the lesser gods, who fear the Creator will someday awake...which resonates with other great human myths. Lord Dunsany never fails to delight.

This is fantasy for grown-ups; not too sweet. Thought provoking and original, with timeless themes and characters that evoke something fundamental.

This is one book I'd take with me to the proverbial desert island.

Most people only know Robert Bloch for 'Psycho', but his career is way beyond that. He was a prolific writer, and the youngest member of the so-called Lovecraft Circle. This collection encompasses some of his best works, some of them heavily influenced by H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. I'd suggest this tome to anyone who is into the Mythos or any kind of fantastic literature and fiction. I enjoyed it quite a lot, and I'm sure you'll do too.

This book is very interesting. Robert Bloch is able to write a suspensful story. When you read this book, you will be in for a surprise. There are many shock endings to the stories. Most of them are horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. Sometimes he weaves two of them together. Overall, I thought that this was an excellent book.

Despite being famous for a novel, Robert Bloch's greatest contributions to genre literature were arguably in the short story format. Whether writing for the pulps or the slick professional magazines, Bloch could be counted on delivering a unique and addictive blend of twisted shock and sarcastic black humor. These volumes are pretty much required in any genre fans library. Highly recommended.

Robert Bloch's first volume of complete stories is gruesome fun. Some of his most famous and chilling short stories can be found in this collection. Many of these stories were translated into either film by Amicus productions (The House That Dripped Blood, Asylum, Torture Garden, Tales from the Crypt, etc.) or made into a radio play. Among the great stories contained are "Mannikins of Horror" where an insane nueroscientist plays god and breathes life into clay; "Frozen Fear" tells of a Cajun curse that will chill you to the bone; "The Man Who Collected Poe" is a fantastic tale of a man's obsession going beyond the mortal realm; and "I Like Blondes" deals with an individual's taste in women. This collection contains 27 stories, all of which are a blast to read. If you enjoy horror short stories without all the ambiguous endings that seem to plague the current market, this is the collection for you.

This book is about the life of Thothamon who is one of the scary and well built characters in Conan comics. It's about how Thoth became one of the strongest wisard of his time. I think the story line was built perfectly. Great art, a great and long neglected story part of Conan series. I loved it.

Very nice art, worth to see Kelly Jones in one more book! You should see it.

This is supposed to be for reviews of the Book of Thoth, not the regular Conan serie.
So, having cleared that, I must say that this is one of the most true to Howard's vision comic book stories ever; from the rich narrative to the magnificent images & the surprising conclusion (at least fro Thoth-Amon who had quite a shock from the reward he was expecting) The Kelley Jones art is magnificent (but I miss John Beatty's inking) and it fits the story well. All in all a great book for Conan fans, which can be appreciated by comic book readers or diehard book fans.

Imagine...A Conan book where are favorite Barbarian is no where to be seen...It's no joke, but is indeed what you get with Conan The Book of Thoth. This volume reprints the four issue series from Dark Horse comics and lifts the veil on Conan's arch-foe, the black wizard Thoth-Amon of Stygia. It's interesting to note that while Thoth may be considered Conan's greatest foe, he actually only appeared in just one story written by Conan creator Robert E. Howard, "The Phoenix on the Sword" which first appeared in Weird Tales in 1932. It was really in the Marvel Comics' series that Thoth-Amon would become Conan's greatest enemy.

Thoth's origins were always shrouded in mystery and Kurt Busiek, who has been writing Conan's adventures at Dark Horse, along with long-time comic scribe Len Wein, tell the story of his background. Now it's hard to imagine Thoth as a boy but that's exactly how they start the story. Thoth is a street urchin, stealing what he can to appease his abusive father. Fate shines on him one day when his friend Amon, saves the life of Kharantus, the High Priest of the Ibis. The benevolent priest invites the boy to become an Acolyte at the temple. Thoth sees his opportunity, killing his friend and assuming his identity.

Thoth now finds himself in a great power and is soon seeking out the dark arts and comes across scrolls referring to the ancient, and long destroyed city of Acheron, home to great wizards and great evil. Now here's where things get a bit dicey...Thoth mentions that Acheron was home to a thousand centuries of black magic and diabolism, an archaic tradition of evil." This comment is lifted nearly word for word from the Conan story "The Hour of the Dragon" which was uttered by the priest Orastes speaking about the resurrected Acheron wizard Xaltotun. I'm not even sure Howard knew what he was writing as a thousand centuries, or 100,000 years places Acheron about 85,000 years before the Pre-Cataclysmic era of King Kull.

Okay, I got a bit side-tracked on that detail. At any rate, Thoth eventually finds the Ring of Set, the serpent God which gives him incredible power to overthrow the priests of Ibis and usher in the era of Set as Stygia's primary deity. The story takes places over several years as we see Thoth grow both in stature and power as he weaves insidious plots to gain control of Stygia.

The story is somewhat on the slow-moving side. There's only a sliver of the kind of action you expect in the typical Conan story. This is a story about more than swordplay. It's about intrigue and an insatiable quest for power. The story humanizes Thoth and I'm not sure if that's really such a good thing or not. In some ways it diminishes his stature as perhaps the ultimate force for evil in Conan's time. Still, it was interesting to see this take on Thoth's history.

While I will give moderate approval to the story, the art of Kelley Jones gets an unquestionable standing ovation from me. Jones has always been one of my favorites for his angular figures and expressive eyes of his characters. Few artists use light and shadow as well as Jones does.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

I met Sara last year . She's a wonderful person . Now I know she is an incredible writer as well . Witchcraft , immortality & music . Sara weaves a magical tale . I'm not saying this just because I'm her friend it's because it's true . It's original & the charactors just come to life & are unforgetable . A haunting tale ... even after you finish reading it .

Sara Banks is a new and imaginative writer who has created what I believe to be the first of many stories featuring the mystical character Elise. Elise has served as a muse for artist throughout the ages. We follow her through the present while we learn of her turbulent and bittersweet past. This is the birth of a new legend and I would certainly recommend this book to anyone.

I picked this book up and immediately read it from cover to cover. I had to. It wouldnt let me go! The storyline hooks you right from the start, the characters unfold and develop in front of you like how a flower opens in spring. The plot is layered, well paced and enticing. Elise (the main character) is entrancing. All through I found myself holding my breath, dying to see what was going to happen next. For her first book, the author has produced a quality piece of work here, and with a new work soon to follow, I wait in anticipation for more from her!

This is mythology in the making! Follow the elusive Elise as she tells the story of her immortal life and the people whom's lives she has touched along the way. Beautifully tragic this book is for fans of true literature!

Creep is a surprisingly fast read, and a truly terrifying one. I still don't know if this is a work of fiction or the confessions of some truly sick and brutal individual. I had trouble sleeping after reading this book.

I found Creep to be well-written and convincing with many graphic descriptions and extensive development of the main character.
However, a word of warning to anyone who prefers to read books that are uplifting. Creep is anything but. In fact, it's quite depressing in places. The central character is deeply disturbed and I do hope Creep is truly a novel and not the autobiography of some sicko. That said, Creep is an interesting and provocative book, well worth a read.

I only hope Creep is a work of fiction and not some psycho's truly disturbing autobiography.
Creep has a way of getting under your skin. I was immediately drawn into this book and couldn't put it down for one moment. The story is absolutely gripping - and brilliant. The reader is actually one of the central characters. The reader is an individual who mocked the Creep character and is now being tracked down for a "hit."
This book is unusual, downright weird and I highly recommend it.

Few books ever actually frighten me, especially works of fiction that you know aren't real. But is Creep really a work of fiction or is it just what it presents itself to be: The psychotic ramblings of a vicious killer? In either case, the detailed descriptions of the various kills sent chills down my spine. I truly hope this madness isn't for real. So here's my challenge to horror and true crime fans - read Creep if you dare!

In the near future, student Jay finds Cory, a strange boy abandoned near a road. This boy appears androgynous and very alien; that's because he's a real alien, of an humanoid species that can change gender at will. Humorous, fast, and pleasant to read, this novel is eminently readable and fun. Il like the prefaces to the chapters, excerpts from a wacky DJ 's radio transmission,too.
Read them, they're a worthy addition to you cross-gendered books' library section!

I really enjoyed reading Crossing Infinity. As someone who usually gets distracted and doesn't finish books, I found this one fun and easy to get through. It also delves into some interesting issues, arising from one of the protagonists being a poly-gendered alien. The characters are endearing, real, very human (even when they're not actually humans), and easy to relate to.
Karen Haber, a friend of mine, is a talented author who addresses interesting issues in a way that keeps the story fun and fresh.

What can you say about a book that transcends multiple genres to tell a story with both profound sweetness while really pushing the edge -- multiple edges in fact?

Karen Haber, who is known as the First Lady of Science Fiction and a good friend to many, myself included, has the rare ability to say something so true and so well that she changes the very way you see the world -- or worlds.

"Cory liked the cats for their silken grace, immense vanity, and playful carnivorous impulses. What charming quirk of nature had made these elegant little killing machines?"

Adults as well as the right kind of kid should buy this and read this for an experience of kind and honest bravery in facing a strange, sometimes hostile, sometimes indecipherable world for a really delicious reading experience, an experience you simply won't be able to find anywhere else. Bravo!

This is a science fiction novel of gender confusions across worlds, a fact that goes unmentioned in the above book description. You neglect to observe the main plot point of CROSSING INFINITY: that the alien refugee, Corylanus, is able to shift gender, and does so under extreme emotional pressure, from male to female, and back again. This book explores notions of gender identity -- and through that exploration underscores the beauty of unconditional love.