Horror Books

i really enjoyed this book, i'm not even finished with it yet but some of the quality of the book was taken away by the poor editing! some of the chapters were missing entire words at the end! some of the sentences were gramatically incorrect and i kept reading them over and over saying...that's not right...we don't laid down, we lie down! stuff like that really took away from the book because it was a fantastic story. i really enjoyed the element of faith and how there are good vampires and bad vampires etc. it was realistic, like...if there WERE vampires, this is how it would be. either way, i would definitely advise this story being read, just please have an updated version!

This is a great read.

Great, because it has a common sense idea that is missing from most stories of this genre.

The genre, "supernatural horror," ultimately goes to a war between good and evil (yep, heaven and hell), because these would be the source of power in the story. So the ultimate source of power is on another level--not the level the story is about (our everyday homes and neighborhoods). But hey, the vampires, zombies, and other things have been around for a long time. And we are still here, too. Something we don't usually see in these stories must be equalizing the landscape, or else ordinary humans would have been gone a long time ago. What equalizes a vampire? They have supernatural powers, so regular folks are out-gunned. In any war, if the sides are not matched, the war does not last long. In the literature vampires, zombies, et al., have been around a long time. So what holds them in check? Doesn't have to be a "good" version of the evil creature--just something with power and method of its own that it can use to engage the enemy. That's war. Even a supernatural one would have to have this equivalence of power.

There are popular movies about renegades that have reason to hate the supernatural villains, but vampires alone would have over-run the world before most of these popular characters started. Besides, these stories are usually more about special-effects or martial arts or something--not really horror stories but more like action-adventure-martial arts-horror. Whatever. There's only one movie I've seen recently that is an exception to this, "Constantine." But since this isn't a plug for movies, let's move on... ;)

"Night Biters" revitalizes the role of the church in this type of story! Instead of the lame "Exorcist" angle in which the demons have power that is clearly uncontrollable, here the war could have lasted this long. God is on our side through supernatural beings at this level. That's what I was referring to before, when I said that ordinary humans would otherwise be gone. In run-of-the-mill horror stories a recurring theme is that the heroes are so outmatched they have to sacrifice themselves--and leave this plane of existence--in order to win. So in time they'd all have moved on, leaving us here. There must be something more powerful that fights here and wins often enough to balance the war against evil. This story touches on this with style; it's a story told intelligently in a way that makes sense.

So is it scary? Yeah, because the writer tells the tale in a way that evokes vivid images of what the characters are going through as all of these peculiar things happen. It's not a predictable story. I found myself liking some, and wondering if they'd make it...but it's war. Casualties are inevitable. How does it end?

Check it out! It's a great read!

Adrian Harper's Night Biters offers some fresh ideas to the fantasy genre. The magical compact disc is as effective a talisman as a ring or trinket in other period work of fiction. It also solidifies the effectiveness of hip hop in a way the reader will find appealing. Graffiti spray painting is also featured, skateboarding is taken to new heights and I will never see using a Super Soaker the same way.

The writer skillfully depicts the story's teens as youth who regret some of the poor choices they have made and the impact those decisions have on their families while ably avoiding stereotypes. He also offers some interesting views on vampirism viewing it more to an addiction than a spiritual damnation reminding the reader that there is always hope. Filled with clever twist and surprises, Night Biters is a delight.

This is no R L Stien! This book has a diverse group of hip hop characters from the Bay Area that are actully intelligent and not based on stereotypes. The book has teens in the Bay dealing with regular teenage issues, as well as vampires gang violence. The characters are cool, there's African American's, Vietnamese, Latino's, Filippino's, Jews, Goths, ravers, taggers and possibly dirty cops and a guy who eats a rat. If you LOVE hip hop, or you're from the Bay Area you need to read this book. I love Night Biters because it's real hip hop, it's not derogatory or dogmatic, it's just real and entertaining.

The book is written in the style of how Traffic and Crash were made as movies. A ton of individual stories, all intertwined into one explosive plot. Read this book, you won't be disappointed. The story is based on actual events in 1999 leading up to the change of the century in the backdrop of the worlds most integrated group of cities. Two teens come here to spend the summer and find that some of thier friends have become vampires and are dealing with personal issues like abusive stepfathers, drugs, gangs and police (damn taggers!). Doooooood read it!!!

Night Biters is my favorite book, I visited the Bay Area and have saw the old Montgomery Ward building. It was too scary a building for me to enter but not a vampire. I also like that us Pinoy's finally got some recognition and respect in a book. Dragonbrush is my dog I liked the way he and Tioni looked out for one another and how he showed that he really appreciated her. Jamilah is cool but too stuck up for my taste, I wouldn't want my sister taking all my favorite clothes just because she wants them. But in the end they all looked out for one another.

During the Depression, a young brother and sister must flee from a murderous preacher who has infiltrated their home in search of a small fortune in stolen money. This novel deserves to be better remembered than it has been, for I have read few books that are better at evoking the psychology of children in a realistic way. But Davis Grubb doesn't stop there: the sociopathic preacher with his flexible interpretation of scripture, the lonely single mother whose yearning to experience love and make a secure home for her children makes her vulnerable, the lonely drunk whose personal weaknesses undermine his good intentions, the self-sufficient matriarch with an unshakable sense of duty--these and many other characters are vividly rendered. Grubb also skillfully evokes the lonely rural settings where his drama plays out. Such careful attention to character and setting makes for a scary and heartbreaking novel because we can imagine these things happening to real people in a real place. Highly recommended.

The Night of the Hunter is an old story and movie, but is a page turner as of today. Very exciting and intriguing.

Hemingway, Steinbeck, Tolstoy et al, will always have a place in the pantheon of literature. In this reader's opinion, this novel warrants a little niche in that pantheon for Davis Grubb, whose lean, muscular and evocative prose propels this thrilling story, driving it toward the inevitable conclusion.

Charles Laughton's movie based on this book was an interesting effort and well done, but if one hasn't read the unsentimental, un-varnished novel, then somewhere a potential reader is missing the juice. Like Laughton's screen effort the novel is indeed pregnant, but not at all unwieldly; rather, the book, slender as it is, is bursting with some of the best writing put to paper in any genre and is as good as anything ever written by the more prolific Masters.

Grubb's unpretentious style looms up from the pages like the reek of the bottom waters at river's edge. Subtle by turns, the terrifying game of hide-and-seek between light and shadow jumps at the most unexpected moments, just like the novel's villain with his knife.

Filled with archetypes and certainly many levels of meaning for interpretation by the reader, this is one novel one won't forget soon. It stalks memory and, personally, I find myself still returning to the book from time to time to savor a magnificently rendered mood, and a time, place and story that is as fresh and exciting now as it was almost half a century ago.

Writing true and honest profiles of such diverse characters, let alone children, is no easy thing, and Grubb's work is peopled with wholly believable characters who truly cast shadows, live and breathe, even in the periphery. This is part of the novel's triumph.

I cannot recommend Night of the Hunter too highly. It's simply a "must read" for anyone who loves good literature, fine writing --and isn't predjudiced against genre. In this beautiful, sinister work, Davis Grubb breaks the mold.

Night of the Hunter has always been one of my favorite films: eerie, atmospheric, gripping are just a few words that come to mind for this masterpiece, the only film made by silent film star Charles Laughton. It gets better with each viewing. I only got around lately to reading Davis Grubb's source material and it's just as amazing and mesmerizing as the movie. If you like a book that gives you genuine chills, yet still creates really sympathetic characters, give this one a try. Of course, if you're like me and loved the movie, you owe it to yourself to see why they wanted to make it into a movie.

With the publication of a new edition Amazon seems to have deleted the earlier reviews. They were unanimous in their praise for Night of the Hunter,

I bought the book in Italy to read on the trains. There wasn't much of a selection. I expected a routine crime thriller.

We have cheapened superlatives to the point where they really don't resonate. If I tell you it's the best book I have ever read, I may be setting your expectations so high that it can never meet them.

It did change my life.

Grubb provides one of the best "bad guys" in literature: the Reverend Harry Powell. A bad guy needs a hero. Powell is so bad that it takes two heroes to offset him.

The first is John Harper, the older brother. If you happen to have two children -- an older brother and a younger sister -- the story of their relationship has immense power.

The second is Rachel Cooper. She is my favorite character in my reading life.

She is immensely strong, with a forgiving nature. It was her ability to forgive that helped me to forgive someone -- to change my life.

Of course Robert Mitchum is well known for having played Reverend Powell in the movie -- for good reason. Lillian Gish played Rachel Cooper. She was wonderful.

The movie continues to grow in stature, while the novel seems to be forgotten. (There is a musical version of Night of the Hunter out there somewhere.) This is an unfortunate, as Grubb deserves to be recognized as a great writer.

I've been reading my way through all his works -- that I can find. Fools Parade is the most accessible -- terrific, and Shadow of My Brother is a very powerful story of racism that, unfortunately, is still highly relevant.

Grubb wrote with strong emotional content. The emotional power of Voices of Glory is so high that I haven't had the composure to read it yet. I'm trying to understand how he did that, to be able to write like that myself.

There was a point in the mid to late 1990s when author Mark C. Sumner was just hellishly prolific. Even though he'd written two fabulous adult fantasy westerns in Devil's Tower and Devil's Engine, he made his bones crafting some terrific, atmospheric teen novels. There's THE DARK and DEADLY STRANGER and his excellent vampire trilogy THE PRINCIPAL, THE SUBSTITUTE and THE COACH. And then there's EXTREME ZONE, Sumner's paranoid, rapid-fire sci-fi series.

It begins with NIGHT TERRORS.

Noah Templer was once a star athlete and student. But, of late, unrelenting dreams of having been abducted by aliens and a feeling of being watched have made a mess of his life. He's been kicked off the basketball team and, scholarly, he's been slipping. He's broken up with his girlfriend, who laughed in his face when he confided in her. Now Noah spends much of his time obsessing on UFOs. He thinks he might be going insane.

Kathleen "Harley" Davisidaro has just moved to the unassuming East Coast town of Stone Harbor, with her dad, a contract worker for the military, having just been reassigned to the nearby military base, the Tulley Hill Research Facility. From the start, Harley's had a disquieting feeling about that place, which is jointly ran by the military and a covert intelligence agency called Unit 17. What's more, as she begins attending Stone Harbor High School, Harley runs into a strange boy named Noah, who has a tendency to wig out and go into unsettling trances.

But when Harley's dad mysteriously vanishes, Noah might turn out to be the best person to help her, if she can only get over the sensation that Noah just may be crazy. Too, Harley and Noah must stave off the frightening assaults on their lives. One thing's for sure, there is some seriously eerie stuff going on.

At a brisk 202 pages, NIGHT TERRORS is a quick and riveting read, and will keep you guessing. I appreciate the fact that the book doesn't tame itself down to cater to some kind of young adult sensibility. Indeed, NIGHT TERRORS packs quite a wallop and is fraught with moody tension. I guess it's not too out of line to describe this series as a teen version of the X-Files. Certainly, NIGHT TERRORS unveils its share of sinister conspiracies and shadowy organizations, such as Unit 17 and Legion. The weirdness factor and the science-fiction aspects are there, as well, from weird lights in the sky to the enigmatic man in black to several residents of Stone Harbor who seem to flaunt otherworldy traits. The chapters are alternately narrated from Noah and Harley's respective viewpoints, and Sumner does a very good job of developing their characters and building a connection with the reader.

The pace begins slowly but ominously as Sumner ably sets the stage and establishes the mood. The reader is made quickly aware that something is not quite right with the Tulley Hill Research Facility and with the reclusive, tiny town of Stone Harbor. As the plot thickens and the stakes are escalated, the pace builds to a frenetic clip, until the explosive finale, which takes place in the top secret recesses of Tulley Hill.

However, NIGHT TERRORS is only the first of the Extreme Zone series, which is comprised of eight novels (that I know of). So, it shouldn't be a surprise that the answers sought by Noah and Harley come few and far between. NIGHT TERRORS was first published in 1997, with, I believe, the rest of the novels coming out in '97 and '98. I haven't yet managed to check out the sequels (although, believe me, they're on order!), but if Mark C. Sumner was able to maintain the tension-wracked quality of NIGHT TERRORS in the successive entries, then the EXTREME ZONE series is gonna be one hell of a ride.

By the way, I'm still not quite sure what the term "Extreme Zone" refers to.

Here's a list of the existing, hard-to-find Extreme Zone novels:
- NIGHT TERRORS (EXTREME ZONE 1)
- Dark Lies the Extreme Zone 2
- UNSEEN POWERS EXTREME ZONE 3 (Extreme Zone)
- Deadly Secrets the Extreme Zone 4
- COMMON ENEMY EXTREME ZONE 5 (Extreme Zone)
- INHUMAN FURY EXTREME ZONE 6 (Extreme Zone)
- LOST SOUL EXTREME ZONE 7 (Extreme Zone)
- Dead End Extreme Zone 8

I was at our local Wal-mart when I came across this book. Picking it up and reading the back, I was intrigued by what the book was about so I decided to get it. Boy, am I glad that I did. This series is awesome. M.C. Sumner is a brilliant writer. These books are among my most favorites of all time. If you like your stories with plenty of plot, this is the series for you. I highly recommend 'The Extreme Zone' to all.

I'm generally not into books, but I picked up this one and couldn't put it down. The plot is unpredictable. Most stories are so predictable, the butler did it right? WRONG! You can never make an acurate guess. I guessed what the story would be like a million times, and none of them even came close.

So buy it and read it, and be ready to read for a long time.

(best to have a good stash of fritos and coca-cola)

Awesome book. I read it first when I was about 10. I just picked it up today and I still love it, at age 16.

In the first book of the Extreme Zone, two ordinary teenagers, Kathleen "Harley" Davisidaro and Noah Templer start a journey into the unknown, as they discover physcic powers, strange creatures, and rival secret organizations out to get the two of them. This was a cool novel that teenagers who like science fiction would probably enjoy.

As a vampire craves blood, Thomas Ligotti's readers will enjoy Noctuary. The stories are complex, at least some of them. I read one of them over the phone to a woman I know and she laughed a few times. At least at the beginning of the story. Makes me remember the line, "Be careful what you laugh at." The wonderful thing about the stories in Noctuary is that you don't have to understand them to enjoy the writing.

Ligotti shuns the spotlight. But that's okay because he certainly didn't shun the dreams and nightmares that I experienced while reading this book that I consider a masterpiece.

It's a haunting piece of work and my only warning is that Ligotti will take you to a place -- hidden in your mind -- that you don't even know exists.

Flawless. Highly recommended.

...we smile." -Autumnal, from Notebook of the Night.
Thomas Ligotti is one of the most original and unsettling horror writers of this day and age, only somewhat rivalled by his predecessors, Poe and Lovecraft. (One writer who does come very close, however, is Ramsey Campbell.) He is the epitome of the horror writer, thinking of ideas a great deal of us wouldn't even be able to think of: In Part One, we meet Lucian Dregler, an obsessive searcher for the Medusa; Samuel, the deranged postman, descending into his mind on each successive All Hallows' Eve; Arthur Emerson's encounter with a god who may realise his dreams; and Mrs. Rinaldi's ancient wooden chest, home to something infinitely pure and equally corruptable. Part Two take a darker tone. Here we meet Andrew Manning, destined to bring about the end of earthly life; a scientist turned leper messiah and his marvelous machine; a painter determined to become part of his landscapes; and a man pursued by puppet-like horrors, written in the shades of a nightmare. The final section is entirely devoted to vignettes showcasing Ligotti's talent at using very few words to pull off the same effect. The micro-narratives range on subject matter from the unreal ("New Faces in the City") to the Gothic ("Salvation by Doom") to the premundane ("Primordial Loathing"), from the eyes of demons ("The Demon-Man"), from the mouths of the the dead ("One May be Dreaming", "Autumnal"), of the sum of all days ("The Interminable Equation"), on dark, rainy nights ("The Nameless Horror"), ponderings on the mystique of things ("The Mocking Mystery") and the sardonic beauty of it ("The Order of Illusion"). These and many more can be found here. The only piece that came even close to disappointing me was "The Physic", but, thankfully, even that is worth every word.

Thomas Ligotti is a truly unusual author. He has a fascination with "weird fiction," with the unknowable, the macabre. This is paired with a knack for eloquent word-poetry, intelligence and complexity, and a sense of the chillingly unusual. When I finish reading several Ligotti stories, I find that the world looks different. The colors aren't quite right any more, or the angles, or maybe people seem a little darker, a little stranger.

I have several books of Ligotti stories and Noctuary is my favorite. I have often wondered why, and the answer I eventually came to is that most of the stories in here are shorter than those in other books. The longest one is less than 40 pages, and many are only two or three pages long. As much as I love all of Ligotti's writing, he's at his best when he writes in short chunks. Otherwise I find his writing sometimes drags a little.

Ligotti's work is not for everyone. If you don't like the weird or the macabre, you won't enjoy his work. If you prefer your stories to be normal, with a beginning, middle and end, all wrapped up in a neat little ribbon, then this is not for you. If you prefer your world to be its same, comfortable self when you close your books - don't read a word of Ligotti. Ligotti's style is definitely not for everyone. He hands us phrases that no one but he would conceive of, that almost cannot help but elicit a shudder:

"We witness the scene and, with what remains of our mouths, we smile."

But for those of us who enjoy it, it is a dread and harrowing pleasure - one that I would not give up. My only regret is that Ligotti is not a more prolific author.

To realise that for only a few dollars more I could have bought 'The Nightmare Factory' instead which contains all the stories in this book + many more! I guess I will end up owning them both. Ligotti is one of the few creditable horror writers working today and I could never get tired of his stories. They just seem to get deeper and deeper with each subsequent reading. However - if you are looking for blood/gore type horror don't bother - this is a deeply subtle writer at work ..

ligotti is the most disturbing horror writer i've ever encountered, hands down. after i finished "noctuary" i was hungry for more, but unfortunately could not find "grimscribe" anywhere, and am still fiending for a copy. the stories in this book resonate with a kind of sickly unreality (maybe best articulated in "the tsalal") and one gets the sense that while ligotti is on the one hand the impassioned horror writer trying desperately to communicate his vision to the reader, he is on the other hand the avant garde artist in the tradition of duchamp, laughing openly at our pathetic and delusory attempts to impose meaning and order on a universe that in the final equation has neither. it is almost as if he makes a point of pointing out the pointlessness. in this way, he is like his idol hp lovecraft, who constantly added subtle layers of philosophical nihilism and the most extreme forms of pessimism to his work. for those who love tasting the dark, you can't live without this

>this review comes to you from, well, an old friend. micah is a personal deity of mine, and i was given a copy of this book when he first had it published. it's probably the coolest rpg i've ever played, and is the only one i still would play. i love the fluff material and the environments in his world, and i especially like the take micah has on religion and all its evils...definately a good game to pick up. and definately pick up any of his cd's under the name Cruciform Injection, he has four at this point, and all are good.<

Played once at GenCon, bought it ten minutes alter without a second thought. Fantastic. Excellent for those looking for a new setting. I cannot recommend this enough.

I picked this game up at Gen Con and was hooked after reading the 1st page... Simply stated, it's the best thing to happen to to role playing games since Vampire: The Masquerade. The blend of Lovecraftian Horror and gritty Sci-Fi gets under your skin and won't let you go... I could rant and rave for pages and pages about how great the game is... but i'm gonna keep it short here: Check it out, you will NOT regret it, and get your hands on the "soundtrack" by Cruciform Injection while you're at it...

Rev. 7roi

I bought this book on a shelf in England during a holiday. I love it. My friends ordered three more from this website. We play it. We love it. The conflicts of good versus evil where lines are blurred and the totalitarian state is actually looking out for your best interests is unique and exciting. I highly recommend the Wasteland: Beyond the Outposts supplement for this game as well!

Set in a shattered earth sort of back-drop, this game involves some very dark supernatural themes, combined with cybernetics. It reminded me more of Kult than anything else, with a heavy dose of Rifts and a bit of Deadlands: Hell on Earth thrown in. The mechanics are difficult to explain, so I'll refrain from comparing. Playability is surprisingly smooth . . . but the esoterica of the lore associated with the premise is a little too thick. The publisher does seem to have great plans and expectations for the future, however - so it will hopefully be well-supported. Layout of the book reminded me of White Wolf, more than anything else. Appearance is definitely impressive and the writing is more than a little above average . Even if you're not a gamer, this book is a good read. I don't regret dropping the money for it, and consider the first sourcebook ("Wastelands: Beyond the Outposts" to be worth the expense as well).

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.

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.