Horror Books

You don't have to share Mr. Rainey's enthusiasm for military aviation history to enjoy Sky of Thunder, Island of Blood. White knuckling through the eighteen pages of story, sitting in a lawn chair on my deck, I could not resist a look at the sky to reaffirm my safety. Still unsure of what may be coasting above the clouds and out of site, I plunged further into the atmosphere of suspense. Sky of Thunder, Island of Blood is a marvelous read, and worth well over the asking price. I recommend this story to any reader, who enjoys being on the edge of their seat, and--despite the pain--likes finishing a story to find they've bitten their nails into the meat.

Stephen Mark Rainey puts the P back in terror... I'll be checking the mysterious skies for weeks to come.

When this writer edited Deathrealm, a popular horror magazine of the '90s, he did such an excellent job in selecting outstanding writers who later made big names in the genre that I couldn't wait to read this short story.

And he didn't let me down. He's a gifted writer ... and if you love getting goosebumps while you read, you gotta read this story.

Recommended highly. And while you're at it, try my first horror story, V.O. on Amazon Shorts too.

SMR -- the triple-named auteur threat in the form of Stephen Mark Rainey -- pulls off a Mack Truck-sized whale of a tale in this exciting WWII-era chinwag.

Now careful, kids, as I'm going to be employing a strict "cloying cliche followed by a cliche-buster" style of writing on this short, so you betta' keep up now, y'hear?

SMR demonstrates a tremendous breadth of know-how regarding the Second World War's air battle sequences; in this particular case those which transpired over the narrow English Channel separating freedom from tyrrany (wasn't the world so easy then? We knew who the bad guys were).

I'm sure you'll find yourself -- as the person known as ADM did -- smack inside the cockpit with these various musk-smelling sweaty combatants as a number of other reviewers did during this swift little read.

I present the facts:

This story proceeds smoothly and cleanly.

There are hardly any snags, and SMR's got a nice grasp of the British vernacular -- in this case, the Queen's dialect as spoken on the Isle of Wight, south of the mainland proper.

Rainey appears touse his dialogues like a matador does his pointed spears against the toro in that age-old barbarism known as bullfighting...anyways he peppers you with these speech thingys, rather than driving them straight through your noodle.

SMR needles you and tweaks you and runs you around the enclosure a few times, tiring you out, right enough! And then -- just then -- when you think you've caught your breath and made a comeback -- SIS-BOOM-BAH! HOCUS-POCUS! -- Rainey hammers forward with the masterstroke like a fencing mastro to reinforce the notion of just how tired you really really are.

Okay, back to the guts of this story...because you didn't come here to be entertained. This War -- capital "W" -- stuff is very serious business, indeed. :-)

Look, alright, get off it already. You're going to love the aspect in SKY OF THUNDER, ISLAND OF BLOOD of not-quite-knowing-where-you're-supposed-to-be-ness (it's a word, search for it online -- you'll see your picture next to it). You'll love how -- as the tension mounts in this grassy-knolled whodunit ::: hiccup ::: -- you're not quite sure if it was the downed kraut pilot with the Luger who did it, or was it that bucktoothed body-odoured peasant with the pitchfork, or perhaps it was the...

This sort of thing.

In adhering loosely to the strictures of the genre -- what I'm going to call the Catholic Church which permits same-gender-loving priests to officiate in the service, "religion lite" (sorry, it was the best metaphor I could come up with on short notice)-- SMR keeps you on your twinkle-toes, ratcheting (love that word) up the pressure until it's ready to -- bwaaaaaaahahahaha! -- explode.

Questions of who, where, and how will pop into your head; and as soon as you've answered those, you'll want to figure out the crux of the "what" and the "when" ditto, because you're sympatico and always fair to the Five Double-You's.

Back to what I was saying...

SMR mixes up the business in this page-turner. For tart, he adds a little girl, Rachel/Rake (hey SMR, we throat-grind our "ch's" in the former Czechoslovakia, so please don't shorten Rachael to "Rake" next time please --> it should read Rach...and GRIND those "ch's," shnookems, GRIIIIND 'EM BABY!).

For scent, he adds in the characters of Billy Addison and Sir Matt McInnis, Anglo-Saxon alter cacers who don't have access to clean water on the Wight Isle in which to bathe...so they're a little past their freshness date. SMR begs your forgiveness for that. For spice, we've got the old grokel, that kraut flyboy Vogel (pronounced Fogel -- trust me, SMR, we former Czechoslovakians know German hegemony and occupation when we see it, ja?) who knife-wields, goose-steps, and "achtung, baby's" his way through this fine Turkish-cotton-weaved (or Egyptian-weaved, depending on which is cheapest at this time of year) tale; Vogel redeems himself, and hopefully this tarnationed "pure race" in the end.

Nice touch, brother. Made for a lip-smacking goulash. Yummy yummy good.

I'm hereby gracing HEAVEN OF LIGHTNING, ISTHMUS OF CORPUSCLES with five stars for the following reasons. So listen up now:

1) SMR, you ain't no wannabe writer. You clearly know what you're doing by Superman-esque leaps and bounds, and you're published, for chrissakes. Like they do in that old Nabob coffee commerical, I'm separating the wheat from the chaff, the bad java beans from the good. Check.

2) How often do we get to hear about the air part of the PENULTIMATE GLOBAL CONFLAGRATION, formerly known as WWII? It's great to get something else other than Polanski, Shpielberg, and the whole Europe-cult of guilt, oy vey. Kudos and salutations for that, shnookems. I kiss you a thousand times.

3) You used the word "pteradactyl/pterodactyl" in a sentence. Jaggers, it's the equivalent of a triple word score and I'm going to grant you the five stars JUST for that.

I've got more reasons, but -- mush, mush -- you've got writing to do. Well? What are you waiting for. Get to it!

To everyone else:

You see. You like. You buy. Don't dillydally. Get yours today!

-- ADM in Prague (and I'm not on absinthe, so get off it will ya?!)

The research behind this piece is obviously deep and complete...the machines come to life as do the men behind the controls, and though they come from opposite sides of a very earthly conflict, when it becomes men against something darker, they stand as one....good stuff from an avid flying buff and a talented author.

Look, I don't want to spoil any of this. Just drop your .49 cents and rush back here to say thank you. Mr. Rainey has really outdone himself with Sky of Thunder, Island of Blood. You will not be disappointed. It's thrilling and goose-pimply and worth far more than the price of admission.

~Bob Freeman (www.cairnwood.net)

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (7/06)

This is an excellent novel that offers an alternative history to WWII. In this story, the Third Reich has won the war. The main part of the story takes place in a small Russian village that is being occupied by a German army. Martin Schumann, a German army captain, still being affected by the death of his 8 year old daughter, ten years ago, is dealing with wondering if he is insane or the visions and apparitions that he is seeing are real. As time passes, he realizes that he is not crazy and that his men also are seeing visions of horrible things happening. There are men in the German army that are evil. Martin begins learning about what really has happened to this village in his visions. He also helps hide the presence of a Jewish girl, Annabelle, whose family was brutally murdered. He discovers that she has special powers that can help defeat the evil presence in the village. The battle is on. Martin discovers that he has to fight some of his own men. He also begins seeing the depth of Annabelle's powers.

A somnambulist is a sleepwalker. In this story, they are also people without faith who have spent their whole lives "asleep" not realizing that "the world that they see is the dream, and the Truth lies somewhere underneath." Martin feels that he was one of these people, until he encountered Annabelle. She woke him up to the reality of the world and helped him to see the ongoing fight between good and evil.

This is a great fiction novel, that makes you take your personal thoughts about how life appears to be, and compare them to how life might really be. Ryan is able to write in such a way that you are able to really see what is going on in the story. If it is cold, you feel cold. If there is an evil presence, you feel goose bumps. This makes it a really fun read. I would love to see it turned into a movie.

As if the nightmares of war were not enough, "The Somnambulist" goes into something even worse. Author Kirk Ryan delves deeply into the horrors of war, internment camps, and evil regime, and then pushes further into the depths of the mind, the lure of power, the magic of vengeance.

Wehrmacht Captain Martin Schumann is only trying to survive his assignment but he can feel a presence, something calls to him in the peasant village nearby. Something is seeking revenge. Martin's dead daughter is haunting his dreams, in reality warning him of the danger that lurks. He finds that he has been sleepwalking, and in the midst of war and winter in Russia, this is definitely not a good thing. Perhaps, he is being led in his sleep by his daughter. But why then are others in his company experiencing similar things? There is a magical presence in the camp that will not let certain soldiers rest.

SS Colonel Wexel is trying to harness an evil power. His efforts to contain the opposing power, a young Russian witch hiding in the village, have thus far failed. She is being helped and he intends to put a stop to that. His rewards will be great, in his mind...the knowledge of the Atom Bomb would be in Nazi hands. The dragon has promised him this. What power can stop him? The witch is the latest in a series of eight Valkeries who have battled evil. Will she prevail and avenge the deaths of her family, of her country?

Kirk Ryan has written a powerful book, rich with vivid descriptions, deep characters, military detail and mystical lore. It is a trip into the minds of men and the struggle of good versus evil. The journey is sometimes confusing; through nightmares and dreamscapes, but in the end the plot is quite clear. This is an outstanding book, which history lovers as well as horror readers will enjoy.

Review by Heather Froeschl

The story opens with the narrator rolling into occupied Russia during the heady early days of Hitler's mad gamble to conquer the Soviet Union. Martin, the story's first-person narrator, has been reassigned to the Russion backwoods to supervise a platoon of recovering wounded who themselves are guarding a number of Red Army prisoners. Martin's camp lies outside a local village; he is instructed to make contact with its survivors and report about the village's production potential.

Martin's "war diary" quickly turns into a combination ghost-story-murder-mystery. His old nightmares return - even while he is awake - usually with very inopportune timing. Mattie, the ghost of Martin's beloved daughter, pays an unusual visit - to warn her living father of mounting danger, and to caution him against a fate worse than death. Martin has his written orders (which must be obeyed - the SS apparently has little patience with insubordnates in war zones), but with Mattie's guidance, Martin unlocks the mystery of a second, much more important directive - find Annabelle and save her from a madman who means to kill her.

At first, the setting and tone reminded me of F. Paul Wilson's 1980 masterpiece, The Keep. But Ryan's story is much more enjoyable because of Martin's painfully honest, microscopically perceptive, and oh yeah, witty, narrative. Because Martin is such a down-to-earth guy, a forty-something antihero that holds nothing back - including his own shortcomings - I had no trouble believing every word of his incredible story, right up to the FURIOUSLY intense climax.

Any reader out there who still chokes down Koontz's unimaginative stories over the past few years would absolutely love this book. Seriously - this airtight thriller is as good as the King ever was on his best day.

I had the pleasure of reading Mr.Ryans' first novel several months ago. The book is an amazing and exciting mix of history, horror and fantasy. As a long time fan of authors like King and Koontz, I have a high level of expectation. Despite this, I found the story line absorbing, the fantasy fantastic and the horror bewitching! I am really looking forward to Mr. Ryans next effort and my own opportunity to be swept away to another place, time and dimension...
djp

At the pinnacle of WW2 Germany's regular army (the Wehrmacht) swept through Russia, capturing over one million square kilometers and many more prisoners. At the same time certain unseen, malevolent forces, both human and non-, were mustering power in secret for the Third Reich. Inevitably, Hitler would develop the Atomic bomb first...unless the side of the angels can intervene in time.

Tangled somewhere in the middle of all this is Internment Camp 660, where Captain Schumann and his unit of 31 enlisted men are literally living their nightmares. Somehow, the separation between waking reality and the supernatural has grown thin there. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Schumann had been haunted for years by the memory of his departed daughter Mattie, and now it would seem that her ghost is actively guiding him through the surreal dreamscape of Loza's frozen forests. Somewhere out there is a portal through which evil is being channeled - and some answers.

The Somnambulist was a pleasant surprise for me, as I was expecting something more along the lines of straight horror; what we have here is more of a gothic/speculative historical. Indeed, the author's unusual attention to the details and mores of this time period is impressive, betraying much more than a passing interest or (typical of most other novelists I would suppose) cursory research for the feeling of authenticity. As the ironic hero of the tale, Schumann lends a perceptive, even painfully honest first person narrative throughout the events of his present and through flashbacks that reveal more pieces of the puzzle. There is also in the style and pacing a noticeable influence of Stephen King, one of my favorite authors in any genre that he has put his mind to. Good, solid plot structure with some nice twists, atmosphere, empathetic characters, and best of all, original ideas to mull over - that's a good story by any other name.

I've been agonizing over this review for a week after finishing the Somnambulist because there is the little matter of a revelation which I feel that I owe to the readers of these reviews. You see, Kirk A. Ryan is my own dear brother-in-law. I mention this only so as to avoid even the appearance of deception on my part.

(Now please don't dismiss this review out of hand because you assume that I must be biased. First, the only favor here was when I initially agreed to read The Somnambulist; the rest was purely my pleasure. Secondly, I have a deep personal loathing of shill reviews. As far as I'm concerned, "shiller" is another way of saying "liar" or even "prostitute", if paid. I don't do that. Thus, my "confession". ) Now then...

I recommend the Somnambulist for anybody who enjoys a fresh new perspective on history, mythology, and supernatural themes in their fiction reading. Bravo, well done; the bar has now been raised considerably higher for all first time novelists. When can we expect more?
-Andrea, aka Merribelle

Farris is the master of the subtle plot. He is also a master of genuine horror - horror that is not necessarily caused by supernatural monsters or aliens or bogeymen. It is the horror that is immanent in human nature - more or less trammeled by the civilization and the rules of society. When they come into the open it is either due to mental or social sickness. In this book you can study persons that when they have the feeling of being almighty may exercise their dehumanized urges on innocent people. Man is the only being that kills for pleasure and personal satisfaction. Farris shows this in a novel full of breathteaking suspense. The Trevellians may be exaggerated and slightly unreal as characters but they represent a tendency in humans to play God and to feel like God. Hubris is punished in the classical Greek tragedy. But is this mortal sin always punished in our modern times?

John Farris, master of psycho books, has amazed me once again. I have read all of his novels to date and this is by far his best work. After finishing the book, I have not been able to keep my mind off it...too bad there's no chance of a sequel.

You won't be able to put this one down; get ready for a VERY late night! "Soon She Will Be Gone", will have you breathless in anticipation of what will happen next! Just when I thought I had "figured it all out" I was surprised by another twist, another turn, all the way up to the unpredictable ending.You won't regret buying this book, it's one heck of a roller coaster ride!

Six beautiful women have mysteriously vanished over the past few years with the only common links besides their gender being they were physically impaired and that they were involved in some manner with visionary architect Dix Trevallian. Their absence might have gone unnoticed except that the last victim happened to be the sister of U.S. Deputy Attorney general Dane Coleman, who believes that the six females are all dead and Dix is the culprit. He plans to bring the wealthy architect down either by legal or other means. ..... Sharon Norbeth falls into Dane's clutches when she cops a plea bargain with him. She will abet him in his efforts to get at Dix if he drops all criminal charges filed against her. Sharon gains entrance into the rarefied Trevallian inner sanction through Dane's Machiavellian maneuvers and her own artistic talent. She quickly discovers that the entire Trevallian family is twisted in ways so horrible that it is difficult to accept. Anyone of them could have caused the disappearance of the women and Sharon plans to uncover who the culprit is before she becomes the next missing number. ..... John Farris has written his usual nail biting thriller that draws upon the beasts that reside inside every human. SOON SHE WILL BE GONE is an example of horror at its most horrible brilliance. The characters (both good and evil) are compelling and the story line rapidly moves forward, turning this book into a must read for fans who enjoy reading about the surfacing of the Jekyll in all of us. .....Harriet Klausner

A serial killer may be at large. Six talented women with various handicaps have disappeared without a trace. The only link between them seems to be the Trevellian family. Sharan Norbeth , a disfigured artist, goes undercover to discover the truth, but comes close to being victim number 7. Just when you think you have figured out who the villain is, the plot takes a twist and turn. The story keeps you on edge and is a very satisfying read for fans of mystery and psychosexual thrillers.

The first 2-3 chapters are slow but is definitely important to introduce the characters in the book. Once I started reading it, I can't put down the book anymore. I really enjoyed reading it because of the different combination of everything like a touch of romance, a little bit of comedy and especially the good part, the thrill,horror and suspense.This book will definitely keep your imagination active.I sure dont want to missed another book like this of Scott Ebright.More power and God bless!!

Theresa B. (O.A.C)

Yes, I liked this book. I finished reading it in under 24 hours. That is a compliment all by itself! I thoroughly enjoyed the story and would definitely recommend it to anybody who likes a good believable ghost story; however the first three chapters are slow but interesting. Then, the story really grips you and demands you continue reading it to find out what happens next. You can't put it down. I found the characters to be everyday people that you can empathize with and I would read more books by this author if and when they become available.

this is the human experience on all the levels. it was one of the best books i have ever read. bravo!

First real good story I've read in years.
I was very, very impressed with this story. I liked many aspects of this story. It was more than a typical horror story. Also, this is a book somebody can read and enjoy without the vulgarity found in so many other books. I recommend this to anyone like me who hasn't had time to read alot of books, but when I do, it had better be good!

I read this book during a week I was supposed to be studying for final exams (4th year broadcasting major). I just kept on and on, reading one chapter after the next because everytime I tried to stop thinking about this story, it kept coming back into my head so I couldn't concentrate on anything else. This book was a lot different than any other mystery or horror book I ever read. It was very suspenseful without being extreme or gross like most of those other books of the same genre. Maybe that's because this was a true story. Anyway, I liked everything about this story - especially the characters. The author (Ebright) seemed to know just when to change scenes or add a little levity here and there so I wouldn't get too worn out by the heavy subject matter of ghosts or demonic entities. It seemed to be a good balance...I was hooked into reading the whole book within two-a-half days! And the surprise I discovered was that unlike any other scary book I've read, this one left me feeling more positive about myself and my own spirituality. (Incidentally, I used this book as a basis for my semester project to adapt a book to a one hour screenplay.)

Savannah, the goosebumps stayed raised on my arms even after I finished the book. Buy this great book!

A New York Times Best Seller candidate for sure. The author has great gift for making you feel like you are actually living through the events in the story. The characters seem to come alive. This is a spine chilling tale that left me feeling like I didn't want to be alone while reading it. I am anxiously awaiting the next book from this extremely talented writer.

I was on the edge of my seat with every turn of the page! Spectre is simply brilliant. One finds oneself pulled into the this powerful and thought provoking adventure with plenty of plot twists and turns, which keep the reader thinking even after they put the book down! Marvelous. Congratulations Savannah on your second book. I also have read and own your book "Oddly Enough." I can't wait to read more from you.

A riviting ghost story that is sure to get your attention and hold it from beginning to end. A real page turner - you will not want to put it down. Lena, a writer of childrens books, gets a job chronicaling a ghost-hunting adventure that becomes a life and death situation for her and the assembled team of two others and lead by a mysterious and sinister Doctor Spector. From the beginning, you will know the heart-pounding ending but your curiosity will not let you put this book down until you know how it all unfolds.

Plunges into the best kind of mystery, deep and interior. North unravels a story of an everyday woman who gets involved in a ghost investigation that stretches her to her limits physically, mentally and emotionally. It was impossible for me not to keep turning the pages!

In this book my favourite author R.L.Stine expresses his full class and why he is number1 in horror books.I did not go for 5 star cause the book with a exciting start has an ok ending and takes many twists before it finally arrives at a full stop.

This book was one of the best R.L. Stine books I have read in a long time. It was so weird and crazy, very suspenseful too. READ IT!

Brittany and her friends agree to play cards with Max, a new sick kid from their class. But the jokers in Max's deck are alive...and they're EVIL!! They give you a suit each time they attack you! If you have all 4 suit... something terrible will happen! P.S. I can't tell you what will happen!

Brittany and her friends agree to play deck cards with their sick school mate, Max. They did not know that the jokers in Max's cards are alive.!

Brittany and her friends agree to play cards with Max, a sick kid from school. When they play the cards, the jokers are alive!. Each of them give you one suits. If you have four suits, something terrible will happen.

My daughter is 5 3/4 years old and Spooky Riddles is the eighth book she has read all by herself. She says it is her favorite joke book ever, and it is great for kids. It's especially good if you're looking for jokes to tell your friends at Halloween parties.

My 4 and 6 year olds love this book. It's great easy reading for them and they love the punchlines! Even Grandpa laughed!

My friend Alan recommend to me this book it in spanish class and i have spent many joyful hours laughing over this book even at the age of 15 the cute simplitic riddles bring a simile to your face. I just want to htank Big Alf for telling some great spooky riddles.

My 6 1/2 year old LOVES to read this book! The riddles are funny and easy to understand. Each page has about 10 words to read so it's not too challenging but not too easy either(my son becomes frustrated with too many words per page). He also loves to tell these riddles(jokes)to family and friends. Pictures are silly looking not scary at all. Highhly recommended.

I read this when I was 4 and loved it. I'm 16 now and I'm still telling the same jokes. I havn't read it in years, but I remember almost all the jokes. What do you call a mummy that eats cookies in bed? A crummy mummy!!! Bwa ha ha! Gets me every time. What do you call a mummy that eats cookies in bed? A crummy mummy!!! Bwa ha ha! See? These are the best riddles known to man.If you read them, you'll be as funny as me! What does a witch ask for at a hotel? Broom service! Har har har! I love this book.

This is not really a novel, it is a collection of short stories held together by a frame-tale. I suspect that Jack London had written these stories over a period of time, and decided to put them together in this fashion in hopes of making them into a novel. But one can still read each story by itself. The themes and backgrounds of the various stories differ greatly, also a few are rather dull, while others are interesting. All in all, a great work and one of London's finest.

yo quiero tener este libro en español. este libro se llama originalmente the jacket, en español la camisa de fuerza.

I want have this book in spanish , too can produce a good traduction.

I read this book many years ago and it has stuck in my mind as one of the greatest books I have ever read. It is very different from most of London's books, but I think one of his best. It is truly an original idea and its contents will stay with you for a long time. It is also a great adventure novel!

What many people don't realize is that Jack London's STAR ROVER is actually a slightly fictionalized version of a book called THE 25th Man, by a man named Ed Morrell. Ed Morrell is The Man who spent over 15 years in San Quentin Prison and over five years in solitary confinement, mostly restrained in a modified strait jacket. Ed Morrell was faced with two options. First he could simply go slowly insane or he could learn to escape the physical confines of his body. What Mr. Morrell did, I believe, many people will be able to do by the end of this Century. Star Rover, is in fact, a detailed software manual for use with the human mind.

And the woman who Jack London hired to travel and take notes from Mr. Morrell was the very child which Ed used to visit during his out of body travels. Eventually she became Mrs. Morrell and they settled at 7164 Vine Street in Hollywood, California and Ed lived to the ripe old age of 78. What I can't understand is why hasn't the MOVIE been produced yet???

It makes me very sad that only a few people knows about this book. It tells the story of a man who finds himself in prison. He is trapped in a madman's shirt, in order to confess facts he knew nothing about. Obliged to pass days and nights without being able to move a single muscle, living in complete darkness inside special punishment cells, he manages to avoid getting nuts and yet bravely resists his tortures' will. Developing a way of traveling with his mind, he escapes from all human suffering and still has the chance to watch his actions of past lives, finally understanding how most of his present beliefs and flaws had been built.This is a tale about FREEDOM and REDEMPTION! It makes you firmly believe that free spirits are unbeatable and that we can dream no matter how life is. For anybody who is familiar with London's deep feelings about life and dreaming and freedom, I must say that this is his best book ever. A glimpse of the deepest beliefs of a great writer who left us so soon. A MUST!!!

I did not put this book down until I was so scared that I couldn't take anymore. This is an exceptional novel and will capture your attention until the final sentence. This is one of the best novels I have ever read. I finished the book three days ago and am still scared to sleep. I can't wait for another novel by O'Brien.

The book begins with the death of an old man, Stehle, by drowning. However this drowning takes place in the first floor of a house, and the reader realizes immediately that he is onto something horrifying. He is right: Everything is not as it seems in the novel. And the feeling escalates as horror upon horror is perpetuated throughout the novel.

The story deals with a packet of letters that the siblings of old man, Stehle, Alex and Pauli, buy at a flea market. These letters were purportedly written during the Civil War and should be of more interest to historians than to the supernatural-minded. However the letters are not ordinary letters but actually portals to a world of ghosts and evil spirits. It does not take the siblings long to realize this, and they set out to stop the evil coming out. To do this they decide to burn the letters; however, the packet has disappeared by that time. Realizing that similar portals are present elsewhere in the world, they set off to destroy them. But this adventure is a lot more dangerous than what they bargained for. So do they succeed in their mission?

William M. O'Brien Jr., for a first time novelist, succeeds in creating an atmosphere of foreboding and horror. With the characterization of two teenagers as protagonists, the story reminds one of horror cult classic films like "The Blair Witch Project" and "Jeepers Creepers". A must read for not only horror fiction fans, but also for those interested in thrillers.

I'm usually not a fan of horror novels, but this one was very enjoyable. After I would read a few chapters, the slightest sound would make me jump. That is how scared I was. My english teacher is an excellent writer.

Stehle's Door begins with the demise of old man Stehle--and then proceeds to tell you how and why it happened.

This novel combines authentic Civil War history with a present-day setting in Galveston, Texas, with loads of real-life landmarks, helping to give the fictional story a true-to-life feel.

The main characters are teenagers, so this book might appeal to that age group, as well as to adults. Mr. O'Brien has a very readable style of writing, which enables the reader to move at a steady pace through the novel without bogging down.

The climax has an interesting twist--not all is as it seems to be. Enjoy.

Not the typical haunted house story with lingering ghosts of past residents, the ghosts in Stehle's Door can relocate causing bad dreams, having grotesque manifestations, and worse. A chilling, compelling story of two adolescents who fight the unpredictable with risk and determination. The movement to another realm appealed to me as in The Sixth Sense and I liked the confiding between kids which was reminiscent of the book The Other.

My Swamp Thing fandom began with seeing the movies and TV series as a teenager. I recently decided to start collecting the trade paperbacks, starting with this one. The original short story is quite reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe's works. Gothic and somber, it's easy to see why the book it appeared in sold so well.

The remainder of the book's stories, taken from the regular Swamp Thing series, maintain the dark tone but add a ton of creativity and fun. Swamp Thing is relentlessly pursued by Cable (who here is not nearly as pretty as Adrienne Barbeau), and encounters all manner of strange situations and foes. The dialog is phenomenal, especially for the time period, and the art is rather sharp too.

Allen Moore's take on Swamp Thing may be the best-remembered, but Len Wein's run is simpler, more action-packed, and just plain fun.

I admit I was only familiar with Swamp Thing because of the Wes Craven film, then years later I got into the Alan Moore run on the title. I was interested more recently in where the character got its start, so I picked this up.

I wasn't expecting great literature compared to Moore, but I was pleasantly surprised as these stories are almost as good as Moore has gotten at times.

The beginning has the very first Swamp Thing story written by Len Wein. Its basically Tales from the Crypt-lite, but its interesting to see that DC was starting to show more of a series side, which culminated years later in their "Vertigo" imprint.
It was just a short story when DC gave the call for a long term title.
Then it retcons the origin story to the 1970's, wherein the Swamp Thing is a former scientist who was killed in a lab explosion because of a mysterious organization. The story continues and explores many things including the occult, racism, and also continues its "horror" tradition with stories of werewolves and witches. I believe at the time DC wanted to do a "Tales" style revival of horror stories, had to abide by the ridiculous comics code (actually per other reviews they didn't but still I think couldn't push it too far), but did the best they could with these stories. People are killed, and there are some mature themes that weren't neccesarily the norm at the time (since the establishment of the comics code), so I feel that this is a groundbreaking comic in that along with a few others, it was pretty mature for the time.

All in all, as much as an Alan Moore fan I am, I don't feel he "defined" Swamp Thing anymore than Len Wein, and the evidence to that fact is all contained in this book.

"Swamp Thing: Dark Genesis" reprints not only the first ten issues of the DC comic but also the short story from 1971's "House of Secrets" #92 that introduced the character. The key thing here is that you have in one trade paperback volume the complete run of artist Berni Wrightson, who created the Swamp Thing along with writer Len Wein. There are actually not one genesis but two in the first two stories (just like the original in fact), not to be confused with the famous revision worked by Alan Moore down the road. The first, shorter version, was about a man who was murdered and dumped into a swamp, where his body metamorphosed into a muck monster that rose up and extracted horrible vengeance upon his killer. The story was a bit reminiscent of a character called the Heap, who showed up in the back of "Airboy and Air Fighters Comics" from 1942-1953, but I do not know if that was really in anybody's mind at the end of 1972 when "Swamp Thing" #1 was produced, however, a more likely antecedent would be "Morto do Pântano", created by the Brazilian artist Eugenio Colonesse only two years before the Swamp Thing's advent.

Now the man in the monster was Dr. Alec Holland, who was working on a top secret bio-restorative formula in the Louisiana bayou. The bad guys want it and when their bomb explodes in Holland's face and drives "countless unclassified chemicals" deep into his burning flesh, he dives into the bog and disappears. In the first issue Holland fails to rescue his wife in time and has to take revenge for both of them, at which point we immediately start a multi-issue story arc with Arcane, a crazy rich guy who wants to live forever. This is the plot line that eventually became the less than stellar movie version of the "Swamp Thing," so it will seem somewhat familiar to the uninitiated. The Swamp Thing even left his swamp long enough to battle Batman in issue #7 in what would be one of the few encounters with a traditional DC superhero for the supernatural star of the comic.

Wein and Wrightson's "Swamp Thing" became a cult classic among comic fans because of its dark, moody Gothic style, but mainly on the strength of the artwork by Wrightson, whose style was perfectly suited for this comic. Historically "Swamp Thing" is an important comic book because it was the first horror comic to be geared towards a more adult oriented readership since the glory days of EC Comics with "Tales of the Crypt" in the 1950s. Eventually "Swamp Thing," during the Moore period, would give birth to DC's Vertigo comic book line, which was always PG-13 if not NC-17. "Saga of the Swamp Thing" would be the first mainstream comic to abandon the Comics Code Authority. These first ten stories rest primarily on Wrightson's distinctive art, but Wein does set the foundation for the character to be able to survive once Wrightson departed.

If you begin with "Dark Genesis" and proceed directly to the Moore years in the 1980s (which is basically what these reprints do), you are not going to be disappointed, because relatively speaking, nothing happened in the years in between. I am just happy to be able to read these comics again without having to take my originals out of their plastic bags.

It's about time! I missed out on this collection the first time around, but never again will I be without the early issues of the original Swamp Thing by Len Wein & Berni Wrightson. This trade paperback collects the very first story from House of Secrets #92 and the first ten issues of the series it inspired in the early '70s. This is by no means the elemental-fantasy Swamp Thing of Moore/Totleben; this is the horror-oriented version that is more at home in an EC comic or Warren magazine. The classic stories by Wein have some laughably expressive narration and melodramatic dialogue, but they don't detract from the superb plots, including the first appearance of Arcane and his Un-Men, the Patchwork Man, and a great "team-up" with Batman (In fact, I feel that the first 3 issues of the series make up one of the best comic stories ever written). Wrightson's textural and creepy artwork will make you feel the moss and dirt crumbling off of Swampy with every step he takes. Don't get me wrong: I love both incarnations of this character, and Moore & Totleben are no slouches, but Wein & Wrightson will always come first for me.

I remember reading some of these comics way back in the mid 70's. It was nice to re-visit some of my memories from 30 years ago. The art by Wrightson was fantastic! I give it my highest recommendation. The stories by Wein were why this graphic novel got four stars instead of five. The stories were competent but still had plot inconsistencies and pacing problems. I found the stories to be a little to hokey and fake at times - even for a comic book. All in all it was worth the money, four stars out of five usually is.