Horror Books

Our family has enjoyed Micheal Rex's books for years but this one is the best! It is a wonderful, fun parody of the children's classic, "Goodnight Moon" (appropriate for all ages). My children loved the spin on the classic, a book they know by heart! Parents - add it to your collection! Teachers - what a great resource for teaching how to write a parody or just as a great Halloween story (but can also be read throughout the year!). It will hopefully become a classic just like the original. We hope Michael Rex finally gets the recognition he deserves as an author and illustator!

Amazing writing and drawing. The focus on human society and how it is affected by the zombie plague is especially entertaining and insightful. Smart and a lot of fun to read.

At best, "The Walking Dead" is a mediocre comic with bad moments and good moments written by a less-than-competent writer and pencilled by an artist whose panels range from good to pretty bad. At worst, it's a piece of sexist trash trying to pass for an epic, character-driven series. Which do I think it is? Recently, I'm leaning towards the latter, but I think the overall series is somewhere in-between.

"The Heart's Desire," the fourth volume of this series, has a better story than the previous installment. The dialogue remains horrible, reducing the majority of the characters to one-dimension exposition machines, but at least there was some promising bits of story. There's a new--and possibly crazy--woman who arrives and stirs up some muck between some characters, Rick is pressed to make a pretty rough decision early on (which has some backlash), and the 'mythology' of this zombie-infested world and how the infection works is explored a little bit. It was always--as usual--very easy to put down, which really isn't a good sign, but there was less stuff to get frustrated over. It actually seemed as if Kirkman had decided to stop giving every single issue an archaic and sexist spin...

...until the final issue included in this volume.

In the final issue, (don't worry, this isn't a spoiler) the team decides to form a committee of four people who will make all the decisions. All four people are men. That bugged me, but I thought Kirkman was about to save himself and make a statement AGAINST sexism (which has been a HUGE issue in the series so far) when a character says, "No women?" But how does Kirkman justify this decision? The women didn't want to be involved in the decision making. They just want to be protected. I don't know what era this man thinks he's living in, but things don't work that way. He's trying to make a statement that if the world was taken over by flesh-eating monsters, that men would assume the role of the "decision makers" and that women would simply knit and watch the children, as the women of "The Walking Dead" do.

Not only will this bother women who read this, it will bother anyone who has a problem with sexism. Period. At this point, I'm not even sure if I can continue reading this.

4/10

Amazingly, this series is not about zombies. It is about the end of the world and how the remaining humans struggle to survive in this distopia. Not since "Lord of the Flies" have we seen or read about the baser nature of humanity, once modern technology and institutions are removed.
If you are a fan of "Lost" or "Battlestar Galactica", you will love "The Walking Dead". Start with "Volume 1" and enjoy!

Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead: The Heart's Desire (Image, 2006)

Kirkman unleashes the fourth installment in his Walking Dead comic series, and as we've come to expect from Kirkman, it's of high quality. When we last left our intrepid band of travelers, they were o the verge of being forced out of the safety they'd found in the prison by an inmate with a grudge against society. Rick's method of solving the problem, and the way he reacts to other, more mundane, stresses that occur amongst the members of the band, makes him-- and those around him-- start to question, if not his sanity, at least his fitness to lead. Kirkman's doing a fine job with this series, and I'm very much looking forward to the next installment. *** ½

You know, this series may have its flaw, but after all is said and done, its really good. The artwork is a beautiful black and white, shadows just come alive. The story is a human one, though grounded in this apocalyptic world. It's dark. It's edgy. It's pretty great.

This book was very suspenseful and entertaining but I am sick of books and movies that get you interested and then just end with little/no closure. This is one of those so if you want to know what happens to the characters and have things wrapped up, dont read this because apparently the author got bored and decided to just say 'the end' without finishing. At least that's how it felt to me anyway.

A tightly plotted, suspenseful story that keeps the pages turning. The question of "is she still alive" filled my head for most of the story, and I couldn't put the book down until I'd found out. Nicely done.

SPOILERS below, read at your own risk.

The ending was a little too rushed for my taste. I understand it's because of Cass's current state of mind, but I thought the shift was too sudden. Maybe because, throughout the book we see the story from the perspective of three people. Then, after the rescue, we only see Cass. I'd have liked to see a tiny bit from Kyle, knowing the state of mind Cass was in, and know how he felt about that. I think it would have rounded things out a bit more. Just my opinion. :)

What Happened to Cass McBride? by Gail Giles

When Kyle Kirby's brother commits suicide, Kyle must punish the girl who pushed David over the edge. He kidnaps the popular, smart, go-getting Cass McBride and buries her alive! Now, Cass is suddenly alone with herself, her thoughts, and her harsh words. But even she knows there's only one way out of the box she's in--Kyle.

"What Happened to Cass McBride?" is told through first person via Cass's eyes and Kyle's which is an interesting turn. You see clearly the motivation behind each one's actions. The detective searching for Cass is told in third person, but is necessary to move the story closer toward the resolution of finding Cass and catching Kyle. The story is intriguing and draws you in.

As Cass must analyze Kyle, she must also self-analyze. She is not merely speaking to his psyche to gain freedom. When she learns the details of David's suicide, she realizes she is to blame and she is fraught with guilt. Cass really transforms through her ordeal, and although no one could be the same after an experience like that, we know that Cass McBride will be a stronger, better person afterward.

Although, a powerful book, there isn't a lot of emotion. I feel for Cass McBride and the situation she finds herself in, but I'm not in the box with her. I remain safely detached from the situation. Still, the story is compelling and the characters motives are well explained and understood and you will empathize.

It was an interesting book and can hold the attention of youths and adults alike, but as an adult reader, I finished quickly and consider myself having read a great "young adult" novel.

What Happened to Cassie McBride is a suspenseful, page-turner which will not disappoint Young Adult readers. Gail Gillies has a intriguing way of making her characters come alive as well as encouraging teenagers to keep reading. Her creative characterization and foreshadowing motivate the reader.
I have read four of Gail Gillies's novels for reluctant readers, and everyone of her books is powerful, suspenseful and thought-provoking. I encourage all teenagers, even those who would rather be on the internet, to read one of her novels; you won't be disappointed!

Reviewed by Ian McCurley (age 13) for Reader Views (6/07)

Cass McBride is an ordinary, popular teenaged girl with a sometimes cruel sense of humor and a conniving mind that will do anything to become better than the other girls, from becoming the first junior homecoming queen, to leaving notes under her desk for her friends to find, read and laugh. One of these notes got her into BIG trouble. That day, she had been asked out by David Kirby, a nerdy guy who normally she wouldn't give the time of day to. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, she said "Some other time," and then left the hurtful note that pointed out how much of a dork he was and other unsavory things. Not expecting him to find the note, she set it under her desk for her friend to find. But David found it. The next day, David Kirby's body was found hanging by a rope from a tree in his front yard with a note pinned to his body. Not his shirt, but his body. The note said, "Words are teeth, and they eat me alive. Feed on my corpse instead."

Seeking revenge, David's brother, Kyle Kirby, takes Cass from her suburban home and puts her in a box, or rather a crate. He places this crate in a greenhouse several feet underground. No one but him, because he is the gardener for the estate on which the greenhouse is situated, would stumble upon her. Kyle, however, left her with a tube of air and a walkie-talkie. The reason he leaves her alive, for now at least, is so that she can understand what she had done to his brother. And now, using the persuasive skills learned from her conniving salesman of a father, Cass must make him see that it wasn't her fault; that he should release her. Though at first she thinks she is powerless, Cass discovers that she has one weapon: words. So the questions are: Was it Cass who "killed" David Kirby? Or was it David and Kyle's mother who blamed David for her less-than-perfect life? And an even bigger, more important question, will Cass survive being buried alive?

Gail Giles writes wonderfully in that she shows the way words affect us using the story of a tragic suicide and a kidnapped young girl. She also shows that when people have no solution, they blame others only for the sake of themselves. "What Happened to Cass McBride" is for readers 15 and up.

I just finished the book last night and was very pleased with it. It's about certain kids that are gifted in having nightmares! Yes, that's right... nightmares! There imagination is so great that they can actually create a portal and bring the nightmares here to earth! Charlie is one of these kids. He's been an outcast since he can remember because all the kids think he's a freak. His parents have been overly protective of him because of this and don't want him to leave the house. Then pops in the Nightmare Academy. A place where Charlie just might fit in. At the academy, Charlie's gift (and the other children's gift) is used to help protect Earth from all of the creatures of the Netherworld. Is this a place where Charlie can fit in? Will he be able to use his powers to help? How much trouble can he get into? You'll have to read it to find out.
I found this book a very easy read. It kept it's pace and was never boring. I highly recommend this book and can't wait for the next one to come out!

Nightmare Acadmy is a very fun read out loud book. My sons, ages 8 and 9 were very entertained with the over the top antics of some of the characters; they were quite taken by the orginality of the book. The very menacing figure of Barrakas and the tense confrontation scenes added some real spice to the narrative. They both were asking about the sequel as soon as we were done, as high a recommendation as they can give, and they would stay up after lights were out making up their own Nether creatures. I would caution for children much younger than the recommended ages as the scene where the hags steal memories is very creepy.

My problem is the language. This book is recommended for 9-12 year olds. There is frequent use of saltier language than I like for this age range. Hell and God are used as epithets, which would make me testy enough, but Mr. Lorey also used the word p***. Was it really necessary in a children's book? Does everyone have to push the envelope of the lowest common denominator? Some one should take the high road, for pity's sake! Parents do a read ahead. I was able to edit most of it as I read but I may never have known if I didn't read it aloud.

Nightmare Academy, Book One: Into the Nether by Dean Lorey is a good read. The flowing style kept me reading for many hours trying to find out what happens next in the story. It has a very interesting and creative story imaginable. Mr. Lorey created a frightening world where you can find many unique and hideous creatures. This book is for young adults but I as an adult found it to be enjoyable to read. If you like Harry Potter, then you would probably like this book too. Read it and find out how good it is. I recommend this book to everyone. Cant wait for book 2 to come out.

I got this book for my sons ages 9 and 12 as they had just finished "Skullduggery Pleasant" and couldn't find anything else they really liked. One after the other (oldest first)they sat down and finished "Nightmare Academy" in one sitting. Video games were left to the side as they were too interested to see what happened at the end of the book. What more could you want?

A very absorbing tale and the start of a thrilling new series. Great characters and even cooler creatures. Plus a page-turning plot that I found tremendously satisfying. It really transported me to an exciting place -- which is what all good fiction is supposed to do. Can't wait for the NEXT book in the series. Lorey is a YA author to watch!

I started reading this book to my kids when they were both around the age of four. Now they are about six and eight and they still love it. Funny book.

My son and I have read this book over and over and over again. Whether it's Halloween time or not this book will be a sure favorite of kids' who like the dark side. Don't take this to mean that the book is dark or scary. What I mean is that if your kids have a taste for spookies then this book will not fail to please. Great pictures with subtle hidden pictures that show that the spookies and such aren't real in this haunted house. The text is fun to read outloud to the wee ones.

my son whom is 3 and his friends 7 all loved this book. it's pretty much about kids going into a pretend haunted house that there parents take them to.all the kids loved this book.

My 3 1/2 & 21 month old sons love this book and insist I read it to them evry night before bedtime. The artwork is attention grabbing and the prose has a nice cadence. Of course I throw in my own personal sound effects for the witches, ghosts, werewolf & Frankenstein. This just gets them giggling like crazy. This book is not too scary for the littlest kids, because if you look closely, there's almost always a 'hidden' item which helps explains the 'spooky' stuff. You can point this out as you go along. The surprise ending is quite nice too. I highly reccommend this book for kids 18 months to 5 years.

We write sensory descriptive stories about a fictional visit to a haunted house so this one is very inspiring! Not too scarry but nice descriptive language!

My son (age 4) really likes this book. It has a great rhyming story, and the illustrations are spectacular. Great pictures of "monsters" amidst beautiful fall color. A joy to read and look at!

Another beautiful book. My kids and I are big fans of Jan Brett's books and this one is just perfect to get into the Halloween Spirit.

I liked this book very much for the lesson it teaches you. My daughter who is 7 told me after reading this book to me, that things are not always as scary as they first seem to be. The monsters were just people, but seemed scary to the kittens because the kittens are so much smaller than the people, and the people had costumes on, which made them seem even scarier to the kittens.
Very easy book to read, and because it kind of reads like a song or poem, it made it fun for my daughter to make her own tune to read it to.

This delightful little book has all the charm and spookiness of the holiday it represents. As a twenty-two year-old adult, I think this book has equal appeal for adults and children.

Jan Brett's luscious, beautiful pictures perfectly depict the gorgeous darkness of Halloween night and the vibrant colors of different costumes (or are they really monsters?) Accompanied with these pictures are the rhymes of Eve Bunting's wonderful poem, with words easy enough for kids to understand but spooky enough to give even adults a chill.

Both the poem and the pictures, like Halloween, are fittingly creepy and even haunting while still being fun. Together, they make this book the perfect package for anyone wanting to enjoy the true essence of all Hallow's Eve. I earnestly invite you to enjoy this, my dears (polishes fang, retracts claws).

I personally found the writing style a little stilted in the book. For example, "A devil prances, fiery red, with horns asprouting from his head." and "Thunder, thunder up above! 'What is it, mother?' 'Shh, my love! It's just the thump of creature feet, A creature in a winding sheet."
It reads more like a poem, not the way we speak naturally. If you like a poetic style, you'll probably love this book. But if you want a more relaxed book, then don't buy it.
But anyway, having said that, my four year old son liked the book. The pictures are scary, but not gruesome. Probably a little too scary for a toddler.
Illustrated by Jan Brett, of course the pictures are well-done, but to be honest it's not on the same level as her other works. There is not nearly as much detail as she usually puts in. (For example, no borders filled with tiny illustrations.) The art doesn't look much different than most Halloween books.

I have the series from books 1-4 in paperback. The story is great and this book is just a side stories, but its nice to see the characters instead of picturing them in my imagination.

First in the Vampire Kisses manga books.

Readers familiar with Raven and Alexander from the Vampire Kisses series will most likely enjoy the manga version as well.

Goth-girl Raven and her vampire boyfriend, Alexander, find four fresh graves in Dullsville's local cemetery. Raven discovers that the gang is lead by Alexander's half-vampire cousin, Claude Sterling. Claude holds a grudge against Alexander and he's come to town to get his revenge.

A brand new adventure and some new characters mean that you don't have to read the main series first. I'm not a huge fan of manga, but this story translates well to the medium. The story is entertaining and the art is gorgeous.

I picked this book up at my local bookstore thinking it'd be a cute read. While I've never read the series, I'm roughly familiar with the plot & characters. The artwork looked great, so I figured that it'd be decent enough for a read.

I've picked this book up twice now & tried to read it, but no matter how many times I've tried, I can't get into it. The characters just don't really seem that appealing to me. At times they seem like they are more like goth stereotypes than anything else & I begin to long for other series such as Twilight, the Rachel Morgan series, or the Morganville Vampires. Maybe it's just b/c I haven't read the books, but even so... I get the impression that this manga is mostly for show. There's nothing wrong with that, mind you (I buy lots of stuff just b/c it's pretty), but for some reason I couldn't even get through it by just looking at the art.

Would I recommend this to a friend? Only if they're fans of the series. That's who this book is meant for. If you aren't familiar with the books, then this one isn't a place to start. Personally, I think I'll stick to my regular series.

This manga makes the book come to life, the characters are great. This volumes are taking a different route than the oringal book, it has some great action. Alex's cuz is really hot and powerful, a must buy for a vampire kisses fan!

Cliche: 1. a phrase, expression, or idea that has been overused to the point of losing its intended force or novelty, especially when at some time it was considered distinctively forceful or novel.

2. most vampire-induced romance novels

Don't get me wrong, I love dark fantasy as much as the next person but vampire romance novels like Twilight and now Vampire Kisses often make me question why I enjoyed the genre in the first place. It seems now that every starting author feels the need to create a story that involves the stock characters of one sexy male vampire and one slightly emo girl and you got yourself hundreds of squealing fangirls who will buy your book and tell you "OMG! I LURVES THESE CHARA!" over and over again.

But let's move on to the actual book. Vampire Kisses is a manga version of a book in the same vein of dark fantasy wher girl meets hot creature of the night and stuff happens of that nature. The story is overdone and I think the timing for it is fairly bad considering how popular the Twilight series is right now and how every fan of that series is going to say this is a direct copy or love is to death.

On the plus side the art is actually very nice but you have to ignore the fact that you are reading the same vampire induced haze over and over again when you could be reading Twilight instead and quit beating around the bush already. Or read one of the many fancomics OF Twilight floating in the ether on deviantART or Photobucket or some other image based website.

I think my biggest problem with a cliche is that its not that hard to write a unique vampire story. Example: how about the vampire accidentically sucks on the blood of another vampire and is now changing into a horrible monster and only the human girl can help him? OR, the human girl needs to break a curse on her from a witch or something and the vampire helps and they fall in love. There. I just wrote an entire series with marketing capabilities.

But maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe I should just open up myself to Vampire Kisses and embrace it. But when I do this, I just realize what I've known before - its not horrible. But its NOT GOOD. It brings nothing to the table. It takes nothing. Its boring but if you fear change thats just fine. I say skip it and go read something worthwhile. Like Biezenghast or Serenity Rose if you want to feel perky and goth.

In short: C- Try to not look at it too hard. You may go blind.

I purchased this book after reading Barker's "The Hellbound Heart" which was the book that Clive's directorial debut "Hellraiser" was based on. It was a short and sweet novel the showed Clive's ability not just to describe but to intimately visualize horror in great detail. Upon completing that I had high hopes for his greatly praised "Books of Blood." I was not disappointed.
First off I do want to say that there are a couple of dud short stories in this collection which is why I gave it four stars instead of five. I agree with one of the previous reviewers in that I feel "New Murders in Rue Morgue" is without a doubt the worst story in this collection. For some reason it felt as if an ambitious ten year old decided to write a sequel to his favorite horror story with the end result being a absurd retread of the original story. "Pig Blood Blues" and "Skins of the Father" are other stories for whatever reason either lacked Barkers' usual writing flair or ended to quickly for my liking.
With that said I really loved the following stories:

The Yattering and Jack:

A darkly funny story about a demon summoned from hell to break a man on earth who's soul has been promised to them. The battle of wits that ensues between these two is great fun and is the definition of dark comedy.

Dread:

A disturbing story of a young man at a college campus who begins a very bizarre friendship (if you can call it that) with another student who is obsessed with death and human dread. An obsession that will deeply change or take both of their lives.

Jacqueline Ess: Her Will and Testament:

A few other reviewers have said that this is one of the weaker stories but in my opinion I will have to disagree. This is a beautifully written story about one womans newly acquired ability to manipulate her environment and those within her environment. What she does with this new power and where it takes her is very entertaining. Barker writes female characters very well and this is a very sexual story but as stated above beautifully written.

Cofessions of a (Pornographers) Shroud:

I really liked this tale of a conservative accountant who gets involved professionally and personally with shady customers that ends up costing him his life. He ends up possessing a shroud at the morgue and we are off on a bloody good revenge tale.

Human Remains:

I think this one has to be my favorite. A male gigalow comes in contact with an ancient sculpture that has the ability to mimic and impersonate with perfection any person it desires. Unfortunately the desired person ends up losing something in the process.

These are just a few that stand out in my memory but I think anyone who fancies horror and scary stories will get a good kick out of the majority of the stories written here. I will definately read volumes four through six.

Clive Baker, some call him the master of horror even Stephen King Called Barker "The Future of Horror," And someone to call him a master or the future wouldent be too far off. Clive Barkers "Books of Blood:Volume 1-3" were my first attempt at Barker, and I couldent have loved them more. Volumes 1-3 are in here there are five stories in each voulme.

Volume 1

Volume one had to be my favorite out of all three.

The Book of Blood: The book starts out with, well I guess you would call it the cover story or the frame story it's a short one only about 15 pages, but it is a good 15, it tells the story of Mary Florescu who has employed a medium who's a fake, she's hired him to investagate a hunted house. McNeal (The Medium) Fakes the visions at first but then they become all to real and Simon McNeal becomes a living Book of Blood

The Midnight Meet Train: When a man named Leon Kaufman falls asleep on a New York subway he dosent know that his life will never be the same. He wakes up to a living nightmare.

The Yattering and Jack: Jack is an avrage man but theres something in his house something called the Yattering, The Yattering is a demon and this demon will stop at nothing to make jack notice him, He will make jack's life a living hell doing whatever he can just to fullfill a promise made by his father.

Pig Blood Blues: Pig Blood Blues is one of my favorite stories out of the collection. Redman is a retired policemen who comes to work at a school, one of the first thing that happens is a fight or sort of a slaughter, Redmen finds out that a few boys are beating up another boy whos named Lacey, Lacy later tells Redmen the story of Henessey, a boy who's gone missing at the school.

Sex, Death and Starshine: This is a pretty good story by Barker it tells the story of a theter predution and it's actors that are going to preform there last play but when a man named Mr. Lichfield arrives and says his wife will be prefoming the lead things change fast.

In the Hills, the Cities: In The Hills, The Cites is one of the best stories in the collection because of how strage it is. When Mick And Judd go on a vaction they find that the rual area they go to in Yugoslavia has something very strage, something that will cause quite a lot of people to die.

Volume Two

Dread: which is probably my favorite story out of Volume two. Tells the story of Steve, Steve soon meets another student named Quaid, Quaid who is a smart student knows (As Steve will soon find out) what people Dread

Hell's Event: Hell's Event tells the story of a man named Joel, Joel will soon be running a race, but this race counts for a Hell of a lot more then Joel knows.

Jacqueline Ess: Her Will And Testament: When Jacqueline trys to commit suicide, she finds a strage power inside her, a power thats actully quite deadly.

The Skins of the Fathers: When Davidson's car breaks down in the Arizona desseret, he dosent know that he will soon stumble on to something very strage something or somthings that will stop at nothing to get a very special boy.

New Murders in the Rue Morgue: when Lewis (a Descended of the great dectective C. Auguste Dupin) comes to Paris to see a friend thats been convicted of Murder he will soon see that Dupin wasent the only one in the family to find a strange murder. . . a Pretty good take off "The Murders in The Rue Mourge" a Short storry by Edgar Allan Poe, It might be a good idea to Read (If you havent already) Murders in the Rue Mourge before you start on this stoy.

Volume Three

Son of Celluloid: One of my favorites out of Volume Three tells the story of a convict who dies behind a movie screen and later the strage things that happen soon after.

Rawhead Rex: Rawhead Rex was a Monster that was sort of put to death but when a farmer unearths the stone that he's been under, he's unearthing hell.

Confessions of a (Pornographer's) Shroud: Ronnie dosent know excalty what he's gotten into, he thought he had a good job but what he dosent know is that what he's doing is very wrong and now he has to die.

Scape Goats: When four people get shipwrecked on an island they soon find out that there lives wont ever be the same. And some of them will have to die.

Human Remains: a young male prostitute is hired by an archeologist, but what he dosent know is that somehing very strange will go on in the Archeologist's house.

Overall "Books of Blood" is a very good shot story collection it will keep you reading though the night and maybe give you a few nightmares in the process. 5/5

Being older now and still remembering every horrifying adn artistic word of Clive Barker's book of blood, I have to show respect for a great writer and artist. His stories are the best in horror and the most orininal ever. Barker tells with a uncanny and vivid eye. He tells stories that wether you like it or not, will last.
Enough said to the KING of horror and Imajjica.

I came upon the books of blood recently. I read it like 10 years ago and was really entertaingly disturbed. I think some of the short stories are classics that set imagination realms for other reader to follow. ( I noticed a couple of barker influences in Akmal Shebl's The Human Effect, and even the latest Gailamn) I don't mean any harm by this. But like Dracula is the inspiration of all time Vampire bestsellers. Barker is an inspiration for a horror and gleemly enlightened fantastique worlds.
The Books of Blood is like reading 10 bestseller horro books. Every story is original and steeping into gore. I like the story about the vegetarian woman the best, the train at the end of new york city. Hail Barker who doesn't write as sharp as this anymore these days.

This was my first venture into the world of Barker's short stories, and although I was very excited to read the book, I found that it was as many short story books are, hit and miss.

The book opens with a story titled "The Book of Blood" which I suppose would be an intro, though it is almost a short story in itself. It is a good intro, drawing the reader in lots of ghosties, a haunted house, paranormal phenomenon and lots of blood. Excellent intro to amp up the reader and get them ready to dive right through the book. I'd give this short 4 of 5 stars.

The first story is "Midnight Meat Train." I wasn't overly impressed with the title but what the heck, it was a good story. A serial killed of the most disgusting kind, an unwitting accountant who finds his way into that serial killers world, and then bam, strangeness abounds as the supernatural makes its appearance. Excellent story again, 4 of 5 stars.

The second is "The Yattering and Jack." I would in no way call this a horror story... it's closer to something you would find in a Christopher Moore book, in fact I think he based the entire book "Practical Demonkeeping" off of reading this short. This story was a humorous tale of a lesser Demon sent to torment a man to insanity... the problem is that the man just doesn't seem to care about anything the Demon does... including exploding a few household pets. I found myself giggling through this story. I don't felt that it fit all that well with the rest of the book, but it was highly entertaining. 4 of 5 stars.

Third you have "Pig Blood Blues" if I recall the title correctly. This one was strange, but predictable. An ex-cop goes to work at a school for delinquent boys and finds himself mixed up in a strange sacrificial mess. The story seemed familiar, sort of like the Wickerman meets "Children of the Corn." I can't say that it was my favorite, but every short story book has at least one mediocre story in it. 3 of 5 stars.

Fourth is "Sex, Death, and Starshine" and interesting story about the life and death of Theater. Sex, murder and ghosts abound in this story. I think Dionysus would be pleased. Though this may have been the longest story in the book, I enjoyed it. I like ghosts and the theater, and I was very happy that it didn't turn out to be another "Phantom of the Opera" which is what I was concerned with in the beginning. Though at times the story drug a bit, I think this was probably my favorite. 4 of 5 stars

The final story "In the Hills, The Cities" was completely bizarre. I can't even begin to explain it because I couldn't for the life of me comprehend it. I didn't find it frightening, or even disgusting... just perplexing. Two gay guys go out into the middle of nowhere and find... um... two cities? I tried with all of my might to picture what was being described in my mind... but it just wouldn't go together. I felt this story was by far the weakest in the book and a sadly pitiful note to end on. 2 of 5 stars.

All in all, I would say this is a 4 star book, the majority of which is very entertaining to read. I think the only scary stories in it were "The Book of Blood" and "Midnight Meat Train" but the others were good for what they were, except for the finale which was very disappointing.

B.P.R.D. stands for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, a secret U.S. agency that protects the world from supernatural threats. It is a spin-off title from Mike Magnolia's popular Hellboy comic book series, and details the adventures of the agency's other "special" operatives.

The team includes Abe Sapien, a blue-skinned gill-man with a mysterious past; Liz Sherman, a neurotic pyrokinetic; Johann Kraus, a German psychic whose body was destroyed while his spirit was visiting the astral plane; and Roger the Homunculus, a medieval golem with tremendous strength and a child-like personality.

"The Hollow Earth" storyline serves as a general introduction to the B.P.R.D team for those readers unfamiliar with the Hellboy mythos. It does a good job of showing how Hellboy's resignation affects each member. The bureau just brings the newly-disembodied medium, Johann, into the group while Abe Sapien debates quitting the team and taking Roger with him. Meanwhile, Liz Sherman has taken a sabbatical, traveling to the mystical realm of Agarta in the hopes of learning to tame the fire within her.

Outside events soon bring everyone together, however, as an attack on the monastery Liz is staying at prompts her to send a psychic S.O.S. to her friend Abe. The bureau quickly mobilizes and sends the team out on a search and rescue mission that leads them into the very bowels of the earth. This is a very good story. Each member's unique strengths are highlighted, and the group dynamic is set up very well.

This collection also features two shorter stories. The first, "The Killer in My Head" features Lobster Johnson (a grim 1930s paranormal investigator first introduced in "Hellboy: The Conqueror Worm"). Several prominent scientists are found dead inside locked rooms and our hero has to solve the mystery. The second, "Abe Sapien Versus Science" is a short vignette that shows Abe filling the void left by Hellboy by rescuing Roger from the perpetual prodding of the bureau's scientists, mirroring Hellboy's actions years ago when he rescued Abe from the same thing.

Also included is the rare Abe Sapien one-shot, "The Drums of the Dead", written by Brian McDonald and drawn by Derek Thompson. This is a story about the mysterious and deadly happenings aboard cargo and fishing ships along the oceanic trade routes between America and Africa. The artwork is very dark, which mirrors the mood of the story. The plot is simple, but action packed and delivers an emotional punch as well.

while i would prefer to read solely about hellboy himself, reading about the bprd is entertaining. the stories contained in this volume fit well into the hellboy mythos. while the art is not mignola's, it has it's own flair to it that sets the mood. the writing is good of course, and the title story and the others hold up well to what has been published in the past. i would of course urge any fan of hellboy and his universe to pick this one up if they have not already. if you are looking to read something different and are a fan of comics, this will hold you over, and i guarantee you will be hooked.

B.P.R.D. stands for "Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense," an extragovernmental agency that polices the supernatural in the world of Mike Mignola's Hellboy. Think The X-Files meets The X-Men.
"Hollow Earth," the first story in the volume, is tale of Johann Kraus' first adventure with the team, a mission to rescue pyrokinetic Liz Sherman from a swarm of Stanislav Szukalski-inspired subterraneans. The tale is pivotal in Mignola's mythos in that one can see the characters attempting to fill the void created by Hellboy's departure from the Bureau.
As a sort of epilogue to "Hollow Earth," the volume includes the origin of Johann Kraus, the story of the Chengdou Disaster, in newspaper format.
My favorite piece is "The Killer in My Skull," a tale of 1938 New York City, starring my favorite Mignola character, Lobster Johnson. Lobster Johnson is the goggle-wearing, .45-totin', The Shadow-like crime fighter of the series.
Then it's back to the future so that the reader gets a glimpse of what the "R" in BPRD stands for. In "Abe Sapien versus Science," Abe Sapien rescues Roger the homunculus from the scientific pokings-and-proddings of BPRD scientists in much the same way that Hellboy rescued Abe himself from their curious clutches years earlier.
The final story "Drum of The Dead" features Abe Sapien and Gabriel Omatta, a former seminarian who sees dead people for the Bureau, in a supernatural tale of sharks, more sharks, and the Middle Passage.
In an age when one finds it necessary to take out a loan from the bank to buy comic books on a regular basis, this compilation of stories is a great pick for anyone wishing to enjoy great stories bundled together in one reasonably priced package.

B.P.R.D. stands for "Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense," an extragovernmental agency that polices the supernatural in the world of Mike Mignola's Hellboy. Think The X-Files meets The X-Man.
"Hollow Earth," the first story in the volume, is tale of Johann Kraus' first adventure with the team, a mission to rescue pyrokinetic Liz Sherman from a swarm of Stanislav Szukalski-inspired subterraneans. The tale is pivotal in Mignola's mythos in that one can see the characters attempting to fill the void created by Hellboy's departure from the Bureau.
As a sort of epilogue to "Hollow Earth," the volume includes the origin of Johann Kraus, the story of the Chengdou Disaster, in newspaper format.
My favorite piece is "The Killer in My Skull," a tale of 1938 New York City, starring my favorite Mignola character, Lobster Johnson. Lobster Johnson is the goggle-wearing, .45-totin', The Shadow-like crime fighter of the series.
Back to the future, the reader gets a glimpse of what the "R" in BPRD stands for. In "Abe Sapien versus Science," Abe Sapien rescues Roger the homunculus from the scientific pokings-and-proddings of BPRD scientists in much the same way that Hellboy rescued Abe himself from their curious clutches years earlier.
The final story "Drum of The Dead" features Abe Sapien and Gabriel Omatta, a former seminarian who sees dead people for the Bureau, in a supernatural tale of sharks, more sharks, and the Middle Passage.
In an age when one finds it necessary to take out a loan from the bank to buy comic books on a regular basis, this compilation of stories is a great pick for anyone wishing to enjoy great stories bundled together in one reasonably priced package.

I am happy to read Mignola BPRD type tales whenever he comes up with them, or the cows come home, whichever comes last. These are Hellboyless, but have some other characters. A homunculus, and a ghost man who wears a suit so that he can interact with the physical environment, and a new field leader hard bitten, deformed military man type.

Some of this is to show the relationships between the characters, and how the BPRD humans are increasingly alienating them. It shows how Hellboy rescues Abe from test after test after test, and then Abe does the same thing for Roger the Homunculus, from the very same scientists, a couple of decades later.

They also have to rescue Liz, who appears in a sending, after being gone yet again, for a couple of years.