Horror Books

I usually dislike the horror genre in any of its forms, and have no liking for Lovecraftian fantasy. Though _The Atrocity Archives_ could be said to belong to this genre, I found it by turns hilarious, creepy, and tense. In short, I enjoyed it immensely. There's a lot to like about this book, and if you don't like some of the things you encounter in its pages...well, there is still a lot to like. There's the Cthulhu mythos, evil Nazi necromancy, office politics, computer in-jokes, spy novel tropes, all leavened by a refreshing dry wit that is subtle enough to leave you wondering why you are laughing at this stuff.

I particularly like Stross' penchant for strewing about historical and technical allusions so that his narratives are a minefield for the curious. I would have sworn there was never an "Ahnenerbe" SS, dedicated to strengthening the Third Reich by ferreting out ancient Aryan and Teutonic mysteries. I really didn't know that the Nazi party was descended from an organization created by the mystical Thule Society, but apparently it was so. (At least Wikipedia tells me that both are true.)

Of course, Stross cleverly mixes the truth with the not-quite-true and the outright nutty (otherwise this wouldn't be fiction, but a classified government document, and one would have to be shot after reading it). One example of how Stross shades reality is one character's idiosyncratic use of a "Memex" machine (allegedly because it is more secure than a mere electronic computer). The Memex was a proposal made in the 1950s by Vannevar Bush for we would today call an implementation of "hypertext". It was based on the technology of the day--data was to be stored on microfiche, and its operation was entirely mechanical. As I said, this was merely a theoretical proposal--no such machine was ever built. Or so they tell us...

What makes this book particularly delightful is all the accounting and bureaucracy the poor protagonist must deal with before he's allowed to save reality as we know it. Stross makes clear that there are a handful of people in the Laundry who are really good at solving the supernatural problems threatening to destroy the world, a lot of people who are really good at making the first group fill out time cards, and a much-too-large group that really doesn't seem to understand anything that's going on around them, and that should definitely not be allowed to take continuing education credits in demon summoning....

My first exposure to Charles Stross was his short story "A Colder War" ... which he generously makes available for free, on his website. I emailed the author and asked for more of the same, and he took the time to recommend his "Laundry" series, "The Atrocity Archives" and "Jennifer Morgue." I've recently finished reading both, and eagerly await the third which is promised some time in 2010.

The only down side to his books are the inclusion of a lot of geek-speak, especially computerese that only an IT guy would appreciate. As it happens, I am an IT guy, so I caught most of his references! Still, I can see as how they may put off more 'normal' folk. [One mustn't annoy the muggles!]

After that, the books are a treasure trove of originality! His characters are interesting and complex, his plots are unique, the milieu they operate within is dark, in that government bureaucracy/operations group type of way. The main character, Bob Howard, isn't an 'everyman', he's an 'every-geek' and you root for him because he's so out of his element in the world of spies and assassins and action hero's. Yet, in a world in which "math IS magic" and "computational demonology" is a job title, the guy in the know is exactly the kind of hero you want on your side!

Also, the short story after the novel, "Concrete Jungle" is excellent and demonstrates just how twisted intraoffice politics can be, when everyone involved is 'used to' dealing with mind & reality warping technologies.

Finally, the essay at the end really opened my eyes to the reason WHY a horror / spy story cross over is so easy. Charles makes a convincing argument that Lovecraftian horror really is spy fiction - because it's more concerned with uncovering secrets then fighting monsters. And, why cold war era spy stories really are horror fiction - because they have total nuclear annihilation as their backdrop. I appreciated this essay and considered it an 'extra' in the sense that modern DVD's have extra's and interviews with the director's, etc.

Anyway, more then worth the time to read. I highly recommend this book and it's sequel, "Jennifer Morgue."

For those of us who can understand the depth and layers of writing here, it doesn't get much better than this. One need only be steeped in Lovecraft, Howard, Mythos Lore, Newton's Telecom Dictionary, video gaming, techno gadgets and James Bond to begin to scratch the surface of the little gems found in this collection and The Jennifer Morgue. Truly unique, kind of like reading a Brian Lumley / Ian Flemming / Neil Stephenson novel?!

Clever writing highlights this novel. Recommended for those who enjoy well-crafted plots, likable main characters, with references to the grand masters of science fiction, supernatural fiction & spy fiction.

A book about looking spooky - and also about being yourself. Good fun. Not a classic like - but good fun for Halloween.

How wonderful is it to see a picture book done in a digital process that does not look like it came out of a Photoshop or Illustrator 101 handbook. This is rich, gorgeous and has tons of soul. As a pretty devout traditional media guy, I must admit that this book is just awesome. Mad Props to the illustrator! Enjoy.

Although Mr. and Mrs. Frank N. Stein love their son, they just can't seem to teach him to be scary. Lessons in how to walk like a monster fail, and they "showered their son with scariness"--but to no avail. In a funny twist, Frankie dresses like a regular boy, gives his parents a hug, and finally achieves his own form of scary. The cartoon-like water color illustrations make the Stein monster family seem gentle, and this tale is perfect for Halloween storytimes since it's comic twists are unlikely to scare even the youngest listeners. Older listeners will be more attuned to the many Frankenstein references, making the story suitable for a wide range of listeners, from preschool through elementary school. Recommended for children three through eight.

great book for young kids. I had to have this one in my
personnal libary

This fun book is a heart-warming Halloween read for the 3 to 7 set. An engaging story with sweet, LOL illustrations. I'm sending this one to my nephews for Halloween and will be a super-star aunt. I always struggle with what to send on Halloween (no candy, no scary stuff); this charming Halloween book was the perfect answer.

The only bad thing I can say about this collection is that it makes me want to suffer head trauma so that I can forget the stories and read them again in their NEWNESS. Singing Shirley Jackson's praises is like pointing out the blueness of the sky. Just read this. It'll ruin you for all other writers, but in the most divine sense.

As a fiction writer, this is the book I study. I can return to this book again and again, overwhelmed by Shirley Jackon's absolute, subtle brilliance. She writes with a smoothness and an ease that borders on the eerie. I could sing the praises of this book all night.

A fantastic critique of the pointlessness of rituals...such as meat-eating...racism...speciesism...homophobia.

The text is available for free on the internet...but Jackson should be in everyone's collection.

My favourite living author of the offbeat, macabre story is Joyce Carol Oates. This prolific woman, who can seemingly pen an entire novel while having a bath, has compiled a formidable opus of stories which Alberto Manguel appropriately describes as Black Water stories. I haven't read any of her many other types of novel and short story, but if I were handing out Nobel prizes, I would grab back any of the prizes handed out in the last twenty years (they seem to be awarded on the basis of some kind of quota system) and give it to Ms Oates. But before Joyce Carol Oates there was Shirley Jackson. We've all read The Lottery in high school, and even though I was intrigued and appalled by this story at the time, I didn't seek out more Jackson for a long time, partly I think because I thought my English teacher would approve. Just as well, because I think I am better able to appreciate her now that I am older and society and life in general has become more suspect for me.

Jackson died when she was 48 years of age, a victim to depression, drink, amphetamines, and chocolate. She was married to a university professor and lived at a time when America was expanding and exporting its robust, cocksure culture to the world. All of the stories in The Lottery and Other Stories were published in the 1940s. New York City was the true capital of North America and fast becoming the capital of the world. In these stories the hypocrisy behind the blithe optimism and manifest destiny of American culture is deftly portrayed. Many conservative, nostalgic thinkers and politicians evoke this time as being a golden age, a time that our current debauched, rudderless culture should aspire to. Jackson, a literary fifth columnist, doesn't appear to have embraced any of it. She skewers the racism, sexism, materialism and violence of the times -the glitter turns out to have been cheap paint after all- and she does so in simple straight forward slice of life stories, and, more devastatingly, in allegorical, nightmarish tales -The Lottery, The Tooth, and The Daemon Lover, etc.

The Lottery -Its about atavism, superstition -about responding to the mystery, insecurity, and danger of life by making human sacrifices to the vulpine forces of nature in order to presumably save the majority through a kind of magical inoculation. This type of thinking is the antithesis of science. It is ancient, 'old brain' thinking and it shares a lot with some 'new age' thinking. I think it is also why we can sometimes justify sending our young people off to die in pointless wars in foreign countries. It is about unthinking adherence to ritual. It is about compartmentalizing our emotions and behaviour -allowing friendship and compassion to co-exist with murderous cruelty, in the same person, in the same community. The veneer of civilization is not that thick or that strong. Civilization is a modern, stylish bungalow, built over a deep, ancient dungeon, where savagery and perhaps evil still walks, and periodically comes up the damp winding staircase -witness the unspeakable atrocities on both sides of recent and current conflicts (e.g. Kosovo, Rwanda, Iraq.) No wonder this story generated the most mail of any story ever published in the New Yorker. It is truly disturbing. Bridge with the girls, or baseball and a few beers with boys wouldn't seem the same after reading this story.

Shirley Jackson is currently one of my favorite authors. (And, incidentily always has been, since elementary school.) She is the author that everyone has some sort of familiarity with, unbeknownst to them. From The Lottery, to The Haunting of Hill House, to We Have Always Lived In the Castle, there is a sort of haunting timelessness in her work. No matter where you grew up, what your background, you will always find a common thread to link you to her world. And in her world, you will find, (if you pay attention) a parable to our times, a guessing game of "could it really?.." and, "did it ever?"... After all of these questions, you will find yourself answering, yes, yes it did...

I have been reading the whole series and this one keeps up with the others. I thought it was great. Definitely one to tell otehrs about.

I am reading all of her books in the series. I really enjoy them.

THE DARKNESS, the tenth volume in the Vampire Huntress series, is a twisted, socially conscious, erotically charged, violent, and thoroughly fun rollercoaster of a novel that grabs you by the throat and never lets go. Banks' ability to craft convincing characters in a fantastic setting makes both the chills and the romance completely believable, and she writes dialogue as well as anyone in the business.

THE DARKNESS, book 10 of the 12-book Vampire Huntress Legends (VHL) series, is captivating. Unexpected character cameos and new allies kept me up all night.

With the battle at Masada behind them, the team recoups in San Diego thinking Lilith's spawn has been defeated. Chairwoman Lilith also believes this to be true and expects He Who Shall Remain Unnamed to stomp her into a puddle of oil or worse. The outcome: she is given the daylight bite and the power to make daywalkers. The anti-Christ has survived, and in order to give him time to mature, Lucifer commands her to distract the Neteru team and restore the dark realms' numbers.

Lilith wastes no time. Fallen Nuit, Sebastian, and Yonnie are given the daylight bite. Yonnie's unexpected visit provides the team with much need intell as he walks the line between the Light and the Dark. When Level Seven's most infamous resident goes to church, the guardians reassemble, gather reinforcements, gain a new friend, discover a new talent, and take the fight to the street once again. Even though Carlos and Damali have learned to lead the team, both are in need of further assistance from the Council of Kings and Queens.

The interaction between Carlos and Damali reminded me of THE HUNTED (book three of the VHL series). I stopped reading several times just to catch my breath. Sensual, touching love scenes notwithstanding, Jamal's "balm" really works, and I'm sure readers of the series already know the power of sincere prayer. Restoration is granted. Ultimately convicted by Banks' beautiful words, I eagerly await THE SHADOWS.

Our favorite Neteru duo is back with their Guardian family....intent on locating the Antichrist and stopping Armageddon. With the help of Yonnie---Carlos's brother, who is acting as a double agent on the dark side--the team is able to gain valuable intel on what is going on with Lucifer and his dark agents in the bowels of Hell. What they have discovered is that councilman Sebastian has used his talents for reanimation to bring back from the dead two of the most evil women in history to fill council seats---giving the Guardian team even more to deal with. But with the help of the Kings and Queens on high, the team is once again able to stem the tide of evil that seems determined to take over the world. Will they be able to find the Antichrist before his birth? Or will Lilith and Lucifer prevail?

This tale shows all once again that Ms. Banks is the reigning Queen of Dark Literature. This novel has been somewhat relieved from the overuse of outdated slang (although, the cliche "fair exchange is not robbery" is still repeatedly used. Why, I must ask???), giving this novel the extra shine it deserves. And I must add...if her affinity for dark tales begins to wane, Ms. Banks most assuredly has a career penning erotica. This series contains some of the hottest sex scenes that I have ever read. A must-read for fans of the series.



DYB

This book has five short fiction tales. The longest story is about 200 pages, and the shortest one is around 90 pages. This book is great for bringing on an airplane, or if you just have a short amount of free time. The stories are easy to read in an hour or so at a time.

The Turn of the Screw and Washington Square are novellas. Daisy Miller is intermediate in length while The Beast in the Jungle and The Jolly Corner are short stories. All five are among the best short fiction of Henry James.

In the introduction Professor R. W. B. Lewis only marginally discusses the literary merit and artistry of these five stories; he is more concerned with developing biographical insights about Henry James himself. This fascinating introduction adds considerable value to this collection.

The Turn of the Screw (1898): A reader new to this classic work should read no reviews, no essays, no forwards, and no prefaces. I made that mistake. Without going into details, my first reading of The Turn of the Screw was unduly influenced by my knowing too much too soon. There will be plenty of time after your first reading to immerse yourself in literary criticism and reader reviews.

Washington Square (1881): When the young, handsome, articulate Morris Townsend shows interest in Catherine, Dr. Sloper immediately concludes that his true interest is her wealth, and moves to break them apart. Matters are complicated by Catherine's silly, meddlesome, and manipulative aunt, Mrs. Penniman, who functions as an uninvited go-between for the two young lovers.

My fascination with Washington Square centered not on whether Townsend was genuinely in love with Catherine, but with the way in which Catherine revealed her inner strength in managing her increasingly strained relationship with her insensitive father. Washington Square may not have achieved the full psychological subtlety and complexity desired by Henry James, but it is far from a simple, superficial tale of bitter sweet romance.

Daisy Miller (1878): Henry James is largely remembered and respected for his vivid portrayals of Americans abroad and their encounters with the cultural differences that divided the brash, young, immature American continent from the sophisticated, class conscious Old World.

Daisy Miller appears to be the epitome of incautious innocence. She disregards European customs, seemingly quite assured in her own judgment that she is doing no wrong, only flirting with young gentlemen as would any American girl. As the story progresses, she becomes aware of the building criticism from the expatriate community, but apparently chooses to ignore advice from well-meaning, socially prominent women.

Perhaps what makes this story fascinating is that we readers see Daisy not from the perspective of an omniscient author that is privy to Daisy's innermost thoughts, but through the eyes of a third person, a Mr. Winterbourne, an American bachelor living in Geneva. Winterbourne is obviously fascinated with Daisy Miller and the astute reader (or one who has read this tale several times) may question whether the narrator is perhaps unduly biased.

The Beast in the Jungle (1903): John Marcher had from his earliest time, deep within him, "the sense of being kept for something rare and strange, possibly prodigious and terrible, that was sooner or later to happen" and he had in his bones the foreboding and conviction that it might overwhelm him. Despite its suspense and deep sense of despair, this classic tale has been described as sluggish and overly ornate. Be that as it may, this foreboding tale is memorable.

The Jolly Corner (1908): Returning after decades in Europe to his vacant, empty home in New York, Spencer Brydon would in the gathering dusk "wander and wait, linger and listen, feel his fine attention, never in his life so fine, on the pulse of the great vague place: he preferred the lampless hour and only wished he might have prolonged each day the deep crepuscular spell".

Although this story churns slowly and with a writing style that many of us are not used to, it makes up for it with a great, chilling story that sticks with you after the last pages are over. This is one of those books you have to read in the quiet to concentrate on each word, but it is all the quiet that can make this book scare you. James' obviously did a masterful job on the story, with his cliffhanger ending, because to this day, people are still giving their interpretation of it and what it means. And this story was published over 100 years ago, in 1898. Any author would LOVE to have people still talking about a book like that, for better or worse. I love the characters throughout this story, and you begin to wonder what exactly is going on - is she seeing ghosts? Are the kids seeing ghosts? Has she lost her mind? All good questions and at the end, you still might be scratching your head, but it is still a satsifying conclusion that lets your creative mind decipher it all. In conclusion, this book is a pretty slow read considering it's only like 100 pages, but once you get half way, you're not going to want to put it down!

On the surface this is a story about an either haunted or hysterical governess who juggles words with true virtuosity, stringing them into psychologically insightful sentences. But that is all just camouflage, as is the many-layered structure of this tale. When the chips are finally down, the truth emerges, even though it is never explicitly stated --- how could it possibly have been stated explicitly in 1898? --- this is a story about pedophilia and its effects on a ten year old boy. At the core of this tale lies the relationship between the boy Miles and his uncle's servant Quint at Bly, the uncle's country estate. The housekeeper Mrs. Crose informs the new governess that the too-good-to-be-true Miles had been "bad" in the past, he would disappear for hours in the company of Quint who was not only "much too free" but also engaged in "depravity." Sent off to a boarding school, Miles gets expelled for what he tells his classmates presumably about this depravity. When at the very end of the tale the governess confronts Miles about these matters, he appears to expire in the last four words of the tale's last sentence. Yet at the start of the unresolved flashback which this tale represents, Miles may yet be alive as a middle-aged family man named Douglas, who reads to his friends the whole tale as written down by the governess herself.

Is Douglas the grownup Miles? James doesn't tell, but this remains a fascinating possibility perfectly consistent with the rest of this tale. Further conflations of characters are equally well compatible with the "facts." The uncle who lived at Bly and then left his estate at the very time of Quint's accidental death doesn't want to ever again hear of his nephew or to return to Bly. Could it be that it was not Quint who engaged in pedophilia, but that it was the uncle himself who abused his orphaned nephew? In their numerous dialogues the Governess and Mrs. Crose complete each other's sentences to such a degree that one gets the distinct impression that one is dealing with the ruminations of a single character and like Quint, so Mrs. Crose too can easily be removed from the scene. In fact James does just that shortly before tale's end, while getting rid of Miles' little sister Flora at the same time. He sends them to London to visit the uncle. There is one more character, the earlier governess Jessel, whose only role is to impose a certain degree of symmetry to the tale, and to appear in one climactic scene.

Why all these dispensable main characters, why the fireside chat of all kinds of minor characters at the time when the flashback is entered never to be left again, and finally why even use a flashback? I think these are all diversionary tactics on James' part. The central story he tells is so very unorthodox, unnerving and incendiary that he prefers to hide it with great care and great success among all this clutter. As I said, in 1898 he would have been pilloried for openly writing about pedophilia. The challenge of doing so all the same, has resulted in a masterpiece of ambiguity, which still clearly conveys its point. This interpretation of the story is supported by the fact that Benjamin Britten, one of the twentieth century's greatest opera composers, has set "The Turn of the Screw". Britten was himself apparently interested in pubescent boys and pedophilia drives the stories of three of his masterpieces. Based on what has been written about Henry James, he may not have been a stranger to this subject either.

The style of this tale is fascinating. On the one hand it is formal, quite pedantic, quite precious and removed, as if carving itself a much-needed ditch separating the narrative from the reader. It does not grant easy access. On the other hand all those long sentences with big words tend to have a mesmerizing effect that absorbs the reader into the story better than even the most honest and well-meaning informality ever could. There is a certain rhythm and poetic drive to some crucial passages. For instance, as one enters the flashback, the first few pages have the drive of a prose poem or of a symhony. With it James welcomes the reader to his realm. No wonder "The Turn of the Screw" ultimately landed on the opera stage.

Henry James wrote in a clear, precise even-handed American style that has not grown stale despite the passage of over 100 years. The two stories that stand out here to me are the two that are usually singled out by reviewers, "Daisy Miller" and "The Turn Of The Screw", the former because of its sensual European atmospherics and the fact that even back in 1900 an American female could be considered overly outgoing or prurient by community standards, even if she was probably just an extroverted American; the latter because James effectively creates the controlled terror of a ghost story involving children at a British greathouse, perhaps a bit like Poe. But the other 3 stories all have something going for them: "The Jolly Corner", is also a ghost story,set in New York; "The Beast Of the Jungle" creates a sense of mysterious suspense within the context of a couple's love relationship, and "Washington Square" is the story of a love relationship forbidden by the girl's
sophisticated doctor father.

Based on my personal overview, questions i looked to get answers for were met. Many stories shared by proffesional writers were fairly inspirational in the fact that I am currently in production of an old book idea i tossed up on the dresser for months, now attacking it with fierce determination for completion of my final chapters.

I found this book to be a good overview of the horror genre. It provides many useful tips for writing dialogue and creating believable characters. Worth reading if you are an aspiring horror writer.

This collection of essays by a variety of authors and editors involved with the craft of writing and publishing horror fiction is a diverse and entertaining reading experience. Each essay provides a different insight and opinion to the craft, and often the writing of the text itself serves as an example for the reader of what "right" looks like.

The subject is approached from every angle. The art of writing, editing, inventing new ideas, avoiding cliche, finding appropriate educational resources, action writing, using spunk and style, as well as a list of important works already produced within the genre are among some of the tools that the reader will find.

The volume itself is compact and attractive, and offers far more value than its price tag hints at. A serious student of horror fiction, or even of fiction writing in general, should not be without it, and cannot help but learn from it.

This handbook's strength is not in its discussion of technique, although this stuff is very good.

The HWA's handbook really hits home with the writers that grapple the questions and challenges that are facing the horror genre at the moment and then manage to raise questions of their own that need to be addressed further.

A huge depth of knowledge and a great help for writers tackling their own writing so well worth it for any horror writer, amateur and published professional.

After finding this book completely by accident and then buying it, I was very pleased. Most of the information is quite valuable, offering a bounty of useful tips and writing strategies. I particularly enjoyed the articles on postmodern horror and the presence of horror in different mediums such as RPGS, videogames, plays, and even radio shows.

In terms of style and construction it never feels like you are reading a reference book.

It is an excellent book, and a valuable investment for anyone interested in writing horror.

I love the time period in which Jane Austin writes-these books are very good and also very captivating

Britney Crosby is not very happy, and that is an understatement. Her pain-in-the-neck cousin Ethan has moved into her house. That's bad enough, but Britney's mother gave Ethan her room, so now she's sleeping in the sewing room! At least Britney has her BFF, Molly Molloy, to sympathize with her. Ethan is a complete brat, but Britney's parents insist she be especially nice to him because he's had such a hard life.

This is nearly impossible, especially when Britney sees Ethan's best buddy --- a creepy smiling ventriloquist's dummy that Ethan calls Mr. Badboy. Bam! Mr. Badboy whacks Britney on the forehead the moment she meets him. Ethan, of course, denies any responsibility, insisting that the dummy hit Britney all on his own. Meanwhile, Mr. Badboy screeches, "I'm a BAAAAAD boy!"

Britney's mom makes her take Ethan (still toting Mr. Badboy) to Molly's house. Molly's dad is a folklore professor who travels everywhere, bringing home bizarre artifacts like horrible-looking dolls, old toys and skulls. When Professor Molloy sees Mr. Badboy, he's intrigued, saying that the dummy looks vaguely familiar to him. He takes the children up to his attic museum and shows off a doll with a shrunken head that he's recently acquired. The doll is called a Mind Stealer, and supposedly it can take your mind right out of your head. Even worse, Professor Molloy believes it's actually capable of doing the evil deed...but he feels it's safe under thick glass.

When Britney and Ethan get home, Ethan shows her his ventriloquist act. Surprisingly, he's excellent at throwing his voice to make Mr. Badboy talk. Or so Britney believes, until she sees the dummy moving all on its own. Britney is sure her cousin has rigged the dummy, even though Ethan appears to be trembling in fear. She continues to believe that Ethan is putting one over on her, until something happens that is completely unexplainable. How can a dummy move and say, "I don't like you, Britney!" when its ventriloquist is away from the room?

Britney is terrified, but (not surprisingly) her parents don't believe her when she tells them that Mr. Badboy is alive. That's terrible, but things go even further downhill for poor Britney as Mr. Badboy grows increasingly violent. And her life gets more complicated when Molly calls, begging Britney to come help bury the Mind Stealer doll.

Along with each complete horror story, each entry in R. L. Stine's Horrorland series --- a spin-off of his popular Goosebumps books --- features a serial tale in installments, which takes place in a creepy amusement park known as Horrorland. In this first book, Britney and Molly have received a puzzling invite to the Horrorland amusement park, which is complete with a werewolf petting zoo and a quicksand beach. The girls think this is the most amazing thing ever...at first. But it isn't long before they experience the true horror in Horrorland.

REVENGE OF THE LIVING DUMMY is a fun, fast-paced, spine-chilling thriller for kids who love to be scared. These readers will also enjoy the first episode of the serial story, which will leave them yearning for the next title in this 12-book series.

--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon

This is a completely new and surprising return to Goosebumps. Because of the new twists in the storytelling--each book has two parts inside--you really don't know what will happen next! I hope CREEP FROM THE DEEP is just as silly/scary as this one. p.s. Don't forget to look in the back of the book!

After almost a decade R.L. Stine decided to please his fans and write more Goosebumps books. I have to say that this has been the best Goosebumps book I have ever read. I am a teacher and I read the Goosebumps series to my class. My class loved this book. They are big fans of Slappy so they basically forced me to get this book. There were laugh out loud parts and scary parts. This has been the funniest Goosebumps ever and then when you think the tale is over R.L. Stine throws a whole new story in. The family gets an invitation to go to Horrorland. From who? The reader doesn't know but my class has some ideas about what or who it might be. The family then goes to Horrorland where weird things begin to happen. The story ends and the reader still wants more just like the previous Goosebumps book. But the reader should feel satisfied because it seems like all of our questions are going to be answered within the 10 Goosebump Horrorland books. I don't want to spoil any parts for anybody but R.L. Stine throws in another doll into the story and its not a puppet. All I can say is that the doll was very interesting and brung a whole new type of scare to this story. There are also extras in the book like a map of Stagger Inn. Every book has its own map. There is also more extras that I won't spoil for you so just pick up the book.

Yes that's right, gentle readers, the master of fright is back nearly after a whole decade with a new book series called Goosebumps: Horrrland for kids. The first new book is called "Revenge of the Living Dummy" and the second book is called "Creep from the Deep." The writing style is still the same, but that's what makes R. L. Stine so interesting. He wrties on kids level so that it is easy to read and undertand and his stories are so original and entertaining that I can't wait until the next book releases. (Which will be in June!) So, again, I'm very surprised that Goosebumps has finally awakened again after all these years! If Goosebumps: Horroland stays around long enough, it might be even better than the Harry Potter series, (in my opinioin!) but you never know if FOX might make an attempt to ressurect the show for the new series, (hey, I can dream, can't I?) So 'readers beware, you're in for a scare'!

After almost a decade, R.L. Stine brings Goosebumps back! And what better way to inaugurate the new series than with new adventures of Slappy the Dummy, the series' most popular character? Sadly, R.L. Stine drops the ball with the series debut, creating a disappointing rehash of the previous Slappy books.

The first Night of the Living Dummy was a brilliant book which set the standard for future Goosebumps book - well-written, suspenseful and occasionally even frightening. Parts II and III were pretty good follow-ups, and Bride of the Living Dummy was almost as good as the original, and easily the best of the Series 2000 books. Slappy's Nightmare was a bit too tongue-in-cheek but did put an interesting spin on the plot thread.

But Revenge of the Living Dummy slavishly adheres to the Dummy formula. The dummy shows up, nasty things happen, kid is unfairly blamed, it turns out to be a prank, THEN the dummy REALLY comes to life, and so on. There are a few twists - the main character isn't the one blamed for the dummy's activity, and the finale - but nothing really worth mentioning. It's a really disappointing, formulaic, by-the-numbers Goosebumps book. We can only hope that the future installments will improve on it, especially as the recurring plot and characters are introduced.

If you haven't read the previous volumes of Death Note, I'd really recommend that you do. Spoilers ahead!

A third Kira has appeared, complicating an already impossible case. L's main suspects, Light and Misa, have already been subjected to confinement and the killings have gone on without them. Light has given up the Death Note, lost his memories of his actions as Kira, and is now on the task force to find Kira, even though he's spending every minute handcuffed to L. As the task force closes in on the Yotsuba group and begins to eliminate suspects, Misa plays a vital roll in the investigation - one which leads to her learning about the Death Note, Rem, and the third Kira's identity!

So the action slowed down considerably in the last volume. If you thought there was a lot of talking and speculation in previous Death Notes, you ain't seen nothing yet! L is working overtime as he tries to discover the third Kira's identity while also questioning Light and Misa and using their relationship to his advantage. Adding to this is Misa's general silliness - even trapped in L's headquarters, she's only focused on dating Light.

In fact, the start of this volume is much more light-hearted (forgive the pun?) than previous ones. The drawing style, the dialogue, and the interactions between characters are brighter and somewhat tongue-in-cheek. Perhaps that's because we don't have to see Light grimacing and sneering all the time? Come to think of it, this really does show you a Light that's uncorrupted and unaffected by the Death Note. He will occasionally acknowledge that he makes the most sense as a suspect, and it makes him nervous and angry that he could be capable of such actions. Even when he's missing his memories of being Kira, I don't really like Light, but this gives us a chance to see the sort of personality the Death Note can draw out.

So after all that complaining about how slow this volume is, I will say that the action picks up drastically about 3/4ths of the way through. You'll definitely want to have the next volume on hand when you finish this one!

I have read the first couple, but not 3-5, so it seems this has gotten quite a bit more complicated.

There are now apparently two Death Notes around, and Light doesn't remember having one, and is actually working with L to catch yet another user of one of the Death Notes.

A girl is the other user in the past, and she is also involved with the hunting down effort, as well.

Tsugumi Ohba, Death Note: Give and Take (ViZ, 2006)

With no progress happening on the case, L recruits Misa into the investigation as an undercover agent-- the consequences of which could be devastating, as we found out late in the last volume that the current Kira has Misa's old death note-- and we know how Rem feels about Misa, don't we? Interesting things are afoot, and the series is really picking up steam again. *** ½

I love these books. They are well thought out and have great plot twists and turns. I recomend these books to anyone.

this is a very good continuation of the deathnote series containing plenty of suspense and mystery. it sets up the next book prefectly with yet another clif hanger ending that the series uses so well. i would definately recomend this book to anyone that has followed the series; if you are thinking about jumping into the sereies i would suggest starting at the first book because it would be a real spoiler to read it out of order.

A good read kept me on the edge. Great plot well written. Worth the price of admission.

Joe

I first was introduced to Matheson's work by the novella "I Am Legend", which I loved. I got this book from the local library and it kept me up for two nights. Matheson's a skilled storyteller and he never lets up on the action, even during smaller passages that he uses for character development. I can see why Stephen King calls him a great influence. I'd place Matheson on equal footing with HP Lovecraft any day.

Richard Matheson, well his name alone is a trademark. To be totally honest I picked up Hell House just because of the reviews and the authors name. I just wanted something to read and pass the time. I never imagined that a book could be scary at all, and let me tell you.

Once you start reading and get familiar with the characters you will difinetly, at least at one point, get a bit scared. It's the basic formula of the horror genre. A haunted house, a terrible past, a place where all the excess and degradation of society took place. So horrible that the first team that tried to "clean" the house from it's spirits went crazy (homicide, suicide and then some).

Now a new team is assembled to make the house normal again. Hell House is a great ride and if you prepare the mood (read at night, in a quiet place with a good tea or perhaps a good scotch) you might get scared. This is a no brainer, pick it up, read, get scared and enjoy!!!!!

Interesting little homage to Shirley Jackson, Matheson's "Hell House" gives us a walloping premise (I, too, loved the whole 'back' tale of Emeric Barasco above everything else in the book) but just doesn't follow thru with characters a reader can feel for. By the end of the book, I cared not a whit who was left standing, and almost began to cheer for the house to win. Compare Florence to Jackson's Eleanor (from Haunting of Hill House) and by Jackson's concise use of words, and significantly less action, I found myself far more mesmerized by Eleanor's character than I could have believed possible. Florence falls flat for me. Her "internal struggles" were so completely laid out for us in the book that there was no subtlety to her actions at all. Nor did I care at all about the doctor and his wife, finding their relationship completely unrealistic (surely he'd have KNOWN she was dying for a little physical love at some point before their venture into Hell House, and they would have worked through that little problem long before then? How long were they married? It hadn't come up in a single conversation in their life together? She was such a doormat that she'd never expressed even a hint of interest in physical love, out of respect for his "condition"? He had never been concerned about the lack of intimacy's effect on her before, or given it much thought? Gee, I think absence of sex is the least of their problems together then.) And who cared about the other guy, who was too frightened to even participate until the last 5 pages of the book? What did we really know about him, since Matheson chose not to elaborate much on the time he'd been in Hell House before? C'mon, if he's going to spill his guts about the wicked history of the house, let's hear the sordid details of the 1940 expedition inside! Others have spoken here about the soft ending, the overuse of the verb "hiss" (everybody and everything, living or dead, animal or vegetable in this book hisses, and repeatedly - that is all you need to keep in mind!) and the weirdly boring "salacious" details - I don't have to elaborate on any of those, except to say that I agree.

One can see the progression from Jackson's novel to Hell House and then on to Stephen King's homage to Matheson's book in "The Shining", however, and from that perspective, Hell House ought to be read if you are a fan at all of the other two books. But it is the weakest link of those three. I am a huge fan of "I Am Legend" and "The Shrinking Man", which are both far superior in character development, among other things. I'm sure Matheson intended well, but this just doesn't stand up to either of those other two books of his. Again, if you start with "The Haunting of Hill House", sandwich in "Hell House", then finish up with "The Shining", you may find yourself with a suitable progression of terror on your hands - it would make an excellent weekend of scary, leave-the-lights-on reading. On its own, "Hell House" needs Dr. Barrett's cane to struggle about on its own legs, moreso than the poor doctor does.

In order to fully appreciate and enjoy this book, you should really try to read it prior to watching any of the movies made about it. Unfortunately I had seen "The Legend of Hell House" back many years ago, so I was familiar with what would happen. Although the book and the movie were different in parts, the truth behind the haunting was the same, which took some of the shock out of it for me.

Short Synopsis: An eccentric dying millionaire commissions a study to prove that there is life after death. Offering On hundred thousand dollars to three people to go and stay the week at "Hell House" and report back to him whether or not there is an afterlife. The three people who go include a psychic medium, a physicist, and the lone survivor of the previous expedition into the house. The four of them go to the house (they fourth being the Physicists wife) and are scheduled to stay there for a week; right away the chills begin crawling up your spine as you learn the depraved history of the house. The windows are bricked up, fog and mist surrounds the house, and the tales of what when on inside are sick and evil.

As I stated before, I wish that I had read this book before having seen the movie, because I believe that having seen the movie detracted from my enjoyment. Still this book is very well written, and was groundbreaking for the time. The problem is that this book was written in the 1970's and has been ripped off or blatantly copied in so many books and movies since then, that when you read it.. it's not shocking anymore. I imagine that this book was quite chilling for it's time. Though I was never terrified, I was interested from beginning to end. And the ghosty in this book is smart... that is probably why this book was so frightening to so many... the battle versus the house was both physical and mental. Certainly we can all duck a few flying dishes... but how do you combat madness? How do you fight an enemy that can see into your very soul, and twist your memories, desires, and hopes into weapons against you?

This could have very easily been a 5 star book, however I found the writing to be very sparse and the characters to be somewhat unsympathetic. At times you almost feel as if you are reading a TV script, the blocking and dialogue are there, but the emotion hasn't shown up yet. In the opening of the book this is at its worst, to the point of my not even being able to distinguish between the two men even by name for much longer into the book than it should have taken. About halfway into the book, Matheson seems to hit his stride and goes from telling to showing the reader what is going on. The second half of this book is 5 star material, without a doubt. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good haunted house tale.