Horror Books

I don't know how I get suckered into these books. I love the paranormal romances, but I guess I don't do enough research. For people like me, I leave this non-review because I didn't read the book... Because it is written in the first person perspective.

This book is delightful. I was drawn to this title because I am a huge fan of contemporary vampire romance with some comedy thrown in for good measure. The sex scenes are erotic, and the characters are fascinating yet grounded. The heroine, Joy, is a real woman with insecurities about her height, her size, her talents, and her association with her wacky best friend. Kate delivers a book that is a good espcape from day to day life.

This was a great read, only complaint I had is it was over too quickly! I couldn't put it down!

Very light weight, and drags it out a bit. A desperate and dateless chick decides to go on a holiday to the Czech Republic after hearing about some weird vampire legends.

Of course she runs into a couple of guys that might be or might not be. Cue George Hamilton, etc. Ok if you like that sort of thing, very tongue in check and not taking itself at all seriously which wasn't too bad.

First, I have to say that I enjoy Katie MacAlister's other works, particularly Improper English. I think she's a great author, but this was one book that I just didn't like.

The only reason why I kept reading was because I wanted to find out Christian Dante's fate...and that will be the reason why I will read the next book in this series. Beyond that, this book wasn't really that great. The plot is fantastic, but it got overpowered by the one-dimensional, unlikeable heroine and her sidekick, the most annoying and irking character ever created. I think Joy's character was supposed to come off as fluffy fun with a heart, but she ended up coming off as a caricature rather than a real human being. Take that and add in Roxy...OH MY GOD it was tedious at times to read.

I fell in love with Christian primarily because his character, by definition of the plot, makes him alluring and intriguing. You see in him the makings of a wonderful romantic paranormal lead, which is the only reason why I'm going to read the next book.

This is one of Cornelia Funke's best ghost hunter books. I am a third grade teacher and have read the ghosthunter series to my class. They can't get enough. They hang on every word and when I stop reading they plead with me to continue. Cornelia Funke sparks a love for reading with her wildly witty and creative characters. There is just the right mix of humor, excitement, and good scary fun as well as some unlikely heroes! I would recommend this book to anyone young or old who likes a little action and a whole lot of fun!

My 7 year old son loves this whole series of books. They are some of the only books he wants to keep on reading, even after his reading timer goes off. He can't seem to put them down, and he talks about them after reading. He also has picked them a few times to do his book reports on. Highly recommended!

My youngest son got this book for Christmas and loved it. In fact, he tore apart his room to find the first three books so he could reread them all in order. He says hopes Cornelia Funke decides to translate more books like these for English readers to enjoy.

In this galvanizing addition to the "Ghosthunters" series, Tom has to identify and capture an unclassified ghost as the final step to being awarded his GhostHunting Diploma. Everybody, including Tom, thinks that this is a mere formality, because as we all know, he has already defeated ghosts in Category Six, and the field test requires capturing a mere Category Three specimen.

The thing is, there's a new guy on the Examining Board, and he's changed the rules a bit, so that the apparently routine task becomes just a little more challenging. Tom is only allowed one assistant for the assignment, and that means that he has to choose between Hetty Hyssop and Hugo the Averagely Spooky Ghost. Logistics demands that he choose the one with a driver's license, and of course the other isn't too pleased about it.

When they arrive at the old village of Bogpool, they find it buzzing with ghostly energy, and soon learn that the village is a veritable ghost-magnet, and that the ghosts there don't much care for Ghost Hunters of any sort. The particular ghost required for the assignment turns out to be a rather unpleasant NEPGA (which we are told is a Negative Projection of a Ghostly Apparition), which would have been all well and good if it hadn't let on that it was really the "Twelfth Messenger", and believe me, this sounds a lot nicer than it actually turns out to be.

It isn't long before the earth starts moving and the mud starts bubbling, and the intrepid team of Hyssop & Co (plus a new friend) find themselves fighting for their lives. Ghosts of all sorts herald the arrival of the terrible "Muddy Monster of Doom" and his dreaded sidekick the "Thirteenth Messenger", and this definitely seems like one assignment doomed for failure.

The final chapters will have you holding your breath, making this a truly breathtaking experience, and trust me, that's no bull.



Amanda Richards, April 6, 2007

I read this a few years back when I wasn't reading very often and this one was a pure joy as I recall. I know nothing about the sister novel or whatever, just that this one I found intriguing and entertaining and highly imaginative in the best sense of the word. It's one of King's very unsubtle novels as I remember, not quite as sledgehammer like as Cell but still...

I think this King satirizing his own writing style.

All of the things for which the haters criticize him are in this book: gore, ultra-violence, pop references, TV sensibility, shallow characterizations and literally 2D stage sets are here on display.

It's a blast watching King flatten and toy with his own style.

After reading The Regulators, the companion novel Desperation shows what King's full writing is capable of evoking. Together they create a wonderful juxtaposition of styles.

Reading The Regulators and Desperation back to back offers a commentary on two very different perspectives of horror story writing that is entertaining and illuminating.

The lesser evil twin of "Desperation," a novel I deeply enjoyed in spite of the bad rap it gets from other King fans. Since both novels are steeped in the same mythos, right down to the cast of heroes and villains, they're best enjoyed in close succession. "Desperation" should probably be read first; this novel, although compelling enough in its own right, depends heavily on its twin brother for the unsettling poignancy King's readers expect.

With that said..."Tak!"

I have not yet read Desperation, but am going to soon seeing as how everyone says it's better than this novel. I happened to like this one though. I thought it was clever how he wrote the action as it was happening in the present progressive tense, yet reverted to the present perfect and simple past tense when the characters began interacting. While the novel was action packed, I disagree with some of the reviews that the characters weren't developed. Perhaps some of them weren't, but the ones who drove the story were. I think that a lot of people didn't like the book because it didn't turn out the way they wanted it to. Not every story can have a happy ending. I still grew to care about the characters and what happened to them. There was a lot of gore, but I felt he wanted to describe everything that was happening in horrid detail and just what Tak was capable of. All in all, I thought it was a good read.

While Desperation is a sprawling and sometimes hard-to-digest tome of King's, The Regulators represents the flipside in more ways than the obvious. The novel moves along at a pretty steady pace and allows the reader to become immersed in the story, and even though Tak is mentioned fairly often, it does not work to the detriment of the plot.

Fans of Dreamcatcher or Cujo may be pulled in by the story, which takes place over a very short span, considering the breadth of some of his other works. It takes place, ostensibly, over the course of the afternoon. A very, very, very event-filled afternoon.

At one point the book takes on an oddly Dark-Tower-ish feel, with the landscape and villains shifting and changing toward the absurd. I can't help but think the MotoKops are the Power Rangers, and thinking of them during the more violent scenes was unsettling.

Overall, though, The Regulators is one of Stephen King's better 90's works. Definitely better and more optimistic than Desperation. Good for those who are fans of Stephen King or surreal fiction, but not recommended for those just getting into his large body of works.

The first two books really led up to this one, and it's an all out battle with the darklings for not just Bixby, but the world! The end was a little sad, but unexpected. The characters really grow in this final book as well. What an excellent series!

an absolutly amazing read fast paced, non stop action adventure once you pick it up you cant put it down.

In Scott Westerfeld's BLUE NOON, Bixby, Oklahoma has twenty-five hours in the day. However, the midnight hour is only enjoyed by five friends while the rest of the world is frozen in time. Defying gravity, mindcasting, and fighting darklings is all part of the midnight hour but when the phenomenon occurs unexpectedly during the day, the friends have to prepare for what has caused the shift.

Mr. Westerfeld's writing style is fantastic. This book moves at a quick pace and is easy to read. There are no slow or heavy spots that make a reader want to skim. The characters are very likable and the setting is believable. When I discovered these friends each had a superpower, I cringed thinking they would be cartoonish. This was not the case at all. They were very well done with each character's power fitting well into the story and with each other. I love how the one character tastes emotion.

As much as I enjoyed the book, I have to admit, I was confused throughout the first quarter of the story and then sporadically throughout the remainder of the book. Even with this, Mr. Westerfeld was able to keep this from being a problem for me.

I was totally unprepared for the ending. I'm not sure what I thought about it, but I can understand why he did it. Still, I have to wonder if it could have ended differently and had the same effect.

Over all...great author. I love his style and am so glad I read his book.

CarolASpradling.com author

this book was really good, until the ending. It seemed that westerfeld really wanted to finish his book, so he shoved a whole bunch of stuff into 10 measly pages and boom- the end. but, if you're hooked on the other 2 midnighters, this is a must.

The book Blue Noon is a book about a teenage girl who is trying to use a secret power to save thousands of people. Ancient, mystical creatures called darklings are attacking all of humanity. Now the only thing to stop them is a group of teenage kids with a knowledge of a secret hour.
My personal favorite part of this book was when the group of midnighters catch one of their teachers smoking outside the school. During a school pep rally, time strangly freezes to everyone but the midnighters, something that usually only happens at midnight. The kids go outside of the school to talk, but notice that one of their teachers is smoking. When normal time resumes, they approach the nervous teacher who is glaly willing to sneak them back into school as long as they do't blow his cover. This was one of the funny parts in this book.
I've read plenty of books, and Blue Noon is definitely close to the top of my list. This book is a thriller compacted with many twists and turns. Just when you believe that you have figured something out, a new feature hits, and a new mystery begins. If you are looking for an action-packed, quick read, this is the book for you. In any case, Blue Noon is book that you will remember for a long, long time.

This was a page turner, don't want to put down read! I can't believe this was her first book. I live in the southeast so I could relate to the Nashville setting making it more interesting. Taylor Jackson is a smart, tough detective and interesting character. I hope to read about her in the future. I am eagerly waiting on the next J.T. Ellis book. If you like suspense this ones for you!

Homicide Lieutenant Taylor Jackson works in Nashville Tennessee. She is working on a case involving a serial killer, that the media has dubbed 'The Southern Strangler'. Taylor is working on the case with her love interest, FBI profiler, John Baldwin.

In the middle of all this, there is also a rapist on the loose...nicknamed 'The Rainman' since he only strikes when it rains.

I found this book to be creepy at times, full of suspense, with enough twists and turns to keep you hooked. The characters were likeable, the plot was believable and the storyline was interesting. It was an intense read. It kept me hooked till the very end!

If you're in the mood for a suspenseful thriller, something to keep you guessing, I recommend this read.

I downloaded this onto my pda on a whim one night from another site and only stopped reading when my battery was giving out. I have to agree with everyone else who said that they found it hard to believe that this was a debut novel. I'm sure Ellison has more unpublished gems hiding away some where and I want them! I know that the next book in this series is coming out in a few months, but I don't want to have to wait that long :)

If you love thrillers and are on the lookout for new authors, get a copy of ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS. It was hard for me to believe this was her first novel. J. T. Ellison got so into the characters that I thought for certain she was retired police or work in the field. Also there is a fine line of too many details, at least for an ADD reader like me, but she never once crossed over to the dull side.

It gets five stars, because I can't recommend a better thriller. In fact, I want to read her next one, 14. It's to be on sale in September. I plan on getting it. Got to find out more about Dr. John Baldwin. Is he really going to quit? How does their (Taylor & John) relationship progress? I was given enough in the first book to want to know more.

This is a strong and memorable debut introducing Nashville Homicide Lt. Taylor Jackson. The story develops through complex forensic and evidentiary details which keep the reader attentive and involved. By tracking down not only a serial killer but a serial rapist at the same time, it is clearly apparent that she is a tough, intelligent and dedicated cop. I sincerely hope that Taylor Jackson has a long and productive career... and that we get to read about each and every case.

Neil Gaiman's Smoke and Mirrors is a collection of his short stories and poems. Like his other short story/poem collection titled Fragile Things, this book too has an introduction with commentary of each of the stories and poems contained within. For me, this introduction is the best part of the book because of his witty insight and inspirational motivations regarding each story. Within the introduction also lies another short story unmarked in the table of contents, a pleasant addition to the entire book.

Gaiman's approach to style is refreshing and full of lessons to one looking to learn the craft of writing. Many of the stories, to me, seemed unorthodox, a deviation to a path I thought I was beginning to understand. His methods are intriguing and entertaining, full of marvelous rewards. To review each story and poem is beyond the scope of this review but I will highlight a few short stories that appealed to me on many different levels.

The Price: An interesting piece about a seemingly stray black cat who turns out to be a guardian of sorts. The story moves in smooth and fluid motion to a surprise ending. Enjoyable, to say the least!

Troll Bridge: This more elaborate and compelling rendition of the old tale brings a sense of mystery and magic into the shadows of common places. Gaiman creates a feeling of anxiety in this darker version of the story but closes in the most uncommon of ways.

Shoggoth's Old Peculiar: An American backpacker across Britain stumbles into a town never identified on any map. A step into the Lovecraftian Cthulhu mythos, Gaiman brings the unknown and surreal into beautiful clarity and keeps it practical.

Only the End of the World Again: Another step into Lovecraft's famous hidden town of Innsmouth but this time from the eyes of a detective. Uncovering a plot to raise the great Cthulhu, the investigator, cursed with lycanthropy, moves to thwart their plans. He discovers that not everyone in Innsmouth can be trusted or ignored.

Bay Wolf: A second tale of the Innsmouth werewolf detective who, while vacationing, it seems, in Malibu, is hired to stop some creature from stalking the beach and murdering the Barbie and Kens of this rich resort. More poem than short story it still reads well and entertains.

We Can Get Them for You Wholesale: A tale of a non-confrontational miser trying to live peacefully and without trouble suddenly finds himself hiring a hitman to solve a problem. But, saving money and getting the better deal turns out to backfire in way I didn't expect. A very good read.

Foreign Parts: This story brings to light an interesting idea about disease. A man somehow contracts a disease more commonly venereal but ends up having a far different reaction. Intriguing, and very interesting characterization.

Tastings: An erotic tale of a different sort of vampire. A male gigolo attends to a female client and reveals an interesting secret about himself, never realizing that he isn't the only one with such a secret.

Babycakes: A horrible piece of flash fiction that poignantly reminds us of the depth of depravity mankind could stoop to, implausible, but always having that little spark of "What if". Well done!

Murder Mysteries: The coup de grace of this entire book. The one sole reason I would have gladly paid the entire cover price for. Murder Mysteries tells of the waking of the angel Raguel whose purpose is to discover the truth of the death of another angel. Set in heaven long before the world and universe is created, or in actuality being created during this investigation, this tale drives home some very powerful ideas of God, Lucifer, and the celestial balance.

A couple other stories were remarkable, such as the poem Queen of Knives, and the story Mouse. I avoided reviewing most of the poems because of my general lack of comprehension with poem structure, meaning, and imagery. Again, Murder Mysteries alone justified my purchase of this book, the rest of the stories were entertaining and made the book that much more enjoyable.

I've had this book forever, and I go back to it from time to time and it is always a fond reacquaintance.

Neil Gaiman is most famous for his Sandman comics, and, more recently, his novels. His short stories are more varied than his novels, having more in common with his comic book work, which is natural considering the similarities between the mediums.

Anyway, these stories run the gamut between regular short stories, you know, the kind that tell a normal story with a twist at the end. Some of the others are more experimental, poems and stories that aren't really stories.

My favorite story of the entire collection is actually a hidden story, not marked on the table of contents. How a story is hidden in a book is a mystery that I will leave for you to discover, dear reader, but once you find it you will not be disappointed.

Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors. Unfortunately, many of the stories included in this anthology lack the brilliance of some of the author's later stories like 'American Gods' and 'Neverwhere'.

Many of these stories are either hit or miss. Some of the best in this collection include 'Troll Bridge', 'The White Road', 'Bay Wolf', 'One Life, Furnished in Early Moorcock' 'Murder Mysteries' and 'Snow, Glass, Apples' (quite simply, one of the most disturbing tales I have ever read. I will never think of Snow White in the same way.) These stories were all as good as Gaiman's later novels and display the unlimited creativity and dark wit that I have come to associate with him.

Some that I can think of that seem to be lacking something are, 'The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories', 'Looking for the Girl', 'Cold Colors' (a headache inducing tale, to be sure) 'Changes', and 'Tastings.' These just didn't seem to click for me.

In any case, there are certainly stories in here that warrant the purchase of the Mass Market Paperback version, not limited to the ones I listed. Neil Gaiman is one of our most interesting contemporary authors, and to miss out on some of the buried treasures contained here would be a mistake.

Not his best work, but certainly worth a read.

This was what most anthologies are. A mixture of hit and miss. The short stories were generally quite good (with a few exceptions) and the poems were universally bland and uninteresting to me.

If you are a professional writer, and you are going to write poems, at least have them conform to some stylistic convention. They can't be the kind of thing that you find in the diary of every emo kid from SoCal to Michigan.

Buy it if you like his work, avoid it if you don't. The only exceptional story in this collection is Murder Mysteries, which is worthwhile to everyone. But reading the whole thing for thirty pages of value is...short-sighted. There are a lot of books in the world.

Harkius

I was very enthusiastic about this short story collection, the first I was reading by Gaiman. My first book by him was Neverwhere and I just loved it, then I read American Gods and just didn't get it.......at least given the whole success it had...it just wasn't for me it seems. But S&M really didn't get my attention as I thought it would, not one short story really got me going or really made me enjoy it.( Except the one with the black cat and the very short poem about Christmas.) I hope no one gets disappointed like me on it, I just think these stories are from a very early era by Gaiman and have not much to do with his more recent style or his novels. If you're starting with Gaiman I recommend Neverwhere, I don't think you're getting anything much better than that one.

Death Note continues with both Kiras giving up their death notes and losing their memories. The police detectives are disappointed but then a string of mysterious heart attack deaths begin occurring in several Japanese corporations. The police suspect Kira and try to narrow the suspected deaths to one corporation. Will they be able to find Kira and what will they do with the two Kiras that don't seem to be Kiras anymore.

While perhaps not the most dramamtic or serious arch of Death Note, Vol. 5 is perhaps the most enertaining and one of the more important. As Light loses his memories of being Kira after a deal with Ryuk and Rem he becomes an entirely different person. So much in fact befuddled L asks himself "Can people really disensemble this well?"

Still suspicious of Yagami Light L goes to yet another extreme on the investigation and chains the young man to his wrist. The ensuing stituation is one of tense harmony and frustration that sometimes breaks out into knock-down, drag-out fights between the two. However it is certain the two peers have never been closer both mentally and physically.


However there is now a new Kira even with Light and Misa devoid of their Death Note related memories. As Light comes closer to catching this new killer, will he ever regain his memories of being Kira?


Also, there's a delightful subplot where Matsuda jumps off a high balcony and lives. You should really read it just for that.

The quality of this series continues.

L still suspects both Light and Misa of being Kiras, and as such is watching them. When other people starts to die he lets them out of captivity.

Light's father is rather stressed about the whole thing, and decides he can't be in the police to deal with it. L has him put his son and girlfriend to a serious test, as the corporate machinations of the current Kira continue.

Tsugumi Ohba, Death Note: Whiteout (ViZ, 2006)

I may have been a bit hasty when I accused Death note of jumping the shark in my Love review last month. While I'm still not entirely convinced that Ohba's thinking more than an episode ahead at least part of the time, Whiteout begins a new story arc that should definitely keep things interesting (and on point) for a while.

Light gives up the death note, and so Ryuk, and all memories of him, vanish. Light is now certain he's innocent. When a third Kira appears, L has to weigh the benefits of having Light and Misa on his investigative team against the benefits of keeping them both locked up. The team traces Kira to a corporate boardroom-- but which of the board members, if any, is actually Kira?

Ohba's got focus back again, and so the series picks up its pace and gets interesting again. The good stuff returns! *** ½

As the subtitle (vaguely) suggests, Death Note 5: Whiteout is about Light/Kira losing his memories of using the Death Note and joining the investigation team to find the killer who has taken his place.

What's weird is that Light is almost a completely different person once his memories of the Death Note are erased. The once cold, calculating Light is now as honorable and friendly as he merely pretended to be in the previous volumes.

At one point, he is asked to manipulate someone for useful information in uncovering the identity of the new Kira. Although he'd manipulated that same person in the previous book, Light refuses by saying it would go against his personal code. That pretty much implies that the Death Note has almost allegorical powers of corruption (kind of like the One Ring from "The Lord of the Rings"). Of course, I don't know if Ohba intentionally put this symbolism in, but it works.

By finally allowing the reader to see the contrast between Light with the Death Note and Light without it, Ohba enables us to see him as a much more tragic character. The contrast lets us see just how much finding the Death Note has ruined his character and his life, and that it will likely continue to do so as the series progresses.

Aside from that, this volume also introduces a few new elments into the series:

A new Kira emerges with a different MO and set of ideals.

The Investigation team gets better resources and a new base of operations.

L recruits two new characters into the Investigation Team...shortly after one of its alrealy few members leaves.


This book is definitely reccommended, but only if you've read the first four in the series.

It's been 17 years since I first read this book and it's still my most favorite book of all time. Before "Boy's Life" it was Stephen King's "Different Seasons" that held the spot and I thought that it would never be knocked from number one. I still think about how I felt after I first read this book. It was a combination of awe, hope, and anticipation. McCammon wrote in such a way that I just prayed that he'd come out with another book really soon. Which he didn't, but that never took away from the quality of "Boy's Life."

Do yourself a favor and read this book, and then read it again, and then a third time. Read it to your kids; a few pages at a time each night, and they will be hooked on reading forever. Do ya'all remember what it felt like after watching the movie "The Titanic"? Yeah, that's what I felt like after I first read this book. Awesome.

I purchased this book at a thrift store for $1. I had read one other of McCammons books "Swan Song" which I thought was excellent so I figured I would try "Boys Life". It seemed like a dumb title but for $1 I figured I could pitch it if the book was no good. I am the type of person if a book does not grip me in the first 50 pages I move on. Was I ever surprised. Right off the bat the story gripped me. I would stay up late at night wanting to see what would happen next. McCammon writes in such a way that you can feel the emotions of Cory the main character in the story. I could see how the boy thinks as I once used to when I was boy many years ago. McCammon makes this story come alive. The pictures he draws of this small town are clear and you are drawn in and can't put the book down. McCammon is an excellent story teller. It is almost like you are there. It takes place in the early 1960's when the world was a different place than it is now. The death of Cory's best friend, his dealing with some bullys, his relationship with his parents, and a host of other odd characters that Cory deals with come alive. There is also an odd mystery he tries to solve that weaves through the entire story. These all come alive in the story and at the end they fit together. Excellent book. Definitely five stars. If his other books are this good, I can't wait to read them.

Boy's Life by Robert McCammon was a pretty good book. It starts out in a little town in AL with a twelve year old boy (the main character) named Cory Mackenson is with his dad at "work" and a mystery begins to unfold right in front of his eyes. It catches the reader's attention. But as the story continues, I think that is gets a little confusing to follow as there a lot of "mini-stories" that make the plot somewhat strange. Some stories were interesting, but some just did not make any sense in my opinion. At the end of the book, grown-up Cory talks about his new life- this is a nice touch at the conclusion of the book. Overall, it was a pretty good book. Not a five-star for me though.

There's nothing I can say about this book that hasn't been said, but let me add to the ovation. Everything you've read is true. This book is brimming w/ magic and heart. I think it's the only book I've ever started to read again right after finishing it. If you haven't read it, do yourself a favor and do so.

This is the first book I have read by the author and what a great introduction. Considering this book was written in the early 90's, the 12-year old Cory M. main character, was a harbinger of the "magical boy"
at the edge of adolescence. Ala Harry Potter, Cory has the sixth sense. Though there are elements of horror, this is mainly a autobiography of kids in the 60's. The feel of the time is right, with boys on bikes looking for adventure and trying to escape the misery of school. And surely one can remember that magic did seem to be in the air at that age. The characters are well-developed and the mystery, who is the drowned man in the lake?, is nicely woven through, but not always the main focus. More importantly, Cory and his friends begin to glimpse the adult world, maybe just as scary as the horror stuff. Dad loses his job, Mom is a worry-wart, and Cory faces love and death. Did not want it to end and felt the post-script of life in the 90's, did not add. A different type of horror/mystery story and great change of pace.

The art is great, feels almost animated (and i hope someone will animate it). There is humor, but it's mostly in the art rather than in the text and ideas.

However, i felt a little dissapointed for two reasons:
1. Even if this is the first volume, you should read volume 0 (Rough Stuff) first since this one makes some important references to the origins of Goon and its enemy, the Zombie Priest
2. It's too similar to Hellboy. Not VERY similar, but enough to notice it easily. Even the looks and one-liners of the Goon remind me of Hellboy. Also his absurd supernatural enemies and friends are from the same pool of ideas (zombie gangsters instead of nazis, talking fish and sea monsters, hot chicks with a noir shade of character)

The Goon volumes make for a great looking and entertaining collection and should be appreciated by Hellboy fans. But this being the first volume that i read, i expected something fresher and more genuine.

This is my first foray into The Goon. I loved it. I usually read superhero books but lately I've weanted to get into something different. First it was Hellboy and now it's The Goon. This is Hilarious but it's not just jokes there are real stories here too. These other reviewers mention these great horror writers and what-not, I have not read their stuff (but I probably should), but this is a great read for anybody.
And The Atomic Rage is hilarious.

This was a wonderful read. I do not normally laugh out loud when reading comics, but this one keeps me rolling. Despite the fact that the characters are much the antihero, you just can't help rooting for them.

After reading this I am determined to buy and read this title as long as he is publishing it. The Goon is my favorite comic out today, and I would definitely pick this product up.

I am not a huge graphic novel fanatic, not that I do not appreciate great artwork and the compelling stories that come out of a variety of fantastic stories, it is just that it has never been something I have latched onto as much as many of my friends have.
My fascination has been with zombies and that has led me to different graphic novels where zombies play a part in them. From The Walking Dead Series to Xombie to Reces Pieces, I have found plenty to entertain me with along with the strictly written word in zombie books.
I picked up a couple of Goon titles, thinking that My Murderous Childhood and Nothin' But Misery would be the first two in the series. I was mistaken but after reading these two, I will be hitting up Rough Stuff and moving forward with the rest of the series.
I love the almost schitzophrenic way that Eric Powell's brain works with this series, how he brings in totally lunatic elements with both a dark and malevolent sense of humor that had me cracking up through this entire book. The advertisements are hilarious, the different tales both big and small are intriguing, and overall I thought it was a fantastic read.
Zombies play a part in the Goon series, which is what drew me to it, but it is far more than just that. I honestly cannot wait to read the rest of the various tales of the Goon, because the art is great, the stories are rolicking, and the bottom line for me is that this was fun to read.

There are comics that have more depth and some that have more subtlety than The Goon, but few that exhibit such sheer joy of the comics medium and "low-brow" art. It's obvious that Eric Powell knows not only the value of good B-Movies and pulp tales, but of all other pop-culture discards as well. His stories, freeway collisions among gansters, monsters, Frank Capra and drive-in "sci-fi", are pure, simple, direct, and often outright funny. They invoke everything from Ed Wood to Norman Rockwell. Although Powell adopts a beautiful cartoony style in drawing Goon (with suggestions of Jack Kirby, Will Eisner and other comics greats), what makes it work is the talent of an accomplished artist capable of far more complex renderings. The Goon is a wonder and well worth your attention.

Again, Jonathan Maberry does not fail to scare the dookies out of you! This second in the Pine Deep, PA trilogy does not disappoint. He's a wonderful storyteller and again, another page turner. His character development is excellent, as is the story.

This book is even better than the first one, at least from a horror fan point of view. Prepare to be scared silly.

Jonathan Mayberry is becoming one of my favorite authors. This books continues where "Ghost Road Blues" left off.

I would like to tell Mr. Mayberry one thing: GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND GET US THE THIRD NOVEL ALREADY!!

You ROCK!

I loved the first book, "Ghost Road Blues" and couldn't wait for this book. One important thing to know: you should read "Ghost Road Blues" before you read "Dead Man's Song", not everything is explained well enough in the second book to be able to pick up the complete storyline. I have already pre-ordered the next book, "Bad Moon Rising". Johathan Maberry is well on his way!!!!

Let me get one thing straight first. One reader of the first book in the Pine Deep trilogy fired some idiotic salvo accusing Maberry of paying people $500 to write favorable reviews. A couple of others picked up that ludicrous refrain for this book. Now, in a world full of intelligent readers there would be no need to respond to such blithering numbskulls. I'm sure Maberry himself feels no need to take such fools seriously. But on the chance that someone may actually be swayed by such bilge I'll go on record as saying my opinion comes free of charge. I've never met Jonathan but if I ever do I'll shake his hand and congratulate him on creating perhaps the best horror tale of the present decade.

Don't let the baseless rantings of attention-challenged cretins persuade you for a second that Ghost Road Blues and Dead Man's Song are anything less than landmark works in horror fiction. If they can't hang with a couple of 500 page novels I would suggest they see their doctor about the possibility of undiagnosed ADHD. Maberry's Bram Stoker Award nomination is no accident. These books are the REAL THING. Immerse yourself in Maberry's meticulously crafted story. Leave the aforementioned cretins to Dick And Jane and coloring books.