Horror Books

Bizarre brilliance.

Templesmith's scripting is as morbidly humorous as his art, and the result is a wacky, "New Weird" romp through the modern occult underworld.

Although there's little time for explanation or backstory, Templesmith actually got me to care about his collection of misfit adventurers by the end of the first page. Or, at the very least, I was ready to cheer them on as they thumped on the demon intruders.

Not sure how to accurately praise the Leprechaun scene, other than to say it is a truly legendary moment in comic book history.

A fabulous idea coupled with fantastic original artistic style make for a must read comic.

Hot on the supernatural heels of Constantine and Hellboy comes another demon fighter/monster killer of ambiguous character named Wormwood. He's a welcome addition to the horror comic-book hero pantheon due to his unflappable personality and dark humor.

Like Hellboy, Wormword isn't, shall we say, quite human. He's a sentient wormlike creature who uses corpses for mobility and to blend in with humanity (magic helps a bit with his camouflage). As with Constantine, he's familiar with the nasty underbelly of reality and has a sense of noirish mirth that leavens his altruism. And there is also the typical assortment of oddball, gifted sidekicks to provide comic relief and take the brunt of punishment during combat.

In this collection, Wormwood and his partners take on some Cthulhu-like creatures that are threatening to devour humanity. Of course, this particular storyline has been done many times before. But Mr. Templesmith manages to (ahem) inject some interesting angles. For example, the author does a fine job tapping into our primal fears of sharing bodily fluids, STDs, and being consumed by one's lover or offspring. And as for the medium of transmission - well, I'll certainly never watch a male enhancement commercial the same way again.

Despite the intriguing characters, I was somewhat underwhelmed by the climactic battle between Wormwood & Co. and the main nasty. It was handled in a somewhat different way than these conflicts usually are, but the resolution seemed to invalidate the preceding mayhem. Clever at first reading, but it kind of lost its luster for me after further reflection.

The helter-skelter art suggests Bill Sienkiewicz's run on the New Mutants awhile back. Normally I prefer a more realistic approach - I liked Mr. Sienkiewicz better when he was a Neal Adams clone (a la "Moon Knight"). For reference, my favorite horror artists are "Swamp Thing" illustrators Stephen Bissette, Rick Veitch, and John Totleben. However, as with Hellboy's artist, Mr. Templesmith's pencils fit his undead character's surreal tone and icky atmosphere just fine. As a bonus, cover and sketchbook art are included as well.

Overall, "Wormwood" is an interesting take on the loner hero (Wormwood and his ilk are always set apart, even when surrounded by associates) who stands between us and the forces of chaos. If you enjoy Hellboy and Constantine, then "Wormwood" will slither easily into your collection.

Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse is the product of 30 Days of Night artist, Ben Templesmith, who not only provides the art, but wrote the story as well. This 152 page trade paperback collects the four issue mini-series along with the Wormwood: The Taster which served as a prelude to the mini-series. If I could pick just one word to describe Wormwood it would be...squishy...that tends to sum up both the look and feel of the book. Wormwood is a sentient worm that lives inside the eye-socket of a rather dapper English gentleman corpse. I've heard Wormwood described as actually being a maggot but no, he's definitely longer and, uh, squishier than a maggot.

Wormwood is never without his sidekick Mr. Pendulum, a mechanical construct with a bad attitude who looks like one of the members of ZZ Top. He's also frequently in the company of a lazy ghost detective named Trotsky, assistant Phoebe Phoenix, and former girlfriend Medusa who runs a local strip club and guards a gateway to hell. A pretty eclectic band of characters, no doubt about it!

Wormwood is like the John Constantine of the worm/maggot world. He's known to associate with various demons and deities, often over a multitude of beers. The opening prelude takes place in Medusa's club which suddenly becomes infected with demonic plants which have a nasty habit of bursting out of the customer's mouths. Wormwood and crew have to find the sporefather and destroy it before all of the customers become hothouses four more of the beasties. "Birds, Bees, Blood, and Beer" is a four-part story making up the bulk of the book. Someone is selling men what amounts to tainted viagra...improving their sexual performance, but also causing their seed to quickly germinate until a many-tentacled creature explodes out of their partner's belly. Yes...squishy is definitely the word for Wormwood.

By his own admission, Templesmith's art is love it or hate it. I have come around and you can count me in the "love it" category. His sketchy, abstract style is a perfect marriage to visual horror genre. Few artists today make use of color for style and setting a mood they way Templesmith does. Even the word balloons take on distinctive characteristics for the various characters. Templesmith weaves the horrific elements with dry humor for a masterful series. The book concludes with a spectacular cover and pin-up gallery featuring art by Templesmith, Grant Gould, Colton Worley, and Art Grafunkel.

House of Dark Shadows is the first in the Dreamhouse Kings - a new series for young adults from Christian publisher Thomas Nelson. Young Alexander, Xander for short, and his family - the Kings, move from Pasadena to the small town of Pinedale when their father Edward accepts the position of principal at the Pinedale high school. The King family moves into an unsettling house with a dark history; a shadowed past that has made it a focal point for speculation and rumour amongst the townspeople of Pinedale.

It soon becomes apparent to the Kings that their move into the house has thrown them into a world where nothing is as it seems. Brothers Xander and David soon discover mysterious portals on a hidden third floor that seem to lead into the past. Unfortunately most of these portals lead into life-threatening scenarios - once entered into they require some effort to escape from.

The story moves at a brisk pace and readers soon find themselves contemplating the nature of the mysterious house and trying to unravel its mysteries. The chapters are short - 40 chapters to 283 pages of story, keeping the level of suspense high and the reader moving from one scene to the next. The entire story takes place in a very short time period, approximately one week. Once Liparulo has his hooks in the reader, he blazes through the story, bringing the action on at an unrelenting pace.

Aimed at teenagers, the writing style is easy to read and highly accessible. Though written for a young audience, adults who appreciate a suspenseful and unusual tale will also enjoy this series. An age appropriate discussion guide is also included to guide readers into further examination of the events and speculation about the mysteries of the house. While intense events are taking place all around them, the King family remains realistic. Sibling rivalry, teenage angst, self-absorption and day-to-day family squabbles are all presented realistically and woven into the dramatic storyline. Young readers are certain to empathize with these everyday occurrences and struggles that are intertwined with the highly unusual events the King family experiences.

Liparulo is well known for his work in the genre of thrillers, with several adult titles already published. While House of Dark Shadows is eerie and unsettling I didn't have any nightmares after reading it, and I'm not exceptionally brave. Most readers should be able to read this title without undue distress or horror depending upon their age and comfort levels.

While published by a Christian publisher and marketed to a Christian audience this title does not contain a strong faith message. Interviews with the author have indicated that when the series is viewed in its entirety readers will be able to see the message that Liparulo has written into the books, but that it will be subtle. The King family does include references such as to God, church, and creation, building a Christian worldview into the backdrop of the storyline. However, the plot does not focus on the characters' relationships with God, but rather the unusual events and struggles they encounter, as well as their changing family dynamics. Those without a Christian background will enjoy this work as much as Christian readers will.

With this first title the mystery has only begun. The cliffhanger ending leaves readers with a long list of questions and a minuscule list of answers. Thankfully readers can dive into the second book in the series, Watcher in the Woods, which has already been published. Unfortunately the third title, Gatekeepers, will not be available until January 2009.

I loved this book. I stumbled onto Ted Dekker a few months ago, and when I heard that Ted Dekker is working with Robert Liparulo, I had to read it.
And what a great story. A lot of suspense, and I couldn't put the book down.

Definitely a Recommend for every body to read.

Buy this book!

If you are a thriller reader, and are at all hesitant to pick up Bob's latest because it's in a young adult category, then trust me, it delivers for us adults! This review won't tell you about the story, all the other reviews do that. I want to focus on how the book reads.

I read almost every thriller writer in the genre, and Bob offers a unique world where violence, horror, suspense, mystery, and action are reduced to the most basic elements, then spun into a believable world - and all that without the industry's typical gratuitous languange, sex or overly descriptive violence. I would have my children read any of his books, but this series I'm holding on to for my nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. In House of Dark Shadows, Bob has delivered true supsense that caused me to read it in one afternoon (during the US Open no less). The opening scene will tell you this is no ordinary haunted house. While utilizing some familiar suspense tones (secret rooms, noises in the night, appearance of unknown forces), he does a great job blending them into a fast paced story that feels like it will come to conclusion. Then, it twists! That's primarily why I'll read the next book, but more importantly, I've become attached to this family, and want to know where they go next, and what historical setting they might experience.

As a reader, I've been allowed in this book to glimpse the family relationship and each of their unique personalities while at the same time using my own imagination to paint a picture of their history, and current importance to their world.

I hope this book sees the publishing success it deserves. By the way, It's design shows well on the bookshelf too. I look forward to the series continuing.

I didn't read this personally, but my 16 year old son read them in record time! The first book makes you want to read the second one immediately! The main drawback to this is the third book won't be out until January 2009. My son said he wants to read the third book when it comes out, but he will still continue to live without reading it immediately :) He really enjoyed both books and he doesn't think they're too scary, but when I read them, I may disagree!

I emailed Robert Liparulo and he responded to me personally. He seems like a very nice person and according to my son, an excellent author. I'm looking forward to reading his books!

Liparulo established himself as a major presence in the thriller market with "Comes a Horseman," followed by two other fine-tuned suspense novels. I had no doubt he could create the same chills for a younger audience, particularly since he draws from his own experience as a father.

I was not disappointed. "House of Dark Shadows" reads like a mix between a very tame Stephen King and a very mature Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book (you have to be much older than 16 to remember those!). When the King family--no relation to Stephen--relocates to a creepy old house in the woods, they have no idea what they are in for. Xander and Dave, the two brothers, take center stage as they stumble upon secrets and mysterious doorways in their new home. From unexplained footprints, to gladiators, to the jungle, Liparulo takes us along on a fast-paced adventure. He leaves us hanging, anxious for the next book, "Watcher in the Woods," and certain that there are plenty more escapades and dangers for the entire family to maneuver.

I haven't yet read a Liparulo book I didn't enjoy. He always gives a good story, memorable characters, and secrets lurking in every corner.

Oh, and "Gatekeepers" is book three? More good books to read!

While similar to his first book, Off Season, Ketchum delves more deeply into the characters this time around. The events occur over one long and grueling night where our cannibal family of maniacs decide to go on another killing spree. I think this book wasn't as shocking to me as the first simply because I had read Off Season and knew what to expect. But that didn't lessen the enjoyment of joining retired law enforcement officer George Peters once again as he tries to finally put a stop to the madness. The only complaint I really had was the character of Steven, who just decided to visit his ex-wife and son on the same day of this random slaughter. Did I mention that Steven had just murdered his employer earlier that day and is running from the law? Yeah, that felt like too big a coincidence to me, too. But it's still a thrilling read and I wouldn't mind a third book sometime in the future.

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD

I just discovered Jack Ketchum, read his first book, OFF SEASON, and was blown away by it. Wow, I thought, here is an author who isn't afraid to go the limit. The violence and gore were truly over the top, but what set it off from similiar stories was that no one in the book, absolutely no one, was safe. The prose had a raw, visceral quality that made the reader overlook or at least forgive certain infelicities in the writing (beginning too many successive sentences with the same word, using the "said John" construction instead of "John said", etc.). In short, a masterpiece of the genre, and a truly frightening read.

I immediately picked up OFFSPRING with high hopes. Alas, these hopes were dashed. First of all, the storyline is basically a retread of the original: Ketchum assembles a group of characters in an isolated cabin in the Maine woods and sets his cannibal family loose upon them; these scenes alternate with others that focus upon the police investigation. I don't have a problem with recycling the plot; my complaint is that it's done in such an anemic way. First, the victims are not nearly as interesting as those in the first book. Second, very few of them are killed--in fact, only two out of six actually die. Yes, two of the survivors suffer horribly at the hands of the cannibals, but the final scene shows them sitting in a hospital room smiling, as if all is right with the world once more. A typical Hollywood happy ending. The ones who really get decimated are the cannibals, but with names such as First Chosen, Second Chosen, the Girl, the Woman, it's hard to keep them straight, let alone work up any interest in them. Finally, the prose style is far weaker than in the original: pages of sentence fragments alternate with long run-on sentences that go on forever.

In short, a major disappointment. I had been looking forward to reading more Ketchum, but if this is how he's mellowed, I won't bother. One reviewer likened OFF SEASON to the film director Wes Craven's early work, and I would agree. Unfortunately, OFFSPRING reminds me of Craven's anemic later work, after he sold out to Hollywood.

I can't even begin to say how much I loved this book. Jack Ketchum is fantastic. I'm not going to go into details of the story, like a lot of "reviewers" do. I'm simply going to say that Ketchum is one of the best horror writers I've ever read. The thing that I like most about his writing is that you actually care what happens to the people in his tales. Other writers, Bryan Smith for example, have such shallow, one-dimensional characters who are totally unrealistic...you really can't cheer for any of them. And that doesn't make for an exciting read. Do yourself a favor. Get into Ketchum.

At this point I have read several of Ketchum's novels, and to be honest the first book in this series "Off Season" really didn't thrill me. I had a hard time dealing with Cannibals who were capable of speech and yet were so overly barbaric. The two didn't mesh well in my mind.

This sequel was far less bloody, less immediate, and less terrifying. Too much information was given on the wrong parties in the book, and not enough on the ones that we should have gotten info on. The death toll is far lower in this book, and nowhere near as gruesome. In most cases the deaths are barely described and seem "skimmed over" in comparison to the extreme detail he went to describing them in the first book. Also this plot follows the first almost exactly. There is almost nothing new here from the first book.

(Possible spoiler warning)
You have a group of people in a cabin beset by Cannibals who drag a few of them off to a cave and torture them, there are also some cops trying to find the Cannibals. (/spoilers)

Sounds an awful lot like Off Season doesn't it? Well you could save yourself the money and just read Off Season again because it really is the same exact book, with a lot of what was interesting in the first left out of this one. I won't say this was a bad book, it just brought nothing new to the table and seemed rather unfocused. If you like Ketchum, read "The Girl Next Door" rather than this book, it's a much better read.

After reading Off Season, which was gripping, tight and savage I was ready for the sequel! The first book left a very strong impression and made me cringe more than usual when but this one was a bit softer and less terrifying. Was it worth the read? Yes, of course, it read very quickly and I enjoyed the story, well I mainly enjoyed rooting for my main characters and their survival but overall there was nothing too new that spiced things up. One novelty I can point out was the foul character of Steven, a nasty husband with no respect for his family that enraged me by the time I was almost done. I must admit I couldn't wait to see what was in store for him from the same brutes who were imprisoning his friends and family.

When Amy and David invite their troubled friend Claire and her eight year old son Luke to their country house to meet their infant daughter Melissa they have no idea that terrors from the past are going to change their plans. Little filthy beasts with sharpened teeth and weapons inflict permanent damage to the family in ways that are better no thought about for too long, some things are just too much to bear. Their struggle to survive is the main focus of the story, with the help of the police the tale flowed well but these kids seemed too strong, I cant imagine having a problem defending myself against kids...

As the title suggest, the offspring takes off in the task of terrifying us in this tale, eleven years after the original massacre the children are ready to strike back and continue to mate with each other and steal infants from houses nearby to make their clan bigger and meaner. The story starts off with a bang and shows the reader that even thought it's the kids and teens doing the killings, they are no less savage and there is no softness and mercy. Good read and fast one too, I would love to read more of this strange clan of barbarians but unless they change the settings then it will just be a major rehash. Perhaps they should strike the city next, if dinosaurs from Jurassic Park 3 can than so can little dirty brats with big hungry tummies.

- Kasia S.

This a fantastic book in a series of fantastic books by Barb Hendee. I cannot wait for the next one to to come out so I can read it. I hope this series continues on and on for awhile.

I started reading the series when it was only the paperback. Then with this book they started doing it in hardback. WHY? Why is it whenever there is a good series they start to try and milk more money from the readers. I enjoy the series and the great writing. But I really do feel wrong that my dollars that helped make their series a success will not see any more money for their books until they are in garage sales or on paperbook swap.

Traitor to the Blood is the fourth book in the Noble Dead series by Barb and J.C. Hendee. The first book is Dhamphir, the second is Thief of Lives and the third if Sister of the Dead. If you are considering reading this book, I strongly urge you read the other three first. While you may get the general idea of this story, by reading the other three the story will be much more satisfying and enjoyable for you.

The plot in this book seems to be much more involved that the first three books. In the first three, the plot seemed rather linear and there weren't many subplots. They were still very good books, don't get me wrong. In this book however, it seems the Hendee's made a conscience effort to really have a solid foundation in which to throw their characters. There are several subplots in this book that only add to the mystery of the situation and even within the last one-hundred pages yet another subplot is thrown in for good measure. With all this talk of multiple subplots, you might be thinking this book is confusing. It's really not. The plot, and subplots, are laid out in such a way (and explained) that there is really no confusion. They are merely added elements to the overall story and help explain different characters motivation and feelings.

For the most part the characters in this book as carryovers from the previous three books. Of course, being that the heroes are in a different place now, there are some new additions, but the main cast largely remains the same. This is a good thing though, because it allows the Hendee's to delve deeper into who the characters really are instead of having to explain about new characters all the time. There is a lot of character development in this book for a number of characters. However, there is no secret, this book largely focuses on Leesil and his mission to find his parents. These characters, from the heroes to the villains are very well written and this only adds to the fantastic story of the book, and series. These are not your two dimensional, cliché ridden characters from some other fantasy books that are being published now.

I do have one minor criticism about this book. In the previous books there has always been some levity and humor sprinkled in. That's fine, in fact I enjoy that. However, there was one scene in this book that seemed to be written strictly for the humorous aspect, and it just didn't seem to fit with the part of the story it was placed in. It kind of threw me off a little bit. Again, not a huge deal, but one worth mentioning.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and this series. The Noble Dead series is one of the most underrated fantasy series going on today. There is not much, if any, publicity surrounding the series. In fact, I heard about Dhamphir from another author when I asked about good vampire fantasy books. Sometimes, word of mouth is the best advertising one can get. So, I will close with this. If you like vampire novels and you like fantasy novels don't hesitate at all to jump into this series. You won't be disappointed. They truly are diamonds in the rough and make for some very enjoyable reading.

The authors have created a fantastic world and great characters that really draw a reader into their lives. I have read all the previous books and they never fail to keep me hooked. I'm sorry to hear that there are only going to be two more books after this one, but I am pulling for Wynn and Chane to be in series 2.

Traitor To The Blood is the 4th installment in the Noble Dead series and did not disappoint. The focus shifted from Magiere the Dhampir to Leesil the assissain. "Traitor" reveals Leesil's heritage and leads the reader into world of the elves while also expanding the scope and understanding of the world the Hendee's have created. More clues to Magerie's ultimate purpose are provided to peak the reader's curiousity. Additionally, Chap's role and influence are further expalined.
The Hendee's writing is vastly underrated. Each character has been given depth and purpose that continues to expand throughout each additional novel.

This isn't what I normally read. I bought this book a few months back when I saw a spree of nasty hateful reviews (that have since been removed). When that type of thing happens, it's usually because someone is jealous of the author's success and Amy Lane definitely is a success! She has written three books in this series and is the author of a number of other books too.

Vulnerable is an urban fantasy novel It's the story of Cory, a young girl living in a small town who dreams of escaping and seeing the world. For now, Cory works the late night shift to pay the bills while trying to get her degree and liver her dream. She is a goth with a sharp tongue and a sharp wit. One night everything changes due to an accidental touch and a world of dangers being revealed.

The setting for this story is Northern California. Having lived briefly in the Nor-Cal/Sacramento area, I am familiar with all the towns mentioned in the book and the area is picturesque. The story draws you into the main characters lives and makes you care about them. I enjoyed Adrian, Green and Bracken as much as Cory.

Similarties to other urban fantasies and typos aside, this is a good book worth reading. I am starting the second one soon.

I can't put into words how much I loved this book. I really got attached to the characters, especially Green, but also Cory, Adrian, Brack, and Arturo. The setting was beautiful, Green's paradise was definitely a place I wanted to crash and the plot had really good pacing. I'm dying for the next book to arrive, I didn't hesitate to buy the series and Bitter Moon!

I have never read any books by a self published author. I'm glad I decided to try this one. I have read the reviews and thought, well, it does sound interesting. It was. I was blown away. I loved Corrine, Adrian, Green. Bracken. All the characters really STOOD OUT to me. None of them were just on the page. They all had unique personality, backgrounds, etc. I felt as though I was uncovering treasure tidbits with each character.

The plot itself, I thought, was great. I love paranormal anyway, but this was different from the usual vampire, fey, etc. that I usually read. I would classify it as more Urban Fantasy than romance per se, but there was definitely romance smoking enough to keep me turning pages. I loved the book and judge it five stars based on how it kept me engaged, my attention did not stray and it took me only one day to read it.

I can honestly recommend this book to anyone who likes Paranormal romance and urban fantasy.

My biggest disappointment is that the story itself is very thin. This genre depends upon someone or something threatening the protagonists. In this case, "unraveling" the threat involves little more than Green and Adrian asking a few people before it is helpfully volunteered that a previous enemy has formed a rock band. In order to overcome this threat, Cory, the female lead, develops vaguely described power through unclear means. Overcoming the threat involves mostly scenes of the characters fearing for each others' safety. With almost no planning, Green, Adrian and Cory show up to meet the bad guy. The powers of the three are so unclear that the final showdown felt like quickly drawn cartoon.

Several reviewers comment on plot devices taken from Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake series, but I thought the book was more like her Meredith Gentry series. Good sex leads to greener grass; better sex with more people leads to new trees. I sort of liked the Meredith Gentry series at first but currently have read too many descriptions of horticultural wonders born from human coupling.

I thought the sex scenes were hot.

Cory is pretty typical of current heroines--young, angry, and never "fit in" as a child. I often like this story line, but Cory seems to move from great angst to full emotional healing in the course of one scene, reminding me of a bad TV drama.

After reading everyone talking about this book I just had to give it a go. It was also the 1st time I had read an Independent author. I will admit that I was a little doubious. I was blown away by the plot line. Corey seems so real to me. I loved the interaction between Green and everyone that lives in the Mound with him. This is PNR like I haven't seen.
Now I'm rationing my next book because I don't want it to end!

Boring, boring, boring. Not up to standards of her previous books. Finally stopped reading 3/4 way through. Read Handeland's previous books, but don't bother with this one.

Lori, bring back the spark with your previous characters!

With Hidden Moon, Lori proves to be an author listening to her readers; paying attention to their growth, while continously evolving as an author. Her stories never become bogged down with redundency, and you won't find her treating her readers like they're dimwitted.
Hidden Moon explores the bond between friends, their hurts and healings towards one another, and within, while intrigue and romance bloom by way of a sexy gypsy! Her relationships between hero and heroine are realistic both in timeline, and development.Shadows of the Keeper

I have enjoyed the whole series. this was one of the best. looking forward the next book in series.

After four years in Atlanta, Georgia working on a career in
journalism, Claire Kennedy returned home to Lake Bluff, Georgia. Now
she has taken over her recently deceased father's position in
politics. Town Mayor. Being mayor of a small town is not as easy as
one would think.

Malachi Cartwright is a modern-day gypsy. Not by his own choice. A
sexy man of mystery who brings out previously unknown feelings in
calm, cool Claire.

As the yearly Full Moon Festival starts in Lake Bluff, so do strange
events. Is Malachi in the middle or is the truth stranger than Claire
thinks the truth can be.

Hidden Moon is a suspense filled walk through small-town politics,
shape shifting gypsies and lunar eclipses. Ms. Handeland's characters
are well constructed and accessible to the reader. Hidden Moon is a
novel that the reader does not want to put down from beginning to end.
Malachi is a compelling hero with a hidden past and Claire is a
strong-willed woman trying to rebuild her life from betrayal.

Barb
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

The middle section was too drawn out with too much vague and unsuccessful investigation going on. I felt the ending was creative and different and it felt good. However, I wish the author would have added more at the end, telling what was going to happen to Sabina. Sabina did something evil, and I felt the story was unfinished by not having justice for her. I also would have liked to see the conversations and actions between Mal and his gypsy people at the end concerning their betrayal and separation.

CAUTION SPOILERS:
Some other areas I had problems with follow. Grace's strange nocturnal journeys into the woods at night were never explained well enough for me. It was hard for me to understand how Claire could date someone for several months, invite him to her home and then be so traumatized by sex that she quits her dream job and returns to her small home town. Yes, a rape might do that, but from someone she had been dating for so long? I would have preferred a stronger reason for leaving her city job. I think she was wrong to be mad at Mal because he didn't tell her he was a werewolf earlier in their relationship.

Sexual language: mild to moderate. Number of sex scenes: four. Setting: present day Lake Bluff, Georgia and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Copyright: 2007. Genre: paranormal romance.

With each volume of this manga we witness how the story grows, the characters gain depth, and the link between the human world and that of the gods / demons become clearer. The main focus of this installment is to show the importance of Griffith; the way he is perceived by the rest of the Hawks, his influence on Guts' life and his thirst for power, are essential pieces of the puzzle. My main question at this point regarding Griffith is if he was already a demon when he met Guts and was acting according to his plan or if he changed later in time.

There are also many enlightening developments relating to Guts personality and relationship with others. He is starting to feel a sense of belonging and to care about others. He still has trouble dealing with affection and admiration. For example, he does not know how to react to a young kid that idolizes him. On the other hand, there are some of the Hawks that despise him and want to see him dead. Casca is a case apart; she is clearly conflicted by the fact that Guts is extraordinary, but she hates him due to his impact on Griffith and for achieving what she cannot.

At this point there is not much more I can say about the graphics, they are simply outstanding. I imagine how hard it is for Miura to improve on the fights volume after volume. This time around, he introduces the Immortal Nosferatu Zodd, a legendary warrior that poses an extremely tough challenge for Guts. Especially since Zodd is a demon, and even though we have seen Guts face demons before, you have to remember that in terms of the storyline, this is the first time guts has to confront one.

The violence and gore of this manga continue to be proficiently complemented by a compelling story. In this volume the author introduces politics into the mix, since as the Hawks gain prestige and become the most feared army of mercenaries in the area, Griffith starts to be respected and considered at the status of a knight, which several nobles do not appreciate. We also get further information regarding the Behelit, which is not only a key to another dimension as we previously thought, but also: "The one who possesses it and sacrifices his own blood is destined to rule the world".

Fans of this series will be rewarded by this volume, and as you probably know by now it will contribute to the addiction.

I have to say right away that the fourth volume of Berserk put a terrible taste in my mouth. The opening chapter had a molestation scene that really stole a lot out of the series for me, and the truth is the series didn't even need it. With the way the third volume ended, we already knew what was going to happen. Here, I think implication is key, yet Kentaro Miura and DMP decided to publish such an ugly scene anyways.

Thankfully, this series gets into the lighter moments and allowed me to forget about the ugly episode in the last volume. What's found here is the beginnings of the anime, and almost everything in that anime is interpreted to the word from the manga. Though I will say that I felt like I was watching a repeat, it was interesting to see some of the characters in manga format as I read. Plus, these are the lightest moments in all of Guts's dark tale, and you can't help but enjoy it as Guts slowly works himself into the Band of the Hawk. And, like always, the scenes of action are as intense and bloody as expected, only in this volume Guts has a little more at stake than he does in the past volumes, which adds some emotion.

Berserk, though now it's in the story well-known to fans, is probably the best fantasy manga around, and though at times it may seem a little too graphic, it does warn you ahead of time with a sticker on the front and an 18+ age suggestion on the back. If you're a fan of fantasy and can handle some very mature situations, then I'd recommend this series for you. Just be careful, because sometimes the content may surprise you.

Berserk (both anime and manga) put me off at first, I didn't think that I would like it; from what pictures I had seen it looked to be a very violent and bloody manga, not that I'm bothered by those things, but I really prefer a good story and the little I had seen of it lead me to believe that it lacked substance. I have never been so happy to be wrong, as Berserk has now become my favorite anime/manga series.

Truth be told Berserk is quite violent and bloody, but that is where it catches you off guard; hidden beneath all of the blood an gore is a great story that you can't help but be caught up in, with characters that are realistic, and have convincing relationships (both platonic and romantic).

I'll be honest if you're looking for a lighthearted adventure Berserk isn't for you, but if you want an intense and well written story with original and intricate characters and plots, and don't mind violence you're bound to love Berserk; you can't help but become engrossed in it.

It tells the story of Guts, a hardened swordsman on a quest for vengeance against a group of demons known as the Godhand that destroyed all he held dear, and marked him for life with a brand that marks him as their sacrifice, a fate which he is determined to escape.
He is accompanied by an elf named Puck, who provides Guts with much annoyance and the manga with a bit of comic relief.

This particular volume is part of the Band of the Hawk arc, which details the story of Guts' past with the legendary mercenary group leading up the events that set him out on his quest for revenge.

This was the second book I'd read by Preston & Child, but the first with the character of Agent Pendergast. It wasn't until I finished the book that I even knew there was a trilogy and that this was the last book in it. If I'd known that, I probably would have preferred to start with at least one of the other two books in the series.

I would most definitely classify this novel a page turner. It kept the action going and kept me me anxiously anticipating what was coming next. However, the authors moved various plotlines and characters ahead at the same time by skipping from one to the other. While I understand this tactic, it can be tremendously frustrating, when you're at a tense point in one storyline, to come to a screeching halt in that storyline and move to another one which may be at a very different point.

Most novels of this ilk require a healthy dose of suspension of disbelief, and this one is no exception. If anything, it requires a much larger dose than the average thriller. There were portions of the story that would have been laughable had they not been in such capable hands as these authors. The story was good enough and the characters strong enough that I was able to move past the fact that there was a lot of unbelievably wacky stuff going on.

While I enjoy suspense, I am not a person who enjoys reading horror, ghost stories, etc. As a result, I probably would have never bought this book had I picked it up in a bookstore because it sounded like it was going in that direction. Instead, I saw it on a "loaner shelf" at the place where I volunteer and, after reading a few pages, was relatively convinced that it wasn't going to be that kind of book, so I took it home. It is certainly suspenseful and there are elements of ghost story/horror writing in it, but it was not overdone. In fact, I will happily be returning the book to the loaner shelf next week with my recommendation to coworkers to pick it up and go for a ride! :)

The book in no way let the reader know that it was the third book in a trilogy. Even though it seemed it was written for people to just pick up and get into, it was difficult to find any relatable qualities to the characters. I was very upset with this book.

Having not read the previous books, and only found out that other books should be read prior to this one, I think I missed out on a great oppirtunity for a good read. There were many parts that I thought needed more description, or background, but I am sure it was known to all who have read the books prior...knowing characters, etc.
I found the main character came in and everything 'fell into place' when I was still trying to figure out ... how did that happen so quickly?
Not a bad book, but not a standalone novel.

Pendergast is in jail, framed by his brother. His friends, led by Vincent D'Agosta, plot to help him escape. The New York Museum of Natural History receives a mysterious package - that turns out to be diamond dust - their rare diamonds, stolen by Pendergasts brother Diogenes in Dance of Death, have been reduced to nothing but powder by a vengeful Diogenes. An ancient tomb, bricked up in the catacombs of the museum, is re-opened, but strange occurrences are once again haunting the museum. And we finally learn about what caused the terrible rift between the brothers when they were young - why Diogenes is so angry. And finally the brothers have a showdown, after Diogenes seduces Constance - Pendergast's ward - and leaves her emotionally unstable.

There is so much going on in this book that I don't even know where to start. So, rather than spoil it, I'll just tell you that I liked this book a great deal - I liked the fact that we're finally getting some perspective on what happened between Pendergast and Diogenes, and I enjoyed the clever device Diogenes created to cause mass hysteria/insanity in the museum. Those who are a fan of Preston and Child and/or of the Pendergast tales will not want to miss this.

Although I liked it and found the science behind the eventually "Big Event" cool, I wish I had read the 1st 2 of the trilogy first, but I got it from the library and it was not clear from the cover this was the 3rd. It managed to stand alone well enough but the Constance long-childhood thing was very unclear and hinted at annoying. If a focus was going to put on it, then it should have been flatout stated. Despite that, it was a rewarding, quick and exciting read. For a suspense novel, there were very few holes...I can't think of any except a weird statement made about Nora by her husband that seemed like something bad editing failed to catch a change in characterization. Still, a fun story great for a rainy day or beach.

The talisman is quite a great book I must say, but in my opinion, I think this book tramples over the talisman. Why? Because it's not subjected to so much of the fantasy aspect like the talisman was. Also, Black House has a much better method of showing off characters and I believe they are stronger this time around.
While many people complain about how gory it is, I think it's simply sickeningly awesome. It gives more of a purpose to lead you through the book if murder is involved. In the talisman, Jack's journey is so long and grueling that you often seem to forget the overall task Jack is trying to complete.
It's much more into reality, and shows the Territories not as a far-fetched dreamland, but a place that could be right next door. I would reccommend reading the Talisman first, but I enjoyed Black House more so. A truely heartwrenching book, most likely the best I've ever read.

I am no better off. The profane language was unnecessary and much of the graphic visualizations could have been eliminated creating a much more compact story. With that said, there would not be much left. I felt like I was reading two stories, as if each writers technique stood out on its own----it was unbalanced. I was disappointed that so much time was spent in this world and not the other created world. It is a shame, because in amongst the dirt there contains some wonderful visualizations and details.

The story is narrated to us as if we are flying over that small town in Western Wisconsin on the back of a great bird. Wisconsinites will enjoy the many references to its attributes, especially baseball (where King has a strong interest). In the novel "The Talisman", by the same authors, Jack Sawyer is just a boy. In "Black House" they continue the story of Jack Sawyer, now a retired police officer, where he is brought in to investigate and help find the kidnapper and killer of children. The kidnapper is controlled by a force from another world and this black house is the gateway to it. It is not necessary to read "The Talisman", but it would help answer questions, and it was also better.

Wish you well
Scott

I have read a lot of books in my time, but none of them have engaged me as deeply as this one. King and Straub weave a tale so intricately and descriptively, it feels like I have actually been to French Landing and lived through these events. I have reread this story more than any other. It has staying power. Jack is back, and it ain't just about Twinners anymore! A must-read for anyone into the Dark Tower series.

If you are fan of The Talisman, as I certainly am, you will be dissapointed by this sequel. Thats not to say that Black House doesn't have its redeeming qualities, but the good moments of action are few and far between: out of the 660 pages of Black House, only about 40 actually occur in the territories. The characters are interesting and, like many critics have pointed out (almost as if they were searching for something positive to say about the book), the setting is very rich and intricately detailed...but c'mon, is that why you bought a book by Stephen King? I didn't. I thought it would be something like The Talisman, but unfortunately it is far removed from the things that made that book great to read. Pseudo-supernatural at best, except for the last 70 pages (which are quite good), I would look somewhere else for a good read. That is,unless you want to see well rounded characters sitting in a rich setting in rural Wisconsin doing what rural people do: sit around and talk about local soc-hops and backfence gossip. I don't know about everybody else, but when I read Stephen King or Peter Straub, I want to be entertained with action, horror, suspense, etc., not the humdrum day-to-day marrerisms of a small town.

I had such a hard time getting thru this book!!! I loved the talisman, and I was excited to find out that there was a 2nd book. Black house was such a BORE!!!! I found myself skimming page after page. I cannot stand when an author goes so much into detail that they have to have these 2 page inner monologs(sp)~ Don't get me wrong I love detail but this was way to much.

I love the whole "Territories" premise. The characters in Black House were not as interesting as in the Talisman... It was good to see ol traveling Jack again, but it was also annoying how long it took him to get involved in helping find the Fisherman.. I think people will be dissapointed with Black house~
Eventhough I was dissapointed with Black house I would definetly read any pre-quals or sequals~

I am a huge Bentley Little fan. I have everything he has ever written. This new book was good, it's not my favorite and he has definatly done better, but it's worth the read. It has it's scary, disgusting, make you want to cringe moments (which every bentley book has) but the ending left just a little to be desired. He's still a genius though, and I'll continue to read whatever he puts out.l

I almost never dip into modern horror fiction... I'm a passive horror fan, taking part only once in a while. I finished this book mostly as a feat of endurance.

Judging by this book, if Bentley Little is among the cream of horror writers working today, the field is in a sad damned state.

I'm going to refrain from giving a long and detailed review. I just want to say that this book starts vaguely interesting, with a couple of genuinely disturbing scenes, and ends up ridiculous before the book is halfway through. By the end, things are happening that don't seem thought out at all:

1. (Extremely wooden and dull) characters are marching off to the (extremely dangerous) monsters' lair without giving a thought to why or how they should. They just learn of the lair's location and go.

2. Mercenaries show up to escort them in, paid by a millionaire side character we know almost nothing about. This millionaire also gives our cardboard heroes a tip to "fight" the monsters once they get there. SO, in the end, the characters don't save themselves or change or affect anything. One of the characters is going to write a news article on the creatures so that's something, but the book ends before that happens. Great, it's a horror story as told from the perspective of two-dimensial bystanders.

There are reviews stating that this book is disturbing, horrifying, not for the weak of heart. I find it mind-boggling that anyone's formed these opinions of this hunk of clay. It's got some halfway decent gore, but what's that worth when there aren't any even mild scares beyond page 50?

Another thing- his writing style's not awful in itself, but here's a tip- stop starting a new paragraph for dramatic sentences.

This is the first Bentley Little book I've read. I won't be reading another. Unappealing, horribly thought-out, overall terrible.

I picked this book up on a whim recently while visiting a book store. I wanted to read something fun and light, and so decided a horror novel would be a nice change from what I normally read. I had never read Bentley Little before but based on the numerous books written by him, I figured he couldn't be that bad of an author. If this book is any indication of what his other books are like, they are just wastes of good paper. The story is poor and under developed, lacking any real thought. The author continuously tries to shock the reader by detailing sexual and violent episodes with the imagination of a prepubescent boy; and finally concludes the novel with an ending that seems like it was written solely to meet a publishing deadline. Save your time and money and avoid this book.

The only thing frightening about this book is the fact that it was published! Little is obviously one of the Edward Lee type authors who make up for a lack of talent with gore and creepy sex. What a hack - and not even a good hack at that! Save your time and money.

Being a Little fan, I have read every novel so far without a real clunker. This is the first. I really had to struggle to get through this one. Usually Little hooks me right in and tells a nice story. His usual fault is having a bad ending. This one however is bad from the start. Strange runes, Lovecraftian images, demons, monsters, perversions, murder, and a back story that ties it all in to Sutter's Mill. The story has no real flow, and just isn't scary. The ending is just absurd. This one will get donated to the library.