Horror Books

One reviewer calls Gay the Cormac McCarthy of TN. That person must not have read McCarthy's TN novels; McCarthy is the McCarthy of TN, and of everywhere else, and what Gay offers here is a long winded feeble immitation of McCarthy tone, sentence structure, word choices, and subject matter. I don't know why anybody would want to watch a not quite sharp cover band when the real thing can be seen.

William Gay continues to uphold the tradition of Faulkner and O'Connor with this new story of cruel violence and perversion. There are moments where the reading invokes an experience of complete immersion in the events of the scene that has happened only rarely to me. The ending does seem a bit tacked on and predictable, but doesn't completely upend the effectiveness of the work.

I'm a fan of "literary genre fiction" - if that doesn't sound too much like a contradiction - and picked up William Gay's 'Twilight' after reading about it in one of Stephen King's Entertainment Weekly columns. It was one of his Best Of '07 books, and he compared it to Cormac McCarthy's work, which I hold in very high esteem, so I decided to read it.

In all honesty, it is very similar to McCarthy's works. Thematically, of course. The dark crevasses of humanity are well-lighted. Violence, bloodshed, necrophilia, and extortion abound in the first act of the book. It seems almost like a mixture of 'Child of God' and 'No Country for Old Men', if you ask me. I hate to compare the two authors so much as to draw confusion between them, but they have similar styles and thematic concerns. All apologies.

Oh, and is it oh so well-written. Gay's colloquial way of writing conversational prose is excellent, but he'll often drop beautifully rendered phrases and passages on you to show that he's the real deal when it comes to language.

The only problem is that I think the second act drags more than it should. For a short book, I shouldn't have to notice that, 'Oh man, they've been chasing each other for a long time.' And that's sort of what happens. Like the title of the review suggests, you almost think it's like a Mark Twain adventure in the woods of Tennessee.

The colorful secondary characters that pop up stave off the tedium of reading that second act, so it's not that bad. Overall. I think 'Twilight' is a book best suited for those who really like the Southern Gothic aesthetic and are looking for an author not afraid to break right through taboos.

An occasionally grisly Southern gothic novel, "Twilight" is intriguing throughout, but doesn't quite lead to the fireworks finale you'd expect.

First thing's first: When I started to read "Twilight," one thing caught my eye above all others, and that was author William Gay's staggering command of vocabulary and the English language. Stylistically, he knows how to construct sentences and paragraphs that leave the reader feeling almost unworthy in his presence.

Because of Gay's obvious literary talents, "Twilight" sort of feels like it is beneath him. The story proceeds down a typical genre path and, save for one particular scene involving necrophilia and another scene involving an old woman who isn't who she at first seems to be, there are few surprises throughout.

As teenage lead Kenneth Tyler journeys further and further into rural Tennessee's decomposing backwoods, chased by hired killer Granville Sutter, who wants to retrieve pictures Tyler has that incriminate mortician Fenton Breece in abhorrently criminal after-hours behavior, the book's interest lies in Gay's textural, atmospheric depiction of the one-of-a-kind setting and in the question of whether Sutter is going to catch Tyler. The latter point, however, is predictable, and the final pages elicit little more than a shrug, especially considering that Granville Sutter and Fenton Breece are potentially brilliant villains, horrifically conceived but not used to their fullest abilities.

"Twilight" is worth a read, indeed, but this is one case where the writing is superior to what is ultimately offered by the plot.

Called a `Southern Gothic' by critics and reviewers, I got interested in this dark tale by Stephen King. He has a column on the last page of Entertainment Weekly (someone gave me a gift subscription and admittedly I have enjoyed this guilty pleasure) He is in the there about once every 3rd week or so, and in this issue he had a year end `Best Of' list. TWILIGHT was his book of the year so I had to have it. Now after reading this excellent book, I respect Mr. King even more for his depth in reading. William Gay himself describes this story as a modern Hansel and Gretel...which it is, but no fairy tale, as horrifying as they could be, ever read like this. Gay has an eloquent writing style that wraps you in his world right off the bat. (I just ordered another book of his) This tale of good and evil turns into a lengthy cat and mouse chase thru the rural sticks of Tennessee in the 1950's, and we feel the adrenaline of one who is being chased for much of the book. The story deals with a brother and sister that find out some most disturbing facts about the local funeral director. They steal a briefcase from him and discover some incriminating photos which they try to blackmail him with. This backfires when he hires a monstrous ex-con to `take care' of his problem. No more from me. If you like an edge of your seat kind of read....then, by all means....scare yourself silly with this terrifying and beautifully written Southern Gothic.

Jack Kamen alone makes this worth buying! If you want to know what makes comics fantastic....this is it! These guys are the cream of the crop. Seriously, you've NEVER seen anything like this. Buy it and tell your friends. They will THANK you!

Never imagined i would get a chance to read the EC collections of Tales from the Crypt, Weird Science, Shock Suspenstories etc, that too in good quality bound volumes in glorious color on art pages.All are real collector items. A good investment to treasure and re-read on lonely rainy nights. Boooooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The current age of the comic book and graphic novel has seen so much classic work with technical and artistic virtuosity that could only have been dreamed of in 1950. What they had back then, and is so beautifully reflected in this reprint, was a deep desire to tell a story unlike anything that had been seen or read before. I won't spoil any of the material for you, but I must say the level and depth of social ills dealt with in these stories is far more unflinching than even the current crop of verite and dark side of life style of writers and artists provide. The art in some cases, as seen in the work of Wally Wood, Jack Davis, Joe Orlando and Jack Kamen, is precise and stripped down in order to serve one cause- the furtherance of the story being presented. This book has beautiful production values, a great paper stock, some interesting historical tidbits, letters pages, pristine restoration and enhancement of the originals. The title says it all folks, these truly do shock and also manage to drum up a bit of suspense at the same time. A must buy, as are all the EC Archives books now out. I remember these comics in the hands of my older cousins and neighbors, I even inherited shopping bags full of old EC books from them as they all entered High School, went to College or left for the miltary. Moldy and a bit raggedy in some cases, they were nonetheless fascinating. But these more mature themed works could not escape the all seeing eye of my Mom, and in a heartbeat they went out in the garbage. A shame, because the books, as you will see with all edtions in this series, are anything but garbage.

Whether inspired by the success of Marvel Comics Essential or DC's Showcase reprint editions, EC Comics have excelled with the first of their series of collected editions from their late 1950s archive. These volumes give the average comic collector (even with a full set of the 1990s reprint editions) and avid fan of B movies access to many hard to find and prohibitively expensive gems, reprinted larger than the original comic size in full glowing colour. Even the forewords presented by icons like Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and John Carpenter (on Tales From The Crypt) show the significance of the stories that are contained within each volume, many of which giving inspiration to sci-Fi, mystery and horror tales in the intervening years.
I can heartily recommend these collected editions to lovers of nostalgia of every age.

I am 35 years old, jaded, hardly young at hearted believe first and foremost that most comics as is most sci-fi are for people who have never had a girlfriend or hit a home run. But I have always heard good legendary things about EC comics, things which might make them transcend genre.

So when this collection finally came out after a lifetime of waiting I plunked down my milk money like any other dime store dork.

I cannot begin to tell you how impressed I was. The stories, plots and picture book quality of the stories are simply too good, too rich, too detailed, too good for this world. It is no wonder they were stopped by the powers that be.

A tome of fun for future generations or the ULTIMATE coffee table book? Either way, I am going to collect them all. And look forward to the NEW issues being released this June of Tales From the Crypt.

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.

The most recent offering in the "... From Hell" series of paranormal romance anthologies reminds me a lot of P.N. Elrod's "My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding", only in this case, the offerings are four novellas. I'm a sucker for anthologies, since it's like getting a mini-library in one volume, though they often tend to be mixed bags of good and okay stories.

The book starts off on a bang, with Maggie Shayne's "Till Death", in which the heroine of Scottish descent must find a way to break a curse cast on the brides of her clan and save both herself and the man she loves from being the next victims. Wonderfully evocative writing and the heroine is a strong but considerate young lady who values family and seeks its healing for the sake of her kin above all.

The second selection, Jeaniene Frost's "Happily Never After" is my favorite of the lot: on the eve of her unwelcome wedding to a wannabe Mob boss, the unwilling bride finds help from a vampire friend of her plucky Italian grandma. The story deliberately sends up the tropes of Mob literature; it made me giggle out loud in not a few places!

Terri Garey's "Ghouls Night Out" brings us a heroine I'd love to see more of: Nicki Styx (great name!) gets roped into filling in for a missing bridesmaid at her cousin's wedding, but when she gets fitted for the gown that needs a gal in it, she finds herself face to face with the desperate ghost of the former wearer. The story reads a little like a "Ghost Whisperer" fanfiction with the serial numbers carefully filed off, but I'm a big fan of "Ghost Whisperer" and of fanfiction.

The last offering, Kathryn Smith's "The Wedding Knight" features a Victorian vampiric Templar Knight who steps in to prevent the marriage of his ladylove to a craven Knight of a rival order. Of the four stories, this one is the weakest: the dialogue was too modern for its setting (even a headstrong Victorian woman wouldn't have used the term "knocking boots") and the story could have been tightened if one of the love scenes had been edited out.

All in all, this is a fun, airy collection of tales: and isn't the perfect wedding supposed to be delightful and decorous?

Although I usually love these authors this is not really an outstanding anthology. The stories are bland and the first one by Maggie Shayne did not set a very warm example. It is readable if you have nothing else.

Maggie Shayne gives us a curse, placed by an ancestor whose husband was caught with a maid. It was mildly interesting, as soon as she met the lawyer, you knew they would get togather. There was no mystery but there is a twist when the curse is lifted. A so-so story.

Jeaniene Frost gives us a woman forced to marry a mobster to save her brother. However, her grandma calls in a favor from an old love who is undead.

Terri Garey gives us a short Nicky Styx story. It was OK. Nicky winds up a bride's maid for her cousin. The missing bridesmaid turns up as a ghost and talks to Nicky.

Kathryn Smith gives us a story about a Vampire created by the Templars. The woman he loves, and has been trying to forget is getting married.

Each story is OK but none are great.

Got the book, read it--I so wish Maggie had tied her story to the Witch series--the fact that it had a witch in it was misleading!
Loved Kathryn Smith's "Blood Grail Vampire Payne---her story was fantastic.
A new author to me--one I plan to check out soon is Jeannie Frost---the story was very good--I liked it as much as Kathryn's Smith's story
And another author, Terri Garey, who I never heard of before really entertained me with her wit.....

[Till Death by Maggie Shayne] 3.5 stars

My disappointment came in I think because I was wanting this to be another leg to her Witch series--BUT IT WAS NOT--and I almost wish it had been Vampire---It was good, however!

[Happily Never After by Jeaniene Frost] 5 stars

[Ghouls Night Out by Terri Garey] 3.5 stars

[The Wedding Knight by Kathryn Smith] 5 stars

Overall this was a really enjoyable anthology. I gain interest in a two new authors. I love it that Kathryn Smith's tied in whith her Blood Grail Vampires. Maggie Shayne's story is 9has to be) stand alone--nothing connected with her witch series--and truly far from her Vampire series--no mystery or suspense either. Just a romance-- done in Maggie style.

Four new short stories all revolving loosely around a 'wedding' theme from some hot paranormal authors: some old (long established) some new - now all we need is something borrowed and something blue and we're set to go.

Maggie Shayne's story centers around an ancient Scottish family curse - their spouses' infidelity is deadly for the MacLellan brides. Shayne's a long time favorite of mine (love her vamps) but while the premise and the chemistry between the leads was good, the lightspeed dating was just a bit too fast to be satisfying. There were hints of reincarnation or soul mates but not tied together well enough to make the story really work for me. (3 stars)

Jeaniene Frost's contribution is set in the world of her Night Huntress series and has several brief pop-ins by that series' hero Bones. But the hero vampire Chance is an almost as luscious. As a favor to his sire (Bones), Chance steps in to save the lovely Isabella from a coerced marriage to a would-be B-movie type mafia boss and Chance finds himself attracted to her with an intensity he's never felt before in his very long life. Isabella and Chance are every bit as good as Bones and Cat, Frost does great heroes and competent intelligent heroines well. This was fun but trying to pull Bones in felt forced and a bit hokey to me. (3.5 stars)

Kathryn Smith's entry gives us a vampire romance which is spin off from her regency era Templar series, Brotherhood of the Blood. Smith did a good job with her commitment phobic immortal and the forthright young woman who is deterimined to convince him that living in fear of love is really not living at all. Smith fit alot of steamy stuff into her short space, but this one lost some points for me for a crude word or two. I hate the 'P'word - my problem I know, but it really pulled me out of the scene and since this was a short story there wasn't really time to get back into it. (3.5 stars)

My favorite of the four, terri Garey gives us a little vignette with her series' heroine ghostwhisperer Nicki Styx. Here Nicki's a last minute fill-in for her cousin's wedding - someone has to wear the bridesmaids' dress from hell and Nicki's 'it'. If the banana yellow Carmen Miranda dress isn't bad enough, Nicki ends up having to deal with the ghost of the dead bridesmaid. This one wasn't a romance, even though Nicki's boyfriend is on hand to provide some sweet talking and moral support. Garey's first Nicki Styx book is sitting in my TBR pile, but this story was a well done standalone so that I still enjoyed it even with no knowledge of the series. For you fans, I am sure that it would be even more fun. (4.5 stars)

If you enjoyed these shorts, you'll definitely want to check out the authors' full length novels -- which are even better. Here's a few to get you started.

Jeaniene Frost
Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress, Book 1)
One Foot in the Grave (Night Huntress, Book 2)

Kathryn Smith (Brotherhood of the Blood - Templar vampires)
Be Mine Tonight (The Brotherhood of Blood, Book 1)
Night of the Huntress (The Brotherhood of Blood, Book 2)
Taken by the Night (The Brotherhood of Blood, Book 3)
Let the Night Begin (The Brotherhood of Blood, Book 4)

Terri Garey
Dead Girls Are Easy (Nicki Styx, Book 1)
A Match Made in Hell

Maggie Shayne
Immortal Desire
Eternal Love (Berkley Sensation)
Demon's Kiss (Wings in the Night, Book 1)

I picked this up because I had recently read Terri Garey's DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY and really like her Nikki Styx character and also because I used to be a big fan of Maggie Shayne's "Wings In the Night" books. I hadn't read Jeaniene Frost or even heard of Kathryn Smith. It ended up being a 50-50 split on how good it was. I thought the Maggie Shayne story was by far the worst. It was so saccharine sweet I was afraid I might barf by the time I got to the end of it! I love her old stuff, this just wasn't up to that standard, IMHO. I wasn't terribly fond of Kathryn Smith's story, but then I'm not a fan of stories that take place in that time period anyway. Terri Garey's story was my favorite. Nikki's been roped into her cousin's wedding and has to deal with the ghost of a dead bridesmaid. I really like this character! And I enjoyed Jeaniene Frost's story so much, I ordered her 2 books. Not a bad way to pass a Saturday afternoon, and if you get lucky enough for half the stories in an anthology like this to be good that's not a bad deal!

This is one of the best zombie books I have ever read, and I have read a few. Take a moment, order and read the thing, you will be glad you did. I cannot wait for more.

The book was good in all aspects of zombiedom. I have only one question. Does the author hate America?

I have not read this book yet, but did read the previous one. I really only have one comment on the recent surge of Zombie stories: for God's sakes, tactical military vehicles DO NOT use ignition keys! I know that many authors use the lack of an ignition key as a action-point, but come on! If an author is going to use an item in a story, please do some research to ensure that it is realistic. If they need a key, then use the steering wheel locking cable as an action-point, not non-existent ignition keys.

The prequel to this book did itself good by creating a story that made itself stand out, but with the sequel, the book seems to jut out on the bookshelf with a bloody and violent cover, one that official says, `Do not be alarmed, everything is under control . . .'

How's that for drawing somebody into the book? Ibarra makes sure that people read by introducing a lot of interesting characters, and from where George leaves off, we enter the tale of a whole mix of other characters that introduce the reader to a variety of different survivors. There's women who are as tough as nails, men who are corrupted by the savage tenacity of a brutal world, and a young child who believes himself to be his favorite cartoon character when things get bad. Ibarra is able to tell a good story, just like he did in the first book, he shows us how tough it would be to survive in such a world. Zombies are constantly lurking, and with FEMA still on the loose as they try to put the survivors in contained, dangerous encampments-which are meant to protect them-the world is even a more dangerous place than it had been before.

Down the Road: On the Last Day is violent, bloody, erotic and sexy with a whole lot of trouble mixed into it. Read the book, because as we all know, They're coming to get you.

I agree with Patrick S. Dorazio on his review - the story is good but the execution is very flawed. It's too obvious that the author does not think highly of the UN which in itself is not a crime however to assume that European UN peacekeepers would start slaughtering innocent US civilians... I personally could see a planned military coup as being more realistic.. after all the Europeans and other UN members would be too busy fighting their own zombie plague before even thinking of "helping" another nation. The end was also a letdown and I think he can do much better. Maybe next novel...

At this point, I am confident that those that are following this manga have realized that this story is so good that it consumes your life. Each volume gets better and better, even though when reading the first one I thought that there was no real way to improve on that, and little by little the story becomes darker. When I watched the anime I thought it was one of the most violent and sexually explicit productions in the genre, but the manga easily tops that. The amazing quality of the graphics contributes to the vividness of these scenes.

At the end of volume 2, Guts was in serious trouble, beaten almost to death by the count and his inner demon, and hanging on barely by a thread. The present volume starts with a crucial development, since by using the Behelit, Guts, Puck, the count and his daughter end up in a different dimension. One where they encounter the God Hands, and where there are important revelations about Guts' past and the meaning of the brand. Also, a main character from the anime makes his appearance. Griffith is one of the demons in this hellish dimension, and it is clear that Guts already knows and hates him.

The final episode in this volume has to do with Guts' childhood, which is when the main story in the anime really begins. We get to see Guts as a baby, "rescued" by the ruthless Gambino and his lover from a sure demise, and then witness his tough upbringing. This trip back in time is a great idea, since it allows the readers to understand this fascinating character better. The end of the volume is as disturbing as it is enigmatic, so once again, it is probably a great idea to have the next one handy.

A new level of violence is reached in this volume, so there may be a few people that could stand this until now but find this new step to be overwhelming. Nevertheless, I believe that most hard-core fans will find this volume to be extraordinary and will be looking forward to the next one, as am I.

Guts is in rare form as he confronts the target of his search in this volume. Berserk is a violent and disturbing book. Guts seems to no longer care about anything or anyone except revenge on the one who betrayed him. In many ways, this reminds of Conan (dark, bloody fantasy where magic is both rare and feared).

The TV series was largely a flashback except for the first episode. In volume 3 of the manga, is still focusing on "the present" though there are elements of the flashback present.

Having watched the TV series and yearned for an actual ending, I began buying these volumes. As only maybe 7 of these have been released and the manga is something like 28 volumes, I don't know that it will happen. However, I am seeing much more of his further adventures (that take place after the final episode of the TV series) even in just these first few volumes.

Berserk, amazingly, continues to get better, and for a series that was already a five in my book, that makes it very difficult to rate this, as five is the highest it can go here. With this volume, I'd give it a six easily, and possibly a seven. The artwork is great, the characters and their interactions are well-done, and the dark atmosphere that surrounds the story of Guts is enough to gag on, but in a good way, to be sure.

In this volume, Guts's battle with the Count continues, only now there is a witness to this fight of blood and madness, the Count's daughter and pride Theresia. And, of course, the ever present Puck. But just as the conclusion seems to be coming, the fight is interrupted by the God Hand, and among this group of five demon gods is Guts's hated rival, Griffith. This is probably the highlight of the manga, especially if you've seen the anime series, as it finally links Guts's past to his present. After that, the story goes deep into the past, and to the tortured childhood of Guts under the mercenary Gambino.

I'd recommend this volume and all of the Berserk manga volumes to anyone who is a fan of mature manga. In fact, I highly recommend buying not one or two but three at a time, money permitting, because you'll find yourself finishing these books in short order.

Advance Warning: This volume contains some very mature content (including an orgy scene and implied molestation), so for anyone who feels uncomfortable about things of this nature, do stay away. This is definitely a manga for adults and should be read with care. Treat this like a bottle of prescription medicine: keep it high on a shelf where no children can reach it.

When we last saw Guts, he was getting assaulted by the Count, now turned into a hideous monster. In volume 2, Guts fought bravely, but was easily overpowered by the Count, who is capable of throwing Guts around the castle like he's nothing. In the end, Guts was knocked out cold, nearly dead. Puck didn't know what to do, and the Count's daughter, Theresia, was left in her room. This volume concludes the fight, but it ends in a way that keeps you on your toes. Anyone that's seen the animated series before reading these books will see some jaw-dropping images halfway through, as characters we only got a small taste of in the final episodes make a return. The only word that comes close to describing what I felt when reading this volume is "intense". Every page had something incredible going on, even more than the past two volumes. There's really no need to read the rest of my review if you don't want me to tell you what happens. And if you've already read the first two books, then you'll get this without needing to read a review.

Guts is still on the ground as the Count's about to finish him off. Puck, incredibly emotional over knowing that his companion's about to die, tries to stall in case Guts is able to get a second wind. Telling the Count that he knows what happened, and how he's become a monster just to hide his true form by not accepting who he really is. That humans aren't as weak as he makes them out to be. The Count laughs at this, and admires Puck for actually saying something, since he always thought elves had the intellect of birds or squirrels, and says he'll let him go free. When Puck goes to try and revive Guts, a Behelit falls from his pack. The Count sees this, and goes after Puck. Just then, Theresia runs into the room, distracting the Count, who now focuses on her. Guts awakens, and attacks again. This time though, he uses Theresia as a shield, knowing the Count won't attack him through his own daughter. Guts makes some swift moves, and cuts off the Count's head. But, the blood from his body and head reaches the Behelit. The nose, eyes and mouth on it move around into the form of a face, and it's time. God Hand has been summoned, and they come to grand the Count his wish, which is to avenge him and kill Guts. Guts looks terrified, but sees their newest member, and takes it upon himself to complete his mission.

The last third of the book ends with a flashback, and starts where the animated series truely started (after we're introduced to Guts as the Black Swordsman). We see Guts as he was born from his mother's corpse after she was hanged from a tree, and Gambino and his lover, Shisu, pick him up. They're part of a band of mercenaries, and because Shisu lost her child, she grows attatched and keeps him, though he's just barely alive. Gambino raises Guts as a fighter, training him with a sword bigger than he is. But, some of his men see Guts as an omen- how they found him under those conditions, and fear he's bad luck. This starts when Shisu dies of a disease, and is continued in the next volume. Guts grows to be a good fighter, and while Gambino seems abusive, there are some moments where he's seen as a gentle person. This is something the animated series left out. The book ends with a terrifying moment for Guts. Something that's change him for the rest of his life.

Go on and get this book. It's intense, the artwork never loses its quality, and you'll never want to stop reading. Heck, buy one of each volume all at the same time so you can move on right away- it's that good. I rarely rave about much, but Berserk is easily the single best book I've read. Not just comics, but that includes novels too. The only problem, and this is very slight, is that these translations get cut-off in some books. A letter will be missing from a word or something because the word bubble is on the edge of a page. It's not a big deal, and it's not like we don't understand what the characters are saying, but it makes me wonder if they'll fix this in the future reprints. Blah, just get the books.

Oh, how it pains me to read a volume of Berserk, each one leaving me pining even more so for the next one. For fans of the anime series, volume three is THE volume to own! Where the first two books started off showing a bit more of Guts life right at the moment, not much reference is really made to the part of the story shown to us in the anime, which was pretty much one giant flashback.

However, in this volume, we get to see Griffith!! Already a proud member of the demonic Godhand (and loving it, may I add), the interaction between the two is absolutely fascination. And, there is a also a flashback to when Griffith and Guts used to fight battles together, back when Griffith was still Guts' Idol.

And, might I add, I really like Puck, a character unique to the manga alone. With the story being as graphically violent as it is, its kind of nice seeing a little compassion comeing from somewhere at least. This little Elf is pretty darn cute and he does add a bit of comic relief.

But best of all, in this volume, we get to see baby Guts!! He's so cute!! And 3 year old guts, and 6 year old guts, and 9 year old guts! (I'm sure you see a pattern here). After finishing the exciting story arc of the mad ruler turned demon slug type creature, we are shown a flashback of Guts' birth and past growing up. Most of this was depicted in the anime, but we see slight variations. His adopted father, while being depicted in the anime as being moderately cruel all throughout (not counting when he totally loses it at the end), he is shown here with a wider variety of personas, going from horribly cruel, to surprising moments of kindness.

However, the end leaves you hanging with a part of his past that wasn't in the anime at all, so I'm absolutely dying for the next volume. This is a series that you won't want to miss. Berserk is my all time favorite manga and anime ever!

Bought this book specifically for the Christine Feehan story in it. but Maggie Shayne is another very good author. Loved this book.

I received this book well within the time frame for mailing and in great condition. Would order from here again.

THIS BOOK IS A GREAT COLLECTION OF STORIES, BY 4 AWESOME WRITERS WHO KNOW HOW TO HEAT UP THE BLOOD, THEY HAVE WELL WRITTEN STORIES,WHICH KEEP YOU WANTING TO TURN THE PAGES, JUST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

My two favorite stories were from Anela Knight and Maggie Shayne. The otheres were okay not the best but readable.

Once I started reading the book, I couldn't put it down. Carpathien fans, this book is a must if your following the series. Paranormal Fans, this is a must read book for you too. Great stories.

My daughter liked this book, but I thought it was very dark and depressing. I was also upset as the people I bought it from did not wrap it in plastic and when I received it, it was waterdamaged, with wrinkled pages at the back. As it was a Christmas present, I did not return it, but I would be careful about buying from Amazon again.

You will look at the pictures in this book over and over again.

They are perfect for fans of Anne Rice, Gothic/dark-art, vampires, and the like.

Victoria Frances is a talented artist with a flare for the sad-beautiful,sexy gothic art.

Great coffee table books, will surely start interesting conversations:)

(Ignore the low-rating comment, I've requested it be removed, that person should've placed the comment as negative feedback in the re-seller's account, not as a comment on the product/artist).

I loved the art in this book (as I did with all her other books). It is very dark and yet very beautiful. Every drawing is breath takingly detailed and very stimulating to the senses. If you love vampires, you'll love this book. I highly recommend it!

I thought the story started of really well. We got to meet and understand the characters and know how their relationship worked. Plus the chase scene and inital abduction was really scary. But shortly after we find out Beck was abducted by a Bigfoot. The rest of the story is about how her husband Reed is trying to track her down with the help of some local people. It was an ok story, some parts were pretty boring and I had to push through them but overall pretty good.

I LOVE PERETTI - just not this book. Monster was the first Peretti book I ever read. And needless to say, a long time went by before I decided to read another Peretti book. Thank goodness I gave him another chance. I have become a Peretti fan but have to say this book is my least favorite. Monster is not up to Peretti's style. I found it a wasted read.

Frank Peretti (to many Christians) is a great writer. Many believe his books are horror. However, I personally believe they are thrillers. He creates stories for fun, but adds morals to be a good influence on new Christian believers. However, Monster is not the best book he's done. Being a Peretti fan, I'm willing to forgive him this once.

Basically, Monster is a book about a couple named Reed and Beck. They go on a camping trip, but Beck is kidnapped by bigfoot. Reed is left stranded in the woods, and is determined to save his wife with the help of his friends.

However, there are two problems with the story. The story is broken into two parts and neither of them are very entertaining. One side of the story is about Reed and his friends. They band together and try to find bigfoot. The problem with this story is the number of side-characters. There are so many names you must remember, you start wishing for some of them to get killed so it will be simpler.

The next side of the story is about Beck, and her trying to survive in a bigfoot clan. Of course, it might freak you out. However, the story drags on for a long time. You realize that Beck is in no danger because she has to stay alive through the whole story. She grows fond of the bigfoots and even gives them names. The only good thing about this part of the story is Beck herself. She's the only character you can keep track of.

Normally, Frank Peretti's books drag on for a long time, but this one really tests your patience. The characters (time and time again) try to track bigfoot and fail a dozen times over. They don't even believe in bigfoot until the every end. The book gets really repetitive and you beg for a plot twist (which won't come by the way).

Of course, the only 'good' part about the story is the climax. Finally, everything you need to know about the secret conspiracy and genetic mutations is revealed. The ending is so entertaining, you wonder why the it wasn't this exciting a hundred pages ago. Although Frank Peretti is good at writing climaxes, this is one climax that isn't worth the painful story to reach.

If you want my oppinion, this is not a good book to read if you are just starting to read Frank Peretti. I'd recommend 'House' or 'The Oath' first. If you must read every Peretti book, I'll give you a little advice. Reed, Beck, Cap and Sing are the only characters you need to pay attention to. Don't devote the rest of your thinking mind to remembering everyone else (because it will ruin the story).

It's a poor story, but I'm still a Frank Peretti fan.

It's been AGES since I've read anything by Frank Peretti. The last time was during the hot times when he published *This Present Darkness*, *The Prophet*, *The Visitation* and the like.

Then, I see a "new" book by him, including *House* with Ted Dekker. So, I thought, hmm, why not.

Wow, *Monster* is totally not what I expected from Peretti. Peretti is known for his novels on spiritual warfare...ya know, angels vs. demons. *Monster* contains characters like Bigfoot (plural: Bigfeet?), and something you'd see in the Resident Evil movies/games and maybe a little bit of King Kong (hostage situation).

Reed and his wife, Beck, are away in the woods for a wilderness survival experience. However, things soon go wrong when they encounter the death of another camper and not able to shake that sinking feeling that someone or something is watching them. The action really picks up when Beck is kidnapped.

Reed soon calls for help from the Park Rangers and his friends to rescue his wife, even if she might be found dead. Meanwhile, they soon learn that something is right in the picture. Nearby, there is a scientific research lab and the people there are tight-lipped.

On the other hand, Beck is a hostage to creatures that she has never seen before. Amazingly, she is alive but she must constantly remain submissive. However, despite their brute strength, stealth surveillance and strict hierarchy, they are afraid of something "out there". Who or what are they?

*Monster* isn't one of Peretti's best work. If this was to be a movie adaptation, I could imagine it shown in the Sci-Fi Channel.

I overall enjoyed reading this book. (Especially the ending) But I do think the story could have been shortened a bit. Sometimes I just didn't feel like reading it anymore. Then I would hit a really good part and want to keep reading it! Then I would hit a boring part, etc. But the beginning was good and the ending was good. If you are a big Frank Peretti fan, I recommend it. (even though its not his greatest)

I apologize that this is more commentary than review, but many other reviews go into the details of the plot. Let me just say that this book's Evil One plays his game with people's greatest longings, pitting one against the other, while creating carnage and destruction in the process. As it plays out, it is irresistible. Splendid Stephen King.

However. . .after reading most of the Stephen King novels, I find myself always approaching his resolutions warily. He draws me (and, presumably, you) into a wonderfully imagined situation where average people are enmeshed in some horrific web of evil, at which point he sometimes suffers an imagination cramp (or loses interest?) and starts blowing things up, revealing his Bad Guy as the father of all horrors--usually through a series of skin-splitting, gooey, pus-coated transformations. In other words generally laying waste, over many pages, with familiar Stephen Kingish gadgets.

I was loving Desperation, for instance, but found myself increasingly frustrated by his endless digressions, page after page describing the rotting disintegration or gory destruction of various characters.

The greatest disappointment for me, however, was Rose Madder, where his unusually straight approach to a frighteningly real character--an abused and pursued woman--was sustained until the very end, when he suddenly shoved the whole problem into a painting on the wall and brought on one of his monsters. Perhaps dealing with the plight of a woman cornered by a truly brutal man was more than King wanted to deal with. We'll never know.

So as the dynamite was being planted in Needful Things, I began to hear my Another Apocalyptic Ending alarm. But, happily, it faded. When all the bang boom crash became merely the background for a far more satisfying and original resolution, I found myself much relieved. A contented feller.

The epilogue, in fact, even left me laughing. It's a nice little twist.

Last thing: Was I the only one that found himself/herself snerkling at King's black humor descriptions of
the Faithful out in the storm, pounding away on each other as their town blows up around them?

Well the book was a trip it was cool but also pretty scary to go along with everything else. Killing a kid to get a baseball card is screwed up, don't you think. It's a good thing that man stopped it all. Facing a mass murderer like that takes guts. They get into a big scruffle then the man throws the mass murderer into the big fire place. That's awsome. To be honest, I kind of felt bad for the guy but at the same time I didn't. So with a mass murderer dead, the town goes back to normal. But I don't think the guy who killed the mass murder will have a normal life from the drama. But I don't think he'll have guilt following him. Castle Rock, the small town in Maine, was the perfect place for a mass murderer.

Needful Things focuses on what the town of Castle Rock thinks is a great bargain when it turns out, they're paying more than what they've bartered for.

The characters are well written and developed; King has a way of telling how each character feels through 3rd person. Everything is tied together at the end of the novel making it very enjoyable.

Thanks to this book, I became a Stephen King fan.

A most intriguing and terrifying journey into the darkest depths of the human heart. Such a good read.

This one is great.Once again much more involved and interesting than the movie even though the movie was pretty good. Be sure and read it even if and maybe especially if you saw the movie.