Horror Books

I am wondering if this is a reprint of the earlier short story book she did some years ago?

Unlike most of the Saint-Germain stories, these stories are similar to small snapshots of his life, from Ancient Greece to present-day Canada. The first story The Harpy is a small but excellently-turned story about family members who suffer in a famous man's shadow. The next story, Lost Epiphany, was more choppy, I thought it needed a bit of lengthening, and it seemed to be a fragment rather than a complete story. The third story, Tales Out of School, was more in the fashion of CQY's longer works, and I found the descriptions of the embryonic University of Padua very interesting. The next story, Intercession, was chilling, especially when you realized how important the legal concept of Habeus Corpus has come to be for us. The final story, A Gentleman of the Old School wasn't one of my favorites, although it was interesting to see that Saint-Germain has survived to the modern day. There just wasn't a lot of plot, I felt.

I did have a few nitpicks with this book. The production values were a bit sloppy, but the press isn't Tor but some smaller independent one so I guess that is to be allowed for. I was confused by some of the dates given in Intercession; I think that they were mistakes uncaught before printing. I would also think that several of these stories would do better if we had a bit more information to flesh out the plot, so to speak.

If you like the Saint-Germain series this is definitely a book to get. If you are new to the series, start with Hotel Transylvania: A Novel of Forbidden Love and become acquanted with the series before reaching for this one

This group of stories covers the range from short story to novella. I've been reading Yarbro's Saint Germain series so long, it seems like catching up on old times. I love her attention to historical detail. Although, it may put some off, I find her use of correspondence to advance the story intriguing. I doubt this book would appeal to those that aren't familiar with the series.

One of the short stories regarding a destitute widow in ancient Greece I had read in another anthology. I still find it an interesting tale. We are all familiar with the great historical figures, but this story highlights those that aren't in the spotlight.

One of the longer pieces involved a series of letters as Rogerio tries to locate his master. Although, the exchange was a little tedious towards the end, the letters really gave an interesting background as to how difficult information was to find.

The novella in the center was an interesting tale set in Padua during the Renaissance. It highlights the difficulty of reconcilling the views of the church with the emerging studies in science.

In another tale you see how Saint Germain has learned to blend into contemporary times. It's interesting to see how someone with centuries of experience deals with the modern day media.

This is just a sampling of the entries in this anthology.

For fans of St Germaine, this book provides the back story to a number of his adventures, and for those who aren't familiar with his story, it provides a nice entry point to the series.
While it's more a companion piece than a stand alone, it was a great read.

I've read nearly all of the Saint-Germain novels, so I can't gauge how a reader with no previous experience of Yarbro's character would experience the stories in *The Saint-Germain Memoirs.* However, as I read them, I sensed that I was picking up on a lot of subtle hints and details that required extensive background information to appreciate.

"Harpy" is a good example of a story that is full of meaning for those who already know Saint-Germain, but may be puzzling to new readers. Although the story presents an interesting character study of a historical person rarely given much thought--I can't say who without spoiling the twist ending--it took me a while to pin down the time period based on the descriptions. I also remained uncertain, by the story's end, as to why Saint-Germain picked out this woman for assistance.

"A Gentleman of the Old School" is one of the very rare Saint-Germain tales set in the present-day. This story concentrates much more on its mortal characters, with Saint-Germain appearing as a wealthy man of mystery who feeds an eager female reporter some clues in a serial murder case. As in the other modern-day Saint-Germain stories, however, Yarbro's hero doesn't quite seem to fit in the post-Y2K world.

I found the novelette "Intercession" to be the weakest of the five pieces in this collection. It consists of a series of letters written by Saint-Germain's manservant, Rogerio, attempting to free his master from imprisonment in the 17th century Spanish New World. The point--that in such historical times even a wealthy person could be unjustly imprisoned indefinitely without hope of redress--is made long before the story ends. "Intercession" demands that the reader imagine how Saint-Germain must be feeling, without ever hearing his voice. This can be an effective device, but in "Intercession," it simply doesn't work for me.

The novelette, "Lost Epiphany," doesn't actually tell a story, but it delivers a highly entertaining account of how Saint-Germain maneuvers his way among several groups of colorful and hostile antagonists. Despite his vampiric state, Saint-Germain possesses few supernatural powers. He survives primarily through his own resourcefulness and his long knowledge of the human psyche. Set on a pirate ship in the early first millennium A.D., "Lost Epiphany" is an ingenious object lesson in how an immortal might survive a crisis without any of the deus-ex-machina tricks that are usually associated with vampires.

The central novella, "Tales Out of School," set in 14th century Padua, is rich with historical detail, colorful and interesting characters, and true human drama. Containing all the core elements of the novels, it is complete as is: any longer, and it would be over-stuffed and lose its strong narrative threads. It is worth the price of the book alone.

I'd recommend *The Saint-Germain Memoirs* to readers who already are familiar with the character and the series. Readers who are completely new to the character might want to "catch up" on Saint-Germain's history at Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's website. For those who have wondered: this is *not* a reprint of the 1983 collection *The Saint-Germain Chronicles*. Three of the stories in *The Saint Germain Memoirs* were published in anthologies in 2003 or later. "Tales Out of School" and "Lost Epiphany" are new for this collection.

If you have read the previous 3 books from Kathy Love you have a basic Idea. If you have not read the serious it is not a problem this book does not leave you lost like others in a series.
My sister is a wereworlf is entertaining and a definate can't put the book down untill I am finished.My Sister is a Werewolf (The Young Brothers, Book 4)

this is a very good book that compliments the ones before. It finishes the series off nice. I wish there was going to be more, but it doesn't look like that.
anyway, I love this author and love the style of writing.

Elizabeth Young is a werewolf in a family of vampires. She's trying to change that, though, by working on a vaccine that will cure her of her werewolf affliction. She thinks she's close, but nothing has worked.

Jensen Alder has come back to West Pines to take over his retired grandfather's veterinary practice. Jensen's fiancée died in a car accident. He feels terrible guilt over the event and doesn't plan on falling in love, until he meets Elizabeth in her brother's bar.

Jensen doesn't know Elizabeth is a werewolf. He just knows that he's very attracted to her. She obviously feels the same way, since she comes on to him the first night they meet. That meeting starts them on a ride over rugged terrain, where they will both face up to their feelings.

Alternating between sweet and tender, and erotic and hot, My Sister is a Werewolf is a fun, engaging thrill ride of a story. I loved watching Elizabeth and Jensen dance around their attraction to each other, and then finally learn to waltz together.

The feelings in this story pulled at my heartstrings and made me sigh in more than one place. My Sister is a Werewolf is a great addition to Ms. Love's Young Brothers' series. This is definitely a story that paranormal lovers won't want to miss.

Amelia
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Great start to the book. Wonderful sex scenes, very hot. The writing or editing (I'm not sure which) falters a little at the end. When the hero is attacked by the bad guy his senses change (he can see in the dark). It seemed to me that he had started his "change" into a werewolf hero, but in the climax the heroine had to change him. So, what happened? Was it a miss in the editing or a plot change in the writing that never got fixed? Minor complaints, The Young Brothers Series is well worth the read. The first in the series is my favorite. I keep waiting for her to get that good again. She almost did in "Wanting What You Get", but I'm still waiting.
Kathy Love is well worth the read.

Kathy Love does another hot and sexy tale in My Sister Is A Werewolf.

Elizabeth Young has been finally reunited with her long lost brothers. This should bring her joy but she has that pesky werewolf business to deal with. Plus she is hard at work trying to find a cure for her ailment. Elizabeth can't explain why she is so restless of late, she is on edge. She spots an attractive man at her brother's bar that she approaches for a night of passion with no strings.

Veterinarian Jensen Adler has moved back home to help his aging grandfather with his vet practice. This is also a chance for him to start to socialize again after a tragic loss. When a stunning woman offers to rock his world there is no way he is saying no. But this wild and sexy woman has a sweet and vulnerable side that Jensen is also intrigued by.

Elizabeth and Jensen both have troubled past that are affecting their daily lives. When a man from Elizabeth's past tries to cause trouble, Elizabeth tries to protect her love ones. But Jensen has his own ideas about keeping Elizabeth safe.

My Sister Is A Werewolf is a wonderful addition to the previous books in this series. It was a special treat for me to reconnect with her brothers and their mates. Seeing them interact with Elizabeth just made me love them more. This book is another keeper for me.

Anthony Horowitz hasn't failed me yet. So when I saw GROOSHAM GRANGE on a table at Barnes & Noble, and I saw the name "Horowitz" across the cover, I grabbed it. And devoured it the next day.

The story centers around David, who after getting expelled from a very prestigious private school gets invited to come attend Groosham Grange, a special school on an island just off the coast of Norfolk. David's psychotic father sends him off that very day, and when David arrives at the school, he discovers that there is something very wrong with everyone. Something sinister lurks just around each drafty corner of the school, threatening to consume his very life. Can he escape before it's too late?

GROOSHAM GRANGE was a really easy read, and definitely had enough suspense to keep things going. After reading HOROWITZ HORROR, it was a little easy to guess where things might end up going though. And most of the "mystery" is pretty easy to figure out from little details Horowitz drops along the way.

The similarities to the HARRY POTTER novels do abound, and especially at one scene when David and Jill are being chased through the forest by a werewolf, I couldn't stop thinking how Potterish it felt. Other parts drift drastically from that formula though, and the plot is not nearly as complicated as anything Rowling would ever come up with.

All in all, GROOSHAM GRANGE delivers a quick read that will thrill fans of Tom Becker and of course Horowitz himself.

Reviewed by Dylan James (age 11) for Reader Views (6/08)

David is confused and worried about his school predicament. Was he sent to a great manner-loving school or sent to a monster-infested creep house? Whatever it is, it will be hard to survive! Meeting new friends and always trying to escape the creepy school of Groosham Grange, David must uncover new mysteries before it's too late!

"Groosham Grange" is a mystery/action novel and was very pleasing. Throughout the entire adventure, there was always a new thing to discover, a new thing to do. With an almost-impossible-to-guess ending and some scary monsters, this book was very interesting. There is no way you can put this book down after reading just one chapter. The writing was superb and moving. I liked this book mostly because of the ongoing adventure. Some people may dislike that the character is always on the move, but I think that most will appreciate the action.

My least favorite part of "Groosham Grange" was the unnecessary and totally unbelievable violence at the beginning. This book would have been in my top ten favorite books had it not had the violence at the beginning, with a character not caring at all as he stabbed his wife and threatened his son; I cannot relate to that. When characters would have normally died from wounds, they just get up like nothing happened. Some people will find this `funny' and some will find it repulsive. Because the book made light of violence, I would not recommend anyone under the age of eleven to read this book.

Because I loved every page of "Groosham Grange" except the first two, overall I was thrilled with this book.

Anthony Horowitz today is better known for his successful Alex Rider series (which have also been turned into movies) but back when I was a kid he wrote the best comedy thrillers and comedy horror junior paperbacks you could find. Groosham Grange first published back in 1988 is easily up there with the best of his career's work. I just reread it today and it is even better than I remembered it. You definitely don't have to still be a kid either to enjoy it.

I guess the closest comparison to this storyline would be the first book of the Harry Potter series although this is a lot less magicy and more kid monsters/horror. Obviously J.K. Rowling read this book as a kid herself before coming up with her successful series.

In Groosham Grange 12 year old David Eliot is expelled from school. His abusive father isn't too pleased, nor does his mother stick up for him either and goes along with his dad's evil plans usually while being the victim of domestic violence herself. When a letter addressed to his father seems to magically arrive just when he is thinking up punishment explaining that a school located on an island off the Norfolk (part of the UK) coastline is heavily into discipline and doesn't expect the parents to ever visit at all he decides to send David there.

On route to the school David meets two other new classmates, Jeffrey and Jill. They decide to stick together no matter what. What is however not anything they could have expected! From the train station they are driven in a hearse to a rusty boat which takes them to the island. There they made to sign onto the registry with their own blood, the teachers are weird, the history teacher is old, bald and wrapped in bandages. The French teacher disappears every full moon, the Latin teacher teaches in darkness by candlelight with the blinds closed because he doesn't like the sun and why does the headmaster's door's sign say The Heads? The food doesn't resemble any animal they used to eat and where do all the other students disappear to after midnight? Why does everyone keep mentioning how fortunate David is to be born the seventh son of a seventh son? These are just some of the weird things going on at Groosham Grange. David and Jill want to leave but you're never supposed to leave Groosham without graduating. The school even has its own cemetery!

Horowitz is a great author. Another book you absolutely must read is called Granny. It's the story of the evilest Granny on the planet who plans to attend the Golden Granny Awards where she can compete for awards such as making everyone at the post office wait for the longest amount of time, the longest time to get on bus, most difficult shopper, the most unnecessary visits to a doctor and many other awards. The evil grannies of the world also have a new invention that will make them young again, all they need is the enzymes of a young boy and what better boy to use than her own grandson!

Groosham Grange is a brill book, it is about a boy called David Eliot and he gets expelled from Beton College. He gets a letter from a school on the coast of Norway called Groosham Grange.He meets a girl called Jill and a boy called Jeffrey on a train to Norway.When they get to the train station they find a humpbacked person waiting to drive them to the school. When they
got there they found out that nothing was as they expected and far from normal. This is a book for people who like adventure and mystery books. Recommended for ages 7-13.

I have read every book John Saul has written. I have never been bored and usually start and finish the same day because i cannot put it down, This book was no different. His books are riveting,suspenseful,entertaining amd fascinating. I hope he keeps them coming for a long time to come!

I have read just about everything John Saul has written and this was as terrific as the others. I could not put it down and read it in a little less than three days. Highly recommended to all John Saul followers. S.L. Chessor author of Poodlums, Boogeymen and Booglers and My Tongue Fell Out. Poodlums, Boogeymen and Booglers: A Poetry Collection

This is the second book I've read by John Saul, the other being "Creature", I know he's written better one's that this but for some reason it just grabbed me. As I've seen in other reviews it does take too long for anything to get started about 110 pages. And it did still leave alot of questions and holes in the plot but overall it was entertaining enough to keep me coming back. I'd recommend this for other people who are fans of horror but they can skip right to page 100.

3 best friends are looking forward to their upcoming summer vacation in The Pines, a vacation community on the cusp of Phantom lake. Tad and Kent and their families take the trip every year. When the infamous PineCrest house becomes available for rent, their families convince Eric's family to rent the summer vacation house to join them in their summer fun on the lake. After some convincing of his Agoraphobic mother, they agree. The three friends are ecstatic to be spending the summer together.

Pine Crest is an old Victorian Gothic house that reminds them all of a haunted house, whose previous owner , Dr. Darby mysteriously disappeared 7 years prior. It has since been empty. When the boys arrive, and begin to explore portions of the house's carriage house, they begin to find secrets they will soon regret exploring. Time spent in the room seems to pass quickly, as they continue to search for the secrets of PineCrest. As the semi-subconscious voices they hear continue to lure them into the room, things seem to be awakened in the town that had been asleep for many years.

I don't wish to further venture into any plots or storylines, not wanting to spoil the read for anyone.

Between the well written story writing, and Mel Foster's voice characterizations in the audio book, In The Dark of the Night is an entertaining listen. It serves as a good introduction to John Saul, as it was for me.

In the Dark of the Night has a central premise that is difficult to resist - what if the belongings of famous serial killers were gathered in one place? A better writer than John Saul really could have done something with this idea. But, unless you're 14, there's not much here to snag your attention or scare you. The three high school buddies out to get laid on their summer vacation stumble into a nightmare of a situation from which they can't extricate themselves. Why they couldn't have figured out what was going on after their first week at the lake doesn't say much for their intellectual powers. Saul's writing is formulaic. Phrases that were overused in some of his previous titles keep popping up here as well. "It was as if..." "All he could think/ see/ feel was...."
There's nothing new or genuinely horrific here, and what this book does contain isn't worth the time it takes to read.

i really liked this story- i still think about it a lot and long for a similarly interesting egyptian read- (haven't been able to find one yet unfortunately- if anyone knows of any, let me know please in the comments section- thanks)- anyhow, i miss the characters and the setting- great descriptions- i could have done with a little less sexuality and the homosexualtity parts didn't quite make sense i thought- still i really liked this book, thought it was very well-written and can't seem to forget the characters and setting she so vividly described-

Rice takes a break from the bloodsuckers and heads for bandages. Of course, being a romance type writer, not a lot of rotting smelly staggering corpse mummies to be found here, just a charismatic, charming, dangerous version, instead.

Other than that, the usual setting, noble Egyptian awakened, hangs out with a woman who can't resist him, and has a horrible secret. These mummy guys crave sun, sex and all that sort of thing.

A secret potion gives the mummy his immortality and superhuman powers, and he seeks out Cleopatra, intending to revive her, but ends up creating a monster instead.

This is the second time I have read this book, as the last time was years ago. The story is different then any mummy tale I have seen to date. It deals more so with immortality then raising the dead, and the emotional turmoil that accompanies being immortal.

The Story moves quickly and the characters are very likeable. The reason I only gave the book four stars is because three quarters of the way through the book, I found the characters where not behaving quite like themselves and also because I find I'm left hanging at the end of the book. I feel robbed of the knowledge of what happens to certain characters like Alex? Elliot?

I feel the book has been left open for a sequel but so far there has been non forthcoming. With Anne Rice I guess you just can't ever tell what she will do next. Crossing my fingers, but not holding my breath.

A novel of love, not horror. A novel of supernatural marvel, not of fantastic gore. Anne Rice is best in her literature when she tells a love story. Here she is able to have a three or four layer love story. Deep in the past the love story is that of Ramses and Cleopatra as opposed to Antony and Cleopatra. The former should be a love story of eternal wisdom true in all times and that no one can evade, the latter a love story of mortal passion that leads to death and dies. The former becomes a passion of hatred, hateful (full of hate) love, of hate-oriented love. The latter becomes a love affair of undying passion because mortal, of undying passion because doomed. The next layers are the successive love affairs in the main two families, the Rutherfords and the Stratfords, two families that know how to cross difficulties, the rivers of life, as their names indicate. Elliott and Lawrence a long time ago. Elliott and Henry twenty years later. Alex and Julie in the present time. The genius of that is to resuscitate both Ramses and Cleopatra in those families in the 20th century. They invade this world with their old hatreds and love-affairs and invest a new layer of love affairs in this modern world. Cleopatra is the archetype of the victim of society and of history, but also of her capricious childish being that chooses to love the only man she mustn't choose, the one who is only going to be defeated by society and she will then suffer the insufferable dilemma between love and life, love and death, death and life. Ramses brings into this picture the possibility to be eternal, the detention of a power that is greater than all that mankind can imagine, the power to survive one's own mistakes and to survive in spite of one's own shortcomings, hence the necessity to become perfect in spite of the impossibility to even dream of that concept. Project such love and such power into human frail society and even frailer individuals and you have a cocktail that can only lead to a catastrophe, and it does. Then Anne Rice becomes the genius we expect her to be and she turns that human catastrophe, that human tragedy into a violent confrontation of simple material forces like a car versus a train, or the addiction to gambling and the hunger for winning in order to lose in order to re-experience the pleasure of winning leading to the exquisite pain of losing again. This absolutely masochistic dimension of human nature goes beyond human understanding and Anne Rice is the best author to express this lack of intelligibility in the intelligence of human beings. It is then a beautiful novel that deserves our attention and that should make us aware of the absolute folly of trying to go beyond our limits. Altogether Anne Rice produces a deep feeling of satisfaction with our own fate, our own lot in life. The end is surprising though because she unevenly distributes the honor of being regenerated and then we wonder why one person is left out and why the chosen two are taken out of the tragedy they deserved entirely to suffer and experience. Isn't that pure cruelty from Anne Rice, pure cruelty and undeserved advantage. Or is there another deeper pattern? Out of the three men who had had some homosexual contacts, two are killed and one is chosen. The only man in that group of four English men who had had no homosexual contact nor desire is left alive but un-chosen. It sure closes the novel on a feeling of unfairness.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines

I can't think of a more perfect book. the only flaw is that it might be nice to get a sequel, but I think it's too late now. The Mummy is a fantastic adventure story, with some romance thrown in for good measure. Ramses is found and he's not actually dead. He finds himself in early 1900's Cario, and what happens next is awesome. Even if you've never read any Anne Rice, you will not be lost, this is a stand alone novel. My husband read this book and also thought it was great, so don't be put off if you are male. Read it - you'll like it!

Continuing on the footsteps of Jacob here is the second installment on Jacquelyn Frank's Nightwalker series.
I really love Jacki Frank's novels as I love Frank's writing style. She's created a magnificent world of Nightwalkers, so real you almost believe that they exist.

I found myself looking forward in reading GIDEON as I had so enjoyed the first installment - JACOB. GIDEON was a great book - though it had a few flaws and I was a little disappointed. The premise, plotline and characters are memorable - created with great depth, drawing you into their lives - almost like they are family members. However - the huge amount of prose, description and narration - makes you feel at times this is a James Mitchener novel! LOL

GIDEON is the most Ancient and powerful of Nightwalkers - having existed for centuries. Being present even when the Demon and Druids wars took place, he remembers those awful days. Having recently come out of a nine year self-exile and being a Medic Demon - he must ensure that the Enforcer's wife Bella - the newly found Druid/Human is taken care of during her pregnancy.

Every since Magdalegna was Summoned by the Necromancers, she has been experiencing a surge in her powers. A Mind - Empath Demon, she realizes that these powers don't manifest themselves until a Demon is an Elder. Legna has no choice but to confide in Gideon - as she doesn't understand these new powers.
After Gideon conducts his Medic exam - he realizes Legna is his destined mate and she has inherited some of his powers since he rescued her from the Summoning.

He's carried tremendous guilt and inner turmoil, as he was in the Counsel that approved that Druids were removed from their Demon mates and therefore die without each other. He doesn't believe in absolution and he's forever dammed to carry that guilt in his soul.

After a brutal attack by the Necros almost kills Bella and her unborn child, the Demon race realize that the evil of the Necromancers has grown powerful and they are about to launch a war of extinction on all Nightwalkers.

I enjoyed GIDEON, but as I mentioned the narration and self-reflection got way out of hand. I agree that considering the complexity of the story, events that took place in JACOB needed to be revisited, but it felt that this was a re-telling of JACOB all over again and Gideon's and Legna's was dimmed for all the recounting.

There was not enough interaction and involvement between Gideon and Legna and the story revolved too much around the Necro confict. Also, the battle that ensues between the all-women-necro forces VS the Nightwalkers is a bit ludicrous and found myself skimming.

The book ends with the Beltane wedding celebration. There is rejoicing and mourning as well - as Demons and other Nightwalkers have been killed in the battle. For the first time in Centuries, Demons, Lycanthropes and Vampires are putting aside their differences to fight a very real foe, as a Demon traitor is now leading the Necros in a fight to extinguish all the Nightwalkers.

I am looking forward in reading ELIJAH and I hope that the story revolves around Elijah and Siena - Lycanthrope Queen - I hope that the storyline revolves around them and not entirely the Necro war.

I really didn't enjoy the first book (Jacob) in Frank's Nighwalkers series... It seemed that book was a bit rushed and didn't really include much in the way of a story... BUT, since I had purchased the first and second books together, I decided I would give the second book a go... WOW am I ever glad I did!

This book was fun, interesting, and even romantic! I felt that I really connected with the characters and was hoping for the relationship with Gideon and Legna to bloom. I appreciated the demon world Frank designed so much more this time through because the bulk of the book was written in it! Frank took her time developing the connection between the main characters, so those super steamy love scenes felt quite sensual and sweet.

Frank has definitely won me over with Gideon and I have already picked up the next book in the Nightwalker series and am counting down the hours until I can explore the next character!

Overall, GREAT romantic read with a wonderful paranormal setting! Well done Frank!

I liked Jacob (Book 1) and Gideon (Book 2). A little wordy, there are many repetitive descriptions. I like the concept behind the series and the story lines. The mind reading thing between couples gets a litte old, but that is across the entire paranormal romance genre. Looking forward to Elijah next.

Gideon is the most powerful and oldest demon. He has the ability to heal. Magdelegna is still considered a child in demon years and she is still learning how to control her powers. They are destined to be together whether either one wanted or expected the union.
This book explores how even a healer can be broken and how the young can teach the old. It also demonstrates how the weaknesses in one person may be the strengths in the other person, and together they are whole. Both characters have to overcome internal and external battles to that happy ever after, but it's a battle of which the reader wants to be a part.
This book delivers a powerful lover story. Jacki Frank is a master story teller.

I am sorry to say that I struggled with this one. It was an act of sheer will and perseverance that allowed me to even get to the end. I can't say that I didn't skim a few pages hear and there...but I did finish it!

I loved the first book, Jacob, and couldn't wait for this one. I could've/should've waited and saved my time. Legna is someone I couldn't wait to hear more about. I loved her heart and soul that she showed in Jacob, but unfortunately it didn't continue in this one. I found her character boring and "overworked" for much of the book. She did not live up to what her potential was.

Gideon as well fell flat for me. As he is called the "Ancient" because he is the oldest of the demons, very powerful, and a healer..I felt that he was ANCIENT. He was boring and tired and felt "old" to me. I struggled to find him as mysterious and intriguing as I did in Jacob.

This book is nicely setting up the next book Elijah. Sounds familiar. Jacob set up Gideon and Legna's story beautifully and then just "mailed it in". I hope the same will not be true of Elijah's story or we might be looking at a one hit wonder!

This is my second favorite vampire novel--after SALEM'S LOT. Martin takes the now-almost-trite vampire novel and injects with a healthy dose of originality and action. The melding of vampires and late-1800's riverboats is fresh, ingenious and inventive, and Abner Marsh is about as different from Ann Rice's genteel androgynous protagonists as is possible. Marsh is a man's man--a riverboat man, dammit, which is exactly what is needed when the story careens to its thrilling, action-packed climax. Don't go looking for deep literary themes or dark psychosexual metaphors here. This is a gripping page-turner of a yarn, blending horror fiction and fast-paced adventure in the tradition of the genre's grand old masters: Shelly and Stoker.

Delving into the world of steamboats traversing the mighty Mississippi in the late eighteen hundreds, George R.R. Martin steps away from his well-loved Song of Ice and Fire series in the chilling novel Fevre Dream.

In Martin's version of the historical Midwest, most of what traditional folklore has to say about vampires is wrong - in fact they don't even like the term vampire. The superior blood-drinking people of the night are not garlic-hating, cross-fearing, transformed humans but rather they are their own race with their own hierarchy that is threatened when one of them wants to establish peace with humans. Caught in the middle of these affairs is Abner Marsh, a human steamboat captain, who has unknowingly entered into a business partnership with one of the night people.

Fevre Dream was a well-written "vampire" novel. As always, the development of a strong setting and flawed but believable characters makes Martin's work a joy to read. My only complaint was the handling of copious amounts of back story which were lumped into their own chapters. In his later works, Martin more artfully weaves his characters' pasts into their tales instead of including such large chunks of narrative that slowed the pacing of climactic points of the novel.

Overall, though Fevre Dream was a good book that when placed alongside Dying of the Light, Dreamsongs and the Song of Ice and Fire series dramatically demonstrates George R.R. Martin's talent and versatility as a writer.

This is one of my two fav books (the other is The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub). I can't tell you how great this is. If you're a vampire fan and you liked the inital Anne Rice books, DEFINITELY try this!!! Great price and great condition, too! Fevre Dream

Nice book design, illustrations, but the second copy I ordered (the first copy had a bad binding also) #196 just came apart from the endpapers (all you bibliophiles take note this copy has been destroyed making these all the more scarcer) leading me to believe this was poorly bound for the whole run? I have purchased many books from this publisher (Subterranean Press) with no problem, I hope they find a new printer for future books (especially the Robert E Howard titles).

One of the best written vampire novels I have read. A real pleasure after having waded through so much tripe elsewhere.

GRRM knows how to write, and how to plot.

The main character in this book isn't really a person at all... it's a steamboat, the Fevre Dream. It is built by a Captain, and his strangely pale partner. Together they take to the river, getting involved in trying to set fast times and race other steamers.

Things hot up when it becomes obvious that the pale partner has night-time interests. He is hunting for others of his kind. And when he finds them, we get to some of the most vicious vamps in literature, along with their equally vicious human "pet"

The characters are all vividly drawn, especially Abner, the steamboat captain who just wants to be on the river, in a big boat.

And GRRM has enough twists and turns in the plot to keep the reader intersted through until the end, which comes with a perfect grace note. There won't be a dry eye in the house.

They really should make this into a movie... just to show what "Interview with The Vampire" COULD have been.

May Bird and Somber Kitty's adventures continue in this worthy successor to May Bird and the Ever After. The story is genuinely suspenseful and continues to display as much depth and originality as the first. Be advised that some younger readers may find the content too disturbing.

A strength of the story is the depiction of May. May is an ordinary child who finds herself in very extraordinary circumstances. Although May is suitably scared as she tries to find a way to escape the Ever After, she also demonstrates amazing courage and heart as she is faced with increasing touch choices.

I think it can be empowering for young readers to see a character in a story who shares their insecurities and self-doubts but ultimately finds inner strength that isn't born of magic or superhuman abilities.

As another character notes, May is small but she is also so much more.

During my first year of teaching 4th grade, I had incidentally bought this book at a "Scholastic Book Fair" at our school. Having read the "teaser" on the back of the book, I began reading this book as a daily "read-a-loud" to my students. We absolutely loved it and they couldn't wait to read each new chapter. My students, both boys and girls related to the colorful characters. My girls especially loved the slow but sure transformation the shy May Bird underwent as she unwittingly explores the "Ever After."
A few of my students transferred to another school during this school year, and I made sure to send them off with their very own (signed by all) copy of May Bird, books one and two.
Word spread around about this book in our small school and soon siblings and friends in other classes were asking about this book. This year my new class of 4th grade students are already familiar with the story and are begging me to start reading it as a daily read-a-loud.
This is truly a well written and creative story that children will enjoy and remember for a long time!

May Bird Among the Stars just might be the best book in the trilogy! With Beatrice finding her mother,Somber Kitty dancing,fighting Evil Bo Cleevil,and going through a portal in the Bogey's closet,there was never a dull moment!! I give this book 2 thumbs up!

I am extremely satisfied with my purchase of this book . My daughter loves this series and its quick arrival has been a wonderful experience!

May Bird-Among the Stars


May Bird- Among the Stars, by Jodi Lynn Anderson, is a fun fantasy fiction. It is also a sequel to the first book, May Bird and the Ever After.
May Bird- Among the Stars is about May Bird, and her journey through the world of ghosts. She is traveling with her friends, Pumpkin, a house ghost, Beatrice, who is looking for her mother, Captain Fabbio, who is looking for his lost crew, and Somber Kitty, May's hairless cat from home. As you might know from the first book, May and Kitty aren't dead, and soon find that they are not alone. There's a secret colony of "un-dead" underground.
I loved this book, because it's filled with adventure. If you liked the first book, you'll love this. Will May save everyone? Will Beatrice be reunited with her mother? Will May and Kitty get back home? Find out here!

1650 England, a young woman wakens in darkness 'curled on her side like a wood louse'. She believes she's in Hell. Meanwhile, Robert, a young medical student, sees the eyes fluttering of a hanged murderess who is about to be dissected for the medical school.

Doctors and Puritans clash. The doctors believe the woman yet lives. The Puritans claim her soul for God. The doctors apply all the tests at their disposal, including bleeding her, and giving her an enema, to prove she's alive...

Anne Green is a maid in the house of Sir Thomas. The Lord's grandson, Geoffrey, makes advances to her promising to elevate her when his grandfather dies. She eventually succumbs. Then, she discovers she's with child....

"Newes from the Dead" is billed as a childrens' novel, but it's impossible to put down once you've opened the book and begun reading. Even when you have read the true accounts or the adult fiction tale, you're still going to be drawn in by Mary Hooper's adept retelling. The author's done her research and it definitely shows.

Rebecca Kyle, May 2008

See also:
An Instance of the Fingerpost

Is it "imposter" or "impostor"--that's the question that nagged me while I read The Three Imposters. Which spelling is correct, and which is the imposter/or? The lexicographers need to come down hard on this issue!

That aside, The Three Imposters is a black diamond of a little dark fantasy, told in hypnotic descriptive prose. The book is structured as a series of stories within a frame story, much like the Decameron or Canterbury Tales, only the frame story has its own plot and is the most interesting of all in The Three Imposters. The sub-stories range from the strange to the macabre, to the frankly paranormal, each entertaining in its own right, besides what it contributes to the whole. Moreover, Machen's style glitters with curious flights of thought and characterizations, wellnigh as entertaining as the story itself.

What struck me most of all about The Three Imposters is how panoramically influencial this short book is, as if it were the whole nine muses of twentieth century literature! The Maltese Falcon owes an obvious debt to the Gold Tiberius. I think that the Novel of the Dark Valley is a clear precursor to the Trial, and obviously, Lovecraft derived his entire schtick from the Adventure of the Lost Brother. Machen himself must have been influenced by Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, published about 10 years earlier, but Machen amplifies the original, rather than narrowing it.

Altogether, The Three Imposters is well worth the 150 pages or so of reading time. Dyson and Phillipps are my new literary heroes! I would recommend this Chaosium edition, which includes these several other quality Machen works and sells for nearly the same price as other editions.

First of all, a warning; do NOT read the introduction to Machen by S. T. Joshi strangely placed in the front of the book before you read the stories. The otherwise excellent introduction contains spoilers to all the stories, something I thankfully noticed at an early time. Being part of my effort to "branch out" beyond H. P. Lovecraft, I purchased all the three books by Arthur Machen that has been published by Chaosium. The tales within turned out to be excellent, and I quickly saw why HPL praised Machen so highly. Even though parts of the tales no longer appear as "shocking" as they once did, with their horror being centred on "sex and pagans", they still have a mild discomfort to offer, and the final tale of the book is, as we shall see, quite the masterpiece.

The first tale is "The Great God Pan", a very good tale, but as I've said; time has not been kind to this. A naked God in the forest don't exactly scare or shock people these days, at least not in the way that Machen intended. Although, it should be noted that I'm not the type of "conventional Christian" that Machen had in mind as his audience when he wrote it. The tale details an experiment gone "wrong", where a young girl sees and interacts with the ancient heathen god Pan. The result pops out nine months later, and several horrific incidents spawn from this. A fine tale, but a bit dated.

The second tale is much more to my taste, "The Inmost Light" (and for fans of the marvellous English musical group Current 93, I assume this is where Tibet got his title), also a taste centred around an experiment, where an occultist attempt to capture the essence of the body, "The Inmost Light", in a gem. A wonderful tale with an eerie feeling throughout.

The third tale is "The Shining Pyramid", a tale about the well-known "Little people", and one of the two best tales in the book. It unfolds somewhat like a detective novel, where two men find strange clues to uncanny activities in connection to the disappearance of a young woman in the Welsh countryside. The protagonists suspect the hands of the pre-Aryan inhabitants of Europe, and the tale is an effective weird tale, with Machen's wonderful prose really showing its best side.

The final tale, or I should say "tales", is the title story, "The Three Impostors", which is a strange creation of interlocking tales many in number. The tale is about a young man in London, a wannabe writer, who through random encounters with a few people hears several tales that all contain a few common elements; "a young man with large spectacles" and some weird and horrific incidents involving this young man. But alas all is not as it appears to be, and we are brought to several places in the search for this man, and what it all means is not revealed before the final phrases, where the real evil is revealed. This tale is among the best work I've read in the genre, and it really gives you the creeps at various parts, some of it being simply excellent.

Highly recommended!

This review is only about the title story, or rather, short novel. It is a circular story, as it ends where it begins. Characters have multiple identities and strange coincidences abound. It is a macabre joke, a foundational book of the cosmic horror a la Lovecraft and his Ctulhu mysteries. It is also a peak of the late Victorian era and much more. What makes it more than a genre story is the poetic quality of its literature. There are paragraphs that would make little perfect prose poems.

Along several months, or years, Dyson and Phillips meet different persons, who have in common the search for a shy and nervous young man with a little black moustache and big spectacles. Each one of these persons tells his or her story in inserted chilling tales, full of the imagery that would later become cliche. This is no cheap horror: it has a great sense of humor, it is not about axe-grinding nor about phantoms and exorcisms. It is pure cosmic horror, the horror of hidden forces and obscure memories of a remote past. It is a horror of strange gatherings and incognoscible conspiracies. The inserted stories are often compiled independently of their contextual frame: "The novel of the Dark Valley" is an adventure in the loneliness of the Rocky Mountains, with a pre-Kafkian touch that makes you go pale. "The novel of the Black Seal" happens in the Welsh wilderness, with a mad scientist and beings from the past. "The novel of the Iron Maiden" includes a collectionist of instruments of torture. "The novel of the White Powder" is about a substance that transforms humans into something indefinible and horrific. Finally, ""The story of the Spectacled Young Man" closes the circle and "explains" everything.

Like a good Englishman, Machen is a master of the understatement. More than showing, he insinuates to let the readers feel for themselves all the weight of the horror of the world, the mysteries that haunt us, and the strangeness of this life. Little surprise, then, that this was one of Jorge Luis Borges's favorite books, since much of his beloved subjects are here: ancient and undecipherable languages; stories lost in time; mirror games; equivocal identities; implacable gods; and somber mansions. Much recommended.

Other reviews are longer and more in-depth. This is meant as a quickie.

The title story is the heavy-hitter of this collection; it ties several shorter stories together under one title. The other stories are much shorter but have their twists and turns as well.

The language is not as dry as one might expect from stories written a century ago.

Worth four stars out of five.

As the title says, I found this collection so intriguing that I will be buying the next volume (The White People and other Tales). The only work that I had previously known by Arthur Machen was "The Great God Pan", which has shown up in so many anthologies that I am thoroughly sick of it, although it is a good read the first few times through. "The Inmost Light" was quite disturbing to me in terms of plumbing the depravity of the human soul. "The Shining Pyramid" was a good supernatural detective story, in my opinion, although the intuitive leaps made by the protagonist would have made Fox Mulder proud. This clearly inspired quite a few of Robert Howard's stories.

Clearly, the crown jewel of this collection is "The Three Imposters." The deeper I got into this novel, the more engrossed I became. It is made up of 14 short stories, each of which is part of an overarching storyline that involves the protagonist, a golden coin, a man with spectacles, and 3 people who are not who they say they are. Each successive short story drew me in further. Some of the best reading I have done in years!