Galilee by Clive Barker
- Purchase it here
- Published 1998 (hardback version)
- Finished reading it on April 26, 2000
- I got through reading this entire book before I realized something that should have been obvious. On the title page, the novel is called Galilee: A Romance. And Barker's story definitely fits that mold. While there are mystical events occurring, they are all extremely subtle and not very often. Additionally the stories reads as one big fantastic voyage, it is grounded very much in reality and everyday common occurrences. All of which combine to explain why I felt like I was missing something in the story. I kept waiting for something more magical to occur, something strange yet wonderful as like most of Barker's books. And was it didn't occur, I was disappointed. Oh, it did tell the love story between Galilee and Rachel and it did a wonderful job of it. But I was expecting just a little bit more in the way of wonderments and it just wasn't there.
Gallery of Horror edited by Charles L. Grant
- Purchase it here
- 20 short stories by such authors as Stephen King, Eric Van Lustbader and Ramsey Campbell
- Published June 1997 (paperback version)
- Finished reading it on April 15, 1999
- Maybe it's just me but this is the second collection of short stories that I've read in the last month
which hasn't done much for me. Ok, yeah, some of the stories were pretty good but at times it seemed to
be really dragging and I didn't feel like finishing the book. That's pretty weird to have happen since I
generally like to read the entire book. Plus a lot of collections save the best stories for last. This
time I wasn't too impressed over all, except for the ones below.
"The Conqueror Worm" by Stephen R. Donaldson - A bug helps to destroy a marriage
"Out of Sorts" by Bernard Taylor - A wife helps her husband to end an affair
"The Typewriter" by David Morrell - A writer gets helped and hurt by a unique typewriter
"Talent" by Theodore Sturgeon - A gifted child meets Precious
Gateways by F. Paul Wilson
- Purchase it here
- Published February 2006 (Tor Books paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on November 30, 2007
- This is yet another solidly entertaining Repairman Jack novel. This time Jack leaves New York for Florida after his father is hospitalized from a hit and run accident. While Jack is being there for his father and helping out, he gets pulled into more Otherness that he must deal with. On the plus side though, he gets some additional help from yet another woman and her dog. And happily enough she is a major character this time instead of making only a brief appearance. That means Jack, and us, get some real answers to what is going on and Jack's role in everything. We don't find out everything but considering that we already know the outcome as laid out in Nightworld, it is actually more background and filling in the blanks which we receive. As the Repairman Jack novels continue, i keep thinking I should reread Nightworld to remind myself of some of the details to come. Regardless, I eagerly look forward to the next chapter in Jack's life.
The Getaway Man by Andrew Vachss
- Purchase it here
- Published February 2003 (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on February 14, 2004
- Vachss is one of those authors that can do no wrong. Everything that he writes is fantastic. His books are lean, sharp, fast and intense. It is always very difficult to put one of his books down once I start it. And this one was no exception. Here Vachss takes a break from his Burke series to tell a tale about Eddie. Eddie is a getaway man, the ultimate driver for any type of heist. Someone who is loyal, professional and excellent at what he does. Fortunately we get to see Eddie's life from a young child all the way through the twists and turns to adulthood and his membership in an ultra-professional crew. As I mentioned above, Vachss is fantastic in his writing and everything that he writes deserves accolades. Don't miss out on anything of his!
Ghosts of Sleath by James Herbert
- Purchase it here
- Published 1995 (paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on July 24, 1998
- I am convinced that James Herbert is one of the most talented yet still relatively unknown author around. I've read almost all of his books and they have all been excellent. And this one is no exception. It's a relatively simple tale of some hauntings occurring in a small town and the psychic investigator who tries to understand what is going on. Naturally enough things become more intense and interesting as there are more and more ghosts appearing and the ghosts start to haunt the other ghosts. Throw in the mysterious stranger, mix with Herbert's no-holds approach to doing whatever he wants to any and all characters and you end up with a deliciously scary novel which should not be missed. I wish that Herbert got a little more of the recognition that he deserves.
Ghoul by Brian Keene
- Purchase it here
- Published February 2007 (Leisure Books paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on August 23, 2008
- It has been a while since I've read one but it does seem like most horror authors have to put out at least one. I'm talking about the "coming of age" horror story. Ghoul is Keene's addition to that specific sub-genre. Timmy, Barry and Doug all live in a small town and are looking forward to enjoying their summer vacation. Unfortunately though there is a ghoul imprisoned in the cemetery and he is accidentally released. I'll admit that it does sound kind of cheesy but it does not read that way. Their summer's imaginative adventures slowly becomes a true life challenge. In addition to the horror of a ghoul, each child's personal family life of hardship is revealed to each other. And through that the novel's theme of family life is illustrated, maybe a bit heavy-handed. My only real negative was sort of along the same lines; the story is a bit to by-the-numbers. The details around the three main characters are different and more intense than what you would expect but the general direction of the story is a tad predictable. Keene is still great and a wonderful read but I would look elsewhere if you want to see him at his best.
The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum
- Purchase it here
- Published July 2003 (Overlook Connection Press paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on March 02, 2006
- This is one of the most intense, horrifying and moving book that I've ever read. Honestly, this is not going to be for most people. The whole second half of the book had me wound up in a weird emotional state. I was horrified at what was taking place. I was constantly near tears for what was happening to the characters. And as much as I wanted things to stop, for the characters to snap out of it and do the right thing, I couldn't put the book down because I had to know what was going to happen. The basic premise, as told by our protagonist, is that a young girl and her sister move in next door with their mom's sister when their parents die. Unfortunately the aunt is slowly losing her marbles. Part of what makes the story so gripping is not the events that unfold but that everything is so real. The horrors inflected are done by real people, not crazed psychos or weirdoes. Everyone is easy to identify with and remember from your own childhood that when things go bad, it's not just the characters world that goes spinning, it's your own as well. There is no way around it; if you read this book, you will end up feeling a swirl of emotions and thoughts. You will definitely be moved and affected, and it's going to be a heavy move.
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
- Purchase it here
- Published February 2000 (paperback version)
- Finished reading it on September 02, 2001
- This is one of those novels that proves that King can write more than just horror. And that he can do it well. The story is about a girl who goes on what is supposed to be a day hike with her mom and brother and instead turns into days when she gets lost. The bulk of the story follows Trisha McFarland as she proceeds on her lost journey. And rather than being a pretty boring enactment of what happens, the story actually moves along quite nicely and kept me involved the whole time. I really did begin to feel what it would have been like to be lost in the woods. The talking to one's self and day dreams helped make it all the more real. Not being a baseball fan in the slightest, I was kind of afraid that the story would involve too much sports and would put me off. This turned out to not be the case; I'm sure that if I was a fan, it would have meant more but I can live without that extra since the novel was still good.
Gone South by Robert R. McCammon
- Purchase it here
- Published August 1993 (paperback version)
- Finished reading it on December 21, 1995
- This is much different than most of the previous books that I read by Robert McCammon. I knew that he was veering away from horror and moving on to something else; I just hadn't gotten to any of his new stuff yet. Let me tell you though, this book is definitely worth it. It's part quest, part chase, part crime, part detective. Basically there is no category to throw it in other than fiction, but his writing is great. The characters come alive and it's interesting to follow their lives. I'm not sure when but my feelings for most of the characters, especially Flint Murtaugh, changed over the course of the book. And that is always a good sign that you are dragged into and enjoying the novel. I will definitely miss other horror novels that McCammon could do, stuff like Wolf's Hour or Swan Song but this stuff is worth it also.
Green Mile by Stephen King
- Purchase it here
- Published September 1996 (collected set, paperback version)
- Finished reading it on April 25, 1998
- I will admit that I did not buy the monthly editions that came out over the period of six months. Instead I waited and got the collected version as a present. I am much happier that I had all of them available to me, especially since I went through almost all six books in one cross-country plane trip. The story is very moving and I ended up feeling strongly for several of the characters. I was pulled completely in to the story and by the ending I was upset that it was over so soon. The story of John Coffey, convicted murderer of two little girls and sentenced to death by electrocution, will absolutely grab you and make you feel for him as a real person and not as a character in a novel.
Grendel: Past Prime by Greg Rucka
- Purchase it here
- Published July 2000 (paperback version)
- Finished reading it on October 27, 2001
- While a big fan of the Grendel comic books, I can't say that I would really recommend this novel. Don't mistake me; if you too are a fan of the comic especially the Grendel Prime series, then pick this book up. Otherwise chances are you'll have a very rough time figuring out what is going on. You'll get the basic actions but there is so many little things that are referenced or part of the Grendel series that newcomers would find this very hard to follow. The novel continues the story of what happened to Grendel Prime and to Susan, the other protagonist from that series. Susan ends up searching out Grendel Prime in an attempt to gain meaning in her life. Along the way, she is tested only as a Grendel can be tested. Overall it is a good novel but nothing for people who are brand new to Matt Wagner's Grendel mythology.
The Gruesome Book edited by Ramsey Campbell
- Purchase it here
- 9 short stories by such authors as Robert Bloch, August Derleth, Brian Lumley and Richard Matheson
- Published 1983 (Piccolo Books paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on March 24, 2005
- I was actually cleaning out a closet at my dad's house when I found this book from my childhood days. Well,
more teen days than childhood but that's besides the point. I brought it back to read and relive some good
horror memories. Unfortunately this wasn't the book to do that with. I'm not sure if it is because I read the
stories before or if it was because the book is over 20 years old but most of the stories were not scary. Most
of them were pretty predictable too. The only one that freaked me out is listed below and even that was predictable
but still spooky. The rest of the stories were like bad Twilight Zone episodes where you know what is going to
happen but it doesn't matter because you don't care for the characters anyway. The biggest saving grace for the
book is that it is only 109 pages.
"The Graveyard Rats" by Henry Kuttner - Rats prove that they are not to be trifled with while in small spaces, even by idiot caretakers.
Guardian by John Saul
- Purchase it here
- Published August 1994 (paperback version)
- Finished reading it on November 30, 1996
- Once more John Saul has written another book which I can wholeheartedly recommend. It is an intriguing mystery focused, as are most of Saul's novels, around a child. Strange things occur, people die, and a small town gets shaken to the core. And Saul continues his pattern of having a surprise ending which is not predictable. This is one of the things I like most about his novels. You do not usually get a happy ending. It's true that Saul follows this same pattern in a good number of his books but I do not find it has become a boring pattern. He continues to grab my attention and keep it, without becoming boring or tiresome.
Send comments or your opinions on these books to mike@kazba.com.