Jack: Secret Histories by F. Paul Wilson
- Purchase it here
- Published May 2008 (Tor Books hardcover edition)
- Finished reading it on June 9, 2018
- This book left me mixed on multiple fronts. I'm not exactly sure why because any explanation I provide is thwarted by my own actions. JACK: SECRET HISTORIES, also called simply SECRET HISTORIES, is about Repairman Jack, the younger years. As in his teen years. Before we ever see him in THE TOMB. The story follows Jack, Weezy, and Eddie as they discover in the New Jersey Pine Barrens a strange stone pyramid box. While they try to unlock the mysteries of the box, they discover in their town a cult, a cult whose members are strangely dying off. As with all Repairman Jack books, there is more happening around the mystery than the obvious. And there is a mystical connection throughout all the events. The book was entertaining and good; so why am I mixed on it? First off, it is a young adult book. Nothing wrong with that by itself but it does tend to mean that the action and violence is muted. On the other hand, I've already purchased (unread) DEFINITELY NOT KANSAS and FAMILY SECRETS, the Nocturnia young adult series that Wilson co-wrote with Thomas Monteleone. However, I have not purchased SECRET CIRCLES and SECRET VENGEANCE, the final two parts of this trilogy. Also, SECRET HISTORIES does have lots of events and Easter eggs tying in to Jack's future, more events and tie-ins than I could pick out. Some of those things I knew I should know "why it was important" but I just couldn't remember. So maybe I was feeling left out a little bit? Part of my mixed feelings might also have been that I was happy with the Repairman Jack series and didn't need more. Did I really need to see his life as a teenager? And yet, I've already purchased COLD CITY, DARK CITY, and FEAR CITY (when Jack first arrives in NYC). I want more but I don't. When it comes right down to it, SECRET HISTORIES is a fun, exciting, quick story that ties very nicely into the Repairman Jack mythos and should be enjoyed by most sane people. If you are a big Repairman Jack fan, read it. But who am I kidding; you've probably done so already.
Jack's Magic Beans by Brian Keene
- Purchase it here
- Published February 2011 (Deadite Press paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on January 29, 2016
- unreviewed
Jackknife by Joe Hill
- Purchase it here
- Published April 2025 (Amazon Original Stories ebook edition)
- Finished reading it on March 24, 2026
- unreviewed
Jake's Wake by John Skipp and Cody Goodfellow
- Purchase it here
- Published January 2009 (Leisure Books paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on April 18, 2011
- unreviewed
Jinn by Matthew B.J. Delaney
- Purchase it here
- Published April 2004 (St. Martin's Griffin paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on August 1, 2005
- This book was an extremely enjoyable read. It's got the length and depth to pull you in and make you enjoy every aspect. From the starting war scenes which set the initial tone and the back story through to the modern day murders which are a continuation of the ancient evil, there is a mystery that slowly unfolds and reveals its demonic source. A source that we readers know something about but which is still a fun revelation on our end. While there is a pretty large cast of characters to keep track of, Delaney does a superb job of giving each of them a unique personality and easy to remember. There was no forgetting who this person was or what some of their traits were. There was one point where Brogan and Jefferson (the two detectives and protagonists for most of the book) kept getting pulled into one murder after another in a short period of time and I thought, "Jeez, enough with the new dead bodies. Let them investigate." And of course, that was the last dead body for a while. I recommend you go find a copy of this book and read it; you'll appreciate it.
- Purchase it here
- Published June 2003 (Silman-James Press paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on November 15, 2008
- This biography turned out to be more interesting I though it would. Rather than rolling through Carpenter's life and films in a long narrative, it is a series of interviews about each movie and his thoughts and events at that time. It might have been one long interview instead but if it was, it was real long. It was pretty interesting to read about some of his thoughts on the movies and his motivations. Sometimes it was innovative and "let's do something great." Other times it was merely to make money and another film. The only regret that I had was that Carpenter wimped out on answering many of the questions; he would avoid answering some completely. And then at other times when asked to tell some story or memorable event from that filming, he would provide so little information that it was annoying. For someone telling a story through his films, there were definitely times that he couldn't relay a story in answering a question. If you are a Carpenter fan or a Grade B Film buff, then you'll like this book. Otherwise leaf through it at the bookstore first.
Johnny Halloween: Tales of the Dark Season by Norman Partridge
- Purchase it here
- Published October 2010 (Cemetery Dance Publications signed and limited to 1,000 copies hardcover edition)
- Finished reading it on March 6, 2017
- unreviewed
The Jonah by James Herbert
- Purchase it here
- Published December 1985 (New English Library paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on December 1, 1988
- unreviewed
- Purchase it here
- Published 2008 (Cemetery Dance Publications hardcover signed and limited to 1,000 copies edition)
- Finished reading it on June 8, 2010
- I don't think that I've been disappointed by a Jack Ketchum book. Some are extremely intense and grisly (THE GIRL NEXT DOOR and OFFSPRING both jump to mind). Others are slower moving but still grisly. Maybe this difference can be explained as the story having an element of likelihood to it. Most of his story have an element of this could happen with some really bad luck; this is as opposed to wow, I really was a neighbor to that serial killer, gun-toting teenager, crazed homeless person, whomever. JOYRIDE is more of the not as intense and not as likely to happen but still grisly stories. Carole and Lee have a problem with their relationship; it is Carole's ex-husband Howard who still intimidates and abuses Carole. After the police don't provide a solution, Lee and Carole decide to kill Howard. This would have worked except that Wayne, a sociopath who hasn't quite gone over the edge yet, sees the murder and then kidnaps Lee and Carole. The book is entertaining, fun and a quick read. While I could complain that some characters weren't developed that much, I would also have to compliment that others were developed more than their share. And while it might not be Ketchum's best, that does not mean it should be ignored.
Julia by Peter Straub
- Purchase it here
- Published October 1976 (Pocket Books paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on October 1, 1980
- unreviewed
- Purchase it here
- Published September 1991 (paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on November 5, 1995
- I saw the movie first, so my view going in was influenced by Spielberg's vision. I must say though that the book is much better than the movie. It goes into a lot of detail which is also easy to follow and shows how everything that was expected is wrong. Very suspenseful and much scarier than the movie was. For most of the final 100 pages, I could not put the book down. It was awesome!! It did slow down near the very end, but I think that some of that was influence from the film.
Just After Sunset by Stephen King
- Purchase it here
- Published October 2009 (Pocket Books paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on July 24, 2020
- I know that I've said similar comments before but I'm not sure why I'm reviewing a Stephen King book. Everyone knows who he is and how he writes. My belief is that people will already have their mind made up one way or another about reading a book written by him; only a very small number of people will end up changing their mind after reading a review. I will point out that the bulk of the stories are reprinted from different publications. I read roughly a quarter of them before but still found them enjoyable. Personally I didn't find this to be a strong collection of his stories but I still did find them enjoyable.
"The Gingerbread Girl" - I got sort of a INSOMNIA feel off this story. The main character is compelled to do something harmless that she doesn't understand (taking up running, not jogging but running) and that pulls a thread in her life that ends up changing and saving her life.
"Stationary Bike" - I read this story before but it's still a good one. The visuals of a team within his body working to keep the main character alive is one that stuck with me. King of course takes it further than a comforting visual.
"The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates" - A story about the dead reaching out and impacting the living. It left me feeling wistful and hopeful. And sad.
Just Like Hell by Nate Southard
- Published September 2011 (Deadite Press paperback edition)
- Finished reading it on February 13, 2024
- unreviewed
Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey
- Purchase it here
- Published July 2022 (Macmillan Audio audiobook edition)
- Finished reading it on September 3, 2023
- unreviewed
Send comments or your opinions on these books to mike@kazba.com.