Stephen King brings these things upon himself. It isn’t fair to compare his latest novel, Doctor Sleep, with his landmark work, The Shining. But comparisons are inevitable — Doctor Sleep is a sequel to The Shining. Critics will rightfully say, “Doctor Sleep is okay, but it isn’t as good as The Shining.” But how could… Continue reading Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
I re-read Stephen King’s The Shining recently in preparation for the release of its sequel, Doctor Sleep. I’m glad I did. The Shining is a beautifully written novel, simple, elegant, and powerful. There are only four main characters: Jack Torrance, his wife Wendy, his son Danny, and the Overlook Hotel itself. At its core, The… Continue reading The Shining by Stephen King
Justin Cronin’s The Passage is an impressive work. The first book in a planned trilogy, The Passage reads like a series of short novels and novellas stitched together, creating a whole greater than the sum of its parts. There are shades of the Harry Potter and Twilight franchises here. The Passage is a long, sprawling,… Continue reading The Passage by Justin Cronin
Some people dismiss the late Richard Laymon as a hack horror writer. Those people should go fuck themselves. An originator of the early splatterpunk movement, Richard Laymon was an unsung artist who made the job of “novelist” look easy with his literary virtuosity and prolific output. But, like Rodney Dangerfield, Richard Laymon got no respect. He… Continue reading The Cellar by Richard Laymon
[Bob’s Note: The Bell Witch by John F.D. Taff will be released by Books of the Dead Press in July 2013.] John F.D. Taff takes us to Adams, Tennessee circa 1820 to tell the all-American ghost story of The Bell Witch. Taff extracts elements of real Southern folklore to build the structure of his story,… Continue reading The Bell Witch by John F.D. Taff
What if you awoke one morning to find your wife — your soulmate, the love of your life, the person you know better than anyone else — is no longer herself? Instead, she insists she’s a seven-year-old named Lily. This is the simple-yet-effective premise that drives I’m Not Sam by Jack Ketchum and Lucky McKee.… Continue reading I’m Not Sam by Jack Ketchum and Lucky McKee
Jason Ridler takes a bite out of the vampire genre with his action-packed, fast-paced novel, Blood and Sawdust. B&S reads like a backroom MMA bout with vampires, or Fight Club with a supernatural twist. B&S has its origins in movies like Bloodsport and Street Fighter as much as it does the novels of Raymond Chandler… Continue reading Blood & Sawdust by Jason Ridler
Sifting through old computer files, I found this November 1996 review of Stephen King’s Desperation and Richard Bachman’s The Regulators. Enjoy! — R Stephen King’s Desperation, and The Regulators — penned by King’s alter ego, Richard Bachman — feature the same cast of characters in polar opposite roles. In Desperation, the Carver family of Wentworth, Ohio… Continue reading Desperation by Stephen King and The Regulators by Richard Bachman
Joe Hill’s 20th Century Ghosts is good. Very good. Like, Books of Blood good. Like, Night Shift, and Skeleton Crew good. Even the stories in this collection that don’t aim to deliver more than a plot twist and a good scare are polished gems. And some pieces qualify as priceless masterpieces. “Best New Horror” asks… Continue reading 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
Little Deaths by John F.D. Taff is a strong collection of creepy tales, served up in a variety of literary styles. Taff experiments with different storytelling techniques, sometimes cribbing prose styles and themes from grand masters of the genre. In lesser hands this work would be hack, but Taff puts his own unique spin these… Continue reading Little Deaths by John F.D. Taff
