Powerful Pages - Armor by John Steakley (from 1984)

 

Powerful Pages - Armor by John Steakley (from 1984)

Armor is a tough book to review. Clunky and uneven to the point that it feels downright amateurish at times, it also boasts sequences that are nothing short of superlative. Even when it misfires, the book is involving, and the author manages to hook us on his colorful characters even when they veer toward caricatures and the non-stop action threatens to bludgeon us into tedium. It isn't easy to maintain the pace that Steakley sets, and it's hard to work on such a scale without shattering the ability to sustain belief. I don't think that Steakley ever drops the ball, but he comes damn close enough that I'm inclined to think that many may disagree with me on that front. In fact, some may determine that he drops the ball repeatedly. Armor hammers us with gruesome battles in an endless war and a steady tide of machismo with the volume turned all the way up. And yet there is a lot of insight into the psychology of war and the devious political mechanics of combat masquerading as industry. There is an attachment to the protagonists that doesn't waver but steadily mounts. There is a conclusion that ties a nice bow on the proceedings while posing new questions. At the end of the day, Armror is all about Felix, a man for whom death is a way of life, and Jack Crow, a rogue who is either the most dangerous man in the galaxy or an utter buffoon. If you enjoy their antics as much as I did, you will find a lot to enjoy with this overblown sci-fi yarn. At the same time, anyone yearning for literary prowess is apt to toss this one into the nearest trashcan. I'm going to recommend it with some trepidation--and a robust guarantee that none of my readers will find it boring. 

Final Grade: C+

Powerful Pages - The Predators by Mark Washburn and Robert Webb (from 1985)

Powerful Pages - The Predators by Mark Washburn and Robert Webb (from 1985)

The best book that you will ever read about a televised fight between a great white shark and a Kodiak bear is the worst fucking book that you will ever read.

Final Grade: I will not honor this shit with a grade.

Powerful Pages - Pet Sematary by Stephen King (1983)

Powerful Pages - Pet Sematary by Stephen King (1983)

I started reading Stephen King novels when I was 8 years old.  When I started on this voyage, it seemed like I would never run out of books from the maestro to devour.  But, inevitably, at some point, I approached the finish line.  I put Pet Sematary aside because I always wanted to have one last vintage yarn from Uncle Stevie to dig into.  Decades passed.  And the time came.  I just had to give it a go.  First off, I'm sure glad that I finally took the plunge; Pet Sematary is a demented masterpiece, and it is as entertaining as it is unspeakable.  Secondly, this was probably a good one to set aside, for it is as dark and haunting as anything King has written.  It is maybe as dark and haunting as anything I've ever read, and that puts it right up there with The Exorcist* and Lord of the Flies**.  Pet Sematary is all kinds of heavy, and it puts the characters (a really likable family and a friendly neighbor of the highest degree) through all kinds of awful shit.  And the whole time, you sense the storm brewing, and somehow knowing that these people will suffer in abhorrent ways makes them that much more endearing.  I guess that makes Pet Sematary as much of a tragedy as it is a horror novel, and it does operate on a grand scale that it isn't altogether common within the genre.  King dares to grapple with some of the most difficult questions we all face in this life, and his answers here are as brutal as they are blunt.  At the same time, the prose is warm and inviting, and the book itself unwinds like a tale spun by that remarkable neighbor, good old Jud Crandall, a kindly soul with a gift for piquing our interest.  This story is intriguing from the onset, and as the stakes rise and the tension mounts, it becomes savagely addictive.  I turned pages and begged the main character to change course with considerable tenacity, though I knew to expect the very worse at every turn.  And toward that end, King delivered.  Oh man.  He delivered in spades.

*Surprise!  The scariest movie of all time sprang forth from a novel that is equally intense and frightening.  Indeed, the book has additional depth and takes the startling premise even further.

**Fuck William Golding.  Fuck Lord of the Flies.  Simon's death may be the most traumatic aspect of my high school education, and that little episode in my life had trauma to spare.  Also: fantastic book, hell of a writer.  Highly recommended!

Final Grade: A+

Powerful Pages - Old Bones by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Powerful Pages - Old Bones by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Old Bones is the latest novel from Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, two gifted authors who have made quite a name for themselves with their unique brand of fiction.  Combining mysteries a la Sir Arthur Conan Doyle with a flair for science and history that brings Michael Crichton to mind, they spin gripping yarns with morbid touches that would be perfectly at home in a horror novel.  It's a mixture that I and a great many others enjoy, though lately I have grown just a little fatigued with their Pendergast series.  This detour with two of their best heroines at the helm was like a breath of fresh air, and I had an absolute blast with it.  In Old Bones, an ill-fated attempt to dig up new insight into the woeful fate of the Donner Party is derailed by greed, deception, and cold-blooded murder.  A search for a rumored hidden treasure and a devious plot on a grand scale put Nora Kelly (a tough-as-nails archaeologist) and Corrie Swanson (a rebellious FBI agent working her first case) directly in the cross-hairs.  These strong women find themselves at odds from the word "Go," and a serious power struggle ensues. They'll have to iron things out quick, fast, and in a hurry if they want to survive, much less figure out why a bunch of old bones are worth killing for.  Given that the grim legacy of the Donner Party is a key element of the plot, Old Bones is a bit gruesome, and this dark vibe meshes nicely with a desolate setting and a difficult battle against the elements.  While the last act is thrilling and all of the various threads in a fairly intricate narrative are effectively tied off, I may have been hoping for a little more from the climax.  And I pegged the killer fairly early on, and for better or worse, that's something I tend to hold against whodunits.  Still, it's about the journey, and this one had me hooked.  It doesn't rank among this impressive duo's best works, but it is an intense addition to their catalog nonetheless.

Final Grade: B

Powerful Pages - Darkness on the Edge of Town by Adam Christopher (An Official Stranger Things Novel)

Powerful Pages - Darkness on the Edge of Town by Adam Christopher (An Official Stranger Things Novel)

My readers are aware that I enjoy Stranger Things immensely, and I love a good book, so I decided to give Darkness on the Edge of Town a go.  This tie-in centers on Hopper as he tells El about a strange case from his past.  In the summer of 1977, Hopper was a detective working homicides in New York. A series of ritualistic murders draw he and his fiery partner into a dangerous web that includes shady government agents, tough street gangs, and a demented madman with insidious plans for the city.  The novel culminates with a massive blackout and a desperate fight for survival.  Christopher's prose is clear and descriptive, and his grasp of the characters we know is strong.  The characters he creates are perhaps a bit more vivid, and he shows a knack for pacing and action sequences.  There are several sections where this book is a genuine white-knuckle pageturner.  It is an entertaing read, and it is cool to see a younger Jim Hopper mixing it up with a nifty collection of rogues on the mean streets of the Big Apple.  The novel is designed to appeal to both teens and adults who enjoy the show, and the tone may suffer a bit as a result.  It is a bit tame for the older generation, while it may be a little too rough for young adults--and the timeframe won't have as much allure for those readers either.  It's also fairly run-of-the-mill in a lot of ways; there is nothing daring or bold about the plot.  The execution is solid, and the story is exciting, but in many ways it is a routine thriller.  The big hook here is a chance to see a popular character cut his teeth in a dangerous situation long before finding himself facing far bigger challenges in Netflix's most popular program.  As such, it's perfectly serviceable, and it should please those looking for some cheap thrills with a couple of familiar faces in the mix.

Final Grade: B

Comics Corner - The Immortal Hulk (2018 - Present)

Comics Corner - The Immortal Hulk (2018 - Present)

One comic that has been garnering a lot of praise recently is Marvel's latest take on the Hulk, aptly titled The Immortal Hulk.  This is partly a fresh approach, but it also serves to turn back the clock to the days when everyone's favorite green behemoth first hit the scene.  Once upon a when, the Hulk was more of a monster that men feared who only became a hero when greater threats arose--sort of like Godzilla in the flicks where he gets to play the good guy.

Writer Al Ewing has certainly cast the Hulk as a creature to be feared in this stellar run, and he has conjured up some wicked threats to pit against the titular character.  Joe Bennett has done a gnarly job of translating Ewing's vision to the medium.  Combine their fiendish efforts, and this book somehow manages to give me the Hulk I crave while seemingly paying homage to the grotesque delights of John Carpenter's The Thing, or perhaps some of Sam Raimi's work when he's in "paint the screen red with blood" mode.  Then there's the icing on the cake: the covers from Alex Ross, who is always impeccable, but has taken things up a notch with these diabolical visions of everyone's favorite raging jade goliath.

With Marvel being known and loved the world over for its playful sense of humor, I feel that people probably underestimate what I and other fans mean when we refer to this as a horror comic featuring the Hulk.  It's not a typical Hulk book with him facing off against a few beasties with red eyes, it runs much, much darker than that.  The Hulk himself is a tortured creature, and he has been dismembered, corrupted, and even taken to hell in the fourteen issues of this title released to date.  He has faced off against some deeply malevolent foes, and the pages have dripped with sinister imagery.  Is it on the same level as Alan Moore's legendary take on Swamp Thing so far as plunging a beloved entity into the very depths of the macabre is concerned?  That's a good question.  Maybe it hasn't gone quite that far, but then again, maybe it has.

It hasn't been as surreal as Moore's work with DC's green force of nature, though it has paused to ask some very profound questions and there have been some metaphysics in play.  I like the way the supernatural elements have been portrayed in a straightforward manner--it's quite unique, somewhat akin to marrying high adventure to the sort of body horror that David Cronenberg is famous for.  Seriously, I'll stand by that.  I have always enjoyed the Hulk, but this direction caters directly to my sensibilities, and I will join the choir in hailing it as perhaps Marvel's finest offering in 2018 and 2019.

In short, if you dig comics, and you like the Hulk, you may well be intrigued.  If you dig horror and you like material with some serious oomph, you too may enjoy this title.  And if you dig the Hulk, you have love for comic books, and you're a horror fanatic like yours truly, this is looking like "can't miss" territory, isn't it?  While there are a lot of good books out there these days, and the last couple of years have been really kind to horror lovers (Elvira, Gravetrancers, Blackwood, Justice League Dark, and The Spider King are among my recent favorites), this is probably the title I look forward to most on my pull list these days.  The hype is real, my friends.  Long live The Immortal Hulk.

Final Grade: A

Powerful Pages - Mr. Majestyk by Elmore Leonard (1974)

Powerful Pages - Mr. Majestyk by Elmore Leonard (1974)

Man, I miss Elmore.  He had such a gift for telling gripping stories populated with vivid characters.  He did so by painting incredible pictures with as few brush strokes as possible.  Mr. Majestyk is a perfect example of his style, lean but provocative, fast-paced but detailed, a dramatic confrontation that is never dull and consistently defies expectations.  Majestyk himself is an ideal hero in the Leonard mold, a stoic type with a willingness to strike hard when given no alternative, as well as a deliberate man with a code he will not violate.  Frank Renda, the villain, is another classic Leonard creation, a nuanced tough guy who is both deeply flawed and wildly dangerous.  Majestyk is a melon farmer while Renda is a contract killer, and their little war is as entertaining as it is unlikely.  As with any of the author's works, the dialogue sizzles, and every word brings us closer to a reckoning.  While my efforts here may lead the uninitiated to imagine a cartoonish machismo extravaganza masquerading as a novel, that would be grossly inaccurate.  Yes, Elmore liked to spin yarns about tough guys caught up in even tougher situations, and he had a real knack for one-liners and unexpected laughs.  He also had an unbelievable feel for his medium coupled with a pretty sound grasp of human nature, thus his writing is also insightful and moving.  Don't confuse brief with shallow, and please understand that guns-blazing action and potent drama can occupy the same space.  And if you don't believe me, hell, go ahead and ask Mr. Majestyk.  It is a quick and enjoyable read, and I think it was one of Leonard's best.

Final Grade: A

Powerful Pages: The Tommyknockers by Stephen King (1987)

Powerful Pages: The Tommyknockers by Stephen King (1987)

I often hear The Tommyknockers labeled a lesser outing from Stephen King, and I've never heard anyone recommend it.  Even the author himself has derided the novel as bloated, essentially surmising that it ran twice as long as it should have because he was too coked up to take his foot off the gas.  And yet, writing a book is a lot like casting a spell, and a reader can tolerate a lot of excess if they are sufficiently captivated.  While I will not argue that the book takes a while to get going and sags (a lot) in the middle, I must confess that I'm going to rate it far higher than most of my peers.  In fact, I really enjoyed The Tommyknockers, warts and all.  I attribute this to two pivotal elements of this massive tome.  First, I had a lot of fun with the main character.  Deeply flawed and viciously self-destructive, Jim Gardner may have been the unlikeliest of unlikely heroes.  However, he also had some charm at his disposal, and his reckless passions were described well enough to be understood if not endorsed.  Dude was funny too, with his unraveling at a disastrous dinner party in the somewhat tedious first act practically jumping off the page.  This sequence instantly netted a place as one of my favorite passages from King.  And when the chips were down, it was both easy to root for the guy and easy to believe that he might just come through in spite of all his shortcomings.  The second aspect of The Tommyknockers that I greatly appreciated was the ending, which delivered in a big way.  I am a big fan of King, but as many will agree, he is not necessarily known for sticking the landing.  The last act of The Tommyknockers was smoking hot, deftly combining action on a grand scale, unspeakable horror, and a pronounced emotional wallop.  Is The Tommyknockers worthy of a spot in King's top ten?  Surely not, but it is far from one of his lesser efforts.  I rate it as a quality read courtesy of this generation's most beloved writer, and I strongly encourage anyone who has a tough time with the beginning to hang on for that wicked climax.

Final Grade: A

Powerful Pages: They Thirst by Robert R. McCammon (1981)

Powerful Pages: They Thirst by Robert R. McCammon (1981)

They Thirst is far from a great book.  It may not even be that good.  It has an abundance of flaws, and in the early stages, it was so derivative that I wasn't sure that I would able to stick with it.  And while I'm not opposed to pulp or trash, I do have my limits.  Despite these complaints and the presence of maybe half a dozen stupendous coincidences too many, I didn't put this early venture from Robert R. McCammon aside.  Why?  Three reasons, mostly.  First, while the villains were largely cliches and the protagonists were cut from the same cloth, the latter group resonated with me for reasons I don't fully comprehend.  I followed them deeper and deeper into this sprawling opus with a certain degree of trepidation, but the more I read, the more pressing my need to know how they would fare became. Secondly, McCammon did an excellent job with the ghastly elements of this vampire yarn, deftly portraying the vicious bursts of carnage that kept propelling the characters into greater jeopardy and firmly establishing a sense of creeping dread.  Lastly, raw as it may have been in so many ways, one can't help but marvel at the scope of this fanged saga.  McCammon dared to tell a vampire story on as grand a scale as one could imagine.  Maybe he fumbled and stumbled a bit along the way, but in the end, he put the entire city of Los Angeles and even the world as we know it in immense peril.  In doing so, he delivered a tremendous conclusion that may have been just as serendipitous and overwrought as the first act, but somehow proved to be both engrossing and satisfying.  Seldom has the phrase "grand finale" been so appropriate.  Yes, They Thirst is far from a great book, but it is entertaining as hell, and I have to salute the author for putting so much at stake.

Final Grade: C+

Powerful Pages: Maynard's House by Herman Raucher (1980)

Powerful Pages: Maynard's House by Herman Raucher (1980)

This book had quite an impact on me in my youth, but it had faded into the fog of memory.  With that in mind, I was eager to revisit it this year during the spooky season, but I did so with some trepidation.  All too often, art that wowed us in our formative years wilts under mature inspection.  I shouldn't have worried.  Herman Raucher's thoroughly unique haunted house tale seems even more significant upon deeper reflection, and I somehow doubt this impression will dwindle going forward.  The author has a gift for detail that shows up everywhere, painting a lovely picture of a foreboding setting, deftly fleshing out the characters, and thoroughly ensnaring the reader in a nuanced plot.  The story centers on a plucky Vietnam vet with a quick tongue and an impulsive need to leap headlong into challenging situations.  He has inherited a fallen comrade's meager home in the harshest recesses of New England.  There, this adrift fellow who desires nothing more than some sense of purpose finds himself in the midst of another war.  In fact, he finds himself fighting several battles on treacherous fronts, with a loss in any of these conflicts spelling certain doom for our stubborn hero.  Beyond the isolation of his new home, Austin Fletcher must contend with a serious case of PTSD*, a harrowing winter, and a desperate search for identity in a world where he can never find sanctuary.  Oh yeah, and the house is haunted by a vengeful witch, and there may or may not be a ferocious bear on the prowl.  Given the protagonist's weakening grasp on reality, much of the novel leaves the reader to determine whether or not the perils at hand are real or imagined.  Lest that sounds too quaint for my fellow horror fans, fear not, for the sense of dread is powerful, and in one of the most riveting passages I have ever encountered, Raucher plunges the reader into a nightmarish depiction of absolute evil guaranteed to unnerve even the hardiest of the hardy.  The ending is perhaps the strongest portion of an impressive work and a delightful read.  Some may find it too mercurial to rank among the best excursions into the macabre that literature has to offer us, but I'm obliged to give Maynard's House my highest recommendation.

*The author conveys the combat veteran's condition with alarming precision and incredible empathy, and this novel was written long before analysis had graduated from a simple understanding of so-called "shell shock" to the more detailed study and acceptance of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder we see today.

Final Grade: A+

Powerful Pages: Presumed Innocent (1986) & Innocent (2010) by Scott Turow

Powerful Pages: Presumed Innocent (1986) & Innocent (2010) by Scott Turrow

First off, I'm combining these reviews because both are worthwhile endeavors, and anyone who reads the first one must make time for the sequel.  Secondly, I want to note that I'm not big on legal thrillers, even when the quality of the prose is endearing.  However, like many, I found these dramatic thrillers from Scott Turrow to be thoroughly engrossing.  This is primarily because his work is as clear and inviting as damn near anything I have read, and because he uses his expertise as a lawyer to ground the work in reality and provide readers with quite an education without ever resorting to info dumps or dull passages burdened with too much exposition.  The people are always at the center of Turrow's novels, and these complex characters are always intriguing to such an extent that readers will have a difficult time putting either of these titles down.  Turrow gets us to invest in these people without giving us clear-cut heroes and villains.  Things are rarely that simple when it comes to justice and the rule of law, and the average human being isn't so easy to characterize either.  Both Presumed Innocent and Innocent revolve around devious crimes, and both ensnare us by challenging us on two distinct levels.  Firstly, we yearn to discover who is guilty of the crime, and at the same time we are just as interested in the legal maneuvers and various power plays that will determine the outcome of the trials that ensue.  In both cases, Turrow manages to maintain that suspense until the end of the tale, and both outcomes are equal parts shocking and fulfilling.  Upping the ante, Turrow manages all the incredible things I have described above with his work while also endowing his thrillers with some profound insight into humanity as we know it--and once again, he is able to do this without sacrificing any intrigue or impact along the way.  I marvel at what he has accomplished here, and it is very easy for me to strongly recommend Presumed Innocent and Innocent to anyone who enjoys a good read of any sort.  You will not be disappointed.

Final Grades

Presumed Innocent: A+
Innocent: A

Powerful Pages: The Ninth Configuration by William Peter Blatty (1980)

Powerful Pages: The Ninth Configuration by William Peter Blatty (1980)

The Ninth Configuration is a curious venture, so it naturally makes for a curious read.  It defies expectations from the very start and interweaves some disparate genres in a quaint exercise in juxtaposition that makes it damn near irresistible.  Originally published as Twinkle, Twinkle, "Killer" Kane in 1966, the author revised the book and released it as The Ninth Configuration in 1980.  Blatty will forever be associated with The Exorcist, which is one of the greatest horror novels of all time.  Given the gothic trappings and a few macabre touches that are sprinkled throughout, many readers will expect something similar from The Ninth Configuration.  They will surely be disappointed.  In fact, anyone expecting anything that might equate to literal popcorn will be let down, as while the book exists largely as a comedy with a few horrific flourishes and one or two thrills, it is something entirely different at its core.  The structure is also something that may dismay many, as The Ninth Configuration is told mainly through colorful dialogue, and boasts a significant number of characters and events for a relatively brief tale that doesn't reach 200 pages in length.  At its quirky heart, this is a story of redemption, and it is frequently as much of a debate as it is a narrative.  The themes are complex, with the very nature of good and evil being explored as the power and authenticity of both psychology and religion are laid bare alongside equally insightful exploration of humanity itself.  These are heavy beats for a short book loaded with slapstick humor and a few provocative descents into terror and bloodshed.  While the end result is sure to be found lacking by those looking for something less quizzical and more titillating, I couldn't help but be overjoyed.  I laughed often, I was on the edge of my seat at times, and I found the conclusion to be profoundly moving.  Most importantly, The Ninth Configuration is the kind of book that you will not be able to experience without asking yourself some serious questions and pondering some of those powerful themes with a fresh perspective.

Final Grade: A-

Powerful Pages: Baal by Robert R. McCammon (1978)

Powerful Pages: Baal by Robert R. McCammon (1978)

McCammon notes in the afterword that Baal was both his first novel and an "Angry Young Man" book, and it reads as such.  With that in mind, while it is energetic and compelling from start to finish, it is crude and simplistic enough at times to border on being amateurish.  Those who have never experienced McCammon's wild imagination should surely start elsewhere, and those who are accustomed to his more profound works will find this one far too elementary to share a shelf with titles like Carrion Comfort or Gone South.  Yet anyone marching in without any expectations may find this provocative battle between good and evil to be bold and shocking enough to rate it far higher than I can.  There are some creative flourishes, and the violent passages (of which there are a great many) are forceful and dynamic enough to have a powerful impact on the reader.  I did enjoy the three protagonists immensely, particularly Virga, and the settings were well drawn, so I don't mean to disparage this one without due cause.  In fairness, I should note that my first novel was also an "Angry Young Man" opus with apocalyptic leanings, and I keep that thing in a box where I pray no one ever finds it.  I'm positive that Baal towers above my first stab at bringing life to a book in every way, shape, and form, and this grim page-turner is not without its strengths.  As a whole, however, it is a bit underwhelming, and while I couldn't put it down, I did breath a sigh of relief when it finally reached its inevitable conclusion.  

Final Grade: C

Powerful Pages: The Outsider by Stephen King (2018)

Powerful Pages: The Outsider by Stephen King (2018)

Stephen King's latest is at once vivid and refreshing while also paying tribute to the maestro's biggest strengths.  Rich characters and a well-drawn setting are the key ingredients, but a thoroughly engrossing first act and an approach that blurs the lines between a legal thriller and a supernatural opus also present themselves as major assets.  The big bad is new and unique, and equally creepy, and the book moves at a quick pace--which isn't always a staple of King's fiction.  I felt like this book deftly combined the hard-boiled aspects of Mr. Mercedes and Finders Keepers (both of which were totally devoid of supernatural shenanigans) with the passion for things that go bump in the night that has always elevated King's fiction.  While End of Watch, the bookend to the Bill Hodges trilogy, also intertwined the thriller and horror genres to potent effect, it leaned closer to the thriller side of the coin in tone and attitude.  The last two acts of The Outsider, on the other hand, surely represent balls-to-the-wall horror--and may even summon memories of King's leaner and meaner terrors born of the 70s and 80s, long before a bit more whimsy softened those harder edges a bit.  In the end, I found this one to be a real page-turner that made the most of all of King's tools, and I think that The Outsider stands as a nice bridge between his most bloodcurdling work and his most exciting offerings.

Final Grade: A

Powerful Pages: Lightning in a Bottle by Monte Dutton (2017)

Powerful Pages: Lighting in a Bottle by Monte Dutton (2017)

Monte Dutton is a promising author who I consider a friend, a fellow outsider who is more interested in spinning an entertaining yarn and delivering readers a good time than assembling the necessary ingredients for whatever is en vogue within the industry this week.  He has a strong background writing pieces about Nascar, so it is no surprise that his adventures on the printed page finally brought him to a meditation on auto racing.  With Lightning in a Bottle, Dutton has conjured up precisely the type of driver his semi-fascist racing entity FASCAR needs--even if this frisky upstart also happens to be precisely the type of driver the powers that be are hoping to avoid.  Barrie Jarman is bold and ambitious, an "aw shucks" country boy whose easy-going demeanor masks a keen intellect.  A quick study with a quicker tongue, Barrie has a God-given ability to tear it up at the track--any track.  He's also fiercely protective of his identity and his need to express himself, and going along to get along isn't one of his many skills.  His adventures on the racing circuit are the backbone of a brisk yarn that also concerns itself with family dynamics, the cost of success, the war against corporate tyranny, and a host of political issues.  If that sounds heavy, fear not, for Dutton's warm approach coupled with his light touch keep things moving and interesting at all times, and he never substitutes a sermon for a punchline.  His ear for dialogue and his racing IQ are on full display throughout, and one might argue that these are the books greatest strengths.  In terms of plotting and excitement, I can't identify any real flaws, but sometimes the broad strokes and rollicking pace work against the material.  There were numerous points where I wanted a closer examination of the various conflicts at play, and I also yearned to savor Barrie's triumphs a bit more.  However, I'm not willing to take Monte to task; I liked Barrie too much for that, and I laughed way too damn much to complain.  While Barrie's presence and drive are the beating heart of Lightning in a Bottle, I must admit that the narrator, his seen-it-all Uncle Charlie, quickly emerged as my favorite character.  Monte has captured lightning in a bottle with Barrie, no doubt about that, and I'm eager to read more about this hell-raising one-of-a-kind, but Uncle Charlie's grass roots philosophy dressed up as dry humor took the checkered flag in the race to my funny bone.  Fresh and captivating, Lightning in a Bottle is a quick read that will tickle and inspire you in equal measures.

Final Grade: A-

Powerful Pages - Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons (1989)

Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons (1989)

Sprawling yet intimate, Carrion Comfort is the sort of novel that earns epic status with a deeply rewarding journey of astounding depth.  Unfolding over the course of several decades and spanning the globe, the tale is dense but personal, complex yet infinitely relatable.  Inventive and starkly realistic in equal measures, it offers readers a new breed of vampire so distinct that they aren't really vampires at all.  Profoundly disturbing and equally brutal, Carrion Comfort dishes out a smorgasbord of woeful surprises and fiendish chills.  Simmons can be a bit overwrought, but his attention to detail and his vivid characterizations combine to flesh out a massive narrative with precision and impeccable clarity.  His zeal for history manifests itself here in a heartbreaking examination of the Holocaust that is the very foundation upon which this groundbreaking horror opus is constructed.  Fittingly, the emotional whirlwind that ensues catapults readers to dizzying heights.  This book is shocking and moving, boasting crushing defeats amid occasional triumphs as it veers from fascinating character study to white-knuckle thriller without warning, with frequent descents into outright terror upping the ante even further.  No one is safe, and the stakes couldn't be higher in this massive undertaking.  Carrion Comfort isn't just a great read, it's the type of novel that elevates the genre, and it should not be ignored by those who enjoy horror--or compelling literature in general, for that matter.

Final Grade: A+

 

Short Attention Span Review: The Dark Tower (2017)

Short Attention Span Review: The Dark Tower (2017)

Let's be clear about this: I wasn't looking forward to this version of The Dark Tower.  I treasure the books, and if it were up to me, we would get an adaptation akin to what Ron Howard allegedly pitched.  I've read that he envisioned a sprawling saga unfolding over the course of a few movies with a television series serving to fill in the gaps.  That sounds about right.  Then this movie hit, and the buzz surrounding it was not the sort of buzz that a devotee of the material might hope for.  No, it was more like the buzz that occurs when flies discover a fresh pile of poo.  I was already skeptical of the approach and the casting (but not for the reasons that so many were bitching about), and I really wasn't feeling it.  So, of course, once I actually sat down to view director Nikolaj Arcel's much-maligned film, I wound up enjoying the hell out of it even if it is a bit goofy.  First off, it makes no attempt to faithfully adapt King's novels, merely borrowing names and themes to go along with a few plot threads in what is clearly a totally different take on the material.  By and large, this kept me from measuring it against the literature that inspired it, and that benefited the movie in a big way.  Secondly, it put two fantastic performers in a wonky fantasy/sci-fi/horror/western that essentially stands as an oversimplified good vs. evil yarn with a lean run time.  I'm cool with that.  Was it groundbreaking?  Hardly.  Was it terrible?  Nope.  Was it entertaining?  I do believe so.  McConaughey was game as the baddie, channeling Nicholas Cage when Nicholas Cage is invested in a part (which is admittedly rare), but this take on The Dark Tower is undoubtedly Idris Elba's show from start to finish.  As one would expect, Elba was magnificent in his role; dude was good with bullets and even better with CGI.  At one key moment, he fired one bullet, then fired a second bullet that ricocheted before catching up with the first bullet--and redirecting it.  I was in awe.  Seriously, I enjoyed all the Easter eggs and the action bits were ludicrous but fun to watch.  I won't make a case for The Dark Tower as a quality adaptation or a fine film, for it is surely neither of these things.  I will say I went in expecting a total shitshow, and instead I turned my brain off for 95 minutes and had a cheesy good time with Roland of Gilead and the nefarious man in black. 

I can only hope that I haven't forgotten the face of my father . . .

Final Grade: C+

Say what you will about the movie, but don't you dare knock my main man Idris Elba.

The Monarchs by Stephen Mark Rainey

The Monarchs by Stephen Mark Rainey

An intoxicating and perverse blend of Lovecraftian horror and brooding gothic, The Monarchs is a fiendish delight guaranteed to send shivers racing down your spine.   Captivating from the start and populated by intriguing characters who are all too vulnerable, the pace never relents as the terror steadily mounts.  The main character, Courtney Edmiston, comes equipped with a tragic backstory and enough gusto and pent-up rage to have us squarely in her corner as things veer from bad to worse at every sinister turn.  This is a grim opus, and Rainey doesn't hold back; thankfully, his compelling prose keeps the reader hooked in spite of a powerful sense of impending doom and a nerve-jangling assortment of gruesome shocks.  Long before supernatural horrors rise from the swamp where the tale is set, it is clear that our plucky heroine has been ensnared in a malevolent web of fright.  Truthfully, the same could be said for those who dare to spend a little time with The Monarchs.  At the center of this web, there lurks a particularly nasty spider itching to prey on Courtney 's darkest fears.  Her struggle to escape this woeful fate grows more desperate (and darkly compelling) with every page that is turned.
Highly recommended!

Book Review - The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King (from 2015)

Stephen King's latest is a collection of short fiction that may represent some of the author's best writing.  Stirring and insightful, The Bazaar of Bad Dreams is a rich offering that arrives complete with a profound assortment of chills, thrills, and chuckles.  Having said that, calling this collection a bit morbid is surely an understatement, and the supernatural elements at play are slight in comparison to many of King's most entertaining tales.  I really liked The Bazaar of Bad Dreams and I can't say that I disliked any of the short stories contained therein, though the 2 poems inserted in the mix provide little in the way of conflict with the author's assertion that he isn't much of a poet.  My favorite story was probably "The Little Green God of Agony" and "Morality" was surely my least favorite, but every piece of short fiction contained in the book had something to offer.  The prose was top notch and the strong characterizations and the depth that define King's incredible talent were on full display throughout.  With that in mind, I can't really complain about The Bazaar of Bad Dreams, though it must be noted that it isn't nearly as fun or as robust as either of his earliest collections, Night Shift and Skeleton Crew, a pair of treasure chests overflowing with dreadful horrors and fiendish delights.  In closing, The Bazaar of Bad Dreams is a fine collection that mostly favors contemplation over excitement and provides far more in the way of subdued reflection than stark raving terror.

Book Review - The Descent by Jeff Long (from 1998)

The Descent was a solid book with a somewhat lackluster conclusion that makes it difficult to rate.  On the one hand, the characters and the atmosphere were lively and entrancing, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one right up until the very end.  On the other hand, the climax was pretty weak and it left a bad taste in my mouth.  Long's prose is vivid and compelling, and The Descent surely qualifies as a genuine page-turner.  There were some truly horrific sequences embedded in the book, though it mostly served as a grim thriller masquerading as an adventure yarn that was equal parts Jules Verne* and Micheal Crichton.  I will note that those elements which mirrored Verne's work fared better than the author's attempts to channel Crichton, though Long still succeeded in enriching his text with more science and wit than many authors who deal with similar themes.  In truth, if I had enjoyed the ending a bit more, The Descent would have emerged as a top-notch affair that I would heartily recommend to anyone.  As it is, I still rate it as a solid and entertaining thrill ride that is worth taking, and I am pretty sure that many will enjoy it far more than I did.

*Long made no attempt to conceal the notion that in many ways his tale could be viewed as a modern take on Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Final Grade: B-