Tag: Horror

Book Review: ‘The Stand’ by Stephen King

Leave a comment

For my latest read of 2024, I dove back into Stephen King’s ‘The Stand’.

As with most of King’s work, ‘The Stand’ is something I read as a teen and wanted to revisit. A monster of a book, I began this while on holiday in Finland over the summer. It took me from mid-July to last week to finish. When I was a kid and had no commitments, I could burn through a tome like this in a week. But those days are long gone.

You might stick with a book this long for one of two reasons: either it drags, and you dread picking it up, or you love it so much that the length doesn’t matter. ‘The Stand’ definitely falls into the latter camp. It’s an absolute triumph and one of King’s best.

The book begins with a catastrophe at a military base. What follows is a pandemic that ends almost all human life. A few smatterings of survivors remain, left to rebuild how they see fit. Groups form around two individuals who the survivors dream about. Mother Abigail, a 108-year-old black woman, serves as a force for good. Randall Flagg, an evil figure with supernatural powers, is hellbent on destruction. King writes so many characters that it’s hard to pinpoint a single protagonist. But there are clear groups of ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’, and the large cast adds depth and complexity.

The intro is electric, with that cloying, inescapable destiny thing that King does so well. As soon as the wheels start to fall off – and the body count rises – King doesn’t let up. After this, the tempo slows, and we get to know our wide cast. The characterisation of this wide range of people, from good to evil, is astonishing. As things become more complex, you can’t help but feel their losses and celebrate their wins. Nobody does this like King. You’ll be so hooked when the magical elements – e.g. prophetic dreams – come in that you won’t mind the shift to fantasy. ‘The Stand’ is a glorious book from one of the best to do it.

It’s a long read, but every single page is worth it.

Book Review: ‘The Walking Dead, Vol 2: Miles Behind Us’ by Robert Kirkman

Leave a comment

For my next read in 2024, I read Robert Kirkman’s ‘The Walking Dead, Vol 2: Miles Behind Us’.

I purchased ‘Compendium One’ at the start of the year and breezed through the first volume. As you could have predicted, I adored it because I love all things zombie. My obsession with the undead will never die (pun intended). But, with the usual relentlessness of life, I didn’t get around to continuing.

After finding some time on my hands, I recently blasted through the second volume. And it’s brilliant. The story continues with Rick and Co’s struggle to survive in a zombie-infested world. The volumes don’t quite line up with the season breaks of the show, but they match, more or less.

The story deviates from the TV show, but these changes are pleasant surprises. Some of the big moments I remember from the show are there, and some aren’t. And there are a few new ones. I can say the same for the characters, too. It’s fun seeing where the showrunners stuck to the script and where they made their tweaks.

But I have to praise the artwork. It’s sublime and gory. You can’t tear your eyes away from some of the gruesome images on the page. The use of black and white for scenes involving blood and viscera was a clever one. It reminds me of one of my favourite movies, George A. Romero’s ‘Night of the Living Dead’.

I aim to dive into the third volume soon, as I’m having a blast.

Book Review: ‘Pet Sematary’ by Stephen King

Leave a comment

For the next book of 2024, I decided to reread Stephen King’s ‘Pet Sematary’.

I first read ‘Pet Sematary’ between thirteen and fifteen. Around the same time, I read ”Salem’s Lot’, and the two books moved me unlike anything else. ‘The Shining’ was my first King book, but these two novels marked the point where I fell in love with his writing. They showed me that horror books for adults can be vibrant yet grim, full of hope and fear. It was the first time I ached for characters when tragedy befell them. I’ve always maintained that these two books are my favourite.

So, with that said, does the book live up to the hype I’ve had in my head for half of my life?

One hundred per cent.

The story follows Louis Creed, a doctor who moves – with his young family – into an old house in Maine. Across the street, a kind old couple, Jud and Norma, live. And up the hill, into the woods, there’s an odd place where generations of kids buried their deceased pets.

The book is beautiful and horrific. The pages rip by, and before you know it, you’re deep in the woods of the novel. The terror is palpable – there’s a reason why King thinks this is his scariest book. And the sorrows are so deep. Even though I already knew the events of the book, they struck me as hard as they did seventeen or so years ago. I was a little scared – in more than one way – to reread ‘Pet Sematary’. I was afraid it wouldn’t live up to the book I had made it out to be in my mind. What a silly notion; this is Stephen King, after all.

‘Pet Sematary’ is one of the best from the best, and it is an absolute must-read.

Book Review: ‘The Near Witch’ by V. E. Schwab

Leave a comment

For my next book of 2024, I read V. E. Schwab’s ‘The Near Witch’.

My wife gifted me this book (along with many others) for Christmas, and I’d wanted to read it for a while. It has a beautiful cover, and anything with ‘witch’ in the title always piques my interest.

The book follows Lexi, a young woman living in the town of Near with her mother and younger sister. In the neighbouring house resides the imposing figure of her overbearing uncle. Some witches live on the outskirts of town, but most people avoid them. There is also an old nursery rhyme about the Near Witch, but everyone thinks this is a fairytale. That is, until a mysterious stranger appears, and the children start to disappear.

I had a good time with ‘The Near Witch’. The pages flew by, and the simple story was engaging. I appreciated the family dynamics, with the friction between our hero and her uncle. But I adored Lexi’s relationship with the witches, who were the show’s true stars. While the budding teen romance didn’t resonate with me, I can see how it would captivate other readers. The creepiness of the titular witch was well executed, although the ending felt a bit rushed.

All in all, I enjoyed Schwab’s debut book. As an aspiring author, reading ‘The Near Witch’ was entertaining and inspiring. The book has its shortcomings, but these imperfections are manageable. It was a good story that shows you don’t need to be perfect to hold the readers’ attention; you only need to entertain.

The best part of ‘The Near Witch’ is that it shows an author with plenty of talent beginning to master her craft.

Book Review: ‘The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower, #2)’ by Stephen King

Leave a comment

I read Stephen King’s ‘The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower, )’ as my next book for 2024.

I’m continuing along with my revisit to the world of the Dark Tower. Book two, in my previous opinion, was where the series started in earnest. The first book was necessary to kickstart the story, but it always felt like the black sheep of the family to me. It wasn’t until I got to book two that I thought, ‘Yeah, I can see why this gets so much love.’

Does the book still stand up in my estimations?

If you know me, you can guess my answer: without a doubt.

The story follows Roland, the last gunslinger, as he reaches the coast, following the end of book one. An encounter with a sea creature leaves him wounded. Struggling with blood poisoning, staggering along the beach, he finds a door in the sand. From there, the story rockets off into the stratosphere. ‘The Drawing…’ is King in his prime, firing on all cylinders. The action gets so intense that it’s unbelievable. I won’t spoil the events, but if you struggled with ‘The Gunslinger’, your payoff begins here.

I first read ‘The Drawing…’ when I was a teen passionate about books. King spellbound me then. I have now reread the book as an adult who also writes as a hobby. King has me in awe – this is a master of his craft flexing his muscles.

Flawless.

Book Review: ‘The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye’ by Robert Kirkman

Leave a comment

Robert Kirkman’s ‘The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye’ is book three of 2024.

Ever since I watched the show – which, for all its flaws, I love – I’ve been curious about the comic. Yet, I never got around to it because I was too busy reading non-graphic books. I craved something visual after finishing Junji Ito’s ‘Tomie’ last year. A perfect chance to check out ‘The Walking Dead’.

The writing is faster-paced than the TV show. This pace was jarring because I expected a slow introduction and build-up. But it makes sense – this is a comic, after all. It’s a different medium. Once I got used to that, I got into the rhythm of each issue. I miss including some of the show’s characters – Daryl – but if I want the show, I can go and watch the show. The comic is its own thing, and it’s bloody good!

The art style is gorgeous and gruesome in equal measure. I often paused at some nastier scenes and found myself whispering, ‘Wow!’ I love the black and white choice; it reminds me of ‘Night of the Living Dead’, one of my favourites. If you love the aesthetics of zombie apocalypse media, there is a lot to love in these comics.

On to ‘The Walking Dead, Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us’!

Book Review: ‘Sour Candy’ by Kealan Patrick Burke

Leave a comment

Kealan Patrick Burke’s ‘Sour Candy’ is the penultimate book on my 2023 reading list.

After devouring Hill’s gargantuan ‘NOS4A2’, I wanted something short and sharp. Burke’s novella fit the bill; others in horror book groups had recommended it all year.

The story follows a divorced, child-free man in a relationship with his girlfriend. One chance encounter in a supermarket and things soon go awry. The man finds himself in charge of a young child, who everyone insists is his son. This universal gaslighting terrified me, and Burke uses it to good effect. And it turns out that there is more to this child than screaming fits and a taste for strange candy brands.

‘Sour Candy’ uses its short length and does not overstay its welcome. Burke packs a lot into these eighty-or-so pages. A lot of it made me uncomfortable and squeamish. You’ll ask yourself throughout the book: can he get out of this alive?

Burke’s ‘Sour Candy’ works well if you need a quick, powerful slice of horror.

Book Review: ‘NOS4A2’ by Joe Hill

Leave a comment

I tackled Joe Hill’s ‘NOS4A2’ for my forty-third read of the year.

This book is epic with a capital ‘E’. It comes in shy of 1,000 pages. I started this a month ago, so it took me a while to get through it. With a reading goal of forty-five books this year, it wasn’t the smartest choice to tackle a few epics like this. But I couldn’t help it; they looked like fun reads! And they proved me right.

‘NOS4A2’ deals with a vampire who takes children to a place he calls ‘Christmasland’. You can see why I chose this time of year to tackle this behemoth. The title comes from the creature’s license plate on his old-fashioned Rolls Royce. Our protagonist, Vic, encounters the vampire as a child and survives. But later, when she is grown and has a child, the monster awakens from its slumber.

I adored this book. It reminded me of Stephen King’s epics, such as ‘It’. That makes sense, considering that Hill is King’s son. There are a few nods to his father’s works, but this is no mimicry or cheap copy. Joe Hill is himself, and ‘NOS4A2’ is a shining example of his creative powers. Considering the book is roughly 1,000 pages, it felt shorter. I read and liked Hill’s debut, ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ a few years back. As a writer, Hill has come on leaps and bounds since then.

I will look out for more of Hill’s work; this was a modern-day masterpiece.

Book Review: ‘Horrorstör’ by Grady Hendrix

Leave a comment

Grady Hendrix’s ‘Horrorstör’ is book thirty-nine of 2023.

I’ve read one book from Hendrix before, and I loved it—’My Best Friend’s Exorcism’. ‘Horrorstör’ is more of a novella than a novel, coming in at under 200 pages. The short length means that this book was perfect, as the previous book I read was a 700+ page mammoth.

‘Horrorstör’ follows Amy, a poor, down-on-her-luck employee of Orsk. Orsk is Ikea, but Hendrix has changed the name to avoid a lawsuit. It’s a massive store with many departments, each designed to look like a section of a house. We all know how Ikea works. Well, it turns out that things are going bump in the night, and Amy’s boss, Basil, is set on finding an explanation. It’s a haunted house story set in a furniture store—a pretty cool idea.

Overall, I liked ‘Horrorstör’, but I didn’t love it. The premise is better than the execution. It doesn’t mean it’s terrible. It’s fun; the pages breeze by. There are a few fun pokes at capitalism and corporate culture. It didn’t reinvent the wheel, but it does the job fine. The shorter length is a plus because it’s a fun little fling.

I’d read more from Hendrix in the future, but I hope they are more like ‘My Best Friend’s Exorcism’.

Book Review: ‘Der Gruselbus’ by Paul van Loon

Leave a comment

Paul van Loon’s ‘Der Gruselbus’ is my next read of the year.

I started reading this in time for Halloween, in my quest to better my German skills. The German in this book was trickier than in R. L. Stine’s ‘Goosebumps/Gänsehaut’ books. But it wasn’t too difficult to the point of incomprehension.

The story follows a class of children and their teacher as they embark upon the titular bus. A driver in a skeleton costume and a strange man on this bus greet them. The stranger is a writer with ten strange objects and a short story to go along with them. Between each tale, the tale of the children on the bus—hearing these stories—progresses. It’s all quite meta, especially for a children’s book.

I had a blast with this book. It’s the most entertaining book I’ve read in German so far. Despite the intended audience, some tales are bleak and gruesome. They had me on the edge of my seat—quite a feat for a kid’s book. The fact that the book consists of several stories, each about ten pages or so, keeps the book feeling fresh. It helps when reading a book in a foreign language.

I would read other books from Paul van Loon in the future.

On to the next German book!