Very enjoyable

I found this book difficult to put down. It quickly draws you into the setting and atmosphere of this very grand but old apartment block in London. I'd advise anyone to read it.

Mostly of interest as a historical curiosity

Never read this before. Bit disappointed to be honest. Great premise. Although film versions have typically been horror films, it's not a horror book. At least it's not really written as one. If you want to put it in a genre (and why not), put it in science fiction. On the other hand, it is an interesting story written in a dull manner. It's just not an exciting book to read. Partly this is because so much of the book is the hero just feeling sorry for himself. Partly it's because it is (by modern standards at least) badly written. Bad writing part one: why have two or three clauses in a sentence when you can have eight or nine? Actually I counted ten clauses in one sentence once. Yes, the story is being told by one character to another and so maybe he just spoke like this, but if he did, he needed the other character to slap him. Bad writing part two: You are suddenly confronted by a horrible monster of your own creation that looks like it is determined to kill you and everyone you love. Would you really say"Begone, foul insect!"?<br /><br />In today's world of snobbish literary criticism, if a teenage society girl (someone like Peaches Geldof say) ran off with a famously decadent celebrity (how about Russell Brand), wrote a short and weird science fiction novel that quoted whole chunks of her new husband's work and had it published, it would be unlikely to get good reviews from the literary establishment*.<br /><br /><br />* Yes, I'm aware that I've just written a sentence with an absurd number of clauses. I didn't say that I was a good writer...

Forget the films

This is a classic book which is well worth reading. No holywood hype - just the exciting story as it was written more than 100 years ago. Even the most"true to the book" film is diverted from the story. The short biography of Stoker is interesting and sets the scene of how life was in the late 19th C (for the lucky few anyway). Enjoy!

Macabre and out there

Torture porn on the written page that doubles up as a contemporary, hedonistic excoriation of a thoroughly detached, materialistic, inhumanly selfish, royally shallow, morally defunct urban populace. It is delivered through an autobiography of a damaged product of a society filled with such mortals and tears apart the American Dream with the teeth most contemporary works would only dream to grow. It is thanks to Ellis's sound understanding of the exact nature of the societal decay that he's able to disguise his comment in what is essentially an uproariously funny yarn about a Wall-Street yuppie obsessed with high-profile couture, standard boy toys [electronics, videos and the ilk], high-street brands, labels, restaurants and cuisines [to a point that is pathological] and who's surrounded by people with the tiresome quotient as high as his, shows what an accomplished writer he is.<br /><br />In the superfluous detail of Pat Bateman's thoroughly repetitive spiel on what he's wearing/smearing on his head/face/body, what the person in front of him is wearing, what he's ordered, what the person in front has ordered--there's an obvious comical satire of the random noise that invades an average, uncontemplated urban existence. The pop-psychologies, the obsession with appearances, the materialistic aspirations, the rehearsed gestures, the empty conflicts, the synthetic choices, all rammed down our throats everyday and enveloping our existence to such an extent, we remain barely human in essence [in Bateman's words, we exist in some kind of abstraction]. Just self-centered, anonymous, transposable, interchangeable automatons like the"successful" Armani-donning yuppies crowding Bateman's life.<br /><br />In the countless gory and unsparingly graphic descriptions of Bateman's nocturnal sexcapades and murders, written in feverishly deranged and utterly believable first person, not only do we have a peek at the inside workings of this demented mortal, but the masterful writer that Ellis is, he is able to conjure a sympathy of sorts for his protagonist as Bateman channels his manic urge to be loved, to feel wanted, connected, felt honestly for in his primitive, violent, cannibalistic [yes, you read this right.. this ain't for the faint of heart] psychopathic rages. And then winks at you suggesting maybe, just maybe, all these didn't occur, or maybe some of it did. <br /><br />Its themes and bigger questions aside, it is a marvellously well-written book. Conversations are natural, imagery elicited is immediate and unfussy, whole chapters dedicated to Whitney Houston, Genesis and Huey Lewis bring a smile on any musical aficionado's face [fanboy of these specific bands or not] and the way he keeps dropping juggernauts of hints inside sentences and sentences of redundant descriptions gets under your skin. The build-up's crazy as the hints and descriptions of Bateman's alter-ego slowly surface in progressively increasing words until the middle-act's so full-on, you are dizzy with the details. And the climactic pay-off's rather brave in its hopelessness. <br /><br />Written with a searing, horizontal eye it is essential reading to get some perspective in and of the modern times. A rather macabre masterpiece!

More than just a vampire story.

Like many people, I read this book because I had seen - and loved - the film. Usually I would advocate reading the book before watching the film, but in the case of Let The Right One In, I think the reverse is probably a good idea. The film is ambiguous about many things (Eli's true relationship with Hakan, Oskar's relationship with his father, Eli's history etc) and the book will fill in all those gaps nicely. <br /><br />I love vampire stories, but Twilight had me despairing that all the good vampy tales were gone. Let The Right One in proved me so very wrong. <br />This is a vampire story, yes, but with the protagonist being only 12 years old and more concerned with finding a friend in his lonely life, it takes on whole new depths. Oskar is an outcast, bullied mercilessly at school and dealing with an over-protective mother and an absentee father. Eli is a 220 year old vampire who also looks, and in many ways mentally *is* 12 years old too. <br />What follows is a truly heartwarming tale of friendship and trust in the midst of some pretty gut-wrenching horror - both things are balanced perfectly. <br /><br />The only reason I've given 4 stars instead of 5 is because the rather large supporting cast has the author changing perspectives just a tad too often. <br />To be fair though, it's not really the author's fault the book is marketed the way it is. If you read it as more of an ensemble piece than just expecting it to focus entirely on Oskar and Eli, then this shouldn't pose any problems for you. <br />And the other characters are in themselves very interesting. There is no absurd glamour here: these are real people, the types who are usually overlooked by Hollywood - and pretty much everyone else - but Lindqvist brings them to life and gives a potent voice to people who usually don't get one at all. <br /><br />This book is at its darkest when dealing, not with the supernatural, but with the evil humans are capable of. However, those of you who like a few good scares and"Ewwww!" moments from your vampire novels will not be dissappointed. <br /><br />The real strength of the book lies in the subtle, yet powerful way the author handles each character's relationships with those around them. <br />The horror works terrifically, but the poignancy is just perfect. <br /><br />I strongly recommend this.

Excellent sci-fi/horror short stories

I bought this book after learning a bit about the Cthulu mythos and other Lovecraft stories online. To me, this is a fantastic collection of works which really suits my interest as a sci-fi/horror/fantasy fan. Thoroughly recommended, with the following comments:<br /><br />Pro's:<br />- Truly scary stuff - I can't say I've ever seen a"horror" film which actually frightened me, maybe just startled or repulsed instead. Some of Lovecraft's stories can inspire true terror if you allow yourself to get sucked in, especially if reading alone in the dark!<br />- Lots of longevity. As the book is made up of many short stories (some only a few pages, others containing many chapters) it's easy to pick up, read as much as you like, then put down and come back to weeks or months later.<br /><br />Con's:<br />- Poor editing. The book contains more typos than any other I've ever read, which can be a little distracting. This is almost certainly just due to laziness on the part of the editor/publisher when compiling Lovecraft's stories, and could've been fixed easily.<br />- Some of the stories are a little formulaic. I imagine in Lovecraft's time when these stories were read independently this wasn't an issue, but having so many of them back-to-back makes it very plain to see the sorts of literary tools he employs, making them a bit less effective as you get further through the book. For example, many of the stories are written from the first-person perspective with the main character recounting some past horror of their lives. Frequently, part of the story is"too terrible to repeat" - at first this isn't a bad thing as it raises the tension, but after reading several stories where the climax is too awful to describe, it starts to feel more like laziness.<br /><br />Neutral comments:<br />- I personally found the images quite distracting. Some of them were good quality and fitted well with the stories on surrounding pages, but in most cases they are simply stock images which have little to do with the storyline (example: a picture of a tentacle holding a skull crops up several times, but I don't remember reading a story containing this description at any point). I imagine they were simply an afterthought to fill gaps in the pages.<br />- Lovecraft's writing is not for everyone. The long and short of it is that he was pretty racist, and it shows in some of his stories. If like me you can ignore this and enjoy the rest of the story for what it is then there's no problem, but others may not feel this way. Ultimately the stories were written in the early 1900's when attitudes were very different, so I don't think this should dissuade most people.<br /><br />Based on the above it may seem I'm pretty critical of the book, but overall I maintain that it deserves 5 stars. The stories Lovecraft wrote were some of the first of their kind, and he inspired a generation of horror writers with them. I'll definitely be looking out for any of his works not included in"Necronomicon" the next time I'm looking for a new book.

Jolly good read ...

I loved this book. I thought it was great. Its no longer than it needs to be and very beautifully written. I thought it was quite scary if I'm honest - not petrifyingly so but just a brilliant little ghost story and not a chainsaw wielding maniac in sight! I really enjoyed getting to know the main character and could really feel his frustration and terror with this house.<br /><br />Excellent. I would highly recommend. <br /><br /><br /><br />

Beyond Awesome

I first read Day by Day Armageddon so long ago, I think there's been two or three more editions since then (my original copy was the self-published version). It was written in journal format, the main character was a soldier on leave when the outbreak occurs, and the book ended with his group of survivors defending an underground military base from another group of survivors who were more of a threat than the undead. Many readers described the character as"right-wing," and some complained that book was overloaded with heavy military terminology. There were also some black and white"photos" included. The thing is, Bourne is an active-duty officer (which is why this sequel took so long), and I think his character just relfected that. Not to mention the fact that it was suppose to be a personal journal in the first place, but I couldn't figure out when the character had time to snap off some pics while running from zombies.<br /><br />I'm happy to say there were no cheesy pics included in Beyond Exile. There was still a lot of military terminology, but nothing so complicated that you have to run to the internet to figure out what the charcters are talking about. The entries of the journal are much longer, and more detailed than they were in the first book. In fact, it was a lot less like a journal in general, and more like the personal story of a survivor divided by dates instead of chapters.<br /><br />The story begins exactly where it left off, after the battle with the other group of survivors. The explosions have attracted the attention of military convoy; while they are searching for the source, some Marines get trapped by a zombie horde, and asked for help over the radio. An extraction group is sent out from the underground base, Hotel 23, and they bring the Marines back with them. Although they go to great lengths to keep the location secret, after the Marines leave, they come back with"friends." In an attempt to avoid another bloody confrontation, the survivors come to a reluctant agreement with the military group. Soon after, the author of the journal finds himself separated from the safety of Hotel 23, after a scouting mission goes horribly wrong. In his efforts to find his way back he meets another survivor, and also discovers a secret militant organization. When he finally finds safe sanctuary again at the end of the book, it's quickly yanked out from under him.<br /><br />It's extremely difficult to write anything about this sequel without giving away major spoilers, but I will add that the zombies are being affected by the nukes dropped in the first book, and it's not just radiation poisoning that the survivors have to worry about now. Beyond Exile was one of the very few zombie novels that frightened me at all. The direction Bourne is taking with his zombies is an epic nightmare.<br /><br />I recommend reading the first book, just for the background on the characters, but don't expect the sequel to be much like it. I sncerely hope that Bourne can get out the third installment more quickly this time.

Five star zombie book -really?

As someone who remembers seeing Romero's Dawn of the Dead at the cinema, and having appreciated the awe and fear that undead hordes inspired in me, I have often sought to experience that feeling again. A few zombie films have done so, but the only books that had a similar ambience have been Simons Clark's King Blood and Blood Crazy.<br />I regret to inform you that, although Flu is OK, it just doesn't 'involve' me.<br />Some reviews suggest that there is good characterisation - there isn't. Its a short book with shorthand characters and very little successful attempts at back stories or motivation - Stephen King, it ain't. The authorities in particular make no sense whatsoever and are just stereotypically 'nasty' because they are the authorities.<br />The zombies are inconsistent and their abilities/behaviour vary wildly according to the requirements of the story, invading tower blocks in large numbers at one point whilst ignoring midterrace properties that they have seen the protagonists enter many times!<br />All-in-all no more than average - if you fancy something different and better written try Feed (Newsflesh, Book 1) which has it's faults but is a far more fleshed out and satisfactory read.<br />My search goes on!

Wonderful novel, but be careful about the edition

"Frankenstein" is one of those books one ought to have read, and, as is rarely the case, one that also thoroughly rewards the reading. The figure of the monster is a remarkable creation, and the narrative itself is compelling. For that reason, five stars, without a doubt. However, I've given this edition four stars largely as a warning to students of the novel: this presents the 1818 text, which contains substantial differences to the 1831 text that is more common nowadays. While this (the 1818) text may be more acceptable in scholarly circles, you may well encounter frustrations if others (and in particular teachers) are referring to passages in the later, revised version of the text. Where this book excels, as most Oxford editions do, is in the quality of the editorial material on hand, which is genuinely useful and illuminating. As long as you know what you're getting, you will be very happy with this edition, but if in doubt, check.<br /><br />The 1831 text is available in the Wordsworth classics edition. Unfortunately, it is much less well served in terms of notes and introductory material.

Frankenstein

I brought this for my daughter for her english course, she has found it a really great book[[ASIN:1853260231 Frankenstein (Wordsworth Classics): Or, the Modern Prometheus

Not to be (dis) missed....

First off - I'm an avid reader of all things Zombie: Being from the UK, I was instantly drawn to the title - there are scant few novels of this genre being written that are set in the UK, so for me it was a refreshing respite from the US-centred plethora that are available. Whilst I enjoy the majority of these immensely, the consistent 'survivalist' theme and gun-centric defence tactics often leave me feeling displaced from the stories.<br /><br />With Zombie Britannica (and as a Brit), I am allowed to immerse myself in the terror being experienced by the characters, because in my life, I don't have access to an arsenal of semi-automatic weapons, or a finely made German handgun at my side - fighting for your life with nothing more than what is to hand, creates a better sense of realism in the story for me - it just seems more 'gritty' when it reflects your own reality.<br /><br />The characters within the story are well introduced and believable, there is an empathy built with the leads and an equal amount of contempt for the sub-characters as the story breathes. For me, it was paced correctly, and there was sufficient book 'gripping' and page turning to indicate that the more tense moments had the right balance and effect.<br /><br />As a non-genre fan, you could quite easily pick this up and enjoy it for what I think it is - a swashbuckling tale at heart, that will keep you turning the pages and wondering what all the zombies are about. As a zombie fan, I think the attraction lies in its diversion from the 'Romero'/'28 Days Later' type of protagonists and the depressive realisation that if you live in the UK - and if a zombie apocalypse does happen - you have to rely on your Dad's golf clubs for protection...<br /><br />Look forward to more of the same... <br /><br />

The start of an epic

I had heard great things about The Dark Tower series before I took the plunge. Everyone said it is one of the greatest epics.<br /><br />It's hard to pin point what the book is at first but you soon feel immersed in the world of The Gunslinger and hope he does in deed find the man in black.<br /><br />The writing is of course brilliant as it is Stephen King and it is a terrific page turner, I just couldn't put it down.<br /><br />If you love epics or even just westerns then this is a must have.

Different, but still disappointing

I read this book hoping for a take on the vampire story which was different from the rash of alternately saccharine and soft core porn vampire novels which proliferate at the moment, and it was indeed different. However, it seems that darker does not necessarily mean better and apparently it also does not mean I'm any more likely to enjoy it.<br /><br />Yes, this book is dark, but it's dark all the time and clearly takes itself very seriously. There are no moments of levity to break the monotonous, stifling morbidity, and while I appreciate this is the tone of the book, there are a lot of wasted opportunities for some delicious black humour which would have been the perfect accent to it. Louis' constant philosophising which helps to flesh out Rice's take on the vampire myth wandered between being pompous and being whiney and once again shows a complete lack of irony or self-reflection, even though the eponymous vampire is supposedly looking back on these thoughts from the distance of many years. The interview device which facilitated this is, at best, inconsistently maintained. Great swathes of text went by without any recourse to the interviewer, and I thought that better use could have been made of this neglected outsider perspective.<br /><br />That said, there were some aspects of the novel that I enjoyed. Claudia is a fabulous character, far more interesting than the insipid narrator. I also appreciate the way that Rice gives the narrative a seductively sensual quality without ever having any of the characters have sex. This gives her writing a class and elegance which I find lacking in modern vampire books. It was also an enormous relief to see the word `velvet' only ever used in the context of fabric (Christine Feehan, I'm looking at you). Nonetheless, this book just wasn't for me, but I can see why so many people enjoy it.

More of the same

If you read the first of this trilogy and enjoyed it, you will likely like this second book. More vampires, more fighting, more background mythology, more last-chance-for-mankind.<br /><br />If you have not read the first book, this one won't make sense.

More of the same old

I expected rather more from this book, given the pedigree of the two co-authors. In fact, the book really does seem to have been genuinely written by two authors; the distinction between the supernatural element provided, I guess, by Del Toro and the thriller action scenes by Hogan.<br /><br />If not, I apologise to the respective authors but I found the action parts of the book really good whereas the vampire stuff was just too stereotypical. It would have Bram Stoker turning in his grave, for starters.<br /><br />The main characters are those intent on defeating the forces of evil which have successfully entered the US in a coffin - what else? - in a passenger plane. Given that we are told (many times) what was going to happen, I found the chapters dealing with the rancid half-zombies, fully turned vampires and their victims intensely boring. Having watched the Blade trilogy, presumably what happens in this book has been influenced somewhat by the contents of those films, even down to our hero wearing a silver sword across his back.<br /><br />We have a little love interest, a hero with a broken family, a strange Professor with an Armenian name, a few oddball yet heroic hangers-on and, of course, let's not forget the mad billionaire wishing to live forever. <br /><br />If your thing is pure escapism you've probably come to the right place. Del Toro's influence shows in many of the scenes and one wonders whether this was written with a view to a later film similar to the `Dusk Till Dawn' trilogy. I can see how this might well work but as a book intent on giving you nightmares, I think it falls well short, principally because it's all been done before.<br /><br />The idea, I guess, is sound enough but the prosecution of it leaves a great deal of unease; not because the gory bits are frightening but more that this book is the first of three and I can't quite imagine why it couldn't all have be fitted into just one. The ending has to be a cliff-hanger otherwise nobody will read book 2 and that is what you get. Notwithstanding, it's all too easy, the sort of, `with one leap he was free' syndrome.<br /><br />On the plus side, a vampire tale which reverts to the hurt and harm makes a welcome change from the current lovey-dovey so-called vampire stories. Whether it will be strong enough to last another two books is another question which only the fans of this genre will decide.<br />

Can't wait for the next one in the series!

Really enjoyed the book, and there are more promised in the series.<br />A good holiday read and I would rate 4/5.

Do not ignore these reviews...

"The Shining" is the most engaging, terrifying and satisfying novel ever written. King will always be known for this classic horror/thriller/psychological/drama. This novel has everything every reader seeks. Spooks, psychological warfare between the sexes and generations, historical atmosphere, madness, kindness, life and death. This book is a modern classic. I dare anyone to read it and not be affected. King brought us a new way of viewing our deepest fears, breaking from the traditional"ghost story" form and introducing the good and bad relationships between people.The horror in his works derives from our own interactions with all around us. With this novel, King turned the"Ghost story" into a"People story".. The scariest element of this novel is that we take sides with the looney, because we understand why he flips. That's why this is such a great book. The hero is the villian. (Of course, female readers may disagree with this, but, boys, you know what King is saying). A fantastic piece of literature. Well written, engaging and totally, in American parlance, un-put-downable. The Shining is an experience you will not forget. If you meet someone who has not read"The Shining", ignore them.

Like Zombies? Like pride and prejudice? You'll love this!

I am a massive fan of Pride and prejudice. I love the book and I love the original BBC TV drama (not so keen on the film).<br /><br />This book is well written. I laughed out loud several times, mainly due to the descriptions of how the Zombies meet their end. It kept me engrossed and although there are one or two points that I wasn't too keen on (which to avoid spoilers I will not describe) they in no way spoilt the book.<br /><br />Obviously with a title like 'Pride and prejudice AND ZOMBIES' this is not a book for non zombie fans, but I would highly recommend it to anyone else. <br /><br />Very entertaining.

Fantastic Fantasy

It's a long time since I've done a lot of recreational reading and I'd made a mid-year's resolution to get back into the habit. When I last read a Discworld book there were only four of them... but after reading the back of the jacket, I guessed that this would be something along similar lines. I fancied a book that was lighthearted and humorous and Retromancer certainly hit the spot for me. I liked the many time travel and continuity related gags, plus the characters were larger than life and likable too. I'd probably have prefered a more well-rounded villain, but you can't have everything (Can you...?) Silly, but not stupid - this book is full of laugh out loud moments and would certainly encourage me to pick up something else by Mr. Rankin.