Category Archives: Horror

book review, Children's Fantasy, Children's Fiction, fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Horror Fiction, Horror Fiction, paranormal, Supernatural

THE CROOKED DOOR – REVIEW

Leave a comment

Litercurious Book Review

The Crooked Door - Brad McLelland & Louis Sylvester
The Crooked Door – Brad McLelland & Louis Sylvester
TitleThe Crooked Door
AuthorsBrad McLelland & Louis Sylvester
PublisherHenry Holt and Co. (BYR) (April 11, 2023)
FormatKindle, Hardcover
Pages320
GenreChildren’s Spine-Chilling Horror /
Children’s Action & Adventure Books (Books)
LanguageEnglish
ISBN 10/131250124387 / 978-1250124388

AUTHORS

Brad McLelland was born and raised in Arkansas and spent several years working as a crime journalist in the South. In 2011, he obtained his MFA in creative writing from Oklahoma State University, where he met his writing partner, Louis. A part-time drummer and singer, Brad lives in Oklahoma with his wife, his stepdaughter, a mini Aussie who gives hugs, and a chubby cat who begs for ham. He is also the co-author of the Legends of the Lost Causes series.

Louis Sylvester is a professor at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. He and his wife spend their free time playing tabletop games from his collection of over a thousand card and board games. Louis enjoys watching Western films and reading fantasy novels. He has two dogs that go wild when they hear the word treats. He is also the co-author of the Legends of the Lost Causes series.

Excerpt taken from The Crooked Door.

SYNOPSIS

Thirteen year old Ginny and her family are moving to a new state and a new town. They are forced to take a detour off the main highway when their troubles begin. Bernard, their crusty old pick-up truck, breaks down just outside of picturesque Pottsville. It is a story book town; clean, no traffic, happy people, with kids playing and riding their bikes in the streets.

While the local mechanic takes a look at Bernard, Ginny is taken away by some of the local kids for a tour of the town. Toy stores, ice cream shops, and bike shops are everywhere but there is something disturbing about the town. The lack of cars on the streets, the aged dress of the locals and the distant looks on their faces give Ginny a bad vibe. When the kids take her into the Town Hall basement, she really gets spooked. There, in the middle of the floor is a crooked door. She’s told to knock twice, donate some blood and the thing most dear to her and she will receive a wish. Her wish comes true but what is the price?

After Ginny gets back to the hotel, things really get spooky. The town at night transforms into something twisted with demonic creatures roaming the streets. Her parents are no where to be found, and Ginny is frantic. She learns that picturesque Pottsville is really a dimensional realm for twisted fairies and creatures of the night. The creatures demand sacrifice and Ginny’s parents are next on the menu. No one can escape Pottsville; everyone that tries to leave always end up back where they started.

Will Ginny find her parents in time? Can they escape Pottsville? Can she avoid the creatures of the night and the ghouls that are tracking her? Can she save her family and the kids of Pottsville?

CONCLUSION

The Crooked Door is a slow starter; about half-way the book took off and I couldn’t put it down once things got going. Reminiscent of Stephen King, it has just the right creepy feel to it. As I read the book, it reminded me of the Twilight Zone episode “It’s a Good Life,” featuring Bill Mumy. It also has a “Children of the Corn” vibe throughout the story, and it even takes a little from “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson. A really good combination of horror and creepy.

Although the first half of the book was slow and the story and characters weren’t fully developed, the second half more than made up for it. In the second half the characters really come to life and the suspense is palatable. You can feel the fear and anxiety in the prose. The authors take the reader on a fantastic but scary journey filled with suspense and excitement. The horror seen through a young desperate girls eyes trying to save her family and escape demonic beings is an intense and adrenalin fueled journey.

Suitable for all ages, I highly recommend sticking with the book once you start it. You will not be disappointed. I really enjoyed The Crooked Door.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

ACKNLOWLEDGEMNTS

I would like to thank Brad McLelland & Louis Sylvester, Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to review The Crooked Door.

OTHER WORKS BY THIS AUTHOR

book review, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Adventure

DEAD SILENCE – REVIEW

Leave a comment

Litercurious Book Review

Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes
Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes
TitleDead Silence
AuthorS. A. Barnes
PublisherTor Nightfire January 25, 2022
FormatKindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
Pages352
GenreScience Fiction Adventure, Science Fiction Adventures, Horror
LanguageEnglish
ISBN-13:9781250819994

“Barnes leads us through a spectacular Sci-Fi based phantasmagorical journey into horror in the Communications Web of deep space.”

Nemo 25 October, 2021

AUTHOR

S. A BARNES

S.A. BARNES works in a high school library by day, recommending reads, talking with students, and removing the occasional forgotten cheese-stick-as-bookmark. The author has published numerous novels across different genres. Barnes lives in Illinois with more dogs and books than is advisable and a very patient spouse.

SYNOPSIS

Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes is a space based tense sojourn into the Schitzo-effected world of Claire Kovalik, Team Leader of LINA – a communications repair space vehicle. Claire, as a child, was the sole survivor of the accident at the Ferris Outpost. An experience that left her traumatized and experiencing the supernatural, or is it just Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

The crew receives an emergency transmission from the Aurora; a space liner that disappeared twenty years ago without a trace. They reluctantly answer the call and discover horrors, mysteries, phantoms, and challenges beyond their imagination. Claire Kovalik must conquer her conflicted self, the crew and the company to find her own salvation in the face of incredible odds. Will she be able to put her own demons to bed and rise to the occasion, or will she lose everything by trying?

CONCLUSION

Dead Silence is expertly crafted and the stress ramps up as the story advances. There are shocks, jump scares, and descriptions of horrific encounters throughout. The crew are a disparate group of mismatched characters that are bound by a loose affiliation. As the team begins to be challenged, they pull together in an unholy alliance to combat the growing threats leveled against them.  United in their hate for the Verux Company and the wish to grow rich, they combat the enemies within and without in a fight to the death. 

A truly original narrative, captivating throughout, driven by the psychological complexity and flaws in the lead characters personality; together with the interplay of the small crew. 

Dead Silence is written in a style of the great science fiction writers. It is every bit as consuming and compelling as Alien, Ghost Ship, or Event Horizon. There is a very real recognition of Claire as being a genuine character. We know she is unlikely to circumvent the multitude of challenges she must face and survive, but regardless we are encouraged to stay with her until the end. 

Dead Silence is a must read! It is engaging, exciting, horrific, and surprising. It has been sometime since I have felt the kind of engagement with characters in a book that drive me to yearn for the next time I can pick it up; there is no higher form of praise than that. 

Rating: 4 out of 5.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank S. A. Barnes, Tor Nightmare and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to review Dead Silence.

Audiobook, book review, Fiction, Horror

THE END OF THE WHOLE MESS – Review

Leave a comment

Litercurious Book Review

TitleThe End Of The Whole Mess
AuthorStephen King
PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio; Unabridged (Sep. 29, 2009)
FormatAudiobook
Time1 Hour, 1 Minute
GenreShort Stories, Horror literature and fiction
LanguageEnglish
ISBN 10/13 ASIN9780743598231/ 978-0743598231
0743598237

“I want to tell you about the end of war. The degeneration of mankind, and the death of the Messiah.” 

The End Of The Whole Mess, Stephen King, Simon & Schuster Audio Unabridged September, 29, 2009

Author

The seemingly infinitely creative Stephen King is the author of The End Of The Whole Mess and Other Short Stories.

Synopsis

The End of the Whole Mess is a short science fiction story by American writer Stephen King, first published in Omni Magazine in 1986. It was collected in King’s Nightmares & Dreamscapes in 1993 and in Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse in 2008. The story is written in the form of a personal journal. It relates the story of the narrators’, Howard Fornoy, genius younger brother’s attempt to cure humanity’s aggressive tendencies.

Key Character’s

Narrator: Howard Fornoy

Brother: Robert, the ‘Messiah;’ 7 year age difference.

Plot

In an apocryphal tale set in a pre-apocalyptic era sometime in the near future; a gifted narcissistic philanthropist and his older talented brother engage in a plan to improve society and fix its ills. The apparent failure of their plan triggers the very apocalypse they had sought to curtail. As often happens with quick fixes, the medicine proves worse than the sickness, and as a result humanity’s future again hangs in the balance.

Author’s Purpose For The Story

King challenges the audience to re-assess their own zeitgeist from the perspective of the two key characters: Howard Fornoy and his autodidactic younger brother Robert. His cautionary fable encourages the reader to asses the decisions made and the resultant consequences. King presents us with the dichotomy between allowing a failing system to continue unchanged and falling to the lowest point naturally; or to do something so outrageous that your actions precipitate a more dire situation. King cleverly convinces us of the primacy of Bob’s theory in a world lacking hope. Once the process is set in operation, the unforeseen and irrevocable consequences begin to unfold. 

Narrator

MATHEW BRODERICK

Mathew Broderick provides a first person compelling and skillful narrative. He immediately engenders the character with his eloquent delivery and managed to add tone and texture in a perfect tempo throughout. Broderick manages to paint the characters in full 3D, techno-color on the canvas of the mind. He expertly annunciates every emotion, with impressive levels of expertise. All these combine to produce a totally enjoyable journey. Broderick’s narration enhanced and improved the story bringing it to life fully formed and entrancing.    

Conclusion

The perfect storm of the author and narrator combines to create a thoroughly enjoyable distraction from the woes of the world in 2020. It may only take just over an hour to listen to this apologue, but the story will continue to resonate with you for days.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

A SELECTION OF OTHER WORKS BY THIS AUTHOR

Audiobook, Audiobooks, Horror, Supernatural, Suspence, Thriller

HEART-SHAPED BOX – Review

Leave a comment

LITERCURIOUS AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

TitleHeart-Shaped Box
Author/NarratorAuthor Joe Hill / Stephen Lang
PublisherShadow Mountain (Sep 8, 2020)
FormatAudiobook
Length11.1 Hours
GenreHorror / Thriller / Suspense
Language:English
ASINB002SQBG70

AUTHOR

To learn about Joe Hill, check out our authors spotlight here.

NARRATOR

Stephen Lang is an American actor, playwright co-artistic director. He received a Tony Award and the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor. He is best known for his role in Avatar. He has a long and distinctive film and television career. He has done voice-over work on video games and narrates a wide variety of audiobooks.  

SYNOPSIS

Heart-Shaped Box is a paranormal tiptoe though the life of a 50 something rock-star named Jude Coyne; aka Judas. Judas lives a semi-reclusive existence in Piecliff, New York. At the story’s inception, he has a small retinue consisting of his girlfriend Georgia and his loquacious Californian Personal Assistant, Danny.

Judas has a macabre occult and disturbing collection of objet d’art. At Danny’s suggestion, he decides to purchase another item for his assemblage from a popular online bidding site. It is an unusual item; as it is claimed to be a haunted suit. Unknowingly to Judas, the suit belonged to the stepfather of his dead ex-girlfriend. With the arrival of the artifact; a perfect storm of past and present events conspires together to propel Judas into a living nightmare.

The paranormal antagonist is a literal Swiss Army Knife of the supernatural realm. Craddock McDermott was the stepfather of Florida, who committed suicide after her breakup with Judas. The specter uses his life skills to bring hell into the head, heart and soul of Jude Coyne. In an all out blood vendetta from the grave; only the death of Coyne and his helpers will satisfy the lust for revenge. Judas seems ill equipped to defend himself. No matter how far or how fast he runs from McDermott, he can never escape. McDermott is not only behind him, but also in him; in his mind.

Florida’s decline after her breakup with Judas and the impact of subsequent events pulls at the heartstrings with just the right amount of pathos. I found the telephone call from Florida’s sister to be among the most chilling chapters of the book. Easy banter, quickly replaced with unrestrained vitriol and a promise of rightful revenge to follow.

CONCLUSION

Heart-Shaped Box is another winner from the pen of Joe Hill.

Overtly graphic, unflinchingly morose and disturbingly dark, the characters are perfectly sculpted. “The Devil is in the details,” as they say and this is never truer than when describing Heart-Shaped Box. It is every bit as much of a psychological thriller as a paranormal tale of terror. It is always unpredictable, atmospheric throughout with taut tracts that will haunt you in your dreams.

The narrator Stephen Lang was engaging and performed his role with some élan. He managed to bring a sophistication and an angle to the tale by enhancing the written word and bringing the characters to life.

Listening to Heart-Shaped Box, there is an inevitability and a fatality to the whole thing; a feeling that you are on an out of control roller-coaster in Christmasland. Most perverse of all is; you never want to jump off until the ride is over.

Does Judas manage to prevent the death of those who help or support him? I guess you will have to listen or read for yourself to find out.

The whole package works. Just lay back, listen and let the story take you with the help of a fine up and coming writer and a magnificent narrator. If you love skillfully written tales of horror with a twist why not let Heart-Shaped Box be your next audiobook journey? With Hill’s work, the chills come as standard.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

OTHER AUDIOBOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR

PREVIOUS REVIEW OF A WORK BY THIS AUTHOR

Select image to read our review of NOS4A2.

book review, fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Supernatural

NOS4A2 – REVIEW

Leave a comment

Litercurious Book Review

TitleNOS4A2
AuthorJoe Hill
PublisherWilliam Morrow & Company (October 31, 2013)
FormatPaperback
GenreHorror
Page720
LanguageEnglish
ASIN #B00QQ198Z0

“An inscape, a world of thought. In a world made of thought—in an inscape—every idea is a fact. Emotions are as real as gravity. Dreams are as powerful as history. Creative people, like writers, and Henry Rollins, spend a lot of their time hanging out in their thought-world. S-s-strong creatives, though, can use a knife to cut the stitches between the two worlds, can bring them together. Your bike. My tiles. Those are our knives.”

Joe Hill, NOS4A2 (October 31, 2013). Ch. The Librarian, Loc. 1417-1427

AUTHOR

See our Authors Spotlight here.

SYNOPSIS

NOS4A2 is a horror novel written by Joe Hill. It is every horror aficionados dream. The central characters are Vic McQueen, an intuitive wild child with a penchant for two wheels, an infinite curiosity, a need for speed, and a special skill. Charlie Manx a sinister otherworldly psychic vampire. Bing is a sociopath with a dark past and darker future. Margret Leigh is a librarian with unique talents. Louis Carmody is a friend to Vic and father to their child. In addition are McQueen’s dysfunctional extended family.

When the story begins Vic lives with her parents in Haverhill, Massachusetts, not far from Lake Winnipesaukee; a favorite family getaway. 

Victoria McQueen – AKA Vic or The Brat

NOS4A2 is a standout in every way as a horror product. Set in contemporary times. The key character, Vic McQueen, is an 8-year-old child living in Haverhill with her dysfunctional mother and father who are in a combative relationship. Vic is a wild-child with an extraordinary gift. She is an exceptional artist, but that is not her only trait. She soon discovers her other talent, a symbiotic relationship between her and her bicycle; her ‘knife’ (a psychic tool that can act as a portal via the Shorter Way over a psychic bridge to anywhere she wants to go). Together they can traverse the ethereal plane.  

Hill’s novel steers us through the life of Vic from her days as a child, her teenage years and struggles, to her maturation. A life altering event; a clash with Charlie Manx, leads Vic on a personal and dramatic course that defines her life thereafter.

Charles Talent Manx – AKA Charlie Manx

Charles Talent Manx is the principal evil protagonist. He is a filicidal psychopath and mass killer. He has a distinctive overbite, ancient appearance, dresses strangely, and drives a vehicle from another era; a Rolls Royce Wraith. The Wraith is more than just a car, it is part of his Manx-scape, his inner-verse, it is his “knife.” The automobile is implicated in Manx’s unhealthy interest in children. He seemingly spirits them away in his Rolls Royce to his inscape, which he calls Christmasland. In an accident of synchronicity, Vic McQueen and Manx cross paths; from there the game is afoot. 

Bing Partridge

Bing Partridge is a rotund, bespectacled man from Sugarcreek, PA. Bing was tried and convicted of parricide for both of his parents. He is a sexual deviant and fascinated with using sevoflurane (Gingerbread scented gas). Sevoflurane is one of the volatile gases that includes: halothane, isoflurane, and desflurane. Partridge employs the gas as an anesthetic to render his victims insensible. He utilizes a military gas mask, given to him by his father when he was a child, to prevent himself from suffering the analgesic affects.

Bing is Manx’s most recent assistant; there have been many over the years. Bing has a fascination for Christmas, gas masks, and mature adult women; although his interests range too much lower age groups. He is dull, has a complex range of paraphilias and appears to suffer from an insufficiency of intellect with elements of psychopathy, and sociological illness. Cunning like a fox and yet barely able to operate in society, Bing shares Manx’s abnormal love of Christmas and Christmasland. Bing can, and will, do anything to attain Christmasland with its promise of eternal life surrounded by gingerbread and all the accoutrements, including access to children.

Ms. Margret Leigh – AKA Maggie

Ms. Margret Leigh is a scrabble maven with a special bag and a spluttering stammer. Maggie has a sapphic nature and works as a librarian in a small town. She is fascinated with scrabble. Maggie has her own “knife,” involving the use of her scrabble bag. She can retrieve messages that aid her in seeing future events.

Louis Carmody – AKA Lou Carmody

Lou is Vic’s significant other and father to Bruce Wayne McQueen. He is an all-around nice guy, dedicated father, and part-time hero.  

CONCLUSION

Joe Hill could be the best contemporary horror writer of our time. 

NOS4A2 is a strong tale, perfectly paced, and totally engrossing. It has a stupendous narrative, is skillfully written with superior character definition, and has a compelling chronology. It is a mythos all its own and I would not be surprised if it becomes a timeless favorite of many horror story lovers. 

NOS4A2 is replete with numerous literary Easter-eggs. He doffs his hat throughout the book to his illustrious literary family and references locations from their works. A reference to Shawshank is just one example. Notable locations: The House of Sleep, The Shorter Way, Manx The Sleigh House, the Graveyard of What Might Be.

I have seen the television show featuring a screenplay adapted from the book. My recommendation is that you should forget the show and read the book. The written form is far superior and elaborates much more than the TV version. There is simply no comparison between the two experiences. 

I have already identified my next Joe Hill book and decided on his award-winning number one best seller Heart-Shaped Box. What will your next Joe Hill novel be?

Take a look below where I have provided a read-for-free link to four of his works on KindleUnlimited. 

Rating: 5 out of 5.

OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR

Other books by this author are included on his Author’s Spotlight here. There is a range of his works that are currently free-to-read on KindleUnlimited – as of 1 July, 2020. Select the image below to view:

book review, Fiction, Horror

N – Review

Leave a comment

Litercurious Book Review

TitleN (Taken From Just After Sunset Collection, 2008)
AuthorStephen King
PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
FormatAudiobook
Time12 hours 17 minutes
AudienceFiction, Horror Anthologies, Short Stories
LanguageEnglish
ASIN #B001L4EF46

AUTHOR

Stephen King; need I say more.

SYNOPSIS

This is another novella by the eponymous Stephen King. This tale is taken from King’s 2008 Just After Sunset Collection. Whilst the narrative has the feel a Lovecraftian novel, it’s claimed that it’s actually inspired by Arthur Machen’s work. 

The story is set in the familiar Kingeascian surreal world of Castle Rock, Maine. The story focuses primarily upon two key characters, Johnny Bonsaint and N. Johnny is a Psychiatrist and his client N is a 48 years old divorcee with children and a partner in a large accounting firm.

The account opens with a letter from Johnny’s sister Shelia Bonsaint Laclaire who discovered a manuscript in her brothers affects following his suicide. The case file holds a warning penned on it, to burn it. She foolishly ignores the instructions. Disturbed by the contents of the file, she enlists the assistance of Charlie, a distant family friend and associate from her youth. She asks him to read it and she gives him permission to burn the document should he feel it necessary. With the stage now set, the case file is revealed and what it contains is nothing short of nightmare fuel.

What follows is the account contained within the case file of a series of consultations by Doctor Bonsaint with his client N. The doctor initially concludes a simple case of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and a mild case of insomnia causing sleep deprivation. The doctor also senses something else, but he isn’t sure of the cause.   

Over the next few sessions, N reveals that he has repeatedly visited a location he calls Ackerman’s Field. In the first instance to photograph the beautiful location. It’s revealed that the standing stones have influenced him and exasperated his OCD symptoms. Thus, propelling him into an uncontrolled counting behavior, the outward manifestation of his anxiety disorder.

What follows could be considered a dive into the esoteric and abstract concepts of a Cosmic Monster verse. If this were not bad enough, what follows is far worse. King masterfully leads the reader little-by-little, teasing, tantalizing, and building the tension piece-meal until you are as engaged as the characters.

CONCLUSION

N is the best King Novella you never heard of. I love it that Castle Rock is back in the mix again. N is an ideal read for anyone in a hurry or on the commute. It is intriguing, compelling, and dark. N is a slow burner that captures your attention and then slowly reels you into the horror universe. Yet, another winner from the stable of Stephen King.

The 112 pages shouldn’t take you much more than two hours and twenty minutes to read. The audiobook is about two hours and seventeen minutes. If you haven’t heard the audiobook version, it is made PHENOMENAL through the spoken talents of Denis O’Hare et. al.  

Rating: 4 out of 5.

OTHER AUDIOBOOK COLLECTIONS

BY

STEPHEN KING

Biography, book review, fantasy, Fiction, Horror, paranormal

Norman 2 – REVIEW

Leave a comment

Litercurious Book Review

TitleNorman 2: The True Story of a Possessed Doll’s Revenge
AuthorSteven Lancaster
PublisherLlewellyn Publications (September 8, 2020)
FormatKindle, Paperback
Pages264
LanguageEnglish
ASIN#B0841637W9

AUTHOR

Stephen Lancaster is a self-proclaimed phenomenologist and has been involved in the field of paranormal research since 1997. In 2010 he became an author; chronicling his experiences investigating the paranormal.

WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE?

The target audience for this publication is all those who have an interest in the paranormal and horror stories.

SYNOPSIS

Norman 2 is the sequel to Norman: The Doll That Needed to Be Locked Away. The earlier publication introduced Norman, a doll that the author and his wife discovered in a store. An ominous comment from the store owner piqued Lancaster’s interest, and he bought the doll and took it home. All too quickly, Stephen Lancaster claims, Norman began performing for his new audience. Almost immediately, sinister occurrences began to take place that forced him to utilize cameras to capture footage of the paranormal happenings. The author claims to have extensive footage relating to the possessed doll. The Lancaster’s lives become a nightmare that escalated exponentially over time. Eventually provoking the author to place the doll in a vacant room in an attempt to assuage the temper of Norman the doll. 

It is now two years later and Norman 2 continues the haunting tale. As the saying goes, sensational claims require sensational proof and that seems to be where the wheels come of this project. I am only too aware that paranormal investigators claim that their methods are based in science but that just isn’t so. The scientific method requires a number of things: for example, the experiment is repeatable producing the same result. In addition, it must be possible for your peers to replicate the same experiment and attempt to prove your theory wrong. In the paranormal world it is impossible to find irrefutable proof derived from the scientific method.

In Norman 2 Lancaster attempts to prove with visual evidence the voracity of his claims. I remain skeptical as I felt the events described fell short of proof of paranormal occurrences.

Lancaster recounts various disturbing situations including a seemingly spontaneous fire claimed to have been created by Norman in its room. There are instances of exaggerations or sensational claims that reduce, rather than increase the probity of the claims. The telling of the story reminded me of the over elaboration of a bad liar. I came to the uncomfortable conclusion that I was being lied to.

CONCLUSION

Throughout the book there were examples of repetition, misspellings and an amateurish writing style. This devalued the trope almost as much as the outlandish claims themselves. The work could have been far more concise and measured. I found myself being less subjective in part due to the lack of skilled writing, language, grammar, and vocabulary. 

If the family are so afraid of the doll it seems odd that they should wish to continue to house it in their home. Is the doll inhabited by a restless spirit, a demon, or the soul of a dead child? That question I leave for you to decide.

I am aware the force of my review may indicate I do not enjoy the entertainment value of paranormal entertainment shows and literature. I am intrigued with the subject and have been since I read The Amityville Horror as a child. I consumed the book in less than 24 hours, not stopping to sleep until I finished it. 

Incidentally, I do enjoy reading publications on the paranormal, especially when they are well written, balanced, and subjective. I enjoy paranormal literature that present the claims and evidence that leave it for me to decide if the claims carry any weight or not.

This is simply my opinion and you have your own and that is why I recommend you read the first book and then decide if you would like reading Norman 2. 

Rating: 2 out of 5.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank Steven Lancaster, NetGalley and Llewellyn Publications for affording me the opportunity to review Norman 2: The True Story of a Possessed Doll’s Revenge.

OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR

SPOOKS AND KNOCKERS UNCENSORED IS CURRENTLY FREE TO READ on KindleUnlimited

book review, Fiction, Horror, Horror Fiction, Horror Fiction, paranormal, Suspence, Thriller

Everything’s Eventual – REVIEW

1 Comment

Litercurious Book Reviews

TitleEverything’s Eventual                                             
AuthorStephen King                                         
PublisherScribner Reprint (April 17, 2018)     
FormatPaperback, Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook           
Page464     
LanguageEnglish     
ISBN #1501197967     

Author’s Bio

The eponymous Mr. King, the author of a library of horror genre literature really needs no introduction, but just in case you spent the last 50 years on a meteor traversing the universe, I will give you the press junket introduction. Stephen King, is the child of a school teacher. It was Mrs. King who encouraged all of her children to read. Stephen King consumed literature like a man possessed. This compulsion continued through-out his life and even directed his choice of study as a young man. Whilst in academia he began writing professionally. He sold his early works for a pittance but as his skill and reputation continued, he became a much-loved horror writer of modern times. At the time of writing, Stephen King’s name is synonymous with the horror theme. Some people describe him as the King of Horror and it is hard to deny with his sky-high book sales. As this is Halloween it might be pertinent to mention that one particular story was inspired by paranormal events experienced by him and his spouse in a hotel in Colorado. King has spoken of it in the past and I encourage you to seek out his own account for more details.

Who will enjoy this collection of stories?

If you are looking for a read that disquieting, amusing at times, and frightening at others this could be a book for you this Halloween. King will take you on a sojourn into an alternative universe where things may not be as you imagine. He can take you from a hospital gurney to conversing with the Devil in the woods. Every story in this novella has something for everyone. If you aren’t a Stephen King fan already, perhaps this volume could turn you into one.

Synopsis

Everything‘s Eventual is one of many of King’s Novella’s. In my opinion, whilst this is not his greatest, it is not his worst. The series of stories span a wide gamut of characters and storylines, as you expect from a novella. What is special about this collection of stories is the expertise of the author in crafting the characters so well you can almost smell them.  The stories are so well described that you could be accompanying the characters as they transverse the plots.  One cannot help but be impressed by the sheer latitude of King’s vivid imagination. The stories are original and explore new aspects of terror. If you enjoyed King’s earlier work, such as Carrie, Salem’s Lot, or Joyland you will love this outing. My favorite of the bunch is 1408, or perhaps it is Riding the Bullet; no, it has to be Luckey Quarter.  

Conclusion

Everything’s Eventual was nearly 10 years in the coming preceded by King’s earlier novella Dreamscapes and Nightmares, and it is eminently comparable. In short, if you enjoyed the latter, you will love the former. The perfect Halloween read.