Book Reviews

Okay, I don't normally do book reviews here, but I've read many books over the last few weeks (one of the joys of being a security guard, it gives me lots of time to read and write) that I felt the need to discuss them. Plus, since I've been working a hell of a lot lately, there's not much else going on in my life to talk about it...so here are the books I've read over the last two weeks.

1. Lucy's Child by Shaun Hutson: I've read many reviews that claim Shaun Hutson as the master of shock horror. I disagree with this statement because I don't find him all that shocking. I do however find that he manages to create very suspensful situations and unique story lines. I loved this book. Shaun Hutson's characterization is second only to Brian Keene.

2. The Minotauress by Edward Lee: This was a double bonus as the book included the novella The Horncranker. I enjoyed both stories very much, although throughout the Minotauress I kept wandering when the beast was finally going to show up. But I was promised lots of nastiness and this book delivered. Edward Lee never disappoints me.

3. His Pain by Wrath James White: I just started reading Wrath James White a few months ago and I am quickly becoming a big fan. His Pain isn't necessarily a horror story (in my opinion) but there are a few nasty scenes in it and it is probably the most original story I have ever read. This is definitely worth reading and I can't wait to get my hands on Wrath's latest book, Population Zero.

4. Just Like Hell by Nathan Southard: I can't remember where I first heard the name Nathan Southard, but I felt compelled to buy a copy of his novella Just Like Hell. It's very short (about 98 pages) and is a very small book (kinda cute, really). I read it in one sitting and loved it. It kick starts right into the story and doesn't quit until the last page. Nathan leaves us no room to breathe in this story. I just couldn't put it down. I believe this is his first published book, and I hope there are lots more to come. I'm definitely becoming a big fan of Nathan's.

5. Shifters by Edward Lee and John Pelan: A really cool story with good characterization. I haven't read everything by Lee, but I've read a lot of his work and I have never been disappointed by one of his books. The alien twists at the end kind of get annoying after a while, but the stories themselves are phenomenal. Ed Lee is definitely the King of Hardcore Horror.

6. Jigsaw by Gord Rollo: It's nice to see a fellow Canadian horror author doing well for himself. I enjoyed this new take on the Frankenstein theme. Even though it is a theme that's been used before, I found this one very original and the plot kept interested. This book is over 300 pages, and I read it in a day. 'nuff said.

7. The Bighead by Edward Lee: Yes, I've been reading lotrs of Lee lately. This is my second go around with The Bighead and it's as good as I remembered it. This is another one I read it a single day and it is over 300 pages. It's sick, disgusting, and funny. I highly recommend this book.

8. Ghostwalk by Brian Keene: Keene is currently my favourite author. I have yet to find an author who creates real characters as well as he does .Ghostwalk is no exception. It is kind of a sequel to Dark Hollow, but you don't need to read it to enjoy Ghostwalk. It will enhance your enjoyment of the book, so I do recommend reading Dark Hollow first. Keene has very original stories, good charaterization. The best thing about Keene is his dedication to his fans. He is offering a sequel to his novel Conquerer Worms absolutely free on his website, just to say thank you to his fans. I recommend any of Keene's work, but my personal favourite is Ghoul.

I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can remember off the top of my head.

Writing updates: Since my computer crashed this week and I had nothing on back-up disk, everything I've been working on is gone, so it's back to the drawing board for my book Hatred and the story "She". I do have "Terror Eyes" printed out because it's in the editing stages, but I can't get it the way I want it. Something's not right and I can't figure out what it is.

Okay, that's everything for now.

Until next time,

Joe.