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dunnadam's review against another edition
1.0
Psycho was what pulp fiction can be. This lame sequel is what happens when an author tries to take it to another level.
I don't think anyone was asking for all the psychological insight, the commentary on violence in the media, the studio executives. I don't care about any of that. All I cared about was Norman Bates who leaves the book at 20% and doesn't come back until 96%.
The actor who is working undercover in a gay male strip club with Burt Reynolds and John Travolta is never heard from again. The studio heads have such similar characters that they all run together. There's a lot of problems with this book.
I heard this was a better sequel than the movie. Incorrect.
I don't think anyone was asking for all the psychological insight, the commentary on violence in the media, the studio executives. I don't care about any of that. All I cared about was Norman Bates who leaves the book at 20% and doesn't come back until 96%.
The actor who is working undercover in a gay male strip club with Burt Reynolds and John Travolta is never heard from again. The studio heads have such similar characters that they all run together. There's a lot of problems with this book.
I heard this was a better sequel than the movie. Incorrect.
roxnn2000's review against another edition
2.0
Perhaps one of the weirdest horror/suspense books I've ever read.
Sure it kept me guessing till the end, but the ending left me...disappointed. Could have used a little more, but just didn't have it.
Sure it kept me guessing till the end, but the ending left me...disappointed. Could have used a little more, but just didn't have it.
njdarkish's review against another edition
1.0
A decent idea for a sequel that started strong, had a handful of chilling scenes, but that was ultimately ruined by a stupid twist ending and a lot of stuff included solely for shock factor.
iamdwg's review against another edition
2.0
First of all, this wasn't a Psycho book. It was a response to a few jerks in a movie audio that wouldn't let Bloch write the sequel film. While it's still a mystery with a twist, its not the greatest or even clearest mystery, the motivations are not really explained very well, and most importantly, he got Norman terribly, terribly wrong.
I just watched the movie sequel, and they kept the essence of Norman intact, and in general, it was a far greater story than this book... because with this book, they messed everything up in the worst way.
As a book on it's own, its mediocre at best. It's like Bloch was so angry at the movie studio for giving him the cold shoulder that he risked throwing away his greatest work in the process.
Oh well. Psych house is the third book in the trilogy, and that's next
I just watched the movie sequel, and they kept the essence of Norman intact, and in general, it was a far greater story than this book... because with this book, they messed everything up in the worst way.
As a book on it's own, its mediocre at best. It's like Bloch was so angry at the movie studio for giving him the cold shoulder that he risked throwing away his greatest work in the process.
Oh well. Psych house is the third book in the trilogy, and that's next
bdh2109's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
youreadtoomuch's review against another edition
2.0
Can't decide if this book was creepy because it just genuinely is or because I had someone narrating it to me...
Norman Bates is now in a mental ward years after the horrific events of the first novel. He no longer believes he is his own mother but still breaks free. Horrific events follow and his psychiatrist Dr. Adam Claiborne goes after him paranoid and convinced Norman is still alive despite what the police say.
First, this book has many elements that fall under shock value rather than carefully thought out character nuisances including necrophilia, rape, violence as arousing, actual pornography. It kind of comes off as offensive and rather boring to be inundated by such trauma.
Second, this book is enjoyable in the sense that it completely goes off the rails in respect to it being an ordinary sequel following Norman again. It has the same type of narration as the first book but it really is all over the place and doesn't really tie it all in neatly at the end.
So yes, that is mostly why gave it a low rating.
Norman Bates is now in a mental ward years after the horrific events of the first novel. He no longer believes he is his own mother but still breaks free. Horrific events follow and his psychiatrist Dr. Adam Claiborne goes after him paranoid and convinced Norman is still alive despite what the police say.
First, this book has many elements that fall under shock value rather than carefully thought out character nuisances including necrophilia, rape, violence as arousing, actual pornography. It kind of comes off as offensive and rather boring to be inundated by such trauma.
Second, this book is enjoyable in the sense that it completely goes off the rails in respect to it being an ordinary sequel following Norman again. It has the same type of narration as the first book but it really is all over the place and doesn't really tie it all in neatly at the end.
So yes, that is mostly why gave it a low rating.
walkonpooh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Psycho II by Robert Bloch diverges from the film series, the two go in two different paths. I think the movie version of II is an underrated movie and the book is, well, I didn't like it much.
I like some of Bloch's other work, but this is one of the rare instances where I think the film series is better than the novels (haven't read House yet, but after this one I'm not eager to get there soon).
I like some of Bloch's other work, but this is one of the rare instances where I think the film series is better than the novels (haven't read House yet, but after this one I'm not eager to get there soon).
cephon's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0