Reviews

Summer of Night by Dan Simmons

painkiller's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

n0s4a2's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

runjohnnyrun845's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

checkplease's review against another edition

4.0

4.5 Stars

moerod's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Kinda slow at the beginning, but still some creeps, been wanting to read this, heat second half.of book, scary, gory, sad, action, great read

tenekecik's review against another edition

3.0

A weak 3.5 stars.

I started this book after watching "Stranger Things" on Netflix and wanting to read a horror story with a coming-of-age theme... something like It by Stephen King.

In that regard, the book was more or less satisfying but the first few hundred pages were very slow burn. I don't usually mind it, and perhaps I wasn't in the mood, but those parts failed to give that coming-of-age vibe… instead they felt bloated. Some rigorous editing would do wonders for the first half.

I think I'll just re-read Stephen Kin's It.

spaceman5000's review against another edition

5.0

I have owned a paperback copy of this for about 15 years and while I want to kick myself for never having read it, I think I read it at the perfect time in my life.

The book is set in the fictional town of Elm Haven, IL which lies in between the non-fictional towns of Galesburg and Peoria. I have lived in Illinois for 44 of my 47 years on this earth and moved to the Peoria-area four years ago. As mentioned, reading it now was the perfect time for me.

This book is ostensibly a horror story but it's so much more..... The book is set in 1960 and chronicles that summer and the adventures of a troupe of young boys. The book has a deliberate pace as the chilling story unfolds and you could argue that it meanders a bit, but that's the charm.....it's paced like a lazy summer with long days and all the time in the world. Simmons' prose is fabulous and keeps you engaged even through its "meanderings."

This book gets compared to Stephen King's "IT," his short story "The Body" (a.k.a. the movie "Stand By Me") and Robert R. McCammon's "Boys Life." I've only read King's works and I would agree, but this one is better. Trust me.

kdevone20's review against another edition

4.0

Really enjoyed this one. I love storylines that involve kids taking on evil. The story was a little slow at first but built quickly at the end!

causearuckus's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

dreagan's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0