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jminsf's review
2.0
A rather silly horror story, but it all takes place in my back yard (Corona Heights), so that earned it an extra star.
twerkingtobeethoven's review
1.0
Could you write a less than 200 page horror book with a very interesting premise and make it boring as fuck and as pointless as a set of nipples on a bull? The answer is yes.
ashleylm's review
4.0
I liked this a lot, until the ending, so at least 95% of the book worked for me. I'd just finished reading (or trying to read) two similar books (at least in tone, narrative style, not plot) and was pleased with how well this one worked. Even when he was visiting his friend who recapped ancient history, it still held me.
But that ending, whoa. Still, it doesn't negate that most of the book worked for me, any more than Seinfeld's awkward finale didn't cast a pall on all the other great episodes.
I think if you were younger (say, Goosebumps age) then you might think the climax is suitably creepy. for me it was a bit mirth-inducing.
(Note: I'm a writer myself, so suffer pangs of guilt every time I offer less than five stars. These aren't ratings of quality, just my subjective account of how much I liked them: 5* = one of my all-time favourites, 4* = enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)
But that ending, whoa. Still, it doesn't negate that most of the book worked for me, any more than Seinfeld's awkward finale didn't cast a pall on all the other great episodes.
I think if you were younger (say, Goosebumps age) then you might think the climax is suitably creepy. for me it was a bit mirth-inducing.
(Note: I'm a writer myself, so suffer pangs of guilt every time I offer less than five stars. These aren't ratings of quality, just my subjective account of how much I liked them: 5* = one of my all-time favourites, 4* = enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)
stevo1977's review
I'm not sure exactly why I lost interest. There was some cool mystery that seemed vaguely supernatural, but after a while it just didn't seem to be going anywhere. Even almost 100 pages in I wasn't sure what the plot was (which is important to me, personally, I guess).
crowfood's review
2.0
Usually not knowing anything about a book before reading it is a bonus.
Less so when you don't know what it's trying to be, and the plot doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
Then, not particularly gripped by said plot, you only read it in short doses with long stretches in between.
That was this book. In the end I found out what it was trying to be (Lovecraftian Horror), at which it did an okay job. Perhaps it could have benefited from less navel-gazing and more editing.
Less so when you don't know what it's trying to be, and the plot doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
Then, not particularly gripped by said plot, you only read it in short doses with long stretches in between.
That was this book. In the end I found out what it was trying to be (Lovecraftian Horror), at which it did an okay job. Perhaps it could have benefited from less navel-gazing and more editing.
dllman05's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
ramonnogueras's review against another edition
3.0
Una inusual novela, que no podría catalogar bien si es de terror o de fantasía urbana. Leiber explora una idea interesante, la de las grandes ciudades como monstruos sintientes, a través de un protagonista que se obsesiona con un ocultista que promulgaba dicha idea. El libro es un viaje de investigación y descubrimiento donde no hay nada terrorífico hasta el final, pero que presenta un puzzle interesante.
Leiber es un maestro y con razón. Incluso esta, que me parece una obra menor comparada con el ciclo de Fafhrd y el Ratonero Gris u otras, sigue siendo una magnífica demostración de prosa ágil, y conceptos originales. Es recomendable, aunque no te va a cambiar la vida.
Leiber es un maestro y con razón. Incluso esta, que me parece una obra menor comparada con el ciclo de Fafhrd y el Ratonero Gris u otras, sigue siendo una magnífica demostración de prosa ágil, y conceptos originales. Es recomendable, aunque no te va a cambiar la vida.
nlgn's review against another edition
2.0
Dated, and a bit overworked, but entertaining. (What's with all the parenthetical comments though?)