Scan barcode
beastreader's review against another edition
2.0
Jacob Logan left his home town of Maryfield, North Carolina as soon as he could and never looked back. Now, Jacob is all grown up. Jacob has returned home. Both his parents have passed away. It isn’t long that Jacob has been back before he starts experiencing weird and unexplainable things. There is an evil force in the house and surrounding the property. Jacob can remember chasing after the fireflies that were around his home, when he was a little boy. It appears that the fireflies have something more to worry about then Jacob. Every time they get too close to the house, they die. Jacob must figure it out before the evil presence that is killing the fireflies consumes him.
I so missed getting on the right train that everyone else seems to have booked a ticket to with this book. When I read Mr. Clegg’s comment about comparing Mr. Dansky to Stephen King, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy of Firefly Rain to see for myself. Unfortunately, Firefly Rain ended up all wet. This book started out alright but I barely got a third of the way into it and that is when it fizzled. Neither the characters nor the story line grabbed me and made me want more.
I so missed getting on the right train that everyone else seems to have booked a ticket to with this book. When I read Mr. Clegg’s comment about comparing Mr. Dansky to Stephen King, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy of Firefly Rain to see for myself. Unfortunately, Firefly Rain ended up all wet. This book started out alright but I barely got a third of the way into it and that is when it fizzled. Neither the characters nor the story line grabbed me and made me want more.
weaselweader's review against another edition
4.0
Not your average haunted house!
Jacob Logan is drawing a deep mental breath and trying to use a change of pace to gather his thoughts and restore some peace, calm and order to his life. Five years after his mother died and with a business venture in Boston having just failed, Logan returns to small town Mayfield, North Carolina to take up residence in his childhood home. But a series of inexplicable events overtake him and it's clear that nobody is happy about Logan's return to a town and a lifestyle that he had summarily abandoned many years earlier. Ultimately Logan comes to the conclusion that his departed parents have not fully departed and, from within the house, are trying to communicate with him. He just isn't understanding the message but he knows that he'd better figure it out before someone is hurt!
Haunted houses and paranormal communication with the dearly (or even not so dearly) departed are old hat for horror novels. So when an author goes down the road of choosing this particular sub-genre for a horror novel, the writing, the atmosphere, the characters, the dialogue and the resulting shiver factor had better be up to the task of building a readable story from such prosaic foundations.
Although I'm not generally an avid reader of this type of novel, I have to admit that FIREFLY RAIN succeeded in making me turn the pages of a brief but quite enjoyable gothic style novel in which the house and nature itself are major players. Author Richard Dansky creates a creepy setting in which the very fireflies in the fields choose to abhor the presence of death. The air in Mayfield is thick with the flickering lights of the summer firefly population but they steadfastly refuse to cross the border onto the Logan property. And, even when Logan experiments by carrying them onto the property in the confines of a jar, the fireflies die! I mean ... really ... how surprising, unique and truly innovative is that?
I'm still not a salivating convert to the horror genre but I certainly wouldn't pass up the opportunity to read another novel by Richard Dansky. I think it's also safe to say that afficionados of this style of novel would be more than pleased with Dansky's efforts.
Recommended.
Paul Weiss
Jacob Logan is drawing a deep mental breath and trying to use a change of pace to gather his thoughts and restore some peace, calm and order to his life. Five years after his mother died and with a business venture in Boston having just failed, Logan returns to small town Mayfield, North Carolina to take up residence in his childhood home. But a series of inexplicable events overtake him and it's clear that nobody is happy about Logan's return to a town and a lifestyle that he had summarily abandoned many years earlier. Ultimately Logan comes to the conclusion that his departed parents have not fully departed and, from within the house, are trying to communicate with him. He just isn't understanding the message but he knows that he'd better figure it out before someone is hurt!
Haunted houses and paranormal communication with the dearly (or even not so dearly) departed are old hat for horror novels. So when an author goes down the road of choosing this particular sub-genre for a horror novel, the writing, the atmosphere, the characters, the dialogue and the resulting shiver factor had better be up to the task of building a readable story from such prosaic foundations.
Although I'm not generally an avid reader of this type of novel, I have to admit that FIREFLY RAIN succeeded in making me turn the pages of a brief but quite enjoyable gothic style novel in which the house and nature itself are major players. Author Richard Dansky creates a creepy setting in which the very fireflies in the fields choose to abhor the presence of death. The air in Mayfield is thick with the flickering lights of the summer firefly population but they steadfastly refuse to cross the border onto the Logan property. And, even when Logan experiments by carrying them onto the property in the confines of a jar, the fireflies die! I mean ... really ... how surprising, unique and truly innovative is that?
I'm still not a salivating convert to the horror genre but I certainly wouldn't pass up the opportunity to read another novel by Richard Dansky. I think it's also safe to say that afficionados of this style of novel would be more than pleased with Dansky's efforts.
Recommended.
Paul Weiss
aprater's review against another edition
4.0
Although I don't usually choose books with a super-natural tinge to them, I very much enjoyed the way this one played out. A good combination of super-natural events and human reactions to common situations.
lazygal's review against another edition
1.0
Maybe it's me... but this book did nothing for me. It seemed like it was trying to be a lot like Stephen King, but never quite got up to speed; I ended up as confused as the hero, who never quite got what was going on until the very, very end (and even then I'm not sure either of us understood). This seems more like "homage to" derivative writing than anyone with a really new, creative idea.
beccagomezfarrell's review against another edition
3.0
Firefly Rain takes place in a town you never want to visit. It's the protagonist's hometown, and he's drawn back after his business fails and his parents die. The quirky locals quickly become the freaky locals, yet he remains in the town partially out of stubbornness but more from a connection to the land that is part supernatural and part his heritage. There is sufficient creepiness to keep you turning that page from the firefly phenomena to a certain bedroom that has a mind of its own. The ending didn't suit my tastes, but the writing style is great, especially how the author managed to convey Southern dialect and ways of thinking through the main character's thoughts that become stronger and stronger as the book progresses.
leeleelh's review against another edition
3.0
I pretty much had figured it out. Overall I liked the book but I felt like I had seen the ending a bunch of times before.
drey72's review against another edition
4.0
Firefly Rain tells the story of a small town boy who grew up and left that small town, never returning until after both his parents have passed away, and the life he's built for himself starts to crumble. Jacob Logan moves back to his hometown five years after his mother's death, to try and collect himself so that he can start out again. He figures that it would be a nice change of pace, and being home would provide an environment for him to regain his footing.
However, once there, it seems as if the house he grew up in, and the town itself, is reluctant to let this prodigal son out of its clutches again. His car is stolen. His belongings are lost in an accident. I'm surprised his phone line isn't cut within the first 50 pages... And the amazing thing is that it takes Jacob quite a few days to figure out that not everything is hunky dory in Maryfield. Once he does, I had quite a few "d'oh!" moments with him (but then they say girls are smarter than boys, ha ha!). You know those moments--the ones where you're saying to the character, "What're you doing?? No, don't go there!! Aargh, too late!!"
Firefly Rain grips you from the first few pages, and has you in that grip until the very last word. There are no wasted words here--every single one either contributes to character development or building suspense. "D'oh!" moments notwithstanding, Firefly Rain is a satisfying read indeed.
However, once there, it seems as if the house he grew up in, and the town itself, is reluctant to let this prodigal son out of its clutches again. His car is stolen. His belongings are lost in an accident. I'm surprised his phone line isn't cut within the first 50 pages... And the amazing thing is that it takes Jacob quite a few days to figure out that not everything is hunky dory in Maryfield. Once he does, I had quite a few "d'oh!" moments with him (but then they say girls are smarter than boys, ha ha!). You know those moments--the ones where you're saying to the character, "What're you doing?? No, don't go there!! Aargh, too late!!"
Firefly Rain grips you from the first few pages, and has you in that grip until the very last word. There are no wasted words here--every single one either contributes to character development or building suspense. "D'oh!" moments notwithstanding, Firefly Rain is a satisfying read indeed.
mirandawood's review against another edition
Almost made it halfway through this book. I really thought this was going to get spooky but it never did. It’s sooooooo boring. The small spooky bits are not just not enough, they’re so small and they’re so spread out, it’s not worth struggling through 60 pages for two pages of something with potential. DNFing this one.
imbookingit's review against another edition
4.0
Firefly Rain was the creepiest book I've read in a while, and I mean that in a good way!
A quote on the back cover refers to this book as horror, but this isn't what I think of when I see that label.
The novel has a very gothic feel, with mysterious happenings, a spooky house, a young protagonist at a crossroads in his life (although I tend to think of gothic novels as featuring women), and even a little romance (key to the plot, although not to the storytelling).
The book examines what it mean to be from someplace and what it means to belong somewhere. The small town seems like a character at times, and you wonder if the residents are driving the towns atmosphere, or if the town is influencing the actions of the people.
I found Jacob to be flawed but sympathetic, and even more importantly, I found him interesting. He's worked hard on his business all of his adult life, and has retreated to his childhood home to decide what comes next.
The secondary characters were flat, but deliberately so, I think. They were catalysts in a story that really was about Jacob, his parent's house and the town he was raised it.
I'm looking forward to reading more by Richard Dansky.
A quote on the back cover refers to this book as horror, but this isn't what I think of when I see that label.
The novel has a very gothic feel, with mysterious happenings, a spooky house, a young protagonist at a crossroads in his life (although I tend to think of gothic novels as featuring women), and even a little romance (key to the plot, although not to the storytelling).
The book examines what it mean to be from someplace and what it means to belong somewhere. The small town seems like a character at times, and you wonder if the residents are driving the towns atmosphere, or if the town is influencing the actions of the people.
I found Jacob to be flawed but sympathetic, and even more importantly, I found him interesting. He's worked hard on his business all of his adult life, and has retreated to his childhood home to decide what comes next.
The secondary characters were flat, but deliberately so, I think. They were catalysts in a story that really was about Jacob, his parent's house and the town he was raised it.
I'm looking forward to reading more by Richard Dansky.