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Web © 1979 Penguin (1980) 141 pages Web is a posthumously published novel by one of the last century’s greatest science fiction writers: John Wyndham. Like his more famous works (i.e. The Chrysalids, The Day of the Triffids), Web rides the line between science fiction and horror—this time swerving more towards horror. Lord Foxfield was [...]

A Dark Matter © 2010 Doubleday 416 pages I was introduced to Straub through his work with King on the Talisman and Dark House books. Given their tie to the Dark Tower books, his ability to write about two overlapping worlds (and more) became obvious. In A Dark Matter he’s right back in this element, [...]

Full Dark, No Stars © 2010 Scribner 384 pages “Vengeance is mine; I will repay,” sayeth the Lord. Someone forgot to remind the protagonists about that verse. Whether it’s a corpse or a conscience, an abused author or a suspicious spouse, Stephen King’s latest four short(er) stories all deal with the theme of retribution. The [...]

The Regulators © 1996 Viking: Penguin 475 pages Bachman’s been referred to as King without a conscience. The Regulators certainly fits this description. Released concurrently with King’s Desperation, Regulators deals with the same cast of characters in an alternate reality. The entire book is essentially one big blood-bath. The fast-paced excitement is also the problem [...]

The Passage © 2010 Doubleday Canada: Random House 766 pages I have to agree with most of the other reviews on this book. It’s an interesting take on the vampire motif that grabbed you at the beginning, slowed down a bit in the middle, and ramped up at the end. Many people compare it to [...]

Under the Dome: A Novel © 2009 Scribner (Simon & Schuster) 1074 pages Stephen King’s at his best when he lets the page-count roll freely and the cast of characters climb. That’s why I decided to give this book a try. It’s the first new King book I’ve read since Volume VII of The Dark [...]

The Green Mile: The Complete Serial Novel © 1996 Plume (Penguin) (2007) 465 pages This is more than generic horror: It’s a human story that makes you question your views and values. Does a death-row inmate deserve respect? Is capital punishment justified at all? What is the significance of the electric chair when it just [...]

Black House © 2001 Random House 625 pages Having just finished The Talisman, I decided to jump into the sequel. This book surpasses its predecessor in every way possible. The writing style is mature and polished. The horror is truly horrifying. The plot is captivating. The character development is rich, without slowing the pace of [...]

The Talisman © 1984 Viking/Penguin 646 pages I took a break from Stephen King for a while after finishing his brilliant Dark Tower heptalogy (yes, I had to look that word up). Having heard that The Talisman dealt with similar themes, I decided to give this King/Straub work a chance. It was quite interesting. If [...]