|
Just completed Haunted (took longer coz i squeezed in King's Talisman in between). And now my final 2 cents worth.
As an author i've just started reading, his style comes across quite refreshing, very in sync with modern morbid-om, with lots of contemporary nuances. No usual ghosts or vampires or ghouls here. Just the worst of what modern civilisation can come up with.
"Guts", the lead story, tips the scale of tales here with its gross-out factor, becuase its actually posible. But the other stories sorta level out in tone, highlighting the diff faults of society's mindset, and the constant attempt of the cast to be "better" or more "accepted". The characters involved are all so flawed, they could almost be someone u know for real. Finally grinding down to a conclusion that's more on the fringe of sci-fi / fantasy than horror, a little sugar-coated for me.
The layering of stories with poems and intersected by parallel stories is quite ingeniously done tho. Chuck keeps everything short & tight and keeps the pace going well.
Verdict: definitely picking up another Chuck book, soon.
__________________
Madness takes its toll.... please have exact change
|