Michael M. Hughes
Donna Tartt's bestselling debut novel is not generally considered a supernatural book. Most people probably remember it as a sort of elite college murder mystery, as a tight group of brainiac students studying ancient Greek degenerate into murderous monsters. At the core of the story, however, is a ritual that invokes atavistic horrors and blood-soaked Dionysian revelry. Tartt tells, and doesn't show, this chilling episode, which paradoxically heightens its creepy intensity.
A cogent, smart diagnosis and a blueprint for the cure
One of the best sociopolitical books I have read in years, and a blistering indictment of extreme economic inequity in the U.S. The book is a little short on answers, but that's okay—understanding the problem is the first step to fixing it. Extra points for being prescient about the rise of Trump and authoritarianism.
A fascinating historical account of the enormously influential Western occult organization (W. B. Yeats was a long-time member) that details the petty squabbling and ego battles that ultimately destroyed it. Those seeking a less critical account of the group and its work should read any of the many GD-related books published by Israel Regardie.
Tryon was one of the pioneers of modern horror, and this book is his masterpiece. Lyrical, gorgeous prose and a detailed evocation of a long-lost America propel the story of twin brothers and their toxic psychic link. The suspense mounts and mounts and the final horrific scene can never be forgotten. An absolute classic.
A thorough account of Dee's occultism and the source materials that influenced him, as drawn from his copious library. It doesn't get much more thorough than this.
A wild trip through the fascinating nexus of the occult and rock and roll. From the rumors of Robert Johnson's devilish dealings through the Stone's majestic Satanic tomfoolery, Black Sabbath's heavy doom metal, and the postmodern chaos magick of bands like Psychic TV and Coil, Season of the Witch covers all the important territory. It's not encyclopedic, but more like a smoky, meandering late-night conversation with the archetypal oddball friend who turned us on to all of the atavistic secrets and occult mysteries hiding in his record collection (the same guy who likely read Tolkien and played D&D).
A lot of this has been covered before but never collected into one volume. And as with all good books about music, I discovered plenty of bands I'd missed along the way. Top notch rock journalism for those with an interest in the esoteric subtext of some of our greatest popular music.
My one criticism is that there's not a lot of occult theory here—for that you'll have to look elsewhere.
A powerful novella that evokes the magic of childhood—and not just the warm, soft nostalgic magic, but the dark elements we'd prefer to forget. I will never forget the first encounter at the pond. It's an image that raised my hackles and shook me deeply in a way that's difficult to describe. My only complaint is that I have to read all the followup books in the Timmy Quinn series, now that my appetite has been whetted by this remarkable little book. And I guess that's not really a complaint.
You can read it in a few hours but you will never forget it.
Brilliant. The first book in astoundingly rich and original masterwork of fantasy. Start here and thank me when you finish The Amber Spyglass. You're welcome.
I had very high hopes for this, which may have contributed to my mild disappointment. As with many of King's recent works, it went on a bit too long. A tighter edit would have done wonders. It was a pleasure meeting a grown-up Dan Torrance, to be sure, and the insights into AA were particularly interesting. The beginning was propulsive and the True Knot were a fascinating bunch of villains, but then the energy of the narrative began to sag. And the ending was definitely a let-down—not worthy of hundreds of pages of build-up. At times, it was even confusing—I couldn't place who was where and what was happening—which is unusual for King.
The characters also seemed a little flat. Abra sometimes spoke like a middle-aged Stephen King, not a young teen. King's characters often speak in clever aphorisms, which sometimes makes them all sound the same. And the cast of the True Knot was so huge I had a hard time keeping track of them.
But hey, it's an sequel to The Shining, so my 3-star rating is based as much upon my nostalgia for the characters as it is for the experience of Doctor Sleep. Not a terrible book, but I was hoping for much more.
This dreamlike, Kafka-esque tale of a college professor's descent into madness may be the best “unreliable narrator” book of all time. As the narrator's world disintegrates into a surreal, paranoid nightmare, The Horned Man is reminiscent of the best of Edgar Allan Poe. And like The Little Stranger, its final, lyrical and shiver-inducing sentences might melt your brain. Recommended to those who like a dose of masterfully crafted surrealism.
It was a treat getting insights into the lives of the McKenna brothers. Required reading for any of Terence's fans.
Hands-down the most disturbing book I've ever read. Some scenes I will never be able to shake. It's a great book, but I wouldn't recommend it to sensitive friends, only those who can handle going to really, really dark places.
A mixed bag, to be sure. I love books about esoteric history and the Western mystery traditions, but the book could have used footnotes, a better editor (there are multiple inexcusable typos), and a tighter focus. That said, it was an enjoyable, if occasionally frustrating, read, particularly if you view it as an exercise in “what if?” rather than “this is how it is.”
Along with Stephen King's [b:On Writing 10569 On Writing Stephen King http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348431774s/10569.jpg 150292]. this is the book I would recommend to anyone wanting to write fiction professionally.
My first iPad purchase (though I had to read it on the Kindle app, as it's not in iBooks yet). Neverland is a very dark, evocative tale of dysfunctional family life and the imaginative world of children on the cusp of adulthood. There are moments of surreal, hallucinogenic beauty, particularly the episodes inside of the nightmarish shack known as “Neverland,” which elevate this novel above the typical horror/thriller into the company of Flannery O'Connor and William Faulkner.
Then ending came a little too quickly for my taste, but that is my only quibble with an otherwise well-constructed book. The universe Clegg creates is like the sticky, salty air of the dream-haunted island setting – impossible to wash off or forget.
Another successful “literary” excursion into post-apocalyptic territory. The prose is tight and clipped, a bit unusual in sentence structure but it works. I blew through the novel in 3 days and found it very engaging and loved the characters.
One of the best books on writing, period. This is the book that gave me the confidence to write my first novel (thanks, Steve!). Even if you're not a fan of King's fiction, but you think you want to write a novel, you should read this now. Seriously.
As someone with a longstanding fascination with The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the enormously influential 19th Century secret occult society, I enjoyed this novel enormously. Gilman captures the era and the historical material with just the right number of details then takes the story from London into the stratosphere and beyond (quite literally way beyond). It's a deft mashup of many genres and the author pulls it off with aplomb. An absolute treat—fast-paced, imaginative, and engaging.
I'm a sucker for books about writing by writers, and this one was composed mostly of short essays, some of them deeply personal, others more oriented to advice and craft. It veered a little too much into yogic-Oprah-ish stuff at times, but otherwise it was a very solid slice of life from a full-time writer. All of us writers have an interest in our compatriots and how they manage to navigate all the ups-and-downs, so if you like this sort of thing, Still Writing won't disappoint.
A fascinating look at the synchronistic parallels between Aleister Crowley and H. P. Lovecraft, and the melding of the two in the ritual magic tradition of Kenneth Grant's Typhonian O.T.O. I especially enjoyed this wild, speculative ride because it chronicles the real-life material I used as the background mythology of my novel. Highly recommended to those with an interest in occult history and Lovecraft's mythos.
This cookbook is phenomenal – a must-have for anyone who enjoys vegetarian food. It is mind-bogglingly comprehensive, featuring plenty of how-to cooking advice as well as tasty recipes from a variety of cuisines.
I've always been an intuitive cook, rarely relying on recipes. But since getting this book, I've been dipping into cuisines and cooking techniques that used to intimidate me – I've even started baking homemade bread (no bread machine necessary – just a good food processor).
Highly recommended to cooks of all levels of experience.
Incredible, moving book that expands the story of WWII to include those who tried to prevent the war. Should be required reading for any course on WWII.
Willy is a dark and powerful exploration of adolescence, alienation, and identity. I was captivated from the first page, and the book epitomizes the slow-burn, mounting suspense, and psychological horror that I find so gratifying—and so rare. Without hyperbole I can call this novel unforgettable. It will really get under your skin.